With the Sparrows
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  • Ramblings
  • Remote Work
  • Travel
    • Dominican Republic
      • Costa Rica
    • Indonesia
    • South Africa
    • Nepal
With the Sparrows
Fighting existence
Take off at Lukla Airport
Everest Base Camp TrekNepal

The infamously dangerous Tenzing-Hillary airport at Lukla. What’s it actually like?

by Simon 8 February 2023
written by Simon

Nervous flyers are relatable. There isn’t much that’s natural about flying through the air in a tin can full of explosive jet fuel, though we all know that statistically, it’s supposedly the safest mode of transport. Planes and pilots of your normal commercial aircraft have multiple fail safes. Safety standards, extra fuel, multiple engines, alternate airports and a no blame ‘go around’ policy.

So what happens when many of these fail safes are removed?

The Tenzing-Hillary airport at Lukla in the Himalayas is infamous for being one of the most dangerous airports in the world. Why? I’m glad you asked.

The airport itself is situated on the side of a mountain, in a valley, at over 2,800m elevation (9,337 feet). The elevation in itself isn’t necessarily unique, but that’s not the only ‘danger’ factor. So let’s list them off quickly:

  • It’s in the Himalayas so weather changes quickly. Flights are often cancelled due to low visibility.
  • It’s in mountainous terrain so turbulent air and wind sheer are fairly par for the course.
  • The runway is just over 500m long (i.e incredibly short) and angled at 11.7 degrees to help planes slow down. Add to this that one end of the runway is pretty much a wall and the other is a steep drop off into a ravine. As such, only certain aircraft can actually land at Lukla, the fixed wings are usually twin otters.
  • As you descend into the valley, there comes a point where there is no go around for pilots. You’re landing one way or another.
  • Whilst the pilots have to complete a number of short runway take offs and landings (including at Lukla), the maintenance and safety standards for the aviation industry in Nepal leaves quite a bit to be desired.

Why would you fly there?

With all that being said you might be asking yourself, “why would anyone want two fly into Lukla”? Well…..its the quickest way to get into the Everest region and start trekking. It’s the most convenient place to start the Everest Base Camp Trek or for those looking for more advanced climbs.

You can drive from Kathmandu and start the trek from Salleri, though this adds multiple days to the trip. That being said, I did meet lots of people that had made this trek for whatever reason.

Personally, I wasn’t particularly thrilled about the potential dangers of the flight (I don’t know who would be!). However, I didn’t want to tack on the extra time to trek from Salleri, and I guess it would be a hell of an experience to fly in and out of Lukla…..

The flight: Kathmandu to Lukla

You might think that the seemingly haphazard nature of the flight is centred around Lukla.

It actually starts in Kathmandu.

We were on the first flight out with Sita Air: 6am. The ticket says to arrive at least one and quarter hours before the flight which by my maths means arriving at the airport at 4.45am.

The night before my guide had said that we should aim to get to the airport at 5.30am, to which I said that a 4.45am arrival time is required. We settled for 5am.

The airport didn’t even open till 5.20am.

It turns out that whilst my guide, Ghanesh, had done this flight over a hundred times, the flight had NEVER left on time. In fact, the sun didn’t come up till 6.45am and this is the sort of flight that is only completed in daytime. The lesson: listen to your guide.

I believe we were bussed out to the plane shortly after 7am and bundled onto the small twin otter. Open cockpit, no safety briefing, just sit tight and try to keep your bodily fluids inside.

The flight itself was intense enough. It’s not like your normal commercial plane. The turbulence is constant and in all directions. Pitch, roll, yaw, as if a small child had the plane in their hand and was mimicking flight. The views of the Himalayas are spectacular, including the first glimpse of Everest standing head and shoulders above all of the other huge mountains. It only lasts about 20-25 minutes before you pass over one of the many ridge lines, turn left and drop down into a valley.

This is it.

You look down the aisle of the plane and straight out of the cockpit window. There it is. Nestled on the side of the mountain surrounded by the village of Lukla: an airstrip. You have to fight the temptation to snap a quick picture, the flight attendants had ben adamant at the start of the flight that no pictures or video of the cockpit were allowed.

You barely have time prepare yourself before the sides of the ravine quickly rise up to meet the descending aircraft. You think “wow, we’re coming in hot”. A glimpse of a few houses later and you’re landing ‘on the numbers’ (pilot speak for landing on the large numbers right at the beginning of the runway). The engines reverse and, aided by the inclined runway, you come to a stop and make sharp right turn to park in front of the terminal building. In less than a couple of minutes you are exiting the plane and standing back on firm ground.

It all happens very quickly. There’s a decent amount of sweat involved.

Calming Down

It takes mere minutes to collect your bags and venture out of the airport and to a tea house for breakfast.

I had an idea at the time, but in retrospect, I was pretty flustered. Perhaps it’s over dramatic, but I felt like I’d gotten away with it. I’d landed at this infamous airport and survived to tell the tale. The thing that struck me was just how fast it all was. There’s very little preparation involved. Instead, you’re bundled onto a small plane, flown over spectacular ridges alongside even more spectacular mountains and peak, only to be unceremoniously dumped on the side of the mountain at Lukla. After quick breakfast you’re then on your way along the valley towards your first stop on the EBC trek and the flight is but a distant memory.

A return to Lukla and the take-off

Nearly a couple of weeks later I returned to Lukla to fly back to Kathmandu.

I thought the first flight was fast and frantic. This one was double the speed.

Security leaves a little to be desired, though it didn’t feel totally necessary. Who’s going to cause any trouble coming down from the Everest Region? Surely it would be flying into Lukla. Either way, there are no scanners. There’s a guy that presses seemingly random parts of the outside of your rucksack and asks if you have any rocks. There’s another guy that gives you a cursory pat down. That’s it. You’re clear to fly.

The planes fly in from Kathmandu and park up to be unloaded. Without exaggerating, within 6 or 7 minutes of the plane landing, you’re in the plane at the start of the runway ready to take off.

It’s a fairly typical take off as the engines roar…..until 30 metres later when you hit the downslope. There’s no turning back now and within a few hundred metres, you’re in the air and climbing. What shocked me was the proximity to the first ridge that you have to clear. God knows how far you clear it by, but it ain’t much. Maybe a couple of hundred metres.

This flight was more turbulent than the first. One of the guys didn’t look up from the moment we started moving – head buried in the seat in front of him.

25 minutes later and you’re descending into Kathmandu with a thankfully much longer runway. The fear is gone, the relief is somewhat palpable.

Would I do it again?

I suppose statistically, the chances are still pretty slim though there’s something about a plane crash that trumps other such automotive disasters in our psyche.

Not if I had to. It’s a hell of an experience and I’m glad I did it.

8 February 2023 0 comment
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ExcursionsIndonesia

Climbing an Active Volcano in Indonesia – Mount Bromo & Sunrise at King Kong Hill

by Simon 23 January 2023
written by Simon

It’s a 2am start for the second day in a row. The jeep will leave at 2.30am, though I’ve already seen and heard at least 15 of the same old Toyota land cruisers making their way passed the hotel and onwards to King Kong Hill which will be the first stop off point today and where we’ll watch the sunrise over Mount Bromo.

The day is centred around Mount Bromo. It’s an active volcano in the Tengger Semeru National Park in East Java, Indonesia. It lasted erupted in 2015 but despite its active nature, Bromo is a popular tourist attraction not only for the views of it at sunrise but also because you can also climb to the crater rim and stare into the void below.

It’s the last day of my 3 day/2night trip to Mount Ijen, Madakaripura Waterfall and Mount Bromo. Ijen was incredible, Madakaripura was unexpected and now all we need is for the weather to play ball.

King Kong Hill (Bromo Sunrise Viewpoint)

The viewpoint over Bromo is an hour’s drive from where we were staying, though many will choose to stay much closer and some even walk in the early hours to the viewpoint.

Luckily I can sleep on just about anything that moves, plus it was 2.30 in the morning so I got in the jeep, closed my eyes and was essentially teleported to the car park.

I say a car park, it’s the side of the road. Jeep after jeep after jeep line the road. I had watched a video of someone that visited on the weekend and she had said that the crowds were nightmarish. Luckily this wasn’t the weekend so whilst there were lots of jeeps, it didn’t feel overly crowded.

Waiting for sunrise

Just before the actual viewpoint and a short walk from the road are the obligatory tourist shops and cafes/restaurants that cater to those waiting for sunrise. We had arrived at 3.30am so there was an hour wait, filled with drinking tea and huddling by a tiny fire to keep warm. Word of warning: do not be an idiot like me and not only wear shorts, but also forget your trainers. Your toes will not forgive you.

There isn’t any entry fee to the viewpoint so you’ll only need cash if you want some breakfast or tea whilst you wait.

