What is going on here? Travel bloggers turned next medical TV drama?

Nope that’s just Ryan van Duzer filming Carol Cain while Ryan Whaley looks on as she suits up for her zip lining excursion at Aktun Chen. Fun Times!

While we were in Riviera Maya we were lucky enough to stay at the top notch Barcelo resort, eat some of the most mouthwatering Mexican dishes and take in several activities like the ruins at Coba, the ruins at Tulum, a relaxing float down the waters at Si’an Kaan Biosphere but the visit to Aktun Chen quickly made it to the top of my favorite activities.

Aktun Chen is natural park with a wildlife zoo, a cave that is over 5,000,000 years old, an underground cenote for snorkeling and it also has 10 ziplines that can take you over the trees, flora and fauna of this beautiful park.

One of things that really stood out to me is that everyone who worked at the park was really friendly and passionate about their job. We were taught quite a bit about the local wildlife and the cave tour was very informative. Zip lining was intense! Here’s a round up of the things we did at Aktun Chen and what you can expect when you visit.

Caving!

Walking through the cave was my favorite activity at Aktun Chen.

The cave is over 5 million years old and full of stalactites, stalagmites and a cenote (natural underground water well). The cave is almost a half mile long and the lesiurely paced tour is very informative so it takes at least an hour to walk through and learn about it. It was a shame I didn’t have my tripod with me because the lighting inside was pretty dramatic and made for some great shots.

If you head to Aktun Chen definitely make time to see the cave. It’s a really cool activity perfect for all ages and fitness levels. Here are some photos to give you an idea.

The Wildlife Zoo:

Some of the wildlife at the 6 acre park includes a wild pig (very cute and friendly little guy who dug a pear out of my bag and ate it), white tail deer, wild collared peccary, parrots, toucans, oco pheasants, agoutis, sereques, coati mundi, different types of monkeys as well as plenty of the regional snakes!

One of the greatest aspects of the park is their commitment to preserving the natural area and one of their main areas of focus, besides education, is repopulating the local species. In fact, due to the preservation efforts of the water, land & animals you can only wear bio-degradable sunscreen at the park so keep that in mind when you visit.

With the exception of one monkey on a rope, the rest of the monkeys are allowed to roam free within their large enclosures. We were told that it is common practice in the Mayan culture to have one monkey on a rope and that many local families use them as their own security alarms. Personally I don’t agree with keeping any monkey on a rope but I did notice that everyone at the park loved all the animals and cared greatly for them. Sometimes when you travel you are forced to see things that you don’t agree with but is culturally accepted as normal routine. The fact that all the animals were well cared for caused me to think this really was common practice in this region.

Unfortunately we were running really late (we had to skip snorkeling in the cenote because we were so behind) so we didn’t have time to see all the wildlife but here are some photos of the ones we did see.

Zip Lining in the Jungle!

I want to be adventurous so badly. Yet I keep coming face to face with situations that scare the life out of me. Zip lining was the case in point here. I have no idea why I was so afraid. It seems that in the past few years I have become afraid of so many things. I’m blaming on my frontal lobe but really I think I just need to get out more and push myself beyond my comfort zone. Maybe I should do one daring thing a month?? Hmmm…

Roni getting suited up for the zip line extravaganza. He looks happy huh?!

The reality is that Zip lining is really not as scary as I worked it up to be. There are 10 zip line runs at this park and it’s fun, really it is. I was really nervous in the beginning but became more relaxed with each run. Actually on the last two run I really enjoyed zipping through the trees – at least until Roni Weiss decided to close his eyes and not stop in time. We ran the last two runs together and he was in charge of slowing us down before we did a face plant into the tree at the end of the line. The first run was great – the second run was also great but he decided to go all yogi on me and close his eyes which means we barely had time to stop before hitting the tree and if it wasn’t for the great guys at Aktun Chen who literally caught us I think we would’ve ended up with splinters and black eyes. But all in all it was fun ziplining with Roni – who taught me that I prefer to zipline when I’m not the one in charge of stopping – thanks Roni!

If you’re worried about ziplining at all (like I was) Aktun Chen could be a great place for you to make the leap – literally. They are into safety here in a big way. So much that when you wear your helmet you put on a surgical cap underneath it (hence the medical TV drama photo at the beginning) and you wear a pair of rubber gloves under the large gripping gloves so that all your sweat stays where it should – on you, not buried into the fabric. It seemed odd at first but it’s actually a great idea to keep things sanitary and it was that type of attention to detail that makes you realize how meticulous they are about everything they do.

A zip line guide giving us a demonstration.

The zipline guides were very informative, funny and understanding. They’ll help to coax you onto that zip line and they’ll wow you with all the fun tricks they do. They make it look so easy!

So if you’re looking for a real adrenaline rush on your trip to the Riviera Maya definitely check out the zip line park at Aktun Chen!

I wish I had more photos but I wussed out. We were given the choice of bringing our cameras on the zip lines with us (a perk of being a blogger!) but I decided to put mine in the locker instead. I was already nervous enough and when I jumped out on the line I knew I made the right choice. Next time I’ll remember to bring a point and shoot!

If you want to contact Aktun Chen their website has all their contact info and information. You can do one activity or all of them (including snorkeling in a cenote). There is also a small restaurant on the site with some great food.

However I warn against eating the habenero pepper whole. You can watch a short video of Roni eating a habenero at the restaurant. Yours truly is heard in the background saying things such as “Don’t look at me & There was drool, there was drool”. Traveling with Roni as part of our blogger group was really a good time. He is a fun guy and the trip would not have been the same without him.

While writing this post I did a lot of reflecting on just how great this trip was. We had such a blast in the Riviera Maya and my traveling companions were all really awesome and a lot of fun. If you’re looking for new travel bloggers to read be sure to check out: NY City Mama (Carol Cain), Nomadic Matt, Ryan van Duzer and Roni Weiss. If you need a great PR rep be sure to contact Ryan Whaley who did a great job putting this trip & our group together.

*This trip to Aktun Chen & the Riviera Maya was sponsored by the Riviera Maya tourism board but all of the views and opinions in this article are entirely our own.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

If you loved some of the yearly round up posts that were going around the blogosphere then you’re sure to love this new 7 Super Shots Photo round table put together by our friends at HostelBookers.

