Star Clippers operates three of the world’s largest and tallest sailing vessels. Visiting ports often untouched by larger cruise ships and offering passengers the activities, amenities and atmosphere of a private yacht, Star Clippers is recognized as one of the premier specialty cruise lines. The ships currently sail throughout the Caribbean, Mediterranean, the Baltic and Costa Rica…
When you hear “rain forest,” do you think easy-going hikes by waterfalls or high-flying bridges through the trees? No matter: each is in reach of your eco-luxe casita—or “small house”—at Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel. Experience Costa Rica’s unique natural beauty as you enjoy a blend of luxury design and flawless hospitality.
It’s not often your day begins with tropical breakfasts, follows with a trip to an active volcano, and winds down with a relaxing spa treatment and dinner. If it sounds like a bucket-list day, it’s because it is. And you’re poised to scratch it off. Whether you fill your days with poolside cocktails and siestas or rafting trips and biking, Rio Celeste has a must-live experience waiting for you.
La Paz de Rio Celeste
Bijagua de Upala 21304
Costa Rica
(506) 2206-5114 or (954) 234-2372
www.riocelestehideaway.com
900 square feet, king bed or two double beds, one bathroom, private backyard with outdoor shower, private front balcony, jacuzzi, plasma TV, air conditioning
See full list of amenities
Why You’ll Love It
Nestled near the lakes, volcanoes, and forests of Masaya Volcano National Park sits Hacienda Puerta del Cielo Ecolodge & Spa. This adults-only oasis gives new meaning to the term “jungle gym.”
A cup of rich Nicaraguan coffee on your private patio starts the day off right. If it’s a day for adventure, explore the nearby Mombacho cloud forest. This wildlife refuge explodes with vibrant colors and sounds. And Hacienda’s proximity to Nicaragua’s cultural gems makes a great day trip for your favorite history buff.
Of course, we won’t blame you if you decide to catch some rays by the lazy river pool—there’s nothing wrong with soaking up Nicaragua from the lap of luxury.
Camino de los Bueyos, Nimboja #2
Masatepe, Masaya, Nicaragua
(305) 454-5373
www.haciendapuertadelcielo.com
Why You’ll Love It
Lush mountains, scarlet macaws, relaxing massages—that’s paradise. But add your own suite, local gourmet bites, and an eco-conscious philosophy, and you must be in heaven … or Hacienda Tayutic.
Into adventure? Explore your surroundings by foot, kayak, bike, or even horseback. It’s all about wildlife (don’t miss the Butterfly Garden!) and exotic flora. Need a little R&R? A couple’s massage followed by cocktails by the pool is just perfect. And for the culinary queen? Every morning, you’ll wake up to Costa Rican coffee and fresh family recipes from the chef herself.
Whether your stay at Hacienda Tayutic is a romance-filled honeymoon or a much-needed girls’ getaway, you’ll leave glowing—a result of the crisp mountain air and your contribution to this sustainable establishment.
Sito de Mata, Turrialba 83-6151, Costa Rica
011-506-2538-1717
www.tayutic.com
Why You’ll Love It
When you hear “rain forest,” do you think easy-going hikes by waterfalls or high-flying bridges through the trees? No matter: each is in reach of your eco-luxe casita—or “small house”—at Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel. Experience Costa Rica’s unique natural beauty as you enjoy a blend of luxury design and flawless hospitality.
It’s not often your day begins with tropical breakfasts, follows with a trip to an active volcano, and winds down with a relaxing spa treatment and dinner. If it sounds like a bucket-list day, it’s because it is. And you’re poised to scratch it off. Whether you fill your days with poolside cocktails and siestas or rafting trips and biking, Rio Celeste has a must-live experience waiting for you.
La Paz de Rio Celeste
Bijagua de Upala 21304
Costa Rica
(506) 2206-5114 or (954) 234-2372
www.riocelestehideaway.com
900 square feet, king bed or two double beds, one bathroom, private backyard with outdoor shower, private front balcony, jacuzzi, plasma TV, air conditioning
See full list of amenities
Why You’ll Love It
When was the last time you stared at the ocean from your villa’s infinity pool? If the answer is never, escape to villas worthy of glossy travel mags courtesy of Kalia Modern Eco-Living. After all, life’s too short not to spend it in tropical glamour with up to seven of your amigos.
Looking at the villa layouts, you might experience the Jay-Z-music-video effect; don’t worry, this is normal. Kitchens, bedrooms, living areas: all villas are designed so that inside feels like outside. Trust us, it won’t take long to get used to the ocean view at Kalia.
With the highest standard in eco-conscious architecture, your trip to Guanacaste is truly a guiltless pleasure.
See Kalia’s FAQ for more information.