Clear skies and clouds

We made our way to the viewpoint for sunrise. Many will stop at the end of the paved path down which forms a sort of platform. However, you’re better off making your way up a small path on the side of the hill to reach the top. Here there is not only a flat piece of ground but it also offers slightly better views of Mount Bromo. It’s less than 5 minutes to the top and you’ll avoid the crowds who fail to venture that extra bit.

On a good day you can see Mount Bromo, Mount Batok as well as much of the Tengger Mountain Range that sits behind. There was a girl there who was back for a second time – the day before she had come for sunrise but due to the weather she could barely see the the side of the hill she was standing on, let alone the volcanoes kilometres away.

The clouds and mist were teasing us. The sunrise itself produced a classic orange/red glow on the horizon, though Bromo remained stubbornly hidden. We would get glimpses of the volcano as the cloud appeared to clear, only to be completed blanketed in cloud 15 minutes later. It’s not exactly warm up there so by the time that sun had fully risen at 6am, people started to head down.

Much like mount Ijen, our persistence paid off. We were the only people left on King King Hill wondering whether our persistence was actually stupidity. Luckily though, the weather decided to clear up for 30 minutes, giving clear views of Bromo and Batok though not of the surrounding mountain range. Regardless, the low hanging cloud created an incredible view which was made that much better in the knowledge that everyone else had cut their losses too early.

By the time the clouds rolled back in it was still only 6.30am, so we headed back to the 4×4 and headed down the hill to the Sea of Sand.

King kong hill sunrise
Mount Bromo viewpoint
Viewpoint of Mount Bromo

Bromo’s Sea of Sand

Often viewed as more of a necessary transit point to the base of Mount Bromo, the Sea of Sand was actually something that I was really looking forward to.

It’s a vast sandy plain that surrounds Mount Bromo and makes up part of the larger Tengger Caldera. I had seen pictures/video of the place and it looked surreal – a peaceful and isolating, desert environment before Bromo. Unfortunately though, the first half of the Sea of Sand is pockmarked with countless jeeps that have parked up for a photo opportunity. Sure, I took a photo but I had been expecting to walk across this alien landscape a little more.

We hopped back in the jeep and drove to the main car park which is about half way across the Sea of Sand. It’s a bizarre sight – literally hundreds of the exact same model of Toyota Landcruiser parked side by side. Apart from a few motorbikes I don’t remember seeing any other make or model of car……perhaps I’m the only one that found that to be a little strange.

Regardless, we got out and started the 3km walk to Bromo. Perhaps this would be the peaceful, silent walk I had been anticipating?

Absolutely not. It’s hardly a carnival, though there is a constant stream of people and horses making the journey back and forth from Bromo. It definitely isn’t peaceful and felt more like a procession. Was I disappointed? Slightly. Was my disappointment bad enough to impact my mood? Nah – it is what it is. The Sea of Sand wasn’t the main attraction, it was the crater rim and the volcano itself that I was more interested in.

By the way, if you want to take a horse instead of making the walk, it’ll cost you 50,000 Indonesian Rupiah each way (about $3.50 USD). It’s pretty darn cheap, though the owners aren’t afraid of using the sticks they carry to keep the horses in check.

Jeep on Sea of Sand

Climbing Mount Bromo

That’s a misleading title. It’s hardly a climb.

The volcano is just over a 100m in elevation compared with the Sea of Sand so after a short stretch of about 500m at the bottom of the volcano, you then climb a couple of hundred stairs to the crater rim. Regardless, you’re at the top and this is the reason you came.

There’s a path that leads around a good portion of the crater rim which I would highly recommend you follow around to the left (after the stairs). You only need walk a few hundred meters to escape the crowds that dare not venture past the concrete rails that have been erected – the path is relatively thin but unless you have trouble walking down a normal street I doubt you’ll risk falling into the crater!

Bromo’s Crater Rim

The caldera at Mount Bromo is something else. It has steep drop offs on either side, though obviously the side that leads down to the crater below. Much like every volcano I’ve visited, the scale is inexplicable. Whilst there wasn’t any lava in the crater below (unlike Masaya volcano in Nicaragua), it emits a thick cloud of sulphur gas accompanied by the obligatory and constant roar of a volcano.

If you’ve never seen an active volcano, it’s incredible. The size, scale and sound of Mount Bromo is much more impressive than mount Ijen. Ijen is amazing in its own right, but the turquoise lake, sulphur miners and blue fire are the primary attractions. Mount Bromo is more of a classic volcano – a huge crater that spews out gas and noise.

It’s also an incredibly active volcano having last erupted in 2015. As such, the surrounding landscape is other worldly. The side of the volcano are covered in countless mini ravines, presumably formed by the flowing lava which turn into the aforementioned sea of sand that stretches for maybe 10 kilometres.

Finally, and as if that wasn’t enough, you also have Mount Batok standing proudly beside Bromo. It’s an inactive volcano, seen by the vegetation that covers its slopes. It stands in contrast to the rumblings of Mount Bromo – as a cinder cone volcano it almost looks fake in its symmetry and flat top.

Mount Bromo Volcano
Mount Bromo’s Crater
Crater rim
The crater rim
Bromo and Batok
Bromo with Mount Batok in the background

Logistics

In terms of Bromo as a stand alone attraction, the only real cost is going to be Jeep hire. There aren’t any entry fees that I’m aware of and if you’ve got a scooter you could probably do this trip yourself. The Sea of Sand might be a little challenging but it’s fairly hard packed sand – it’s not like driving across a beach.

Guesthouses are pretty darn cheap in the area, you only need to look on Booking.com to see places in the $10-$20 range.

Most people seem to be part of group tours or with their own driver so the cost is really going to depend on where you’re coming from (i.e Surabaya, Yogyakarta or Bali).

Is Mount Bromo worth visiting?

Is Mount Bromo as impressive as Masaya Volcano? No. The lava at Masaya is something very special indeed. Has everyone seen Masaya ad therefore have this comparison? No. Even if you have, should it stop you from visiting Bromo (and Ijen)? No.

Maybe I have a thing for volcanoes now. I can admit that.

However, for a trip that lasts 3 days and offers such a different experience from the more postcard images of Bali’s beaches, I couldn’t recommend it more. It is expensive coming from Bali (at around $350 USD for a private tour) though you also have the option of flying to Surabaya or Yogyakarta and making your way over from there. Certainly if you’ve never stood on the rim of a volcano and experienced looking into what feels like the centre of the earth, Bromo and Ijen should be added to your list.

23 January 2023 0 comment
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Ijen tree
ExcursionsIndonesia

Ijen Volcano: A humbling and unmissable trip.

by Simon 19 January 2023
written by Simon

Mount Ijen is a volcano in East Java made famous (at least for me) by National Geographic and a Human Planet documentary narrated by David Attenborough. I remember watching Human Planet around 10 years ago so when I found out that you could actually visit Ijen, I had to do it.

For context, Mount Ijen is famous for 3 things: blue fire, a turquoise acidic lake and the sulfur miners that work in the crater. If that means nothing to you then read on, all three are incredible in their own rights.

Logistics

Get the boring stuff out the way first, though it’s not boring if you’re looking into doing this trip!

Ijen volcano is in East Java, between the regencies of Banyuwangi and Bondowoso. You can fly into Surabaya and make your way East for 7 hours, though a popular route is from Bali.

Visiting Ijen from Bali:

There are two main options if you’re looking to travel to Ijen volcano from Bali:

  1. An overnight trip.

If you’re in for example, Canggu, you leave at 7pm. You drive for around 4 hours to the North East of the island to get the ferry from Gilimanuk (45 minute ferry) and then drive another couple of hours to Ijen. You then climb the volcano in the early hours and head back down after sunrise. Reverse the trip back and you’ll be in Canggu in time for an afternoon surf.

Group tour cost: 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 IDR ($100 – $130) depending on the size of the group

Private tour cost: 3,500,000 IDR ($225 USD)

2. Ijen and Bromo Tour

As the name suggests, this is a longer your (3 days, 2 nights) which also takes you to Madakaripura waterfall and Mount Bromo. Most tours appears to make the long drive to Bromo first (7-8 hours from the ferry port) and then head to Ijen the next day before heading back to Bali. I did it the other way round, essentially having a longer travel day at the end instead of the start.

Group tour cost: 3,500,000 – 5,000,000 IDR ($225 – $350 USD)

Private tour cost: 5,300,000 IDR ($350 USD)

Note that costs vary substantially between operators. You will also want to check whether they include accommodation, entry and food.

Climbing Ijen Volcano

You’ll arrive at the base of Ijen at around 1.30am – 2am depending on where you’ve travelled from. It’s a small car park with some local shops and a few fires going to keep people warm. It’s substantially colder than the coast so make sure you have a jacket and some warmer clothes!

The gates open at 2.30am. I would strongly advise getting to the gate at 2.20am to try and be the first ones on the trail – there were loads of people starting the trail at 2.30am. I had been warned that the climb feels a little like a procession of people so I wanted to avoid that. There are also no lights. Most tour operators will provide you with a torch, but if you have a head torch that would be ideal. My guide had already sorted out gas masks for us before we started so that may be something you need to pre-organise or at least give yourself enough time at the base to find/hire.

