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.

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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.

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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.

Photo by Jon Brandt

With the price of the euro continuing to climb, American travelers to Europe have found that their savings - which used to get them a lot of bang for the buck - are now leaving them with few options.

As a result, the savvy traveler should know some important facts and tips on how to stretch their dollars, as well as how to get some freebies while traveling. Whether you’re backpacking or staying in hotels, these tips can keep you from hitting up the ATM every other day.

Oh, Where Do Those Dollars Go?

Paris is one of the most popular cities in Europe, and for good reason. With a long list of famous museums, unique quarters, and cool cafes, you can literally spend a week in the city without running out of things to do.

You need to keep track of your expenses, however, because Paris is also one of the most expensive cities in the world.

If you’re a student, you’re in luck, because the museums of Europe love to give discounts to academia. Even if you’re a year or two out of college and still have your old student ID, take it with you.

At the Louvre, for example, every first Sunday of the month and July 14 (Bastille Day), admission for students is free.

If you won’t be there at that time, there’s no need to stress. Every Friday between 6 pm and 9:45 pm, admission is free to all visitors under the age of 26. Valid ID is required.

photo by Jon Brandt

If you won’t be able to spend a whole lot of time in Paris, but you wanted to see as much as possible, the best thing you can do is a free walking tour of the city.

Every day at different times and locations, Fat Tire Bike Tours offers guided tours. These tours differ in the places they go and things they focus on, but will usually go to the same general locations that most visitors would want to see.

Walking tours can go for about 3 1/2 hours and take you over a good portion of the city. If you’re staying in a hostel, there should be a brochure for the tour at the front desk, and if not, ask the staff. Some of the tours do cost money, but you should also ask about the free tours.

All the guides ask is that if you enjoyed the experience, you give a tip at the end.

Versailles: A Day On Its Own

If you want to visit Versailles, be prepared to spend a lot of money. First, you’ll need to jump on the Metro to get to the train station, where you’ll have to buy a roundtrip ticket to Versailles.

When you get to the palace, you’ll need to pay 13.50-15 euro to get into the grounds, which won’t include everything. For an all inclusive pass, you need to dish out 20 euro.

photo by Jon Brandt

Unless you’re a die-hard French history buff, it’s best to get the lowest entry ticket and walk around. You still gain access to the more popular areas and can walk all over the grounds. Versailles is huge, and you can spend hours just walking around.

After the Museums, What Next?

Being in Paris, you might be tempted to sit at a café and try some coffee or enjoy some wine. You should indulge a bit, but keep in mind that a cup of coffee can cost about 3-4 euro. Wine, on the other hand, can be bought very cheaply at a store.

Drinking outside in Paris is acceptable, so you can simply buy a bottle of wine and sit in a park and enjoy. This will save you a lot of money later on, especially if you’re traveling with friends and can share the cost.

Some people like to buy a few bottles of wine and sit by the Eiffel Tower at night to watch the light show every hour. That’s just one suggestion, but you can do the same anywhere else in the city.

Drinking outside is great a way to cut down on costs at bars and clubs, and you might get to actually interact with some of the locals while doing so.

Who’s Hungry?

Food in Paris is delicious, but extremely expensive. If you really want to cut your costs, you should just shop at a local food market.

This works better in groups of 2 or 3, but if you can pitch in and buy bread, deli, and whatever else you need, you can survive off of sandwiches for a few days, drastically cutting down on the costs.

At one pizza shop in the 15th Arrondissement, a neighborhood that isn’t known for tourism or high prices, one individual-sized pizza at a restaurant cost 14 euro. In the long run, it just makes more sense to self-cater and eat cheaply.

Where Are We Sleeping Tonight?

A big factor in the daily expenses is your lodging. If you’re trying to get by on $100 a day, a hotel is out of the question. The cheapest hostel you’ll find will cost you 20 euro a day.

Some of these places will include breakfast, which can help on the food situation, but you need to think about the area in which you’re staying.

photo by Jon Brandt

If you get a hostel in the heart of the city, chances are that the markets around you will be more expensive. You should also be prepared for bare-bones accommodation in these cheap hostels. They won’t be absolute dumps, but you won’t be getting as many services for 20 euro as you would in other cities.

There are two options to try to avoid extra expensive hostels. One of them is called Couchsurfing. This is a unique platform for connecting travelers who need a place to stay, but can’t afford to pay for it.

