Marine debris is not only unsightly, it’s dangerous to sea life, hazardous to human health, and costly to our economies. Marine animals become entangled in debris, and even mistake it for food – often with fatal results. Divers, swimmers and beach goers can be directly harmed by encounters with marine debris or its toxins. The environmental damage caused by plastic debris alone is estimated at US$13 billion a year.
Last week, Costa Rica once again made headlines because of its incredible people. We refer, specifically, to those who work every day to maintain their beaches, parks, and all the biodiversity that surrounds this country. In short, it was a great example of ecological sustainability.
Through the Costa Rican Surf Association (Acos), the “Mega Cleaning of Beaches” at the national level was held specifically on December 5th, volunteers’ day. That was why a large number of people joined and enjoyed giving back to the beautiful beaches of our country.
Vanessa Hollan, as one of the organizers this year, in coordination with “Acos”, said: “I am very happy about this. My first year working not only in cleaning but also in the organization and search for sponsors within Dominical”. (venue of the event)
Among the sponsors who decided to say “present” in the cleaning of beaches, were Coldwell Banker, Mono Congo, Patrons, Ecoferia and, of course, The Costa Rica News. They all helped to collect the waste, take photos, and bringing food and drinks for the activity.
Other beaches such as Jacó, Hermosa, Azul, Guacalillo, Puntarenas, Pavones, Cieneguita, Tamarindo were also pampered by these Ticos and their sponsors. Definitely, an initiative focused on educating more citizens and motivating them to maintain cleanliness on the Costa Rican beaches.
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Soaking up the Caribbean vibes in Bocas
The Bocas del Toro province in Panama is a fairly quick hop over from Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica (our last stop). It is made up, partly, of a cluster of islands on the Caribbean coast and is a popular stop for travellers coming south.
We arrived in Bocas Town on Isla Colón – which is where most backpackers spend their time – ready to eat, drink and be merry. This is the northernmost island in the province and is filled with hostels, hotels, restaurants and little shops. We hadn’t booked anything upon arrival and made quick friends with a local man about town who was “helping” us find a place to stay.
I wasn’t fooled by the laid back Caribbean swagger – this guy knew how to hustle. Even so, he really did just want to make a buck and so we chatted our way from hostel to hostel, finally finding a suitably average spot on the main drag for a suitably average price. There seemed to be a lot to chose from, but most of the popular spots were fully booked.
We spent our first night out on the town, and after wandering through quiet streets found ourselves at Barco Hundido Bar. This place is pretty awesome. It looks like where the Lost Boys live in the movie ‘Hook’, except that is stands on stilts above the ocean below.
Wooden walkways wind around the main dance area and pockets of people were chatting, dancing and drinking the night away. The lights below the water revealed a huge ship, deep under the water. I’m not certain it was a pirate ship, but I’d like to think it was, and so it was especially Peter Pan like. Oh, and what does Barco Hundido translate to? Sunken ship. Funny that…
We may have busted a few too many moves on the dance floor that night – maybe it was the phenomenal light show, or the bumping base, but we had a blast. Barco Hundido was a melting pop of locals and travellers and its seems like the kind of place that’s a party every night of the week.
There was certainly no lack of bars and restaurants in Bocas Town and we did our best to try them all. Om Café, a cute little Indian place proved to be a delicious treat and well worth the wait – as it finally opened up for dinner on our last night in town.
Other than eating and drinking lots, most people spend their time in Bocas taking a boat tour, scuba diving or snorkeling. There are a lot of beaches to visit, and they all have really cool names, like sports teams you’re on when you’re in elementary school: Red Frog Beach, Dolphin Bay, Starfish Beach.
We spent one of ours days on the water, in a small tourist boat, making a few stops and ending at the secluded and deliciously quiet Cayos Zapatilla. They are actually two tiny, uninhabited islands with quite possibly some of the best beach front I’ve ever seen. Apart from all the other boats stopped on the island, it was wonderfully peaceful.
I loved spending the day on the water. We saw dolphins, slowly made our way through water glades searching for sloths and stopped at a small hut on stilts in the middle of the turquoise water for lunch.
Macca also wanted to spend a day in Bocas diving, so Brian and I decided to rent bicycles and go exploring. The young kid across from our hostel rented our bikes to us for around 2 dollars for a half day and we were off.
We ended up riding down a sandy, dirt path along the ocean and landing at a funky ocean front restaurant, which also happened to be a hostel and surf school. We ate pizza and watched surfers come in from the wild sea. It was a great spot to relax before riding the hour or so back into town.
There was so much to see in Bocas del Toro and we probably could have spent weeks there, exploring each beach, each island and drinking endless fruity cocktails.
I definitely encourage getting out on the water in a boat, whether you dive or not (I don’t) and seeing as much as you can. The energy in Bocas is harmonious and infectious – it’s pretty easy to slip into the local spirit and spend your days as happy as a clam.
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Kitesurfing—harnessing the power of the wind to slide through the water and into the air on a kiteboard— guaranteed to help free your soul and lift your spirts.
Few places rival the Turks and Caicos for beginners, with its shallow bays and constant onshore winds it is rated one of the best places in the world to learn to Kiteboard.
Turks and Caicos is truly an island that is “beautiful by nature,” as its license plates proclaim. If you include locals the who have a very relaxed, friendly vibe, and you have everything you need for a perfect vacation.
