 Most Americans don’t think we are allowed to come to Cuba….and while not true, there is some truth in the reasoning. Americans can’t come to Cuba and be on their own and just wander around independently. In order to get a visa to come to Cuba, you have to be coming for one of the approved reasons-----in most cases that is in support of the Cuban people. By traveling to Cuba, that is in fact exactly what I’ve done….it isn’t just to tick a box on the visa application, it is a true meaning behind the travel. Americans have had restrictions on travel to Cuba since 1962. Travel was made easier during the Obama administration, but even then, some restrictions were in place. As of now, Americans can travel, but it is essential to have a professional plan your trip or to be very well educated on the rules. My partnerships with companies in Cuba allows me to plan trips for my clients that are both legal and amazing. My trip to Cuba began with VIP service upon arrival. The lines can be long at immigration (like many countries) and this service allows you to skip the line. You also have someone helping you navigate the process. Immigration took a matter of minutes and then I was on my way. I had a driver in a classic car for the drive to my hotel. The drive to Havana takes about 20-30 minutes depending on where you stay. My first impressions of the city were better than I was expecting. I had heard that the roads are bad, the city is overflowing with trash and that all the buildings are in disrepair. The highway was in pretty good condition and once we were in the city center, the roads continued to be in pretty good condition with a few large potholes from time to time. In the city, there are areas that have garbage on the street---the salary for the government owned trash company is quite low and so it is hard to keep workers and there is a fuel shortage at the moment, so trash pick up is no longer on a regular schedule. There are buildings in disrepair, but there are also many buildings that have been maintained or renovated. The first night we had a city tour in the UNESO World Heritage Old Town. Our guide spoke very proficient English and gave us lots of details….including one time when we were standing on a road made of wood---it looked like cobblestone, but hundreds of years ago they were experimenting with different materials and wanted to see if wood would work (spoiler alert: it did not). The colonial part of the city is well maintained and quite clean. It was a great first impression. After the tour we headed to dinner and were served family style---the first of many times that we had leftover food that we gave to our guide and driver. The next day we headed to the national ballet to watch them practice. We learned they make about $50 a month---this is a fairly typical government salary. Most dancers treat the job like a university and once they are good, scouts see them perform when they travel internationally and are offered jobs in other ballet companies outside of Cuba. Our guide mentioned that this is also true for baseball and soccer players. We then headed about 45 minutes outside the city to an organic farm. They mostly grow tropical fruits and vegetables and the surrounding area was beautiful. We learned how they gather honey---it was a type of bee I hadn’t seen before. The bees don’t have stingers and are called earth bees because they typically nest in the ground or in hollow tree trunks. They explained how the hive boxes work with an example and then opened one with active bees. It was crazy to have bees flying around and not get scared. The honeycombs were like space looking bubbles instead of the flat hives I’ve seen before. We could drink the honey directly from the hive. Now is a good moment to start to talk about the food.....which was amazing. Many Cuban chefs that have been living outside of the country are coming back to open their own restaurants (which is now allowed). There was a variety of food options and the quality was quite high. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for Cubans---most Cubans can't afford to eat in the restaurants that cater to tourists. The markets have fresh produce and that is available as part of a ration card, but in limited quantities. I was shocked to hear that if a person has no money for food outside of the ration card, they are allowed 5 eggs per month, for example. Like many destinations that have a large disparity between the poorest and richest citizens, it can feel a bit uncomfortable to eat well when locals may be going without food. I think spending your travel dollars in destinations and with businesses that share the profits with the local community is one way of helping while traveling. To complete the busy day, we learned how to salsa dance and make 3 of the iconic Cuban drinks….Mojito, Daiquiri (pronounced DA-keeri in Cuba) and a Canchanchara. Next day we left in a convertible classic car headed to Hemingway’s house about an hour outside of the city. This was my first exposure to the main highway where under the current economic crisis, the highway is used for pedal bikes, walking, horse drawn carriages……any way to get from point A to B. You can’t go inside Hemmingway’s house, but they open the doors so you can peek inside. The house was left as is when Hemmingway left Cuba---he expected to come back but fell ill and never returned. The typewriter he used to write is still there and to see it now, it is crazy to think how many hours he typed away writing all of his books. We then headed to Cojimar, the fishing village made famous by Hemmingway and where in tribute, the fisherman melted down propellers to make a bust of Hemingway’s head in memorial. The table where Hemmingway sat is still reserved at the bar--- the majority of the visitors to the town come as part of the Hemmingway experience. Havana has quite a bit of night life---from jazz clubs to bars to Fabrica de Arte….an old factory turned into a place to present art from theater to dance to music to paintings….which was named as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 World’s Greatest Places (in 2019). The city also has a lot of history and interesting parts---like a forest within the city, the largest cemetery in Cuba and Revolutionary Square where Fidel Castro and other politicians have given all of their famous speeches. The last day in Cuba, I went about 1.5 hours out of the city to Las Terrazas. This area was historically known for making charcoal to help Cubans cook their food----we are talking in the 1950’s and earlier, as well as grow coffee beans since there is a slight elevation here (think hills, not mountains). The forest slowly wasted away to nothing until a government initiative started to plant trees to re-forest the area and terraced planting was used to help prevent erosion. Now this is a lush, green forest. I also visited the Soroa Orchid Botanical Garden---this was a private residence turned botanical garden and classroom for students learning about orchids and other tropical plants. The original owner imported orchids from all over the world. You can’t visit Cuba without having some sort of cigar activity---I chose not to do a cigar smoking experience as I don’t smoke, but I enjoyed learning how to roll one of the famous cigars. The Cubans have a strict protocol of the leaves they use in each cigar and there is an order to how the leaves are added. Other cigars around the world don’t have as strict of protocol and most are not hand rolled. There are also now some shopping areas with local artisans making high quality items. These boutiques would not be out of place in the States or other more affluent areas of the Caribbean. As you can see in a relatively short 5 night stay, I was able to see and experience many things that Havana and the surrounding area has to offer. There are several international airports in Cuba, so you aren’t limited to the Havana area. Please contact me if you would like to learn more about planning a trip to Cuba.
