Articles tagged “adventure travel”

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Weekend trip from Sydney, Australia: Pambula

by Jessica Festa on

Pambula is located on the Sapphire Coast of Australia and is a great weekend getaway for people who want to get out of the big city of Sydney for a few days and explore nature. The name Sapphire Coast stems from the areas clear, sparkling oceans, which you will be able to experience first-hand through adventure sports like surfing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, and diving.

Getting in

When I went, I took a Premier Motor Service coach bus from Sydney Central Station right to Pambula, which takes about 6-7 hours. Another option is to take a Regional Express (REX) airline to Merimbula, which is also on the Sapphire Coast and only about 10-15 minutes away.

Where to stay

While there are a few hotel options in Pambula, my recommendation is to check out the Holiday Hub Beach Resort. What’s great about this accommodation is that it has something to offer every kind of traveler. For people who are looking for luxury and comfort, the resort offers villas, apartments, and cabins with full linens, televisions, and kitchens, as well as an on-site spa and heated pool. When I stayed here I chose the more rustic option of camping out right next to the beach in a tent. At night, my friends and I would roast marshmallows over a camp fire, play games, and stargaze while in the morning the salty sea air and scratching of kangaroos trying to get into our food would give us a unique wake up. While cabins and villas range from $100-$220, you can get a powered camping site for about $40-$70 and a tent for around $40. The tents are a decent size and you can comfortably fit 2-3 people inside.Eat

BBQ’s

Because you will be experiencing the best that nature has to offer, outdoor BBQ’s and beach picnics are a must. If you stay at Holiday Hub, they provide free BBQ’s, which I used for 85% of my meals. However, if you’d like to go out to eat, there are also some great restaurants in the area.

Wharf Restaurant and Aquarium

My favorite restaurant that I ate at was in the nearby Merimbula and was called Wharf Restaurant and Aquarium. My friends and I explored their basement aquarium, filled with beautiful as well as odd-looking sea creatures like moray eels, catsharks, and sea pens, before we sat down to eat. The restaurant has fantastic seafood and on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11:30 AM there is also a fish feeding you can participate in.

PB’s Cafe

PB’s Cafe is a waterfront restaurant that serves awesome burgers and fries, allowing for a laid back lunch in a beautiful setting.

The Original Fix

The Original Fix is well-known for its homemade ice creams and chocolates as well as their specialty teas and coffees. You can also order a filling lunch for under $10 with many gluten-free options. Their lasagna is delicious and you can even sit outside while you enjoy your purchase.

Other

There are a range of other specialty and budget-friendly options, like the Broken Oar Bar and Grill which is right in Pambula Beach, the Tura Beach Tavern which has delicious $10 pizzas, and the Cantina Tapas and Wine Bar for a drink and small plates in an ambient atmosphere.

Do and see

There is a lot to do and see in Pambula, especially in terms of exploring the outdoors. Here are some of my reccomendation:

Horseback Riding

I spent an hour and a half horseback riding through fields, forests, and rivers with Oakland Trails Rides. I had never been on a horse before, and although choosing one and climbing up onto its back was a little unsettling, the instructor was extremely helpful. Surprisingly, even when the horse decided to start sprinting, I didn’t fall off thanks to the tips and tricks she gave the group beforehand. Their number is 0428 957 257 or you can contact the Sapphire Coast Tourism Board.

Tour Ben Boyd National Park

Encompassing more than 25,000 acres, Ben Boyd National Park provides endless opportunities for hiking, fishing, canoeing, and swimming. There is a lot to explore, such as folded sandy beaches, lush forests, rocky outcrops, historical lightstations, and set trails, such as my favorite, the short coastal walk from Pambula River to Severs Beach. For those with some time and energy, there is a 3-day “Light-to-Light” trek you can do that stretches from Boyds Tower to Green Cape (about 18 miles). Although a bit long, the hike is very easy as well as scenic with a variety of landscapes and even opportunities to see migrating whales. Click here for more information on Ben Boyd National Park hikes.

