I was nominated not once but twice (lucky me! I guess I’d better do something about it!) to participate in Tripbase’s 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets blog tag collaboration; once by Katie @Tripbase and once by Dave & Deb @theplanetd.
Here’s the idea:
The aim of this game is to unite travel bloggers in a joint endeavor – to create an amazing list of top travel recommendations, to share with the online travel community.
And so with that, here are my own Travel Secrets scoured from around the world:
Travel Secret #1: The East Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii
Not only is the Big Island of Hawaii the least known and least visited Hawaiian island, but it is arguably the most diverse and spectacular. As a whole, the island is home to 11 of the 14 micro-climates that exist in the world, and both the world’s tallest and largest mountains (from ocean bases to summits) loom in the centre. All this and more is on a little piece of land that you could drive around in a (long) day.
But if the Big Island is rarely visited in comparison to its neighbours, the East Coast (the Puna region) sees even fewer people. About 30 miles from Hilo you’ll find yourself in Pahoa, an eccentric town that is your starting point. Head for the coast, and enjoy the lush jungle full of tropical fruits in stark contrast with endless fields of black lava; Papaya Farms Road with lots of WWOOF-ing opportunities; or further south towards the Kalani area where you can find yoga retreats, a circus school, Sunday morning ecstatic dances, and a clothing-optional black sand beach. No kidding! Dance like No One is Watching
Travel Secret #2: Taking the Train Across Canada
It’s not just for the elite any more, and it’s the greatest way to see Canada hands-down (in my view). Canada is so large that you’ll be hard pressed to drive across even a quarter of it. The bus will be only moderately comfortable, and air travel gives you little more than a metropolitan sense of a country that has so much more than metropolitan areas to offer.
But the train is both cheap and cheerful. You can book a 30 day pass with Via Rail that allows you to hop on and off the train (totaling 12-15 train travel days) as you wish. You’ll become a part of remote landscapes where the only sign of human presence is the train itself, you’ll tunnel through mountains, and scoot across lakes. If you book in the off-peak seasons (May and October would be my months of choice), you’ll still get a great ride…and for less than $600 it’s a steal. Our Train Trip to Alberta
Travel Secret #3: The Caretaker Gazette
Although not a place or mode of transportation, The Caretaker Gazette has been instrumental in helping us find places to stay around the world where we can work in trade for our accommodation. The tasks required could be anything from gardening to maintenance to cleaning to elder care to house/pet sitting, to even painting murals (as I did in Hawaii)! With hundreds of opportunities available in the quarterly issues and new ones hitting my in-box regularly, it serves as not only a portal for finding opportunity, but also inspiration and travel ideas. See also: How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World
Okay, now it’s time to pay it forward. I’m nominating the following bloggers to share their Top 3 Secrets on their travel blog:
Jeanne of Soultravelers3
Cherie & Chris of Technomadia
Lea of Location Independent
Corbett of Free Pursuits
Note: The final list of Top Bloggers’ Best Kept Travel Secrets will be published by Tripbase in a special blog post and shared across the Net.
@Mary – Definitely! It’s the way to see Canada as far as I’m concerned. Cheers!
Fab secrets Nora, thanks for sharing!
Especially the last one which I’m sure many travelers have never heard of….
Great travel secrets! The train across Canada sounds like a fabulous trip and a great way to see the country. I’ll have to keep that in mind for when I head up north.
@Katie – Thanks for inviting me to participate! Glad that my secrets aren’t too run-of-the-mill…
@Carol – Glad I’m not the only one that loves The Caretaker Gazette. It’s fabulous!
So fun to read your secrets, Nora. And I had no idea about #3! Will be checking it out…
Great secrets! We’re headed to Hawaii next fall on our way to Asia, so glad to see that one, but will tuck them all away for safekeeping! I’ve heard you talk about that Gazette before, must check it out!
Thanks for tagging me!
Just what a one armed, lefty peck typing, book writing, homeschooling, world traveling, Twitter addicted, travel blogger needs…another assignment! LOL! Especially since I’m still trying to finish your last great assignment..a week in our lives ( it’s partially written, done before the accident in August) & others in a long queue. :0
Hopefully my talking software that will type my words for me will arrive soon & I can start to catch up before we start moving again.
Great Tag meme idea & I have enjoyed the series around the net & have a few up my sleeve…. now to find the moment to get them down! 😉
@Lisa – Thanks. Do indeed check it out. The annual subscription price (I think it’s $30) is well worth it!
@Jeanne – I like your self diagnosis (the one-armed, lefty-peck typing, etc)! I too understand what it is to juggle way too many computer-related things; this project has been on my desk for weeks!
Ps – Can’t wait to read your week-in-the-life piece….no pressure! 🙂
I have used The Caretaker Gazette for many years, and in fact gave up paying rent once I started using the Gazette. Glad to see you writing about the Gazette!
Carol
Great list of secrets! I love the idea of caretaking job-holidays – I had never before heard of this as an option (I guess that is why it’s a secret). 🙂
Also, the picture of the black sand beach is beautiful. We definitely need to get back to Hawaii.
Happy New Year!
Awesome travel secrets, and I completely concur with the Puna side of Hawaii.. it remains one of my favorite places on earth!
Thanks for tagging us.. we’ll put some brain power into coming up with some great stuff to share.
@Jennifer – Caretaking is an off-shoot of the popular WWOOFing concept. But with WWOOFing, you have to purchase a membership for every country you visit. The Caretaker Gazette features world-wide opportunities, which is why I love it: I can choose my next destination based on awesome caretaking opportunities if I want to!
@Cherie – I’m sure you have more than a few travel secrets to share! Looking forward to it.
PS – I just read something on your site about you being a fire dancer….cool! I spin poi and staffs….can’t wait to have a burn with you sometime….maybe Burning Man….
I have been to Canada twice, but I agree this has helped me learn about couple more things about Canadian travel and tours secrets, I am more likely going to bookmark you blog and study time to time to improve my knowledge about Canada, and sure this all would help me during I travel down to Canada in April 2010.
Best regards and merry new year all readers!
Adam from Pakistan
@Adam – I’m glad this tip could help! Let me know where you are going in Canada and what you like to do, and I’ll be happy to give you some advice!
thanks for the great hints. i didn’t know much about the gazette either will definitely check it out!
@Marta – Let us know what you think of the Gazette. I’d love to see if other people love it as much as I do!
Who’s hte pretty lady in the third picture? I’m ready to give some sensual toe sucking!
@Gorks – *blush*
I like your travel secrets. Thanks for sharing these secrets with us.