0 Comments
 I have been home from Bhutan for almost a month and Bhutan has stayed with me more than most other destinations. The entire country has a population of less than 800,000 people and about 75% of the population practices Buddhism. Bhutan is the only carbon negative country in the world, largely because it is mandated that a minimum of 60% of the land is covered in forest in perpetuity (they currently have about 70%). Instead of measuring gross domestic product, they measure gross national happiness. That doesn’t mean the Bhutanese have no problems or concerns to worry about, but the government factors in the citizen’s happiness when making decisions. Bhutan has been known as a leader in sustainable tourism sector almost since they started welcoming tourists back in 1974. Yes, you read that correctly…tourism has only been possible for 51 years. From the start, Bhutan focused on a high value, low volume strategy----essentially meaning their structure discourages budget travelers. Travelers that spend more money tend to leave a smaller footprint in the country. Agree or disagree, that is Bhutan’s philosophy. To enter the country, most people need a visa and to pay a daily sustainable development fee (SDF) of $100 per adult (children are free or a reduced price depending on their age). The SDF doesn’t include any services---this fee is simply to enter and remain in the country. The SDF goes back into the community to help mitigate the impact of tourism and to help the Bhutanese with daily needs (education, health care, etc.). I just gave you some facts about Bhutan, but what made the trip memorable weren’t these details, it is how Bhutan makes you feel. Being a small country, much of the country has a small town feel---I can’t tell you how many times our guide ran into people he knew. Not just in the tourist sector, but also random farmers or people in markets. People were very welcoming and said hello, even though we were strangers. The country follows many of the principles of Buddhism so there is a sense of community and taking care of one another. There is also time for prayer, reflection or meditation---not prescribed, simply taking time to be spiritual. We traveled at the end of August, which is the end of the rainy season and before most of the famous festivals begin. Festival season equals high season in Bhutan. We had gorgeous weather and only a couple of evening showers in our 10 days. We also had the country to ourselves. That isn’t an exaggeration. We were the only guests at one of our hotels, on our flight from Paro to Bumthang there was 1 other person on the plane (I can almost say I took a private plane!) and there were several occasions at Dzongs (roughly translated as fortress) and temples where we were completely alone (or with only the head monk). It was surreal. This is to say that Bhutan has plenty to offer even outside of peak season---I loved my visit even without seeing a festival and I loved feeling like I had the country to myself (which may not always be the case, but it almost certainly won’t be as crowded as peak season). I could go on, but I will move on the specifics of where we visited. We were in Bhutan for 10 days, but the flight out was early on day 10, so it was more like a 9 day itinerary. I felt like we needed every day and I could have added on a few additional days with plenty more still to see. The international airport is in Paro. This airport is here and not in the capital of Thimphu because of geography----there is a flat area to land in Paro where Thimphu is more mountainous. The drive to Thimphu takes around an hour. The roads were very good in Bhutan and in keeping with the Buddhist way of life, there were many road signs reminding people to be kind to others on the road and to drive safely. Thimphu is one of the smallest capital cities in the world and doesn’t even have a traffic light (there aren’t any traffic lights in Bhutan). The officer shown in the gallery below manages traffic at the busiest intersection. The main governmental offices are here, along with the stock market. There is also the Buddha Dordenma---a recent addition on a hillside outside of the city (it was completed in 2015). This Buddha is 52 meters tall and lit up at night so you can see it from most places in Thimphu. We saw the local farmers market, the national textile museum and the traditional school for arts and crafts which aims to keep artistic traditions alive. Our next stop was Bumthang which can be reached by road or plane. We headed back to Paro and took a flight (the almost private one!) and then slowly drove our way back to Paro during the rest of the itinerary. Bumthang is part of the sacred valley of Bhutan. We visited several temples and become proficient in the protocol of prostrations…. a physical practice of bowing to the ground that symbolize deep respect for the Buddha and are performed to express gratitude, repent wrongdoings, purify negative karma, and cultivate humility. A highlight here was visiting Pema Choling Nunnery for a private ceremony. There were about 200 nuns in residence---ranging in age from small children of 6 or 7 up to elderly women. We sat in silence as the nuns chanted and used drums as part of the ceremony. Photography isn’t allowed in nunneries or monasteries, so you will have to use your imagination ☺ The ceremony lasted about 1.5 hours and although I didn’t understand the words, I felt moved. Before we left, I needed to use the restroom and one of the nuns showed me to the toilet and when I came out, I had a bit of a fan group of nuns asking my name and where I was from and how I enjoyed the ceremony. The blonde hair will give me away every time ☺ I enjoyed chatting with the young nuns. We visited Wangduechhueling Palace which is set to open as a museum this December (we got a sneak peek). This is the palace of the first king of Bhutan and does a good job of explaining the history of Bhutan. We also had a traditional Bhutanese hot stone bath at the spa at Six Senses (where we were staying). A special type of river rocks are heated for hours and then used to heat the water. Local plants are also added to the water for therapeutic benefits. My husband and I did a couples bath and while I initially thought I was entering a tub of boiling water, he didn't think it was that bad :) You typically soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour and they can add in additional rocks to keep the water warm (we had them add in stones after about 30 minutes). They also serve cooled drinks and granita (fruit flavored crushed ice) during the bath to keep you cool and hydrated. Our next stop was the Phobjika Valley which was about 4.5 hours away by car and at a higher elevation (over 10,000 feet). Others had told me that this is the most beautiful part of Bhutan and I can’t disagree. The scenery is stunning. We hiked though the forest and through small farming communities. My husband was raised on a farm and is always curious---our guide asked some of the potato farmers if my husband could come see how they were harvesting the potatoes which was a really impactful part of the trip for my husband. The farmers were also excited to talk to a visitor. I stayed on the other said of the barbed wire fence and a very friendly cow decided to keep me company. They seem to know I am a vegetarian. Cows do graze pretty freely in Bhutan like they do in other parts of Asia (especially India). Cows are in the middle of the road and on walking trails, but in much smaller numbers. The cows also are in better shape than most other countries. Bhutan also has a law that no sentient being can be killed for food in Bhutan, so all of the meat and fish are imported (with few exceptions even catch and release fishing isn’t allowed). Some Bhutanese are vegetarian but there is meat on every menu, so I would say most Bhutanese aren’t vegetarian. One morning we sponsored breakfast at a local monastery and were welcomed inside for morning prayers. On this particular morning there were also two funeral blessings so we learned a bit of how that works. Most Bhutanese (nearly all) are cremated and monks bless the body at the monastery or at the cremation location. Moving on we headed down quite a bit in elevation to Punakha. It was in the low 60s when we left Phobjika Valley and was around 90 when we arrived in Punakha….a big temperature swing in just a couple of hours. En route we stopped at Chimi Lhakhang Temple, a temple devoted to fertility. Pilgrims come here to be blessed with a baby or to bless a baby (or perform a naming ceremony). There are quite a few phallic symbols all around the temple and rows of gift shops outside the entrance sell all sorts of phallus with various designs on them in all sorts of sizes (from tiny key chain ones to ones that must have been 3 feet tall!). We saw the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan and visited the Punakha Dzong whose artwork has been compared to Michelangelo. It is quite impressive. Our last stop was back in Paro. We hadn’t really spent any time here other than the airport. We were here now to see Kyichu Lhakhang, the oldest temple in Bhutan and to hike up to the famous Tigers Nest. The main temple at Tigers Nest (officially called Taktsang) was constructed in the 8th century. I have no idea how---I can’t imagine bringing up all of those building materials day after day. The temple is about 2000 feet up but the trail climbs and descends so that my husband’s watch said we had gained over 5000 feet in total across the nearly 10 miles we walked. The trail isn’t technical---it is well maintained hiking path with steps along the way. About halfway up there is a cafeteria where there is often a view of the temple (it was completely clouded in when we hiked up so we saw nothing at that point). You can also have a donkey/mule/horse take you up to the halfway point, but I do not recommend that. It can be unsafe and I believe cruel for the animal. My biggest challenge of the hike was the change in elevation---the temple is over 10,000 feet so you are at a pretty high elevation (you start around 8,000 feet). Once you arrive at Tiger’s Nest, you must place your backpacks and phones (and hats) in a locker. You can then visit several of the temples, including one of the original temples located in a cave. We were the first visitors to enter the temple that day that had walked all the way up (one couple took a donkey to the halfway point and beat us by about 5 minutes). We had most of the temples to ourselves as the other couple visited other temples. How special and peaceful to be the only visitors for a short time. By the time we were leaving, the line to enter Tiger’s Nest was probably 100 people deep. Moral of this story is to get up early….even if it is cloudy and a little rainy. The peacefulness is completely worth it. We didn’t see anyone else on the trail up other than two workers headed to the cafeteria. We saw more dogs than people ☺ In total, the hike up with a short tea break, time in the temples and the hike down (with a break to hang prayer flags) took us about 6.5 hours. After hiking, we went to a wonderful little restaurant in Paro and ate our body weight in Momo….and other wonderful Bhutanese dishes (there is more on Momo in my Nepal blog). The photos below are of some of the wonderful dishes we ate in Bhutan....including the famous chile and cheese (very spicy!)....although the spinach with chile is what did me in :) They had to bring me curd (yogurt) so my tongue wasn't on fire! Bhutan was the 95th country I’ve visited and it is one of my top 3 favorite places in the world. Planning a trip to Bhutan requires expertise and is logistically more complicated than many destinations, but I am here to help you and I would love to plan your journey to see Bhutan for yourself. For all trips to Bhutan planned in 2025 and 2026, mention promo code “dragon” for extra amenity included in your trip.