Sea Kayaking

When I was in Pambula, I went sea kayaking with Ocean Wilderness Sea Kayaking. The day began with a lesson on how to paddle the kayak and what to do if it tips over before exploring Pambula Bar and Pambula River, enjoying mountain scenery, and stopping on the beach for lunch. One thing that I will never forget is at one point my group and I noticed some pointed fins sticking out of the water and swimming right towards the kayaks, cuing the “Jaws” theme-song to play in my mind. We all started panicking about the oncoming shark attack when all of a sudden the animals began jumping out of the water. Turns out, it was actually a friendly group of dolphins.

Scuba Diving

There are some great diving spots along the Sapphire Coast, and although not directly in Pambula, the town of Merimbula is less than 10 minutes away. Merimbula Divers Lodge is a reputable company that allows participants to do boat dives, shore dives, cave dives, and dives of historical shipwrecks like the SS Empire Gladstone, the Tasman Hauler Wreck, and the Henry Bolte Wreck. Divers will also get to experience some of Pambula’s unique and extremely colorful marine life, like enormous hot pink crabs, blindingly white sea slugs, and neon yellow weedy sea dragons, which look exactly like a cross between a leaf and a sea horse.

Surfing and Stand Up Paddle Boarding

My friends and I took a surf lesson with Coastlife Adventures when we were in Pambula and found the experience to be really worthwhile. The tutorial we received before actually going into the water was thorough and the instructor had us all mimick the steps to get from laying on our stomachs to standing with our boards on the beach. Once in the water, most of our group of 10 made it the standing position while riding a wave, which is definitely an exciting feeling especially if it’s your first time surfing. The company has also recently added stand up paddle boarding to their list of featured activities, which is also a really fun and interesting water sport, especially while in the sparkling Sapphire Coast waters.

The national parks are fee-free this weekend

by Kraig Becker on

To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the National Park Service will host its first fee-free weekend of 2012 this week. Starting Saturday, January 14 and running through Monday, January 16, the entry fee for more than 397 national parks and monuments across the U.S. will be waived completely.

A number of the parks and monuments will be honoring the civil rights activist with special ceremonies and events throughout the weekend. The newly opened MLK Memorial in Washington, D.C., for instance, will have rangers on hand to discuss Dr. King’s pivotal role in seeking equality for all races, while the MLK National Historic Site in Georgia will host a special program on Sunday that examines King’s legacy.

Of course, there are always a host of other activities to do in the parks as well and the winter months often bring unique opportunities to these scenic places. I’d recommend snowshoeing in Yellowstone, hiking in Yosemite, or even paddling the Everglades. After all, without an entrance fee, there’s no excuse not to go.

If you can’t make it to your favorite park this weekend, never fear. The Park Service has a number of other free days scheduled for the year, with your next opportunity coming on April 21-29 in celebration of National Park Week.

For a complete list of the national parks that will be fee-free this weekend, click here.

Beauty, adventure, and spa treatments at the Kuang Si Falls near Luang Prabang, Laos

by Jessica Festa on




The Kuang Si Falls near Luang Prabang, Laos, are a majestic 3-tier waterfalls that almost looks like a giant natural staircase (and could be, as you can climb the falls). The falls are surrounded by lush forest and myriad opportunities for hiking where you will come across various cascading pools of water, many of which are fine for swimming, as well as charming bridges and limestone cliffs.

Along with trekking through stunning scenery, visitors can visit the bear sanctuary, have lunch at the picnic site, and, my favorite, swing off a tree into the falls. Right next to the pool that the falls cascade into is a tree with wooden plank stairs leading up to a thick rope. You will crawl on all fours to the edge of a tree branch and will have to reach out without falling to grab the rope (while a bit scary, remember that you’ll only be falling into water). Once you grab it, you’ll be able to swing like Tarzan through the air and into the pristine waters below. Or, if you’re like me, you’ll hold on for two seconds and slide right off. Either way, it’s a lot of fun.

