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Costa Rica parks and preserves

While other countries have wreaked havoc on their lands, squandering priceless ecosystems to mine fossil fuels and precious metals, one Central American country has been busy designating an astonishing 28 national parks and reserves — shielding over 25 percent of its landmass from development, more than any other country in the world.

Costa Rica, the Rich Coast, has been living up to its name since as early as the ’80s by realizing that true national treasures don’t glitter, they grow. As if it wasn’t already far enough ahead in the race to save our planet, this year the country announced that by 2021 it will become the world’s first plastic-free and carbon-neutral country.

Part of the Central American bridge connecting north and south, the vast swaths of nature reserves have attracted a wide range of biodiversity — from magnificent arrays of animals to fantastic displays of vibrant flora. Full-time travelers and touring scientists alike can’t fail to be impressed with what’s on offer in Mother Nature’s best-kept refuge.

One daunting task any time-limited visitor faces, though, is choosing where to dedicate their explorations. With a length of 288 miles, double its width, and 800 miles of coastline bordering both the Pacific and Caribbean, you’ll need to be decisive in planning which of the country’s diverse and flourishing protected zones you’ll want to visit. With one-quarter of its land dedicated to national parks, and another five percent for private nature reserves, you’ll have plenty of options.

Costa Rica’s regions

Photo: lvalin/Shutterstock

We’ve divided Costa Rica’s national parks into three regions: the Pacific Coast; the central, mountainous area; and the Caribbean coast. We’ve also included an off-shore marine reserve. Even among these regions, there’s tremendous diversity. Among the parks on the Pacific coast, those closer to the southern border with Panama tend to be lusher, while in the northern Guanacaste province, the flora and fauna reflect the drier climate. In the country’s mountains, the variety of wildlife across different elevations is astonishing.

The Pacific coast is home to a dozen national parks and nature reserves while there are even more along the volcanic ridgeline that runs through the center of Costa Rica. Only three nature reserves grace Costa Rica’s smaller Caribbean coastline, but one of them — Tortuguero National Park — is among the most pristine areas in the hemisphere. In each area, these our other favorites national parks and reserves.

Pacific Coast
Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula, southern Pacific coast

Photo: Malgorzata Drewniak/Shutterstock

This thumb of land sticking out from the southwest coast is the absolute epicenter of the country’s biodiversity and was even labeled “the most biologically intense place on Earth” by National Geographic. It’s easy to lose yourself in a world of outdoor adventures in Costa Rica’s largest park, which is said to house an estimated 2.5 percent of the world’s biodiversity. Follow hiking trails around the coastline to enjoy the peninsula’s calm Pacific waters or head inland to explore one of the world’s oldest forests, tucked away in mountains that reach an elevation over 2,500 feet.

Ballena Marine National Park, southern Pacific coast

Photo: Claude Huot/Shutterstock

Humpback whales leaping from the water, green marine iguana’s sunbathing on rocks, bottle-nosed dolphins playing in the surf, and baby hawksbill turtles waddling toward the ocean… all these animals take advantage of Costa Rica’s most impressive marine park. Ballena Marine National Park encompasses nine miles of coastline, 13,000 acres of ocean, and Central America’s largest Pacific coral reef, all shielded from development. The park is open to sustainable tourism, though; you can relax on some of the Pacific’s most beautiful untouched beaches, explore a wide range of wildlife in the extensive mangrove forests, and snorkel or scuba dive to take in its underwater treasures.

Manuel Antonio National Park, mid-Pacific coast

Photo: Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock

Costa Rica’s most visited national park is a form of heaven on Earth. This park’s setting at the water’s edge is what makes it so appealing. Palm-lined shores with azure waters lapping at brilliant white sands lead into dense forest, jam-packed with over 100 varieties of mammals and almost 200 types of birds. Manuel Antonio, known as the “Jewel of the Pacific,” is one of the country’s smaller national parks — but it still accommodates nearly a half million visitors a year. With activities and sights to please both hardy nature explorers and lazy beach bums, it’s easy to see why it draws so many admirers.

Barra Honda National Park, northwest coast (inland)

Photo: Tonocb/Shutterstock

While many of Costa Rica’s national parks are centered around natural events under the sun, Barra Honda was established in 1974 to protect a deep and dark secret world. The rocks and soil beneath this national park are riddled with cave systems that are thus far thought to be less than 50 percent explored.

Endemic species, unique hanging stalactites, and rising stalagmites are just a few of the interesting features awaiting any traveler who comes to explore the caverns, accessible with a permit/guide. Some of the most notable are the Santa Ana cave, which sits 780 feet below the surface; La Trampa; and Nicoya, where pre-Columbian artifacts were found.

Near San José and inland
Poás Volcano National Park, central inland, north of San José

Photo: Michal Sarauer/Shutterstock

The main attraction in this national park, just an hour north of the capital city San José, is a hotbed of natural activity. The massive Poás Volcano’s crater is a desolate hole spewing so much sulfur dioxide that visitors are restricted in how much time they’re allowed to marvel at this geothermal wonder.

If you want to make the easy trek to look over Poás’s rim, book with the visitor center online in advance and aim for an early morning spot — as clouds often roll in past noon, reducing visibility to mere yards. In stark contrast to the active fumarole of Poás, the park’s inactive crater became Lake Botos some time ago and is surrounded by luscious cloud forest.

