GUEST ARTICLE: Bonaire is a beautiful little island located in the Southern Caribbean and part of the Netherlands Antilles. We found this little gem by typing into Google ‘best snorkelling in the world’. Being avid snorkelers this place really caught our eye and after reading all the great reviews we knew we had to put this one our hit list.

We went to Bonaire in June. As soon as we got off the plane it felt like we had stepped into a greenhouse! We were driven to our accommodations at the Coral Paradise Resort. Coral Paradise Resort is excellent and just a stone’s throw from the water and next to some great restaurants and dive shops. Our rental was there waiting for us at the resort.

After dropping off our gear we wandered down to the waterfront. What a beautiful sight! The crystal clear azure waters shimmered in the afternoon sun and was deliciously warm. There was a nice little stone path laid along the shoreline leading to some shops and restaurants. It was a really great place to take a stroll and admire the scenery.

We found a great little outside restaurant right on the water called Rum Runner’s. The food was excellent and during the day we found it to be a nice place to have a coffee and relax while looking out at the beautiful water.

There are a few friendly Iguanas that frequent the rocks along the water. We really got a surprise when we looked over the rocky edge to the water below and saw our first Tarpon. Tarpon to me look like giant sardines, and I meant giant! They can grow up to 8 feet long and have stunning silver scales that glimmer in the light. They really are incredible fish and we couldn’t wait to snorkel with them.

We bought ourselves a little detailed guide of Bonaire that marked the best snorkelling and dive spots around the island. It was a huge help because the signage around the island isn’t great.

For our first snorkel we ended up just going out to the beach in front of our hotel. The water was really warm and the visibility superb! Before long we were swimming with multitudes of colourful fish of all shapes and sizes. The articles on the net were right – this was by far one of the best snorkelling spots!

Besides the excellent snorkelling and diving the drive around the island is also a definite must do. Bonaire has many interesting sights and while you drive around you will most certainly come upon one of them – the wild donkeys! There are also lots of wild goats!

There is also a pretty impressive Salt Mine next to the water and the colours of the salt flats are stunning! Not too far from that area we saw a huge flock of brilliant pink Flamingos grazing in the shallow waters. Now that was a Kodak moment! There is also no shortage of cactus on the island –in fact there’s loads of it and some homes have even made their fences out of it.

The evenings in Bonaire were really nice and if you were lucky with the clouds you got to see some pretty incredible sunsets. I would have to say the night snorkelling was just as good as the day snorkelling. This was our first time going out at night and man what an adventure!

At first it felt a little eerie using just the light of your torch to guide you but it didn’t take long to get used to it. I think the coolest part was getting to swim with the giant Tarpons at night. They swam by our sides and used our lights as a hunting guide to catch the little fish. It was awesome!

Overall our trip to Bonaire was excellent!! Great accommodations, good eats and heaps of incredible snorkelling adventures. We really enjoyed ourselves there and especially liked the laid back, quiet feel of the island.

We find that’s something hard to come by these days. So if you’re looking for a picturesque getaway with superb snorkelling/diving and not crawling with tourists, this is your spot!

Rob Gower’s Bonaire, Southern Caribbean Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: The short 3-hour flight it took us to fly from Vancouver, BC to Anchorage, Alaska was by far the most beautiful plane ride that we’ve ever been on. We were so lucky to have clear blue skies while flying over the giant snow capped Coast Mountains and the deep blue Pacific Ocean. July was a great month to go!

We picked up our car rental at the airport and headed to a nice little B&B we had found on the Internet called Highland Glen Bed and Breakfast. There are heaps of accommodations in Anchorage but we found them to be pretty pricey.

I’m not sure if it was because of the summer season, but it definitely paid for us to do some research. Luckily we ended up picking a little gem, the owners were fantastic and very helpful in pointing us to all the tourist hot spots. One day we even had our own little moose show right out on the front lawn, too cool!

We had arrived early in the afternoon and quickly checked in and dropped off our gear in order to take advantage of the beautiful weather and daylight.

We soon found out that there would be no problem of daylight shortage. Later that night or I should say morning at about 1am it was still fairly light outside. This made our trip even better and we got to really take full advantage of each and every day.

Our first excursion was a drive down south along the Seward Highway to a little place called Girdwood. The 45-minute drive was really scenic and it’s said to be one of the best in the world (we agree!). The highway runs alongside the Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet and is really impressive.

At that time it was low tide and there was a vast expanse of smooth mudflats with the pretty backdrop of the giant Coastal Mountains. The tidal changes in that particular area are really something to see and if you time it right you can witness a Tidal Bore or maybe even see a Beluga Whale.

