Spas established on healthy ground tend to reside in regions of the world with exquisite earth, muds, and waters. These phenomena are propitious byproducts of science. Specifically, geology. Now, I’ve never planned a healthy getaway. I’ve been fortunate in stumbling upon a few towns with the properties of a healthful destination. And this is probably because like a good nerd I tend to select areas with intriguing volcanic history.

Banos, in south-central Ecuador introduced me to the fecund valleys of the volcanic Andes. Driving away from Quito, the urban sprawl slowly rolls out of houses and towns, until green begins to dominate. That drive is cleansing itself, as the pollution clears out and the sky seems to grow out of the rich, mountainous earth. Baños means baths in Spanish, and the town is known for its hot springs. Guess what heats this little community’s baths? Volcanoes! Volcan Tungurahua (Little Hell) was erupting when my friend and I arrived, painting the already breathtaking sunset across the green peaks a pregnant orange I had never seen before in nature. It continued to erupt for the next week; and the town was evacuated shortly after we left. The people were unbothered by the ash, they drove through it, paraded under it, and swept it from their sidewalks in the morning.

We checked into Hostel Flores y Blanco, and spent that evening on the rooftop, enjoying the sunset, the clean air. Looking to the spewing ash, the estate of Adventure Spa was the closest habitation to the eruption. Below it, a waterfall streams straight down the cliff, and we learned that it landed in a bathhouse. Below the rooftop, the friendly, touristy town is quiet, filled only with the churchbells ringing and perhaps some trepidation.

During our stay, we biked the waterfall trail (Via de Cascades) to Puyo, which was actually a road that happened to follow a river and pass by dozens of waterfalls, leading eventually to el Paillon del Diablo falls (the Pillar of Satan!), accessible by jungly trail, Indiana Jones-type cable bridge, and spiral, moss-strewn stairs to a balcony below the mouth of the falls and above the churning pool. The force of this falls still gives me chills. The clamor, the powerful sucking of air into the plunge pool, and the thick color of the water itself riveted me to my damp spot on the stone.

When we returned, we visited the hot springs. After twenty-something kilometers on a bike with no shock absorption and poor cushioning, there is little else your body craves than a soak in scalding volcano water. The spring bursts forth from Tungurahua at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. There are three pools at the hot springs. The “hot tub” is the closest you’ll get to that natural heat, and a medium pool mixes the hottest with the deeper, cooler mineral water. We spent quite a bit of time hopping from pool to pool. The medium, I admit, was the most relaxing, but not because it was the height of lethargy. No, the hot tub overtook my body with a gentle force I hadn’t expected, and hadn’t experienced without the assistance of quite a lot of beer. Within minutes I was ready to lose consciousness, and so decided to prove my worth by going straight to the cold pool. And by cold I mean maybe 50 or 60 degrees. Ah, cold, shocking redemption.

Other activities were jungle trips organized by the abundant travel companies competing on the streets, who also took people up to the erupting volcano and on bicycle tours. Hiking the Bellavista trail toward Adventure Spa occupied one precious morning, which was bright and cool and empty. We saw few travelers on our own adventures, and liked it that way for a time.

A more remote, albeit no less touristy, healthy stop in Ecuador is the even more majestic valley of Vilcabamba, renowned for its waters, said to help its residents live to well over a hundred, easy. The near-perfect Hosteria Izhcayluma settled itself onto the mountain slope and established a small estate, decorated with flowerbeds and arboreta, and offering a gamut of spa services on site. In town, just a mile down the road, are plenty of cheaper options where locals with some certification, I assume, run wax, massage, and spa-ish businesses.

My favorite reason to recommend these villages is that in just a few days, they can be accomplished. You can do and see most things within a week, and leave feeling refreshed.

Bookmark to:

As Ron Burgundy, Will Ferrell’s character from the movie Anchorman, says, “San Di-ah-go: drink it in and it always goes down smooth.” After experiencing this sunny Southern California city, it is difficult to disagree. From beautiful beaches to amusement parks to its historic “Old Town” district, San Diego does not disappoint. So bust out that bathing suit, take a stroll along the surf, visit a museum, take in a Padres game, or simply sit back and enjoy the warm weather.