Couchsurfing will not only save you money, but will get you away from hostels for a few days and get you in touch with some locals, who can point out their favorite spots.

The second option is looking in the classifieds before you go for an apartment to rent. Often, on Web sites like Craigslist, people will be looking for someone to rent their apartment while they are away for a few days.

If you’re traveling with a few people, a short-term rental will save you money on hostels and can be a good way to see non-touristy parts of the city.

If You Have Time, Don’t Rush!

Part of the thrill of Paris is simply being there. Since Paris is a city with so much energy and history, you can keep yourself occupied just by walking around and exploring.

Don’t forget to take the time to sit in a garden or park and take in the atmosphere. Activities like that are always free and can often be most memorable.

Community Connection!

Matador is packed with experts who can give you an insider’s perspective on France. Anna Brones explored French wine country and wrote an article about her trip for Traverse - A Weekend on the Route de Vins.

Chris de Paris is (shocker) a native of Paris - currently bound for Mozambique.

Matador is blossoming. Join the community today.

Photo by Tony Gatti

Rugged and formerly volcanic, ringed by a series of coral reefs and powdery beaches and the commercial, political and transportation hub of the British Virgin Islands; Tortola is impossible to overlook.

As bustling as Tortola can be, there are numerous ways to escape cruise ships and the other hubbub of day-visitors. Like so many places, one has just to step a few feet off the path to find solitude. In this article, we will make a deliberate attempt for discovery on Tortola—keeping our modest budgets in mind but splurging when we must.

Firstly…What to Avoid

Unless you need to purchase an engagement ring, catch a ferry or meet the Chief Minister, it’s best to avoid Road Town, the Capitol. Keep in mind that Road Town does not offer much at all late at night and Virgin Island taxi drivers are loathe to hang around too late.

Likewise, avoid the temptation of Cane Garden Bay when cruise ships are about. Instead, go early in the morning, late in the afternoon or when no ships are in port. Click here for a complete schedule of cruise ships to Tortola.

Where to Spend Your Days

Cane Garden Bay is as delightful a beach as one is likely to find save the fact that the taxis dump 80% of the cruise ship passengers here.

It’s unfortunate that the ships offer very little else to do on land and the slow-going, sinuous roads make further destinations time prohibitive for cruise ship visitors.

Cane Garden Bay is a large, half-moon shape, turquoise bay with eateries and lodging for all budgets–and a beach to die for. You can also find numerous renters of water sports gear. I recommend hooking up with Last Stop Sports which offers everything from bikes and kayaks to SCUBA gear and small boats with weekly-rates available.

One could bring camping gear in a large, waterproof bag and kayak to innumerable cays and islets that dot the area. Needless to say, this suggestion is for experienced kayakers only.

Right in Cane Garden Bay is the Callwood Rum Distillery. Come to see the local Arundel rum being made in what is touted as the oldest-continuously operating rum distillery in the eastern Caribbean.

Brewer’s Bay

In contrast to the crowds of Cane Garden, Brewer’s Bay is mellow like yellow, with a great beach and fantastic snorkeling. This is the island’s only official campsite and at Nicole’s, a beach bar and burger shack, one can rent full snorkel gear.

Bring your own tent or rent one already prepared. Sometimes a shuttle is available but you need to call ahead for that. I have actually seen wild cows laying on the sand and wading in the water here. Most would say that this is the best beach-accessible snorkeling on Tortola.

Photo by Tony Gatti

Mountains and Dolphins

Want to stretch your legs? Sage Mountain National Park offers hiking trails across 91 acres with the reward of standing at the highest point in the Virgin Islands - 1,780 feet.

You can pick up maps at the Mountain View Restaurant which sits at the trailhead. Horseback riding is available at Shadow’s Ranch (284.494.2262).

Like dolphins? Who doesn’t? At Dolphin Discovery, just outside Road Town, one can get in a pool with these playful creatures and with some supervision ride them, feed them and learn a great deal about them.

This probably isn’t the “swimming with the dolphins” fantasy you’ve been harboring, but it gets you in the water with them until that chance encounter occurs somewhere in the wild. $80 buys you 45 minutes and a dolphin kiss while $140 gets you a kiss and two rides plus a little more!

The Full Moon Party

The most (in)famous party in the Virgin Islands occurs once a month on the full moon at Bomba’s Surfside Shack.