We were asked to put together a photo post by choosing photos that we loved and that fit within the categories chosen by HostelBookers.

They started the game off on Friday by putting together the first Super Shot photo meme and we’re participating by choosing our 7 super shots and then nominating 5 other great travel photographers that we would love to see participate.

We’ve chosen:

Ken Kaminesky, Drifting Focus/Traveling Tomboy, Ordinary Traveler, OverYonderlust & GoSeeWrite.

To follow along on twitter, check out the hashtag #7SuperShots.

To see the round up HostelBookers put together and the rules and guidelines check out: 7 Super Shots

Without further ado here are the categories and some of our favorite photos. Hope you like ‘em!

1. A Photo That Takes Our Breath Away

Flames of Florence – Florence, Italy

This has always been one of my favorite in-the-moment travel photos. Walking toward the station, we passed this street and photographically, the couple couldn’t have been more ideally placed. They were bathed in the glowing store front light perfectly. It was also drizzling rain, just enough to create steam on the cobblestones and  the perfect atmosphere for sprouting love. His enchantment and nervous tension was unmistakable even from down the street. You could tell they were probably at the very beginning of what would no doubt blossom into a steamy love affair, the kind you only get a couple times in life, maybe only once. The streets of Florence are so old and full of life, I wonder how many people have stood in this spot with this very same twinkle in their eye. Nothing in the world can compare to the blushing skin and golden glow of a love affair about to burst into wild flames.

Learn more about the Flames of Florence.

2. A Photo That Makes Us Laugh or Smile

The Bacchus Band – Pontassieve, Italy

This is one from the personal archives and I can’t help but smile every time I see it. The photo is from dinner on the last night we stayed at the Cerreto Libri farm in Tuscany. We volunteered as WWOOF’ers and spent two of the best weeks in our traveling lives working the grape harvest on the farm. The days were long and laborious and we spent the nights cooking, talking, laughing and drinking endless amounts of wine that the WWOOF’ers two years before us made. We were exhausted and dirty 95% of the time and honestly it’s hard to remember a time that I was so happy. Every night was an absolute blast and on this last night, those of us that remained decided to dine by candlelight. And drink.

Learn about more of our WWOOFing adventures in Italy & Serbia.

3. A Photo That Makes Us Dream

The Crossing – Village of Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre is the place where Italian travel dreams are realized. Step into any of the five towns that cling to the sea and you’ll feel as if you waltzed right into the pages of a guidebook, only 100x better. After a long hike throughout Cinque Terre we climbed a hill and turned a corner. Right around that corner was this amazing view of Vernazza. The stone cottage complete with wooden shutters and flower box overlooking the view of the village was too perfect to ignore. As Randy headed down the trail I paused and took this photo before continuing on the hike. We had been traveling for weeks but this was THE moment for me. I was standing right here looking at this very scene when it all sank in. I realized that I had actually changed my life to become a full time traveler and I couldn’t believe it. This photo is the moment when the dream had become a reality. Even though it’s my life, it’s still bizarre to think about it all.

Learn more about our time in traveling in Cinque Terre.

4. A Photo That Makes Us Think

Modern Magdalenes – Red Light District, Amsterdam

This is a new photo that is part of an upcoming photo essay on the Red Light District in Amsterdam. I feel slightly crass in saying this but the best part of Amsterdam was this illicit section of town. It was beautiful in all the sad, cunning and melancholic ways that happen when you have women selling themselves for money in window fronts. Taking photos in the Red Light District is NOT allowed and I heard horror stories about what happened to photographers who were caught. It was dark, I was stealth and I ended up with photos that, to me, reflected the anonymous longing of girls living on the edge. The girls were all beautiful and seemed somewhere on the cusp of something – maybe hope? One foot still lies in the possibility of a normal life while the other is dragged by cheap sex, debts owed & g-strings. I look at this girl and can’t help but think about her life when she isn’t bathed in the red light. Is she happy? Is she sad? Is her glass half empty or half full? Does she knit? What is life like being on the other side of that glass? I wish I knew her.

We’re just starting to publish Amsterdam articles now but if you’re interested you can read a bit more about about our time traveling in Amsterdam.

5. A Photo That Makes Our Mouth Water

Rialto Market Harvest – Venice, Italy

It’s hard to believe but eating in Venice can be tough. There are so many BAD restaurants and unless you’re armed with some insider knowledge there is a good chance you’ll find one or ten of them. However there is a flip side to the coin – cooking your own food. If your hostel has a kitchen or if you stay in an apartment you can completely get away from the barrage of crappy food and create your own dishes. Venice has some amazingly fresh and fantastic foods at the markets. Everything tastes like it was picked off the vine that day – it really makes you wonder how the restaurants seem to muck it up so badly. This photo makes me hungry because I love everything in it and I remember how bursting with flavor everything was. Don’t even get me started on the figgies! Plus, all this fresh food was under $10 USD! Throw in a box of macaroni and a bottle of wine and you’re set for days. Well who am I kidding? You’ll definitely need to buy more wine…

Learn more about our time traveling in Venice.

6. A Photo That Tells A Story

The Mirage – Marrakech, Morocco

It was our first night in the Marrakech medina when I spotted this unlikely duo. The medina was chaotic – people walking, vendors selling & bikes whizzing by. But these two just seemed content in their little world. Honestly I can only hope that’s the truth here – he seemed like a happy monkey but who really knows? I can only hope that this man treats him well and loves him like a friend – it seemed like he did. They gazed at each other for a while talking with their eyes in a way that old friends do when they know each other well. There was something unique between them and I couldn’t take my eyes off them. It was as if they had their own bubble in this sea of Marrakech craziness. Little did I know when I took this photo that I would walk by them about 16 hours later and this cute monkey would end up magically on my shoulder. Sadly, I didn’t have any change so I couldn’t give him any hugs but up close his owner seemed nice and the monkey looked happy.

Learn more about our time traveling in Marrakech.