Girdwood is Alaska’s ski capital and has one of the best chairlifts we’ve been on. You can find this at the Alyeska Resort. The ride soars high over lush green forest and deep natural pools. We saw a moose and heard of a bear sighting as well.

During the ride we were both awestruck by the breathtaking beauty of the Chugach National Forest. The surrounding mountains were snow capped and brilliant green. It was just incredible. Once we got to the top we got a chance to play in some of winter’s leftover snow. This is a definite must do if you’re ever in the area.

I had always imagined Anchorage to be a small town but in reality it’s actually a pretty good size city and home to almost 300,000 people. On the weekend there is a nice little farmer’s market to go and explore that showcases all kinds of local foods and handicrafts.

For lunch we found a great little place downtown called the Alaska Salmon Chowder House. The Alaskan Crab there was excellent and it soon became our favorite lunch spot.

On another big outing we drove south again but this time we turned off to Cooper Landing. We heard that this was a really scenic drive and we also heard that the salmon were starting to run. Cooper Landing is a popular fishing spot and we were hoping we might be able to watch some fishermen reeling some in.

The drive certainly was scenic but unfortunately we were just a bit too early for the salmon run. So instead we went on a really nice walk along the river. There are heaps of walking trails and also an excellent biking trail all along the highway.

When we got back to Anchorage later that evening we decided to go take a look at their famous lookout point. When we got there we saw a trail teaming with hikers called Flattop Peak Trail and so we decided to give it a go. It took us 2 ½ hours of some pretty hard going at times and a few hairy spots but in the end it was all worth it. It’s a fantastic walk and gives a spectacular view of the City and surrounding area.

This is a pretty hard walk but we did happen to see a couple of 4 year olds coming down?! Man they breed them tough in the north!

On our last day we went to the Anchorage Zoo, which we have to say was pretty impressive. It has all of Alaska’s best and is well known for taking in orphaned and injured animals. It was a great place to learn about and see Alaska’s animals.

We really liked the Muskox, something we had never seen before and the wolves and giant Bald Eagles we also pretty remarkable.

There are so many things to do in Alaska and lots of beautiful parks to explore. We spent 5 days and barely touched it! What we did see and do we absolutely loved and next time we would probably like to take a Ferry up from Victoria. For all you nature lovers out there definitely put this one on your To Do List!!

Rob Gower’s Anchorage, Alaska Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: Argentine Patagonia, the southern corner of South America, offers travellers a full spectrum of wilderness experiences. From alpine mountain peaks and valleys, to frozen desert-like tundra plateaus that span for hundreds of miles, this region makes for hiking, road trip and photographic heaven.

Patagonia has always been a frontier land of Argentina, never experiencing huge influxes of European settlement due to its harsh climate and wild landscape – it’s always attracted explorers and adventure seekers.

Many areas still maintain an element of remoteness and isolation while some parts have become busy tourist centres for Argentine and international travellers to plan their Patagonian experience from.

Bariloche and El Bolson

Bariloche sits on the eastern side of the southern Andes in Argentine Patagonia near the border with Chile. Home to around 100,000 people, it’s a historic tourist town and one of the largest in the region. People from Buenos Aires and beyond come to enjoy the alpine air, lakes, skiing and laid back life away from the cities.

In warmer months it’s a great place to take in crystal clear blue lakes and fresh mountain air while in the winter months it’s one of Argentina’s main ski resorts and home to some of the best snow on the continent apparently. We spent about a week here toward the end of the warmer months and I say ‘warmer’ because it’s anything but summery at around 5 degrees at night and 10-15 degrees during the day.

Bariloche overlooks the massive Lake Nahuel Huapi – a long slim glacial lake that reaches a depth of 438 metres (1,437 feet) in parts. Architecturally, Bariloche resembles a European alpine town – not what most travellers would expect from the southern reaches of the new world.

It was first settled by German, Austrian and Slovene immigrants in the mid-1800s and much of its original architecture still stands in the town centre. The main street is also dotted with dozens European style chocolate and confectionery shops – a great place to be around at Easter.

By any standards Bariloche is beautiful but it is a major tourist centre and for those who want a quieter vibe, a trip to a surrounding town or village is the way to go.

A short, 2 hour bus-ride away is the former hippie town of El Bolson, a tiny holiday village sitting on Lago Puelo – a crystal clear glacial fjord-like lake with deep blue and green tones.

El Bolson is sandwiched between high peaks seltered by mountains ridges in a small valley. Because of this, it enjoys a warm micro-climate that is 2-3 degrees higher than anywhere else in the area. El Bolson is a great place to buy locally made arts, crafts and artisan food – from beaded necklaces and carved benches to homemade jams and organic beer, it’s all there.

