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4 Spectacular Places to Hit the Beach This Summer
After a long cold winter, spending some time under the sun should be on everyone’s to-do list over the next few months. If you’re not sure where to go, though, don’t worry - I have all the travel inspiration you need right here.
Spread your towel out in the sand and let your worries float away with the tide at these four spectacular places to hit the beach this summer!
1. Laguna Bacalar, Mexico
Laguna Bacalar is also known as the Lake of Seven Colors, and once you catch sight of it you’ll definitely see why. Its location in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula makes it’s easy to reach from popular destinations like Playa del Carmen and Tulum. It also means that most tourists pass over it in favor of these more famous spots so you can enjoy a truly relaxing escape from the crowds on this freshwater lake. With picturesque water swings, affordable prices, and delicious food, Laguna Bacalar has everything you need for a perfect vacation on the water this summer!
2. Lake Ohrid, Macedonia
Lake Ohrid is a protected UNESCO natural site located a bit off the beaten path in Southern Macedonia. The town of Ohrid is also a UNESCO site, so this vacation destination is perfect for sun-worshippers and history buffs alike. Take a boat tour to visit the 1,100-year-old St. Naum Monastery and the freshwater springs that feed the lake before enjoying a memorable seafood meal (and a few beers) at the many delicious restaurants in town!
3. Ugljan Island, Croatia
Ugljan Island is a hidden escape just 20 minutes by ferry from the Croatian coastal town of Zadar. Pack a picnic and rent some bikes once you arrive to explore the island on two wheels. After you work up a sweat, take a break at the Samostan SV. Jeronima Monastery, where a tiny beach and few docks will welcome you with open arms into the warm shallow water.
4. Playa Blanca, Colombia
Cartagena is one of the top destinations in Colombia for many reasons. The colorful city and vibrant nightlife are both spectacular, but the beaches are still the main draw. Among them, Playa Blanca is the most popular and is easy to reach by bus or by boat from the city center. Spend a lazy day here enjoying the pristine white sand and clear Carribean ocean before returning to Cartagena to dance the night away!
Di Minardi is a travel writer and digital nomad. Follow along with her adventures on her blog Slight North!
Our Journey
HOW WE WENT FROM PERSONALLY SENDING ORDERS TO HAVING TWO WAREHOUSES
By : Josh Holiday (Co-Founder)
3 Tips To Staying Healthy On Vacation
Author : VOYAGER GURU
Max and I live very healthy lives: we’re always checking out new lifestyle diets like Keto, paleo and the like and we’re constantly doing fitness programs that we follow closely. But, traveling is hard! Endless flights, long drives and living out of a suitcase can really mess with your routine. It can be stressful to keep up your routine when you’re on the road. While we’re certainly not perfect, we do try our hardest to stick to our routines and take care of ourselves when we travel. Read on to find out our favorite tips to staying fit on your next holiday.
1. Being active is a great way to fight jetlag
The hardest thing about traveling can be the jetlag! Especially if you arrive in your location after a long night on a cramped plane. The biggest piece of advice I have is to go do something active immediately after arriving! Whether it’s lacing up your sneakers and taking a long walk in the new city to see the sights, or hitting the gym at the hotel, you’ll feel instantly revitalized. The gym is an easy go-to as well because often, hotel check in times aren’t until 3pm or later, so asking to use the amenities at the property is a great way to get in early and enjoy the hotel for the extra day. Start it off with a quick workout and finish it up with a nice, hot shower. Physical activity also makes me feel like I can sweat out the germs that were floating around on the long plane ride.
2. Sleep is your friend
Sleep is one of the most important and tricky things about traveling. Whether it’s jetlag or simply being in a new place, it can be hard to relax and go to bed at a reasonable time. I have a great routine while traveling that I try to stick to as much as possible. Whenever I land in a new timezone, I set my watch immediately and launch myself into that time. I also make sure I stay awake the entire day. That evening, I’ll wash my face, take a warm shower and have a glass of Natural Vitality CALM to relax at the end of the day. Natural Vitality is a magnesium supplement that helps to balance your body and relax your muscles. I find it’s a great way to dip into a natural sleep, even when I’m a bit jet lagged or stressed.
3.Breakfast a day keeps the doctor away
Breakfast is by far Max and I’s most important meal of the day. We always start our day with a great and filling breakfast, complete with fresh green juice. Staying healthy while traveling means we have to nourish our bodies with the antioxidants and fuel it needs to stay healthy and ready for adventure. We often skip lunch because we love doing activities all day so a big breakfast is important to us. Whenever possible, I ask for a juice that contains things like spinach, ginger or lemon to help keep my body fighting off exhaustion and sickness that often comes with travel.
There are so many different tips and tricks out there that can help you stay healthy while traveling, and for me, it often comes down to routine: whether it’s a pre-bed ritual or morning detox juice! What are your favorite tips?