7. A Photo That I’m Most Proud Of  aka My Nat Geo Photo

Backpacker Blues – Venice, Italy

This category was a tough one. Although this photo is one of my favorites, I wouldn’t say this is the one I am the most proud of. But I do think it has a classic travel feel to it. National Geographic is full of not only breathtaking landscapes but also stylish urban scenes and that’s why I chose it – hopefully it fits! We spent the day walking around Venice and getting lost in its wonderful maze of streets. The end of the day found us facing this large church as the cat-in-the-cradle moon hung low in the sky. Randy went onto the bridge for a better view and behind him a street light glowed, just hiding behind his body and his backpack. I snapped a few quick photos because I couldn’t believe my good luck in having such a perfect silhouette with this stunning Venetian sky as the backdrop.

If you want to see more photos from Venice be sure to check out our photos of Venice After Dark.

Well there they are! I hope you enjoyed them. Keep your eyes peeled for photos from other great travel bloggers as the game grows.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Story by Randy | Photos and Captions by Bethany

I’ll never forget the moment I first laid eyes on the TOM BIHN Tri-Star.

The front exterior boasts four pockets – one made for a water bottle or an extra pair of shoes.

Freeing the bag from its cardboard shipping cage, I held the midnight blue luggage into the air as if it were a newborn cub and I was its proud father.

“My god, this is a piece of work,” I thought to myself, just then realizing Beth had the same gleam in her eye too.

The bag was sleek, cool and had more pockets than a 1980s Michael Jackson jacket. Immediately, I had visions of being that minimalist traveler you see strolling through the airport with only a carry on. Confident, light and happy, they step on and off the plane with ease, slipping their luggage easily into and out of overhead bins.

I wanted to be light and airy too. Even more so, I wanted to be light and airy in Europe. And that’s when it hit me. “By George,” I exclaimed silently, “could I take this bag on our upcoming Hazy Shade of Autumn Tour?”

Unzipping the bag, I got my answer: ‘Yes!’

The TOM BIHN Tri-Star (19″ x 13″ x 8″) is deceptively cavernous. Its design is more representative of a messenger bag than a traditional rectangle suitcase or even its slightly larger brethren, the Aeronaut, which is the company’s innovative take on a duffel bag.

While the Tri-Star as well as the Aeronaut, which I’ll discuss later in this review, could certainly work without packing cubes, I think to get the most out of the bags it’s best to use the specific cubes TOM BIHN has designed for each piece, especially the packing cube backpacks, which make great, extremely light and packable day bags and fruit market bags.

The backpack cube in action. We brought both of them with us on the trip and used them just about every day. They are genius, multi-tasking items for light travel.

For example, with the help of a large packing cube and the aforementioned packing cube backpack, I packed five t-shirts, four pairs of socks, four pair of underwear, two long-sleeve thermal shirts, two pairs of jeans, two dress shirts, a fleece, beanie and a pair of long underwear into the Tri-Star for our three month/three continent trip. Additionally, I packed a pair of Vans classics and flip-flops in the front pocket, which has a vertical zipper to split the pocket into two.

The view of everything packed into the back before it is zipped up.

With my clothing packed in the front and back pockets, I turned my attention to the middle pocket, which would serve as my mobile office. In fact, one of the main reasons I chose the Tri-Star over the Aeronaut was so I could test out its functionality for the working traveler. When TOM BIHN sent us the bags to review, they were kind enough to include the Horizontal Freudian Slip—an insert for organizing files and accessories— and a hard sided laptop case known as the Horizontal Brain Cell, which fit perfectly into the Tri-Star’s center pocket. By utilizing the aforementioned additions as well as a 3D Clear Organization Cube for wires with the Tri-Star, it was like converting that section into a messenger bag.

The Freudian Slip & Brain Cell. Both have plenty of pockets and on the other side of the Slip there are two large pockets big enough for magazines, spread sheets, newspapers, etc. This slip held all of our office supplies and paperwork when we traveled. It was a great go-to spot for keeping everything organized and streamlined.

By setting up the mid-section with our work materials—files, pens, notepads, business cards and computer—I could grab the Freudian Slip and my computer easily from my bag before hoisting into the overhead bin on flights and trains. However, if I were to use the Tri-Star for a multiple month trip again, I would swap the Brain Cell with a slimmer neoprene laptop sleeve to free up space in the mid-section.

OK, Randy, so it packs up like a dream, but how did it handle the road?

The Tri-Star travels perfectly by air and is flexible enough to travel off the beaten path but still look nice in places like Morocco (above).

Like a champ! The Tri-Star passed the durability test with flying colors. During the course of our three month trip, the bag rode in nearly a dozen overhead bins on trains and airplanes—it fit perfectly every time and I never once got a second-look from a flight attendant, even when it was stuffed to its maximum. The Tri-Star racked up more than 60 hours in the dusty, rustic underbelly of public long-haul buses and was checked in several times because of carry on restrictions for budget flights that only allowed one carry on bag, which had to be a gear bag for each of us. Looking at the bag now, it’s hard to imagine that it endured anything other than a weekend trip; the exterior is free of abrasions and scuff marks and the zippers work as good as the day it was delivered.

Another feature I loved about traveling with the Tri-Star was having the option to easily hide-away the backpack straps (you can see photos of these on the Aeronaut below – the straps are the same on both bags) during times when it was easier to carry the bag with its shoulder strap or by one of the three soft handles—top, left and right. (I used the upgraded Absolute Strap, which is a stretch neoprene that does a fantastic job of distributing the weight; however, any shoulder strap will work with the Tri-Star or Aeronaut.)

Having several different options to carry the bag made transportation days that much more easy and stress free. Keep in mind, though, that the backpack straps and waist strap are more akin to what you would find on a daypack than an internal frame multi-day pack, meaning they don’t distribute the weight as well. I assume this approach helps the weight and flexibility of the bag as well as the functionality of the hide-away strap system. And while Beth preferred carrying her internal frame pack because of the extra support, I found the Tri-Star’s straps to be more than adequate for our urban treks through subway and train stations and city streets.

Apparently also the perfect size for Chachy to travel in!

The Aeronaut

While the Aeronaut’s design is simple—one main center compartment (think: duffel bag) complemented by smaller left and right side compartments—its versatility is huge. Coming in at 22″ x 14″ x 9″, the TOM BIHN Aeronaut blends the elements of soft luggage, a duffel bag and a backpack (it also features hide-away backpack straps) into a carry-on bag that, according to Tom Bihn, meets most non-commuter domestic airlines’ carry-on size standards and many international carry-on standards, including Heathrow. In fact, looking back, if I were to do a multi-month trip again, I would choose the Aeronaut over the Tri-Star because of its extra space and more flexible design. I loved traveling with the Tri-Star; however, its one drawback is also one of its main assets. Because the Tri-Star is made up of three compartments, it doesn’t have the volume of the Aeronaut, which makes packing souvenirs (excluding books and vinyl LP’s) into an already full bag difficult.

