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Calypso Island Chronicles
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Adventures, misadventures and reflections of traveling in the tropics.
Recent Posts Tagged With 'Nature'
Travel Photo of the Week - The Great Mormon Butterfly
The Great Mormon Butterfly (Papilio memnon), a member of the Swallowtail Family (Papilionidae) is one of most spectacular and largest butterflies that I’ve encountered in Thailand. The female of the species is this week’s featured travel photo &#...
Trip Planning 101 - Make your plans as far in advance as possible
Having been in the travel business for many years, I have a pretty good acumen for trip planning as well as understanding the psyche of the traveler. The best advice I can give to a prospective traveler would be – Make sure you plan your vacati...
The Fundamentals of Touring according to the Traveler
I’ve been on many tours and sightseeing excursions (in addition to conducting my own tours) during my many years as a traveler, so I have a pretty good feeling of how a tour should be properly conducted. The most common sightseeing excursion is the...
My search for the most eco-friendly beach destination in Thailand
Believe it or not, my search for the the most eco-friendly beach destination in THAILAND has uncovered a place I haven’t been to yet, and that is Koh Libong! I am sure most travelers have never heard of this relatively obscure island as well. Koh...
Travel Photo of the Week - Doi Chiang Dao
This edition of TRAVEL PHOTO OF THE WEEK features a digitally rendered watercolor of Doi Chiang Dao in Northern Thailand. Rising dramatically above the rural countryside and the town of Chiang Dao to a height of 2186 meters (7174 feet), Doi Chiang Da...
Beach destinations in Thailand are not very eco-friendly
In the last several days, I have done some extensive research in an effort to identify the most the eco-friendly beach destination in Thailand. To be honest with you, it is a lot easier for me to rattle off a list of beach destinations/island resorts...
New Celebrity Reality Show invades the rainforests of Costa Rica
Coming up on NBC in early June is the new reality show “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here”. The show will be filmed in the lowland rainforests of Costa Rica’s Sarapiqui region. Contestants confirmed to participate include actor Ste...
Why is Costa Rica such a population destination for birders?
The answer is very simple actually - there are more bird species in COSTA RICA per square mile than any other country in the world. According to Mongabay.com, there are 838 bird species in Costa Rica, a small country of only 19,800 square miles. This...
Is this small bird from Costa Rica a Variable Seedeater or a Blue-Black Grassquit?
Are there any avid birders out there? I need help with the identification of a relatively common bird that I encountered in Costa Rica. The bird in question was spotted amidst the undergrowth along the roadside in Turrialba Valley - not too far from...
Discover the exotic wildlife of COSTA RICA
What is there to see in Costa Rica? Close encounters with nature and wildlife! I have produced a short video on the exotic wildlife of Costa Rica. To make this video, I mixed together a variety of short video clips and digital pictures from my most ...
Enjoying the Wildlife in Costa Rica
Birdwatching and sighting exotic tropical butterflies are two of the most popular pastimes of the many Natural History enthusiasts who visit Costa Rica. From my experience, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sample the rich diversity of the tro...
Don Pedro Ferreira - the congenial host of Guayabo Lodge
It was my last morning at GUAYABO LODGE. After packing my bags, I went downstairs to have breakfast and settle my bill with Don Pedro as I still owed the lodge for two dinners. The dinners had been very tasty and healthfully prepared and included thr...
Guayabo Lodge - one of the best eco-lodges in Costa Rica
On my last trip to Costa Rica, I had the pleasure of staying at Guayabo Lodge. One of the best eco-lodges/bed and breakfast hotels in Costa Rica, Guayabo Lodge is located near the small village of Santa Cruz about ½ hour from the city of Turrialba a...
Welcome to Costa Rica - Home of the World’s Largest Tree Frog
There were rumors circuiting that the world’s largest tree frog was recently discovered in the Highlands of Costa Rica. Measuring over 18 inches long and tipping the scales at over 2 pounds, this individual was identified by a foremost biologist as...
The Traveler returns to Costa Rica!
COSTA RICA here I come. One week from now, I will be returning to Costa Rica, a destination that I have already visited 7 times. Traveling far and wide, I have been very fortunate to explore most of this small mountainous country of only 19,700 squar...
Traveler gives Costa Rica rave reviews!
COSTA RICA is one of my favorite travel destinations. After an absence of 4 years, I will be returning to COSTA RICA on March 25 for 2-½ weeks - it will be my eighth visit to COSTA RICA, which I have affectionately nicknamed PuraVida Land I have ra...
The incredible view at Phu Lang Ka
One of the most incredible views in Thailand is at Phu Lang Ka, a small lodge in the mountains of Phayao Province in Northern Thailand. Located about 33KM east of Chiang Kham, Phu Lang Ka is situated on a ridge about 850 meters (2800 feet) above sea ...
The Plant Man from Ratchaburi
Located about 90 minutes west of Bangkok is Udom’s Plant and Garden Nursery. Located on a vast tract of land in the province of Ratchaburi, this nursery specializes in decorative and foliage plants for export – to the outlying provinces in Thaila...
Sneak preview of upcoming stories from Thailand & Malaysia
It’s been a rocky start for CALYPSO ISLAND CHRONICLES in 2009. While I was on my 30-day odyssey to Thailand and Malaysia not too long ago, I discovered that Calypso Island Chronicles (and our associated website) had been hijacked by some nasty malw...
A part of Bangkok that few tourists will ever see
BANGKOK has a reputation for its eclectic mix of east and west. In this bustling cosmopolitan city, you’ll find Buddhist shrines and temples seamlessly blending in with modern skyscrapers and gaudy shopping centers, a variety of art galleries and c...
Surrounded by a Sea of Green
On a recent trip to Northern Thailand, I had the opportunity to visit Fern Paradise, the #1 rated hotel in Chiang Mai by the readers of TripAdvisor. Walking around the property, I felt like I was in the middle of a rainforest as I was surrounded by a...
Casuarina Beach Club Retrospective
The last time I was in Barbados (September 2003), I stayed at the Casuarina Beach Club. Located about ½ mile south of the busy tourist hub of St. Lawrence Gap, the Casuarina was an absolutely wonderful place and had done so much towards community t...