This beach bar, built with the flotsam and jetsam found on the shore and then tastefully decorated with bras and panties, is not to be missed at any time of the month; but on the full moon something special happens: a reggae band plays all night, a traditional West Indian barbeque is prepared and a large cast-iron kettle brews psychedelic mushroom tea for one and all.

Magic mushrooms are legal to possess and consume here on Tortola but illegal to sell - although that doesn’t deter the multitude of vendors who line the road that runs parallel the beach.

“Magic, magic, get your magic here, mon!!” These sales calls can be heard up and down the street. Some people partake and some just observe, but the best advice is to participate if you have tried shrooms before, but not to try them for the first time here.

The wild scene, the sometimes rough surf, loud music and crowds and the ubiquitous presence of strong rum drinks can all contribute to a good time gone bad if you’re not careful (or experienced).

I’ve tried to understand how such a law slips through the cracks. The best explanation I’ve heard is that long ago there was an attempt to write a statute outlawing these indigenous psychoactive mushrooms; but instead of using the correct binomial nomenclature for the funny fungi, the statute-maker used one for a completely normal mushroom that doesn’t even grow on Tortola and it never got corrected. Sometimes it’s good to have aloof lawmakers!

Bomba bases his full moon dates on the Old Farmer’s Almanac and a hand-written sign can be found on the premises with dates for the year.

Where Do You Go from Here?

While Tortola offers a wide range of activities and experiences, so do a number of other islands that are all within an hour’s ferry ride (see complete ferry schedules). There are some other-worldly spots to be found like the Baths of Virgin Gorda, the caves of Norman Island, snorkeling the Indians; and some out-of-this-world party hangouts like the Willie Thornton, the Pirate’s Bight and Foxy’s Tamarind Bar.

Anything can happen in places like these when society gets left behind by time (and geography) and the bygone sub-culture of revelry springs forth out of the sea.

Here you have a plethora of good-natured, eccentric human beings able to convincingly imagine themselves as pirates, sea-rogues and the like. It is all rather like a carnival.

Tortola itself is only a 45 minute ferry ride from St. Thomas.

One More Thing

Both the US and British Virgin Islands use the US Dollar as their official currency and it is important to note that while Americans don’t need passports to travel to the US Virgin Islands, They DO need one to enter the British Islands. No visa required in either case.

Please see “Jost Van Dyke: A Chill Caribbean Getaway” here on www.matadortrips.com for more information about the Virgin Islands and look for the next article in the Virgin Island series where we will explore the seaside labyrinth of towering granite boulders known as the Baths of Virgin Gorda.

Photo by Tjeerd Creative Commons.

Twenty-five years ago a few intrepid travelers found paradise in the Andaman Sea. Phi Phi Island, off the coast of southern Thailand, was almost totally undeveloped.

There were no resorts on Phi Phi - just white sand beaches and palm trees, plus a small village of sea gypsies who called themselves “the island people.”

Travelers who made the epic journey to Phi Phi returned to the mainland with glittering eyes and epic stories. More travelers caught the once-a-week cargo ship to this new island paradise, then more and more and more.

Today, Phi Phi is packed with tourists. Dozens of resorts line the once-empty beaches and trash floats in the water off concrete piers built to accommodate large ferries.

Phi Phi is still beautiful, “a discovered paradise still worth checking out,” as Matador founder Ross Borden wrote last year, but for those who knew the island before the crowds arrived, Phi Phi is a tragic example of Paradise Lost.

A Call For RESPECT

Some of the islands described below are on the track to development, though early in the stage. Some are already protected. It’s up to you, as a sensitive and engaged traveler, to respect the information below, to preserve the natural environment and to honor the people who call these island Edens home.

-Tim Patterson, Editor, MatadorTrips.com

Koh Rong Crab. Photo by Ryan Libre

6. Koh Rong, Cambodia

Koh Rong is bigger and more beautiful than the most famous Thai islands, but there are no established beach resorts on Koh Rong yet, simply because it’s in Cambodia.

Last year your faithful Koh Rong correspondent camped in an abandoned house on 6 miles of white sand beach, and survived scary encounters with illegal loggers and Cambodian Navy men.

Now there’s word of heavy investment on Koh Rong, with big money flowing to the boss man in Phnom Penh and rumors of Russian, Japanese and Chinese investors.

Here’s the secret guide I wrote to Koh Rong 2 years ago, along with a follow-up article in Traverse - for more updates, keep your ear to the ground at TalesofAsia.