It’s a relatively steep 3km trail up the volcano. It’s a well warn path so there’s nothing technical about it, though if you’re visiting in the rainy season I can imagine that the path can get very slippy! The only real commentary I have on the climb is that it’s a bit of a calf burner.

I opted to speed walk the first half to clear the crowds and whilst this may have meant a substantial amount of perspiration, it paid dividends not only during the walk but also later on. As you ascend, the landscape becomes more and more barren and it is incredibly quiet. The fact that I was ahead of the crowds meant it felt like I was the only one on the mountain (if that’s your thing).

Reaching the Crater Rim & Descending into the Caldera

If you’ve taken my advice and raced up, you could easily be the first ones up at the crater rim. I passed a sulphur miner that was having a snooze on the ground next to his cart but apart from that, I reached the edge at about 3.30am.

It’s going to be dark, obviously, so you can’t make out much of the crater. However, it is eerily quiet up there. The echoes from the caldera are impressive and without sight of the whole crater it’s somewhat mysterious as to the size of the thing. I at last enjoyed those 5-10 minutes at the crater rim by myself whilst I waited for the guide to catch up.

You then follow the path down and to the right, about 200m along the rim before descending down into the caldera. It’s a steep 700m descent following a thing path that picks its way through the rocky face. Watch your step and take it easy.

Ijen’s Blue Fire

The first thing we did was to get down to the base of the caldera, put our gas masks on and stop near the lake to see Ijen’s famous blue fire. This is where sulphur gas that vents out through the rock has ignited and burns with a blue flame. It’s one of only two places in the world where you can see this natural phenomenon, though it’s not guaranteed to happen every night. It’s also one of the main reasons why you start the climb at 2.30am – the blue fire isn’t visible once the sun comes up.

I was lucky enough to see Ijen’s blue fire, thought the guide did say that the area covered in blue fire can often be larger. In fact, National Geographic mentioned that the flames can be up to 5m high! The fire was only about 20cm when I was there and that was impressive enough…

I don’t know what I was expecting, but it exceeded whatever those expectations were. You can hear the gas hissing out of the vents and the noise of the fire, not unlike a bunsen burner. This is a spectacle in itself but the interesting part for me is that you can also see molten sulphur flowing out vents and flowing down, surrounded by the electric blue fire.

Ijen volcano's blue fire

Ijen’s Sulphur Miners: The Hardest Job in the World?

The blue fire was a pretty amazing thing to see. However, for me, it pales in comparison to the sulphur miners working within this active volcano.

To provide some context: as the sulphur gas vents out of the rock, it condenses to form sulphur deposits. They’ve installed pipes to help with the formation of the sulphur, though you have to bear in mind that the pipes (and the surrounding rock) are continuously spewing at huge, thick clouds of sulphur gas. Even with gas masks you can feel the impact of the gas in your nose, that and lungs. If the wind changes and you get covered in one of these clouds of gas, it burns your eyes and lungs.

These miners work in the early morning to avoid the heat of the day, using metal rods to pry out large blocks of sulphur. These yellow blocks look like insulation you might find at a building site – they even have that squeaky texture/sound when touched or dragged over the ground. As such, I was expecting the blocks to be light and powdery. Nope – it’s hard and as heavy as rock.

So….these miners work alongside and within thick clouds of acidic gas to harvest the sulphur in an environment where tourists are only advised to spend 10-15 minutes. You can hear them coughing and spluttering because of the effects of the gas on their respiratory system.

If that wasn’t bad enough they then fill their baskets with sulphur – two woven baskets attached by a thin strip of wood/bamboo. Not exactly the most comfortable thing to carry on one shoulder.

I was told that they would often carry 80-100 kilograms (180 – 220 pounds) in one go. I imagined that this was hyperbole for the tourists, especially considering that’s more than I weigh, suspended across one shoulder with no padding. How wrong I was. I tried to pick up one of the bags that a miner was filling and could barely get it off the ground. 100 kilos might still be an exaggeration, but 80 kg is definitely legitimate. I can’t quite explain just how uncomfortable these baskets are. I picked up one 50kg basket and after perhaps 15 seconds, it was becoming incredibly uncomfortable on my shoulder/neck.

These sulphur miners, having spent time inhaling acidic gas to break up the sulphur, then carry these baskets 700m up and out of the crater, followed by the 3km trek back down the volcano. All for the princely sum of 1,250 IDR per kilogram. That’s about 8 cents.

Some miners do one trip, some do two trips a day. Whatever it is, the daily wage does not match the working conditions and risks.

I don’t say that the sulphur miners are the main attraction out of some sort of morbid curiosity. Perhaps I do, but that’s not the intention. Instead, it’s a humbling experience. I get frustrated with my own job. Some days I would consider ‘hard’. My experience isn’t in the same galaxy as these workers. It’s hard to get your head around the whole thing.

Day break and the acidic crater lake.

Before you know it, it’s time to head out of the crater.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record but we were the first ones up the volcano. As such, we were the first ones to the bottom and managed to get 15 minutes of the blue fire and sulphur mine all to ourselves.

As we headed back up to the crater rim, there were perhaps 150 people making their way down to the bottom. I was incredibly glad that we would avoid the crowds that would have no doubt been jam packed near the blue fire and the mine – it’s less than the size of a tennis court.

Anyhow, we headed back up the crater rim in time for sunrise.

As you get to the top you can take a left along the crater rim and find what I can only imagine are burnt/petrified trees along the rim. They’re a popular photo spot and a great place to watch the sun rise and unveil the world’s largest acidic crater lake far below.

We were somewhat unlucky with rain clouds (and rain!). For the first hour or so, we could only make out the lake through the clouds and sulphur gas. Most people headed back down but our persistence paid off as the clouds cleared for 20 minutes and we could see the full extent of the turquoise lake, supposedly so because of the concentration of hydrochloric acid (0.3 ph).

It’s a real sight to behold. Not only the colour of this extensive lake but the size of the caldera itself as well as the sulphur mine and gas in its depths.

As the rain clouds rolled back in, we headed back down to the car park and on to Madakaripura Waterfall.

Are tourists exploiting the sulphur miners?

This is a question that did come up in conversation. The idea that the popularity of Ijen as a tourist attraction is in some way forcing the miners to work in these torrid conditions.

There may be some truth in that, though from my understanding the mine has been operating for the better part of 50 years.

Sure, there are some people selling trinkets and mini statues made out of the sulphur. Some miners at the crater rim may offer you to try to pick up the basket for some cash. All in all though, it just felt like the miners were getting on with their job…..with or without the tourists. If there were no tourists the miners would still be there, so it didn’t feel exploitative to me.

Should you visit Ijen?

To say that Ijen volcano is impressive is an understatement. All three major elements, the blue fire, the sulphur miners and the turquoise lake and worth it as stand alone ‘attractions’. Put all three together and you have a humbling and frankly, unmissable place to visit.

There are very few places like it.

It’s not the cheapest trip you can do. It’s cold at points, you are up for most of the night and it’s the better part of 8 hours journey each way. It’s all worth it though.

What’s more, you can be back in your comfortable beachside villa within 24 hours.

If I could offer some advice, I would say:

  • Be the first ones up. You get the volcano to yourself for a short period of time and avoid the crowds as they descend to the mine and blue fire.
  • If you interact with the miners, perhaps to try and pick up a basket, break up some sulphur or ask questions, make sure to tip them. You’re interrupting their job and considering the price per kilo, it seems fair.
  • Avoid public holidays like the plague. There were perhaps 200 people on the volcano when I was there, which felt like enough. The week before I went it was a public holiday and there were supposedly 7000! That would really take the shine off the whole experience.
  • Head into the crater. There was a considerable amount of people that seemed to only climb the volcano for the view of the lake and then head back down. If you don’t go down into the caldera to see the blue fire and mine, you’re missing out on something spectacular.

19 January 2023 0 comment
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IndonesiaTravel Tips

An honest review of the Komodo Islands (2 day, 1 night boat trip)

by Simon 16 January 2023
written by Simon

The Komodo Islands in Indonesia holds a strange grasp over people. Indeed it had the same effect on me.

Perhaps it is visions of an untouched cluster of islands, home to the intimidating Komodo dragon. More likely, it is clips of these fearsome creatures from nature documentaries over the years, often devouring a deer or monkey that was unlucky enough to have crossed paths with the largest lizards on earth.

Let’s be honest here. The majority of people that visit these islands are there for a chance to see these prehistoric reptiles. The scenery, pink beaches and snorkelling come second.

I’ll be covering the logistics, costs and my own personal experience of a 2 day, 1 night boat trip to the Komodo Islands. If you just want the final verdict then scroll to the bottom.