Irazú Volcano National Park, Cartago, Central Costa Rica, east of San José

Photo: Celso Diniz/Shutterstock

This national park is so close to the capital that when the area’s Irazú Volcano exploded in the 1960s, San José had its share of ash rain. The national park’s rain and cloud forests encompass the area around Irazú, Costa Rica’s largest and highest active volcano at over 11,000 feet. Driving up toward the park’s tourist center, you’ll be treated to spectacular views of the verdant landscape below — until you breach the upper treeline and reach the bare, lunar-like highland.

The extreme elevation has most people pulling for a little extra breath of the thinner air as they explore nearly a mile of trails leading to and around the main crater, a deep smoldering gouge. Trails also lead to the Diego de la Haya crater, which in the rainy season can be filled with rain washed down the mineral-laden slopes to create a pond that’s either rust red or emerald green in color. On rare occasions when there are no clouds — most likely to happen in the morning — you can see both the Caribbean and Pacific seas from Irazú’s flanks.

Arenal Volcano National Park, central north

Photo: Parkol/Shutterstock

Within the last few decades, the park’s main volcano was a bubbling cauldron of lava, complete with red streams down its sides and boulders spewing from atop, and it could soon be so again. But, for now, the calm and towering Arenal Volcano can be seen from almost anywhere within the national park, so long as it isn’t shrouded by clouds. If you picked a particularly nebulous day, don’t despair: The park is also known for being an ornithologists dream as most of Costa Rica’s 850 species of birds can be spotted within the trees of the park.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, northwest inland

Photo: Simon Dannhauer/Shutterstock

Monteverde is in fact not a national park but a private reserve. It’s on this list as it was the first private reserve in Costa Rica to show that sustainable eco-tourism could also work within areas owned by non-profits entities and environmental groups. The participation of these groups brings the amount of protected land in Costa Rica up to nearly 30 percent of the country.

Monteverde, one of the world’s premier cloud forests, is an elevated reserve crisscrossed with many kilometers of hiking trails winding through misty slopes. While it’s possible to explore these paths in the peace and quiet of your own company, we recommend you follow a local guide, whose impressive knowledge of the area can help you spot animals and plants that would otherwise remain hidden in the dense vegetation.

Carribean coast
Tortuguero National Park, northern Caribbean coast

Photo: ronnybas frimages/Shutterstock

With a diverse range of protected habitats — including rainforest, mangroves, swamps, lakes, beaches, and lagoons — Tortuguero has some of Costa Rica’s most impressive fauna and flora. Only accessible by plane or boat, the remote nature of its location on the Caribbean coast has allowed much of the area to be completely untouched by human activity, providing the perfect breeding ground for all manner of creatures — among them several species of turtle, including the endangered green turtle, manatees, crocodiles, caymans, bull sharks, jaguars, sloths, toucans, peacocks, and three out of four of Costa Rica’s monkey species, all found along this 20-mile stretch of coastline. You can explore the portions of this park open to visitors on land trails or by boat, kayak, or canoe.

Cahuita National Park, southern Caribbean coast

Photo: Kristel Segeren/Shutterstock

South of Tortuguero on the Carribean coast, Cahuita was created nearly 50 years ago to protect a large and colorful coral reef, which still sustains over a hundred different species of fish and turtles. But behind Cahuita’s beaches lies a forest that teems with howler monkeys, coatis, crab-eating raccoons, iguanas, sloths, several snake species, and countless birds, including toucans. It’s one of the loveliest of Costa Rica’s many stunning national parks and, unlike Tortuguero, it’s reachable by car.

Offshore
Cocos Marina Conservation Area: Pacific Ocean

Photo: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock

Three-hundred-and-forty miles off the western coast of Costa Rica lies its most unspoiled paradise, one that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage aite. Entry to Cocos Island is by permit only, and no accommodations are to be found here, making overnight stays only possible on liveaboard boats. The sacred waters are exploding with marine life — including white tipped sharks, dolphins, and the majestic manta ray — making this location a world-class must for qualified scuba divers.


More like this: The absolute best spots in Central America for every water sport

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Most luxurious outdoor showers

Sometimes, when you’re on day five of a backpacking trip and “showering” under a Hefty bag, you forget that once upon a time all showering was outdoors. The advent of indoor plumbing is a pretty new concept for humanity, but somehow we’ve already come full circle from making showering outside a sign of desperation to it becoming a fabulous luxury.

But, seriously, dousing yourself in eucalyptus body wash while showering under the shade of a ficus tree is pretty sweet. And if you’ve got the cash, the world has no shortage of luxe accommodations that feature outdoor showers with views of everything from the Indian Ocean to old gold miners’ cabins. Here are nine resorts with the sexiest outdoor showers to explore this summer.

1. Rhino Sands

Mzuk, South Africa

Photo: Rhino Sands Safari Camp

One of the world’s great glamping resorts is a downright steal at about $375 a night for an all-inclusive luxury safari. In addition to private guided game rides and a four-post bed, you get a soaking tub that looks out your tent onto the African landscape and a shower near enough to the fields that monkeys can jump right in and join you. They don’t — don’t worry. But it’s about as close to showering in an African thunderstorm as you can get at a luxury lodge.

2. W South Beach

Miami Beach, Florida

Photo: W South Beach

Poolside bungalows in South Beach, however, aren’t anywhere near the neighborhood of what you’d call a steal. But if you’ve got a few ill-gotten dollars laying around and need to spend them on something over-the-top, the W South Beach’s 1,330-square-foot poolside bungalow comes with a waterfall shower. That means when you look around the pool deck and realize people have been drinking in there for hours, and still haven’t gotten up to use the restroom, you can clean yourself off almost instantly.

