Our Airbnb in the Costa Rica Jungle
We spent a week in an Airbnb unlike any other rental we've ever stayed in - this was true open-air living in the jungle! Our A-frame bungalow had no walls, so we lived among the monkeys and had the experience of a lifetime. Read on for my review of the good, the bad, and the unexpected.
A Week in the Jungle: Cabo Matapalo, Costa Rica
Shaun had been to Cabo Matapalo on the Osa Peninsula in southern Costa Rica a handful of times growing up, and we finally planned a trip (my first time) to visit last April. I had heard all about it for years and was so excited to finally see the jungle for myself!
Searching for Wildlife: Costa Rica
To be 100% honest, upon arriving to Matapalo on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, I felt a tiny bit disappointed. Shaun and his dad had come here many times together and have really hyped up the wildlife - “monkeys everywhere!” - but the first day here was grey, gloomy, and no monkeys in sight… well, after settling in for a day or two, the jungle started to come to life for us and that bit of disappointment was long gone!
Spontaneous Detour to Tuscany, Italy
After two full weeks in Morocco (and feeling sick for the majority of that time), we decided to spend the last week of our time abroad elsewhere. Morocco is so close to Europe, so I just started looking up cheap flights to literally anywhere! I played with the idea of going somewhere new (Amsterdam? Greece? Switzerland?) but after cross checking the flight prices and weather forecasts, we ultimately decided to return to a very special place for us... Italy!
Trekking Through The High Atlas Mountains
We knew that the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco is a hot tourist spot for hikers and trekkers crossing Mount Toubkal, but we only found ourselves in the area as a detour from a surf contest, so we were obviously not prepared for a real backpacking adventure. However, we organized a short day hike with a local guide through our hotel. We had a memorable and wonderful experience–– even ending with a surprise souvenir purchase!
Kasbah du Toubkal: A National Geographic World's Most Unique Lodge
The drive from the coast of Taghazout to the High Atlas Mountains took around 5 or 6 hours. Repetitive at first (it was backtracking our original route, going back through Marrakesh), but dramatic by the end with beautiful views of the snowcapped mountains and treacherous one-way sized roads on the edge of a cliff. We were headed to the Kasbah du Toubkal, a National Geographic "one of the world's most unique lodges." A three-night stay at this remote lodge was a Christmas gift from my boss– she's known to give extravagant, generous, and extraordinary gifts. (Thank you Kyra!) That being said, we really didn't know what we were getting into, as we drove up the bumpy dirt road to a tiny rural village...
Ups & Downs in Taghazout, Morocco
On our first ever trip to Africa, I was feeling jittery and excited to check off another continent on the bucket list.... and perhaps a bit nervous after reading mixed reviews on Morocco. We were headed to the tiny surf town of Taghazout in Morocco for a surf contest. Our 12-day stay at a local surf and yoga villa had it's ups and downs, from fabulous ocean views and rooftop yoga to multi-day sickness and food poisoning. It was quite the experience...
Living the Resort Lifestyle: Acapulco, Mexico
A few months after returning from Italy, our next stop was Acapulco Mexico for a surf contest. Shaun had been to Acapulco for this surf contest at least 4 or 5 times, but it was a first for me! The contest is sponsored by the Princess resort, which is on the sand at the contest site. We typically opt for Airbnbs or boutique hotels, so the resort lifestyle was a little different for us, but we definitely enjoyed the 4 pools and 5 restaurants over our 7 day stay.
Quick Trip to Palermo, Sicily
We wrapped up our week in Italy with a two-night quick trip to Palermo, Sicily! I knew I wanted to squeeze in a third destination to our seven day trip so we played with the idea of Cinque Terre or Tuscany, but because it was early May, the weather in northern Italy would've likely been pretty chilly and I was hoping for some bikini time! We went as far south as possible (seeking sunshine!) and decided on visiting the beautiful island of Sicily.
Day Trip to Positano, Amalfi Coast
For our 4-day stay in the Amalfi Coast, we decided to make our home base in Sorrento. It's easy to access the neighboring towns via ferry, scooter, taxi or bus. Our first full-day in the area we spent in Capri, and for our second day we decided to explore Positano, the bustling centerpiece of the Amalfi Coast...
The Best Day Ever in Capri, Italy
We planned a beautiful day on the fabulous island of Capri, Italy that would have been romantic and memorable on it's own– but the afternoon ended with the best surprise of my life!
Waking Up in Rome
Our flight landed in FCO at 9PM and we were catching a train to Sorrento at 2PM the next day, so that only left us with a handful of hours to see Rome. I love scheduling these quick one-night stops in big cities and planning a whirlwind sightseeing-filled day before moving on to our next stop...
The Philippines on Film
Shaun always brings a film camera along for our travels, and every time it's always so exciting to have the photos developed and be pleasantly surprised with what was captured. This is the unedited film roll from our two weeks in the Philippines.
Two Weeks on Siargao Island, Philippines
Of all the places we’ve been to, I never really imagined myself going to the Philippines. I didn't know anything about the country, and it just wasn't on my radar. But because of a surf contest, a super-sweet flight deal, and the alignment of the stars, Shaun and I found ourselves visiting tiny Siargao Island for two weeks.
Adventure to Sugba Lagoon
Sugba Lagoon is a must-do while on Siargao Island! The endless crystal clear turquoise water surrounded by dozens of miles of mangrove forests is unlike anywhere we've ventured before. You can take a guided tour from General Luna, arrange a private driver, or you can follow our DIY-adventure for an unforgettable day-trip to Sugba Lagoon for under $10!
Taste of Siargao Island
There's a surprising amount of restaurants to choose from on tiny Siargao Island– we were there for two weeks and still didn't try everywhere on Tourism Road! We were also surprised by the amount of international cuisine available: Italian, Japanese, Hawaiian, Mexican, Indonesian, to name a few. Each restaurant typically had a couple Filipino dishes on the menu, but there weren't as many traditional Filipino restaurants in the area as I would've expected. All that to say, Siargao is full of delicious options! Read on to hear everywhere we ate during our two week stay.
How We Scored Business Class Seats for the Price of Economy
We booked our trip to the Philippines on a whim, thanks to an amazing “mistake fare” flight deal – literally, this means the airline made a "mistake" on the price! I found this unbelievable deal thanks to Scott’s Cheap Flights, an email newsletter that simply sends out alerts on awesome international flight prices. After subscribing on the free plan for a couple years, I paid the $39 annual free for "premium" membership and it immediately paid off when I received this alert just a few weeks later: $600 round trip BUSINESS CLASS seats to Asia! This exact business class round trip ticket normally sells for $6,000.
Weekend Getaway to Austin, TX
I've always heard Austin, TX was a really fun city, like a mini-San Francisco (imagine a liberal bubble in the middle of Texas) with great food and lots of live music. After our quick 3-night stay in Austin– I totally agree! Because there's a wavepool in nearby Waco, Shaun and I decided to take another weekend getaway to somewhere we typically wouldn't travel to.
New Mexico on Film
Shaun's hobby of film photography is a really fun way to capture authentic moments. Since you basically get one shot per photo (unlike the dozens of identical images that I collect on my iPhone), it's super exciting to get the photos developed and revealed. Sometimes they're ruined by light leaks, sometimes the color is totally off, and sometimes it's a perfect imperfect photo.
A Weekend in Santa Fe
Because of an amazing credit card promo, I received a year-long Southwest Airlines companion pass and 40,000 points! We decided to use the opportunity to explore parts of USA that we normally wouldn't spend money to visit (*cough cough* because there's no ocean nearby). First up, Santa Fe, New Mexico– The Land of Enchantment!