Travel Inspiration Archives - Page 21 of 23

Victoria House: The Best Boutique Hotel in Belize

August 29, 2021April 20, 2017 by Allison Green

The view from our gorgeous pool villa at victoria house

Belize is famous for its Mayan ruins, exciting adventures, underwater life, and epic Caribbean sea views. If you’re into snorkeling or diving, there is no doubt you will want to visit Ambergris Caye while you are in Belize. And if you want to punctuate your time underwater with some luxury on land – there’s absolutely no better place to do that than Victoria House in San Pedro — easily the best boutique hotel in Belize.

From the pool that looks out over the Caribbean Sea to the well manicured grounds shaded with palm trees, Victoria House is an oasis of peace and quiet in San Pedro. I loved relaxing on one of the loungers in the pool and sipping on a Belikin (Belize’s beer of choice) looking out at this view – I could do it all day!

The Victoria House offers a private beach of sorts, with hammocks and loungers spread between the palm trees overlooking the ocean. While the water and marine life are stunning, the islands of Belize are not known for their sandy beaches. That said, Victoria House has created something out of nothing, with a sandy ‘beach’ giving way to a seawall.

Of course, I had to test out all the hammocks at Victoria House. For research.

I’d never let you down.

When I wasn’t scaling palm trees channeling my inner Mowgli from The Jungle Book (my favorite movie until I was like 9), lounging poolside, or methodically researching hammock comfort… I was enjoying the luxury of our Infinity Suite, a two-story apartment complete with pool views and a fully functioning kitchen.

Yeah, a full kitchen in our boutique suite! My inner New Yorker died a thousand deaths when I saw this kitchen and realized I wouldn’t be making use of it.

In addition to the full kitchen and what I lovingly called our “mini fridge,” we had not one or two but four separate outdoor areas.

Including an outdoor shower, because apparently this is my life now.

Because Victoria House faces east, you’ll want to rouse yourself from your insanely comfortable bed long enough to catch at least one of the epic sunrises over the Caribbean.

Nothing beats the peace of watching the sunrise from a private beach or infinity pool at your luxury boutique hotel!

If you tire of lounging by the pool I don’t understand you don’t fret, there’s plenty to do in and near Ambergris Caye!

Why not snorkel with sharks, rays, and sea turtles in the beautiful Belize Barrier Reef, which is the second biggest reef in the world? Or visit some Mayan ruins or go on a caving adventure on the mainland?

You can also rent complimentary bicycles to ride into town or borrow a kayak to take for a paddle out on the beautiful Caribbean waters.

Victoria House offers a wide range of boutique hotel accommodations spread across 42 rooms. If you really want to ball out, there are luxury suites like the one Janet and I enjoyed, and for the truly epic amongst us there are also beachfront villas with private pools that can house up to 10 people. Talk about an epic destination for a wedding or bachelorette party!

From the more affordable staterooms which start at $205 to the cute little casitas starting at $299, there are also plenty of options that offer boutique Belize luxury on a realistic budget.

I loved every minute of my stay at this stunning seaside boutique hotel. Victoria House’s grounds are so spacious that even when there are other people there you somehow feel as if you have the whole place to yourself. During the day, most of the guests are off diving or on tours, so even in the high season I was often the only one in the pool! The place comes alive at dinner when everyone comes home from the tours and dines in the acclaimed Palmilla Restaurant on site.

If you’re looking for a taste of luxury on your Belize island getaway, look no further than Victoria House!

Interested? Check out availability and pricing!

7 Things You Must Pack for Belize

I’ve written an entire Belize packing list but if you just want the essentials, here’s what I think are the absolute essentials.

Mosquito repellent & after-care: Belize has a tropical climate with mosquitos year-round, particularly in the rainy season. Zika, dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya have all been reported there. While there’s no reason to cancel your trip on account of it, protect yourself with mosquito repellent (as a back-up, I carry around a few mosquito repellent wipes with me in my purse in case I forget to apply spray before leaving or that I can apply after swimming). It’s also inevitable that you won’t leave without a few bites, so bring some after-bite relief too (this is hard to find in Belize).
Full-size travel towel: This travel towel is full-size so it’s big enough to use as a beach towel, thin enough to pack up super small for your luggage, and it dries super quickly in Belize’s humid climate.
A guidebook: I use travel blogs a lot when I’m on the road but I also love having a guidebook to give me more specific, thoroughly researched information. Lonely Planet is my go-to guidebook and Lonely Planet Belize is no exception. I usually buy the Kindle version, but paper versions are also great fun to peruse.
Reef-safe sunscreen: If you are planning to do any water activities, such as diving or snorkeling or even swimming, please use a reef-safe sunscreen like this one. The active ingredients in sunscreen are killing off coral in huge numbers. The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest in the world and is under threat. So please don’t use normal, chemical-laden sunscreen in Belize’s fragile ocean ecosystem!
Filter water bottle or Steripen: Belize’s tap water is not drinkable anywhere in the country. I recommend traveling with a water bottle with a built-in filter that filters out nasty bacteria and viruses like this awesome LifeStraw bottle so you can reduce your plastic waste. Alternately, you can use a Steripen which sterilizes water using UV light. A great investment if you travel frequently and want to reduce your plastic bottle consumption!
GoPro: If you go snorkeling or cave tubing or ziplining, you’re going to want a way to capture all of that action! A GoPro Hero 6 is currently the highest-quality option, but if you’re on a budget, the GoPro Session is also an excellent choice. Be aware that you need to buy protective casing if you want to take either of these cameras diving. They are only waterproof to 10 meters, and you’ll exceed that if you dive (most dives are at least 15 meters or so).
Finally, don’t forget travel insurance! Whether you’re scuba diving, caving, ziplining through the jungle or just relaxing on the beach, don’t forget to purchase travel insurance! It’ll protect you in case of accident, injury, lost luggage, theft, or any other disaster that could befall your trip. I have been a paying customer of World Nomads for two years and recommend them highly. I’ve included a way to get a free quote below.

Note: I was provided with two nights’ complimentary accommodations at Victoria House in order to review it. All opinions are my own, as always! This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you book a stay using my link.