3. Como Parrot Cay

Turks and Caicos

Photo: COMO Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos/Facebook

This private island resort in the Turks and Caicos isn’t just living LIKE celebrities, it’s also living WITH celebrities. Bruce Willis, Cindy Crawford, and Donna Karan count themselves among the island’s homeowners. Don’t get too excited, you won’t be interacting with them much, but you won’t care when you’re indulging in your private plunge pool with a front row seat to the prettiest water in the Caribbean. As you’d expect, that pool and private beachfront come with a simple shower for cleaning off before you go inside. But just off the bathroom, you’ll also find a waterfall shower set under a tree, so you won’t have to leave the soft island breezes to use some soap.

4. Baros Maldives

Photo: Baros Maldives

Baros Maldives is like the Golden State Warriors of romantic resorts. Much like every other team in the NBA shows up for the season more or less knowing they have no shot, resorts show up at the World Travel Awards with a faint hope they might win the coveted Most Romantic Resort award. But everyone knows who’s winning before they even start the ceremony. This private resort with 77 overwater bungalows, white sand beaches, and clear turquoise ocean has won that award six years in a row. It also boasts a Deluxe Villa with an open-air bathroom, with a surrounding flower garden to protect your privacy.

5. Secret Bay

Dominica

Photo: Secret Bay

The Caribbean’s most intense island has always been a perfect vacation spot for adventure seekers who don’t mind roughing it. Luxury, however, has not so much been its thing. Enter Secret Bay, Dominica’s lone five-star resort, which in addition to offering unrivaled cliff top views from each of its seven villas also features outdoor showers right next to its private plunge pools. The villas are spread at different levels across the property, too, so you won’t need any clothes for plunging, bathing, or anything else really.

6. Six Senses Zighy Bay

Musandam Peninsula, Oman

Photo: Six Senses Zighy Bay/Facebook

If you don’t religiously read travel publications, Oman is the new travel darling of the Middle East, the Gulf state finally getting its time after UAE and Qatar hogged the spotlight. Its arrival is signaled by places like Six Senses, where the luxury villas feel like the stone dwellings early settlers here might have used, just with air conditioning. The Spa Pool Villas also let you shower, presumably, like the old-timey Omanis, giving a nod to traditional bathing areas by allowing guests to shower in privacy behind towering cobblestone walls. Once you’ve toweled off, head outside and check out the mountain views to one side and beach vistas to the other.

7. Soneva Fushi

Maldives

Photo: Soneva

You’ve ever taken a bath in the middle of a reflecting pond? No, not like the time you had a few too many in college and washed off the night in the campus pond. Like, sat in a full-on bathtub in the middle of a pool? Well, if you can get yourself a luxe suite at Soneva’s flagship resort in the Maldives, that wish can come true. Not big on baths? The showers are also outside in uber-tropical straw huts, so you can reminisce on the tiki bars that got you swimming in that reflecting pool in the first place.

8. Dunton Hot Springs

Dolores, Colorado

Photo: Dunton Hot Springs/Shutterstock

We’re no experts on Old West history, but it’s a pretty fair bet that on the rare occasion gold miners showered, they did it outside. So, really, this luxury resort forged from a gold-mining ghost town is just keeping it real with the shower in its Echo Cabin, where you can take in the views of the San Juan Mountains while you enjoy the hot water miners never had. You’ll also be looking out on the tin roofs and weathered wood of the resort’s other restored miner’s cabins. But as the only one with your own outdoor shower, obviously, you’ve struck it richest.

9. Baoase Luxury Resort

Curaçao

Photo: Baoase Luxury Resort Curaçao/Shutterstock

The people of Curaçao work hard to keep their nature pure. But that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in some luxury while you’re appreciating said nature. Take the Baoase Resort, the island’s lone five-star property where folks lucky enough to snag a Superior Beachfront Pool Suite can take baths, outside, in tubs carved out of giant stones from the island of Java. Sounds like some made-up movie description of a luxury bathroom, we know, but the tubs sit next to sinks also imported from Indonesia, and a private rain shower. So if you don’t have time to fill an ancient rock with bubble bath, you can still get clean.

More like this: The 8 most stunning hotel hot tubs that are only a short flight away

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How to plan a trip to Piedmont wine

Each year, more than 40 million tourists and wine enthusiasts flock to Tuscany to enjoy Italy’s most famous wine country. Just a few hours northwest, however, lies the lesser known and even less frequently visited wine region of Piedmont. Like Tuscany, Piedmont offers rolling hills covered with vineyards, quaint medieval villages, and fantastic local food and wine — all without the crowds you normally encounter further south. Piedmont is the perfect alternative to Tuscany for wine lovers, slow travelers, and those not interested in battling other tourists. Here’s why you need to visit this beautiful Italian wine region on your trip.

It’s out of the way, but still easy to get to.

Photo: Gianni Flego/Shutterstock

The easiest way to get to Piedmont’s largest city, Turin, or the smaller towns of Alba and Asti, is by hopping on the under two-hour train ride from Milan. You won’t need a car if you plan to stay in Turin, however if you want to visit the wineries in the southern Langhe region (home of the Barolo and Barbaresco wine areas) your best bet is to either rent a car and explore the region on your own, or arrange a driver or guide service since the area is rural and very hilly.