Travelling to the Komodo Islands

First things first. Where are the Komodo islands and how do you get there?

Flying to Labuan Bajo

Whilst there is a primary ‘Komodo island’ the Komodo National Park is actually made up of 29 islands covering 1,733 square kilometres. The primary way to access the park is to fly into Labuan Bajo in western Flores, the port of which is where a lot of the boats leave from.

I flew from Denpasar, Bali to Labuan Bajo in September which cost me $150. Flights are likely to fluctuate between $100 and $170 USD depending on how far in advance you book. I booked a couple of days before so would likely have paid a premium.

It’s a remarkably easy flight from Denpasar. The flight itself takes and hour and once you reach Labuan Bajo airport, you’re only a few minutes drive into town.

There are obviously flights from places other than Bali, though if you’re flying from Jakarta they’ll often make a stop in Denpasar.

Remember that boat trips leave early in the morning so you won’t be able to fly in and leave the same day, you’ll need to arrive the day before and stay a night in Labuan Bajo.

Slow boat from Lombok

This is a sort of hybrid option because it also includes all of the stops in the Komodo National Park. It’s a 4 day, 3 night trip and will cost in the region of $125.

We saw a few of these boats on our trip and they are substantially bigger than the cheaper boats that leave from Labuan Bajo, though they also had substantially more people on them.

It’s a tricky one because if you luck out and have a boat full of good people then the trip could be great, though if it’s the opposite, you’re stuck on a small amount of real estate for 4 days.

Clearly the total cost if substantially lower if you’re already on Lombok, though in my opinion it’s not a great option. The engines on these boats are incredibly loud – it was very hard to sleep even with ear plugs if the boat was moving places through the night.

Buses and boats

You can always add the Komodo Islands into a trip east from Bali. Perhaps you’re making your way through the Gili Islands, Lombok and the Nusa Tenggara islands. However, this is going to take days of travel so if you’re just going for the Komodo Islands there are probably less painful options.

Having said that, you’ll see places that other travellers like myself may miss out by simply flying to the main attractions.

Unfortunately I can’t comment on the cost of taking boats and buses. It’s a long way though so I doubt it would come in cheaper when you take into account accommodation, food, boats and land transport.

Boat Options for the Komodo Islands

As with most places, you have a wide range of boat options from cheap and cheerful to super lux.

There are also multiple options regarding the amount of days you spend exploring the national park.

I won’t cover the costs of the luxury options, mainly because I have no idea. However, we did see large diving boats with hot tubs on deck, big glass walls to the cabins and staff dressed in all white. I believe you’re looking at $400+ a night for those sorts of experiences.

That’s certainly not my preferred budget range.

Instead, let’s look at more ‘traveller’ friendly boat options. Note that all prices include meals and water.

1 Day Speedboat

This is best for those time poor individuals, or for those that do not fancy sleeping on a boat.

Clearly you’re going to have shorter transit times between locations and you can fit in the best bits of the National Park: Padar Island, Pink Beach, Komodo Island and Manta Point.

There are three issues though. Firstly, you’re not going to be at Padar Island for sunrise which was one of the highlights of the trip. Secondly, you run the risk of feeling a bit rushed. Thirdly, and this depends on your plans but if you’re flying in and out of Labuan Bajo, it feels like a lot of travel for a single day.

It costs about the same as the 2 day trip (around $100) so it does depend on your preference.

2 Day, 1 Night ‘Slow’ boat.

This seems to be the most popular option and was the one that I went for. Again in my opinion, it’s the most popular for a reason.

My boat cost 1,600,000 IDR ($100 USD) and had 12 people on it. It was a little more basic than I was expecting, but for the price it’s very hard to beat.

Interestingly, the second day is where you see the places that you see on the one day speedboat. I wouldn’t say that the first day was a dud, but it’s not far off. You visit a small viewpoint and do some fairly average snorkelling. Having said that, you do stop off to see a nightly migration of thousands of flying fox bats which took me by surprise. I was expecting a reasonably boring view of bats. Instead, it’s an Indian Jones level of bats flying over the boat for their nightly feed. Hard to explain, except to say that the quantity of these large bats is hard to get your head around.

The only real complaint I would have is that this boat is slow and loud. Really loud. I’m not a car nerd but I think they call it straight pipe exhaust. No muffler, no nothing. Just an engine that reverberates throughout the boat. Good luck sleeping, though it’s only one night so it was manageable.

3 Day, 2 Night

A slower pace and more stops on the itinerary, including a trek on Rinca island to find Komodo dragons. I’ve seen luxury options at nearly $1000 USD for this trip, as well as options that were only slightly more expensive than the 2 day, 1 night trip.

If you’ve got a good boat and the time, this could be a relaxing trip with additional time to explore the islands and snorkelling spots. However, I don’t think it’s a good choice if you’re cheap (like me). You’re going to want a more comfortable bed and A/C if you spend 2 nights on the boat. Maybe I’m just being a princess. The choice is yours.

Komodo dragon

Komodo National Park Entry Fee

In mid 2022, there was a plan to limit the capacity of the National Park by raising the entry fee price to $250.

Needless to say, that didn’t go down so well. I believe that the intention behind was that the park needed time to regenerate due to high numbers of tourists. However, there was legitimate concern that businesses who had already suffered throughout the pandemic would not survive the drop in demand brought on by this increase.

After considerable backlash, this has been postponed and by all accounts this postponement will likely be indefinite.

Therefore, most entry fees are covered by the cost of the boat so you don’t need to worry about that. You will need to bring an extra 500,000 IDR ($50 USD) for entry to Komodo Island and guides but other than that, you really don’t need much cash.

Booking Trips and Staying in Labuan Bajo

A quick note on booking trips and staying in Labuan Bajo.

There are loads of boat operators/travel agents in Labuan Bajo so you definitely don’t need to book in advance. Just arrive, walk in to town and you can be booked on a boat within an hour. However, if it is super busy or if you are one of those annoying people that manage to actually plan ahead, it’s really easy to organise trips via WhatsApp once you’ve done a bit of Googling.

I stayed at a place called Seaesta in Labuan Bajo. It’s a hipster hostel/hotel with dorms and private rooms and pretty darn good rates. I rarely stay in dorms but for a single night, I’d rather save the money. The dorms were comfortable with privacy curtains and whilst they are shared bathrooms, they are some of the best I’ve seen. Plus, you can’ argue with £11 ($13.5 USD) for the night!

The boat trip

On to the meat and potatoes: is the Komodo Islands a good trip?

Yes and no.

The scenery is great, the water is clear and looking back on it, I’m glad I went.

Let’s start off with why you should go:

Padar Island for sunrise is something else. The viewpoint shows the unique shape of the island with ridges that seems to expand outwards and form multiple bays of varying sand colours. It’s hard to explain but the pictures go someway to doing it justice. The sun rises to cast shadows across the ridge lines and illuminate the beaches below…..a pretty great way to start the day.

The only place you can see Komodo dragons. It’s the main attraction of the area and its namesake (or the other way round). I don’t think I need to say much more about that.

Nature. Crystal clear water and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sure, the snorkelling was hardly awe inspiring but the flying foxes were something that I think you’ll struggle to find elsewhere. In addition, we got lucky at Manta point and say upwards of 15 manta rays. It feels like a remote region of the world where the humans and just visitors.

On to the stuff in the middle. The things where you think “I can take it or leave it”:

Pink Beaches aren’t that pink. Oh the deceptive nature of colour grading. The super pink colours that you see on Instagram are a lie. The pink beaches are nice, don’t get me wrong. Especially when you can see one of the pink beaches at sunrise on Padar Island. However, they have a pinkish hue. They’re not out and out pink. It’s the sort of colour that looks better out of the corner of your eyes. Are they worth seeing? Sure, but they’re not worth travelling to see if that’s your main attraction.

Komodo dragons aren’t that big. Well, they are big, but they’re not as big as you think they would be. It’s especially true if you arrive in the middle of the day and they are just lying there, like we did. They’re much more intimidating when they’re walking towards you and I can imagine that seeing them eating something or two males fighting would be quite the spectacle. The long and the short of it is that they eat once or twice a month and the main Komodo Island is crowded with tourists wanting to take pictures. As one of the people on our boat said, “it wasn’t that special”. That might be hard to hear and trust me, it was hard to take when I was there. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I certainly wasn’t overly impressed. Do they fall into the ‘take it or leave it’ category? I’ve probably miscategorised. They were cool and I love the fact that I’ve seen one in the wild, I just wasn’t blown away.

Now the dislikes:

The boat was crazy loud. It seemed to be a theme, unfiltered engine noise. It’s fine during the day but the one night we spent on the boat was intense. As I said, it was hard to sleep even with ear plugs.

The first day was a filler day. All of the best things were on the second day. The first day was spent at a fairly average viewpoint and and even more average snorkelling site. It might just be a result of being on a slow boat, they have to travel for longer but we did go to sleep (or try to sleep) on the first night wondering if the next day would be any better.

