Travel Destinations
“You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.”
Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises
One of the most difficult decisions to make when deciding to travel, is also probably the most important: choosing where to travel to. Below is a collection of various travel guides to different destinations spanning from Latin America to East Asia. Check back frequently, as we’re always adding more. Or better yet, sign up for the mailing list!
Keep in mind wherever you travel that we have a certain responsibility as tourists. Especially as tourists from rich countries visiting poor or developing countries. Many of these countries have suffered for decades at the hands of our governments and corporations. The least we can do is be respectful when we visit these amazing places. The people in these countries have welcomed us, we should behave as grateful guests. Be mindful of local customs, be prepared to pay a little extra sometimes and remember that most people really want you to have a good time in their country!
Central America
Asia
The Latest Travel Posts from Various Destinations…
- I Survived a Dangerous Fish on the Rio San Juan, Nicaragua’s Wild Frontier
The Rio San Juan is a steamy river that weaves its way through lush tropical rain forest along Nicaragua’s border with Costa Rica. Here the intrepid traveler can explore sleepy riverside towns or take a boat through crocodile infested waters. You can also hike through the jungle trails of the Indio-Maíz Biological Reserve. A few unlucky tourists, like myself, might get attacked by a fish. But the Rio San Juan is more than just a home to exotic, dangerous animals. It’s also a river full of history, from the marauding pirates of the Spanish colonial era to the opulent Vanderbilt… Read more: I Survived a Dangerous Fish on the Rio San Juan, Nicaragua’s Wild Frontier - Uncovering the Magic of Isla Ometepe: a Travel Guide to Nicaragua’s Twin Volcanic Island
The first thing you’ll see when traveling to Isla Ometepe will be two magnificent volcanoes rising up from the waters of Lake Nicaragua. One sits dormant, slopes draped in coffee farms and lush forest, its summit draped in heavy clouds. The other is barren and rocky, belching threatening smoke into the sky. There are few other places in the world like Ometepe. The twin peaks of its volcanoes dominate the scenery, but the island is full of a thousand beautiful corners to explore. There are rural villages, beaches, hiking trails and swimming holes. Isla Ometepe is a must visit destination… Read more: Uncovering the Magic of Isla Ometepe: a Travel Guide to Nicaragua’s Twin Volcanic Island - León Was Nicaragua’s Biggest Travel Letdown
León seemed like the kind of place I would love. Before I arrived, I did what most travelers do and read all the travel guides and blogs I could about Nicaragua’s second largest city. A city filled with crumbling colonial architecture, burning with both tropical sun and leftist political fervor. Young Nicaraguans would fill the coffee shops and bars discussing Lenin in the shadow of volcanic peaks. But like the outcome of all too many a revolution, the reality of a travel destination often falls short of the expectations. León wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t particularly welcoming and ended up… Read more: León Was Nicaragua’s Biggest Travel Letdown - Granada, Nicaragua: a Colonial Beauty That Might Steal Your Heart
Granada is Nicaragua’s charismatic temptress. The city, nicknamed “La Gran Sultana” exudes old-world elegance charm. But don’t let that refined outer beauty fool you into thinking she’s some kind of stuffy old maid. There’s a fiery passion that flows through Granada’s colonial streets, and a population of some of the warmest people you’ll ever meet. Here you can find any number of gorgeously fading colonial buildings. The city center is laid-back and a pleasure to meander around getting lost in the alleyways and side streets. Granada rests on the shores of Nicaragua’s magnificent Lago Cocibolca, filled with lush volcanic islets… Read more: Granada, Nicaragua: a Colonial Beauty That Might Steal Your Heart - Navigating Nicaragua: A Travel Guide to the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes and Revolution
Nicaragua will always hold a piece of my heart. It was the first country I’d ever traveled to independently, and where I fell in love with both travel and Latin America. Before visiting, I remember reading about the Nicaraguan civil war and Iran Contra scandal. It made me realize that the U.S. government weren’t always the good guys. On that fateful trip to Nicaragua as a starry-eyed young backpacker, more years ago than I’d care to admit now, I was captivated by this vibrant land of fiery revolutionaries, smoldering volcanoes, warm tropical lakes and wonderfully open, friendly people. My wife… Read more: Navigating Nicaragua: A Travel Guide to the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes and Revolution - El Tunco: Wiping Out in El Salvador’s Beginner Surf Capital
El Tunco is a small town on El Salvador’s Pacific coast. The town has a reputation as a backpacker beach party town. It’s definitely a backpacker beach party town. El Tunco is also one of the best places to learn how to surf. In fact, there isn’t much else to do in El Tunco besides party and surf. I’m not much for partying these days, but had always want to try surfing. So, we stopped in El Tunco during our trip to El Salvador, my head filled with dreams of catching gnarly waves. Those dreams never came true. How to… Read more: El Tunco: Wiping Out in El Salvador’s Beginner Surf Capital