Allison Green

Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. Her blog posts merge her background as an educator with her experience traveling to 70+ countries to encourage ethical, meaningful travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. Now a full-time traveler, she has lived in Prague, Sofia, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

eternalarrival.com

Why I’m Breaking Up With Backpacking

August 29, 2021April 18, 2017 by Allison Green

When I quit my job to travel full-time, I kind of imagined that I would be a backpacker for the rest of my life. I know, I know: how naïve can a girl get?

The truth is, I think it appealed to me so much because I skipped from youth to adulthood a little too quickly. When I graduated, lack of employment options for English graduates pushed me into a field I never expected or frankly even wanted: teaching special education.

Suddenly, I was responsible for shaping all these little lives – at the age of 21 – although I could barely take care of myself. The weight of it was heavy, but I felt like it the only way to keep living out my New York City dream.

As I traveled on my school holidays, I met a breed of people I never met before: carefree backpackers seeing the world for months at a time. I decided then and there, after a life-changing trip abroad to Southeast Asia (yes I know, how basic of me), that that was what wanted I wanted to be.

Fast forward two years later, and I’m realizing just how much greener the grass was from that side. I may have missed the boat to be a backpacker. The truth is, as I near 30, backpacking no longer holds the same allure it used to. Maybe because I’m secretly an old. I often turn down invites to go partying because actually, I’d rather lay in bed at 10 PM watching the Walking Dead before winding down the night with a nice, soothing podcast. I actually strongly considered packing my onesie in my backpack before realizing how utterly ridiculous that was.

Or maybe because backpacking tires out this closet introvert. I hate having the same tired conversation: “where are you from?”, “how long are you traveling for?” and hate myself for not being socially creative enough to break outside of that, either.

Maybe because if I have to hear someone in their early 20s say in with shaman-like seriousness that they decided to “live for experiences and not things” again, I may very well lose what’s left of my mind. Partly because I’m aware that that is me, too, and I hate that my special snowflake badge is being tarnished.

But more than anything, I’m realizing that I have finite reserves of energy. Who I am at the beginning of a months-long backpacking trip does not really resemble the person at the end of it. In the beginning of a trip, I’m so excited for all the adventures that await me that I’m constantly planning and moving, making the most of every moment. By the end, I’m planting myself in one location for as long as I can, desperate to catch my breath.

I think I may finally be ready to say goodbye to backpacking.

This isn’t to say that I’m throwing my backpack into a bonfire and becoming a checked-suitcase, cruise-ship traveler. Just that I’m slowly realizing that it’s not healthy for me to live a life of constant movement.

Another thing I miss when I backpack is my friendships. Everyone always told me that when you travel alone – you’re never really alone, because you’re making friends everywhere you go. The first part is true; the second, not so much.

The truth is, I can count on one hand the people I’m still in touch with who I met in hostels, out of the hundreds or maybe thousands of names I’ve learned and promptly forgotten. While those friendships are special to me and will always be, I crave more stability in my life.

When I say I’m breaking up with backpacking, I’m not trying to say I’ll never stay in a hostel again: far from it. Sometimes it’s the best option when you’re traveling solo or in an expensive country. But I am admitting I am no longer capable of these months-long schleps around the world.

As an anxious person who struggles with bouts of depression, I’m learning that the stress of having to be “on” all the time isn’t worth the benefits of backpacking. I’m chronically exhausted, easily frustrated, and always behind on my work. While I may get to check more countries off my list, I’m often too tired near the end of my trips to truly experience them.

So what does that mean for me and this blog?

I’ll be slowing down my travels, interspersing some shorter stays with long-term rentals in AirBnbs. I’m planning on spending an extended period of time in Budapest and perhaps another non-Schengen country, as I have to keep an eye on my 90-day allowance. I’m hoping this’ll give me what I need to employ better self-care, self-love, and figure out what my direction is when I’m traveling.

But most of all, I want to know where the fuck my phone charger is for a change.

Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

How I Saved $50,000 to Travel the World Full-Time

August 29, 2021April 13, 2017 by Allison Green

If I tell you that I saved up $50,000 to travel the world while living in New York City, what do you imagine that my job was? Perhaps an investment banker, or a lawyer, or maybe one of those consultants that no one actually knows what they do (themselves included)? Nope, the truth is, nothing so glamorous.

I was a public school teacher for 5 looooong years.

You may wonder how on earth I managed this. Don’t public school teachers make next to nothing? Isn’t NYC expensive as hell? Yup and yup. Saving money without a fancy job is hard. But I’m here to tell you that it’s possible – with effort, strategy, and prioritizing.

Another thing: I didn’t pinch every penny for those 5 years. I actually traveled to 17 countries while holding down a full-time job and simultaneously saving up $50,000. If I had really buckled down and focused on saving money and held off on the travel, I could have done it sooner.

When not seeing the Northern lights, dogsledding is a fun way to pass the time — I even went to expensive Sweden while saving to travel full-time. Financially questionable, yes. Insanely fun, also yes.

I also nursed a serious wine habit, because how else are you going to survive the Department of Education?

But in all seriousness, here’s how I managed that seemingly impossible feat. It’s not meant to be a step by step guide for you to do the same. I can’t know your salary, your debts, your cost of living, and your lifestyle.

Maybe your potential savings are smaller than mine, or maybe they’re much higher. This is just my story of how I financed my escape from the 9 to 5 — or the 8 to 3, as my case may be — in order to travel longer and further than I ever thought possible when I first started my career as a teacher.

Living the hard knock life in Belize… er, something like that.

I set clear saving goals

I used Mint to help me track my spending and set goals. My goal was to save $1,000 per month. For every month I saved, I’d gain about a month of future travel, using my benchmark of $1,000 per month for backpacking in cheap countries.

RELATED: 40 Cheapest Countries to Travel on $30 Per Day or Less

My goal was $48,000, which would be enough for 4 years of shoestring traveling. Honestly, though, I’ve since started traveling a little more expensively – spending more around $1200 to $1500 per month – since I attained part-time freelance work on Upwork.

Best. Coworker. Ever. (even though he tried to steal my lunch, rude)

I had no debt

I know that this is easier said than done for Americans. Student loan debt seems to be a birthright for us. I’ve spoken about my privilege before and how my parents’ ability to pay for my undergraduate degree has given me a huge advantage. I later obtained a scholarship for my Master’s degree in Education, keeping me debt-free.

This is just to be honest and up front – not to tell you that having no debt is the only way to save up a large sum of money to travel.

