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This Way To Paradise

  • 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
  • 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

  • What to Do If You Get Into a Car Accident While Visiting Los Angeles
  • A UK Coastal Road Trip in Search of Hidden Beaches
  • Monaco in One Day: The Ultimate Guide to What to See and Do
  • The Best Beach Destinations for Singles Looking for Romance
  • How to Find a Secluded Beach Getaway Without Spending a Fortune
  • Valen Dawson at the Castaway Resort, Koh Lipe www.thiswaytoparadise.com
    Travel Tips

    Other Travel Articles Written By Valen Dawson

    December 30, 2013 / 2 Comments

    I have written for many other travel websites, and many of you would like to follow my experiences in those articles, too.  Here is a roundup of the other places where you can read about my travel experiences on other great travel websites: 1.  Beyond Bali:  The Morning Of The World on Eye and Pen: An article about where to discover the real Bali and the spirituality that it evokes.   2.  7 Travel Scams That You Should Know on Eye and Pen: 7 tricky travel scams that you should be aware of.   3.  Celebrating Life in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico on Vagablogging.net My observations in San Miguel…

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  • Gili Meno www.thiswaytoparadise.com The Powerful Reasons You Should Follow Your Dreams
    Travel Tips

    Winter Holidays-Where To Go Sun Chasing

    November 25, 2013 / 7 Comments

    I used to live in Portland, Oregon, and every Winter I would have to book a plane ticket and head for somewhere with some warmth and sun.  I wouldn’t care where I went for my winter holidays as long as there was sun. I would search the internet for the best winter vacation package and just go.  Are you in the same boat (or wishing you were on a boat) and trying to figure out where you should go? Here are a few of my favorite destinations for spending Winter holidays in the sun: 1.  Cuba There is no place to fill your heart full of sunshine like Cuba.  The…

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    June 19, 2026
  • coconut at the sanctuary resort, thailand www.thiswaytoparadise.com
    Travel Tips

    6 Ways To Travel The World Without Leaving Your Home Town

    November 11, 2013 / 22 Comments

    While I do believe that there is nothing like getting out to see the world to change our perspective on life, I also feel there are many ways to develop the mindset of a traveler without ever leaving home.  Because the more I have traveled, the more I have come to realize, it’s not about seeing another church or another museum, another beach, or another touristy site. What it is about is showing up.  Living in the moment.  Being spontaneous.  Letting life happen to me instead of me trying to happen to life.  It’s about the people I meet.  Learning about different cultures.  Trying new foods, smelling new smells, and…

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    How To Travel: What Kind Of Traveler Are You?

    April 7, 2013
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    5 Reasons Why You Need To Book A Flight To Edinburgh Right Now

    September 29, 2014
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    Ridgefield Refuge: The Hike You Can Take Without Even Getting Out of Your Car

    January 2, 2018
  • www.travelscamming.com
    Travel Tips

    Introducing Travel Scamming: Avoid The Scams And Travel Safe

    July 29, 2013 / 5 Comments

    I am excited to announce to everyone that I have a second website that I’ve been working on,Travel Scamming.  I  still have a lot of information to add, but I wanted to let everyone know about it.  Many of you probably remember the scammers who tried to take me for a ride in Sri Lanka.  Well, one of the comments, I got on that article was that there should be somewhere for people to go to read about the scams that can happen in certain areas when you are traveling.  Well, I thought that was a perfect idea, so I took it and ran with it.  I will also be…

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    July 31, 2017
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    May 24, 2014
  • Travel by train in Sri Lanka, tea plantations
    Travel Tips

    Train Travel-The One Thing You Must Do In Sri Lanka

    April 29, 2013 / 5 Comments

    Train travel in Sri Lanka is a common way to get around. If you go to Sri Lanka, don’t miss out on taking the train from Ella to Nuwara Eliya.  You will see stunning views of tea plantations, waterfalls, misty green valleys, interesting people, and lush tropical foliage.  I was so upset when I heard the train was supposed to go on strike, and thought I might miss this experience.  The minute I heard they weren’t going to strike, I headed to the train station and lucked out and got the last ticket in the observation car. I also met an incredibly nice Sri Lankan family.  I spent the day…

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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.

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