Piedmont, and especially the Langhe area, is mostly known for its red wines — Barolo, Barbera, Barbaresco — although bubbly, sweet Moscato is a popular white varietal. If you want to wine taste or tour specific properties, make sure you contact the wineries beforehand to make reservations via their website. Most are small family-run businesses that aren’t always staffed to take walk-in visitors. If you’d rather someone else take care of the planning process, ItaliAnna is a local company that offers guided tours of the entire Piedmont region, while Travel Langhe focuses on Langhe. Be sure to have them include some local food pairings along with the wine because, hey, you’re in Italy.

They know their food.

Photo: Maurizio Milanesio/Shutterstock

You won’t regret the decision to throw down on your meals, as Piedmont has no shortage of delicious food options. In fact, the town of Bra is the birthplace of the Slow Food Movement, a grassroots organization started to fight against fast food culture and the disappearance of local food traditions. Restaurants all around the area tout the mantra, and meals are intended to take several hours in order to enjoy the food, wine, and company.

There are also tours and events throughout the region if you’re looking to learn more about the farmers and other local food artisans. The town of Alba is particularly known for its white truffles. November is the high season for foodies who come for truffle hunting and the annual Alba Truffle Festival, where you can celebrate all things tuber — primarily stuffing your face with this delicacy that costs a pretty penny throughout much of the world. These fungi are foraged in the forest (where they grow underground) and can command insanely high prices in the market. If you’re there in season, take a truffle hunting tour where local foragers will take you out into the woods to search for them, or visit the local markets and shops to buy truffle salt, oil, or slivers of the tasty fungi itself.

If you’re more a fan of the chocolate truffle rather than the mushroom variety, you’re still in the right place. Piedmont has a long history with chocolate — it’s the birthplace of Ferrero Rocher and the chocolate hazelnut spread, Nutella. Turin hosts a chocolate festival in November called CioccolaTo where you can taste chocolates from master chocolatiers. It’s also the home of the traditional coffee drink bicerin, made of espresso, chocolate, and whole milk or cream. Stop by one of the many cafes in the city to try this creamy, decadent beverage.

You can walk through vineyards to medieval towns.

Photo: Luca Lorenzelli/Shutterstock

With all of the intake going on, you’re going to need to do a nice walkabout to settle the stomach. Spend a bit of time wandering around the countryside of the Langhe and you might start to wonder if you walked into a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. The roads wind through rolling green hills planted with neat rows of vineyards, while dark church steeples and shadowy medieval towers dot the landscape. The morning fog snakes through the valleys past walled towns while the Alps loom imposingly in the background. You’ll get a great view driving through the region, but one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the area is to follow the vineyard walking trails and hike between the medieval towns. These trails connect the villages so that you can wine taste without having to worry about driving. Meander through the gorgeous vineyards in this UNESCO region to towns such as Barolo and Monforte d’Alba for lunch or wine tasting

One area not to miss is the town of Barolo and its Nebbiolo-based namesake wine. The first Prime Minister of unified Italy called Barolo “the king of wines and the wine of kings.” You have your pick of wineries in the region, such as the regal Marchesi di Barolo, whose stately yellow building looks down at the town of Barolo from its high perch among the vineyards.If you don’t want to drive out to the wineries themselves, pop into a tasting room, or enoteca, in town. Local enoteche have wonderful selections from the area’s wine producers. Here you have the advantage of trying many different wines from local wineries all at once, without traveling out to the vineyards one by one.

It’s full of quirky museums and architecture.

Photo: Marco Saracco/Shutterstock

Piedmont has its share of museums to explore, some more off-beat than others. Turin is the place to see them with its extensive list of impressive museums, like the Museo Egizio, which has one of the best Egyptian collections outside of Egypt, and the National Museum of Cinema, which houses cinema and film artifacts from around the world. But smaller towns and villages like Barolo have their own assortment of quirky little places to visit, as well, such as the Museo Dei Cavatappi, which walks guests through the history of corkscrews, and Castle Falletti, which houses the Wine Museum of Barolo and the Enoteca Regionale. This museum has dioramas and interactive exhibits that explore the history of wine. It’s a bit out there, but worth exploring on a rainy afternoon.

From the medieval castles in the stone-walled towns of the Langhe to the neoclassical buildings of Turin, Piedmont also provides a wonderful record of Italy’s changing architecture. If you’ve had your fill of medieval towns and castles, take a self-guided walking tour around Turin to explore different building styles. Here you’ll find tree-lined streets with structures that reflect the Renaissance, Neo-Classical, Rococo, and especially Baroque influences. Some great examples of Baroque architecture are the Royal Church of San Lorenzo with its geometric windowed dome and the curved facade of the Palazzo Carignano, both from architect Guarino Guarini.

Turin also has 11 miles of arcades (covered, arched walkways), most of which are interconnected, making it the largest pedestrian area in Europe. The arcades themselves are works of art with different materials used to pave the streets, columns, and ceilings, and they’re filled with shops and cafes. Via Roma is the best-known shopping street and the perfect spot to people watch, shop, or take an afternoon stroll before stopping for another glass of wine.


More like this: The 7 most exciting places to travel to drink wine in 2019

The post Why Piedmont is the Italian wine region you should be visiting appeared first on Matador Network.

scUber, Uber’s submarine service

Uber has already conquered ride-sharing on solid ground, and now it seems like they’re expanding their reach to the ocean. Partnering with Queensland, Australia, Uber has launched the world’s first rideshare submarine experience, called scUber. Starting on May 27, a limited number of riders will be able to have unprecedented access to the Great Barrier Reef.