But if you want to save up to travel, you’ll want to get rid of any “bad debt” — credit card debt and extortionary private loans — if you want to make any serious headway. Focus first on paying back that debt. As for your low-interest student loans, you can factor the cost of paying them off into your monthly budget for traveling.

Pay off those credit cards and see the wonders of the world!

I changed the way I socialized

When I was younger, I went out to bars — a lot. It’s kind of what happens when your college campus is literally New York City.

As I got older, I realized I had more fun inviting friends over for a home-cooked dinner and wine, or hanging in the park with cheese and wine (notice a theme here?), or meeting up at a museum. All these things are drastically cheaper than going out to a bar, getting hopelessly drunk, eating questionable amounts of fried chicken, and cabbing it home.

I took the initiative to plan budget-friendly outings rather than always waiting to be invited somewhere. When something came up that screamed massive money drain – like a birthday dinner (this cheap bitch’s worst nightmare) or a weekend trip I wasn’t really into – I wasn’t afraid to decline politely and offer an alternative later.

I streamlined my food, transit and rent spend

Rent is a huge drain in New York City. I opted for living in less hip neighborhoods to save a couple hundred bucks a month. I had my own studio apartment in Flatbush, Brooklyn for just over $1,000 a month, which gave me quite a bit of money to be able to save each month.

I also lived with a boyfriend for a year, which cut my living expenses in half. While I don’t recommend moving in with a significant other just to save on rent, it did significantly help me save money.

To save on transit, I rode a bicycle 13 miles to work each day for 3 years, which saved me approximately $4,000 as opposed to taking the subway. Yes, even in the winter, because I’m a maniac.

A definite, though temporary, upgrade from my beater road bike

I also ate really cheaply by cooking most of my own meals or making sure that I split my takeaway meals into two portions, sometimes bulking it up with extra rice or bread. There were takeout places in Ridgewood, where I worked, and Flatbush where I could easily get two meals’ worth of Caribbean, Spanish, or Soul food for $6 — at $3 per meal, it didn’t break the bank to eat those meals out.

When I cooked for myself, the food blog Budget Bytes was my cooking bible. I learned so many amazing recipes from that website. I joined a food co-op, despite the insufferable hippieishness of its patrons, to save on fresh produce and ethically raised meat. I bought all my grains in bulk from the co-op or ethnic grocery stores.

I checked my local grocery store’s weekly sales circular and stocked up on canned, frozen, and dried goods whenever there was a sale. I froze all my leftovers and made my own chicken stock and yes, even my own beans. A bit obsessive, yes, but there’s no denying all the money I saved!

RELATED: 101 Ways to Save Money for Travel

Money saved now = more tacos later. Math you can believe in.

When it came to travel, I didn’t always go to the first country that struck my mind. I used flight comparison websites like Skyscanner (I also use Google Flights and Momondo – I usually try a variety of comparison websites before making a final booking to make sure I’m getting the best price!) in order to pick the cheapest country I was interested in, then made a plan from there. By doing that, I got deals such as Sweden for $400 roundtrip, Turkey for $500 roundtrip, and Puerto Rico for $200 roundtrip.

I took on every opportunity to gain extra work or pay

As a teacher, I took on a lot of paid after school work in order to have extra funds to travel. In NYC, we have something called “per session” work that nets you about $42 per hour — not a bad supplement to my less than stellar paycheck. I also worked two summers, which netted me $5,000+ each summer.

I also researched how to get a raise in the DOE and worked my butt off to attain 30 college credits by taking language aptitude tests and independent study courses. That earned me an extra $6,000 per year pre-tax, which made a huge difference. Of course, that won’t apply for everyone, but you can easily gain extra work on Upwork or other online freelancing websites. Hone a skill like SEO or editing and monetize that.

Not seeing the sun in winter working 10 and 12 hour days sucked ass, but the freedom it gave me is priceless.

I wasn’t perfect

I could have saved more, or spent less time saving the amount that I did. I saved that money over the span of five years. Had I canned the traveling temporarily and truly focused on saving, I probably could have done it in two or three years.

I had my vices: I spent far too much on artisanal cheeses and even more on my wine nerd habit. I planned my weekends around eating dumplings. I made impulsive decisions like buying a ticket to Belize or Puerto Rico to escape New York for three or four day trips. I did these things not out of weakness, but because I value my happiness.

fancy life in Puerto Rico — Taking a 3 day trip to Puerto Rico wasn’t smart financially, but it saved this California girl her sanity in a New York winter.

Constantly questioning your decision to buy everything can be a bit of a drain on morale. Don’t beat yourself up on your past expenditures, and don’t be too stubborn to treat yourself when you know it’ll improve a difficult day.

The real trick is persistence. Saving money is a marathon, not a sprint. Work out where in the world inspires you most, and figure out how much it costs to get there. Start setting realistic goals. Hold yourself accountable to them. Over time, you’ll see your savings grow and grow, and you too can quit your job and travel the world. But you have to want to.

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Tips and budget ideas for how I managed to save $50,000 to travel the world full-time and live a life of constant adventure!

Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

9 Reasons You’ve Got to Live the Palace Life in Cozumel

August 29, 2021April 8, 2017 by Allison Green

I’ll admit it… I was an all-inclusive skeptic. I never understood the point of traveling all the way around the world to stay in a resort where you never have to leave.

Well, now I get it. Travel can be stressful and taxing – and most people, particularly Americans, don’t have the privilege like I do of traveling around the world most of the year.

If you only have a week or two’s worth of vacation time, maybe you don’t want to spend them hopping around from sweaty bus to sweaty bus, frantically trying to see as much as possible. Maybe you just want to relax and be treated like a queen. I’m here to validate you: Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

While I would still argue that staying in an all-inclusive isn’t “travel” in the truest sense, it’s definitely the most relaxing way to vacation I can think of. And if you just want to shut down, unwind, relax, and be treated like a queen, you can’t really go wrong with the Cozumel Palace.

Here are 9 reasons why you should consider Cozumel Palace for your next resort holiday.

And if you’re not sold on Cozumel, there are also plenty of other Palace hotels in the Riviera Maya and Cancun – like the Grand at Moon Palace – not to mention many other great all-inclusive resorts in the world!

1. There’s a hot tub in your bedroom

File that under sentences I never thought I’d write. Literally every single room in Cozumel Palace has their own private Jacuzzi tub! Pairs perfectly with the complimentary bottle of red wine awaiting you in your room… or just about any other beverage you can dream up.