Bookmark to:

The Golden Gate Bridge, completed in 1937, reaches across the open mouth of the San Francisco Bay stretching over the churning Pacific waters below. Painted in what is officially called international orange, the bridge itself is truly massive and stunning to behold from either sides of the bay, or from within the bridge along its bike and walking paths. Check out the voice post below for a firsthand account:

Bookmark to:

Looking for some exercise and adventure this summer? Never had to dodge cows and sheep while zipping downhill on two wheels? Then maybe this summer will be the best time to see New Zealand by bike.

New Zealand is a country marked by luscious rolling hillsides and temperate climates. Its mountainous regions are some of the most scenic and idyllic in Oceania, and are best experienced from their peaks. For decades, New Zealand has been a favorite destination for nature lovers and thrill seekers. In fact, the world’s first commercial bungee jumping site was established in Queenstown, New Zealand, in 1988. Today, the adventure tourism industry is still booming in Kiwi Land and a dizzying array of heart pounding, terrain traversing tours are available to visitors.

RealTravelers, Tony and Carrie, have been on a worldwide tour since last June, jet setting from Portland to Beijing through Thailand and eventually setting down in New Zealand just last month. Avid cyclists, the winding mountain trails outside of Queenstown provided a perfect opportunity for Tony to satisfy one of his lifelong dreams:

“On my list of things that I wanted to try before I die was Heli-Biking. This is what I would consider the luxury version of being dropped at the top of the hill and not having to pedal bike to get back to the valley. The bicycle term for this is “shuttling”. Normally I am of the mindset that you should ride up what you want to ride down and shuttling is considered cheating. I am also of the mindset that you should try anything once before you pass judgment.”

“The view from the helicopter was magnificent, but the flight took less than 10 minutes. We touched down on the top of Pisa conservation area, unloaded the bikes and the copter left us to our fun. You could see for miles in every direction and I could see the trail running downwards from where I stood into the valley below. Of course there was some up hill, but it was very minimal and only opened up to more downhill.”

“We were riding through farmland, so we weren’t riding alone. Occasionally, you’d come across a sheep (there are way too many) or a cow or both or a bunch of them hanging out on the trail. The English guy [another biker on the tour] was leading with me close behind. I came around a corner and the English guy had come to complete stop because there was a whole herd of cows standing in the trail and he had never ridden with livestock before. I shot past him and said ‘Ride at them, they’ll move.’ and luckily, I was right. The panicked stricken cows ran off the trail we continued on our way. As we rode lower and lower, the livestock was more frequent and I had sheep and cows running every which way in front of me.” (more…)

For truly unique outdoor experiences, New Zealand is a travel destination with plenty to offer. Tours are available at nearly every park and trail. Check out the links below for other travel tips, and hotel ideas.

New Zealand Blogs
New Zealand Hotels

Bookmark to:

San Sebastian is a picturesque Basque town on the Bay of Biscay in Northern Spain. This popular resort town hosts the annual San Sebastian International Film Festival along with a long running jazz festival that keeps the town buzzing all summer long. Surfers are in abundance here along with sunbathers, families and tourists from around the world. Try the local cuisine, marvel at the historic architecture or hike through the beauty of the surrounding hillsides.

Bookmark to:

Finding my way to Iceland has been on my top five for years. For the longest time all I knew about Iceland was that it was green, not icy, and that it ranks in the top spots for the Human Development Index. This didn’t interest me all that much as a ten year-old. Then I heard that you can bicycle around the perimeter of the island. Now it was a destination. When I heard that the country is not only green but beautiful and volcanic, and that the people of Iceland weave some of the warmest sweaters imaginable, my mind was made up. Someday I would bike Iceland.