Boat rides and walks in the mountains are also easily accessible. The restaurants are also great for hearty stews, steaks and fresh trout sourced from the surrounding mountains.

Accommodation in Bariloche and El Bolson is fairly easy to organise but as they are popular getaways during Argentinean holidays so it pays research into hotel and hostel availability in advance. Most places in Argentina are listed on hostelworld.com and tripadvisor.com so choosing a safe and reliable place to stay is generally not very hard.

El Calafate and El Chalten

El Calafate sits across dry, dusty and exposed plains that reach to deep icy lakes lakes fed by huge ice sheets. It is further south than Bariloche and far colder. The town has a real frontier-land feel which is backed up by cold polar winds that blow the dusty ground into your face as they swirl through the surrounding mountain ranges.

Perito Moreno National Park lies a short 1.5 hour bus ride to the west of El Calafate. Most tourists are recommended to take a sunrise bus to make the most of the day as you can spend hours walking the viewing platforms around the 30 metre tall, 5km wide Perito Moreno glacier. You also get to see some of the sun’s first rays hit the mountains ridges, ice sheets and tussock grasses as you meander your way to the park.

There are a range of ways to see Perito Moreno from its very modern tourist office. You can take a boat tour across the lake to the glacier’s edge, a trek across its surface or stroll one of the maany extensive walkways that wrap around its widest part.

Every 15 minutes or so a thunderous sound will crack open the valley as ice chunks the size of fridges and cars break away from Perito Moreno – it’s literally crumbling before your eyes. While many tourists sit watching for chance to snap a photo of ice crashing in to the lake below, capturing it at the right time can be a real challenge.

Keen photographers are recommended to pick one specific area of the glacier to watch for falling ice rather than running somewhere when the crackling sound of the ice breaking hits the valley. Once the sound of breaking ice is heard, it’s too late and all you’ll only see the final splash if you’re not standing in front of it.

The mountains around Perito Moreno are constantly circled by massive condors – a large member of the vulture family that is native to South America. These huge birds catch the updrafts of wind from the mountains across Patagonia and appear rather menacing as they float past tourists on the look out for carcasses.

Pumas are not so common here but I was told they can sometimes be spotted in the distance. Hunted to near extinction over the last 100 years, Pumas are highly cautious of humans and only occasionally seen in the distance from the main roads. Some locals we spoke to mentioned they do expect more Puma sightings in the coming years with better conservation laws.

Four hours north of El Calafate lies El Chalten, a tiny village on the border with Chile and home to some of the best mountain hikes in the South America. A day trip from El Chalten is great way to appreciate the dramatic rock-faced peaks that loom over the valley. If you can spend more time there, I would recommend you do so. After visiting for just one day, and looking back now, I would have given El Chalten a few days (at least).

Keen hikers who visit El Chalten are indulged by a range tracks that feed into the mountain ranges, all tailored to varying skill and fitness levels. Perhaps one of the the most iconic of the peaks in the area is Mount Fitz Roy, a three spire peak that stabs the sky over El Chalten. Fitz Roy marks the Argentine border with Chile and stands at over 3,375 m (11,073 ft) tall. The best look-out for Fitz Roy is a 2 hour walk from El Chalten village and great for a quick snapshot of what the area has to offer.

Tips for travel in Argentine Patagonia

• Argentine Patagonia is not cheap, but can be affordable if you do your research, plan and book ahead.
• Be prepared for the elements. The climate can be bone-chillingly cold and the sun very harsh so bring thermals and sun block!
• Be prepared for a lack in the range of fresh food. Many areas in Patagonia rely on fruit and vegetables transported from Buenos Aires so they may not always have your favourite and you may have to settle for the canned equivalent.
• If you have time and are travelling on a budget, look in to a suite class seat on an Argentine tour bus. You will save a lot more and see some of the most remote parts of the country along the way. See Overland Transport Argentina: Buses Better Than Flying
• Hostel World and Trip Advisor are great for research on accommodation. Like anywhere, there are some place that should be avoided as well as real gems that can make your stay amazing.
• The only issue commonly encountered by visitors to El Calafate are stray dogs. While most will have homes, there are dozens of dogs roaming the streets in packs and can snap at the odd tourist. At one point I had two dogs nipping at my feet on the way back from the supermarket.
• I found the price of accommodation increased the further south you go but at around $AUD11.00 / $USD9.00 per night for bed in a shared room, it’s not exactly an arm and a leg when compared to Europe or Australia

This travel diary has been written by my friend Nick Healy. Nick works in the field of online and digital public relations for Technology companies, but lives to explore and photograph places less travelled around the world by planes, buses and even ocean going yachts.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

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