While the Kuang Si Falls area is a big site for tourists, my local guide told me that the place is considered sacred by locals, and I did see some monks wandering around. For this reason, I would recommend forgoing the bikinis and tiny swim suits and wearing capris and a t-shirt. While it may be a little uncomfortable, at least it’s respectful, and there are changing rooms so you can get right out of your wet clothes.

An added bonus is the fact that swimming in the waters below the falls is like a complimentary spa treatment. There are thousands of tiny fish that actually suck on your toes and get the dead skin off. Oddly enough, this is a treatment that some people pay big bucks to get at a spa. While I was a bit uncomfortable with how it felt, I will admit my feet were extra soft when I got out.

From Luang Prabang, getting to the falls will take you a little under an hour. You can take a tuk tuk, taxi, songthaew, motorbike, or, usually the cheapest option, a slow boat. Another possibility is to go with a tour company, although make sure you will get a few hours to spend at the falls as there is a lot to explore. The entry fee to Kuang Si Falls is about $1.

A traditional home stay in Seoul – by accident

by Grant Martin on

Jin is waiting for me when I return from Yongsang, placidly sitting at the picnic table in the atrium and staring off into the distance. When I knock on the astroturf covered door he looks up and grins, then lopes over to the door to greet me.

It’s only been one night at the MaMa guesthouse (46, Waryong-dong, Jongno-gu) in Seoul, but I already feel like I belong. Between the Angok (Line 3) and Jeosan (Line 1) stops in the district parallel to Insadong, my discovery of the homestay was purely by accident. Walking toward my original hotel earlier the previous night, I saw the flashy sign of MaMa splashed across the traditionally-styled home and made a mental note: if things didn’t work out with my current accommodations I’d return.

As usual, Jin Sung Jai was resting in his room when I first showed up, and through the front door window I could see his feet hanging out from the sliding doors of his room. He greeted me with enthusiasm – yes, there was a room available tonight, the “mother” room for only 60,000 Won – discounted 25% off of the normal rate.

It would be a traditional room, one not unlike those in a traditional Japanese household with a heated floor, a thin mattress in the center of the room and two linens on top. A sliding, rice paper door was the divider between the main atrium and my room, the same divider that went into Jin’s and four other rooms around the perimeter of the atrium. For this and most other rooms here, the bathroom and living spaces would be shared.

In a way though, that’s the sort of package that a solo traveler needs a foreign land – a small splash of traditional culture, a community space in which to reflect your thoughts and a shepherd to guide you through the process. In the morning I help Jin update his website as a meal of hard boiled eggs, toast and apples is delivered. He shows me through the stacks of paintings with a style that he’s perfected with years of study across parts of Europe, North America and Korea. And with a handshake and a smile he sends me on my way to Incheon Airport. I would give a hundred stays in a big box western hotel in exchange for another night in a place like this.

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New round-the-world sailing speed record set

by Kraig Becker on

A 130-foot trimaran yacht, with a crew of 14, set a new speed record for sailing around the globe last Friday when it returned to port in Brest, France. The ship, which is named the Maxi Banque Populaire V, shaved nearly three days off the previous record, and earned the crew the coveted Jules Verne Trophy in the process.

The ship, which featured a mostly French crew, set sail on November 22nd of last year and managed to circumnavigate the globe in just 45 days, 13 hours, 42 minutes, and 53 seconds. That beats the previous record, set in 2010, by more than 2 days, 18 hours. While out on the water, the speedy yacht logged more than 29,000 miles and had an average speed of 26.5 knots.

By setting the new round-the-world mark, the ship and her crew now hold the Jules Verne Trophy. Named for the famous author, whose seminal work of travel-fiction Around the World in 80 Days has inspired many adventures, the cup is awarded to the yacht that holds the record for the fastest circumnavigation of the planet. It was first given out back in 1993, when the record set at the time was 79 days, 6 hours. Less than 20 years later, we’ve now managed to cut that time almost in half. It seems only a matter of time before someone manages to sail around the globe in less than 40 days.