 It is a strange feeling writing this only 12 days after leaving Nepal. We had a wonderful time visiting Kathmandu and Dhulikhel and enjoyed learning about the Nepalese culture. Now it is a different place as a result of several days of protests and riots. I am writing about my experience, and I hope that this version of Nepal is accessible once again in the near future. The Kathmandu Valley has around 1.5 million people (some say 2 million) and is a thriving town with a mix of modern and traditional architecture and practices. I try to stay or see several different hotels in each location to better help you plan your travel, so we started with the Hyatt in Kathmandu. It is close to the famous Boudhanath Stupa but tucked away from the main road in an enclave of quiet. There are sprawling grounds with a walking path, gardens and a pool. It can be nice to come back to a quiet and familiar place after hours of exploring a new place. We spent our first full day seeing all of the cultural highlights of Kathmandu starting with Durbar Square. The first thing we noticed were the pigeons---many people feed the pigeons in this area as part of their Buddhist practice and there were areas where the ground was completely covered with birds. The birds flying through the smoke of incense burning gave the place a magical feeling. Durbar Squares are found through out Nepal and they are homes to old Royal Palaces. Construction at this particular square began as far back as the 3rd century and is one of several UNESCO World Heritage sights in and near Kathmandu. Nepal has been impacted by many earthquakes over the years with the most recent large one happening in 2015. Many of the historic buildings were severely damaged and needed restoration---I would say that process is probably 75% complete. The restoration is done as sensitively as possible and with as many of the original materials as possible. In one building in Durbar square there is young girl called a Kumari who is worshipped as a living embodiment of the Hindu goddess Durga. She comes to an interior balcony at set time intervals and pilgrims pray and worship her. Ther are no photos allowed of the Kumari, but we were able to observe the practice. After Durbar, we headed to Swaymbhunath Stupa….aka the Monkey Temple. This temple has several stupas on ground level and then additional stupas in a small community at the top of a hillside. Your entrance ticket includes both areas. I think you can imagine why this temple complex has the nickname----there are monkeys around, but compared with other temple complexes I’ve visited in other areas, it isn’t overrun with monkeys. In our visit, the monkeys were better behaved than some of the tourists. There are a few rules to follow during your visit and there were many people ignoring all of them. Please be respectful when visiting religious sites during your travels. Our next stop was the Padupatinath Temple. In the Hindu religion, people are cremated after death and the ashes are put into a sacred river. This temple in Kathmandu is where many people are cremated every day and the ashes are put into the sacred Bagmati River. This is similar practice to what is done in India on the Ganges river. We observed the practice from the other side of the river---this is where observers are allowed and you don’t see anything in great detail. Our guide was an excellent resource as we had many questions about the practice and how it worked. This is a funeral pyre for all---there is no VIP or level for those living in poverty---people are more equal in death. Our last stop was at the large Boudhanath Stupa which is in a more touristy area than the other sites. There are stores and restaurants surrounding the stupa, but there are also plenty of pilgrims practicing circumambulation…meaning an intentional walk in a circle around the stupa as a form or worship and/or meditation. We ate at a restaurant with a rooftop and the view looking down over the stupa was impressive. This lunch was also our first introduction to a momo---a dumpling filled with meat, cheese and/or veggies. There is typically at least one vegetarian version so this become one of my go to foods in Nepal and Bhutan. Who doesn’t love dumplings? I know many people who hear the name Nepal instantly think of Mt. Everest…..and yes, that is a famous landmark here. Even if you aren’t fit enough or don’t have enough time to make it to base camp (or the summit), there are what are called mountain flights that leave and return to Kathmandu most mornings. Essentially flights to nowhere where you can (if the weather cooperates) see the top of Everest. My husband was fixated on seeing Mt Everest so he got up and was on his way to the airport at 5am. It was cloudy and a bit rainy in Kathmandu so I wasn’t sure how good the chances were going to be…..but since Everest is so tall, he was able to see the mountain peak after all and was back in the hotel room by 9:30am. I’m sure I could have Googled this in advance, but we learned a few days later, that en route to Bhutan (or back to Kathmandu from Bhutan) you fly right by Mt. Everest ☺ He said the views were better on the Bhutan flight than the mountain flight. He was happy to be able to see it again. It is a game of odds---we only saw the absolute tiny little top of Everest on the way back, so if this is a bucket list item, you may want to have as many flight options as possible. The next day we headed about 2 hours outside the city to Dhulikhel---it isn’t a long distance, but many of the roads are terrible, so I will tell you the truth as to how long it really takes to get there. ☺ We stayed at a wellness retreat called Dwarika’s. The setting is beautiful in the forest and is vertical…..meaning that if you want to go from one part of the resort to another, you are mostly going up stairs. The resort includes a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor and many on-site activities like several types of meditation, yoga and things like pottery and painting (and a 50 minute massage per person for booking with me). This was a nice change from the city, but was less relaxing than we expected because we wanted to experience many of the activities, so our schedule was pretty packed. Two nights was perhaps too quick a visit to really enjoy everything the resort has to offer. I loved that there were random inspiring thoughts/ideas/sayings along the pathways. We headed back to Kathmandu and stayed in the famous Thamel district---this area is known for its variety of stores and restaurants (including big names like North Face and Columbia in case you are coming to Nepal to climb or hike). We stayed at the Aloft hotel which is in a great location and new and modern. We chose it because it is also close to the airport and we had a 7am departure to Bhutan the next morning (more on that trip in another blog post). A little bit of fast forwarding as we had to come back to Nepal for a night after Bhutan. It is an early flight back from Bhutan as well, so we arrived by 8:30am. Our guide picked us up and took us to Bhaktapur and that famous Durbar Square. Bhaktapur is about 45 minutes from the Kathmandu airport. This square is a bit smaller than the one in Kathmandu, but is no less impressive. We had the square nearly to ourselves which allowed us to really look at all of the fine little details. The craftsmanship is really impressive in all of these historic buildings----these were also damaged in the 2015 earthquake and some buildings are still being propped up with pillars until there is time and money to repair them. The area around Durbar square has several historic craft quarters---for example, an area where ceramics and pottery have been made for hundreds of years and where items are still placed in kilns even today. There are other areas where woodworking is done and you can watch the artisans or join a class to create your own masterpieces. For the most part, the items you buy in these stores are local and not the typical tourist “junk”.