The final verdict: are the Komodo Islands worth it?

If you go solely for the Komodo dragons, prepare to be disappointed.

When I got off the boat I did feel like the manta ray sightings had sort of saved the trip. However, on reflection, you really can’t beat the attractions vs the price. You can fly there and back, including a 2 day boat trip for under $300 USD within which you will see Padar Island, Flying Foxes, Komodo dragons, pink beaches and hopefully manta rays.

That’s pretty tough to beat.

If you don’t take price into account, it’s still good. Padar Island and Manta point were exceptional, truly an experience. I guess that’s the point I’m trying to make – it’s a 2 day trip with 2 or 3 really good things but then interspersed with ‘filler’ items which tend to leave a strange taste in your mouth.

Would I do it again or recommend it? Yes, if you’re in the area then you should go. It’s a really easy trip to make and you are missing out if it’s not in your Indonesia itinerary. If you’re thinking about flying internationally for the sole purpose of seeing to the Komodo Islands, I’d think again.

16 January 2023 0 comment
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ExcursionsSouth Africa

African penguins at Boulders Beach, Simon’s Town, Cape Town.

by Simon 1 December 2021
written by Simon

If you Googled ‘things to do in Cape Town’, I’d put a sizeable bet that seeing the African penguins in Simon’s Town will be in the top 10.

It is. I checked…..before I wrote that. That’s weird.

It’s a bit of a strange list because you’ll also find Garden Route trips and Franschoek’s wine tram which aren’t really in the city of Cape Town, neither is Simon’s Town. However, it’s less than an hour’s drive along the cape peninsula so there’s no point being pedantic about it.

If walking amongst, and potentially swimming, with penguins sounds like something you might want to do (it should be) then I’ve included most of what you’ll need to know below.

How to get to Simon’s Town

I’ll assume that you’re travelling from Cape Town.

Train

As far as I know, it’s either by car or by train. The train (MetroRail) is pretty cheap, as in a few US dollars, I’ve also seen prices ranging from R20 to R100 which is little confusing, but by all accounts it’s not the best. The sand dunes often cover the tracks near Simon’s Town meaning that you’ll have to take a replacement bus. You’ll also be limited in the places you can stop along the way, as trains do. The MetroRail line stops at Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay, Muizenberg, Wynberg and Claremont. We only ever went to Muizenberg so unfortunately I can’t comment on the other stops.

Car

We rented a car because by the time we had organised getting to the train station, bought tickets, the £20 per day ($26) for the car between 4 of us made a lot more sense. It was a bakkie (pick up truck) as well, which was ace.

I appreciate that hiring a car is likely to be more expensive and a real hassle if you’re under 25 years old but if you can, definitely get one. Car hire in South Africa is super cheap compared to a lot of other places so make the most of it.

The main reason for hiring a car is that there’s a lot to do on the cape peninsula and a car gives you that freedom. Unless you’re a complete penguin nut you’re not going to want to spend the whole day in Simon’s Town. As such, if you hire a car you can make a big day trip out of it and visit some other places as well.

If you’re going to drive directly to Simon’s Town from Cape Town the your best bet is just taking the M3 straight there. However, if you’re staying on the Camps Bay side of Table Mountain then I’d advise driving down the west coast of the peninsula down the M6. You can then hop over the peninsula to get to Simon’s Bay, but with the west coast route you get to drive along Chapman’s Peak drive which is an incredibly scenic route.

Places to see on your way to the penguins

Out of a group of four, there were three surfers. Naturally then, we wanted to get in the water.

If you take the aforementioned route down the west cost of the cape peninsula the I’d highly recommend the following four things:

Llandudno Bay

It’s 20 minutes south of Camps Bay and really really beautiful. It should be on your list regardless of whether you’re going to see the penguins.

Surf wise its colder than other places, can be crowded and tends to close out with bigger swells, but at head high it has to be one of the most picturesque places I’ve surfed. Crystal clear water, the hills of the bay around you. You can’t ask for more.

Noordhoek Beach

Much wilder than Llandudno, Noordhoek is a really big beach and exposed to the elements. It’s not the ‘safest’ beach in the world because its so large and therefore you are somewhat isolated, but just don’t take your fancy DSLR and go waving it around for everyone to see.

Surf wise it can be brutal. You have the Hoek on the right hand side past the rocks as you walk down from the car park. You also have The Dunes which is about a kilometer down the beach. We surfed The Dunes but the conditions were gruelling. Strong rip currents, a dead seal in the water and lots of close outs. Not great.

We went a few days later when the surf was smaller and it was much more enjoyable. Either way, it’s worth a visit.

Stop and relax on Chapman’s Peak drive.

It sounds a bit strange to tell you to stop on the side of the road, in a lay-by, and relax. It’s worth it though.

Chapman’s Peak drive is one of those roads that you’d expect Jeremy Clarkson to have a wet dream over. I can’t say that I’ve driven a lot of the world, but Chapman’s Peak drive has to be up there in terms of one of the most beautiful roads I’ve seen. It meanders along the coast, cut into the rocky hillside.

There are multiple places to stop and admire the views and its a popular spot for sunset as well.

Stop, take some pictures, relax.

Cape Point / Cape of Good Hope

This seems to be the most popular option to couple with Simon’s Town for a day trip from Cape Town. If you’re heading down the cape, it makes sense.

It’s a symbolic geographical point, especially in the nautical world and a spectacular viewpoint. I’ll write an article on this separately and link to it.

The viewing platform at Foxy beach

There’s two primary options for seeing the African penguins in Simon’s Town: The viewing platform at Foxy beach and the beach/water/rocks at Boulders Beach.

We didn’t go to the viewing platform at Foxy Beach even though most of the penguins tend to hang out there and it’s closer to the car park. With the chance to get up and close (and potentially swim with) the penguins, just looking at them from a viewing platform didn’t seem like it would compare.

Note though, you’re likely to see a larger quantity of penguins from the viewing platform.

Entry to Boulders Beach

Boulders Beach is just over a 5 minute walk from the car park and is probably the area that you’ll see most pictures from. It’s a beautiful beach with…..lots of boulders. You can walk on the beach, climb over the boulders whilst you hunt for penguins and if you’re lucky, swim in the water with the penguins.

HINT: you can see the beach from the path. If there’s no penguins there then you might be able to avoid the entry fee.

Entry was R175 Rand ($10.80 / £7.80 / €9.65) and I believe the entry also gets you entry to the viewing platform at Foxy Beach. If it’s the same vice versa then the previous hint is somewhat of a moot point.

The best time to visit the penguins at Boulders Beach

The best time of year to visit Simon’s Town is November to August.

As you will be able to see from the video, when we turned up at Boulders Beach we only saw around 5 penguins. Apparently the best time to visit is late afternoon, which is when we went, but I guess that’s the luck of the draw.

We actually ended up re-entering the beach because we spotted a mini stash of penguins in the boulders as we were walking back to the car along the path. The beach shut at 5pm but the gates weren’t closed so we just walked straight back in…..

Overall, it’s a really nice place and it’s really cool to see African penguins which are an endangered species. If you can couple if with the beaches and maybe Cape Point it makes for a great day trip from Cape Town.

1 December 2021 0 comment
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Costa RicaExcursions

A must see: Mistico Hanging Bridges in Arenal, La Fortuna.

by Simon 3 April 2021
written by Simon

La Fortuna, Costa Rica is great. It’s super peaceful, there’s loads of wildlife, a range of activities and the people are incredibly friendly/helpful.

We spent four days in La Fortuna and the Mistico Hanging Bridges was one of the best things we did.

I know, a couple of suspension bridges through a rainforest. Doesn’t sound that great but trust me, you’ll miss out if you don’t visit them!

Getting to the hanging bridges & entry fee

It’s the boring stuff, but it’s important.

The hanging bridges are in the Mistico Park near Lake Arenal, about 15km outside of La Fortuna. The park opens at 6am and the entrance fee is $26 USD.

There is a main route around the park which is 2.5km – 3km (1.5 – 2 miles), although they’ve got a number of paths that link up various areas which allow you to shorten your route if desired.

The park also offers night walks with a tour guide, a natural history tour and a bird watching your. We simply paid for entry and walked around ourselves which was plenty good enough for us!

Rufus Hummingbird Garden

As you enter the park the first thing you come across is the Rufus Hummingbird Garden. It’s a small detour (about 150m) around a garden with lots of flowers and some seating area. Unfortunately I can’t tell you which flowers were there but I did notice a certain vine that looked remarkably similar to one they sell in Ikea! That’s not a bad thing, in fact it was surprisingly cool to see it in its natural environment!

The Hanging Bridges

After around 20 minutes walking through the rainforest you arrive at the first bridge (Arenal Bridge). It ended up being my favourite bridge and we were tipped off that it’s the one with the best views so if I were you I would spend some time soaking it in.

