Machu Picchu, Photo by Richard McColl

The fable of an El Dorado shrouded in early morning mists draws hundreds of Patagonia-clad pilgrims of all shapes, sizes and ages to Machu Picchu every day.

Machu Picchu is the most oversubscribed trek in the Andes and for good reason.

You need a little physical conditioning, the right gear, some enthusiastic guides and the warmness of the solidarity of the other hikers, but with preparation and good humor, the trek to Machu Picchu is one of the most rewarding journeys in the world.

Don’t get me wrong, this trek is not all peaches and cream. The Inca Trail requires crossing summits of 4200m and descending over unequal Incan paving. You would be well advised to hit the gym for at least a few weeks before your trip.

What to Expect

Given the popularity of the Inca Trail, a pathway dating back to the 13th century, the Peruvian authorities have come up with novel ways of trying to spread some of the wealth of tourism to the local highland communities.

Put simply, even on the most no-frills tour you will be waited on hand and foot by obliging and friendly Quechua speaking locals who make up the Peruvian government’s solution to rural poverty and unemployment in the Urubamba valley.

Of the 500 locals permitted onto the trail every day, roughly half of these are working. So, should you sign up with one of the plethora of agencies offering the trip you will find that your guides, porters, chef, assistant chef and others all pretty much match the numbers of foreigners in your group.

“Porters” I hear You Say?!

Yes, ever since 2000 it has been made impossible to do the Inca Trail as a solo traveler. Don’t scoff.

After brushing aside the first day and its mild gradients, by halfway through the second day you will be grateful for your coca leaf chewing, sandal clad friend as you see him sprint into the distance ahead of you with your belongings.

As you fall into camp having bettered “Dead Woman’s Pass” at 4200 meters, and see your tent already set up for you with your sleeping bag laid out and you new best friend offering you a hot beverage, you will bless the Peruvian authorities for this most excellent regulation.

Photo by Richard McColl

Getting here and the Cusco

Generally speaking you need to have booked yourself onto the trek at least three months in advance, otherwise unless you are a lucky solo traveler who manages to sneak onto a last minute space, you will be found wanting and be pushed onto an “alternative” trail such as the Salkantay.

Your next step after dusting off your hiking boots and outdoors equipment and going for a few runs around the block is to secure those flights to Cusco.

You will start in Cusco, ancient capital of the Incan empire, fondly remembered in “The Motorcycle Diaries” movie when a small indigenous guide, Nestor points out to the Che Guevara character the differences in the building capabilities of the Incans and the Spaniards.

Nestor tells Che that one set of stones was built by the Incas, and the other by the Incapaces.

Cusco is everything from a party town to a cultural mecca complete with its ayahuasca toting shamans and baroque Spanish colonial churches.

The town has something for everyone including many camping shops where you can stock up on last minute supplies.

The Trek Itself

Starting at kilometer 82 in the town of Ollantaytambo on the railway line from Cusco you show your passport and entry ticket for the trail and then you are off. This first day consists of a mere 11km with some rises and some falls, but for the most part is eminently manageable.

Passing the Incan levels and ruins at Llactapata gives you a flavor of the delights in store.

Day Two is the most vividly remembered portion of the trek as no one is quick to dismiss the ascent that takes you to 4200m and Warmiwañusca or Dead Woman’s Pass – so called because the silhouette of the valley resembles that of a naked woman lying on her back. (I have hiked the trail five times and only ever made out the nipple).

At the top of the pass, views of one valley herald furthers views of another and it is hard to imagine the stamina and duress of the Inca chaskis (messengers) who ran the trail delivering urgent messages between the Tambos (rest-points). Perhaps at one time they delivered the news of the arrival of the Spanish.

Dead Woman’s Pass, Photo by Richard McColl

Snap your photos, cheer on the others in your team and those about you and then descend rapidly to get out of the whipping cold winds thrown up at this altitude in the Andes and head down into the verdant cornucopia of the cloud forest.

A cold night beckons 600 meters lower in the Pacamayu campsite and undoubtedly an unfriendly morning on Day Three but the worst is clearly over.

Day Three begins with an hour and a half ascent up through to another pass to Sayaqmarka and while your humor might have reached critical levels you can take some solace in that now that you have completed this, you are well on your way to completing the Inca Trail.

Here the trail hugs the outside of the mountain wall and orchids of varying colors lighten your grey mood.

Just past Wiñay Wayna, where the Incas used extreme engineering to place cultivation terraces up a mountain wall and experiment to see which crop would grow best at which altitude, you will finish the third day and meet up with those trekkers only doing the 1 day course.

You will know who the one-day trekkers are, for being clean shaven and perfume scented is a dead giveaway by this point.

Day Four is not a day’s hike in the slightest. It is a study in human behavior prior to a two hour run to make it to Inti Punku or the Sun Gate.

Guides zealously block others from passing their groups, eager hikers arise well before 5.30am when the checkpoint opens to ensure their place at the front and the feeling is nothing short of competitive.

Everyone strives for that award winning photo of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate without any day-trippers spoiling the shot.

But you are here!

Machu Picchu has been reached and any feeling of bitterness with those unhelpful souls ahead of you gives way to a certain euphoria. Head now to the ruins, take your tour and quickly scramble to the top of Wayna Picchu (Young Mountain) for breathtaking views from the other side.

You’ll need to hustle as only 400 people per day are permitted up this steep upright promontory and not only are you competing with your fellow four day veterans but also the one dayers and day-trippers!

Community Connection!

Matador member Lola is trekking the Inca Trail right now!

Other Matador members who have made the journey to Machu Picchu include Lyza, who didn’t sign up in time to trek the main trail but wrote a great blog about her time on the “The Inca Jungle Trail“, and Matador founder Ross, who shares the fruit of his trip in the blog “Quick and Dirty Picks for Peru.”

Matador is a community of passionate travelers. Check out the people of Matador and make your own profile today!

Feature photo by kevinandersson Photo by pizzodisevo

In this guide you’ll find advice for both a bare-bones budget trip of 30 euros per day and a more comfortable but still frugal budget of 100 euros per day.

Shelter

Lodging is where you’re going to spend the most money in Italy.

30E / day

If you’re an adventurer, Couchsurf. Besides bringing the cost of your stay down to $0, you will meet people who will undoubtedly be willing to host you next time you find yourself in Italy.

Couchsurfing is more popular and mainstream than you think. Rome alone has over 1,400 registered Couch Surf members.

100E/day

If you’re not so trusting or have a family, HI Youth Hostels are ample in Italy and are some of the most clean and beautiful hostels in the world.

For 10-20E / person / night you can stay in a renovated church, villa or a converted castle. Most offer family rooms for a higher fee.

Photo by travellingtamas

Food

Food is the heart of Italian life. Even in my poorest backpacking days, I existed on good bread topped with tomatoes, garlic and whatever cheese I could find for 2E per meal.

It is not customary to tip in Italy, so don’t feel bad and waste your money- the service charge has already been added to the bill.

30E / day

If you’re willing to buy and cook your own food, you should be looking at 10E or less per day for food.

Some saving tips:

Eat at the bar, don’t sit down. You could get charged as much as 5x the amount for an espresso if you sit down.

Shop the markets and don’t look down your nose at supermarket boxed wines; I’ve had good table wine for as little as .65E in Italy!

100E / day

If you spend a little more on food, you won’t be disappointed.

More saving tips:

Beware of tourist trap restaurants near major monuments.

Look for trattorias, which are cheaper than ristorante, and order only primi (first courses). This is usually a pasta dish and will fill you up.

Soda is expensive in Italy – order the house table wine instead. Wine is often even cheaper than water!

Photo by wtlphotos

Getting Around

There is an array of bus and train options to take you around Italy.