After exploring for several hours, we headed to the Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu. Same owners as the wellness retreat, but this hotel is right in the city center. The owners used salvaged old timber and items from historic buildings to create a nice combination of a hotel and museum. We felt far away from the city when we were actually right in the middle and only a few minutes away from the airport for our late night departure home. I hope that Nepals bounces back stronger and that they will be welcoming visitors back in the near future.  I have wanted to visit Sri Lanka for years and it is rare when a destination lives up to the expectation (and I think it exceeded my expectation most days). The welcoming spirit of the people of Sri Lanka is noticeable everywhere and I truly felt welcome in this beautiful country. When I normally start to write a blog, I have a few pages of notes.....I just finished 10 pages for this trip. I have no shortage of amazing things to say about Sri Lanka. The Maldives are also beautiful, but it is hard to get to know the locals as resorts are on their own island, so it was a very different experience than I had in Sri Lanka which makes the two destinations a great combination to see together. My first impression on the drive from the airport was how clean Sri Lanka was----we were driving through towns on the 30-minute drive to my first hotel, Uga Riva Negombo. It is an old colonial house now a small boutique hotel. I quickly checked in and was shown to my room. They thought I might be hungry and left me a cheese and tomato sandwich in the room with a few cookies. I thought this was a very kind gesture---it isn’t like the hotel is all-inclusive, so this was just an added extra. These small touches continued to happen throughout my journey---it was like they were welcoming a friend. I had a wonderful driver named Cicil for my entire trip. We became friends and he took me to where I needed to go each day and make sure I met my guide in each location. It is difficult to really cover the country without a driver and compared with other destinations (like Italy) the fee for the driver is fairly reasonable. We left the next morning early for the 3 hour drive to Dambulla Caves. One of the first things I noticed on this drive and at a brief stop at a lake was the number of street dogs. Some look to be in bad shape and others are in great shape---they hang out on the street during the day, but have a stable place that feeds them. The Buddhist culture feels a community effort to take care of living beings, so many homes feed the dogs. The Sri Lankans like cats better than dogs and the cats are often inside cats. I saw one guy holding his cat in his arms looking out his front door---the cat was a Maine Coon or something and looked to be about 20 pounds! I knew there was a problem with street dogs (more about this later) but I was still surprised. Thankfully most are street smart and somehow Cicil missed hitting every dog that happened to dart out into traffic. The Dambulla Cave Complex dates back to the 1st century BC and includes over 150 statues of Buddha that were created over time. Some of the statues and cave paintings have been restored, but others are original which is crazy to imagine how they have survived all of these years. After Dambulla, we had about an hour drive to Uga Ulagalla. It is located in a peaceful area in the middle of local villages and rice paddy fields. Uga is a local chain of hotels and they care about the communities where they are located----in this area, they fund clean drinking water where locals can come and gather fresh water every day. That afternoon I had a jeep tour to the local villages to learn a bit more about the Sri Lankan way of life, how they manage elephant/human interactions and a moment to enjoy the scenery at the end with some snacks. Uga Ulagalla has many monkeys on property and then had a party on my villa roof one afternoon. The next afternoon I went to the ancient city of Anuradhapura. The best way to see it is by bicycle as the ancient city is spread out and the parts that have been excavated (only a small amount have been) are scattered across a large area. Parts of stupas have been restored, but it is amazing how much is original from a more than a century ago. It was established in the 5th century BC. I had a guide with me and he shared a lot of the history and importance of each site which was very helpful. There are no signs, so you would be lost without a guide. Parts of the ancient city reminded me of Angkor Wat but what absolutely did not remind me of that was the fact that there were very few crowds. The last stupa was a bit crowded, but that was largely because of Buddhists coming to pray towards sunset, not because of an influx of tourists. One part of the bike ride, I had to bike through a pack of domestic buffalo as they were being moved from one field to the next---can’t say that I’ve ever done that before! That illustrates how one of the more popular tourist sites in Sri Lanka is still very quiet. The next morning we were off to another very popular location--- Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This and the other sites I mentioned are all UNESCO World Heritage sites. We left early in the morning to beat the heat of the day. The journey up has about 1,200 steps and there is very little shade. Once at the top, the views are amazing and you can see for miles. The palace on top is all in ruins, but you can see the foundations and my guide explained what each area had been. My guide had maybe 3 teeth and I’m not sure how old he was, but he has been taking people up Sigiriya for almost 50 years. He speaks 12 languages and spoke in full sentence Japanese when we met a Japanese family---to say they were shocked was an understatement. He had English down pat….and probably could have run up the stairs had I not been holding him back. On the way down, you are also able to visit an area where there are some original frescos. Many frescoes made it to recent history, but unfortunately in 1967 an international visitor destroyed many of them. They all represent the ladies of Sigiriya—mostly mistresses (the King had hundreds). There are no photos allowed of the frescoes. After the journey down, we headed about 3 hours away for my next stay---this time at a wellness retreat called Santani. The location was stunning and very peaceful with views of the Knuckles Mountain range. Each day there is a morning and afternoon yoga session and thermal bath area open to all guests. There is also a full service spa and a clinic for those that want more of a prescription for health and healing. There are hiking trails nearby and a daily guided walk. The next night I stayed fairly close by on one of the top 100 golf courses in the world. I had no idea that Sri Lanka had one on the list before this trip, but it makes sense after many years of English occupation (and Dutch and Portuguese before that). The Victoria golf course has a resort and many private homes that are rented out as villas. I stayed in The Alfred, one of those villas. There are 6 bedrooms spread out across several floors of living space, along with a library, media room, dining room and private pool. There is a staff to serve meals and help you arrange activities. I think this would be a great location to spend time with a larger group of friends or family. The first photo of this blog is the view from The Alfred.....it was stunning! The next morning, I headed to Kandy, about an hour away. This city is famous for the Temple of the Tooth…one of the temples around the world that has a Budda’s tooth (this one is the left canine). There is a large festival every year in July or August (correlates with a specific full moon) and it is a common Buddist pilgrimage site. I happened to be there the last day of a 10-day very special occurrence where the casket holding the tooth was opened---the last time it was opened was 16 years ago. Millions of people came to see the tooth itself and I think we drove past probably 100k or more as we came into the city. People were waiting in line for DAYS to get inside. I had no idea my visit corresponded with this special occasion. Needless to say, I didn’t go inside the temple. Even my city tour was impacted as the city was simply full of visitors. After a couple of hours in Kandy, we headed up to the hill country where tea is grown. The drive is a bit curvy but it is beautiful scenery. It is amazing how quickly the terrain changes. My next stay was a Uga Halloowella. This is a former colonial bungalow located about 7,500 feet above sea level. There are only a few rooms here and the plan is all-inclusive, so it seems that there is always something being offered to eat or drink throughout the day. Each room has a butler and mine, Karun, was one of the kindest people I have ever met. The next morning I had a tour to a tea plantation and factory to see how tea is made. I have done tea plantation tours in other countries (India and Rwanda) but each story is a bit different. Like on many tea plantations, the workers are typically women and the supervisors and factory workers are men. Some of this is due to the low pay for pickers and many men leave the village to try to find higher paying work---but the women need to stay close to the village to take care of the family. For an average of 18kg-20kg of tea leaves picked each day, a woman receives about $5 each day she picks and is paid once a month. They bring the tea to be weighed at set times during the day and I witnessed one of those sessions. A supervisor looks over the leaves to make sure they are younger leaves (lighter leaves) and takes out any dark ones he sees. This group of ladies had a dog with them---my guide said dogs are often with the pickers to protect them from wild animals (and for a dog, it is safer than being on the main road). The guide was surprised when the dog came up to sniff me—most street dogs don’t interact much with humans, but I happened to be wearing shoes I often wear with my foster dogs and I think the dog was wondering why this human smelled so good….lol :) The factory tour took me through each step of the process and from leaf to packaged for auction, the process only takes about 24 hours. The packages that are sent to the weekly tea action are large bags---nothing gets branded or made into tea bags at this factory. In one room where the dried leaves are chopped, there was a definitive haze of tea in the air….it was hard not to cough. I asked about the workers as none were wearing masks---the answer was that you get used to it….and that you can absorb caffeine from the dust and it keeps the workers strong. Made me want to Google if there is something like tea lung disease (I did--this isn’t something specific to tea workers, but it can cause respiratory disease). No photos were allowed in the factory. I was off the next morning for the scenic train from Hatton to Ella. This historic train has been making the route for years and you weave in and out of tea country and local villages. The train doesn’t go all that fast and unfortunately now there are segments that are really busy with people wanting IG or Tik Tok photos or videos hanging off the side of the train. Thankfully nothing happened on my train, but there are frequent incidents of people getting injured or falling off the train. About 4 hours after boarding, I got off in Demodara (one stop past very busy Ella) and headed to Nine Skies Boutique Hotel. They are located right on some of the longer hiking trails in this part of the tea country. This property is also all-inclusive. There isn’t anything within walking distance so it makes sense to have everything at the property. I was only here one night, but it is in a very peaceful location. The next morning, I got up early to beat the heat for the walk up to Little Adam’s Peak in Ella. This walk is relatively easy compared to the other places I visited, but it is still about 450 stairs up and a stretch of walking. It was a cloudy day, so no stunning view that day. We were heading to Yala National Park from Ella---a couple of hours away. We were