The Aeronaut with side cubes and backpacking cube.

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The above photos show how the backpack & waist straps tuck away seamlessly into the back of the bag. Both of the bags have this fantastic feature. Below are photos using the shoulder strap and the backpack straps.

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Final Thoughts

Whether you are embarking on a weekend trip to the coast or a multi-month, overseas journey, TOM BIHN’s Tri-Star and Aeronaut are more than capable of handling all of your luggage needs. Intuitively designed with impeccable craftsmanship the Tri-Star and Aeronaut are instant classics. Manufactured in the United States, Seattle to be exact, TOM BIHN’s stylishly hip collection of travel bags make packing fun again.

He really looks cute in these bags – doesn’t he? I do believe Chachy is tired of being left behind when we travel. Whenever we pull out a bag he jumps right in it ready to tag along. I think it’s time to take Chachy on the road with us.…

*Our stay was complimentary; however, our thoughts and opinions are entirely our own.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

A few weeks back I published an article and photo essay of the ruins in Tulum, Mexico. Overlooking the blue Caribbean Sea and surrounded by palm trees, they were perhaps the most beautifully situated ruins I have ever seen. However if you’ve been enamored by Indiana Jones flicks and you’re in the mood for something a bit more adventurous the ruins at Coba might be more up your alley.

The History Of Coba

The Coba ruins are only about an hour from Tulum but they feel a world away.

Settled between 100 BC and 100 AD, Coba became the largest Mayan civilization in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. Coba is located in the heart of the jungle and surrounded by two lagoons complete with plenty of alligators. The dense jungle location made Coba extremely hard to find, let alone reach and/or attack it. The population flourished and it grew in social and political standing. It is estimated that at the height of civilization over 50,000 Mayans called Coba home. The burgeoning population and the hidden-in-the-jungle location helped Coba grow to super power Mayan status.

(The thick jungle foliage keeps many of the ruins hidden even today.)

The people of Coba knew many of the surrounding Mayan dialects and this further helped their growth as they were able to trade (and coordinate trades) with other Mayan communities. Coba became not only one of the largest traders in the Yucatan but also even further South into what is now known as Central America. They also controlled farmland and several ports.

Coba flourished as a powerhouse for centuries but started losing ground as nearby Chichén Itzá gained in popularity & political status around 1000 AD. In time, trading routes along the coast gained in popularity and although Coba was still culturally important it was abandoned at some point in the early 1500′s.

Due to the difficult location, Coba remained hidden from most of the world until the 1920′s when it was briefly visited by an explorer, Thomas Gann who was brought by some local Mayans. A few archeological visits were made after his visit but the tucked away location meant the ruins would remain just a little known mystery until the 1970′s when a road was finally built. The road allowed more archeologists to discover and sort through the ruins. It wasn’t until the 1980′s that tourists starting visiting the site.

One of the most exciting aspects of Coba is that it is still vastly undiscovered.

Only a very small portion of the region has been excavated and most areas are still hidden in the dense, deep jungle waiting to be brought to light by the next real life Indiana Jones. Could that be you?

What can  you do at Coba?

Hike, Climb & Bike!

The other thing that makes Coba stand out as a tourist destination is the fact that you can not only walk among the ruins but you can also climb one of the large temple pyramids. Climbing to the top will get you a view of the surrounding jungle that stretches on for miles. Because Coba is so vast it can be quite a hike to see all the ruins so they offer another unique feature here which is the ability to rent a bike. As part of the Riviera Maya press trip we were all able to ride bikes throughout the ruins. I definitely recommend renting one because it will speed up your visit and allow you to feel the Mayan wind blowing in your hair and really that’s pretty cool.

Check out the ancient ball court and a live Mayan ballgame.

(The ball court – the ball would need to be put through the small hole on the top to score.)

The other thing I really loved at Coba was the Mesoamerican ballgame court. When I saw it I really felt like I was in an Indiana Jones movie. I’m sure you’ve probably seen photos of a similar court at some point on a TV documentary or in a history book. I had always learned it was a high stakes game where the loser (or possibly the winner) became the next sacrifice. Everyone wanted to know if this was indeed the real deal but the guide told us there is absolutely no proof of any ballgame sacrifices at Coba. But then again – no one really knows! Given that the ballgame was such an important aspect of Mayan life it would be hard to believe there weren’t any sacrifices associated with it. Playing this game was a HUGE deal to the Mayans and the ball players were highly regarded and were bathed before games. The game mirrored the heavens and symbolized the struggle between day and night. Wagers were placed and even political problems were solved (and created) by the game. The game was a large part of Mayan life.

In any case, it was pretty exciting to see one of these ball courts in real life. I imagined the players, the audience, the fear of losing, the fear of winning. The high stakes and a hard 9 pound ball that is meant to be kept in play at all times – but only with your hips – makes this a game that must’ve been quite stressful to play.

(Part of the Mayan tale before the game started.)

It is still played today (sans sacrifice) and we were lucky enough to see a live game later that night. The game was played on a court deep in the jungle and the players were dressed up as the Mayans would’ve been. The players acted out a folk tale between two brothers and the jungle god. In the end the ballgame was used to settle the argument between all of the parties. Then they played the game and even lit the court on fire at one point. I actually thought this whole production was pretty cool and I really enjoyed watching it. The game looked really tough to play and it was hard for the players to get the ball through the hole.

Visit Ancient Roots – a local pottery school.

Another great experience we had in Coba was visiting the Ancient Roots pottery school. Originally from Argentina, ceramist Agustin Villalba founded the school as a way to teach local children how to make the pottery of their ancestors. Mayan pottery is an ancient art form and until Agustin founded the school the techniques were in danger of being lost to modernization and poverty in the region. With his help the school is free for all the children that live in Coba so they can continue the ceramic traditions. We were lucky enough to spend time at this school hanging out with the children and making pottery.