Once in town, you can walk anywhere that you need to go. There is absolutely no reason to take a cab anywhere unless you are in an extreme hurry.

30E / day

Get ready for this, don’t buy a ticket. That’s right- get on the train/bus and hope for the best.

Italy’s train and bus personnel only conduct random checks for tickets and because schedules are often crazy, you are allowed to purchase when you get on. If the conductor doesn’t come by, you’re in the clear.

Worst case scenario, you have to buy a ticket when the conductor comes by – so have money ready and pretend that you didn’t know any better.

100E / day

Metros, trains and buses are all relatively inexpensive. If there is more than 1 person in your group, you can save by purchasing a Saver Rail Pass at Tenitalia.

The Pass is for 2-5 people traveling together, and costs significantly less than purchasing individual tickets for each leg of the trip.

Sights

Why else would you come to Italy? The sheer volume of architecture and artwork is enough to keep you busy for months.

The things to beware of are extras tacked on expenses – 2E to see this part of the monument, 5E to climb it, etc.

30E / day

Thankfully, most sites are free if you don’t enter. The leaning tower of Pisa, the Roman forum, the outside of the Coloseum, Florence’s Grand piazza, the Trevi Fountain and the beautiful countryside all are sights you can visit without paying a cent.

100E / day

You can choose to visit a few major monuments for under 20E per day. Most cities offer a discounted multi-pass, granting you entrance to all listed sites for one price.

Inquire for these at the tourist information centers, generally located in the train station in the center of town.

Happy Travels!

Community Connection!

For more insider tips on travel in Italy, get in touch with travelers from the Matador community.

RollingStone is an expert on Rome. VitaSogno knows the locals in Assisi. Ghino studied and worked in Italy for two years.

Suz (or diastro americano, as her Italian cousins call her), speaks fluent Italian and has lived in Florence and Rome.

The Matador travel community is blossoming. Join us today.

Basata Huts at Sunrise, Photo by Benjamin Orbach

Basata, simplicity in Arabic, is about 20 kilometers north of Nuweiba in Sinai, the peninsula
south of Israel and Jordan, east of Suez, and across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia.

In the last ten years or so, I’ve traveled to Sinai seven times. Each time, it was to escape, whether from Jerusalem’s bus bombs, Ramadan fatigue in Amman, or just the honking of Cairo’s relentless traffic.

To me, the appeal of Sinai is, well, its simplicity. Basata and my previous haunts of Tarabin
and Ras al Shaytan are small stretches of beach that border the turquoise colored Red Sea.

Rather than the five-star hotels and grand buffets of Sharm al Sheikh and Taba, these beaches are home to bamboo-thatched huts, handmade colorful Bedouin rugs, and those thin mattresses that are meant to be slept on under the stars.

Where the Desert Meets the Sea

Each of these desert-meets-the-sea paradises offers something unique.

At Soft Beach in Tarabin, it’s pancakes topped with slices of melon and banana, chocolate nutella, and coconut shavings.

Egyptians, Israelis, and assorted internationals travel to Ras al Shaytan to play music together.

And in simple Basata, the beach’s uniqueness lies in its vegetarian, eco-friendly state of affairs.

Basata boasts a small bakery that churns out fresh bread, pastries, and pizza. The camp offers a vegetarian communal dinner ­ alternating each night between a red vegetable sauce over rice and the fried catch of the day.

Aside from the veggie food, Basata runs an impressive recycling operation. Guests sort their glass bottles and metal, and there is a separate can for table scraps and other unwanted leftovers that make up the stuff of doggy bags for the local cats.

Ras al Shaytan, Photo by Benjamin Orbach

Peace and Violence

In 2004, al-Qaeda terrorists bombed Ras al Shaytan’s peaceful huts. Sadly, there were major terrorist attacks in Sinai each of the last three years.

The Taba Hilton, located along the border with Israel, was bombed at the same time in 2004. Militants attacked Sharm al Sheikh in 2005, and Dahab ­ another Sinai beach ­ in 2006.

All told, close to 150 people were killed in these attacks with hundreds more wounded.

Still, on Friday night at the border, Israelis speaking Hebrew, Russian, and Arabic fill the terminal, many headed for the Taba Hilton’s casino for the night, similar to a Tijuana night out.

Sinai is a place to get away, not just for Israelis looking to gamble, but for middle class Cairenes too; Basata was full of young Egyptians away for the weekend. Europeans fly down for long weekends, especially to the resorts of Sharm al Sheikh.

Amid these travelers, the mostly poor, local Bedouin population lives off of the tourism industry, but also by commerce and smuggling.

Sinai doesn’t have urban areas with the trappings of government buildings and courthouses, town squares, or central parks.

Despite an increasing number of security stations and checkpoints that are charged with protecting tourists, Sinai remains a potential target for those who want to commit an attack.

So, if that is the case, why risk a trip to Sinai?

Well, it is a wonderful place. While terror attacks are attention-grabbing events that make the news; they aren’t a common killer.

For 2006, the U.S. Transportation Research Board projected that 43,300 people died in traffic
accidents on U.S. roads! Driving your car is more dangerous than visiting
paradise.

Basata Beach, Photo by Benjamin Orbach

Anti-American Fish

Trips to Sinai aren’t about stress and terror, but rather swimming and snorkeling in the Red Sea and then retreating to covered bamboo shelters to read, nap, and play backgammon.

A couple of visits ago, while snorkeling amid the greenish yellow coral, I came across a school of inch-long orangish red fish.

There were thousands of them, and they swam so close together that they appeared to be a giant Chinese New Year’s banner being pulled through the water.

On my last trip, I swam with some long, pencil thin, sky-blue fish that hovered close to the surface and pretended to be baby sharks.

Also worth mentioning was the little black fish with a silver dot that stalked me and bit my calf. It was the closest I came to anti-Americanism the whole weekend.

Red Sea Snorkeling, Photo by Benjamin Orbach

Stillness and Beauty

More noteworthy than anti-American fish, are Basata’s stillness and beauty.

Evenings here are clear, and as the sun retires and the fading light bounces off of the aqua sea, the Saudi hills turn reddish brown.

After dark, the night grows congested with constellations. Shooting stars tail across the field to the sounds of dried bamboo roofing rustling against the wind.

Tonight, lying in my hut, the stars are only a first act, as a giant orange half-moon just rose over the Saudi coastal lights. It sits low on the horizon, almost bobbing on top of the sea, before rising into the brightening night sky.

—-

If you are going, Basata takes reservations and the English speaking staff can be reached at www.basata.com.

If you are looking to love the nature but to sleep indoors, the Movenpick in Sharm al Sheikh is quality place and a good launching point for trips to Ras Mohammed, the fantastic Egyptian national park that is home to world-class diving and 2 million year old fossil reefs.

On the border with Israel, there is the Taba Heights complex and The Taba Hilton; both are higher end places with diving centers and casinos.

Community Connection!

Matador members who know and love the Middle East include Muttabal, an expert on Lebanon, Abha, who knows local corners of Dubai, and dwb, who writes:

“I’m currently living in Syria working on a project about contemporary Syrian society. But mostly I just try to find excuses to travel around the Middle East taking pictures.”

Matador is a community of engaged travelers who care about social justice. Join us today.

Beautiful Bottom Bay, Photo by Eva Holland

One of the most popular and heavily-touristed islands in the Eastern Caribbean, Barbados certainly offers its share of generic resort experiences. In fact, the peaceful west coast, sheltered from the open Atlantic, is devoted almost entirely to high-end, gated resorts, duty-free shopping, and over-priced daiquiris.

Fine, if that’s what you came for.

But in spite of the heavy development in some areas, Barbados retains a distinct personality, a regional cuisine, some stunning natural areas and plenty of local traditions and culture.