descending from the tea country down to the ocean. Yala is one of the few national parks with wildlife that abuts the ocean. In the dry season, elephants will come down to the ocean to cool off. As many of you know, I love to see wildlife in their natural habitat. I knew Yala was going to be crowded, but I still thought it was my best chance to see leopards. I stayed at Uga Chena Huts located right on the ocean and just a few minutes away from the park entry. I ended up seeing several elephants, monitor lizards, crocodiles, deer, jackal, domestic and wild buffalo and many varieties of birds. I did not see a leopard or sloth bear. I would still go to Yala even knowing what I know now, but I don’t recommend going to Sri Lanka just for a safari---I feel like you have much better opportunities to see animals in other locations. However, since Sri Lanka has so much to offer, while you are there seeing other things, I would include a night or two of wildlife viewing (in Yala, Wilpattu or one of the other parks). From Yala I headed to the Galle area for the history and some beach time….and to visit a dog care clinic I’d heard about. I always try to include at least one visit to a non-profit in my travels and animal welfare is often top off my list. En route, I stopped at a small bed and breakfast that also harvests cinnamon. I knew cinnamon came from some sort of bark, but that was the extent of my knowledge. My guide explained the process from growing the plants, to harvest to peeling the bark to create cinnamon sticks that are dried and eventually turned into the cinnamon we put on our oatmeal or in our cookies. Much of the cinnamon we have in the States is cassia which isn’t considered real cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon (harvested only in Sri Lanka) is considered the only real cinnamon….sometimes called true cinnamon. The flavor and chemical profiles of cassia and Ceylon cinnamon vary quite a bit. I loved the city of Galle and how resilient the people are (from colonialism to the 2004 tsunami). I originally chose to stay at a beach resort that I knew might have more of a party vibe than I usually like….but thought I might be a good fit for several of my clients that like a DJ by the pool/beach club. I rarely find I place that I absolutely would not recommend to anyone, but Angel Beach is one place that I will not be sending anyone for various reasons. I left after one night. I found another great property nearby and the little glitch didn't impact my schedule. That morning I met with some local artists from a community about 20 minutes away that specialize in the traditional art of mask painting. I was shown examples and given a blank wood mask template that had been carved by hand. I am generally not very artistic, so I thought the mask might look like a 2nd grader created it, but somehow it looked pretty good (and most of the creative decisions were mine—only a couple of suggestions from the artists…like when I forgot to paint on eyebrows). It was almost mediative creating this small mask. Afterwards I visited the dog care clinic and brought both in-kind material donations (such as sutures, medications and dog toys---many donated by my local rescue Community Paws in Buckeye, AZ) and a cash donation. This non-profit is one of the most organized I’ve visited in my travels. A German woman runs the non-profit and they offer complimentary spay and neuter surgeries, they feed street dogs on a set schedule each day and offer a stipend to locals who will care for a street dog. This gives them a little income to help pay for the dog’s food, as well as their own. It is a win/win situation. Volunteers visit the homes to make sure the dogs are still be cared for each month before giving out the stipend. The facilities are on a large parcel of land and are very clean and modern. This is the website if you are ever in the neighborhood or would like to donate money from home to help support this important mission (https://www.dogcare-clinic.com/en/) I was sad that my time in Sri Lanka was coming to end. I left Galle and stayed at a beautiful property tucked into an industrial area near the main Colombo Airport---much nicer than most airport hotels around the world. Wallawwa has a beautiful pool and manicured grounds with plenty of places to sit outside, in addition to a spa and restaurant. It was only about a 20 minute drive to the airport the next day for my flight to the Maldives. Sri Lanka is a great location to combine with the Maldives as it only a 1.5 hour flight away. I knew I would only be spending 3 nights in the Maldives and I choose a resort close to Male that could be reached via speedboat. Many resorts in the Maldives can only be reached via sea plane and the planes have more restrictions in place than the speedboats do. Sea plane transfers are also quite a bit more expensive. I chose a resort called Velassaru because it was smaller than many properties (about 130 rooms, bigger than I like, but still small by Maldives standards) and was only about 25 minutes away from the Male airport via speed boat. Velassaru is also known for more barefoot luxury, so no need to dress up for dinner….it is very beach casual and has a bit of a boho chic vibe. As I mentioned when I spoke about French Polynesia, I am one of the few people that would choose a beach villa over an over water bungalow. I saw an over water bungalow at Velassaru and they are beautiful and actually have quite a bit of outdoor space with a plunge pool….but I love the additional space and privacy that you get with a beach villa. The villas themselves are about the same size, but you get more outdoor space with the beach villa. Most resorts in the Maldives each have their own little atoll/island. This gives you a sense of exclusivity, but it also means that you can only explore that island. There isn’t transportation between most resorts, so if you switch resorts, you often have to go back to Male and start over going to the next resort. It also means that you will be eating from only the resort restaurants during your stay. This isn’t terrible as most resorts have fantastic food and a variety of options, but if you are the type to go a bit stir crazy, keep that in mind when you decide on your length of stay. I enjoyed every moment of my 3 night stay, but I was ready to leave the island. Food is also quite expensive….similar to French Polynesia. For example, the dinner buffet at Velassaru came to about $90 per night, per person, not including drinks. Being fairly close to Male also has its perks on the way home. I could enjoy the resort until 3:30pm before having to head to the airport for my 7pm flight. I know this was a LONG post, but I hope I have gotten you excited about Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Until September 30th, 2025 I will have an exclusive offer for those mentioning the word "Dream" when contacting me about traveling to either destination.
 My recent trip to Ecuador began with a a journey from Quito to Mashpi Lodge. The drive takes about 3.5 hours on a good day and the last hour or so is on an unpaved road. The area had gotten heavy rains in the weeks before I arrived and there were signs of many recent landslides along the road. About 1.5 hours into the drive, the traffic came to a stop and we learned that there had been another landslide. If this happened in the US (or many other places), it would have taken quite awhile to clear the road of the dirt, rocks and downed trees, but this isn't Ecuador's first rodeo. They have heavy machinery placed at intervals along the road and in less than 1.5 hours, the road was clear and traffic was moving in both directions. After this introduction to the country, I was happy to arrive at such a peaceful spot. Mashpi Lodge (the small building you can see on the bottom left in the photo above) was built in 2012 in an area that was formerly used for logging. The cloud forest has regenerated in amazing ways and hiking around the property gives you the feeling that you are in a forest that has been there longer than time...but in fact, most of the trees are less than 20 years old. Mashpi Lodge has cared for the land and studied the creatures that live here....and found species here that hadn't been known to science before. It is a wonderful place to explore. Your stay at Mashpi includes your meals and activities. Most days you are scheduled for 2 excursions, some days 3. You are assigned to a small group of fellow guests and you have at least one guide with you at all times. Activities can be adjusted to your activity level, but to get the most out of the experience, I think you need to be reasonably fit. Children are welcome here and the excursions can be adjusted for different age groups. There were guests from about 5 years old to probably 80 years old. The trails are well maintained, but it often rains and the paths can be slippery and muddy (they give you rubber boots to wear for the duration of your stay). My first afternoon, I went on a short hike (about 1 hour). The next day, I hiked to the observation tower and sky bike---an invention where you are seated in a carriage and you pedal across a zipline to one platform and back to your starting point taking in a bird's eye view along the way. I also hiked through a river to a beautiful waterfall----an experience I would have every day of my stay but visiting new and larger waterfalls each day. One morning our group had breakfast in the hummingbird gardens and had probably 100 birds join us. We hiked one evening to see the nocturnal creates of the forest. In between, you could rest or have a spa treatment (I had a wonderful coffee body scrub). The lodge building itself is full of windows so you feel like you are in the forest (but with no bugs). The food is amazing and there is more variety than you would imagine for being in the middle of nowhere. My guide Andreas was amazing the staff were all extremely helpful----this is a luxury property. I spent 3 nights and that is the minimum of nights I would recommend since it is a journey from Quito and you want to be able to explore as much of the forest as possible. I think 3 or 4 nights is the perfect amount for most people. I headed back to Quito and included with my HX Expedition was a 2 night hotel stay and a full day city tour before we headed to Galapagos. I chose a 4 night sailing that went to the Northern islands of Galapagos. The Galapagos Islands have a lot of biodiversity and the terrain and creatures can change quite a bit in a short distance. One reason I chose this itinerary is that it visits the area where Galapagos penguins live---who doesn't love penguins :) The pace of the expedition was pretty fast paced. There was typically at least one morning excursion and one afternoon excursion to choose from. Due to Galapagos park regulations, we needed to be back on board before dark (6pm for my expedition). I did a a mixture of beach, glass bottom boat, hiking, panga boat, kayaking and snorkeling excursions. I certainly wasn't bored! The HX ship is very comfortable and it is on the larger side for Galapagos cruise lines (it can hold about 90 guests), but that size helps with the motion of the ocean---it is more stable than the smaller boats. There was a small science lab and library on board and the naturalists and guides on board took turns giving lectures each night (all were very interesting). No matter what excursion you went on, you saw birds...lots of birds. Some of the birds were more interesting than others. The most interesting for me was the male frigate bird that inflates the red part of their chest to attract a female mate. It is a unique sight. There are also quite a few sea lions and Galapagos fur seals on the islands and when zoomed in with my camera lens, you can see that most were sleeping peacefully when we were visiting (aren't they cute!). The Galapagos can be explored many different ways---from a ship or a hotel on land. I'm happy to help you decide on the best way for you to explore this beautiful land. Please mention code "adventure" in the month of April 2025 for an exclusive perk for booking your Galapagos trip with Unraveled Travel, LLC.
