Beginner Safety Tips and Top Locations for Your First Scuba Adventure
If you’re thinking about getting your feet wet in the world of scuba diving, it can be tough for beginners to know where to start. Your first challenge is understanding the types of certification you need, and then choosing dive sites that are suitable.
While you may be lured by the many incredible scuba diving sites that show up in your Insta feed, not all dive sites are suitable for beginner divers. Some sites are also much more rewarding in terms of guaranteed marine life along with safe and pleasant diving conditions.
Whether you’re in search of wrecks or reefs, planning your first scuba diving vacation can be quite exciting. Not only will you most likely be heading off to some exotic location, you will also be entering a whole new world.
As a new scuba diver who has recently learned to scuba dive with PADI, SSI, or NAUI, it’s important to realize you will be restricted in terms of what dive sites you will be able to visit as a first timer.
While you may wish to visit that dive site on an Attenborough documentary, it may not make an ideal choice for your first dive or you may simply not have the adequate level of certification that the destination requires.
To better help you get started in the world of scuba diving, I’ve offered a few safety tips, advice for choosing a location for your first dive, and a few of the top scuba diving destinations for beginners around the world.
read moreTrends in Sustainable Travel Gear
They say travelers should take only photos and leave only footprints, but it may just be our footprints that are doing the most harm to our planet.
Most of us are now aware of our carbon footprint, which is the total amount of greenhouse gases each of us generates. Sadly, our carbon footprints tend to be more damaging when we travel.
While most of us put a lot of time and effort into carefully packing for our vacations in terms of saving on weight and space and only carrying things we’ll actually need, few of us are conscious of how environmentally friendly our travel gear is.
One of the best ways to become a sustainable traveler is to start thinking about what products you take with you traveling. There are now countless eco-friendly travel products on the market made by companies that use organic or recycled materials and in some cases even donate a percentage of their profits to earth-saving initiatives.
After researching sustainable products, you’ll soon discover that items like sunglasses, hats, and suitcases are now being made from recycled materials, and can result in a huge reduction in waste. Here are some great sustainable travel gear items you should think about.
read moreThe Ultimate Polar Region Bucket List
There are few places left in the world that you can truly call pristine, but that’s just what our Polar Regions offer. They are surprisingly havens for wildlife, and a range of small group tours journey to remote destinations like Greenland and Spitsbergen in the north as well as Antarctica in the south.
Whether you’ve always wanted to witness a vivid aurora or be bathed in 24 hours of sunshine, the world’s Polar Regions offer adventures unlike any other. From walruses and polar bears in the north to elephant seals and penguins in the south, our Polar Regions abound with rare and endangered wildlife.
In addition to witnessing almost unimaginable landscapes and wildlife, there are many epic activities on offer including dog sledding, hiking on ice sheets, mountain biking in Greenland, and kayaking or taking a polar plunge in the icy waters off Antarctica.
So grab your parka because Quark Expeditions, the leader in polar adventures, is ready to help you choose from some of the top Polar Region bucket list adventures.
read moreWild Camping in Botswana – a Camping Safari Without Fences
Have you ever considered camping without fences on a safari in the most remote areas of Botswana, sharing the same space with wild animals like lions, hippos and hyenas?
Does it sound like an adventure of a lifetime, or is it a little too much of an adventure?
Over 10 days I went on a self-drive remote camping safari in Botswana, driving my 4×4 deep in the bush, carrying everything I needed in my truck – a portable kitchen, 2 spare tires, a toolbox, a tent on top, my camera and tons of excitement. Here’s how you can do it too!
read moreThe Natural and Relaxing Side to Ibiza (Travel Guide!)
It remains to be seen if and how the pandemic will affect Ibiza’s upcoming summer clubbing season which runs from roughly the end of May through early October. Most people think of packed nightclubs and giant beach crowds when they think of Ibiza, which doesn’t exactly adhere to the whole social distancing concept.
Thankfully, Ibiza is much more than parties and music. There’s a natural and relaxing side to the island which may now be just what travelers need for planning a stay in Ibiza.
Ibiza is home to many protected natural areas including natural parks like Ses Salines and Amunts as well as the Ses Feixes Wetlands which attracts a great deal of birdlife. There are secret coves to explore, deserted beaches to seek out, and hiking trails to help you get off the beaten trail.