Link to original blog :
https://voyagerguru.com/3-tips-to-staying-healthy-on-vacation/
Two Amazing Hikes in Sedona
Author: Laura and Chris
The City of Sedona in central Arizona is a popular destination for those in search of a spiritual retreat. The vortexes and cosmic forces that are said to radiate throughout the stunning landscape draw millions of visitors each year. While the various relaxing experiences available in Sedona are certainly a good reason to visit, the surrounding sea of red sandstone formations make Sedona a perfect destination for those looking for a more active vacation experience. There are countless hiking trails throughout the region, but the two that should be on anyone’s short-list are Cathedral Rock and Devils Bridge.
Cathedral Rock
The Cathedral Rock Trail is short (1.4 miles out and back) but the views are so spectacular that you almost feel guilty that you didn’t need to work harder to earn them. The short hike up the red sandstone landscape to the towering stone spires provides breathtaking views from start to finish. You’ll know you’ve reached the end of the trail when you see the iconic “End of Trail” sign. There is no shortage of photo opportunities once you reach the top.
Devils Bridge
The view of Devils Bridge is one of the most photographed vistas in the Sedona region. Even for those that aren’t afraid of heights, walking out to the narrow center of the stone arch will really get your heart pounding. Much like the hike to Cathedral Rock, the Devils Bridge Trail is short (1.9 miles out and back) and can easily be completed in a couple hours.
Both of these amazing hikes are located just a short drive from the center of town and can be completed in a morning or afternoon. If you’re feeling ambitious, it is not unreasonable to do both hikes in the same day. If you’re looking to hit the trails on your visit to Sedona, you can’t go wrong with these two beautiful hikes.
Check out more content from Laura & Chris on their blog, Trails Unblazed.
7 Reasons to Visit Cape Town, South Africa
Author : Thomas & Clay
Original blogpost : Link
We caught a rainbow on top of Lion’s Head with Table Mountain behind us!
Before we arrived in Cape Town, South Africa we were told that we would love this city because it was so much like San Francisco, where we are from. People raved about the waterfront and the beautiful vistas. We had pretty big expectations upon arrival. We were not disappointed in the least. Cape Town does have an amazing waterfront, and there are beautiful vistas seemingly everywhere where you turn. There is also amazing food, diverse culture, and plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy. Here is a list of our top activities during our 3 days in Cape Town.
V & A Waterfront and Food Market
The view from the V & A Waterfront of Table Mountain. Gorgeous!
The V & A Waterfront and Food Market was designed after city planners visited Sydney’s Darling Harbour and San Francisco’s Pier 39 and saw the success of these revitalized waterfront areas. The revitalization in Cape Town has definitely worked as well. People flock here for the shopping, the restaurant options, and the outdoor entertainment. We explored this area on the first night and grabbed a bite to eat and a drink inside the V & A Food Market. The V & A Food market is located just after the pedestrian draw bridge upon entering the waterfront area. Inside there are plenty of vendors offering a variety of local cuisines as well as draft beers, chocolates, and even an oyster bar. Whatever you fancy in your diet, you are sure to find it here. We opted for wraps at Vagabond Kitchens and settled for a draft beer that suited our taste buds quite well. We also snagged a brownie for a late night snack!
Take a Hop on, Hop Off Sight-seeing Tour
We were definitely prepared for the wind chill on the City Sight Seeing bus ride!
Hop on, Hop Off tour buses are an easy way to see the city without the hassle of walking everywhere and worrying about public transportation or taxis. We booked with City Sight Seeing to explore Boulder Beach, The Cape of Good Hope National Park, and also explore the surrounding areas of Cape Town. Once you book your tour, you will get a map with the different bus routes all color coordinated, where to catch them, and the different pickup times. Each pickup stop will have a sign showing what the buses look like and also what the pickup times are throughout the day. We caught our bus a few blocks from where we were staying and took it to our first stop; the Cape of Good Hope National Park.
TIP: City Sight Seeing offered us a discount to their wine tasting tour at the end of our Cape of Good Hope Explorer tour if we booked that same day, and the pass was good for 5 days. Might be a good idea to wait and not book all the tours at once to see if they offer a discount on other tours upon completion of your first tour. Also, book your tickets online and save some extra money and avoid waiting in line at the office on Long Street.
Cape of Good Hope National Park
Posing behind the sign at the southernmost point of the Africa continent!
We purchased the Cape Explorer Ticket which included round-trip transportation to Cape of Good Hope National Park and Boulder Beach, entry into Cape of Good Hope National Park, and a very informative guide. The bus ride there took about an hour and a half, and the views of the coast line, False Bay, and seal island kept you entertained while in transit. It was absolutely gorgeous! Our first stop inside the park was a short hike up to the Cape of Good Hope Old Lighthouse at the top of the hill. The views here are breathtaking! After, we hiked down to the end of the peninsula overlooking the Old Cape Point Lighthouse. It is worth the hike, as we saw Souther Right Whales just below us. We then took a 45 minute hike down to the Cape of Good Hope, the south-western most point of the African continent. You will not be disappointed!
Check out more of our photos from Cape of Good Hope National Park below!
The view from the end of the peninsula at Cape of Good Hope National Park.Thomas looks stunning in front ot the Old Lighthouse!
Visit the Penguins at Boulder Beach
Penguins are so cute up close and personal!
