Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway is definitely a trip that everyone should make at least once in their life. Astounding views, waterfalls crashing on the beach, redwood forests, and some of the best scenery in nature makes for an unforgettable trip. This guide includes many of the stops along Highway 1 that you’ve probably heard about, but also some hidden gems that you will want to make sure to visit on your Big Sur road trip. Point Lobos State Natural Reserve-#1 Big Sur Road Trip Stop If you are starting your drive from Carmel, Point Lobos is considered to be the start of the Big Sur area, and…

If you’re looking for the best beaches closest to Bali, look no further than the Gili Islands just off the coast of Lombok in Indonesia. Of the three islands, Gili Air is my favorite, and this guide to Gili Air will show you why. I’ve also stayed on Gili Trawangan  and Gili Meno. Gili T is now too much of a party scene for me, though you can get away from this on the north side of the island. Gili Meno is gorgeous, but a little too quiet for me. Gili Air is just right. A bit bigger than the other two makes for a little more to explore, and…

Isla Mujeres, a gorgeous island just off the coast of Cancun, is one of the prettiest beach destinations in Mexico.  While I thought the beaches, especially North Beach, were absolutely stunning, it still didn’t capture my heart as much as Zipolite did.  While I will say the beaches of Isla Mujeres are prettier than those of the Oaxacan coast, I prefer the Oaxacan coast because it is much less touristy than Isla Mujeres. Isla Mujeres is full of souvenir stores full of items made in China. And the owners stand outside as you walk down the street begging you to come inside their stores and restaurants. This gets rather annoying…

I have to admit, when I first arrived in Yelapa, Mexico, I wasn’t sure I liked it. I’ll be honest, for me, it doesn’t measure up to my favorite place in Mexico, Zipolite. In Zipolite, you can see both the sun rise and the sun set from the beach, but in Yelapa, at the time of year that I went, I could see neither. There were far too many expats, day trippers from Puerto Vallarta, and lackluster food experiences in Yelapa for my taste. But, then I realized there was a lot of beauty around me, and that to truly enjoy myself, I had to stop comparing it to places…