Please note: enjoy these wildlife photos, but do not share or use them for your own purposes.  I recently sailed on the beautiful Wind Surf, Windstar Cruises largest ship holding 342 guests. I sailed on the Classic Caribbean itinerary and while this was my first time on a sailing ship, this was not my first time sailing with Windstar. Windstar is a luxury cruise line that currently has 6 ships (2 new ships are being built which will bring the total to 8 ships). Half of the current ships are sailing vessels, and the other half are power yachts. The décor varies by ship and type of ship, but the atmosphere on board is relaxed and more barefoot luxury vs stuffy butler service luxury. The food on board is very good and Windstar partners with the James Beard Foundation in both their menu planning as well as having James Beard nominated chefs on select voyages. Windstar does a great job of communicating what is in the food, so people with dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians, vegans, people who are gluten-free or people who need to follow a lower sodium or sugar diet, have options and know at a glance which options are best for their needs. Windstar is also happy to talk about your needs and create options that will work for you while on board. Depending on the ship, there are 4 or 5 places to eat on board which is a lot of variety on a smaller ship. Some are only open for dinner and some require advance reservations, but none come at an additional cost. Windstar is also accommodating and aims to please in many other ways on board. For example, I was reading a real paper book in my stateroom and I forgot to pack something I could use for a book mark (I’m out of practice) and was dog earring the pages. My room steward noticed this and gave me a Windstar bookmark. I went hiking in Dominica and came back with soaking wet shoes that simply would not dry in the humidity of the Caribbean. I spoke with my room steward who said he knew of a trick and 24 hours later, I had dry shoes. There are several luxury cruise lines that have excellent service, but in my experience, it is always a bit more formal. On Windstar, it seems more like you are asking for a favor of a friend instead of having the butler bow and say yes, madam. The itineraries are really what I like about Windstar. They are very port intensive and, on this itinerary, we didn’t have any days at sea. This journey was about very comfortable transportation to islands that are difficult to get to any other way (many of the islands we visited have air connections that require you to fly back to the US to catch a connecting flight to get to the next island---craziness!). We departed and ended the cruise in Saint Maarten and we were originally visiting Nevis, Dominica, St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, St. Barts, and St. Kitts. Due to a problem with a tender boat on board, Windstar had to contract with local tour boats to get us to and from the port (this is common in the Caribbean). Tenders are smaller boats used to bring you to the shore when the cruise ship in anchored off the coast. They were unable to find boats to help on St. Barts or Guadeloupe, so they substituted Antigua and Martinique. The only place we docked was Dominica. Itinerary substitutions can happen with cruises…. I’ve written about it before. The itinerary you book is pretty much a suggested itinerary. If the weather is bad or the ship has mechanical problems or anything else goes wrong, the cruise will swap out ports or give you a day at sea. The cruise line is not required to compensate you for this change. What I like about Windstar is they acknowledge that the port change is not something you want---you choose the cruise for a reason----and they offered us a future cruise credit worth 25% of what we paid for this cruise. Very generous when compared to other cruise lines that might give a $25 on board credit or a free drink ticket. Yes, that means to take advantage of the credit, you have to book another cruise. However, that generally isn’t an issue with Windstar loyalists. On our sailing, 52% of the people on board had sailed with Windstar before. For those of you wondering when I am going to start talking about the amenities on board like the casino, water slide, pickleball court, etc…..I am not going to talk about those things, because Windstar ships don’t have them. They have a small pool and at least one hot tub. They have bars with live music, but no Broadway shows. Older kids are allowed to sail, but in general, everyone on board is an adult. There isn’t much entertainment on board and for those that love Windstar, they think that is fine. Generally, on a 7 night sailing, you are in port until 9 or 10pm in 2 ports and the other nights, you read a book, work at the communal puzzle tables (more exciting than it sounds ) or hear the music or the waves. Windstar has a ceremonial sail away on every ship, but it is grander on the sailing ships as the sails are unfurled. It is a sight to see at least one day of your cruise. Windstar sails around the world and my other times sailing with Windstar were in Europe and Japan. They offer a mix of unique and traditional cruise itinerary options. Please let me know if you are interested in learning more or booking a cruise.
 I have been to Italy more than 15 times and there are still areas of the country that I haven’t visited. I feel like I could go 50 times and still find areas I haven’t explored. For this trip I was going for an invitation only luxury travel advisor event (one of only 200 advisors invited to attend!). The event was held in Milan---somewhere I had never visited. Milan has traditionally been known as a destination for business meetings and those interested in high end fashion. That has changed over the past 10 years and Milan really has so much to offer. Of course you can visit the iconic Duomo and do some wonderful shopping, but there is also a great food culture, many museums to visit and is a great home base for exploring some of the neighboring lakes (Lake Como is easy to see as a day trip from Milan). Milan also had great connections (by flight, car or train) to the rest of Italy so it logistically makes sense to add it onto an itinerary. Before my meetings started, I took a train to Bologna. The train takes less than 1.5 hours and both train stations are in the city center, so no need for a drive to the airport. Bologna is known for many things----it has the oldest university in the world (that is still operating), the old part of town is very walkable and of course it is known for its food. This region of Italy is sometimes called Italy’s Kitchen. Emilia Romagna produces world famous Parmesan Cheese, Balsamic Vinegar, Prosciutto di Parma and many kinds of filled pastas. I hired a guide and she took me to the vegetarian highlights of the region. First stop was a dairy producing Parmesan cheese. The cheese is made once per day and they start early (so expect to leave Bologna before breakfast). The dairy I visited was quite small and family run and I could see many steps of the process during my visit. The aging room is crazy big---towering shelves of cheese just waiting for the perfect moment to be eaten. After the tour comes the tasting. I’ve had my fair share of higher end, artisanal cheeses, but this Parm was to die for! They also make ricotta cheese with the leftover whey. Eating that fresh, with a little honey, is also a nice treat! Our next stop was Modena to visit a small, family run acetaia---a place where balsamic vinegar is made. The vinegar is made in special barrels and the barrels are kept in the attic where the vinegar is exposed to the seasons with both heat and cold. This is not your grocery store vinegar---some of the barrels of this acetaia have been used for hundreds of years (some back to the 1500’s). It was really interesting to learn how the vinegar is made and even the lowest grade is still aged for a minimum of 12 years. You also get to indulge in tasting at end of your visit here and I know that sounds less exciting than the cheese, but I was pleasantly surprised. Even straight up, the vinegar has an interesting flavor profile. I was also able to taste balsamic jam (a nice compliment to cheese) and taste creama gelato with a dribble of vinegar on top. Who knew that gelato and vinegar went well together?? It was an excellent pairing. I enjoyed Bologna for the weekend before heading to my week of meetings in Milan. After a very productive few days where I met nearly all of the luxury hoteliers in Italy (plus local guides and small tour companies), I knew I needed a break. Meeting all of these connections allows me to offer you insider access and really understand each of the properties so I can recommend the best hotels for your needs. However, talking 16+ hours a day is exhausting! So, I headed to Lake Garda. A new property, Cape of Senses, had just opened and looked amazing. I took the train from Milan to the nearest train station and had a driver take me the 25 minutes or so to the resort. The property overlooks the lake and is just above the little town of Torri del Benaco. Cape of Senses is a very peaceful place to stay with excellent cuisine and wonderful spa services. Each room has outdoor space to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the scenery. They have sourced nearly everything from the local area so you and the whole property smell like a beautiful mix of all that is good in Italy. You can hike or bike or tour the local area…or relax and swim, lounge in the sauna and enjoy the spa. Lake Garda has tourists, but it is a small fraction of the numbers that Lake Como has. It is a destination that Italians visit, so the vibe is different (in a good way). I finished up my visit to Italy in Rome. I’ve been to Rome several