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This Way To Paradise

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Travel Tips
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    • Belize
      • Ambergris Caye
      • Caye Caulker
    • Cambodia, Koh Rong Samloem
    • Costa Rica
      • Arenal and La Fortuna
      • The Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park
      • Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
    • Dominican Republic
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      • Lake Atitlan
    • Indonesia
      • Ambon, Maluku
      • Bali
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      • Kai Island, Maluku
      • Raja Ampat
      • Sumatra-Belitung Island
    • Mexico
      • Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo
      • La Paz
      • Patzcuaro
      • San Miguel De Allende
      • Todos Santos-The Antidote To Cabo!
      • Zipolite Beach: A Complete Travel Guide
    • Portugal
      • Beach Porn Alert: 7 Reasons Why You Need To Put Lagos, Portugal On Your Bucket List Now
      • The Top Portugal Beaches To Visit
    • Sri Lanka
      • Colombo, Sri Lanka
      • Ella
      • Mirissa Beach
      • Yala National Park
    • Thailand
      • Bangkok
      • Koh Lipe
      • Phi Phi
      • Phuket
      • Railay Beach-Krabi Town
      • Your Thailand Songkran Water Festival Guide
  • Places To Stay
  • Food
  • Contact Me
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Travel Tips
  • Escape Guides
    • Belize
      • Ambergris Caye
      • Caye Caulker
    • Cambodia, Koh Rong Samloem
    • Costa Rica
      • Arenal and La Fortuna
      • The Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park
      • Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
    • Dominican Republic
    • Guatemala
      • Lake Atitlan
    • Indonesia
      • Ambon, Maluku
      • Bali
      • Gili Islands
      • Kai Island, Maluku
      • Raja Ampat
      • Sumatra-Belitung Island
    • Mexico
      • Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo
      • La Paz
      • Patzcuaro
      • San Miguel De Allende
      • Todos Santos-The Antidote To Cabo!
      • Zipolite Beach: A Complete Travel Guide
    • Portugal
      • Beach Porn Alert: 7 Reasons Why You Need To Put Lagos, Portugal On Your Bucket List Now
      • The Top Portugal Beaches To Visit
    • Sri Lanka
      • Colombo, Sri Lanka
      • Ella
      • Mirissa Beach
      • Yala National Park
    • Thailand
      • Bangkok
      • Koh Lipe
      • Phi Phi
      • Phuket
      • Railay Beach-Krabi Town
      • Your Thailand Songkran Water Festival Guide
  • Places To Stay
  • Food
  • Contact Me

Recent Posts

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  • Travel Tips

    User-friendly travel apps in Saudi Arabia – How to choose them?

    August 24, 2026 / No Comments

    Popular Doesn’t Always Mean User-Friendly App store charts don’t always show which travel booking apps are truly easy to use. In Saudi Arabia, an app can surge in downloads around school holidays, Umrah seasons, major events, or airline flash sales, then fade just as quickly. The tools that travelers use are different for each trip. Booking an international flight requires a different app than booking a local hotel, hailing a ride or planning religious travel. Instead of just looking at how apps are ranked in the app stores, a better way to judge an app’s popularity is to see what people really use it for and how easy it is…

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    Costa Rica Doesn't Have Tacos And 5 Other Reasons I Decided Not To Move There

    Costa Rica Doesn’t Have Tacos And 5 Other Reasons I Decided Not To Move There

    November 8, 2016
  • Travel Tips

    Best Hiking Destinations and Essential Gear for Outdoor & Island Adventures

    August 21, 2026 / No Comments

    Planning the perfect trip goes beyond choosing a destination—it’s about crafting the right itinerary, checking the weather, and ensuring all necessary travel gear is in place. Especially for travelers who choose to go hiking or take a vacation on an island, lightweight equipment and easily accessible travel accessories can make the journey more enjoyable and stress-free. 1.  What Are Some Hiking Destinations Worth Adding to an Outdoor Vacation?  Mountain and Alpine Vistas  The Dolomites in Italy: Travelers can enjoy strolling among the steep limestone peaks and staying in comfortable forest cabins. Glacier National Park: It boasts over 700 miles of trails and is particularly suitable for hikers. The trails offer…

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    Other Travel Articles Written By Valen Dawson

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    March 11, 2026
  • Travel Tips

    Medical Longevity Resorts in Europe | the Differences

    August 19, 2026 / No Comments

    The Best Medical Longevity Resorts in Europe: Where Personalized Medicine Meets Long-Term Health Europe has become one of the world’s most interesting destinations for medical longevity. From advanced diagnostic clinics in Switzerland to physician-led health resorts in Austria, there are now more ways than ever to assess your health, understand potential risk factors and make informed decisions about the years ahead. But “longevity” can mean very different things. Some destinations focus heavily on technology and biomarker testing. Others combine medicine with luxury hospitality. Some originate in traditional medical approaches that have evolved over decades. And some are closer to wellness retreats with a growing selection of medical services. For travelers…

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    Archangel Michael Celebration, San Miguel de Allende

    Slowing Down: How I’m Learning To Live The Good Life In Mexico

    September 30, 2013

    Why The People You Meet Are What Make Travel Unforgettable

    May 13, 2026
    Riad Boussa

    Feeling At Home At Riad Boussa in Marrakesh, Morocco

    May 3, 2014
  • Travel Tips

    Southeast Asia’s Hidden Wellness Traditions Most Tourists Miss

    August 19, 2026 / No Comments

    Southeast Asia’s Hidden Wellness Traditions Tourists Never Hear About Every guidebook to Southeast Asia mentions the same three things: a beach massage in Thailand, a yoga retreat in Bali, maybe a floating market for good measure. After years of moving through this region — buses that break down in the middle of nowhere, villages with no name on any map I owned — I’ve learned the actual wellness traditions here rarely make it into a Lonely Planet chapter. They’re quieter, more specific to place, and usually explained to you by someone’s grandmother rather than a spa brochure. The Jamu Sellers of Rural Java In small towns across Java, you’ll spot…

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    Chania: Why You Should Visit When You Travel To Greece

    April 3, 2014

    Hidden Culinary Gems: Extraordinary Dishes Worth Trying

    June 9, 2026

    How to Plan a Weekend Around Great Food

    August 25, 2026
  • Travel Tips

    Sorting Your Email Before A Long Trip Abroad

    August 17, 2026 / No Comments

    Most of us prepare for a long trip by thinking about luggage and itineraries. Email tends to be the afterthought, which is odd when you consider how much of the trip depends on it. Boarding passes, hotel confirmations, car hire vouchers and the message from your host with the door code all live in your inbox, so taking half an hour to organize it before you leave saves a lot of standing in an airport line arguing with an account that has locked you out. Get into your email account before you need to When you sign in from a country you’ve never visited, most providers treat it as suspicious.…

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    March 27, 2025
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About Me

I am always looking for the perfect escape, the perfect paradise, the kind of place that tosses your cares into the sea. Fortunately, I have discovered many! I created this site to show you where to go and how to get there. My goal is to show you that Paradise is only a plane ticket (or boat ride) away. I have inspired many others to travel and to create a better life. I am available for inspirational speaking, coaching, writing, travel planning, and photography.

©2026