2. The pool comes with a ridiculous view

How many times in your life can you swim in a pool with a direct view of the ocean? I spent all my days lounging in my pink inflatable donut (tragically not included!) in their infinity pool, gazing at the sea, ordering mojito after mojito from the swim up bar.

3. The food is off the chain delicious

Cozumel Palace has four restaurants serving four different cuisines: Pan-Asian, Mexican (naturally!), Italian, and American. Full disclosure: I never made it to any restaurant outside of the Asian and Mexican ones because they were just so insanely tasty. If you can’t tell from the lust oozing out of these photographs…

4. Beautiful diving and snorkeling is right outside your back door

If you can peel yourself from your sun chair for a few hours, you can snorkel right off the dock of Cozumel Palace with free snorkel rentals! Or if diving is more your speed, Cozumel’s one of the best places on earth to enjoy the underwater world. You can even do your diving certification at Cozumel Palace – they even have their own training pool! Or you can arrange diving excursions with local companies and they’ll pick you up right at Cozumel Palace’s private dock.

5. You’ve got a hammock overlooking the sea

One of my favorite things in life is a hammock with a good view. And there’s nothing quite like swinging in a hammock on your own balcony overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

6. The sunsets are off the hook

Most of the Yucatan peninsula faces east, so you’ll get beautiful sunrises but miss out on the sunsets. Not the best if you’re not an early bird. Not so in Cozumel! This island is far enough from the mainland that you get unobstructed views of glorious Caribbean sunsets. All the better when enjoyed from the oceanside pool (with a drink in hand, naturally!)

7. You can enjoy dinner with a view

Dine al fresco with the sea as your backdrop! Cozumel Palace arranges amazing romantic or group dinners at a private table right by the sea. For our last night, the thoughtful staff at Cozumel Palace treated Janet and me to an outstanding four-course dinner. We feasted on a mango and blue cheese salad, basil cream soup, lamb and beef filet with potatoes and spinach, and a dessert that was literally on fire!

8. All you can drink!

I don’t want to count up all the glasses of champagne I consumed, so I simply won’t, but let’s just say that the wine cellar at Cozumel Palace was probably quite a bit lighter after I was through with them and I don’t regret it one bit (my liver, maybe a little). And don’t get me started on how many mojitos I had too…

9. The desserts, oh the desserts…

A photo says a thousand words… so here’s 3,000. All of them nom.

Note: I received a three-night complimentary all-inclusive stay at Cozumel Palace in order to review it. All opinions expressed are my own – no BS, as always.

Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

Cars, Casas, and Charisma: Life in Cuba Through Pictures

August 29, 2021April 1, 2017 by Allison Green

Cuba is equal parts frustrating and fascinating. The colors of the houses are so vibrant, especially contrasted with the shiny and meticulously kept up cars.

There’s a charming old-fashioned vibe to the country. Many say visiting Cuba is a bit like traveling back in time. But underneath the vintage veneer, you can sneak a peek at the hard realities of life in Cuba at this pivotal juncture between the Castro era and whatever comes next.

If you haven’t yet read my article called “10 Quirks You Won’t Understand Until You Travel to Cuba” – that’s a great place to start understanding the realities of life in Cuba, just 50 miles yet somehow 70 years away from mainland, mainstream America. Or if you just wanna peruse some pretty pictures sprinkled with some random Cuba facts, I’ve got you covered here, too!

Curious about how to legally travel to Cuba as an American? Check out this post.

Classic cars in Cuba are everywhere, which is actually not a result of the trade embargo but rather the ban on importing foreign cars, which started in 1959.

Cubans may very well be some of the best mechanics in the world, as nothing more than sweat and ingenuity has kept these classic cars running for the past 70+ years.

Having a car in Cuba is a lifeline to money outside the socialist government, which pays an average of $30 USD per month.

For this reason, virtually every privately owned car in Cuba is also a taxi – it’s never hard to find a ride.

Though the government wage for Cubans is drastically low, Cubans are given food rations, housing (with water and electricity included), and are guaranteed the right to a government job.

Bodegas are where Cubans receive their rations, and their sparseness shows the shortcomings of the Cuban government’s ability to provide adequately for its people.

Rations include rice, beans, eggs, oil, and chicken (also, cigars and cigarettes – go figure). But they most certainly don’t include fresh fruit – which Cubans have to buy from their meager government salary.

As a result of their abysmally low wages, Cubans have become enterprising: natural born capitalists, dare I say. Many Cubans rig up things like old bicycles into pedi-taxis to wheel around tourists and locals alike and make some cash to spend in the quasi-black market.

There is technically freedom of the press in Cuba’s constitution… with the small caveat that no press can advocate “against the decision of the Cuban people to build socialism and communism”. Granma is the official newspaper of the Communist Party in Cuba.

Street art is heavily censored and clearly commissioned to exist in support of the government’s ideals.

Despite the heavy propaganda, Cubans are exceptionally friendly to Americans. The grudge seems to be a bit one-sided on our part.

Many Cubans love to be the subject of photos – just ask and you’ll often be rewarded with a warm smile.

The people of Havana ooze with character and charisma – prime for people watching and street photography.

And not just in Havana – people everywhere look as if they have the most fascinating stories to tell… if only we had the time to listen to them all.

Some Cubans were understandably guarded when answering questions, but the majority were open and excited to shed some of the mystery of life in Cuba.

We learned from tobacco farmers that the Cuban government’s hands are everywhere. They take 90% of the tobacco from the farmers who farm it, leaving them just 10% to smoke themselves or sell to tourists who visit the farms in Viñales Valley.

Likewise, the Cuban government charges the owners of *casa particulares* – small B&Bs newly allowed in Cuba – a $150 tax monthly to rent out their rooms to tourists. Virtually every house in Cuban cities is also a casa, showing how Cubans are relentlessly trying to supplement their incomes.

Color is a way of life in Cuba – whether it’s the vibrantly painted houses or the meticulously kept-up cars, there’s rarely a dull moment.

Open windows seem to be a way of life in Cuba, too. People often sit in rocking chairs inside their homes, staring out into the world passing by. It doesn’t seem to be considered bad form to stare back in, either.

Cubans who live outside of the touristy areas show extra resourcefulness when it comes to making an extra living: this man rigged up his goat to a little cart and gave small kids a ride around the park in Santa Clara for a few CUP per kid.