*The tour described in this post was the Coba Sunset Tour. This trip to Coba & the Riviera Maya was sponsored by the Riviera Maya tourism board but all of the views and opinions in this article are entirely our own

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

Or add us to your favorite feed reader by clicking the orange icon!

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

In between farms while volunteering in Serbia, we had the chance to stay with Katarina and Mirolsav, the founders of WWOOF Serbia, in Belgrade.

While we only had a few days together before moving onto our next destination, our time with them was one of our early highlights from The Hazy Shade of Autumn Tour. During the day, Katarina and Miroslav showed us the city, explaining Belgrade’s tumultuous history and their hopes for the city’s future. And at night, we sat talking around their kitchen table listening to music and eating Katarina’s superb homemade meals.

Below our three places Katarina and Mirolsav introduced us to, which also happen to be free (Ethnographic Museum is free on Sundays). And while we didn’t get to visit the Great War Island during this trip, Miroslav’s enthusiasm about the island’s summer season was all I needed to justify a return summer trip to Belgrade.

Ethnographic Museum

One of our favorite things to do when we arrive in a new capital city is to visit its country’s heritage museum. For several hours, we’ll browse the permanent and special exhibitions to help gain a better understanding of the country’s history and culture.

In Belgrade, the Ethnographic Museum is the place to get in tune with Serbian history. Free on Sundays, the museum’s first and third floor contain permanent exhibitions with the former focusing on traditional costumes and the latter lifestyle matters, like living and working during the 19th and 20th century.

Address & Link to Google Maps

Studentski trg 13
Belgrade 11000, Serbia

For hours of operation and admission prices, click here.

Great War Island

During the summer months, Belgrade sets up a pontoon bridge between the island and Zemun, one of 17 municipalities that makeup the city. The island contains a nature preserve for 196 bird species–many of which are endangered–and is a documented natural fish spawning area, protecting it from commercial development. The island’s beach, Lido, is located on the northern tip of the island and is a popular place for summer swimming and sunbathing.

The Great War Island was given its militant name due to its continued use throughout history as an important strategic location in the conquest or defense of Belgrade, in particular for attacks against Belgrade Fortress. Today, the confluence is considered to be the true heart of Belgrade because it was the site of one of Europe’s first Neolithic settlements.

Belgrade Fort and Kalemegdan Park

Overlooking the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, the Belgrade Fortress is the oldest section of Belgrade’s urban area. For centuries, Belgrade’s population was concentrated within the thick, grey fortress walls. Some of the world’s greatest empires, including the Roman and Ottoman, conquered, occupied and defended the fortress. The fort endured nearly two millennia of continuous sieges before being declared a Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1979.

The fort and expansive park grounds are free to explore and offer up great panoramas, winding paths and shaded spots with benches. One of my favorite locations inside the fort is the Chapel of Saint Petka near the Rose Church. The chapel was built on top of a spring believed to be miraculous, especially for women. You can drink a cup for free or pay 30 dinar (50 cents) for a bottle.

Additionally, the fortress and park contains an observatory, planetarium, tennis, basketball courts, the city Zoo, Military Museum, and Museum of forestry and hunting.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Kate - The first Beers & Beans employee!

Since we’ve been traveling the last couple of months we’ve learned one thing: 24 hours in a day is not enough.

Last year when we jetted off on the big trip it was fine – we had enough time to sight see and work on the blog. Fast forward one year and after 3 months of constant movement on the road and we quickly realized that we needed help.

Fortunately Beers & Beans has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year. We’re still in awe – it was our dream to become full time travel bloggers and we didn’t realize it would happen so quickly. We also didn’t anticipate the immense amount of work involved. Travel blogging is not as easy as you think. It’s more than a full time job. It requires that we move continually and work at the same time. Every tour we take, every place we stay – we document it all. Social media, back end techie blog stuff, editing photos, interviewing people, coordinating with other bloggers, conference calls with sponsors, reviews, writing & emails. We do it all.

We love it.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining. We LOVE our lives. It just takes a lot of time and we simply can’t do it all. It’s possible that if we weren’t traveling we could get everything done and work on our other projects at the same time but trying to keep up with everything while traveling has been tough. Our other projects – two new sites and new ebooks that were supposed to be completely finished for the holiday season got pushed to the back burners.

We’re at the awesome (yet scary) part of any new venture: we have too much work that if we do it all ourselves we end up limiting anything else we might be able to do but we are still small enough that hiring full time help would be a financial strain for us. We’ve talked about our options over the past couple of months and we decided to make the leap and hire another person to help us out part time! We’ll be tightening up our bootstraps in order to swing the expense but with a little part time help we could take on new work and (hopefully) break even on the cost while freeing up a little time.

We were going to make an announcement on the blog to see if anyone would be interested in working for us but my little sister Kate decided she would climb aboard our little dream ship and be a part of our crew! One of the first things she’ll be tackling is speeding up our site since it’s slowed to a crawl and hopefully as time goes on she’ll be helping us with emails, PR & maybe even writing a story or two! We’re really excited about this. We have big plans for 2012 and without Kate’s help it’s unlikely we would be able to branch out successfully.

She recently followed one of her own dreams and moved to Colorado 3 weeks ago. She decided to write an introduction post and I can tell it’s going to be great having Kate as part of the Beers & Beans gang because she appears to be flattering me online in ways she NEVER does in real life. This could work out really well for me….

Without further ado – here is Kate’s introduction:

“If I’ve learned anything since becoming an adult and choosing a path in life, it’s that nothing is set in stone.  Opportunities are at every corner and the road can change and send anyone in a complete different direction.  My family really seems to represent how you can take a dream and turn into something many people wish they could do but have never been able to take the risk.  My sister Bridgette started her own successful invitation/stationary business and Beth & Randy have turned traveling the world into a full time job.

Who would’ve thought?

In the beginning her vision was not easy for anyone in my family to see but she made it happen.  She took this vague idea of traveling the world indefinitely, ran with it and seemed to create a pretty cool business out of it at the same time. No one really knows how – I don’t even know if she knows how she did it. But she did.

Along the way she taught me that if you want something bad enough you can make it happen. Beth is always pushing the envelope and doing things (like quitting great jobs, moving cross country 4 times, starting various businesses, living off a travel blog) that other people might think were a little insane or at the very least just plain dumb initially.