Today, quite a while later, in hopes to galvanize my own wanderlust and of course to tickle a few fancies, I will dispense all the highlights of this research, which I have not yet utilized. Take for instance the volcanic history. Iceland’s distinct geologic qualifications can go head to head against Yellowstone, that supervolcanic throne. A cluster of active volcanoes on what some believe is a mantle plume, riding two tectonic plates, in the same region as glaciers and icecaps (with eruptions possible above or below ground), yields a very interesting countryside indeed.

A setting as individual and varied as Iceland’s terrain begs a bike. Where there is a visible continental shift, canyons over hotspots, and magnificent glacial rivers amplified by the seasons in addition to volcanic activity, the immediate groundcover is as fascinating as the landscape. This is why biking the Ring Road optimizes your visit. Most of Route 1, “the” road, has been paved, but honestly, that’s not too much of a bother, when you’re looking at a month on that contraption. The interior of the island is wasteland (actually, most of the interior has not been developed, with exceptions of some dissecting bus routes and tourist traps), whereas the coast offered sustainable resources, and so the perimeter route was born, connecting the bulk of the population in a ring.

We begin at the international airport at Reykjavik. From there, my first stop is Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park, where geology and politics converge: here is the site that has hosted significant portions of Iceland’s gubernatorial history, which includes a very early parliament, and the location where the Gods were officially replaced by just the one. It is here that the miracles of earth science creak from below, splitting the Almannagjá canyon along the continental drift, shaking the National Park with regular seismological activity.

On southward: where we leave most of the tourists at Thingvellir, and experience the open countryside. Much of the road is meandering farmland, with dots of the mountains always sitting like pebbles in the distance of horizon photographs. Along the belly of the island, where the views grow in scope as the land gets odder, Iceland begins to show off. Dunes and old lavaflows enter the mix while the road hedges the mountains, and you must stop to touch everything around you.

Peddling northeast, the Vatnajökull glacier (which is technically redundant) affects the landscape with its, wait for it, lava desert. Inside its massive holdings are two volcanoes.

As we get in better shape, learn to pace ourselves and sleep in very very small towns and most often in a durable tent, we head north. Note: my research has always found maps with the routes following this direction, although clockwise is recommended for taking advantage of the trade winds.

Above the glacier the road gets a little tricky, and we’re in new territory. Here in the east fjords, the views are more interesting, and the road will vie for your attention as well, as we head for the desert. The road goes inland from the fjords, and uphill, to reach exposed flatlands, where it is only sporadically paved, and I’d surmise you’re reminded that you are very far north indeed. At this point we may choose to move along the more inland route, towards Mývatn. The nature reserve in this area should be avoided at certain times during the summer (part of the name comes from the midge fly, which seems rather daunting when there are pseudocraters and a volcano nearby that could have inspired a more pleasing title), but otherwise this touristy area will be a welcome refresher. Birdwatchers, enjoy.

Finishing off the trip south and west, the fjords of Iceland set the scene, and we begin to familiarize ourselves with lavafields and glaciers. The road may sound long, arduous, and lonely, but the tourist industry is growing, cyclists are interested, and the people are rated fourth happiest in the world. Sounds like a nice diversion to me. Bring your geology textbook.

Guest writer Sara Haxby once entertained dreams of becoming a trucker, and seeing the entire country from the windshield of her big-rig. Today, she works a regular nine-to-five but still finds time to travel the globe and to share her stories with Realtravel.

Bookmark to:

A California vacation tends mainly to feature two prominent locations: Los Angeles and San Francisco. But why limit oneself to those cities only? Between LA and SF lies beautiful SLO, San Luis Obispo: home of Cal Poly’s main campus, the legendary (and beautiful) Madonna Inn, the first solar-powered cinema in the United States, stellar shopping, and spectacular scenery. For outdoorsy types, there is Bishop Peak: a lovely option for a day hike. For more cosmopolitan travelers, there is downtown San Luis Obispo, with its charming boutiques and nightlife locales. SLO may not be as well-known as LA or SF, but is a worthy vacation spot nonetheless, with plenty to do and see.