But even Cuba’s most touristy cities have a distinctly rural feel to them – tractor traffic in Trinidad was constant.

Cuba is still a very equine society outside the main cities. In particular, Viñales is rife with horse owners who rely on horses for their livings, keeping an old way of Cuban life in modern times.

Horses in Cuba are often well cared for – just like the classic cars, horses are Cubans’ lifelines to the outside economy.

The Viñales Valley offers a small glimpse of Cuba’s rural past and touristic present — all at once. A perfect metaphor for Cuba at this pivotal moment.

Oddly, the landscape of Viñales almost reminded me of Thailand – karst mountains spring up everywhere, making this one of the most beautiful places in Cuba — after its beaches, of course.

Varadero lives up the postcards, but despite the tourism boom, there’s peace and quiet to be found — if you look for it.

While I had heard that Cubans weren’t allowed on Varadero’s beaches – that they were tourist only – that seems to be only true for the resorts. Plenty of local Cubans – and this one fly cat – were free to enjoy this beautiful beach alongside the tourists staying in the local casas particulares in town.

Whatever I tell you about Cuba – it won’t last long. Depending on when you read this, everything I write may already be out of date. Life in Cuba is on the verge of massive change. The question is not if but when — and how fast.

Cuba’s youth doesn’t seem to realize what a precipitous moment this is for their country – after all, they are just kids. But they’re the ones who will have to pick up the pieces once the Castro era finally ends.

The reality is that as much as you try to understand Cuba, you’ll probably leave even more confused than you came in.

Whether or not that frustrates you or fascinates you will determine how you experience Cuba.

Planning a trip to Cuba? Check out these Cuba travel tips before you go.

Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

Gone Glamping: Serenity Luxury Tented Camp in Xpu-Ha

August 29, 2021March 21, 2017 by Allison Green

As much as I love the outdoors… god, do I love electricity. And wifi, and hot showers, and king-sized beds, and air-conditioning, and indoor plumbing. So when Serenity Luxury Tented Camp, Xperience Hotels’ newest property, invited Janet and me to visit their new eco camping lodge, I did a happy dance inside. I get to sleep in a tent in a jungle on a beach in Mexico’s Riviera Maya AND watch Netflix in a giant comfortable bed? I am so there.

And when I can take a bath outside in a private Jacuzzi tub under a sky filled with stars, that’s what I call winning.

Rooms

Whoever designed the Serenity Luxury Tented Camp rooms seems to have invaded my subconscious – or maybe my private Pinterest boards – to create my dream house (side note: my dream house is a yurt). The room is designed in gorgeous earth tones with pops of rich red, with a king-sized bed front and center. Definitely a step up from your sleeping bag and inflatable mattress!

The rest of the room is simply furnished, as befits a tent, except for this cute vintage desk which was a lovely touch.

The bathroom was amazing – mostly because who can say that they’ve used a flush toilet INSIDE of a tent? The rain shower was also super luxe and perfect after days at Xpu-Ha beach. And if an outdoor bath is more your speed, they’ve got you covered!

Food

One of the best parts of staying at Serenity Luxury Tented Camp was the delicious breakfast, which they will even bring right to your tent in the morning if you ask! Their fruit plates and egg dishes were so tasty and presented so beautifully: a perfect start to a beautiful beach day or day lounging by the pool.

Their tacos are similarly excellent, particular the arrachera (flank steak) and camarones (shrimp) tacos, with an outstandingly spicy homemade hot sauce. The only thing I can’t highly recommend are the pizzas, but hey, if you’re in Mexico and you order pizzas, you kind of deserve what you get!

Grounds

Serenity Luxury Tented Camp is just that – a series of tents set up amongst the lush greenery of the jungle. It takes cues from Balinese design as well as its camping theme, with simple landscaping to match. Its pool is home to a Buddha head waterfall and is the perfect place to cool off!

There are also lovely places to sit and eat either around the campfire (where you can roast marshmallows at night, because duh, what’s camping without marshmallows!) or under the tent. I loved the colorful circle of pillows surrounding the campfire – perfect for sipping a Victoria or a made-to-order cocktail as you dry off in the sun.

Even better – it’s a two minute walk from Xpu-Ha Beach, which is one of the nicest in all of Mexico, and has its own private beach club, Serenity Beach Club! How cute are these red umbrellas?

Xpu-Ha beach is located halfway between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, on the same strip of crystal clear waters and white sand. It’s a quick colectivo away from Akumal Beach, where you can snorkel with sea turtles in the Caribbean Sea!

There’s also a yoga room, a lounge with plenty of chairs, and all sorts of cute quirky decorative touches that make this place a photographer’s dream. I especially loved the Moroccan-influenced doors and this wall of brightly painted window shutters – such a unique touch.

Is this your type of camping? Check out availability and pricing here.

Disclosure: I was provided with two nights of accommodation in order to review Serenity Luxury Tented Camp. All opinions shared are my own. This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may make a small commission if you use my link to book accommodations.

Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

10 Quirks You Won’t Understand Until You Travel To Cuba

August 29, 2021March 15, 2017 by Allison Green

It’s hard not to romanticize Cuba. The photographs sell a dream: 1950s cars against brightly painted buildings, character-filled faces smoking fat cigars. This is the country Hemingway lost himself in, the land of mojitos, balmy evenings dancing salsa outside, and vintage charm.

The photos don’t lie — Cuba is an insanely photogenic country with an almost magical beauty. But photos often don’t tell the whole story. You can’t smell the noxious fumes of the nearly 70-year-old cars, or hear the stories of the people who quit their jobs teaching to flee to the burgeoning private tourism sector for 30 times the pay.

You can’t truly understand the realities of life on the ground of this fascinating country until you’ve been there – and even once you have and you leave, you still have only the faintest understanding of life in on this unique island, both so close and so far to the USA.

You can see all the photos and read all the Cuba travel tips you want, but at the end of the day, you’re just going to have to see it for yourself.

1. You can get alcohol without an ID, but you can’t get wifi without your passport.

There’s no such thing as a free log-on in Cuba. To get wifi, you’ll have to queue up with the locals and confused tourists to be admitted into local ETECSA. The lines are usually atrocious because most cities, besides Havana, will only have one. When you finally get allowed into the building, you can buy a wifi card at $1.50 per hour, but you must show your passport. Then you can go to one of the designated ETECSA access zones. There is usually one in every major plaza, hotel, or pretty much any place where you see tons of locals sitting and staring intently at their phones.