Our Cape Explore Ticket also included a stop at Boulder Beach to see the penguins. The entrance fee to the park was 70 Rand and not included in the package. You could purchase on the bus for 10 Rand more to avoid the line, which we did. Once we got there we quickly realized that the line was not long at all, and there was no need to pre-purchase. Once inside, we saw a penguin up close and personal as soon as we started our walk to the beach. It was adorable! On the walk you can see penguins on both sides of the walkway, in the bushes, and even nesting their young. Once you reach the beach, you see penguins everywhere! It was so cool to see penguins in their natural habitat swimming in the water, walking to and from the beach, and just being penguins. They make the cutest sounds and we loved every minute of it!
Check out Boulder Beach covered with penguins!
Visit Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
Backside view of Table Mountain from inside the Botanical Gardens on the canopy walk through the trees.
The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens in Cape Town is the largest in the world and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was hands down the most beautiful botanical garden we have ever been to! The Botanical Gardens feature flora from the Cape Floristic Region, which is one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots. We enjoyed walking though the gardens, walking along the canopy bridge through the tree tops, and admiring the view of the backside of Table Mountain. Our absolute favorite though, was the massive Protea Garden. We really enjoyed watching all the humming birds pollinating and flying from flower to flower. The color and variety of the flowers was stunning and the number of humming birds was incredible. This was one of the high lights in Cape Town and we highly recommend you visit.
TIP: This is one of the stops on the City Sight Seeing Hop on, Hop off Blue Line Bus. This is how we traveled to and from the Botanical Gardens. When you exit the bus at the garden, look at the sign where you are dropped off and take note of pickup times so you know when to be back outside to meet the bus. This can save you from a 30 minute wait for the next bus.
Hike to the top of Lion’s Head
Do you see Thomas? He looks ready to ascend Lion’s Head.
Lion’s Head is right across from Table Mountain and overlooks downtown Cape Town and its Atlantic Coast neighborhoods. It was not too bad of a hike to the top and took us about an hour to reach its peak. The first part is a somewhat challenging walk; a steep incline circling the mountain with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Table Mountain. It gets a little dicier towards the top where you have to climb over slippery rocks and boulders. You also have to hold onto chains while climbing along some of the ledges, and even have to climb up a few ladders on the way up. But the view of Table Mountain and the 12 Apostles from the top of Lion’s Head make the hike totally worth it!
Epic sunset from the top of Lion’s Head.Table Mountain in the background, Lion’s Head under our feet!Clay braving the ascent up one the ladders to Lion’s Head!
TIP: Plan your trip to either watch the sunset or sunrise from the peak of Lion’s Head. We chose to watch the sunset and it was spectacular!
Take the Cable Car up to the Top of Table Mountain
Cable car up to the top of Table Mountain.
In only takes 5 minutes for the cable car to reach the top of Table Mountain. As you go up, the cable car rotates a full 360 degrees so that you can take in the views no matter where you are standing. Pretty much, there is no bad seat in the house. Supposedly from the top there are amazing views across Cape Town, but when we went it was 4 degrees celsius, raining, and foggy. Our views were a little restricted to a few feet in front of us. To endure the cold, we sat inside by a heater drinking hot chocolate. There are also caves at the top to explore, but due to weather conditions we left after our hot chocolate.
View of Lion’s Head from the top of Table Mountain.Our foggy and epic view from the top of Table Mountain. We should have waited for the weather to clear!
TIP: The weather in Cape Town is notoriously finicky and can change quickly. 20 minutes after we descended Table Mountain, the weather cleared and it was sunny at the top with no clouds. We wish we would’ve had another hot chocolate and waited for the weather to clear. Also, if you book your tickets online you can avoid waiting at the purchase ticket line which can be crowded when tour busses arrive.
Want to read more ? Check out Thomas & Clay's blog, Thomas And Clay Getaway .
5 THINGS TO DO THIS SUNDAY
GET SWEAT, READY, GO!
With 5 days a week spent stationary on your office chair, it’s time to get out and start working out! Join a Yoga class, head down to the gym for that workout you have been putting off, or even go for a hike! Benefits include but are not limited to saying goodbye to that aching neck and back, better immunity, definitely an improved mood (endorphins!), and improved sleep quality! MOVE IT PEOPLE!
ADVENTURE IN THE CONCRETE JUNGLE
Be a tourist in your own city every now and then. Explore recommended areas and come across new ones at the same time. Never run out of ideas for your next date night or hangout!
FEED YOUR MIND
When was the last time you picked up a book and finished it? Take the time to tune out from social media, make your favourite hot or cold drink, pick a comfy spot, and indulge in a book from start to finish!
NETFLIX AND CHILL
Invite some friends over and have a movie marathon, be it a Star Wars, Lord of The Rings, or even a Nicholas Sparks marathon. Have some beers, wine, snacks and a few drinking games planned for the day. We found out a few of our teammates at Eubi recently had a Netflix night – they took a shot of Tequila each time a character in the show said an affirmative!
GO TO THE BEACH!
Sun’s out, fun’s out! Head on to the nearest beach with some friends or with a special someone to catch some vitamin D’s and get that tan on! Don’t forget to protect your skin with a pair of anti UV boardshorts just like our favourite guy here. 😉