If you’d like to experience the best that the island has to offer, this guide is the place to start.

Oistins Fish Fry

Friday nights mean one thing to locals, tourists and ex-pats alike: fish fry time. Head down to the waterfront in the village of Oistins (on the south coast, east of Dover and Maxwell) anytime after sundown for a delicious, filling plate of the day’s fresh catch.

A double row of shacks serve the crowds, and everyone has their own favorite. Offerings vary from week to week, but red snapper, dolphin (the Bajan term for mahi mahi), swordfish and tuna are all common.

Try Annie’s, on the eastern end of the row facing the road, for the best selection of typically Bajan sidedishes, like peas’n’rice, grilled sweet potatoes, or macaroni pie. For an appetizer, check out the “Hot Legendary Fishcakes” booth, in the middle of the row.

After you’ve eaten, grab a bottle of island-brewed Banks beer and stick around; a DJ will be spinning the latest soca and dancehall reggae until at least midnight. Shake a leg with the locals if you dare.

Bathsheba, on the rugged east coast. Photo by Eva Holland

Bottom Bay

Just before the south coast turns a sharp corner and becomes the east coast at Ragged Point, you’ll find Bottom Bay, and it’s as perfect a tropical beach as I’ve ever seen.

Though there are some new suburb-style housing developments going up in the area, the nearest hotel is miles away and the beach – tucked between rocky cliffs, and reachable by a narrow dirt path – is almost totally undeveloped.

I say “almost” because no trip to Bottom Bay is complete without meeting the beach’s resident “coconut guy,” a young local who calls himself Dr. Mongoose.

For a small fee, Dr. Mongoose will shimmy up a 30-foot palm tree, bring down a fresh young coconut, and hack it open for you to enjoy the refreshing water inside. He also rents a couple of lounge chairs.

Dr. Mongoose in action at Bottom Bay. Eva

Bottom Bay is a little out of the way, and the waves are too heavy for swimming most days, but if you’re looking for a stunning dose of icing-sugar sand, swaying palms, and colors worthy of a Corona ad, don’t miss it.

Bathsheba

Because the Atlantic surf on the island’s rugged east coast is heavy at best, and legitimately dangerous at worst, this side of Barbados has been largely ignored by developers.

The sole exception is the ragged, laid-back little resort town of Bathsheba, which caters to surfers – local and foreign alike – who want to test themselves in “the soupbowl”.

The waves here are not for beginners, but even if you’re not a serious surfer it’s a gorgeous spot to while away an afternoon, watching the show.

Try the Roundhouse Inn for a beer and a bite to eat (budget tip: listed as a sidedish, the macaroni pie is nearly a meal in itself), or even stay for a night to fully savor the vibe. The Roundhouse, the Atlantis Hotel , and the Sea-U Guesthouse all offer rooms in the area at varying rates.

Beautiful Bottom Bay, Photo by Eva Holland

North Point

The jagged cliffs and frothy, pounding surf at the island’s northernmost point feel worlds away from the sedate beaches further south. Bring a picnic and enjoy the waves and the wind; wander a couple hundred yards east from the main point to see water being forced out and up into the air through a nauseatingly-deep blowhole.

Don’t let any handicraft vendors convince you that you need to pay to visit the point; there is no admission fee, and the parking and washrooms are also free of charge.

Waves crash at North Point. Photo by Eva Holland

Carlisle Bay

If you’re going to do fun in the sun you might as well do it right. And Carlisle Bay, on the south coast just east of the capital city, Bridgetown, is the place to go for beachy hedonism: think banana boats, jet ski rides, water trampolines, and more.

The action is concentrated at the beach’s western end; rent an umbrella and sip a daiquiri, join the beautiful people already splashing flirtatiously in the water, or pay the cover charge to gain access to The Boatyard, a beachfront club where a sound system blasting reggae-lite (Shaggy, Maxi Priest) keep an all-day dance party going.

The best part about Carlisle Bay, though, is that it’s a massive strip of sand: start walking east from the heart of the hedonism, and you’ll quickly find yourself on an undeveloped stretch populated mainly by a sprinkling of local residents.

On a Sunday, you might even see a born-again baptism taking place in the shallow, calm water.

Oistins Fish Fry. Photo by Eva Holland

Practicalities

The Barbados dollar (B$) is fixed at a rate of 2 to 1 with the US dollar; hotels generally quote prices in greenbacks, but Barbados dollars are used most everywhere else.

Barbados receives daily direct flights from Toronto, New York, Miami and London, to name a few. Grantley Adams International Airport is one of the best facilities in the Caribbean; it’s also a hub for smaller carriers serving the other islands.

Most of the mid-range and budget accommodation in Barbados is scattered along the south coast, in areas like Rockley, Dover, and the St. Lawrence Gap. Here’s a list of the island’s guesthouses organized by rate – note that costs will vary according to the season.

There’s not always a lot to choose from between these budget places, but The Dolphin Inn is recommended, clean and friendly.

In high season (roughly mid-December to early April) you may want to book all your accommodation in advance; from late March on, though, vacancy rates will start to rise, and you could probably just book the first couple of nights and then shop around.

(You’ll need to provide an initial hotel’s address to Barbadian customs, so you have to at least book your first night.)

There are also a number of Couchsurfers based in Barbados.

Public transit is pretty good in Barbados, and particularly along the south coast, where large government buses and smaller vans rush up and down the coastal road between Bridgetown and Sam Lord’s Castle. A single fare costs B$1.50.

These south coast buses will take you to Oistins and Carlisle Bay; Bottom Bay is not far past their terminus at Sam Lord’s, and is clearly signposted from the road. Bathsheba is also served by buses from Bridgetown; ask around for the routes headed up the east coast.

North Point is not on a bus route, and you’ll need a rental car or a taxi to get there.

Taxis are plentiful, safe, and reasonably priced; agree on a rate for your destination before you set off.

Community Connection!

Do you want to escape to a beautiful Caribbean island where you can hang with locals instead of scarfing down the travel equivalent of an Extra Value Meal at Club Med?

Check out our series on chill Caribbean islands by browsing related posts below, or get in touch with the remarkable individuals who wrote them -

Anna, who speaks French and Swedish and knows the lush jungles and romantic waterfall plunge pools of Dominica.

Tony, who eats rainbows and lives in the Virgin Islands with his wife and new baby.

Eva, a Canadian travel writer who can hold her own drinking beer with a New Zealand rugby team.

Matador is a community of aware travelers who are working together for a better world.

Join Us.

Croyde Bay by Steve Orchard

The surf scene in Croyde Bay features reliable waves, friendly locals and a chill rural atmosphere.

In a very small village in one of the quietest corners of the UK, there’s a bay that’s one of the best surf spots in the United Kingdom.

I’ll start this guide with a warning. Croyde Bay will dig deep into your subconscious, and you’ll be planning your return before you’ve even made it home.

Cream Teas And Crashing Surf

Famous for its cream teas and sleepy villages, Croyde Bay is located in Devon, the neighboring county of Cornwall. Croyde offers decent Atlantic waves and an unpretentiously warm welcome for both surfers and holidaymakers.

The village is entered via a cliff top road with spectacular views of Croyde bay on one side and the expansive Saunton Sands on the other.

Sunk into the Devonshire countryside, this pretty spot has both beach and reef breaks with a good mix of locals and visitors. Croyde Bay is by no means a secret location; people have been coming here for years. It is, however, a very cool place to surf till dusk and then swap stories with fellow surfers in one of the village pubs.

It’s worth mentioning the British weather, which is unpredictable at best. Traveling to this location in the summer will not necessarily guarantee sunshine, and it may well rain. However, if you are going there to surf, getting wet should be the least of your worries……

Photo by cloudsoup

A Healthy Obsession

I first came to Croyde a couple of years ago with the intention of learning to surf. I returned home after a long weekend aching and sore but also energized from the time spent on the surfboard.