At launch, riders can use their Uber app to request the scuba service from Heron Island, off the coast of Gladstone, then from Agincourt Reef off the coast of Port Douglas starting on June 9. Availability is extremely limited, and the experience will cost $2,000 per person. The ride will include a one-hour submarine ride and return via helicopter.

Photo: Tourism and Events Queensland

Leanne Coddington, CEO of Tourism and Events Queensland, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Uber to showcase the beauty of the reef through this innovative experience. In addition, we’re giving several adventure-seeking travelers from around the globe the chance to win a scUber experience for two as part of a global travel competition launched today.”

Photo: Tourism and Events Queensland

Susan Anderson Uber’s Regional General Manager for Australia and New Zealand, echoed Coddington’s excitement. “At Uber, we believe good things happen when people move,” she said, “whether that’s by getting people from A to B in their city, or making dreams come true experiencing the world’s greatest natural wonder, the Great Barrier Reef.”

To learn more about the competition and enter, visit scUberQueensland.com and explain in 25 words or fewer why you deserve this unique underwater experience. (Note: The contest is only open to residents of the US, Canada, UK, France, New Zealand, and Australia).

The scUber experience will be available until June 18.


More like this: 14 essential slang phrases you need to know before traveling to Australia

The post Uber is launching a submarine service to the Great Barrier Reef called ‘scUber’ appeared first on Matador Network.

Ways to get out on the water in SF

Strip away SoMa’s startups and what’s left of the Haight’s hippie havens, and you’ll find what makes San Francisco so special underneath it all: a picturesque, peninsular location that defines the city as much as its arts, tech, and politics. It’s the City by the Bay, after all, where islands are staple attractions, boating and boarding come in all shapes and sizes, and even committed swimmers brave the waters, which rarely warm up past 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Late summer and early fall offer the best weather for most water sports, but you’ll see locals paddling around the bay and surfing the city’s beaches year-round. Consider joining them out on the water next time the sun peeks out from behind the fog, Karl, which like any self-respecting resident of the city that hosts Twitter has its very own account. Here are eight ways to enjoy the San Francisco Bay, and beyond, up close.

1. Charter a sailboat.

Photo: Kevin Bermingham/Shutterstock

Over time, San Francisco parlayed its maritime roots into an internationally recognized sailing culture. The city’s yacht club was founded in 1869, regular regattas see sailors tear across the bay throughout the warmer months, and SF even hosted the America’s Cup in 2013.

Thankfully, you don’t need a captain’s license to go sailing. The San Francisco Sailing Company runs the gamut from private yacht charters to surprisingly affordable 90-minute tours. Captain Kirk’s is another popular operator that offers pickups in Sausalito and Oakland, as well as SF. For a zippy catamaran ride, look to Adventure Cat Sailing Charters. For something special, experience racing speeds on the USA 76 Challenger yacht, which competed in the 2003 America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, with ACsailingSF.

If your interest in sailing goes beyond breathing in the sea air from the bow of a boat, both the San Francisco Sailing Co. and Captain Kirk’s offer lessons, as does OCSC Sailing in Berkeley.

2. Cruise around the bay.

Photo: KURLIN CAfE/Shutterstock

Sailing doesn’t agree with every budget, but boating doesn’t have to be cost prohibitive. Hornblower Cruises caters to the foodies in town with lunch and dinner cruises, Champagne brunches, happy hour and cocktail cruises, and more, starting at as little as $35. Operating out of Pier 39, the guilty pleasure of SF’s tourist hits, the Blue & Gold Fleet offers hour-long bay cruises that double as sightseeing excursions, even incorporating the city’s famous lounging sea lions, for a reasonable $34. Ninety-minute sunset cruises are a fun alternative, not only ushering cruisers under the Golden Gate Bridge but also yielding spectacular views of the Bay Bridge aglow in LED lights after dark. It’s the second-best thing to watching fireworks explode over the bridges from the water on the Fourth of July.

3. Spend the morning surfing.

Photo: Artik234/Shutterstock

You have to be pretty dedicated to surf San Francisco’s waves. The water’s cold, which a wetsuit can fix, but neoprene doesn’t protect against rough breaks, rocks, or rip currents, all of which mean the city’s beaches are best left for advanced and expert surfers.

For advanced surfers, Ocean Beach is the safest bet. The lineups at local favorites like Fort Point, which looks directly up at the Golden Gate, and Dead Man’s Point are always crowded, and territorial locals can get aggressive with newcomers. Out-of-towners will have no problem at Ocean Beach provided they’re experienced surfers — the paddle out is tricky, and the world-class waves can get big when they aren’t blown out, especially in fall and winter.

Park south of Sloat Boulevard to ease into the Pacific surf, then work your way toward Kelly’s Cove and the iconic Cliff House restaurant. Later, refuel with coffee and fresh pastries at the Devil’s Teeth Baking Company on Noriega Street, a local favorite in the Sunset District.

San Francisco itself doesn’t go easy on new surfers, but there are plenty of beginner-friendly spots within a short drive, the Bay Area’s increasingly heavy traffic notwithstanding. Just north, Marin’s Bolinas Beach has gentle breaks for longboarders, and down in Pacifica, Linda Mar is a solid choice for all levels, with easier waves on the beach’s south end.