I gave up on the hassle after my second wifi card, so my two weeks in Cuba ended up being an internet detox. Considering that I went just weeks after Trump was inaugurated, it was a welcome break from the 24/7 news cycle.

2. The Cuban government essentially invented Airbnb

There are no hostels outside of Havana, and the hotels in Cuba will cost you approximately the equivalent of your body weight in mojitos. The solution? Stay at casa particulares, which are homestays regulated by the Cuban government. Cuban families will rent out a spare room or two and pay the Cuban government a monthly tax of $150 to do so. For a modest price of about $25-35 per room (this is the price for a group of 3 or 4 – couples can probably pay less), you can stay in a local’s home.

There’s no need to book your casas ahead of time, except for perhaps your first one. Each casa owner has connections all over Cuba and is happy to hook you up with a friend in the next city you’re going to. While the décor will undoubtedly be a bit dated, the casa owner — usually a lovely matriarchal type — will do anything to make sure your stay is comfortable. Even if it means sawing a roll of paper towels in half after the stores have run out of toilet paper.

3. Price seems to have an inverse relationship to quality.

As in, a 5 dollar sandwich was roughly 10 times worse than a 50 cent one, and we found this time and again in Cuba. It was always incredibly frustrating to pay prices on par with Europe for a terrible, bland, or just plain confusing meal. I will never forget the time that I ordered fajitas from a restaurant and got a bowl of chicken nuggets with a side of mayo-ketchup dip and paid $15 USD for the pleasure (to be fair, I washed it down with quite a few Cuba Libres). Costs in Cuba sometimes seem completely random, and it was often that I’d think I was ‘splurging’ and treating myself only to end up disappointed.

Sadly, that meal didn’t even make the bottom 3. Privately owned restaurants are a relatively new phenomenon in Cuba, having only been legalized in 2013. Similarly, food shortages due to the US embargo don’t do much to help — about half of what’s on the menu is not actually on the menu.

Cordero con chilindron – lamb stew with tomato and chile, easily my favorite dish in Cuba. All this (and more rice and plantain chips than any human would ever want to eat) was 4 CUC at a little hole in the wall in Trinidad.

The best meals we had were often in hole-in-the-wall places where the prices were either unmarked or in the local currency (CUPs — look for prices starting at 25, which is 1 CUC, and up to about 100) rather than CUCs. They’d never be amazing, but they were reliable and filling. We did have a few nice meals in Varadero that were the exception to the rule, but other than that, save your cash for mojitos.

4. For the love of God, don’t order the pizza.

Let’s just say that pizza dough should not be the consistency of sponge cake and that imitation Velveeta is not an acceptable substitute for mozzarella. Don’t trust lines, either — we queued for an hour at what Lonely Planet billed as the best pizza in Santa Clara and the only edible thing was the plate of twenty French fries we waited another 40 minutes for.

5. You’ll start to become irrationally obsessed with Nestlé ice cream

After many excessively expensive and disappointing meals, you’ll start to fantasize about having something predictable. You’ll salivate each time you pass by a Nestlé sign with drawings of various ice cream bars…. only to find that inside virtually every freezer is the same bland tub of national brand ice cream.

6. Buying black market wifi feels like buying drugs

For those who don’t want to wait in the ETECSA line to get their internet hit, there’s always the good old black market. Enterprising Cubans will try to sell you wifi cards at twice the price ($3 for a 1 hour card) as you pass each local park, which as you remember is essentially also an open air internet café.

Locals will whisper “wifi card, wifi card” out of the corner of their mouth as if they’re selling pot to college kids. When you finally cave and need your fix, your dealer will lead you away from the main street, produce a wifi card clandestinely from a pack of cigarettes, and relieve you of your 3 CUC.

7. A pickup truck, a vintage convertible, and an ambulance will all cost you the same amount of money to go to the beach.

Like I said, price seemingly has no correlation with quality. Many times we paid just as much for a crappy experience as we did for a much nicer one. As Cubans working government jobs make the equivalent of 30 dollars per month, many are happy to earn a few extra bucks here and there. This is why basically every house is a casa and anything with wheels is a taxi… including ambulances. One day, as it started to rain buckets on us at the beach, some EMTs were very happy to give us a lift back to town for a few CUC and the promise not to take any pictures.

8. You can get rum at virtually any store, but good luck with everything else.

A socialized government, a food rationing system, plus the US embargo has done serious damage to Cuba’s grocery stores. On one occasion, we decided we wanted to stop the game of Russian roulette that is dining out in Cuba and cook for ourselves. We quickly found that unless we wanted to eat spaghetti with frozen hot dogs, cooking our own food was pretty much not an option. We couldn’t even have cereal for breakfast unless we wanted it with powdered milk.

The markets often ran out of basic necessities, including bottled water and bread. One notable exception? You’ll never a find a store that isn’t fully stocked with rum. Even things like ATMs can be hard to find, as Cuba is pretty much a cash-only economy. We went to a massive shopping center with a restaurant, internet cafe, bowling alley, and I shit you not, a literal freaking roller coaster — yet not an ATM in sight.

A Cuban bodega, where rations are distributed

9. Cubans are some of the warmest people, and they have no beef with Americans

We got to know many of our casa owners well during our two weeks in Cuba, and some were so sweet I almost felt as if I was staying with a long-lost Cuban auntie. One supplied us with fruit cocktails (which, in true Cuban fashion, was more rum than fruit) and fresh muffins. Another accompanied my friend to the hospital when a slip on the beach led to a torn ligament in her leg. The casa owners would often see us off with hugs and kisses — yes, even the one time one hustled us on our way out the door. Locals were also responsive to our questions and happy to help shed some of the mystery of Cuban life.

I’m normally horribly shy about asking to take people’s photos, but luckily Cubans are so friendly it was great practice!

Side note: for my fellow Americans, you really have nothing to worry about in Cuba, despite the decades-long animosity between our two countries’ governments. I’d be halfway through a cringe after telling locals I was American only to have them joyously say “I love America!” or start telling me about their family in Miami or New York. I’d often see Cubans totally bedecked in American flag or camouflage clothing, even on the beach. It’s definitely not the image our country would depict of Cuba — but it’s what I saw.