When she first came up with the idea of traveling long term it became clear she was going to have to figure out a way to travel, experience more than the typical tourist and not run out of money. Enter WWOOF’ing.

I’ll be honest – when she first told me that she was going to volunteer abroad on farms in exchange for housing and food, I thought that ‘Why would anyone want to work for free on a farm?’ It sounds like hell. No one else I knew had even heard the term WWOOF before – leave it to Beth to find this strange concept online.

When they started traveling last year I think everyone in our family was a little nervous about how everything would work out for them. But after their first leg they came home and told us about how they worked on the farm and met all these other awesome people doing the same thing from all around the world. She said the farmers were very nice and invited them into their home with open arms and amazing food.  I never admitted this to her before but she definitely piqued my travel curiosity. Of course the fact that they had unlimited bottles of wine each night on the farm might have had something to do with that as well…

I always wanted to travel but never really thought it was something I could do – or anyone could do without a fat bank account. Listening to their stories and realizing I could find charity work abroad to see the places that are financially out of my reach was pretty exciting although I definitely would never have admitted that to her!

I just recently moved to Denver, Colorado and while I might not be traveling the world this is definitely a new adventure for me. This is the first time I have lived so far away from my family and the first time I’m exploring a new state on my own. Watching Beth & Randy live their dreams inspired me to make the leap, quit my job and move here. Now I’m working part time for Beth (something else I swore I would never do) and that’s actually been pretty cool too. Who knows what will happen next…”

Marrackech is the kind of place where you can blow a three day holiday lost in a labyrinth of souks like Alice trapped in Wonderland.

By the time you finally catch your breath you’ll be on your flight home, still a bit dazed, wearing a mint tea stained t-shirt that says, “I went to Marrakech and all I got was this lousy shirt.” But with a little pre-trip knowledge, you can at least hit the ground running to get the most out of your cheap holidays to Marrakech.

Getting into and out of Marrakech

Air:

The Menara Airport is located six kilometers southwest of the center. The recently expanded airport is clean, modern and easy to navigate, feeling more like a regional airport than an international hub. The airport has an information desk as well as currency exchange facilities.

Bus:

For long distance travel around Morocco there are only two bus companies you should consider: CTM and Supratours.

CTM’s Main Bus Station
Rue Abu Bakr Seddik (a block south of Ave Mohammed VI)
(P) 0524 43 44 02
(w) http://www.ctm.ma/

Supratours Main Station
Ave Hassan II (west of the new train station in the city’s old rail station)
(P) 0524 43 55 25
(W) http://www.supratours.ma/

CTM is considered the best and Supratours the second best. We used both and found them to be very similar; though, CTM did have a little more legroom. In addition to your ticket, both carriers also charge a small fee (2-8 dirham/per piece) for larger baggage that can’t be carried on with you.

Train:

The new train station is beautiful, clean and features several restaurants, including McDonalds, and a little convenience store for snacks, drinks, tobacco and magazines. The ATM (there may be more but all we saw was one) was out of service at the time.

Ave Hassan II & Blvd Mohammed VI
(P) 0890 20 30 40
(W) http://oncf.ma

Getting Around

Petit Taxis (small, beige hatchback beaters) are readily available from in front of the airport and train station. I’m sure they are also easy to catch from either bus station too, but I can’t say for sure since we didn’t go to the bus stations in Marrakech.

The petit taxis (not to be confused with grand taxis–Mercedes Benz sedans used for longer distances or for groups of four or more people) are suppose to be metered, but don’t assume it will be; negotiate your price before you get in. Technically, because you are negotiating the price beforehand you shouldn’t have to tip; however, dropping a few dirham never hurts.

We spent 100 dirham ($12) to get from the Albatros Resort to Riad Barraka in the Medina and then another 100 dirham to get from the Riad to the train station on the day we left. From everything I’ve read, we got ripped off. According to the 2011 Lonely Planet, a cab ride within the city should be between 20-40 dirham ($2.50 – $5); however, we spoke to another woman at the resort who paid 60 dirham ($7) to get to the Medina. Personally, I would shoot for somewhere between 20 and 50 dirham.

The Taxi Tour

When we had to transfer from Albatros Garden Hotel Marrakech to our riad in the Medina, Abdul, a local petit driver, got the call from the resort. On the way, he said he could take us on a three to four tour of the sights and city for 200 dirham ($25). So we agreed to take him up on the offer, and the next morning at 9 a.m. he was outside our riad waiting for us.

During our outing with Abdul, we hit two other must-see Marrakech sights–Badi Palace and Jardin Majorelle–as well as a Tannery (not our favorite stop), spice store (a must see stop!) and old palace in the King’s Garden. Abdul was a fantastic guide, always quick with facts and smiles, and we had a great time. In addition to the tour, Abdul also took us to the train station the next day. Without a doubt, he is one of the most gracious people we met on our travels in Marrakech and we highly recommend him if you are in town. If you need his contact info we can give it to you – just let us know.

Insider tip: Word on the street is that these taxi tour drivers get a kick back from the shops, and while I don’t know if that’s true or not, the only place that got a little annoying was the rug dealers shop at the Tannery, which you are led into under the guise that you are going to see the traditional process. Trust me, you are there so they can sell you a rug, no other reason. Like pretty much everything in Marrakech, if you don’t want to do it (buy a rug, give a tip or see a place) don’t do it. Like Nancy Regan said, “Just say no!”  We found one of the merchants most common tactics is to befriend you and then kill you with kindness–tea, food (playing the hospitality card) but honestly it’s, in my opinion, a ruse to then make you feel indebted so that you buy something.

Tipping

Everybody’s trying to sell you something even if they don’t have something to sell. For example,  after getting out of our cab in the Medina,  a 10-year-old boy latched on to us and said he’d show us to our place. Luckily, we took his help, because it probably would have taken us a while to find the Riad on our own.

So then when I handed him a 20 dirham tip ( about $2.50 and my average tip when I delivered pizzas in San Diego), he took it and then said disapprovingly with confidence, “What is this? Five Euros. I require five Euros.”

“Seriously?” I said smirking.

“Yes, this is nothing,” he said shaking his head. “C’mon five Euros.” We knew the routine and he wasn’t getting another dime after his rude behavior.