Sections of the island are also historically significant such as the Renaissance walls of Ibiza City’s Old Town and the remnants of early Phoenician settlements. Parts of Ibiza are actually recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites because of their significance.
Experience the Ibiza you may not have known as I introduce you to some of the island’s relaxing natural locations where you’ll be far removed from the pulsating beats puts out by DJs which will allow you to actually tune in to your own heartbeat.
read moreSolar Generators: A More Eco-Friendly Backup Energy Source For Those Who RV
Do you enjoy traveling around the country via RV? Do you like going for a quick weekend getaway without having to worry about paying for a hotel room or boarding your pets?
Traveling around the country in your RV is a great way to let loose and explore. But while this may sound expensive and gas guzzling, there are plenty of ways you can decrease your costs as well as your carbon footprint.
Specifically, by using solar generators as your backup energy source. These days solar generators are powerful, portable, and specifically designed for clean energy. Most are also silent, so there’s no noise pollution either!
read moreTop 5 Things to do in Dominica
Whether you’re arriving in Dominica by cruise ship, commercial plane, or private jet, this volcanic, rainforest-covered island offers up plenty of ways to simply kick back and relax. It’s Dominica’s adventure scene, however, which makes this a truly unique and rewarding Caribbean holiday.
There’s no shortage of beautiful islands to choose from in the Caribbean, but one gem that is often overlooked in the Windward Islands group is Dominica. Remarkably different than other nearby islands both in terms of culture and natural landscapes, Dominica is finally starting to gain attention as the next hot ecotourism destination.
Having been a filming location for Pirates of the Caribbean, you too can partake in your own exciting adventures including jungle jeep safaris, scuba diving, rowboat river journeys, river tubing, and horseback riding both on the beach and actually in the sea.
Two-thirds of Dominica is covered in rainforest, much of this untouched land home to national parks filled with waterfalls, hot springs, and other natural wonders. While narrowing down the best things to experience in Dominica definitely isn’t easy, here are my top five things not to miss on your next Dominica getaway.
read moreBest Islands to Explore around Fort Myers, Florida
Known as the “Gateway to Southwest Florida”, Fort Myers makes the perfect base for exploring the many beautiful islands that are easily accessible from the city.
Being lucky enough to have called this subtropical paradise home for two years, Fort Myers is a place packed with excitement. Now a major tourist destination, snowbirds from northern cities choose to overwinter here and more and more people are relocating every year.
Islands around Fort Myers are home to abundant wildlife, loads of outdoor recreation including exceptional golfing, and many of Florida’s most beautiful hidden beaches. So we’ve partnered with Hotels.com to bring you a list of our favorites!
Once you’re finished shopping at the outlets and catching a baseball spring training game, be sure to check out these top nearby islands, each offering their own unique attractions and character.
read moreHighlights of the Inca Trail, Peru
One of the world’s most beloved hiking trails just so happens to end at one of the most famous wonders of the world. While many tourists take the train to the ancient Inca citadel Machu Picchu, it’s the 4-5 day hike along the world-renowned Inca Trail through the Andes that allows you to really embrace the region and its culture.
The Inca Trail’s roughly 26-mile-long trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu will introduce you to a range of different natural landscapes including clouds forests and alpine tundra, passing numerous ancient Inca ruins along the way.
Here are a few of the highlights along your journey.
read moreDid You Know Miami Had Public Gardens This Stunning?!
Miami’s sun, sand, and surf are enough to lure countless travelers each year, but then you add in fun colorful art deco buildings and an equally vibrant nightlife and you have the perfect getaway destination.
Miami’s art deco and gorgeous sunsets aren’t the only colorful things in Miami though. Scattered around the city are lush subtropical gardens that are as colorful as the many characters that you’ll encounter on South Beach.
You’ll find beautiful green spaces nearly everywhere in Miami, and we’ve partnered with Hotels.com to bring you this list. Many of the most luxurious Miami hotels and resorts even have their own private little gardens wrapped around refreshing pools.
After you’ve had enough tanning and partying on the beach and need to nurse that sunburn or hangover, check out these stunning gardens around the city that will provide you with the perfect detox.
read more