I simply had to go there to surf again and have made the seven-hour drive from my home several times since.

Owing to its popularity, Croyde has often hosted the British surfing championships. There are reefs to the north and south of the beach (Baggy End Reef and Downend Point), but beginners like myself cautiously stick to the safe zones marked out by the lifeguards on duty during the day.

I have been warned that low tide is not a good time for inexperienced surfers as the waves are particularly powerful.

Boarding School

The popularity of Croyde means that it can get busy during peak holiday periods when many of the surf schools crowd the water.

It’s better to surf at the quieter periods in the morning and evening when you are more likely to be in the water with just locals (meaning less knocks from out-of-control boards).

Croyde is a very good place to learn to surf, as there are numerous schools that run half or full day sessions. Surf South West is a decent outfit with patient, experienced teachers and good facilities located close to the beach.

Après-Surf

After you’ve squeezed out the last of the daylight on the waves, there are three pubs in the village that serve good, inexpensive meals and real ale for the English beer enthusiast.

There is a party atmosphere at night and in The Thatch Pub (a typically quaint village hostelry complete with thatched roof) you will be able to see the local musical talent on most weekends.

There are also some more expensive restaurants; in the Blue Groove we had to wait a ridiculously long time for our meal, disappointing considering the prices we were paying.

No…Sleep…Till…Bedtime! (Bedtime!)

Staying in the UK is generally costly but there is a good range of accommodation in the village, starting with several campsites (most popular with budget-conscious surfers), guesthouses and hotels at the top end.

There are several convenience stores that sell everything you need for an English breakfast cooked al fresco on a camping stove. (Editor’s Note: Ugh. – TP)

A couple of surf shops hire wetsuits, surfboards and bodyboards. The water in the UK is always cold, even in summer – wear a good wetsuit.

This is a paradoxical location – one part rural English village, one part surfer’s paradise. The beach and waves are crowded during the summer and the water can be colder than a polar bear’s nipple.

However, there’s something special about Croyde Bay – the combination of waves and rural English welcome is simply unforgettable.

Croyde Bay countryside by Steve Orchard

Listings

Surf South West (surf school)

info@surfsouthwest.com

www.surfsouthwest.com

The Thatch Pub (drinks, food and bed & breakfast accommodation)

Hobbs Hill

01271 890349

Mitchums Campsite

Moor Lane

guy@croydebay.co.uk

www.croydebay.co.uk

The Little Pink Surf Shop (surf stuff to hire or buy, surf cam shots, accommodation listings)

Moor Lane

www.croyde-surf-cam.co.uk

Community Connection!

There are a lot of surfers in the Matador lineup.

Rhys is a native Australian who knows some good waves in Vietnam.

HawaiiBren can point you to the Top 10 South Shore Spots For Surfer Chicks, and over at the traveler’s notebook the inimitable Spencer Klein shares the Top 10 Surf Spots (For Mortals) In Hawaii.

Also check out Beebe’s’s definitive list of the guide to surfing in rural Spain.

Not a Matador member yet? Sign up for free by clicking here.

Feature photo by kk. Photo above by maurice

For a durable sense of well being, you’ll have to dig deeper than your pores. With wellness travel on the rise, retreats are sprouting everywhere.

The following eco-friendly retreats rely on local resources, offer multidimensional treatments for body, mind and soul and cost under $150 a day with accommodation included.

Since “retreat” suggests escape from the crowds, I favor smaller establishments on roads less taken.

Enjoy the scenery.

La Plâtrière, France

Healing seeps from the ground in this region of France. The volcanoes that forged the Auvergne’s valleys and mountains deposited precious minerals in its soil and springs.

The Auvergne region is studded with spa towns, but La Plâtrière hangs back on a quiet country road. A three-hundred-year old stone farmhouse welcomes guests in bright rooms equipped with en suite facilities, electric kettles and fluffy duvets.

Guests can also unwind around the in-ground pool or cycle the gently lilting countryside.

Between them, owners Jackie and Andrew Diaper can cater to almost every need.

Jackie, a trained psychotherapist, runs de-stress workshops and life counseling sessions.

Andrew is an experienced builder and fisherman who can help you purchase property in France, choose fish at the market or find your way around the region’s many lakes and streams.

A four-day de-stress “weekend” costs about $540 and includes daily relaxation sessions, an Ayurvedic head massage that loosens all your knots and meals prepared with fresh food from local markets.

Flexibility characterizes the spirit of La Plâtrière, from treatment approaches and scheduling to meal choice. I was even invited to come along to Saint-Amand Montrond and pick some ingredients from the extensive covered market.

The presence of personable pets, including two pygmy goats who enjoy massages, just adds to the intimate, homey feeling of the center.

La Platriere website

Photo by singsing_sky

Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp, Canada

Resting in the palm of Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains, the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp offers contemplation and outdoor recreation.

Winter weekend getaways combine yoga and meditation with cross-country skiing and snowshoeing over a forested landscape that rises and falls like a gentle breath.

In the summer, yoga classes are held on an outdoor deck, and guests can go canoeing or swim in the in-ground pool.

The rooms are clean but ascetic, consisting of bunk beds, a desk and a wicker armchair.

Weekend getaways, in shared occupancy with private bathrooms, cost $130.00 and include two daily yoga classes, afternoon sports and workshops, two brunches and one supper.

Workshops vary throughout the year and may include vegetarian cuisine, Indian music or the art of forgiveness.

Meals are buffet-style vegetarian, in keeping with the philosophy to choose things which have a positive effect on the body and have the least negative impact on nature.

Herbs come from the nearby garden and water is drawn from a local artesian well.

You should be aware that guests are urged to respect the atmosphere of the camp and follow the schedule, which includes early morning and evening Satsang, a silent meditation followed by group chanting and readings illustrating yogic principles.

In keeping with Vedanta’s emphasis on harmony among religions, hymn books include Christian and Hebrew prayers as well as Sanskrit verses.

Sivananda Ashram website

Photo by wanhoff

Harmony Dawn Retreat, Canada

What better way to practice mindfulness and gratitude than through the grounded, sensuous art of cooking!

Under the guidance of a professional chef, learn to create nutritious meals based on local and organic ingredients.

The three-day Cooking for Health, Qigong and Meditation workshops (about $350), held during the fall, include three vegetarian meals a day and accommodation in airy rooms.

Space is limited to ten people, so guests receive lots of individual attention and the atmosphere is light-hearted.

Renowned chef Nicola Lawrence also practices Tai Chi and Quigong, which uses breathing, movement and visualization to enhance energy flow, and she applies some of these yin-yang principles to her cooking.

The center is housed in a solar and wind-powered building decorated with wall-length windows overlooking Rice Lake. Visitors may forget that Toronto is about an hour away when they see deer and foxes scampering in the nearby woods.

Similarly priced interpretive dance and detox weekends are held during the spring.

Harmony Dawn website

Photo by kk

Weihrerhof Hotel, Italy

Set in a “Sound of Music” landscape, this compact, four-star hotel is shielded from the noisy outside world by the Dolomite Mountains.

Rooms are equipped with balconies overlooking Lake Wolfsgruben and the sunny, forested plateau of Renon.

The Dolomites have many sides, from rolling meadows to stark, lunar landscapes of limestone peaks and turquoise lakes.

You can explore the region through a guided-hiking week package that includes a visit to the famous earth pyramids, natural clay sculptures carved by erosion.

A Relaxing Week Package (about $798.00) includes seven days of half-board, 2 walking tours, two aqua-gym workouts in an elegant indoor pool and three sessions of yoga and Qi Gong.