Finally, after realizing, he wasn’t getting anything else he left.

The lesson here, which I read about in Lonely Planet, is that no matter how much you give it’s more than likely you will get the disapproving look. Don’t fall for it; instead, fire back your look that says “Yeah, I know the game and your not getting a dirham more from me.”

As a rule of thumb tipping 10 percent on your bill is a good amount if you choose to leave a tip at dinner.

From what I’ve read and my experience, tipping is a big part of the culture (at least from visiting tourists anyways) the key is not to get taken, so that Marrakech doesn’t ruin your future cheap holidays. Arm yourself with one to five dirham coins and use those for tips. We found that getting small change is difficult, generally you will get five, 10 (coins and bills) or higher. So if you want small change take your 10 dirham into a small market and buy some gum for a dirham. Not only will they have to break your 10, giving you smaller change– one and two dirham–you will also have a few sticks of gum to use for trading.

Trading

We discovered that when you haggle for an item it works best if you can also throw a little something in as a trade. It could be anything. We happened upon this little tip totally by accident when a woman wanted more than we had for a small bracelet. As Beth started emptying out her pockets to show her she had no more change the lady spied a stick of gum and requested that to seal the deal. Done.

After we discovered this tactic we used it whenever we could. We traded everything from gum to a small flashlight. Not only does it get the seller excited (yes, even gum) but it helps get you a really great deal. It also breaks the ice and gets people smiling and laughing. It’s a win, win so if you’re planning to do some shopping in Marrakech be sure to bring some small items to trade with you while you are there. The very small key chain flashlight was a hot item and we wished we had more with us.

Bring the items from home if you can. It is hard to find small items to trade in Marrakech (we tried) – that’s the reason the sellers are so interested!

The Native Tongue

Classical Arabic may be the  official language of Morocco, but French is pretty common too, so much so that its the city’s main unofficial language, spoken by seemingly every merchant, taxi driver and kid in Marrakech. Of course, English as well as many other popular languages are also spoken in the African city too. And the Moroccan’s proficiency for languages is something that deserves a tip of the hat.

Most anyone there can communicate with you in at least 3-4 languages so if you’re worried about the language barrier you don’t need to be at all! Marrakech is a CRAZY city and unlike anything we have every seen. If you get the chance to go you definitely should.

Have you been to Marrakech? If so, we’d love to hear any additional tips and advice you have to share in the comments below!

*This story was part of our collaboration with Low Cost Holidays.

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

Beth sick in bed at the Riad Baraka in Chefchaouen, Morocco. Everyone now: 'Awwwww.'

So it happened. I finally got violently ill on the road. I knew it was only a matter of time and now the time has come.

I ate very carefully in Marrakech because we were there doing reviews with Low Cost Holidays and I didn’t want to get sick. I ate at places that seemed reputable and never used any utensils. I had read somewhere that you should just use your bread to eat your food with in Marrakech and so that’s what I did. Kind of wussy, I know, but I took every precaution I could. I even drank soda (which I think is a complete poison) because I didn’t want to use the glasses. I was on it.

I told myself when we went to Chefchaouen I would be more adventurous with my food.

But the reality is I have the nickname “Sensitivo” for a reason. My stomach is not as adventurous as my mind. My immune system is not the greatest either. Both of these things make for a bad combination when traveling and trying new foods.

We arrived in Chefchaouen about 3 days ago and I became adventurous with my food!

It started out in the most adventurous way possible. While walking through town on the first day I met a man at a ‘convenience store’. By convenience store I mean a 3′ deep hole carved into a wall just large enough for a person to stand in with a collection of small goods for sale like crackers, soda and the Oreo’s that had initially lured me in. Apparently there was also enough room for a tea pot and a tea cup.

As soon as I made it to the counter the man seemed to take a liking to me and flirted with me even though Randy was right there. He offered me some mint tea. I tried to refuse but he said it was Moroccan hospitality – who am I to turn down Moroccan hospitality?

I agreed to the tea and he pulled out his handy teapot (must have a hot plate in there somewhere) and a glass. I could see even while he was pouring the tea that the glass was seriously dirty. I saw ‘lip prints’ from other peoples lips on it. I also saw actual fingerprint stains all over it. I don’t know if it had ever been washed. This thing was seriously hairy. I immediately started wondering about how I was going to get out of this generous hospitality when he surprised me further.

He actually took a sip from the glass himself before handing it to me.

Huh?

I stared at the glass while standing maybe 1 foot from this guy trying to figure out what to do. He insisted I drink it, Randy stared at me and as I thought to myself:

“This is why I got all those hepatitis shots.”

I found a slightly less stained spot on the glass and I drank it! I was horrified and quite proud of myself at the same time. I was definitely an adventurous traveling foodie now!

Hours went by and nothing – I never got sick or felt bad in anyway. Game on.

I was going to eat whatever vegetarian item came into my path. Salads, fresh fruits – all the things you normally avoid in a place like Morocco were all on my list now! Life was gonna be good in Chefchaouen and I was quite happy about it.

I ate avocado salad (amazing), coffee with some strange milk that creates a film on top (pretty tasty), fresh fruit salad (out of this world), olives (always good), a veggie sandwich made at a shop which I found out later was shut down for health reasons just a few months ago (still really freaking good) among other things.

I was feeling great – running around, taking photos, getting lost in the winding streets of the blue city. My next goal was to drink the water because I was told that the water in Chefchaouen is safe, natural spring water that comes right off the mountain. I was told that it’s a source of pride for many of the residents and I would have no problems at all with it.

Drinking tap water in Morocco? That’s like the holy grail for adventurous foodies!

I thought about it for a couple days and decided to go for it. Unfortunately fate stepped in.

On that very same day Randy and I decided to treat ourselves at one of the most well respected restaurants in town. It was hugely expensive compared to what we were eating previously – each meal cost about $10. To put this in perspective the sandwich I was talking about earlier with a drink and fries was only $2. We were celebrating the fact that we finally finished our Istanbul video, which we had been working on for weeks.

Rumor had it this restaurant actually made different Moroccan food – different spices, different flavors. I was excited because most food in Morocco (at least the vegetarian variety) all tastes the same and it was getting a little boring.