times, but I hadn’t been in about 8 years and Rome has changed. The luxury hotel scene has blossomed, and the guides have created many new ways to see more of the off the beaten paths of Rome while visiting. I’ve seen the main sights many times. (I still went and walked near the Colosseum because when in Rome….) This time I hired a guide that I have used for clients for almost 10 years. It was wonderful to finally meet her in person! We did a culinary walking tour starting in the Jewish Quarter. We nibbled our way through lunch and then she took me to what might be the smallest bakery I’ve ever visited. I think maybe 3 people could fit inside and they make 4 things….and make them well. The guide had tempted me with ricotta cake topped with homemade cherry jam, so that is what I ordered. I’m drooling thinking of it now. Italian sweets are mostly not sweet like we are used to in the States, but they are flavorful and use the freshest ingredients possible. We tasted our way through several areas of Rome and made a stop at the Pantheon. The entrance system has recently changed and I wanted to experience it for myself so I could better explain it to my clients. In a nutshell, get the tickets in advance (entrance is free, but you need a ticket). We also walked by the Trevi Fountain and all of its craziness (not sure why this fountain is so much more popular than the many others in Rome?). Rome is a vibrant city and has lots to offer, but it always feel a little removed from the rest of Italy for me. I always recommend balancing your time in the city with time in quieter areas---this is true for Italy and many other locations. 2025 is going to be a popular year to visit Italy because of the Jubilee. This is in simple terms a religious pilgrimage and many of the holy sites in Italy (especially Rome and Vatican City) will be stops along the pilgrims route. Italy is always popular with visitors and 2025 will likely be even more crowded than usual---so if Italy is on your list for 2025, please contact me soon so we can make arrangements while there is still availability for hotels and guides.  I chose to fly to Tahiti from Rangiora and then take the ferry so I could experience it. The ferry terminal is about 10 minutes from the airport and the ferry terminal area opens up about 30 minutes before each ferry departure. In my experience (I took the ferry there and back), at least half of the people on the ferry are locals. Going to Moorea, I’d say my ferry was about 90% locals and on the way back, it was about a 50%/50% split. These are large enclosed ferries that also transport cars and motorcycles. When I arrived in Moorea, I rented a car. Moorea is one of the few islands to be completely accessible by road. It was more developed than Rangiora, but not nearly as developed as Tahiti. Each small town had its own vibe and when I say small town, even the largest areas only had a few shops and restaurants there is nothing like a large town on Moorea. Papeete on Tahiti is the largest city in French Polynesia. Moorea also has varied terrain….within 15 minutes or so of driving I went from pretty open area to almost complete jungle that grows down the mountain slopes to the ocean. I loved the lush vegetation. There are also areas with fruit plantations (mostly pineapple) and beautiful waterfalls a relatively short hike from a road. They also have a juice factory that also doubles as a rum distillery. Factory tours are free and there is a gift shop on site where you can sample both the juice and the rum. I stayed in another over water bungalow (in additional to a stay at a more traditional hotel) on Moorea. My overwater bungalow at Manava Beach Resort was smaller than the one I had at Intercontinental (there was a couch and chairs, but they were inside one main room instead of separated), but it had 180 degree views as I had a bungalow at the end of a row of bungalows. If you want to stay in a bungalow here, I would 100% book this type as it felt much more private. There were local canoe teams practicing their rowing and I thought it was fascinating to watch, but still not a great place to sit naked My bungalow also had a gorgeous sunrise view. There is one property that I would consider luxury on Moorea, but most are more 3.5-4 star properties which makes the accommodation more affordable than Bora Bora giving more people a chance to experience a stay in an overwater bungalow.  The absolute highlight of my time in Moorea was snorkeling with humpback whales and their calves. The humpbacks come to French Polynesia to reproduce and give birth. I had considered going on a tour to see the whales before I left, but the snorkeling part didn’t seem like a good fit for me. After one of the lectures at the Conrad on Bora Bora I chatted with the marine biologist and she told me about a friend that started taking out very small groups of people to see and snorkel with the humpbacks---he takes out a maximum of 5 people. As with most wildlife encounters, the fewer humans around the wildlife, the less stressful it is for the wildlife and generally gives the humans the best experience as well. The other boats on Moorea take between 8 and 20 people out at a time. With a small group, it is easier to all stick together in the water (important for you safety as well as the safety of the whales) and to be able to get in and out of the boat quickly. I was honest with the guide and he was really supportive of me and my fear of snorkeling and lack of experience. The experience is difficult to put into words. It began with a what a small world moment. I started chatting with one of the other people on the boat and within minutes, we realized we had both gone to the same really small college---College of the Atlantic. When I say small, there were fewer than 200 students total when I graduated! Anna is a much more recent graduate, but we had fun talking about our shared history. It is because of her generosity that I have photos on this blog. She has a wonderful talent for photographing marine mammals and was kind enough to share with me. Her Instagram is amazing if you want to see more (her handle is asagatov) and she does underwater photography for a living, so if you have this need, Anna is the best. Once you see a whale, you are asked to slide into the water from the boat….splashing can freak out the whales….and swim as quietly as possible for the same reason. I am not an experienced swimmer so again I chose to wear a life vest so drowning wasn’t added to my list of things to be worried about. Whales are generally out in the ocean where it is deep and the waves and current can be very strong. There were times when waves were crashing over my head. My fear of not being able to breathe with the snorkel in my mouth definitely impacted me, but honestly once I caught a glimpse of the whale both above and below water only a few feet away it made all of the uncomfortableness 100% worth it. In our first sighting, the whale and her baby stuck around for a while, so I had time to calm myself and relax into having my head underwater even with the waves. I watched the baby rise from many feet down in the water to the surface and it was mind blowing. I honestly don’t know how long we were in the water, but I can tell you I drank more than a mouthful or two of sea water and expended a lot of energy trying to stay close to the group in the strong current. We were probably in the water about 20-30 minutes.  I got back on the boat and was tired but wired. Some people sit in the boat for 3 or 4 hours and don’t see any whales, so I felt lucky to have this encounter and it happened shortly after we headed out. I was still trying to get my bearings when we saw another whale and her baby---when you see them, you only have a minute or two to get on your mask and fins and go. I really wanted to go in, but knew I was inexperienced and tired and that is not a good combo, so I sat that encounter out. I saw several whales breach the surface and being on the boat was still a magical experience. When the others got back on board it was hard to not have FOMO…..they had seen a mom sleeping underwater with her baby. They were just there essentially suspended under water. The group felt such a connection with the whale and they were moved to tears. It was a very primal moment. Of course, after missing out on that, I told myself if there was another whale sighting I needed to go back in---and I did feel more rested.  About 10 minutes later, we did see another whale and we slid back in the water----mom came right up to the boat, but then didn’t seem to appreciate we were there, so the encounter was very short. We didn’t see any babies. It wasn’t too long before we saw yet another whale….and this time it was actually 4 together. I again was exhausted from the effort and didn’t want to put myself in a bad position, so I stayed on board. Even from the boat I could tell there was a party in the water. In addition to the 4 whales breaching, there were also a handful of dolphins getting in on the action. It was close enough to see, but very difficult to photograph even above water with the waves. What an amazing sight! At this point we had only been out a little over 2 hours and it is rare to see so many marine mammals in that amount of time.We slowly started to head back and chose to do a snorkel stop on the reef where there were turtles, eagle rays, manta rays, and many colors of fish. This all kind of sounds like a wild Disney ride or something, but in reality, it was more a commuting with nature and serene and spiritual outing. Some of that is due to the people on board and some of that is how can you not feel something spiritual when you have swum with such beautiful and gentle creatures. I aspire to try this again when I am better prepared and in better form to be able to swim, view and not feel like I am going to drown. The video is also courtesy of Anna....and no that is not me swimming so gracefully, but I was in the water.  