Off-the-Beaten Path Archives - Brooklyn Tropicali

wellness and yoga retreat guatemala, villa sumaya lake atitlan retreat thumbLR

16 May 2019

Wellness + Yoga Retreat Guatemala: Villa Sumaya Lake Atitlan Retreat

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Central America, Cultural Destinations, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Guatemala, Hiking, Hotel Reviews, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Retreats | 0

A couple of months ago, I started planning a solo trip, but wanted to be in a space where I would: 1) meet interesting people and 2) have a meaningful experience. I had planned on finding a yoga retreat somewhere … Read More

thumb chiapas travel guide things to do in san cristobal de las casas (1)

23 Apr 2019

Chiapas Travel Guide: Best Things to do in San Cristobal de las Casas + Hotels

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Chiapas, Cultural Destinations, Food, Hotel Reviews, Mexico, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Tours, Transportation | 2

After years of dreaming about Chiapas travel, I finally had a chance to explore the southernmost state in Mexico. It’s a beautiful and unique place, really different from anywhere else I’ve been in the country. If you like visiting places … Read More

4 Mar 2019

Puerto Escondido to Mazunte, San Agustinillo + Zipolite: How to Get Between These Oaxaca Beach Towns

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Mexico, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Transportation | 2

There isn’t a lot of info online about how the Oaxaca coast, and much less about how to get around. Our last trip, we spent a few days in Puerto Escondido, followed by a few more in Mazunte. I scrapped … Read More

thumb Copy of oaxaca to Mazunte, how to get to Mazunte, san agustinillo, zipolite (1)

4 Mar 2019

How to Get to Mazunte, San Agustinillo + Zipolite: Oaxaca to Mazunte Overland + By Plane

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Mexico, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Transportation | 4

This is my most asked question about the Oaxaca coast – how to get there?! That’s because this remote area is surrounded by rugged mountains and there just isn’t a lot of info online. So I want to share what … Read More

oaxaca to puerto escondido, how to get to puerto escondido

4 Mar 2019

How to Get to Puerto Escondido: Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido Overland + By Plane

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Mexico, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Transportation | 2

This is probably the #1 question I get about the Oaxaca coast – how do you get there? So I want to put together the best info I’ve gathered over the last few years about how to get to Puerto … Read More

oaxaca coast guide best beaches thumb copy

25 Feb 2019

Oaxaca Coast Guide: The Best Beaches in Oaxaca for Every Travel Style

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Cultural Destinations, Mexico, Nature, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path | 2

The Oaxaca coast is full of different cove beaches and towns. The unique thing about this coastline is that every Oaxaca beach and town has a totally different vibe, so you can find a place for any type of traveler … Read More

18 Feb 2019

San Agustinillo Hotel with an Epic Ocean View: Beautiful Zazil Retreat

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Hotel Reviews, Mexico, Nature, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path | 0

I’ve been on a spree of writing blogs about the Oaxaca coast because it’s such a gorgeous area that few people know about. My new favorite part of the coast is the tiny, relaxing, off-the-beaten path town of San Agustinillo. … Read More

11 Dec 2018

Best Things to Do in El Salvador: Why El Salvador Travel Should Be On Your Radar

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Central America, Central America, Cultural Destinations, Eat Well in Latin America, El Salvador, Food, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Hotel Reviews, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path | 2

El Salvador travel is very off the radar for many, which is exactly the reason I was so interested to visit. During my whirlwind 6 day El Salvador tour with the El Salvador Tourism Board, I visited 10 towns/cities, 4 beaches, … Read More

10 Apr 2018

A Roatan Vacation for Adventure Lovers: Camp Bay Lodge in Off-the-Beaten Path East End

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Caribbean, Central America, Central America, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Hiking, Honduras, Hotel Reviews, Islands, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path | 5

I’ve already established that my time on the Caribbean island of Roatan was above and beyond anything I expected. I loved this interesting and beautiful island. One of the most surprising parts of my Roatan vacation was my 3 days … Read More

4 Apr 2018

Roatan Travel Guide: Non-Diver’s Guide for Where to Stay, What to Do + Where to Eat on Roatan Island

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Caribbean, Central America, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Hiking, Honduras, Hotel Reviews, Islands, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Tours | 9

Roatan is an beautiful Caribbean island that seems to be on very few non-diver’s radar. It’s actually fairly little known in the travel world in general. This small island is part of a chain of 3 islands in the clear … Read More