Weiderhof website

Kalani Oceanside Retreat, Hawaii

Hawaii’s idyllic setting, rich diversity of plant and animal life and growing expertise in wellness vacations makes it an attractive retreat option.

Kalani, an educational nonprofit organization located on The Big Island, offers a wide array of therapies.

Rooms are equipped with light screens that allow guests to enjoy maximum airflow and stunning views of the tropical jungle and the Pacific Ocean.

A conch calls visitors to the outdoor terrace for meals concocted from exotic combinations of fruits, vegetables and seafood.

A three-day yoga escape package costs about $425 and includes access to the sauna and low-chlorine pool, one private yoga class as well as group classes, meals, double occupancy accommodation and a choice of activities including hula lessons, aromatherapy and meditation.

Hula, in its traditional form, includes chanting and story telling and allows participants to connect with their emotional and physical being.

Guests who can’t bear to go back to the mainland may work as volunteers and earn free accommodation and yoga classes.

Kalani website

Community Connection!

Planning a journey of spiritual awakening? Check out these inspiring articles in the Brave New Traveler archives:

Simple Beach Yoga For Backpackers by BNT editor Ian MacKenzie

How To Choose Your Perfect Yoga Retreat by Cam Karsten

Can You Development Your Spirituality Without Visiting India? by Christine Garvin

Here’s a link to BNT’s complete spiritual travel archive.

Photo by Andris Bjornson

Malaysian Borneo is straight out of an explorer’s dream. It’s home to the tallest mountain in South East Asia, the largest underground cavern in the world, and mile after mile of wild rain forest.

If it’s adventure you’re after, bypass the glitzy dive resorts and golf courses in the northern province of Sabah and head south to the jungles of Sarawak for some trekking.

Sarawak trekking takes more than a little slogging through muddy, leech infested territory. As you remove your sock to flick off what seems like the thousandth bloodsucker to wriggle its way through the mesh of your boot, you may find yourself questioning your choice of destination.

Surrounding you, though, will be some of the most bio-diverse forest in the world: home to 15,000 species of flowering plants, 3,000 species of trees, and 221 species of terrestrial mammals.

At the end of the day, safe and dry in a jungle hut with a stomach full of rice and tasty jungle vegetables, you won’t find yourself regretting a trip to Sarawak.

Photo by Andris Bjornson

The Kelabit Highlands

Sarawak offers a lot of options for jungle trekking. From large cities on the coast, you can catch a ride in a longboat or 4×4 to a tribal longhouse in the interior. There, you’ll sample the local cuisine and have the opportunity to discuss trekking options with local guides.

Many of these easily accessible longhouses have started to see a lot of traffic. You may find that they cater well to tourists, but provide a less authentic experience.

The village of Bario, high in the Kelabit Highlands, offers a more remote option. The village is accessible only accessible by six seater Twin Otter, and flights operate early in the morning to beat the afternoon fog.

Watching the twin peaks of Bukit Batu Lawi pass even with your wingtips as you descend to Bario’s tiny grass airstrip isn’t something you’ll soon forget.

The friendly MASWings pilots keep the cockpit door open during the short flight from Miri. If you ask nicely they may make a detour to give you better views of the local mountains.

Flights to Bario from Miri are a reasonable 70 Ringgit (USD 22) or an even more reasonable RM 55 (USD 18) from Marudi.

It’s actually possible to trek to Bario all the way from Miri, but it’s an extremely strenuous three week trip through some very rugged jungle terrain. Check out this guy Jeff’s blog for some pointers if you think you’re up to the challenge.

Relaxing in Bario

Once in Bario, you may find the hardest thing to do is make yourself leave. The high plateau air is invigoratingly chilly, and the vibrant green of the surrounding agricultural land is almost surreal. It would be easy to pass a few lazy mornings sipping steaming tea and reading a book on the porch of one of the basic guesthouses scattered through town.

Expect to pay about RM 50 (USD 15) per person per night for accomodation and food.

Wandering around the peaceful village and making a few local friends is a great way to pass an afternoon. The standard Kelabit greeting translates as something like “Hello! Where are you coming from? Where are you going?”

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself answering the same questions several times an hour.

Kelabit hospitality is legendary, in no small part thanks to the tasty food they prepare. Meals consist of a mix of cultivated rice, wild game, and jungle vegetables.

Cultures across Asia claim to produce the best rice in the world, but in the Kelabit Highlands those claims aren’t far off the mark.

The tender, long grain Bario rice will give you a new appreciation for rice as a meal rather than a staple. Kelabits eat rice three meals a day, but with the endless methods of preparation you won’t find yourself bored anytime soon.

Be sure to try the Kelabit equivalent of an energy bar: sweet, cooked rice molded to the shape of a bar and tightly wrapped in a banana leaf.

Photo by Andris Bjornson

Trekking Destinations

When you’re ready to hit the trails and start exploring, Bario offers plenty of options and makes an excellent base for exploring the area. Consider making the three day trek from Bario to Ba’kelalan via the tiny, peaceful village of Pa’Lungan.

Those looking for a more strenuous option can tack on a side trip up Mt. Murud along the way.

Other options include a three day trek to dramatic Bukit Batu Lawi, whose rocky twin peaks were photogenic enough to attract a North Face advertising film crew a few years ago.

Ba’kelalan has the same highland agricultural atmosphere of Bario, but is slightly more connected to civilization. It sports both an airstrip and a rough logging road running all the way to the coast.

A seat in a souped up 4×4 headed to Lawas will cost you slightly more than a flight, but the five hour roller coaster ride on sketchy dirt roads is an adventure in itself.

Ba’kelalan is famous for having convinced apple trees to grow in the cool climate. If you visit in late March, you may be lucky enough to catch the annual apple festival.

Locally produced salt is a source of Ba’kelalan pride. At one of the village’s salt springs, you can watch the production process from start to finish.

Photo by Andris Bjornson

Logistics of Sarawak Trekking

Rain and mud make jungle trails hard to follow, and the difference between a game trail and a walking trail is often a matter of opinion.

Getting lost could be life-threatening. Unless you’ve spent a lot of time navigating similar terrain, don’t venture into the jungle without an experienced guide.

The going rate for guiding is somewhere around RM 60 (USD 20) per day plus tip. You won’t have any trouble finding a guide in Bario if you ask around, but consider getting in touch with Walter Paran or his brother Mado. Both live in Pa’Lungan and will take great care of you on the trail.

Kelabit woodsmen are true masters of their environment, and watching one in action is a fantastic learning experience. When not guiding tourists, many woodsmen prefer to travel through the jungle off-trail because they say they can move faster that way.

The parang or machete is the woodsman’s Swiss Army Knife. Throughout your hike, you’ll probably see your guide put it to more uses you can count; hacking clear overgrown trail one minute, and delicately peeling jungle tubers for you to taste the next.

You’ll want to pack light for a jungle trek. You’ll gain significant elevation no matter which way you head from Bario, and at least half of the hike to Ba’kelalan is uphill.

Bring iodine to purify water, water bottles, a first aid kit, rain gear, and a fleece. You’ll either stay with Kelabit families or in simple, open, jungle shelters along the way so you won’t need a tent.

A hammock or sleeping pad and light sleeping bag can make for much more comfortable nights. If possible, leave the bulk of your gear in a Miri airport locker or in Bario if trekking a loop route.

Leeches are disgusting, but harmless. (Just keep reminding yourself that unlike mosquitoes, leeches don’t carry disease). A bit of deet sprayed on your boots will help, but if you think you’ll avoid them completely you’re sorely mistaken. Flick leeches off sideways, as grabbing and pulling only makes them hold on tighter.