4. That includes windsurfing and kitesurfing.

Photo: PSHAW-PHOTO/Shutterstock

An outdoorsy lot, San Franciscans don’t waste their waves. Not everyone surfs, but most locals have probably tried at least one sport involving a board and the bay. Ocean Beach is big enough for all surfers, but windsurfers and kitesurfers can also snag optimal views of the city’s iconic, rust-red bridge from Crissy Field — taking off from Crissy’s East Beach once the afternoon winds pick up. Those willing to travel a half-hour outside SF will find arguably the top windsurfing spot in the whole Bay Area at San Mateo’s Coyote Point.

5. Rent a sea kayak.

Photo: Stephen Finn/Shutterstock

Easier than surfing and less expensive than sailing, kayaking is a great way to get out on the water, no matter the season or circumstance. Operating out of South Beach Harbor off Pier 40 — which ironically isn’t near Pier 39 but farther down the Embarcadero near the Oracle Park baseball stadium — City Kayak has you covered for rentals. Beginners can follow guides through McCovey Cove beyond the stadium’s right field wall, around the Bay Bridge, and along the historic waterfront during the day or at twilight. More experienced kayakers can tour the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Treasure Island, even arranging to paddle out under the full moon. Guided tours start at $54 an hour.

6. Try stand-up paddleboarding.

Photo: Envision Photo/Shutterstock

Stick around South Beach Harbor after kayaking for a SUP excursion, once again thanks to City Kayak. Alternately, secure a rental and set out in Aquatic Park not far from the landmark Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood and even closer to Ghiradelli Square. The water is calm, and the bridge and island views are unbeatable. Depending on where you end up, Boardsports California is another option for paddleboard rentals with one location in SF and two in Alameda, about a half an hour away by car.

7. Go whale watching.

Photo: Pete Niesen/Shutterstock

San Francisco has two whale-watching seasons: December through April, when migrating grey whales grace the bay, and summer and fall, when you might spot blue or humpback whales. Sightings are possible in the SF Bay, but the most reliable whale watching happens about 30 miles offshore around the Farallon Islands. There, the excursions are just as much about the rest of the wildlife, which includes dolphins, seals, sea birds, and even sharks. Farallon Island tours generally depart from Pier 39. Prepare for a full day on the water, and remember that classic SF packing advice: bring layers.

8. Ride at least one ferry.

Photo: Sheila Fitzgerald/Shutterstock

Work your way through the essential SF checklist and you’ll invariably end up on a ferry to Alcatraz. Possibly even a second headed for Angel Island, the largest natural island in the bay. But like the city’s cable cars, ferries are good for more than just commuting and shuffling tourists around — they also provide a panoramic perspective of the city.

You could easily make a day trip out of the half-hour ride to Sausalito on the Golden Gate Ferry or Oakland’s Jack London Square on the San Francisco Bay Ferry, kicking things off with brunch at the SF ferry building, which is brimming with local treats like Cowgirl Creamery cheese and Hog Island oysters. It also hosts a farmers market on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. During baseball season, sports fans can make games even more memorable by ferrying straight to Oracle Park, the bayside home of the SF Giants.


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Where to eat in Miami’s Little Haiti

Miami’s Little Haiti has been an enclave since a large number of people started immigrating to the US from Haiti in the 1980s. Yet the area and the culture didn’t receive the same recognition as other immigrant communities in Miami. While tourists come in droves to Little Havana to try cubanos and puff on cigars, hardly anyone sought out Little Haiti. It wasn’t even officially designated “Little Haiti” until 2016.

Today, the neighborhood is finally starting to get the attention it deserves, and that’s mainly due to its vibrant food scene. Haitian cuisine, specifically griot (a marinated pork dish), is one that Miami chefs list as one of the cuisines that the Magic City does best. And Little Haiti isn’t just for Haitian food. Chefs drawn to the area are cooking food inspired by France, Vietnam, Argentina, and more in addition to the cuisine of the neighborhood’s namesake Caribbean island.

These are the tried-and-true restaurants that merit a meal on your next visit.

1. Chef Creole

Photo: Chef Creole Seasoned Kitchen/Facebook

One of the late Anthony Bourdain’s must-visit eateries on his trips to Miami, Chef Creole has been family owned and operated by chef Wilkinson Sejour since 1992. The casual restaurant sits in the middle of the neighborhood’s residential area and offers authentic Haitian delicacies like oxtail, spicy conch stew, and zesty pikliz (pickled vegetables). To taste it, however, you have to be willing to join the hour-long line of locals. Since gaining popularity over the years, the restaurant has opened various offshoot locations around town and sells its own seasoning that makes for a savory souvenir.

2. Fiorito

Photo: Fiorito/Facebook

Serving some of the best Argentine steaks in Miami, Fiorito’s homey dishes are served with homemade chimichurri and are paired perfectly with regional wines from Mendoza, Neuquen, and Rio Negro. The restaurant’s rustic setting pays homage to the childhood home of renowned soccer star Diego Maradona, with his iconic blue-and-white striped jersey and scribbled signature lining the walls. Opened by brothers Christian and Maximiliano Alvarez, guests are treated like family as they dine on grilled prime vacio with yukon roasted potatoes and locally sourced arugula while the next generation of the Alvarez family practices their arithmetic at the adjacent table.