Beach Day on Bohol. Photo by The Wandering Angel. Creative Commons.

5. Bohol, Philippines

I have a confession. The Philippines intimidate me. There are just too many islands, too many languages, too much history.

How to pick just one of more than 7,000 islands?

Matador expert CaseyGusto lived on Bohol island in the Philippines for 2 years. Bohol gets a lot of tourists, he says, which it should - it’s one of the most beautiful islands in the whole archipelago.

But there are gorgeous parts of Bohol that are not developed, including outlying islands, where you can chill with some of the friendliest locals in the world.

Here’s Casey’s complete online guide to Bohol.

Cuttyhunk is a great place to catch big stripers. Photo by jedstr. Creative Commons.

4. Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts, USA

Cuttyhunk is one of the most laid-back island “summer communities” off the coast of New England. There’s nothing to do except catch enormous striped bass, breathe fresh sea air and sniff about the new money that ruined Nantucket.

Cuttyhunk.net says it best:

Cuttyhunk does not have discos, bars, malls, a singles scene, a party life, video games, parking lots, traffic, or much action.

What Cuttyhunk does have is a quiet, isolated, beautiful, ocean environment, perfect for getting in touch with yourself.

For bonus points, arrive in Cuttyhunk on your own sailboat.

Lily walk on Teuri with Mt. Rishiri in the background. Photo by Stephanie Guico

3. Teuri-to, Japan

Teuri-to is a lot like Cuttyhunk, except it’s off the northern coast of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, way north of Vladivostok, Russia.

The fresh sushi and sashimi on Teuri is quite simply the best and cheapest I found in 2 years of traveling around Japan and the locals will be thrilled to see you.

Here’s a feature article I wrote last year about the sea-urchin roe festival on Teuri.

Providencia from the air. Photo by Speculando. Creative Commons.

2. Providencia, Colombia

Providencia is the less developed of two isolated islands that lie off Colombia’s Caribbean coast, near the border with Nicaragua. Thanks to Richard, one of Matador’s many Colombia experts, for the heads-up:

Long stretches of white sandy beaches, verdant hillsides and palm trees lining the streets. Over the five days we rented a moped to explore the island, lazed on deserted beaches, drifted in the breeze in hammocks, slept late and enjoyed some cold ones with the locals. It was a cliche, it was paradise.

Read Richard’s complete Blog Post On Providencia.

Salt Cay South Point. Photo by M.C. Blanton.

1. Salt Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands

I thought I’d never write about Salt Cay. It’s a special place to my friends and family, truly a second home, just a low-lying slab of coral, sand and memories 90 miles north of Haiti, as far from the corruption and resort glitz of the capital island Provodenciales as you can get in the Turk and Caicos islands (which are south of the Bahamas).

Salt Cay is the most beautiful island I know, not because of the sunsets, empty beaches, neighborly humpback whales or free-range donkeys, but because of the pious, good-humored and hard-working people who live there.

Now, the whole island will be literally ripped in half for a mega-resort, complete with golf course and yacht marina. There will be worker dormitories at the airport, next to the runway - now lengthened to accommodate private jets.

The donkeys will be shot, or worse, shipped to Haiti. The development in the Turks and Caicos is getting ugly. Rape ugly. I wonder if I’ll ever go back there, and I can’t write about this anymore.

Salt Cay Historic Preservation

Salt Cay Resident’s Prayerful Protest (video)

A chapel and a granary (called an horreo) overlooking surf in western Asturias. Photo by Beebe Bahrami

Asturias is not like other parts of Spain.

Asturias, the province on the northwestern coast of Spain just east of Galicia and west of Cantabria, is a narrow strip of mountains and coast line, creating steep cliff drops to the Atlantic Ocean.

The whole coast is a series of cliffs giving way to scallop-shaped sand or pebble beaches.

A province of misty green mountains, blue waters, bagpipes, prehistoric caves, Bronze Age dolmens, Iron Age Celtic settlements, and pre-Romanesque churches, Asturias is unlike other parts of Spain.

Amidst this ancient smorgasbord, there are dozens of surf spots, some famous but most only known by the locals.

To catch the best waves, you need to travel here in the fall, winter, and spring, which happen to fall in the cheaper off-peak season. There are enough surf spots in Asturias that you can find your own and avoid the localism at the more famous places, like Rodiles and Tapia de Casariego.