It’s 75m long and 55m high, or 246 feet long and 18 feet high in old money. You’re simultaneously above the rainforest canopy and surrounded by it all on sides (it’s in a gorge of sorts). If you’re lucky enough to have a clear day you apparently have a direct view of Arenal volcano from this bridge as well. Bear in mind though that La Fortuna is a pretty cloudy/rainy place so your chances of having a clear view of the top of the volcano are slim – we didn’t see it a single time in 4 days!

Volcano or no volcano it was great. The cloud was rolling over the canopy and whilst there was lots of bird song and a bit of wind, it was almost eerie. We had decided to get up early that day so we were the only ones in the park which added to the experience. As with most things, getting up early is always worth it!

There are 6 bridges in total, varying in length and height:

  1. Arenal Bridge (75m long and 55m high)
  2. Bully Tree Bridge (53m long and 21m high)
  3. Waterfall Bridge (92m long and 45m high)
  4. Anthill Bridge (87m long and 28m high)
  5. Fer-de-lance Bridge (48m long and 24m high)
  6. Tayra Bridge (97m long and 24m high)

The first and the third bridges were my favourite, mainly due to the height and the views. I was looking forward to the final bridge purely because it was nearly 100m long. However, it is below the canopy and surrounded by rainforest so didn’t quite live up to my expectations, especially considering the previous bridges!

The Walk

It’s 2.5km-3km around the trail with some undulating terrain, it’s not particularly taxing so unless you have difficulty walking you shouldn’t have a problem.

We did it easily in flip flops, although we took trainers just in case. The path is well paved the whole way around so you don’t need to worry about muddy patches.

If you have the budget to take a guide, I’m sure that they can point out various animals and plants. We saw a variety of birds (the bird song is amazing) and what looked like a small wild boar but was probably something else! There’s a few snakes in the area as well (a couple of bridges are named after snakes) so that could be interesting, just hope that you don’t get too close….

The walk was incredibly peaceful at 7am with the canopy gently swaying above us and some light splattering of rain. If you get cold you probably want to bring a light jumper, although within 10 minutes of walking you’ll be warmed up. That also depends on the time of the year that you visit the hanging bridges. It does rain often so an anorak wouldn’t be a bad thing.

The walk around Mistico Hanging Bridges takes between 1.5 and 2 hours. We did it in 1 hour and 20 minutes, in flip flops, although we did miss the turning for a slight detour for the waterfall viewpoint (it’s just before the 4th bridge). Considering that we were going to see the La Fortuna waterfall that afternoon it didn’t bother us too much.

The only thing that you really need to take into account is how you get back to your hotel/La Fortuna. There is no Uber availability at Mistico Park so definitely get a taxi’s number. We were short on time so had to pay for a minibus back to our hotel. It cost us $25 instead of the $8 in a normal taxi but it wasn’t the end of the world.

Obviously if you’re scared of heights this may not be the activity for you. The bridges do rock and sway quite a lot and have a mesh floor so take that into account.

Finally, there is a restaurant at the start/beginning of the trail that looks out across the valley at Arenal volcano. A lovely end to a lovely morning.

If you’re in Arenal or La Fortuna you absolutely must go to the Mistico Hanging Bridges.

3 April 2021 0 comment
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Costa Rica

Comparing paid vs free hot springs in Arenal, La Fortuna (Costa Rica)

by Simon 2 April 2021
written by Simon

One of the biggest attractions of La Fortuna, Costa Rica is the hot springs that run off the Arenal volcano. You only need to drive out of La Fortuna to see the swathe of spas, resorts and other establishments offering you a relaxing dip in the mineral heavy volcanic water of a thermal spa.

Now over the years I’ve become a big fan of the humble bath. Hell, throw some bath salts in there, maybe some bubble bath if I’m feeling like it and if I’m really wanting to go full cosmo I’ll light some candles. Masculinity comes in many forms. Anyway, I like my baths hot. Hot enough so that I only spend 10 minutes in them and a further 30 minutes after a cold shower trying to cool down. So a morning at a thermal spa in 25-30°C didn’t really seem like something I’d be interested in.

We went anyway. They looked nice and ‘when in Rome’ as they say.

The only other catch is that I’m relatively cheap. Not a huge fan of paying premium for things. So it was a bit of a surprise when we were looking at anywhere between $20 and $85 for a morning.

Naturally enough, we went for the most expensive and best known hot springs in the Arenal/La Fortuna area, the Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa. Being the savvy spender that I am, I also researched some other options. It turns out there’s free hot springs as well, otherwise known. as Rio El Chollin.

Armed with such essential traveller knowledge, I decided that I was going to put it to the test. Was it worth paying for the thermal spa in La Fortuna or would the free hot springs be good enough?

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa

Let’s get the logistics out of the way first.

Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa is roughly 12km North West of La Fortuna at the base of the Arenal Volcano (15-20 minute drive).

They have a range of options, including rooms for you to stay overnight. However, the half day option is probably the most popular and comes with lunch or dinner depending on whether you choose the morning or evening session. We paid $70USD for entry to Tabacón hot springs and a full day is $85 USD, although this can vary depending on the time of year. Finally, the half day sessions are either 10am till 2pm or 6pm till 10pm.

I actually looked at the price for a night which was about $130 – $150 to stay there. As such, it would have been substantially cheaper to stay there than to pay for a room elsewhere and also two entry tickets. That’s not taking into account the pain of moving hotels after one night…..although the spa opens at 8am so presumably the guests get it to themselves between 8am – 10am and 2pm – 6pm.

More information and booking here: https://www.tabacon.com/thermal-experience/

First impressions

Slight hiccup at the beginning. We thought it would be good to turn up at 9.40am to buy the tickets and be the first ones in. Turns out that reception doesn’t open till 10am on the dot so we had to wait around. No biggie.

They didn’t allow me to fly the drone even though there wasn’t really anybody there. Complete understandable though – drones are really annoying for everyone and people are in bikinis/swimming costumes so there’s a privacy issue there. Again, no biggie. I expected that.

As you walk in it is remarkably peaceful. That’s probably stating the obvious considering it’s been built specifically to be a spa!! Another unsurprising thing…the water is warm. It varies but mostly it sits around 38°C (100°F for the Americans).

There are loads of little pools, waterfalls and rivers, all surrounded by lush vegetation. I believe that they’ve diverted the water from Rio Arenal but I might be mistaken there. Tabacón Thermal Resort & Spa actually sits on a 900 acre estate, although I would say that the spa itself is probably on 3-4 acres.

They’ve created little areas within the spa with their own little names, like the Shangri-La gardens. As such, it’s worth exploring more than just the initial mini waterfalls. If you go upstream to the left, in the Shangri-La gardens there is a larger waterfall (maybe 1.5 – 2m) where you can sit in the waterfall and get a nice little massage.

Everyone wants that Instagram spa picture

The main series of mini waterfalls and pools are directly opposite a bridge, allowing for people to perch on the edge and take their much wanted Instagram shot. I have Instagram and am no stranger to it, but I do find it kind of frustrating when you see a couple of people spend the entire few hours taking photos instead of relaxing in the warm water!

Having said that, I also spent a decent amount of time filming so the irony is thick here.

Hot/Cold Pools

We were warned by the receptionist at the place we were staying (Arenal Volcano Inn) that the best time to go was the evening. This was because it gets hot during the day so that combined with the warm water isn’t ideal.

Luckily it was overcast with some small rain showers so it wasn’t too hot outside. Regardless, after an hour or so of soaking in the natural hot tubs you kind of want to find a bit of cold water…..which we subsequently did.

Now 22°C (71.6°F) water isn’t exactly cold. However, after the main thermal pools it comes as a brisk wake up! This was probably my favourite part – going from the hot pools to the cold pools. It makes you appreciate the warmth of the spa!

Lunch at Tabacón

It was great that lunch was included within the half day entrance fee. A meal out in La Fortuna will run you $20 minimum anyway so it helps with the $70 hit.

It’s a buffet style lunch but with a variety of options across starters, mains and desserts. They also don’t have a problem with you going up for more so needless to say, this little piggy stuffed his face.

Overall impression of Tabacón

At first I thought that the $70 USD entrance fee for a 4 hour spa experience was a little steep. However, considering how relaxing it was and the fact that you get lunch thrown in as well, it isn’t too bad.

I was expecting it to be far more crowded but I think they do a good job of restricting access.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Sure, it’s not cheap but how often do you get to soak in natural thermal rivers running off a volcano? There’s lots of claims as to the health benefits of the minerals in the water but I’m not doctor so I really can’t comment on that!

The great thing was that there really wasn’t any smell of Sulphur – unlike just about everywhere (including the tap water) in Iceland.

But……what are the free hot springs like?

The free hot springs at Rio El Chillon, La Fortuna.

The interesting part about the free hot springs in La Fortuna is that they are 60 meters from Tabacón. Literally, across the road. They say that it’s called Rio El Chillon, but I couldn’t see this on Google Maps!