Note that the ancient footpath route to Ba’kelalan zig-zags briefly into Kalimantan Indonesia. You won’t need a visa if you’re just passing through on your trek, but you must carry your passport.

The tiny jungle border crossing isn’t a visa on arrival location. Don’t expect to cross into Indonesia and stay unless you planned ahead and already have a visa.

Other Borneo Activities

If you wrap up a Kelabit Higlands trek and find yourself with time to spare, Borneo offers plenty of other options for the adventurous:

Gunung Mulu National Park is home to Sarawak Chamber, the largest cave chamber in the world. The park is accessible by air from Miri, and has a modern tourist infrastructure of maps, lodging, and wooden walkways.

Experienced guides lead adventure caving trips into the park’s wild caves, including Sarawak Chamber itself. For the most technical spelunking, try the Clearwater Connection route.

You’ll spend 5-7 hours crawling through tight passages, descending fixed ropes, and wading waist deep through underground rivers to link two of the parks most impressive show caves.

In Sabah, you can hike up the highest mountain in South East Asia: Mt. Kinabalu. The traditional two day hike ends with a 4am alpine start to catch sunrise on the summit.

Those wanting more adrenaline should check out the newly completed highest via ferrata in the world. Bolts and iron cables keep you safe as you explore Kinabalu’s more exposed flanks.

Community Connection!

Matador travelers who can share stories of their time in Malaysia include islandhapa, who attended a tattoo convention in Borneo, and NomadicMatt, who included Sarawak on his list of 8 Ways To Get Off The SE Asian Tourist Trail.

We are passionate travelers. Join the Matador community today.

Photo by Patrick Lucas. Luang Nam Tha Valley.

First, either fly or take the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, the heart of Northern Thailand.

Chiang Mai is the first stop on a well-trodden tourist trail that runs to Luang Prabang, south to Vientiane, and back to Bangkok. Thousands of travelers funnel through this route each year with hardly a glimpse out the window of their air-conditioned buses.

You are not just another backpacker. You are looking to experience something different, something that will push you beyond your comfort zone and provide a glimpse of the ‘other Lao’, a strange, exotic, and immeasurably beautiful part of the world that exists a mere hundred meters from the path so many travel.

Houay Xai

We must first head north, away from Chiang Mai to Houay Xai, a small town situated on the Lao side of the Mekong River across from Chiang Khong, Thailand. Houay Xai is just a small port town, a jumping off point for people looking for boats down river to Luang Prabang.

You see the river boats crammed with locals and tourists that will chug downriver at a painfully slow pace, and you turn away. You look to the mountains and hills to the north of the town and can feel something pulling you inland, inexplicable and unrelenting.

The Gibbon Experience

In Houay Xai you will find the offices for the Gibbon Experience, quite possibly the most unique and exhilarating wildlife experience in Southeast Asia.

Located in the Bokeo Nature preserve, a 123,000 ha area of protected forest in one of the most remote corners of Laos, this project is fully operated by the local Lammet and Hmong communities giving visitors the opportunity to understand their dynamic relationship with the forests.

Mobility is granted through the thick forest via 11 zip lines spread out across three ridges with tree houses in the canopy as accommodations. The project is quickly becoming one of the more popular in the country, so making reservations a few weeks in advance is recommended.

Bookings can be made through the Gibbon Experience website.

Water Falls near Ban Tanongpo. Patrick Lucas

Luang Nam Tha

A hard day of riding the bus through the forests of the Nam Ha Biodiversity Area on narrow dirt roads brings you to the small north western town of Luang Nam Tha.

Located in a broad valley on the Nam Tha River, and surrounded by tranquil rice fields and hills, Luang Nam Tha is one of the more scenic locations in northern Lao.

As a recipient of large amounts of funding from the United Nations Development program, Luang Nam Tha has developed into a major center for eco-tourism and is a significant destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

To many, however, the projects have begun to develop a somewhat “formulated” feel – superficial outings that focus on parading ethnic groups about in traditional garb while hawking cheap trinkets are quickly becoming the norm; experiences that provide little opportunity to gain any insights into the people’s lives.

Also, rapidly expanding rubber plantations are eroding the natural areas that once made the area so attractive. A quick browse among the tourist shops along the mainstreet, all sporting advertisements for identical sounding “tribal hill treks” says it all and you find yourself headed out of town on the first bus down the highway to Oudomxay Province.

Oudomxay

Arriving in Oudomxay town can be a bit of a shock. A cursory glance will give the strong impression that this is not a tourist destination. Oudomxay is little more than a highway truck stop with a single strip of old buildings on either side of the highway covered in dust from recent construction and situated in a deforested valley.

Over the last few years, with assistance from a number of international non-governmental organizations, tourism opportunities have been slowly developing in Oudomxay.

Though lacking in the glamor and glitz of more established projects in Luang Nam Tha or Luang Phabang provinces, the tourism opportunities in Oudomxay are new enough to ensure a unique and genuine experience for intrepid travelers.

The most interesting option is an overnight hike to Khmu villages in the highlands of the La District. These communities represent the ‘other Lao’, the part of the country those of us who have lived and worked in the country refer to as the ‘working Lao’, the part that hasn’t been overtaken or transformed by monolithic tourism operations.

The working Lao is a place that has remained largely unchanged in the last 150 years. The best part about these communities is that visitors are still viewed and accepted as guests, not just as travelers, and certainly not as tourists.

On the road Luang Nam Tha. Photo by Patrick Lucas

Into The Heart Of Lao

The trip starts in the early morning at the offices of the Tourism Authority. (Backpacks and large bags can be safely stored in a locked room in the office).

You are met by a local Khmu guide in a truck and then taken 30km on the highway to the north into the La District, one of the poorest areas in the province.

From there the truck gets off the main highway and drives 12km down a dirt and mud road that barely clings to the side of hills overlooking extensive rice paddies.

Eventually the truck comes to a stop at an indiscriminate bend in the road, and you can’t help but wonder why the guide has chosen this spot to park the vehicle. The guide shows you the trail head hidden at the roadside, just a small, single track running into the forest.

For more than two hours you hike through the jungle, crisscrossing a small stream that leads to the village, cut through a narrow, steep valley with thick untouched patches of old growth subtropical rainforest obscuring the sun overhead. This path is the only access to the village, and you meet school children who nimbly pass you by on their way home from another week at school.

You arrive at the village site in a burst of sunshine and green as you step out from the forest and see the thatched and bamboo huts settled on a small hill at the center of the valley.

Town of Oudomxay, Lao. Photo by Patrick Lucas

Idyllic and serene, are words that seem wholly inadequate to you as you walk the last few hundred metres into the village centre, seeing the sunlight slide down the greenery of the surrounding hills and settle around the community in a light golden haze.

The village is largely empty at this time as the residents are all still out working in the fields further up the valley. You are taken to the home of the Phorban (village father) and invited to sit in the shade under the house to wait, marveling in wonder at the magical place.

That night, after the villagers have returned from the fields, and everyone, including yourself, has taken their daily bath in the local stream, you share a meal with the Phorban and his family.

The food is simple, boiled chicken in a broth with vegetables taken from the forest, and a side of sticky rice all shared from a mat placed on the floor.

Through your guide, the Phorban tells you the story of his village, their daily efforts to eke a living from the surrounding hills and fields.

The floor, made from a woven matt of bamboo, dips and shakes with every movement, the vibrations tingling up your spine to the base of your neck, giving you the sensation that every person in the room is interconnected, inseparable.

When the women across the room rock back and forth screaming with laughter, or when the men holler and bellow, encouraging a friend to drink from the communal jar of rice whiskey, you imagine that you can feel their emotions, their joys, hopes and dreams for the future, pulsating through the strips of bamboo bark like notes on vibrating piano strings, tickling your feet, extolling you to release yourself and join them in this special moment of community.