Asturians are both sophisticated and earthy people. It is a land of human-scale cities and many, many rural villages set in rolling green hills with views of the big blue Atlantic.

The Picos de Europa, one of Europe’s best preserved natural mountainous areas, sits as a backdrop. City, village, coastline, and mountain are all interconnected by new roads and old footpaths.

It’s the footpaths that are fascinating. At first you may not even see them. I didn’t until I asked for directions many times from locals and kept getting these organic responses with shortcuts through fields and passages along narrow worn paths.

That was when I realized the world of paved roads was secondary to locals. For a surfer, what these footpaths indicate is that the more challenging access to beaches pretty much clears out rabble rousers who might crowd the waters if access were easier.

The true soul surfer can find his or her sweet spot pretty much unmolested.

Searching for Surf near Llanes. Beebe

How

Part of the fun of surfing in Asturias is discovering the foot paths that lead to little-known surf spots. I’ve been exploring surf in Asturias for over ten years and have found the best ones through patient exploration into wonderfully wild terrain.

I first go out for exploratory walks along footpaths, asking locals for their expertise as I go. Sometimes I’ll fall into a path serendipitously. And sometimes paths are a dead end at a cliff drop, a mislead forged by the ubiquitous free range goats who also use the paths to get to their own slice of nirvana.

Over the years of trekking and surf hunting in Asturias, through trial and error, I’ve also unearthed three indispensable books that help me unearth the wild reality of Asturias, her footpaths and her surf spots. (They are noted below.)

Having located your access route, checked the surf, and talked to the locals for their invaluable local knowledge, you can fall into a joyous rhythm of coming and going from the surf to the village where you’re staying and to the local cafes and restaurants.

Food & Drink

The Spanish are fierce believers in the basic human right to eat and drink well. They are gregarious and generous people and their villages often have no less than four bars and cafes, even in a population of 300 or less.

The offering gets bigger and headier the bigger the town. In all contexts, the food is always locally procured, fresh, delicious, and affordable. You save a lot of money but get the same quality by ordering the fixed price menus (menus del dia), which are three courses (a starter, an entrée, and dessert), often for around 10-12 euros, including wine and bread.

Asturias is in apple country and produces hard cider, called sidra, a crisp, dry, frothy, apple and sun infused elixir. And because wine country is not far away, including the famous Rioja wine country, really good wine is madly affordable.

Villages across the country, including in Asturias, have weekly open air markets, a good time to see what the locals produce as well as purchase fresh, often organic provisions for eating in and picnicking out.

Playa de San Martin

One of my favorite spots is Playa de San Martin.

Just west of the fishing town of Llanes in eastern Asturias, San Martin can be reached only via footpaths from the village of Celorio.

San Martin is set amidst a cliff that opens to an expansive sandy beach with giant stone formations carved by the ocean. It is a beach break that picks up the swell well and is best at low tide. Winds come in from the south, southeast, and sometimes northeast. Waves are rapid and ridable with variable peaks.

Localism is nearly nonexistent even though this is a beloved spot among surfers from Llanes. If you go, act like a good guest so that localism will remain low here. (The fact holds that most localism in northern Spain emerges from arrogant behavior from visitors and as such incites a local counter-response…)

After a session in the water and climbing up the cliff path that got you there, head back to Celorio’s village beach and enjoy frothy beers and local tapas at the beachside café.

Recommended Tapas

Calamares, shrimp sautéed in garlic (gambas al ajillo), chorizo in cider (chorizo a la sidra), and when in season, little fried green peppers with sea salt (pimientos de Padrón).

Green Note

Most Asturians are environmentalists who love their wild places. Villages and towns have clusters of bins that are for recycling and for trash. Use them.

Respect the wild and human places alike. Asturians are very warm people and if you act with warmth and respect, you will find yourself quickly adopted and will find the life so serene and complete that you’ll be hard pressed to leave.

Camping Sites and Surf Shops

Called “Campings” these sites are sprinkled throughout Asturias. The Guía del Surf listed below tells you when a surf spot is near a camping site. It also lists surf shops and rentals near different spots.

Fishing town, Llanes, eastern Asturias. Beebe

Renting a Rural House

Better than camping, I think, is renting a rural apartment or farmhouse, which in the off-season can be remarkably cheap and much drier and warmer than camping: Asturias is famous for rain in all seasons.