RELATED POST: Why I Won’t Pretend I’m Canadian

10. Cuba is frustrating, fascinating, and endlessly changing.

I wrote this article will the full awareness that this post, to some, may just sound like a laundry list of gripes from a spoiled first world tourist. And in a way, it is. I’ve gotten so used to my privilege and creature comforts, and globalization has ensured that even in the least developed nations, something familiar is never far from reach.

I’ve solo traveled in many developing countries far from home, from Albania to Ecuador, from Myanmar to Nicaragua. Yet I’ve never felt more lost at sea as I did in Cuba, a country whose language I speak nearly fluently and whose capital lies a mere 90 miles from my country of birth. That’s just Cuba for you.

But as confusing as Cuba can be, somehow I’m still enchanted by this paradoxical country. The beauty of the vintage cars and the ingenuity that keeps them going, the pride and dignity of the people, the faded glory of the colonial buildings being renewed with vibrant coats of paint, while crumbling on the inside… There’s something unique about Cuba, something that can never be replicated in any other country. For better or for worse.

A vintage car tour of Havana – a must do!

As tired as I was when I left Cuba, I’m already thinking about how I’d love to return time and again. I’m curious to watch as this country changes, to witness the inevitable transition from the Castro years to who knows what comes next.

I’ll just remember not to get the pizza next time.

Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

10 Lively Things to Do in Livingstone, Zambia

August 29, 2021February 16, 2017 by Allison Green

Let’s take a break from our regularly scheduled program to hear from a travel blogger friend of mine in my new guest post series, “Offbeat Travel” – highlighting lesser known destinations that I’ve yet to visit. Here’s Nicole of Travelgal Nicole, a whirlwind of a world traveler who has visited over 90 countries to date, including some of the least visited – or even heard of – countries like Micronesia. Yes, that’s actually a country, and not just a joke from Zoolander! She’s even been to Nauru, which sees only 200 visitors per year! So, without further ado, here’s Nicole telling you all about Livingstone, Zambia – things to do, what to see, and more!

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Livingstone is located in the southwestern part of Zambia and is the tourist capital of Victoria Falls. Livingstone is a historic British colonial city and is named after David Livingstone, who first explored the area. It’s a great place to base yourself while taking day trips to do other things from there. Here are some of the best things to do in Livingstone, Zambia and the surrounding areas:

1. Visit the Victoria Falls, or Mosi oa Tunya (“The Smoke that Thunders”)

Victoria Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Zambia. While it is not the tallest waterfall at 108 meters or the widest at 1708 meters, it is classified as the largest waterfall in the world for the combination of both. You can actually hear the waterfall in the surrounding area, which is why the locals have named it Mosi oa Tunya, “the smoke that thunders.” At times there is so much spray from the waterfall that you can’t actually see the water itself, but only the “smoke” surrounding it. The “smoke” from the waterfall can be seen up to 30 miles away! This is definitely number one of all the things to do in Livingstone.

2. Visit Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe (90% of the falls are on the Zimbabwean side)

Which side to see the falls from? I say both! We walked about half an hour from the Zambia side to the Zimbabwe side of the falls (you can also take a bike ride tour). 90% of Victoria Falls is located on the Zimbabwean side. They have turned the area into a park with walkways and cafes. We started at the beginning of the trail, where we saw a rainbow over the falls. As I was there in the dry season, the Zimbabwean side was much more impressive.

3. Take a helicopter ride over the falls

I took a 30-minute flight over the falls in a helicopter. This was my first time in a helicopter, and I was sitting shotgun with the pilot. It’s a totally different experience being in a helicopter! In a plane, you move side to side, whereas in a helicopter, you move nose to tail. It gets a bit windy up there. The flight itself is stunning: we flew over the falls and through the “smoke.” The visibility was really good on the day we went and we were able to see elephants and giraffes from the helicopter as well. You can also go on a micro flight over the falls – another one of the great things to do in Livingstone, Zambia!

4. Have High Tea at the Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Hotel

Sometimes you just need to treat yourself. I think high tea at a five-star resort is up there with treating yourself to a little bit of luxury! This hotel has everything you need after an adventurous day out enjoying all the things to do in Livingstone. We chilled on the deck overlooking the Zambezi, having a glass of wine and watching the hippos. Then we had some visitors to the gardens – zebras! I wasn’t expecting them to show up as guests to our lunch date, but we were cool with that. Between the wildlife, the views, the cakes and teas, this hotel is definitely worth checking out. We even saw giraffes on the way in.

5. Go swimming in the Devil’s Pool

Yes, you really can go into the waterfalls! In the dry season, the Zambezi River level drops quite a lot, and it is possible to walk in the river to the Devil’s Pool where you can look over the side and swim in the pool — with a guide of course. It is only available from the Zambian side. There is nothing quite like looking over the falls to an almost 1 kilometer drop below as the water is rolling over the side! The Devil’s Pool is a real adrenaline rush for anyone who has done it, and probably the scariest of all things to do in Zambia.

6. Take a Sunset Cruise down the Zambezi River

When it comes to exploring the river, a Zambezi sunset cruise is a must. Most of these turn into a bit of a booze cruise, but we had a really cool group of volunteers on our cruise and we ended up talking travel the entire time. We spent about two hours on the river meandering through the islands and enjoying the abundant wildlife along the banks of the Zambezi River. It was great to experience the serenity of the river while spotting elephants along the banks and more hippos and crocodiles than you can imagine.

7. Visit the Big Cat Rehab Center

One of the highlights of my time in Livingstone was spending the day at a Big Cat Center where they take in orphaned lions and cheetahs. This is a volunteer facility that is working with the community to increase the numbers of big cats in Zambia. My experience with the cheetahs will always be one of my top wildlife experiences. My cheetah’s name was Susan, and even though she was the fastest runner of the group, she was the slowest walker. That was okay because we really just ended up hanging out under the shade of a tree for most of our time together. I spent an hour petting her and listening to her purr. You can also interact with the lions here and go for a walk through the bush.

8. Eat like a local at the Café Zambezi

I heard about this place from some of the locals. It’s a nice, clean café with huge portions and good service. Café Zambezi is on the main strip in Livingstone and serves some local delicacies such as crocodile ribs, mshina (local maize dish), kudu stew, impala stew – it’s good food with an African vibe. It’s a bit touristy but worth the hype to try dishes from this area.