You do, and in that moment you realize that, when you leave, a small piece of your heart will remain in this beautiful valley with these beautiful people.

Buddhist Statues. Photo by Patrick Lucas

Phongsali

After emerging from the forests you have a decision to make. You can return to Oudomxay and catch the bus to Luang Phabang, or you can continue your divergence from the beaten path and head to Phongsali province, a 31/2 hour bus ride to the north.

The town of Phongsali is no more pretty or entertaining than Oudomxay was, but that is not the point in visiting this area.

After a nights rest in one of the towns simple hotels, catch a sawngthiew (a truck with a cover and benches in the back for transporting large groups of people) to the town of Hat Sa, about an hours ride away. From here, numerous boats make daily trips down the Nam Ou River to Muang Ngoi Neau and a seat will cost $10.

(If pressed for time, Muang Khua is a good halfway point for catching boats on the Nam Ou between Oudomxay and Phongsali.) .

The ride is long, taking between 7 and 10 hours, and cramped, but this is among the most beautiful stretches of river in Lao, and you are almost guaranteed to be the only foreigner on board.

Ban Tanongpo Oudomxay, Lao. Photo by Patrick Lucas

Muang Ngoi Neua

You will be thrilled and relieved to see this small village on the banks of the Nam Ou appear from around a bend. Muang Ngoi Neua, located one hour by boat north from Nong Khiew, is quickly growing in popularity among tourists, but it has managed to maintain its charming atmosphere none the less.

With mountains towering on each side, and a number of decent accommodations and restaurants, the village makes for a wonderful place to relax and recuperate after a long boat ride.

Editor’s Note: Check out Justin Landrum’s Guide to Muang Ngoi Neua.

Nong Khiew

Nong Khiew is a bustling town straddling the Nam Ou River and situated around the Highway 1 bridge. There are a number of hotels that have huts overlooking the river ranging from simple bamboo to upscale rooms charging as much as $18 US per night.

Western style food is available – a definite relief after so many meals of sticky rice and meagre soups of vegetables and broth. Charter boats to Luang Prabang cost about $100, or there are daily ferries that run downriver to Luang Prabang for $10.00 a seat.

It’s another seven hour boatride, though the views are still quite spectacular. For those in a hurry, Sawngthiews can be hired to take you into Luang Prabang within a few hours.

Luang Prabang

End of the line! A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Luang Prabang is a beautiful city replete with boulevards and French colonial architecture. Numerous restaurants and hotels offer respite from your many days in the forest.

Daily flights are available back to Bangkok.

Community Connection!

Check out Matador contributor Justin Landrum’s guide to Muang Ngoi Neua, maybe the chillest backpacker hideout in all of SE Asia.

Nomadic Matt recommends Southern Laos in his excellent list of 8 ways to get off the SE Asian tourist trail. Your faithful editor Tim Patterson fell in love with Lusty Luang Prabang.

For detailed info on one of the coolest towns in southern Lao, read Hal Amen’s guide to Champasak.

Matador is blossoming. Click here to join today.

Chairs for Rent, Lower Bay. Photo by Eva Holland

What to say about Bequia?

I could call it enchanting, idyllic, or seductively laid-back – all that would be true. I could tell you it’s a gem, or a jewel, a pristine and undeveloped (by Caribbean standards) oasis in a world of all-inclusives. Those things, clichéd or not, would also be true.

But everyone has their own idea of paradise, and yours might not be anything like mine. So instead I’ll just say that I love Bequia, and I think you might just love it too.

Here is all the information you need to discover the best of Bequia:

“Leave only footprints behind”. Photo by Eva Holland.

Get There

Bequia (pronounced Beck-way) is the second-largest rock in the island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – and at seven square miles, that’s not saying a whole lot.

High-end resort-goers and Hollywood celebrities drive the economies of neighboring Canouan and Mustique to the south, while rumor has it that the global narcotics trade fuels the “mainland” – the island of Saint Vincent – just nine miles north.

There’s a tiny airport on the island – small carrier SVG Air lands there – but the simplest way to arrive is to fly into Saint Vincent and catch one of the regular ferries.

LIAT is your best bet for decent prices; try connecting in Barbados, a hub that receives daily flights from the US, Canada, and the UK, or in Trinidad.

A taxi from the airport to the ferry terminal should cost 25 Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$), and a one-way ferry ticket costs another EC$20. (The EC$ is pegged at $2.75 to the US dollar – good news for Americans!)

Ferries run regularly on weekdays and are much less frequent on weekends; check the online schedules, but ask around when you arrive or call ahead as they aren’t always reliable.

Food and Shelter

Most of Bequia’s accommodation options – chiefly simple guesthouses and small boutique hotels – are clustered around the edges of Port Elizabeth, the tiny town in Admiralty Bay where the ferry docks.

Good news for solo travelers: many of these hotels offer reduced single-occupancy rates on double rooms.

The best bargain on the island is The Frangipani, on the Belmont Walkway, which offers five “original rooms” on the second floor of an old house. Pricier air-con cabins with en-suite bath are out back, but the simple rooms, equipped with mosquito nets, fans, and sea breezes, are all you need.

The Frangi is gorgeous, with friendly staff, an excellent restaurant and an outdoor bar/patio with occasional live music.

Isola and Julie’s Guest House, directly across from the ferry jetty, is a simple budget option with a loyal following. For total isolation, check out the Crescent Beach Inn, on Industry Bay. Bear in mind that you’ll be a longish walk from most eating options, though.

If you have a group, inquire with the tourist authorities about apartment and villa rentals. You can save a lot of cash on Bequia by self-catering; stock up on groceries at Food City, next to the ferry terminal in Saint Vincent, before coming across to the island.

There’s a string of restaurants and bars along Port Elizabeth’s Belmont Walkway, a beach-front stone path that runs along the south side of Admiralty Bay. Most have affordable lunches and pricier dinners; The Green Boley is an exception, where even at dinner you can get filling plates of local specialties like conch curry for between EC$30 and EC$40.

Try The Porthole for lunch, where rotis go for around EC$12 or, further afield on Lower Bay, Dawn’s Café for cheap sandwiches.

In Port Elizabeth itself, Maria’s has sandwiches and snacks, internet terminals, and long hours. Most places have a daily special – some variation on seafood and rice – that will give you good value.

Bequia’s handful of giftshops is centered around the ferry dock. There’s also a small produce market there, and across the street is an ATM and a post office. The Bequia Technology center (follow the “Digicel” sign) next to Maria’s has comparable prices for internet, but better machines and air-con.

Be aware that almost everything shuts down on Sundays; hotel restaurants will be virtually the only places open, and they are welcoming to non-guests.

Admiralty Bay. Photo by Eva Holland.

Hit the Beach

The secret to Bequia’s success is Admiralty Bay, where yachties from around the world drop anchor. It’s the traffic from these yachts that keeps the restaurants and bars running – you’ll see rubber dingies zooming in from across the bay at sundown – while simultaneously keeping Bequia’s beaches completely undeveloped. Yachters, after all, do not require hotel complexes.

Start with the amenity-free, local-frequented Princess Margaret Beach, clearly signposted from the main road leading south out of Port Elizabeth. The next beach over is Lower Bay, which – thanks to a couple of sleepy cafes and a handful of lounge chairs for rent – is the closest thing to a “developed” beach that you’ll find on the island. (Cancun it ain’t.)

On the south side of the island, Friendship Bay is where Bequia’s only higher-end accommodation is located; at the time of writing, construction was underway there, too. Funnily enough, it’s one of the less attractive spots on the island, so it’s no huge loss – still worth a visit for the views on the way there, though.