27 Mar 2018

Roatan Hotel: Puerta Azul Boutique Hotel – A Blue Door That Leads to the Sea

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Caribbean, Central America, Central America, Honduras, Hotel Reviews, Islands, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path | 3

A good hotel should tick all the boxes – including location, decor, and amenities. But most importantly, it should feel GOOD to be in. Roatan hotel, Puerta Azul boutique hotel has a great vibe and felt like the perfect retreat … Read More

20 Mar 2018

Cayos Cochinos from Roatan Tour: Snorkeling + Sailing the Most Pristine Coral Reef with Zeppelin Dive & Sail

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Caribbean, Central America, Central America, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Hiking + Adventures, Honduras, Islands, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Tour Reviews, Tours, Transportation | 2

The Cayos Cochinos are a little-known and postcard-worthy island archipelago off the coast of Honduras. The only way to reach them from Roatan is by chartering a sailboat or taking one of only a couple sail tour options. I was … Read More

14 Mar 2018

The Best West Bay Roatan Hotel: Artistic + Secluded Ibagari Boutique Hotel

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Caribbean, Central America, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Honduras, Hotel Reviews, Islands, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path | 6

If you are looking for a boutique hotel near Roatan’s most beautiful beach, West Bay Beach, Ibagari Boutique Hotel is a gem. This West Bay Roatan hotel is beyond gorgeous, in a perfect location, and is both luxurious and relaxing. … Read More

31 Oct 2017

Hiking Sierra Nevada Mountains: Spain Trekking Tour with Sierra y Sol

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Europe, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Spain, Tour Reviews, Tours | 10

I love hiking and doing nature explorations when I go to a new place. So when I was planning my time in Spain, I knew I wanted to find a way to fit some trekking in. I had heard that … Read More

17 Oct 2017

Boutique Hotel Lake Titicaca: A Luxurious Experience at Amantica Lodge

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Cultural Destinations, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Hiking, Hotel Reviews, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Peru, South America, Tour Reviews, Tours, Uncategorized | 9

When I first found Amantica Lodge online, I immediately fell in love with this Peru luxury hotel. The design of the exclusive villa was everything I look for in a hotel – sleek, hip and beautiful. This seemed like the … Read More

9 Oct 2017

Rainbow Mountain Trek: 2 Day Tour with Ayni Peru

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Cultural Destinations, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Peru, South America, Tour Reviews, Tours, Uncategorized | 10

One of the very first things I knew I wanted to do when I got to Peru was the Rainbow Mountain trek. This hike is still fairly new on the tourist scene, but it’s splashed all over social media – … Read More

short inca trail hike machu picchu ayni tours thumbnail

4 Oct 2017

Short Inca Trail Hike, Machu Picchu, & Sacred Valley Tour: Review of Ayni Peru

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Cultural Destinations, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Hotel Reviews, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Peru, South America, Tour Reviews | 15

I feel like my time in the Cusco region of Peru was nothing short of magical – and I don’t say that lightly. For 3 weeks we spent time in Cusco city, Ollantaytambo, and many of the surrounding towns and … Read More

7 Aug 2017

Oaxaca Mezcal Tour: Guide to Visiting the Best Mezcal Distilleries with Las Bugambilias Tours

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Cultural Destinations, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Mexico, Mezcal, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Tour Reviews, Tours, Uncategorized | 18

It shocked me to find so little info online about what mezcal distilleries to visit on a Oaxaca mezcal tour. Sure there are lots of articles about the newly trendy spirit – but almost all focus on what mezcal is … Read More

26 Jul 2017

Peace Retreat: A Costa Rica Yoga Retreat for Anyone

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Central America, Costa Rica, Hotel Reviews, Off-the-Beaten Path | 11

When I found Peace Retreat online, the first thing that I noticed was how flexible their programs were. I’ve wanted to try a yoga retreat for while, but was often turned off by high rates or specific dates that didn’t … Read More

27 Apr 2017

Quirky Caye Caulker: Things to Do in Belize’s Offbeat Island Paradise

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Belize, Caribbean, Central America, Cultural Destinations, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Travel Tips | 16

Belize is unlike the rest of Latin America. It may as well be on a different continent for its cultural differences with the neighboring countries. The culture is Afro-Caribbean, with some Mayan mixed in. The official language is English, though it’s … Read More

2 Mar 2017

How to Get to Cambutal, Panama by Bus

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Central America, Off-the-Beaten Path, Panama, Transportation | 6

Cambutal, Panama was my absolute favorite beach in the country, and that’s saying a lot considering I visited 10 beaches up and down the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. There is just something so special about this wild black sand beach … Read More

2 Mar 2017

How to Get to Las Lajas, Panama

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Central America, Off-the-Beaten Path, Panama, Transportation, Travel Tips | 4

Las Lajas, Panama is so off-the-beaten path, that I couldn’t find any information about how to get there from Bocas del Toro. Even the information about how to get to Las Lajas from Panama City was hard to find. … Read More

1 Feb 2017

La Finca Cambutal: Hotel on the Best Undiscovered Beach in Panama

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Central America, Hotel Reviews, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Panama, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | 14

Panama really surprised me. In our 2 months in the country I spent time in such varied locations: from the ultra-modern and developed capital city, to Caribbean island towns only accessible by boat, to traditional farming towns with a cowboy culture. While … Read More

1 Jan 2017

Naturalmente Hotel in Las Lajas Panama: A Foodie’s Paradise on the Pacific Coast

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Central America, Eat Well in Latin America, Food, Hotel Reviews, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Panama | 0

When we mentioned to anyone that we were heading to a hotel in Las Lajas Panama next, we were met with blank stares. Even many locals in the country hadn’t heard of this tiny Pacific town minutes from a wide … Read More

22 Aug 2016

How to See the Best Oaxacan Textiles: Review of Las Bugambilias Tours

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Cultural Destinations, Food, Mexico, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Tour Reviews, Tours, Travel Tips | 17

When you have a limited time in a city, how do you decide what activities, sights, and experiences to have and which to leave out? And if that city is Oaxaca, the number of choices are massive: multiple ancient ruins, colonial … Read More

16 May 2016

The 3 Best Adventures in Colombia: Part 3 – Visiting the San Bernardo Islands

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Colombia, Cultural Destinations, Food, Hiking + Adventures, Islands, Lodging Tips, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, South America, Transportation, Travel Tips | 21

Visiting the San Bernardo Islands is the final part in my series about the 3 best adventures in beautiful and diverse Colombia. Be sure to check out my previous posts about hiking epic Valle de Cocora and camping Parque Tayrona. Grab … Read More

8 May 2016

The 3 Best Adventures in Colombia: Part 2 – Camping Parque Tayrona

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Colombia, Food, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Lodging Tips, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, South America, Travel Tips | 1

This is part 2 in my 3 part series about the best adventures in Colombia. Head back to my previous post about hiking epic Valle de Cocora. And stay tuned for the final adventure in the series! Here is Part 2 –

6 May 2016

Hiking Valle de Cocora: The 3 Best Adventures in Colombia Part 1

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Colombia, Cultural Destinations, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, South America, Travel Tips | 4

My 3 favorite adventures during my month long trip around Colombia weren’t found in the main tourist destinations of Bogota, Medellin, or Cartagena, they were in beautiful remote areas that took some work to get to. One of my absolute favorite days in … Read More

Rincon Beach, Las Galeras, Dominican Republic

19 Jul 2015

The Three Beaches in Las Galeras: The Unconventional Way

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Caribbean, Cultural Destinations, Dominican Republic, Hiking, Hiking + Adventures, Islands, Nature, Off-the-Beaten Path, Travel Tips | 1

The first thing you’ll be told to do in Las Galeras is “The 3 Beaches” tour. This entails hiring a small speedboat from the main beach in town and taking a tour of the three most beautiful beaches nearby – … Read More

5 Jul 2015

Hotel Tip in…Las Galeras, Dominican Republic

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Budget Travel Tips, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Food, Hotel Reviews, Islands, Lodging Tips, Off-the-Beaten Path, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | 1

As I’ve previously mentioned, budget hotels in the Dominican Republic didn’t impress me much. In Mexico or Central America you can find many stylish hostels or quaint local guesthouses in every town, but in the DR it’s much more challenging. … Read More

5 Apr 2015

Coffee Beans and Bahias: Day Tripping on the Oaxacan Coast

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Cultural Destinations, Mexico, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | 2

We haphazardly threw together a vague day-trip plan the night before – get up early, rent a car, and knock out three adventures – a boat tour of Chacahua lagoon, then on to the turtle sanctuary in Mazunte, and finally … Read More

4 Apr 2015

Surfers and Hippies find their Endless Summer: Puerto Escondido

by Susan Ripley | posted in: Beach Escapes, Mexico, Oaxaca, Off-the-Beaten Path, Travel Tips | 1

I’m not sure exactly when I became fascinated with surfer culture, but I think it was around the time I first saw Endless Summer, the wonderfully cheesy 60’s documentary with a bangin’ soundtrack about a couple of dudes who travel … Read More