9. Visit a local village nearby

I visited the Mukuni village just outside Livingstone. This was the first settlement Livingstone found when he stood at Victoria Falls and was looking for people around the falls. We spent three hours in the village learning about the culture and origins of this Zambian village. The village has over 5,000 people who live there, and they have been living there for generations. We toured their homes and saw how they lived and also checked out their arts and crafts for sale.

10. Visit Chobe National Park in nearby Botswana

Chobe National Park is located in the northern part of Botswana, along the border of Zambia and Namibia, and is another one of the more popular things to do in Livingston, Zambia. We drove from Livingstone to the ferry (approximately one hour) and took a 15-minute ferry ride across to Botswana – but guided tours are also available for those without cars.
Our safari guides picked us up at the ferry and we had a quick 10-minute drive to the park. The day safari that I booked was a morning boat ride through the park, then lunch, and then back out again for an afternoon safari in an open top safari truck. The highlight of the trip for me was the morning boat ride. Chobe has approximately 120,000 elephants in the park and in the morning all the animals come to the river to bathe. This was the first time I had seen elephants swimming and playing in the water. I also saw a baby elephant that was only two weeks old. So cute!

Where to Stay in Livingstone, Zambia

Budget: There aren’t that many hostels in Livingstone, but of the ones there are, two are widely considered to be the best — Jollyboys and Fawlty Towers, both of which have dorms with air conditioned rooms and pools.

Midrange: There are lots of mid-range options between about $40-80 per night which offer no-frills private rooms. Tabonina Guesthouse is a well-rated favorite with breakfast included and simple private rooms. ZigZag Town Lodge is a bit more pricy but has more modern design and a pool.

Luxury: There’s no shortage of luxury digs in Livingstone. The River Club is the nicest hotel in town, with riverside rooms that overlook the Zambezi below where pods of hippos roam free, fine dining, and stunning decor — at a price. The Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara is another great luxury option, with free roaming zebras on the grounds. If you want luxury on a budget, AVANI will give you the best bang for your buck — plus they also have a live-in zebra and giraffe on property!!

About Travelgal Nicole

Nicole LaBarge got her first taste for travel when she was 16 years old. Ever since then, she has been hooked and calls herself a travel-holic. She believes you can travel and have a career and she is halfway to her goal of visiting every country in the world. She is a serial expat who has lived in five different countries to date and is currently based in Wellington, New Zealand. She loves traveling and is currently planning a trip to visit all 12 countries in South America. You can follow her adventures on Instagram.

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Allison Green

eternalarrival.com

Paradise in Little Corn: Yemaya Island Hideaway Review

September 12, 2023February 15, 2017 by Allison Green

Allison Green lounging in a cabana in little corn island

Little Corn Island is a special place, unlike any other place I’ve been to before.

On a tiny island of fewer than 2,000 people, it doesn’t take long to start feeling at home. Nearly 50 miles from the Nicaraguan mainland, without a single car, you’ll breathe air so fresh and see water so blue the world feels like a dream you’re lucky to have.

And that dream gets taken up a notch at the most luxurious lodging on Little Corn – Yemaya Island Hideaway.

Rooms

My cabana at Yemaya was spacious and airy, with a gorgeous seafront view. The decor was peaceful yet understated – with that sea view, there’s no need for flashiness!

Each cabana has a terrace with amazing views of the blue, blue sea. I couldn’t help but spend hours relaxing there and reading eBooks each day. Any guide to the Corn Islands will mention this famous strip of beach — it’s the place to be during the day on Little Corn.

As someone who tries to travel more sustainably, I really appreciated the steps Yemaya is making to reducing waste. Hotels are often big offenders when it comes to single-use plastic waste — but not Yemaya.

Rather than offering plastic water bottles, they had reusable glass bottles of ice cold filtered water available in the mini-fridge. There were no plastic bottles for the complimentary toiletries, either – they came in refillable ceramic containers.

And we need to talk about this bathroom! The shower had the perfect water pressure and actually having reliable hot water again was a revelation. Maybe those sound like they should be a given at such a nice hotel, but after weeks of cold trickles masquerading as showers, I was in absolute heaven. The plants and the skylight streaming in natural light were lovely touches as well.

Check prices, availability, and room details here.

Grounds

Yemaya has an on-site spa offering a variety of facials, massages, and other treatments. I didn’t partake, but I’m sure it’d be a heavenly experience if your budget affords it. I did, however, take full advantage of their jungle yoga studio!

They have mats, blankets, blocks, and other yoga accessories available for free use. You can also request classes taught by certified yoga teachers if you’d rather practice with an instructor’s guidance.

The restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, and the beach bar is available for lunch. The breakfasts I ate at Yemaya were some of the best I’ve had in Nicaragua, and reasonably priced at about $8-10. They offer a much better value than the dinner, which was delicious but on the expensive side, with limited options.

The beach bar, on the other hand… now I could (and did) eat those lobster tacos every day!

Activities

Yemaya offers complimentary stand-up paddleboard rental and kayaks for rent from the beach bar, and snorkel gear is available to borrow from the reception. I tried to paddleboard for the first time, but the waves were a bit much that day so it ended up being more of a sit-down paddleboard than stand-up. Still quite fun, though!

The snorkeling, on the other hand, was much more successful. Just off the beach, there are some amazing coral reefs with colorful fish swimming everywhere!

If you’re looking for a more adventurous day out, Yemaya also offers snorkeling trips further out from the beach on their sailboat, deep sea fishing, and trips to the Pearl Keys. They can also arrange diving with one of the local dive shops.

Final Thoughts

What impressed me most of all about Yemaya was not just their beautiful grounds or the comfortable rooms, but the staff’s helpfulness and generosity.

When I spilled a drink on my laptop and it shut down completely, the staff brought me a container with what must have been ten pounds of rice to save it (and save it they did!). They also prepared me some ginger tea in advance of my boat trip back to Big Corn as I get seasick, which was a huge help.

Yemaya is definitely not a budget stay, but it offers excellent value to those who want a unique luxury experience.

In short, there’s really no place quite like Little Corn, and Yemaya’s beaches are the best on the island.

For those who’d like a taste of luxury but can’t afford the cost of renting a cabana, I highly recommend making a day trip to Yemaya and eating breakfast or lunch there to have a taste of their hospitality and their delicious food!

Click here to check out prices, availability, photos, and more details.

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