North east of Port Elizabeth you’ll find Industry Bay, Spring Bay, and Park Bay – where you may be lucky enough to stumble on a local BBQ. Be sure to check out the Turtle Sanctuary while you’re here. It’s on the water between Spring and Park bays.

Friendship Bay. Photo by Eva Holland.

Special Events

Bequia was a major whaling center back in the day, and islanders are still permitted to hunt two whales per year in honor of this heritage. The hunt – which isn’t always successful – occurs each January and is a major occasion. The island also hosts a regatta every Easter. You’ll find a couple of small museums dedicated to Bequia’s whaling and ship-building heritage scattered around the island.

The Bottom Line

I could go on about that artist’s studio in the hills, or this model boat shop in town, but the key to Bequia is to simply get out and walk, and discover its treasures for yourself. The island is safe, compact, and enjoys perfect weather pretty well year round.

So take a walk. Take a nap on the beach. Drink a papaya juice and watch the sun go down. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like paradise to me.

Community Connection!

For more information on Bequia, check out Eva’s blog ‘Smitten in the Grenadines‘. For other guides to chill Caribbean islands, check out Tony Gatti’s pieces on Tortola and Jost van Dyke, or Anna Brones’ lovely guide to Dominica.

Matador blogger Julie can tell you all about her favorite islands, including Vieques and Cuba.

Matador is blossoming. Join the community today!

Photo by Elsie McIverSelling organic produce

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then France just might be the word worth a thousand pictures.

The world’s most popular tourist destination manages to seduce a lot of people, be it because of the language, the countryside, the French joie de vivre or simply the wine. But France is more than the glittering lights of the Eiffel Tower and a Nutella slathered baguette.

One of the best ways to dive into French culture is to spend time in a rural community. If you are willing to work for your room and board, you can often score a pretty inexpensive French vacation with the added bonus of getting to truly enjoy the local way of life.

Instead of re-packing your backpack every few days and only seeing various tourist attractions, you get the chance to have a semi-permanent base camp, integrate into the local community, practice your French language skills and experience authentic French culture.

From working on vineyards and farms to restoring medieval castles, here is your guide to discovering France from the inside, getting you away from glossy tourist brochures and into the everyday rhythm of la vie française.

photo by Elsie McIver

Working the land

What is more symbolic of the French lifestyle than wine and gastronomy? The two are integral parts of the French economy, and more importantly, French tradition.

France prides itself on agriculture and wine production; taking part in either of the two therefore means not just consuming the delicious drink and food that France has to offer, but helping to produce it.

A popular and relatively hassle-free way to do farm or vineyard work is to join World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). For a small registration fee you get access to a whole network of farms across France; to make your life even easier, they let you pay with Paypal.

The registration fee gives you access to the WWOOF France guidebook, published in paper (25€) as well as in an online format (15€). The guide contains listings of over 300 participating farms that you can contact and at which you can volunteer.

Time commitment varies from farm to farm; some want workers for only a few days or weeks and others want you to stick around several months. Working as a WWOOFer means you will get free room and board in exchange for labor, and you’ll probably end up working with some other interesting travelers from all around the world.

Beyond vineyards and farms

Agricultural work might not be your life passion, but there are still several options for seeing rural France up close and personal – and cheap. One way is to partake in an archeological excavation or work on an historic site.

photo by Elsie McIver

There are several organizations that put together these kinds of work-trips, and although they require fees, they are minimal in exchange for the room, board and local experiences that you receive.

Workcamps through Service Civil International (SCI) require an application fee of $235. Although you are responsible for paying all travel expenses, room and board is covered. The two to three week volunteer projects range from environmental protection to renovating medieval castles.

Volunteers for Peace, based out of Vermont, offers over 300 programs in France for the upcoming summer months. The average project length is about three weeks and costs $300 plus a $30 VFP annual membership fee.

If you want to spend your summer in romantic Provence check out La Sabrenenque which offers volunteer restoration projects of architectural sites. The two week program costs $710 for 2 weeks, which includes room and board as well as organized activities and excursions.

Where do I go?

France is a big country with many regions, traditions, and even climates. So how do you pick where to explore?

For wine lovers, remember that in France wine is named by the region it comes from. If your favorite wine is a Bordeaux, makes plans to head to the southwest. Or how about the smooth taste of Burgundy? Look no farther than the vineyards of east-central France.

The exception to the rule is with white wines, which are named after the grape used to make them. If you want an in-depth discovery of white wine, look no farther than Alsace, in northeastern France; this is where the best white wine in all of France comes from.

Comment voulez-vous gouverner un pays qui a deux cent quarante-six variétés de fromage? In the words of Charles de Gaulle, “How can you govern a country with 246 varieties of cheese?”

It’s true: France has a lot of cheese, and if you have difficulty governing the country, you’ll definitely have difficulty choosing where to go.

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Normandy is home to the infamous Camembert, and also superb crepes and hard cider. Savoie, a region in the French Alps, produces Roblochon. Comté is another popular cheese – in fact it has the highest production figures of all French cheeses – and is made in the region of Franche-Comté.

photo by Elsie McIver

For all of the French cheeses, check out this helpful list at Wikipedia.

Another way to decide your destination is by way of gastronomy. Cuisine varies from region to region in France, and every one has its specialty. Southern France has more Mediterranean influence, lots of vegetables, fish and olive oil, while the northeast sticks to its heavier German roots with delicacies like sausages and sauerkraut.

Remember that the great thing about France is that anywhere you go their will always be a selection of wine, cheese, regional specialties and locals that are proud of where they live.

Exploring on your own

After a few weeks of working or volunteering, you might want to take off on your own French adventure. One of the most inexpensive ways to explore France, and especially the wine regions, is by bicycle.

Alsace and the Champagne region are two ideal places for wine and wheels; they both feature “wine routes,” roads weaving through the vineyard dense countryside, and villages are close together, meaning your cycling days don’t have to be overly strenuous.

Here you can pedal from village to village, or vineyard to vineyard, take in an afternoon tasting and get a room for the night.

For inexpensive accommodations, many regional tourist offices offer rooms chez l’habitant, basically in the room of a local villager’s house. These provide an excellent, and inexpensive, way to enjoy rural French hospitality.

In terms of budget, life is a little easier if you have a travel partner; rooms chez l’habitant can run as low as 40€ per night for two people, and usually include a homemade breakfast complete with fresh croissants.

photo by Elsie McIver WWOOF farm

Getting around

Transportation is an inevitable cost, even if you manage to score free room and board by doing some WWOOFing, but there are a few ways to get good deals.

If you are under 25 years old and planning on traveling in France for an extended period of time, you may want to consider getting a SNCF 12-25 card. The card costs 49€ but gets you up to 60% off all train ticket purchases. Valid for one year, you are guaranteed a minimum of 25% off normal ticket prices.

If your stay in France is shorter, or you are over 25, try to buy your tickets in advance. Although SNCF sometimes offers last minute promotions, you will have an easier time getting a good deal on a ticket if you plan ahead.

The TGV Europe website is also helpful in planning train trips, but keep in mind that to get to smaller destinations in France you will most likely need to take a regional train at least once during your adventure.

Comment dit-on…???

Often, a big concern of traveling to France is whether or not your dusty high school French is going to cut it. Some volunteer programs require participants to have a certain level of French, but for the most part as long as you keep an open mind, a pocket dictionary and use merci, bonjour, and a repertoire of hand gestures, you should be able to do just fine.

Once you and your hosts have had a few glasses of wine you’ll find that language suddenly becomes unimportant.

Community Connection

Finding a Matador Traveler with some France experience isn’t too difficult. Elsiek, who graciously provided the photos for this article, spent several months WWOOFing in southern France. If you’re stopping in Paris on your way to rural France, check out jgbrandt’s article How to Enjoy Paris on $100 a Day.