There’s lots of cars parked on the side of the road we which originally thought were for Tabacón. However, it turns out that the majority of these cars are for the free hot springs.

A short walk across the road from Tabacón and down a path for another 60m and you arrive at the free natural spa in Arenal.

One thing you’ll want to know immediately is that they have constructed a sort of culvert/tunnel under the road to let the water pass beneath. It’s concrete, it has graffiti and it isn’t necessarily the prettiest thing in the world (by that I mean that it’s pretty horrible). However, once you get over that, either side of said tunnel it is surprisingly nice.

I hadn’t expected for there to have been walls built to create little pools at the free hot springs. I just assumed that it would be a thermal river that people could relax/swim in. How wrong was I!

It didn’t have the picturesque waterfalls and the tunnel was a bit of a downer, but apart from that I was seriously impressed. I genuinely thought that it would be an easy decision – pay for the premium ones or have a half arsed attempt with the free ones. It’s the complete opposite.

The free hot springs are not as well groomed. The vegetation surrounding them isn’t as well manicured. There aren’t any instagrammable mini waterfalls.

But they’re free.

They aren’t hard to get to. You don’t feel like you have to stay for the whole 4 hours because you’ve paid for them.

Honestly, if you don’t want to drop $70 on a morning at the spa, the free ones are well worth a visit. I’d be happy with either. If you’re in La Fortuna or elsewhere in Arenal, you have to visit the hot springs.

It’s also not just Tabacón or the free ones. There’s Ecotermales that we heard was nice, Baldi which is more kid friendly and a load of others so you have a really wide choice. Whichever one you choose, visiting volcanic hot springs in Arenal/La Fortuna is a must.

2 April 2021 0 comment
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Costa RicaExcursions

Natural hot tubs (tide pools) in Santa Teresa/Malpaís

by Simon 23 March 2021
written by Simon

Santa Teresa is a small beach town on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on Costa Rica’s West Coast. It’s a great place with lots of surfers, travellers, good food and a relaxed atmosphere….although you probably already know that if you’re reading this!

Anyhow, there’s lots of people tend to stay on Santa Teresa beach, but it’s worth venturing out to Malpaís to visit the tide pools, otherwise known as the natural hot tubs. There are some tide pools midway down the main Santa Teresa beach but these aren’t as nice or secluded as the ones in Malpaís.

It’s only really a half day (or a couple of hours if you have an ATV or a car) so there’s really no excuse to check them out!

Where are the tide pools in Malpaís?

As always, logistics first.

Malpaís is Santa Teresa’s quieter, more secluded and lesser known cousin. It’s only a few kilometres to the South of Santa Teresa. They’re called a few different names including natural hot tubs, Malpaís tide pools and Mar Azul tide pools.

Whatever name you want to use, you’ll want to head South on the single road from Playa Carmen (runnig perpendicular to the beach) for about 2.5km until you see the Indigo Yoga Resort on your left. Around 50m after the Indigo Yoga Resort there is a right hand turn down a dirt road which has a sign for ‘Mar Azul’.

Follow the dirt road down to the water. There are tide pools there but you’ll want to follow the coast line to the left for 200m where there is a more exposed area of rock – and much better natural hot tubs! There’s also a secret beach a bit further South so if you hit that then you know you’ve gone too far.

Transport

We walked the whole way, but I wouldn’t advise this. It took us about 1.5 hours from Santa Teresa and produced some sense of humour failures! It’s only a few minutes in a taxi/ATV or car so just do that….

Bear in mind though that Malpaís is much quieter so you won’t be able to flag a taxi down on your way back to Santa Teresa. You could pop in to one of the hotels/guest houses/restaurants and ask them to order you a taxi, either way it shouldn’t be that hard.

When should you visit the Malpaís tide pools?

This is important so I’m going to put it in bold:

The best time to visit the tide pools is low tide. You cannot visit them at high tide.

The whole point of tide pools is that depressions in the rock trap outgoing sea water as the tide goes out, so make sure you time it right.

Generally speaking tides change roughly every 6 hours, but they’re not the same every day! Check on surfline, magicseaweed or just Google it to find out when low tide is when you are there.

The natural hot tubs

In the video I commented that it almost looks like a volcanic landscape – I haven’t been able to confirm this but there are a couple of article saying that it is volcanic rock. I’m no geologist so can’t comment but it doesn’t really matter….it still looks like a volcanic landscape!

There are multiple tide pools ranging from small ones that can fit a single person to others that can fit multiple people. Be warned though that they often have a lot of sea urchins hiding in the crevasses one the walls so be careful when you’re getting in and out of them. There wasn’t much other wildlife in the tide pools but I can imagine that small fish, crabs and octopus can be found if you go looking.

As with most attractions, they’re a great photo spot and we were the only ones there. Relax in your own natural hot tub as the waves crash against the rocks only a few meters away.

Bring and wear suncream! There is absolutely on shade so you’re exposed to the elements. Take a hat and some shade/t-shirt. A couple of people in our group didn’t wear enough suncream and got very burnt. If you’re in Santa Teresa/Malpaís for a while I would try to time your visit when it’s low tide in the morning. We were there during midday and it was scorching hot. In fact, it was so hot that we probably only spent an hour there before heading back. I would imagine that it would be great sunset spot as well.

So there you have it, the Mar Azul tide pools. As I said, it’s only a few hour trip and they’re super close to Santa Teresa so check the tides, pack some water and suncream and head out!

23 March 2021 0 comment
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Costa RicaTravel Tips

How to get to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica – Travel options and costs

by Simon 21 March 2021
written by Simon

Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. A haven for surfers, remote workers and holiday makers alike. Situated on the West Coast of Costa Rica on the Nicoya Peninsula, this beach town has seen a dramatic growth in popularity over the last few years not unlike Canggu in Bali.

Having travelled there recently, I thought it would be useful to breakdown the various travel options available and the costs associated with them.

So let’s jump into it. How do you get to Santa Teresa, Costa Rica?

Your options

Clearly it depends on where you’re coming from. I’m going to assume (probably wrongly) that you have flown into the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose. You can probably adapt elements of this itinerary if you’re coming from a different place such as Tamarindo in the North, La Fortuna or Liberia.

The primary options are:

  • Bus or Taxi to Puntarenas, ferry to Paquera and then bus/taxi to Santa Teresa (you can also hire a car and do the same route)
  • Flight from San Jose to Tambor and transport to Santa Teresa
  • Bus/Taxi to Jaco and then taxi boat to Santa Teresa

There are pros and cons to all of them, including time taken and cost so let’s look at the route that I took recently:

Transport to Puntarenas and Paquera Ferry

This seems to be by far the most popular route and whilst the transit time might be longer than a flight or the taxi boat, the total time is about the same (if not shorter). PLUS, it’s the cheapest way to do it.

As per above, the overview of the route is transport from San Jose to Puntarenas. From there you can get a ferry to the Nicoya Peninsula, specifically Paquera, and then transport to Santa Teresa from there.

Taking the bus

This was our original plan. We would land in at San Jose International airport, get a taxi to the bus station and then buy our ticket to Santa Teresa. It was going to cost us $12 and aside from getting to the bus station, the rest of the logistics would be covered for us including the ferry ticket.

But there was a hitch.

The bus only leaves twice a day, at 6am and 2pm. In addition, it took about 6 hours.

We were outside San Jose Internal airport before midday so we faced a 2+ hour wait for the bus and then the 6 hour journey. IF we had arrived to the airport a little later and only had to wait 30 minutes for the bus this would definitely have been the option we would have taken. Instead, a slightly more expensive option arose that was going to reduce our total transit time by around 3 hours.

Taxi

Whilst we were standing the departure area we bumped into someone who was also trying to get to the bus station in order to go to Santa Teresa. A short conversation later we agreed to split the taxi and loaded up the car. However, as we got in the car the taxi driver offered to drive us directly to Puntarenas to get the ferry. $80 was more than we were expecting, even though it is a 1.5 hour drive but he was charging us $25 to get to the bus station anyway.

A but of quick maths later we were on our way.

This did mean that we had to buy ferry tickets but this is ludicrously cheap at just over $1 USD. The only issue was organising transport on the other side, but considering the popularity of Santa Teresa this was unlikely to be an issue.

A 45 minute wait for the Paquera Ferry and a 70 minute journey later and we were on the Nicoya Peninsula.

Having come from the Dominican Republic and having travelled for a couple of days, the home stretch was upon us. Hot, sweaty and fed up, honestly I no longer cared about the price for the final leg.

Regardless, we managed to find two more people to split the final taxi with which ended up costing about $12 USD and we arrived in Santa Teresa 3 hours before we would have on the bus…..having paid an additional $22 for the privilege.

Well worth it.