Bookmark to:

Paris, France. What else can you say about it? With sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Musee De Orsay and many more to see, this city in France is a must-see. Stroll down the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triumph or enjoy a glass of French wine at the Sacre Cours. See Napoleans tomb or the church of the hunchback of Notre Dame. There are sites to see everywhere and you will find yourself falling in love with the city of romance.

Bookmark to:

Looking to plan a weekend getaway with friends? This week we’ll be sharing some destinations that are fun for getting some of your friends together for a vacation you won’t forget.

Hey fellas, need a break from the everyday grind? Then take a trip to Dublin with a few of your favorite lads to enjoy some pints of Guinness, swing some golf clubs, or wander around historic castles. Dublin is both the largest city and the capital of Ireland and offers a variety of activities that can keep you busy all day long.

Start the trip off by seeing one of the top international visitor attractions in Ireland, the Guinness Storehouse. This impressive building in the shape of a giant pint of Guinness has seven floors of beer, beer, and more beer. RealTravel blogger Angus had the chance to visit the store house last winter.

“Dave and I found ourselves getting rather giddy with excitement from the moment we were in range and the pace of the group quickened until we set foot in the vast modern building. We seemed to have timed our visit perfectly as there was not one person in line (a very different story to when we left around lunch time and the queue went around the block outside in the cold and wet!) The factory proved to be very educational and interesting and well worth the entrance fee. The highlight of the visit was sitting back in the Gravity bar seven stories high looking down over Dublin with a complimentary pint of Guinness in hand!” (more…)

If you still have not got your fill of beer, then mosey on into Temple Bar, an area on the south bank of the River Liffey known as Dublin’s cultural quarter. Its medieval street pattern with many narrow cobbled streets is often flowing with tourists during the day and brimming with lively party animals at night. Home to many different Irish cultural institutions, music venues, and pubs you will be sure to find something that catches your interest.

Take a break from the endless amounts of pubs to hit a few balls on the green. Dublin has over 60 of the country’s finest golf courses offering varying difficulty levels all with excellent standards. However, book your tee time in advance so you do not set yourself up for disappointment.

Alongside golf courses a variety of other attractions dot the Irish countryside, some of which include hundreds of different castles. However, one of the more notable ones is the Dublin Castle located in the historic part of the city. It was first founded as a major defense complex in 1204, and since then has played a number of roles including the former fortified seat of British rule in Ireland. You can admire its enormous towers, try to snag a seat in the Throne Room, or roam around the Dubhlinn Gardens. Daily tours are available.

So what are you waiting for? Pack a bag, grab your friends, and head to one of the liveliest places a lad could ever visit!

Dublin Hotels
Dublin Restaurants

Bookmark to:

Looking for a unique travel destination with a musically historical significance? Head to Liverpool, England, otherwise known as the birthplace of The Beatles.

Legendary Beatles hotspots are located throughout the city. An informed traveler, perhaps with the aid of a decent Liverpool map, should have no problem locating the famous Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane for which the songs are named, as well as the homes, schools, and birthplaces of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Tourists can also explore the Cavern Quarter, home to the Cavern Club at which the Beatles performed 292 times. For a more educational experience, travelers can pay a visit to “The Beatles Story,” (a museum chronicling The Beatles’ rise to fame) or they could seek out a Beatles tour, which takes visitors past various Liverpool landmarks, and often includes admission to the museum.

RealTraveler, Fretless visited last summer, and managed to get a picture taken with John and Paul:

“I have visited the Cavern district, and had my photo taken with Paul McCartney’s statue there. This visit, I got my photo taken with John Lennon’s statue which stands prominently in the airport named after him.” (more..)

Of course, if the opportunity to explore the roots of a legendary rock and roll group is not incentive enough to board that plane, keep in mind that Liverpool was founded in 1207, and therefore has plenty to offer in the way of history. Realtraveler Ever Onward for instance, references visits to the Albert Dock, The Maritime Museum, the Liverpool branch of the Tate Museum, and the Anglican Cathedral, which he describes as, “a splendid work of spiritual art.” See more Liverpool attractions to help plan your trip this summer!

Bookmark to: