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Bocas del Toro Panama

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On the northeastern border of Panama, just before crossing into Costa Rica, there are a string of Islands known as Bocas del Toro. They are widely unknown to visitors of the region, but offer some of the most beautiful and peaceful attractions in all the country. If you consider yourself an adventurer, or seek unspoiled areas of the world, Bocas is a great place to visit.

You may choose to reach the islands on one of the many local airline flights being offered daily. Or you might go the fun route and take a bus. Once off the bus, you have the added bonus of cruising across the placid bay in your water taxi, before arriving at a wall of colonial styled houses resting right out over the edge of the water. Make the most of the trip by enjoying the first stage, getting there.

Once on any of the nine islands, it is possible to become fully immersed in the local cultures. The mixture of Caribbean, Latino, Native Indian and European people offers the richest food combinations your tongue has tasted. Prices are traveler friendly at most places, but you can always find a specialty restaurant that will be glad to charge you more and give you creative cuisine.

The beaches on Bocas del Toro are as unique as the food and people. Most of them are on the lagoon and bay sides of the islands, while maybe a handful can be found receiving the open waters of the sea. No matter which one you choose, you will be delighted to feel the tropical waters on your tanned skin. If you ask the locals, they can direct you to some of the quieter spots where you may have the whole beach area to yourself. Since the islands are strewn with mangroves, inlets and coves, you are sure to be surprised by what is looming just around the next vibrant bend. The smartest option might be to hire a local boatman for the entire day. He can load you up with an ice chest full of food and beer, and is ready to shift you from location to location, or just leave you in peace if that is what you desire.

Bocas is home to an awesome chain of caves filled by fresh water pools and bats. The surfing is top quality around Bocas as well, with many different reputable locations to choose from. Snorkeling and diving are two of the favorite activities at Bocas, offering calm waters full of starfish, rays, corals, and the chance to see dolphins. You may also choose to go sailing for the day, or maybe you prefer the privacy of your own kayak as you meander through the mangroves. Hiking the tropical jungles gives you ample opportunities to see monkeys and many of the multi-colored birds that live on Bocas. There are so many choices and so little time.

After your day of indulging experiences, you are certain to head out to one of the many nightclubs for a little dancing and cocktails. Just make sure that you do not get so caught up in the fun, that you miss out on the amazing sunsets happening all over Bocas del Toro.

The Argentinean Alps

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Recently there was a massive volcanic eruption in Argentina. It was international news, reeking havoc on flights and on the local towns that were unfortunate enough to be covered in the falling ash. What were once beautiful areas of pristine green forest and aquamarine lakes turned grey overnight as the volcano dropped its remnants from the sky. For nature lovers that know the area personally, it was tough to watch. Understanding that Mother Nature has a way of rebounding from adversity, it is also clear that the northern gates of Patagonia, often referred to as the Argentinean Alps, would make an amazing comeback in no time at all.

There were three areas hardest hit by the volcano, which happen to be three of the prettiest places in Argentina.

San Carlos de Bariloche is the biggest of these three. It sits on the eastern side of the enormous Nahuel Huapi Lake. The lake was the first national park in Argentina, confirming its magnificence and protecting its future. It has total area coverage of five hundred twenty-nine square kilometers. Two of the three towns we are discussing are blessed to border this amazing lake. Bariloche is known as one of the best places in Argentina to visit in the summer. Camping in the hills and along the lake is ideal for exploring the countless hills and valleys in the area. It is also famous as the best snow skiing resort in South America, boasting a handful of modern ski lifts that rise above the city, giving a winterized view of the blue waters of the lake. Bariloche is known for its crafts and arts, but is most famous for its chocolate. Chocolate creations of every kind can be found at any of the huge shops aimed at providing tourists with creamy and sugary goodness. Busses and planes are regularly scheduled into Bariloche, so getting there is not an issue.

Villa la Angostura is the second spectacular city, and lies thirty minutes drive from Bariloche. Afternoons in the park or on the local beaches of the lake provide the relaxation that people are looking for from this quiet paradise. It is also bordered by a smaller lake on one side, which is connected to Huapi by a short river. There are hiking paths marked out clearly for easy access, and even more that are a bit more out of the way. Thick forest covers the entire are, making for wonderful drives through the many mountain roads available. Angostura was the hardest hit by the volcano, being completely covered in ash, up to thirty centimeters in spots. We send love and blessings to their community in hopes for a quick recovery.

San Martin de los Andes is a couple hours drive from Angostura, through the mountains and forests. It is not actually that far in terms of kilometers, but the road access is by dirt road. That is changing with the present construction of a proper highway. San Martin, like Bariloche, offers excellent hiking, rafting, and camping options. It too has a snow skiing area worthy of praise. San Martin is at the end of the Seven Lakes tour, a string of crystal clear mountain lakes dotting the landscape all the way back to Angostura.

A drive through this amazing region will fill the senses of any traveler. Certain areas will make you stop your car and stare at the naked wilderness in awe. The power of the volcano may have tampered with the beauty of the area for a short while, but the power of Mother Nature and the spirits of the inhabitants of these wonderful towns are sure to rise up and reclaim the glory of the Argentinean Alps.

In the Belly of Belize

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Tucked away deep in the jungles of Belize are a myriad of cave systems that are nothing less than spectacular. They have been explored for many years by local and international authorities, but the full extent of these systems has yet to be measured. Included in the amazing array of caves are dry caves and flooded caves. The flooded caves have underground rivers running through them, and are also called cenotes. There is a wonderful and somewhat dark history associated with these caves.
The Mayan civilization was prevalent in the Belize region. It stretched from north in the Yucatan Peninsula, through Belize, and south into Guatemala. The Mayans had a belief in the over-world and the underworld. The caves were symbolically and literally their underworld, and were used for specific purposes like reclusion and rituals.

Mayan Underworld
Xibalba is the name given to the Mayan Underworld. There have been claims that the entrance to this world was in Mexico, Guatemala and even in Belize. It is easy to see the idea behind this concept when you stand at the gaping mouth of any of the caves in Belize. St. Herman’s cave is one example. As you peer into the huge opening, you can almost smell the sacrificial smoke that was burning at the altar of the Mayan priests. Entering into the throat of the cave, light begins to fade and the feeling of entering another world is palpable. Smells shift from fresh jungle air into a damp, musty smell of mineral filled mud and guano. What started as a massive opening has squeezed into smaller passageways, where you must climb over the occasional boulder to get any farther. A few more step and the only light available is coming from your headlamp. You literally feel as though you are being passed through the bowels of the earth, which is a transformational process. Water is dripping all round you making splish and splatter sounds as the droplets hit stone or small pools of water that have collected. Careful footing is a must, as one wrong move and you will be injured for sure. Just as you realize that the outside world has finally gone for good, you round a corner and the walls open to expose an enormous cavern with cathedral ceilings. The whiteness of crystalline rocks reflects your headlamp, giving off an angelic feeling. The shadows dancing on the walls play tricks on your eyes, leaving you with the impression that there are moving spirits and energies in the room with your. It is so understandable at that moment how the Mayans would have attributed these gauntlets and caverns as anything less that a magical underworld.

To see and experience the spirit worlds, one must be able to move away from conventional thinking and seeing. They must be able to go into the recesses of their minds and explore the unexplored. These caves offer exactly that experience. It is possible to sit in the darkness of a small cramped slot between two rocks and feel the safety and solitude of quiet contemplation. It is also plausible to imagine torches with fires burning from them placed around the massive rooms, and the light from the flickering fires moving their luminescence over the stalactites and stalagmites on the floors and ceilings. If going deep to the inner realms of existence was the way into the underworld for the Mayan culture, then being in the belly of the Belizean caves was exactly where they would have fund their destination.

Wild West Coast of South Africa

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Visiting South Africa is an amazing trip. There are so many wonderful places to go, each with its own unique personality and identity. One of the most unexplored and wildest places to see is called the Wild Coast, as it certainly lives up to its name. South of Durban, between the cities of Port Edward and East London, lays a rugged coastline protected by rolling hills. Tiny towns and villages are dotted along the ocean shores, bays and coves that give you a forgotten feeling of an afternoon spent in a hammock. Wide rivers careen through the land of the Xhosa people, carving their winding paths until they open their mouths into the India Ocean at the end of their journey. There are only a few roads that get you into the area, so you must know where you are going before you get started. Here is a glance at a few stops that are definitely worth seeing.

Port St. Johns is considered to be absolutely lovely by visitors and certainly by its residents. As with the other notable towns along the Wild Coast, St. Johns sits at the joining of a river and the ocean. The Umzimvubu River was one a commerce generating river, as its size allowed for deeper entry into the region. Port St. Johns sprang up as the town the facilitated the import and export of gods through the river. It has transformed itself into a culturally authentic town, offering a glimpse at the life and art of the Xhosa people, and is blessed by natural landscapes that leaves you breathless.

Coffee Bay lies in the middle of the Wild Coast. It received its name after a ship carrying coffee ran ashore, spilling its bean onto the beach. Even though none of the coffee plants capitalized on the fortunate incident, the name has been firmly rooted ever since. There are a few places to stay at Coffee Bay, each with wonderful views of the cliffs and ocean. The beach is unique, as it is also the entrance of a meandering local river. When the tide is low, the beach is larger and the river is held captive. When the tide comes up it invites the river to flow freely into the warm Indian Ocean waters. Hiking and exploring are great ideas when staying at Coffee Bay. There are numerous trails that will take you inland, past the round Xhosa village houses, and many more that will have you hanging off the side of a cliff overlooking the water below. One of the favorite attractions is the ‘hole in the wall’. It is a large piece of land that was left to stand at the opening of another nearby river. As the river cut its way to the ocean, the land mass was carved out, leaving a gaping hole directly in the center of it. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can catch a crazy surfer trying to ride one of the treacherous waves cause by the flowing river current pushing through the hole against the incoming tide.

Kei Mouth is the southern most attraction along this winding Wild Coast. The term mouth refers to the opening of the Kei River as it flows into the ocean. Life is very relaxed here, as it is in the entire of the Wild Coast. Days can be spent relaxing on any number of its beautiful beaches, mountain biking, playing golf and many more sun-filled experiences.

If you plan to visit the Wild Coast, allow for at least week. It is easy to get lost in the many outrageously beautiful parts of South Africa, but the Wild Coast is an unspoiled wilderness that is worth a languid visit.