Once you settle on the part of Asturias’ coastline you want to explore (I recommend the area around Ribadesella and Llanes), you can explore the local rentals via http://en.toprural.com: select Asturias and go in more locally from there.

These sites list rural rental properties by type and price and number of occupants. Each listing shows what it is and tells you how the owner wants to do business. Some owners want an advance deposit while others trust you’ll show up and pay on arrival (so it’s a good idea to do so!). These places often break down to 35-80 euros a day for two to four people.

Top Rural also lists albergues, which are dormitory-style accommodations in rural areas as well as towns. Costing around 8-20 euros a night, these can be bargains for a dry bunk and a great way to meet people.

One-star hotels, hostels, and pensiones can also be bargains in the off-season. Most family run, clean, and simple hostels run from 30-55 euros a night for a double. Spanish standards for cleanliness are pretty high so it is a great rarity to find a cheap place that looks it.

Local Buses and Trains

The main local bus company is ALSA and their buses go pretty much everywhere in Asturias. If you need to get to a little village near the bus route, just tell the driver and he’ll pull over at the nearest stop to your destination.

The website for ASLA only shows timetables for long trips. The more local ones are best discovered at the town bus stations or at village bus stops. www.alsa.es.

FEVE, the regional train, is a delightful choochoo with room at one end or the other of its two linked cars for boards and bikes. It runs along the coast from Bilbao in the east to Ferrol in the west. You can find the timetables and destinations at their website. www.feve.es/html.

Both ALSA and FEVE run from Asturias’ main cities (Gijón, Oviedo, and Avilés) to the countryside and coast.

Those Three Precious Books for Trekking and Surfing in Asturias:

1. Aeroguía del Litoral Cantabria y Asturias, published by Editorial Planeta, 1999. It now comes in a cheap pocket size version (bolsillo) and is a terrific photographic guide of aerial shots of the entire coastline. It helps locate beaches, their contours and breaks, and if you look closely, the footpaths meandering along the coast. It costs around 11.50 euros.

2. Guía del Surf en España by José Pellón.

This is a great resource for what beaches are good for surfing, where the camping sites and surf shops are, and what each surf spot’s conditions are. Online it goes for anywhere between 18.50 to 24.50 euros.

3. Guía de las Playas de Asturias by Javier Chao Arana.

This little book is packed with terrific detailed information on each of the hundreds of beaches in Asturias.

It breaks it down to a page per beach, going over each place’s physical characteristics, water quality, sports activities, access, camping grounds, and food establishments. It costs around 12 euros.

Okay, so they’re all in Spanish. But surf and water talk is practically an international language and English speakers with a little Spanish dictionary will get lots of information out of these.

The information in these books is invaluable regarding trekking and surfing the local terrain. Some good online sources for these books are: www.casadelibro.com; www.librerianautica.com; and www.agapea.com.

You can also find them on the ground, in bookstores (librerias) and surf shops in Asturias.

On a remote footpath in eastern Asturias, looking at the Picos de Europa. Photo by Beebe

Two Parting Tips

The tide is dramatic in Asturias so be prepared for dramatic water level changes. In some places, the beach entrance will be completely under water and altered at high tide. Stay aware of the tides.

If you really want to surf Rodiles and Tapia de Casariego, these tips still apply. But be forewarned, if you are going to paddle out when that river mouth left at Rodiles is tubing and the locals are there, you better be damn good and not waste their time when it’s your turn.

Know the rules of the water and uphold them for yourself even if others don’t. Be impeccable. And if you’re not good enough to be out there, get out of the way and surf the smaller but fun stuff peeling down the beach (that’s where you’ll find me).

Community Connection!

Besides Beebe, Matador surfers now living in Spain include Doug, who prefers dirt to pavement and is based in Barcelona, and the immortal Punchy, a native of Hawaii who currently bunks in Madrid. Akmonki wrote some sweet blogs about her recent bike trip along the Spanish coast, including You Never Know What You’re Capable Of Until You’ve Tried It.

For more info. on Spain, check out these articles from the Matador network:

Pueblo Ingles: Possibly the Best Volunteer Opportunity in Spain

Where in SPAIN Should I Study Abroad?

Top 5 Festivals In Spain

For other knowledgeable and detailed surf guides to places reminiscent of The Endless Summer, check out Matador’s surf guides:

Mar del Plata, Argentina

Byron’s Bay, Australia

Vietnam

Matador is blossoming. Join the community today.