Hiring a car from San Jose and driving to Santa Teresa

On the face of it, this is the easiest and it often looks like the cheapest option. I’ve hired a car from San Jose before and the process is relatively quick so no hiccups there. The traffic coming out of San Jose can be heinous but if you were going by bus/taxi you’ll be stuck in the same traffic anyway. At least you’re in your own car.

Here’s the two main issues:

  • The price that they list on the website is only for the car rental. It doesn’t cover insurance and often doesn’t even cover a sat nav. From memory, we were expecting to pay something like $25 a day for the car but with insurance, sat nav and breakdown cover it ended up being 2 or 3 times more expensive. So word of warning, figure out the total cost before hiring (that’s true anywhere).
  • I’m not aware of places where you can drop your car off in Santa Teresa. You’ll also pay a hefty premium for that. As such, if you only need the car for a couple of days but are intending on staying in Santa Teresa for a little longer you’ll need to factor that in. Either you’ll want to factor in renting the car for your entire stay, or the premium for dropping it off somewhere and the time/cost associated with getting from said ‘somewhere’ back to Santa Teresa.

Either way, it’s going to take longer than just jumping in a taxi and will probably cost more in the long run. That’s assuming that you’re not taking a taxi alone….

Flying from San Jose to Santa Teresa

This could well be your best option. I hadn’t considered it but may well be using this service when I leave Santa Teresa for San Jose.

Flights are operated by Sansa Regional and appear to be pretty regular (2-3 times a day). They leave from the international airport (Juan Santamaria) in San Jose and you land 30 minutes later in Tambor – which is closer to Santa Teresa than the drop off point for the ferry in Paquera.

A quick Sky Scanner search and if you book it a few weeks in advance it’ll cost you $100 each way. A friend just used it an apparently it’s only $20 extra for a surfboard. Bear in mind though that they are small planes so they may only be able to fit a couple of surfboards.

There’s a little bit of trepidation about the grass/dirt runway in Tambor and the potential for some turbulence along the way, considering it’s only a 12 person plane, but if that doesn’t put you off it seems like a pretty good deal to me! It just depends on the check-in/wait time but you are already at the airport if you fly into San Jose.

It’s more expensive than the other options but could save you a lot of time.

Taxi boat from Jaco

I had never considered this – mainly because I didn’t know it existed.

San Jose international to Jaco is around 1-2 hours depending on which route you take and the traffic. From there you can get a taxi boat to Montezuma (1.5 hours) and a taxi from there to Santa Teresa (30 minutes).

Prices range from $50 – $70.

Honestly, at first glance this looked like it might be a good option but then you realise that the boats only really leave at either 7am with Tropical Tours or 10am with Zuma Tours. That means you’re likely going to have to stay the night in Jaco.

On the off chance that you get to the boat on time, it’s still a 4 hour round trip (accounting for a 30 minute wait for the boat) and will cost you in excess of $110. Might as well get the flight…..

To state the obvious, if you get motion sickness then getting a speedboat for 1.5 hours probably isn’t the best choice either.

If you’re staying in Jaco for a bit then it makes perfect sense, but if you’re going straight from San Jose to Santa Teresa it seems like the slowest and possibly most expensive option.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.

21 March 2021 0 comment
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Dominican RepublicExcursionsTravel Tips

El Limón Waterfall, Las Terrenas – Everyone misses this trick!

by Simon 20 March 2021
written by Simon

El Limón waterfall in Las Terrenas is a popular tourist destination featuring a ~50m (~160 foot) waterfall surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and plunge pools for you to swim in. It’s also fairly accessible from Last Terrenas as it’s only a 30 minute drive.

There’s some comments that it’s not well sign posted, but if you’ve downloaded Google Maps you shouldn’t have any problems finding the town of El Limón from which you set off to the waterfalls. You’d also do pretty well to miss it considering that as we were getting closer there were guys on motorbikes driving alongside our car with laminated tour adverts for El Limón!

Anyhow, here’s a summary of our half day trip and a major tip that everyone seems to miss…..

El Limón waterfall at 7:25. I can’t seem to embed the video with time stamps!

To walk or ride?

The route to the waterfalls is around 1.5-2km along a dirt track. It seems like most people pay for a horseback ride but we decided to just walk it.

Water in the backpacks, flip flops on, we just started walking.

I’ve read a few reviews that talk of it being a steep trail but I have to disagree. Sure, it might be taxing if you’re over 60 years old but realistically most people are capable of walking 1.5km even if it has a few small hills thrown in. The walk took us about 35 minutes, but even if you’re slower it won’t take longer than an hour.

At first it was hard packed dirt/rock road but as you get closer to the waterfall and into the areas with more tree cover, there is quite a bit of mud. All 5 of us did it in flip flops (with varying success) but a pair of trainers might have been a better choice especially since the muddy parts tend to invariably have a bit of horse shit mixed in!

Excrement aside we were glad that we walked it. It’s not hugely taxing and makes the dip in the waterfall that much nicer.

We saw countless groups on horseback. It’s a typical horseback tour kind of thing. The horses know where they’re going, they’re not particularly happy and you’ve got your guide just walking alongside leading the horse. Hardly a thrill seeking excursion. I don’t know, maybe that is for some people. Each to their own I guess. It just seemed a little mundane.

Even if you take a horse you have to walk down the steps from the top of the waterfall to get to the bottom. The walk up back up the steps is definitely harder than the rest of the 1.5-2km walk.

*There are a couple of different routes that you can take. I believe we took the ‘harder’ one. Also, other reviews have talked about how the horseback guides can show you local cacao and other vegetation so that’s a benefit that we didn’t have visibility of.

El Limón Waterfall

At the top of the waterfalls you pay a 100 Dominican pesos entry fee and start the walk down to the bottom via a winding pseudo staircase sort of thing.

The waterfall itself is pretty impressive. It’s not your Victoria Falls free fall of water, instead it’s more of a cascade down a green (moss covered?) cliff. There’s also a plunge pool that you can swim in and take that all important picture for the ‘gram – if that’s what you’re in to.

Beautiful waterfall and plunge pool aside. I hated it.

Did you see that coming?

It was possibly the most touristy place I’ve been in 3 months of travelling (Cayo Arena was a close second). It was way too busy, with everyone trying to take a picture for Instagram. There wasn’t any point going for a swim in the plunge pool because you’d be elbow to elbow with everyone else. To top it off there were a couple of guys with Toucans charging people to take a picture in front of the waterfall with them.

A quick look at the mini waterfall below and it was time to climb back up the stairs and get out of there. We genuinely only spent 10 minutes there!

Everyone missed a trick

It wasn’t all doom and gloom though. On our way to the main waterfall we stopped off at a smaller one. In fact, at the time we thought it was the actual waterfall (or at least I did). I clearly remember saying, “it looks a lot larger in the pictures”. In time it would become apparent why that was the case…..it wasn’t the waterfall in the pictures!

Regardless, we stripped off and jumped in. You can swim under the ‘falls’ and find your own little secluded ledge behind the curtain of water. Yes, it’s not as spectacular or as large as the main waterfall, but the tours don’t stop at it so there’s nobody there. We had it all to ourselves and didn’t see anyone in it on the way back either.

It’s my personal opinion that unless you go early and make sure you’re the first ones at the main waterfall, which is a very viable option, the smaller one is a far nicer experience. I’m just not a fan of destinations with loads of tourists. It’s made worse when there’s obvious tourist trap things like people with parrots offering you pictures with it. I’m by no means a stylish or snobby guy, but it feels a little tacky.

Check it out for yourself. I’ll wager that if the main waterfall is as busy as it was when we were there, you’ll enjoy the smaller one far more.

I’m not talking about the smaller waterfall about 50 metres from the main one. The smaller one we found was en route and about 500m from the entrance to the main waterfall.

How much does it cost to visit El Limón Waterfall?

We had a car so it cost us next to nothing. A couple of hundred Dominican Pesos to park and 100 each to see the main waterfall. A grand total of $5 USD.

I appreciate that not everyone will have rented a car so the cost depends on whether you’re going to be picked up from Las Terrenas or make your way to El Limón via GuaGua or taxi.

By all accounts a door to door tour from Las Terrenas, with the aforementioned horseback ride will run you anywhere from $50 to $65 USD including lunch.

You can make your way to El Limón yourself via GuaGua which is typically 50 pesos ($1), but a taxi will likely cost you in excess of $35 so there’s quite a large price difference there. I believe that once you’re there you’ll pay anywhere between $12 and $20 for the horseback section.

Is it worth $65? That depends on the value you place on your money. For me, that’s pricey and the lunch is highly unlikely to be anything special. If you’re on a budget just grab a GuaGua and walk to the falls, that’ll run you less than $5 and again in my opinion will be a far more entertaining journey than joining a procession of horses and other tourists.

Whatever option you choose, I beg you to get up as early as will allow and be the first ones to the main waterfall. You won’t regret it and can stop off at the smaller one on the way back.

20 March 2021 0 comment
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