50 STATES AND 50 COUNTRIES BY AGE 50
Bohol Visit50.com
Boracay Sunset
Whale Shark Snorkeling! = Visit50.com
From corporate America to World Traveler - Over the past few years I’ve gone swimming in shark infested waters, ziplining in a cloud forest, been arms-length from orangutans, hiked up a volcano, gone snorkeling with whale sharks that were massive, hiked to the top of Machu Picchu, had a monkey literally jump on my back, climbed The Great Wall of China, visited the real Tomb Raider locations in Cambodia, eaten brains in a hotpot Chengdu, explored the pyramids in Teotihuacan, and photographed animals in the wild that I had never even heard of (tarsiers, macaques, hornbills, proboscis monkeys). I wasn’t always this adventurous.
I’ve now been to 31* countries, but I didn’t even have my own passport for the first two decades of my life. My first job after college came with a sweet perk – a trip Sydney, Australia, to work at the Paralympic Games. It opened my eyes to so much. My first experience abroad was in the opposite hemisphere. I was working with people from around the world and it opened my eyes to a new passion. After spending a month and a half in Australia after college (working for most of it), I came back with a seemingly unquenchable thirst for new travel experiences, new cultures, and new sights around the world. It’s addictive!
I’ve always been really curious, but now that carried over into travel. At the time Australia sounded like the most exotic place I could possibly visit, but on hindsight it’s not that different of a culture from the one I grew up in New York. I took baby steps – my next trip was a cruise around the Caribbean, and decided that while I could see how cruises are great for some people, they’re not right for me. A vacation at an all-inclusive resort with a relaxing beach was nice (and importantly, as a recent college graduate with loans, within my price range), but I didn’t get to truly experience that country. I had a thirst to really explore, but felt a little inner conflict since that meant getting out of my comfort zone.
That all changed a few years later – my comfort zone would be vastly expanded with my trip to Costa Rica. It was a little scary at the time. After years of academic spanish, I was still hopeless at communicating with native speakers of that language (this is still on my to-do list). My Lonely Planet didn’t tell me if the roads were well-paved (they weren’t), or if it would it be safe (it was!). I went and loved it. It was incredible, and my Costa Rica experience was the next giant leap in my transition from vacationer to traveler.
I started dreaming of different things I wanted to do, and places I wanted to visit. I made bucket lists with specific travel goals, and one of them felt particularly ambitious.
I want to visit all 50 states, and 50 countries, by age 50. Each and every state and every country in the world probably has something fascinating about them that make them worth visiting. Most people that hear this think I’m crazy. “50 States and 50 countries by age 50? Is that even possible?” It’s become a game among my friends that travel and they keep track. When fellow travelers first hear of my goal, they immediately start counting. [I'll give you a moment to count how many you've visited...]
Most trips were short, week-long trips, but in my most recent trip, I traveled for 5 months, covering 13* countries! My family and friends at home and around the world were very curious – many hadn’t met anyone that had traveled that long on the other side of the globe. They had LOTS of questions. How can you afford a trip like this? Were you scared to travel alone? Did you really go swimming with sharks?? What was it like to see baby elephants in the wild? Do you miss home? What was it like the first time you were surrounded by monkeys? I love your photos – what camera do you use? What’s a proboscis monkey? Did you learn their language? What crazy things did you eat? Where in the world are you now??
Hence the birth of this travel and photo blog, at Visit50.com, for people to follow my travels and to showcase my travel photography. I’ll chronicle my trips around the world, starting with my 2011 trip (mostly through Asia). Along the way I’ll post little anecdotes, observations, stories, and of course photos, and eventually answer questions that provide travel tips for your own adventures.
Do remember the never-ending stream of “why” questions that kids ask? I never lost that curiosity, so when I visit a new destination, I want to learn everything I can. So in addition to stories of my journeys and photography from my adventures, I’ll post about the best things I learn. If you felt a brief moment of ignorance when you learned about something in my adventures, fear not – I probably felt the same thing, and want to make it easy for you to learn what I just learned. I didn’t know what a tarsier was either, so this site will provide a quick primer on each species I found interesting, each aspect of culture I found surprising, and each piece of architecture that caught my eye.
If you don’t see the answer, drop me a note in the comments (bottom of each post) or contact me.
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Using this site: at the top, mouse over “countries visited” and you’ll see a cascading drop-down menu of the countries that I’ve written about and posted my photos from so far. More to come! Hover your mouse over top section “Posts with…” if you want to skip right to the posts with the best photography, just the posts withwildlife, sharks and SCUBA diving, stunning architecture, impressive sunsets, mouth-watering food, or just photos of me from my trips.
Note: The 50 and 50 by 50 game is just a fun way to keep track, but some of my friends have become fiercely competitive. What counts as a visit? What counts as a country? Curious how many countries and states I’ve been to?
* Total amount of countries visited depends on if you count Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau as the same country as mainland China or as separate unique countries. There’s much debate and support for both sides. Explained here: What counts as a country?