First steps:
You land on the main island of Providenciales (or Provo, as it’s locally known), then swing over to for Long Bay. You will see the kites as you approach what as been called the top location in the world to learn to Kiteboard! Still tons of room for you!
Lessons: You begin by learning to fly a kite from the beach harder than you might think!) then progress to using the kite to pull yourself through the water. Once you’ve gotten the hang of the kite, you can start learning how to get up on the board—usually on day two. – Tanning and enjoying the turquoise waters all included with each training package!
When to Visit:
The trade winds blow on shore from November through June, making the winter months the best time to visit!
The first time I saw Bermuda was on purpose. I watched the sun rise over its famous pink beaches as my cruise ship approaches its shore, excited for the boat to dock so my family and I could explore the destination we selected for our vacation. We had planned our visit for months, and when two days proved to be an insufficient amount of time to see the islands we promised each other we would return as soon as we could.
The second time I saw Bermuda wasn’t planned at all. My parents and I booked a transatlantic cruise with scheduled stops in the Caribbean, but when Hurricane Irma devastated our ports of call our itinerary replaced St. Maarten and St. Thomas with an overnight in Bermuda. We had promised to return, and we did—much sooner than expected.
Bermuda is a wonderful destination in itself. With direct flights from several major cities on the USA’s east coast (as well as London: Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory) it’s an easy trip. It’s also a popular cruise destination, which has benefits and drawbacks: cruising in itself is a lot of fun, but your time at most ports of call is limited. During our first trip to Bermuda we planned to have three full days on the island but ended up with just two when pouring rain kept us on the boat.
Whether you plan for a long weekend, a full week, or just a day or two during a cruise, here are three of the top places to visit during your trip to Bermuda!
To read the rest of the article on Bermuda, please follow this link: https://www.roadunraveled.com/blog/bermuda-vacation-guide/
Belize is a dynamic country that is known for its abundant wildlife and magnificent archaeological sites. Delve into the shores of the Caribbean or explore thick rainforests and beautiful tropical landscapes. Dive among the second largest barrier reefs in the world to enjoy insider experiences. Belize makes for an unusual trip with its unique cultural interactions and some unforgettable moments.
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Did you know there are swimming pigs in the Bahamas? Visiting the Exuma swimming pigs aka the infamous Pigs Beach in the Bahamas was high on my bucket list. I mean pigs swimming?? That’s pretty cool, right?
The Exuma swimming pigs are actually not on Exuma, but a more remote island called Big Major Cay.
And the TRUTH about the swimming pigs in the Bahamas?
Well, they actually do swim in the ocean and the tour from Exuma included so much more than just swimming with the pigs.
The Pigs Beach is uninhabited by people and accessible from Staniel Cay if you want to go there by yourself. But since Staniel Cay was a bit too remote for us with only one hotel and one restaurant we opted to stay in Exuma. From Exuma we took the famous swimming pigs tour which also included a sandbar, iguana island, swimming with sea turtles, AND swimming with sharks!
Our first actual stop was not pigs beach but Thunderball Grotto where they filmed the famous 1965 James Bond movie. This grotto is fantastic and we got to snorkel through it. There’s actually a hole on the top that you can jump into the grotto from but we were a bit short on time and I didn’t get to do it.
Next up was the main attraction this tour was named after, pigs beach! The best part about this tour is we arrived just before other boats so for those Instagrammable moments we had the beach and pigs to ourselves! It really is a sight to behold as the pigs swim out to the boat. Eventually, we made it on land and I may have gently harassed a baby pig or two. I’d recommend bringing some extra food like bread or fresh veggies to feed the pigs with they really are quite friendly. But do not drop food in the sand or leave it behind on the sand. This may have been the cause death of some of the pigs, consumption of sand. The conjecture is the pigs ate leftovers on the sand and also ate the sand with the food, so ended up with a ton of non-digestible sand in their bellies.
Next stop was an incredible sandbar where we ate fresh conch ceviche caught earlier on the boat ride. The sandbar may be more incredible than swimming with pigs. The water more clear than anything I’ve ever seen.
To view the remainder of this article by: Sea of Blush please follow this link:
Can Americans Go to Cuba? They sure can! But there are a few things to know before you go. While only 90 miles off of the coast of The United States, Cuba remains an exotic and illusive island, so close, yet so far. While Cuba is a beautiful land, there are certain things to know before you go.
You Still Need a Visa if You Want to Visit Officially
While Obama has eased our American relationship with Cuba, you still need to fall into one of 12 approved categories to visit Cuba. The list of approved reasons to visit Cuba can be found here. The “unofficial” way to visit is to fly through Cancun and purchase your visa in cash. This way of travel to Cuba is not approved by the U.S. government.
To view the remainder of this article by : Roamaroo , please click here
They were one of the first things I saw when I stepped onto the beach at our Punta Cana resort; giant kites floating over the ocean, with teeny, tiny people strapped beneath. I watched in awe as they floated over the ocean, towed by the powerful speed boats below them. Definitely not something for people with a fear of heights. But, for someone looking for a bit of adventure, parasailing is a must. So, after a few days of sun, sand, and trying everything on the cocktail menu (twice), my brother Jake and I decided we had to try it.
To read the rest of the article by Eat Sleep Breath Travel please follow this link:
http://www.eatsleepbreathetravel.com/parasailing-in-punta-cana/