Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25170
But what's really so great about Costa Rica according to Chad O'Kulich , ~ :n :J:: 0: :::> o W U 0: ;; ~ z Vl Z j ~ z t: -' 0. w ~ :>: w Vl ~ u u ~ '3 Vl o :J:: 0. to 5 >= ::; o z :J:: 0. an ex-professional Costa Rican soccer player, is that "in each of these cities, if you ask around, you'll find something amazing. And every time I go back I find something new. " Chad's mecca is the admittedly hippy Pacific coast town Montezuma. Within this self-governed town , there's good cl iff diving, surfing (45 minutes away), beaches and places to stay for under US$lO a night, including the Hotel Liz (US$12-20 per person, 01 1-506-642-0056). Or, for about US$20 a night you can get your own wooden bungalow at Cabinas EI Pargo Feliz (no contact info, ask when you get there), which comes complete with a hammock on its own porch. For dinner and a movie check out EI Sa no Banano (the Healthy Banana), which has a varied vegetarian-only menu, giving you a change from beans and rice, and an outdoor silver screen. For the best surf, though, head to Mt Pais, on the east coast, where Chad says, "It's al l you out there. There's usually just two or three other surfers." But th is won't last long. This is why, if you want to go further and see even fewer tourists, you should head to Panama. Increasingly considered "he Next Costa Rica", and just geographically south of it, Panama is less crowded and has plenty to discover. On the Caribbean side, you can visit the San Bias Islands, an archipelago of over 120 miles and over 300 islands off the Caribbean coast. Visiting the San Bias is an escape in many ways. You can fly to 20 of the islands from Panama City on three different airlines. Stay on Nalunega Island at the Hotel San Bias (US$35 per day per person, includes 3 meals, 0 11-507-262-5410). It's called a hotel but rea lly is 12 thatched palm bungalows. You can explore the whole island in 20 minutes, and there's boat access to snorkeling and other sea diversions. The San Bias are home to the Kuna Indians who have been fervently guarding their traditional lifestyle for at least two centuries. They are self-governing as an autonomous province, with minimal inference from national government. The Kuna women wear traditional dress, brightly colored ma/as (traditional Kuna cloths) and dozens of beaded bracelets running up arms and legs, and often have a black line painted down the middle of their face from their forehead to the tip of their nose. Even further south is Brazil. If soccer and sex are the two favorite pastimes in Brazil, music certainly pervades both. Located on the northeast coast of Brazil in the state of Bahia, the city of Salvador da Bahia calls both the experimental and political Tropicalia rhythms, as well as the African slave-inspired , part martial arts, part fluid dance movement capaeira its own. And the orgasmic food of Bahia was the subject of the recent fi lm, Woman On Top. "There's a strong African influence here," explains Daniela Villas Boas, a fifth generation Bahiano. Well, they must have brought their passion with them because if your five senses are eager for pleasure, then touch, taste, see, smell, and hear no further than Bahia. You can stay at the Meridien Bahia (US$120-140, 0 11-55-71-335-8011). For a less expensive option, try the Pousada Azul (US$15 with breakfast, Fax: 011-55-71- 245-9798). If you are familiar with all the predictable winter escapes, and really want to find a landscape that's tota lly different, visit northeast Brazil's Ilha do Caju. Geographically, this region will blow your mind. It looks like a chain of islands right in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Balmy blue waters hit sand dunes that extend for miles, with little to no development. In fact, unless you have arrived by boat and are entirely self-sufficient, the only place you can stay is the one hotel out there, Ilha do Caju, which is managed by the Brazilian government. You wi ll never forget the strange and beautiful landscape. The island is truly an island paradise and the only activities are lying on Praia de Atalai beach, swimming and exploring. The azure waters of the Caribbean Sea merge into the Atlantic Ocean somewhere between the Caribbean and Africa. If you are seeking to go even further, visit the Cabo Verde Islands. These 10 small islands-most of which are mountainous and tropical, others of which are flat and desertlike- lie 275 miles off the coast of Senegal, West Africa. If you've ever heard the heart-melting vocals of Cesaria Evora then you've probably heard of Cabo Verde, and tend to think of it in romantic terms. Cabo Verde feels more European than African with its Mediterranean style homes, cobblestone streets and exquisite food. The people speak a musical strain of Portuguese. Santa Maria is a postcard-perfect beach to swim and laze about and if you want to tap the local culture, visit the fruit and fish markets. Cabo Verde offers top-notch diving, windsurfing, fishing, mountain biking and hiking- including the hike up Mt Fogo, an active volcano of almost 10,000 feet. Day trip up Mt Fogo, or do a sleep-over hike. During Mardi Gras (usually in February) Cabo Verde is at its most crazy and crowded. But go just about any other time and you'll find solitude and serenity. Check out the Morabeza (US$80 per night, 011-238-421-111) or the Residencial Alternativa (US$15-23 per night, 011-238-411-616) on Sal Island, the main entry island for all visitors. Crossing the continent of Africa, six degrees below the equator and a short 25 miles off the coast of Tanzania, lies the mystical island of Zanzibar. The island is only 60 miles long and 20 miles wide. Located smack on the trade route between southern Africa and Arabia, Zanzibar was once occupied by Arabs who traded primarily in ivory, slaves and spices. Today, the island's languid pace, tropical beaches fringed with coconut palms, bathtub-water temperatures and sunsets inspire images of the sultans and sultanas of Zanzibar's past. E-marketing consultant and experienced traveler Melissa Gelernter warns, "Don't go to Zanzibar expecting east Africa. It's more like Morocco," Yes, Zanzibar, part of the United Republic of Tanzania, is Persian and Omani Arab-influenced. Its capita l, Stone Town, has a definite kasbah feel with windy, narrow streets, Islamic architecture, bazaars and mosques. After you've overdosed on jackfruit in Stone Town, go to either the north or east shores. The north part of the island has the best beaches and is home to the local and international rave scene. Or sai l slowly along the coast in ancient wooden dhows (sailboats once common in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean). continued on page 73 43