3. Ironside Pizza

Photo: Ironside Kitchen Pizza & Coffee Co/Facebook

Hidden in Ironside, a lush artist’s enclave on the northern edge of the neighborhood, Ironside Pizza is an Italian expat’s dream. It’s a spot where the servers read off a rotating menu of specials, like the tonne e cipolla pizza and vegetable involtini, in their charming Neapolitan accents. The signature pizzas are made exclusively with traditional Molino San Felice flour and baked in a wood-burning oven to achieve the paper-thin crust and bubbly edges that are hard to find on this side of the Atlantic. A local’s secret: Guests can bring their own wine, beer, and spirits without a corkage fee.

4. Soyka

Photo: Soyka Restaurant/Facebook

Backed by famed developer and restaurateur Mark Soyka, this namesake restaurant opened in 1999 and has become a dining institution on Little Haiti’s west end (also called the MiMo District) thanks to its upscale soul food and timeless industrial decor inside the eclectic 55th Street Station. Come for Soyka’s famous brandy cream mussels and stay for a late-night tipple like the Smashed by Peach cocktail with bourbon, sweet peach nectar, and fresh mint. Check out the music calendar for the live music schedule.

5. Café Roval

Photo: Cafe Roval/Facebook

Located in a former 1800s fire station pumphouse and once owned by notorious serial killer Robert Bowman in the 1960s, Café Roval’s charming coquina-shell facade is an unlikely home for one of Miami’s most romantic dinner spots. The restaurant serves upscale French-Mediterranean fare like duck buttone with truffle portobello and drizzled with mustard cream, or the de-boned yellowtail snapper served with farro tabbouleh and a tart lemon tahini dressing. Guests can opt to dine on the open-air patio that features lush tropical landscaping and a trickling koi pond.

6. Phuc Yea

Photo: Phuc Yea/Facebook

Phuc Yea has a name that’s embarrassing to say but worth the look of disbelief when you recommend it to your boss. This Cajun-Vietnamese eatery started as Miami’s first ever pop-up restaurant back in 2011 by Aniece “Ani” Meinhold and chef Cesar Zapata. After disappearing for a few years, the duo opened the highly-anticipated brick-and-mortar location that now straddles Little Haiti and the historic MiMo District. Guests can snack on soft shell crab buns in the low-slung chairs that line the front terrace, sip on a Soursop Mojito made by Ani herself at the bamboo-strewn bar, or scarf down spicy wok-tossed gulf prawns in the peony-painted private dining room. Disclaimer to those only looking for a steaming bowl of sustenance: The short rib pho and other varieties are available exclusively during happy hour to encourage guests to venture into more experimental dishes.


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Botswana will allow elephant hunting

While most countries are imposing stricter rules on animal hunting, designed to promote the survival of endangered and at-risk species, Botswana seems to be taking a step in the opposite direction. After five years of banning elephant hunting, the government of Botswana is changing course and deciding to allow the practice, according to a statement issued on May 22.

A third of Africa’s savanna elephants reside in Botswana — about 130,000 in total — and Botswana’s elephants seem to have escaped the recent ivory poaching epidemic. Across Africa, elephant population numbers declined by 30 percent between 2007 and 2014, though Botswana was less affected than other countries, potentially explaining the ban’s reversal.

In June 2018, Botswana’s government formed a special committee to investigate the situation and determine whether the trophy hunting ban that was implemented in 2014 should be lifted. Perhaps surprisingly, the committee found that “there is a negative impact of the hunting suspension on livelihoods, particularly for community-based organizations” that previously benefited from the hunting trade. The decision was also based on the fact that elephants can often prove harmful to agriculture, even destroying a whole season’s worth of crops in a single night.

Mike Chase, director of Elephants without Borders, voiced his disagreement with the reversal to National Geographic. “We can have a sustainable quota, which will have a negligible impact on the population. But you have to weigh that up and consider the international backlash…and how that may undermine our economy, our jobs, and our reputation for being at the forefront of conservation.”

He did, however, empathize with the communities suffering from destructive elephants, admitting, “When you’ve tried all kinds of alternatives…and they’re still dangerous, the animal has to be destroyed.”

H/T: National Geographic

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American Don Cash dies on Everest

May is one of the peak months for summiting Everest, and hundreds of climbers all push for the summit around the same time. On May 22, there were 200 climbers attempting to reach the summit. Fifty-five-year-old American Don Cash was one of them, and after a 12-hour final push, he reached the top with the two Sherpas accompanying him.

During the descent, Cash lost consciousness. The two Sherpas revived him with CPR and moved him down to a rock formation called Hillary Step, 200 feet below the summit. Hillary Step is a steep snow slope that can easily bottleneck when there are multiple people climbing or descending the summit at the same time. When Cash arrived at Hillary Step, he was forced to wait for two hours before continuing the descent. During this wait, he passed out again and his Sherpas were unable to revive him.

Cash’s cause of death is unknown, and unfortunately his isn’t the first life Everest has claimed this season. Ravi Thakar of India died after summiting the mountain, and Seamus Sean Lawless of Ireland disappeared after his summit and is presumed dead from a fall.

Perishing on Everest is hardly a new phenomenon, and dying due to the overcrowded nature of the mountain is tragic. The bottleneck at Hillary Step shows just how crowded Everest has become, and while the presence of other hikers may give climbers a sense a solidarity, as Don Cash proved, it can also be deadly.