The next morning we left Bora Bora and headed to a different atoll Rangiora (the largest atoll in French Polynesia, although much of it isn’t developed). The flight was a little over an hour---flying is the only way to island hop except if you choose to only visit the islands of Tahiti and Moorea and in that case you can fly or take a ferry. Rangiora is less glitz and more real life French Polynesia. What I mean is the tourist infrastructure is less here than on Bora Bora. Bora Bora is gorgeous and has many luxurious places to see, but you rarely get a glimpse of how locals live. On Rangiora there are comfortable places to stay, but nothing really at the luxury level. However, you can see a bit how locals live. I rented a bicycle and rode from one section of the atoll to the other (about 12 miles round trip from the resort). I went from one pass to another….anywhere I could cycle. I shopped at the local market (unfortunately part of my shopping was for dog food as many of the island’s dogs are not well cared for and appear to be in need of food). I visited the local black pearl farm and learned how they cultivate pearls. It is a long and complicated process and that is why black pearls can be quite expensive. We also took a boat excursion here----we headed out of the lagoon on about a 45 minute boat journey to a place called the Blue Lagoon. Up until this point, I thought Rangiroa was beautiful, but in the areas near land, the shades of blue were not as dramatic and stunning as Bora Bora. Well, the Blue Lagoon gave Bora Bora a run for its money :) The boat journey showed empty ocean until all of a sudden a few little motus (islands) popped up out of nowhere. These motus are used by tour companies to make and serve lunch while guests explore the area. The water is crystal clear and you walk in from the boat. On the short walk in, we saw reef shark and several kinds of reef fish welcoming us. When we journeyed to the next atoll, we almost stepped on a sting ray as it was hiding under some sand, but the water was so clear you could make out a blurry outline of something. Once we stopped and really looked, you could easily see the 2 to 3 feet long tail…certainly not what you would want to step on . Every few feet there was something to see…..and this was standing in the water….no need to snorkel here as the water was so clear from above. After lunch, the sharks get the leftovers and they seem to be able to tell time. From about an hour before lunch until just after being fed, a large group (maybe 30-40+) reef sharks wait patiently for the leftovers. They were circling and sort of bobbing and weaving around one another…..all crystal clear watching from the shore. It was truly an amazing sight. After several hours at the Blue Lagoon we headed back and went to one of the passes where there is a group of wild dolphins that love to play around sunset. We tried to see them from land one night, but it was quite windy (30+ mph) and the tide schedule wasn’t great for their antics, so we didn’t see any. From the boat this day, we saw about 10 dolphins as they jumped and swam around the boat. Our captain said they like cheerful music…..so they played upbeat songs and the dolphins seemed to like it.
My husband had gone scuba diving in this same pass the 2 days before and the divemaster told him many of the dolphins like to hug divers. He asked what to do if you didn’t want a hug from the dolphin (who wouldn’t want a dolphin hug if they initiated it??) and the divemaster said the dolphin Is in charge and you basically can’t refuse a hug. I want to stress that these are not Sea World graduates or anything----they are used to people and I think people probably taught them some of their behaviors, but these dolphins are wild. It was amazing to see in person. For the next destination, my husband went to Fakarava to scuba dive (one of the best places to scuba dive in French Polynesia and according to some people, one of the best places in the world). I went to Moorea. More on that in my next blog post.  My last blog post ended when I was about to switch resorts on Bora Bora. What not everyone realizes (even me until recently) is that there really aren’t many roads on Bora Bora and none of the resorts are accessible that way. Remember how I mentioned that a boat from your resort or the public ferry picks you up from the airport…well, if you want to switch resorts in Bora Bora, you have to hire a private boat or pay for the airport transfer to the airport and then pay for the transfer from the airport to the other hotel….and you have to coordinate all of that near a real flight arrival. So, private boat it was for me. Everything is quite expensive in French Polynesia so I was actually expecting the boat ride to be a higher price than it was (this was another area in which my connections paid off). The boat ride between the Conrad and Intercontinental Thalasso took about 25 minutes and it was a beautiful ride. Every day we were on Bora Bora was gorgeous. Some of that was due to the season I was there, but I think Bora Bora is pretty gorgeous year round :) The Intercontinental Thalasso resort is an all overwater bungalow property. That is the only type of room they have. They are located in what I’m going to call resort alley….as we neared the resort, we saw the Four Seasons first, then next to that is St. Regis and next to that is the new Westin and within almost swimming distance is the Intercontinental Thalasso. Each resort has something like a Presidential Suite, which is a multi-bedroom overwater bungalow, but otherwise the bungalows are generally all similar sized and the categories only reflect their position on the resort (mountain view, ocean view, sunset view, etc). Our bungalow had a living area with a couch, comfortable chairs and a desk…and the iconic coffee table that is glass and gives you a view to the water….and the fish in it….right from your bungalow. The table slides so you can feed the fish at the Intercontinental. In my opinion, that is encouraging people to litter in the ocean. I imagine people try to feed the fish all kinds of things that the fish have no interest in eating. Needless to say, I didn’t feed the fish. The bungalow also had a proper bedroom, walk in closet, and a full bathroom with a bathtub and shower. There was a deck with 2 chaise loungers and a table outside and a swimming platform so you could get in the ocean directly from your bungalow. There is a small privacy divider to keep you from seeing what your neighbor is doing, but that only works to a point. You could see everyone’s swimming platform and there were people snorkeling and kayaking in the lagoon that is in the center of many of the bungalows, so while beautiful, the bungalows aren’t all that private. Note to all the honeymooners that want to hang out naked with their partner... The main areas of the resort are on land, so you walk from your bungalow along the boardwalk (or call a golf cart) to reception, the restaurants, pool, shop and spa. It took about 7 minutes walking from our bungalow to the restaurant that served breakfast, but we weren’t walking all that fast. My husband and I had a full day tour planned. I had only tried to snorkel a few times in my life and I have never enjoyed it. I have asthma and simply feel like I can’t breathe….but for some reason, I could relax and snorkel at the lagoon at the Conrad. I decided to ride my brave streak and actually get in the water on the snorkel stops on our tour (I’m normally what is often called a “bubble watcher” on scuba and snorkel boats….meaning I take it all in from the boat). Our first stop was snorkeling with black tipped reef sharks. Why start with turtles when you can jump right in with sharks :)
I chose to wear a life vest so I was buoyant and didn’t have to think to breathe, swim, look at sharks, don’t get eaten by sharks and not drown. Just kidding about the eating part….black tip reef sharks are generally harmless to humans and are beautiful creatures. Our second snorkeling stop was in an area with many manta rays and our third in was in an area nicknamed the aquarium. It is a beautiful reef area that is reasonably shallow so easy for people to snorkel. The reef really is a colorful wonderland. I tried to use my phone to take photos, but it was too much for me….I got a few random shots, but in the meantime, I also hit all kinds of settings which messed up my photos for the next couple of hours until I realized what I had done. This is a reminder to be kind to yourself…everyone wants beautiful photos to share from their travels, but sometimes it is better to just experience that, than to focus on getting photos to post. And sometimes it is great to try something to new and to push yourself, but that may mean you need to focus more on what you are doing rather than trying to document it. After a full morning, we headed to a small motu (like a little island) for lunch. There were several picnic tables in the water and I ate while having many kinds of tropical fish, manta ray and even some reef sharks swimming around…the ray was close enough to touch, but I chose not to (I think they probably don’t enjoy that….they can’t speak for themselves, so I decided to give them space). The journey back to the hotel would be considered an excursion in itself in many other parts of the world---no matter how many times I say it, breathtaking is truly the only world. The next stop on my journey is moving to Rangiroa and that will be in the next blog post. |
AuthorTracey is the owner of Unraveled Travel and has traveled to every continent. Archives
December 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed