Places We Visited Archives - Coconut Compass

September 4, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

Albanian Alps: Why You Need To Go There NOW

Picture Perfect Albanian Alps. Photo: Eeva Routio.

Albania… Albania? Albanian Alps? If you’re like me, your initial thoughts probably are a) where exactly is Albania and b) I thought the Alps were somewhere else. But if you love stunning scenery and exploring destinations under the radar, trust me – you will want to know exactly where Albania and the Albanian Alps are.

I have to admit my own ignorance and thank the Lonely Planet Europe guide for educating me and putting Albania firmly on my travel map. The guide described this intriguing country with a complex history and endless possibilities for exploration – especially if you’re after something a bit off the beaten path. Rugged mountains, uncrowded beaches on the Mediterranean (yes Albania is a beach destination too, and a fabulous one at that!), traditional villages and some truly unique cities. We were sold.

Sandwiched between Greece and Montenegro, Albania is also perfect for those who’re planning to traverse the Adriatic Coast of the Mediterranean Sea. You can pretty easily make your way from Greece [Read more…]

July 12, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

What Makes Samara Beach, Costa Rica So Special?

Samara Beach Costa Rica sunset. Photo: Eeva Routio. — Samara Beach sunset. Need I say more? Photo: Eeva Routio.

Costa Rica is well and truly on the beaten path of travelers but there are still many rather undiscovered, or at least half-hidden, gems in this popular Central American country. Samara Beach, or Playa Sámara, is definitely one of them. I actually almost don’t want to write about it in fear of exposing this ‘secret’ tropical dream destination. To borrow some words from this little movie a few years back – there’s something about Samara.

So what exactly makes Samara Beach so special? It may not be immediately obvious when you arrive. It doesn’t necessarily hit you in the face. Samara is a charming small beach town with a string of shops and restaurants, and a beautiful beach. Yes, it’s pretty, but beyond that the ‘something special’ is intangible. There’s just something about Samara that really sticks with you and the longer you stay the harder it seems to move on.

We spent over a month in this dreamy beach town and simply fell in love with it. The wide golden beach with its beautiful warm water is fantastic for swimming, relaxing, kayaking and surfing. It also has the most stunning sunsets and the long beach is perfect for a romantic stroll. There’s jungle [Read more…]

May 26, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

Dreamy Nusa Lembongan Island – What to See and Do

Nusa Lembongan Island. Photo: Eeva Routio — Nusa Lembongan. Photo: Eeva Routio

I simply adore Bali. So imagine my delight when we discovered Nusa Lembongan Island, a kind of a quiet mini-version of Bali, just a 30-minute speed boat ride away. Lembongan is a super-chilled out small island with gorgeous blue-turquoise water, dreamy white sand beaches and boutique-y bungalows. There are no cars around; just motorbikes, bicycles, small converted pick-ups (for moving people and goods around the island) and golf carts.

Nusa Lembongan is a perfect little getaway for a couple days if you want a little change of scenery from the main island of Bali. There’s some awesome surfing (not that we attempted but so we were told); superb snorkeling and scuba diving – including the possibility of seeing some manta rays; stand-up paddle boarding; kayaking in the mangroves; and even some cliff jumping (if you are slightly insane – see below).

It’s easy and cheap to rent a scooter and ride around the island. The roads are in pretty bad condition so expect a slow and bone-jarring ride. But it doesn’t really matter as distances are short – the whole island is only a few kilometers long. From Nusa Lembongan you can easily get to [Read more…]

May 21, 2015 by Eeva Routio 1 Comment

Surfing Nicaragua: San Juan del Sur Surfing for Beginners

Nicaragua San Juan del Sur Surfing. Image: Eeva Routio. — So obviously he is NOT a beginner. I just didn’t have any pictures of us surfing. Photo: Eeva Routio.

Firstly, just to clarify, there’s actually no surfing in San Juan del Sur, per se. The pretty beach right in town is very sheltered and doesn’t have a break. But San Juan del Sur is where you want to base yourself, and explore the beaches immediately north and south of town. There are beginner-friendly beach breaks less than 5km (3 miles) away, and the many surf shops in San Juan offer lessons, rental boards and transportation at very reasonable prices. It’s a good idea to pop into two or three different surf shops and see which one you feel comfortable with before you sign up for lessons.

It’s not just the beautiful scenery, and the accessibility and affordability of surfing in San Juan del Sur that makes it so great. It’s also kind of nice that there are many (but not too many) other beginners surfers around, and the atmosphere is rather jovial. So there’s no need to feel self-conscious wobbling about on your board.

We stayed in San Juan del Sur for three weeks and dedicated some of that time to learning how to surf. Here’s a bit of a rundown of our experiences.

San Juan del Sur surfing: Playa Remanso

After popping into a few surf shops in town, we ended up going with Moke Huhu Surf School for our first surf lesson. The guys at Moke Huhu are super chilled-out and fun as well as professional. On our first day we headed over to the very beginner-friendly waves of beautiful Playa Remanso about 5km (3 miles) from town. Although we both have tried surfing before we’re VERY much in the beginner category. It was great to take a lesson just as a [Read more…]

May 11, 2015 by Eeva Routio 2 Comments

Nicaragua San Juan Del Sur – Things to Do and Sample Prices

Nicaragua San Juan del Sur. Photo: Eeva Routio — San Juan del Sur Beach. Photo: Eeva Routio.

San Juan del Sur – what is it like and what is there to do?

San Juan del Sur is a charming, small coastal town on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua. It has a lively and fun vibe, and it is not yet completely overrun by travelers. BUT we weren’t there in peak season and I think there are moments when it’s getting to the point of complete saturation, as San Juan del Sur is well and truly on the “Gringo trail”.

Even though small, the town center has lots of restaurants and shops geared for tourists. Many expats [Read more…]