H/T: Outside

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Three bears climb into man’s car

Southern hospitality is one thing, but allowing three bears to take up residence in your car might be taking it too far. When Chad Morris, a barbershop owner, parked his car in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, last Thursday, he returned to find a black bear cub climbing through his car window. Apparently, the first one was just a scout, as two more approached afterward, entering through the right driver’s side window while a mother bear watched from afar.

Morris posted about the encounter of Facebook, saying, “Is this real life…tell me we are being punked. 3 bear cubs in my car and the momma just lurking!”

Photo: Chad Morris/Facebook

Photo: Chad Morris/Facebook

He told ABC 6 WATE, “I was telling my friends, I want to see a bear, I want to see a bear you know? Been lifting weights a little bit, want to see a bear, tussle with a bear and it was like well, you get four on one, now what do you wanna do big boy? And I was like nah, I’ll pass.”

Indeed, he may have gotten more than he wished for. Luckily, Morris kept his distance. Shortly afterward, the bears vacated the car — probably finding their new dwelling a bit cramped for their liking. Before leaving, however, they did rip a chunk out of the seat.

Bear sightings are common in the Great Smoky Mountains during the spring and summer, though sightings inside your own vehicle tend to be (thankfully) less common. The good news is that the solution is simple: Keep your windows up.

H/T: ABC 6 WATE

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Traditional Naxi dishes from Yunnan

The Naxi ethnic group in China has a cuisine unlike any other in the country. It’s bursting with flavor, from smoked pork served with beer-soaked fruit to blood sausage and bean jelly. It’s also a cuisine that’s spent ages growing and changing.

The historic kingdom of the Naxi people is nestled in the Yunnan Province — near the Himalayas — a region they’ve lived in for thousands of years. It’s by the ancient Tea Horse Road, now modern-day Lijiang, and has withstood the rise and fall of many an era and emperor. The city’s grassy tiled roofs and worn cobbled streets still stand as a monument to a number of cultures that have passed through. If the matriarchal structure and pictographic language of the Naxi people doesn’t completely captivate you, we guarantee that their cuisine will. Naxi food is an explosion of flavor and color that will challenge everything you thought you knew about Chinese cuisine.

1. Baba (粑粑)

Photo: beibaoke/Shutterstock

Early in the morning when the mist is still rolling off the mountains, a little old lady trundles her cart up to our apartment entrance, heats her wok, and dutifully begins frying up big rounds of fresh dough. This is baba, affectionately titled “Chinese pizza crust” by Lijiang’s foreign community and the makeshift nickname isn’t far off the mark. The soft fluffy bread can be topped with egg, chili peppers, ground meat, fermented vegetables, or all of the above.

2. Dried pork with booze-infused fruit

Dried pork is a common dish in several of the cuisines of China’s minority groups, and the Naxi serve it many ways. One version stands out, however: hunks of cured pork carved paper thin and coupled with slices of pear soaked in a local beer. The sticky, sweet, and boozy flavor of the fruit mixed with the salty smoky ham is a powerful punch to the taste buds that you won’t forget. You’re most likely to see this dish served during a special 18-plate, three-course Naxi feast called san die shui (三叠水).

3. Chickpea jelly (jidou liangfen, 凉粉)

Photo: Apik/Shutterstock

This much-loved snack food can be served cold or hot. Its primary ingredient, as the name suggests, is chickpeas that have been ground into a powder, cooked, and chilled. Sometimes it’s served on its own, and other times it’s fried up with other ingredients like chives, mung bean sprout, flour, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. On a hot day, a sliver of cool, smooth jelly bursting with cilantro, garlic, and chili peppers is incredibly refreshing and a little bit addictive.

4. Er kuai (耳块)

Er kaui literally means “ear piece,” probably referring to its appearance when served as a noodle dish. Thin, broad chunks of dough are fried with soy, sugar, chili peppers, and garlic for a pile of caramelized goodness. The rice dough can also be prepared as a grilled wrap, overflowing with crisp fermented vegetables. It’s the perfect grab-and-go snack.

5. Glutinous rice and blood sausage (mapu, 麻补)

Photo: NaniP/Shutterstock

Traditionally made after ritual pig sacrifices before ceremonies and festivals, Naxi blood sausage is a mixture of pig’s blood, savory spices, and rice that’s poured into a pork intestine casing. Today, the sausage is a warming, fragrant dish that’s perfect for a late-night bite from a roadside barbecue (shao kao, 烧烤) stand.

6. Blown liver (chui gan, 吹肝)

This dish also has roots in ceremonies with pig sacrifices, but it can’t be eaten until at least a month later. The liver is inflated to twice its original size before being filled with a mixture of white wine and white pepper. The bright flavor of the wine and pepper is a good complement to the silky smooth but earthy liver. Chui gan is served thinly sliced in sesame oil with a generous pile of cilantro during the New Year holiday.

7. Naxi grilled fish (Naxi kao yu, 纳西烤鱼)

Photo: chettarin/Shutterstock

Naxi cuisine tends to be liberally flavored with chili oil and numbing peppercorns, yet is beautifully balanced with an equally liberal amount of mint and cilantro. Naxi grilled fish is a classic example of this delicate mastery. Local river fish are marinated for hours in black vinegar and cilantro before being laid on a scorching hot grill and cooked until the skin is crackling and the meat is flaky tender. The fish is laid on a bed of fresh mint and then drowned in a spicy vinegar sauce. Try this dish on a laid-back evening in the heart of Lijiang’s ancient city with a cool glass of Naxi plum juice.


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