I imagined all the things I had read about Moroccan cuisine – raisins, cinnamon, figs, avocados, real chocolate deserts – yummmmm….

I was told the eggplant salad was very good. I had eggplant in Marrakech which was out of this world so I ordered it right away.

Bad idea.

By the time the meal came (veggies & couscous) I couldn’t eat it. I didn’t feel well at all and suddenly I felt really, really full. I couldn’t eat the desert either. Randy gobbled up his food and I asked them to package up my meal and we went back to our riad.

I felt off the entire evening. Then around 4 a.m. I woke up feeling horrible. Ran to the bathroom and proceeded to puke my brains out. Then came the intense stomach cramping, then the chills, then the severe joint pain. I couldn’t lie down because it made me throw up. I couldn’t sit up because it hurt my hips so bad. I was basically in tears because of the pain. I spent the next 24 hours rolling around in pain, covering myself in 500 blankets because I was shivering, groaning and running to the bathroom.

When I started throwing up again in the evening Randy started to get worried and said I needed to go to the hospital because he had never seen me so sick. There was no way I was going to the hospital unless I was dying.

I tried my best to mentally block out any other ideas about different diseases I might have contracted. Instead, I thought of all the travelers who had come before me and suffered this same fate. I told myself I would get through it. I forced myself to sleep praying that in the morning I would feel some relief.

Luckily I woke up feeling much better. My body is exhausted and feels like it has been through a war but my stomach pain has calmed down. Unfortunately, I can no longer stand the smell of Moroccan cooking and I lost two days out of the four we had in this beautiful blue city but at least I made it through my first major illness on the road! Phew.

Mica from KayPacha Travels has been tweeting with me and has advised me that charcoal tablets work wonders for stomach issues so I’m going to be sure to get some soon! The owners of the riad we are staying at, Riad Baraka, were very kind to me and even ran out to get me some special Moroccan tea which would help my stomach. I don’t think it actually did but I couldn’t drink enough to tell.

It reminded me of the time that I got ill in Italy with the flu and learned about a German brown sugar/purple onion concoction and an Israeli sage tea that would mere also guaranteed to make me better.

I love learning about different homemade medicines on the road but I discovered it really sucks to learn about them when you are ill. At that point you are stuck between a rock and a hard place – will this make me better or will this make me worse? It’s a crossroad you reach at some point when you travel and you have to make a choice.

I know there are a ton of you out there with on the road illness stories and I would love to hear them! I would also love to hear what type of homemade, local cure alls you’ve tried.

Where were you?

How sick did you get?

Did any local speciality work for you?

Please share in the comments below!

Marrakech is like an onion, peel back one layer and the next is more intense than the last.

You could easily spend days people watching in the Medina or exploring the souks. However, in our opinion, no trip to Marrakech would be complete without checking out these four must-see locations.

Koutoubia Mosque

Like a landlocked lighthouse, the Koutoubia Mosque stands tall over the one and two story red-washed buildings of the Medina. Its light glows in the form of five daily prayers that are projected live through the Minaret’s speakers.

The mosque and minaret are closed to non-muslims but the gardens are open to the public. But even so, standing outside in the courtyard as the call to prayer expands out over the Medina is a free and simple joy.

Djemaa el-Fna

Djemma El-Fna is like a vaudeville show that never got canceled. Instead, it thrived, drawing more and more people every year, building on generations and growing more aggressive and fun with every new wide-eyed tourist who descends on the square.

Just remember: You will get hassled. You will end up with a creature on you. And you will smile. Of all the things to do in Marrakech, Djemma El-Fna is at the top of the list.

The Badi Palace

Beth and I work hard to get the most out of our cheap holidays and the Badi Palace’s cost to value made it one of our favorite sights in Marrakech.

Built in the 16th century, the Badi Palace stands a bit naked these days. Stripped and looted 75 years after it was built, the palace, despite its starkness, still reeks of the awe it once commanded. Plan on spending an hour strolling the grounds and exploring the terrace and underground portions of the palace. Cost: 10 dirham ($1.20)

Jardin Majorelle

Aside from our Riad, entering into the gardens of Jardin Majorelle was the most tranquil place we visited in Marrakech. The lush setting explodes with vibrant colors and contains more than 300 plant species, including palms and cacti of all sizes.

Strolling through the paths reveals large fountains, ponds, statutes and clothing designer/former owner Yves Saint Laurent’s memorial site. His ashes were spread here and the area is also frequented by African Songbirds. It took us about 40 minutes to tour the garden, but we could’ve easily spent longer in the gardens, just relaxing. The cost to enter the gardens was 40 dirham ($5).

In addition to the garden, you can also visit the Majorelle’s art-deco villa for an additional 15 dirham ($2). Now a museum, Laurent’s former residence houses his collection of Moroccan art, art work from the villa’s original owner, artist Jacques Majorelle, as well as rotating exhibits.

These four essentials sights are perfect to see during quick Marrakech city breaks, do you have any that you would add? If so, we would love to hear about them below!

*Get the first glimpse of our new travel photos & posts! Subscribe by email and get new travel articles delivered straight to your inbox:

Or add us to your favorite feed reader by clicking the orange icon!

*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!

The Contenders

Albatros Garden: Hotel Resort outside of the Medina

vs.

Riad Barroko: Boutique-style hotel in the Medina

If you’re contemplating a trip to Marrakech you might be trying to decide if you should stay at an all inclusive resort outside the Medina or at a traditional Riad within the Medina’s walls. We stayed at both during our recent trip with Low Cost Holidays to the mind-boggling Moroccan city and we decided to compare them here to help you choose which style of lodging would work best for you.

The rules of this heavy weight showdown are simple:

Three rounds–Rooms, Amenities, Location–and no hitting below the belt. May the best property win!

Round 1: Rooms

Albatros Garden Resort

Do you like flat screens, slippers, robes and a balcony overlooking the pool? Well, then you may just find the Albatross Garden Hotel in Marrakech to your liking.

Aside from the random trip to Las Vegas, Beth and I don’t get a chance to do the resort thing much. So when Low Cost Holidays asked us to partner with them to check out one of its resort properties we jumped at the occasion.

Fitted with two queens, a large balcony with table and chairs, flat screen TV with two multiple English speaking channels, monogram slippers and robe, it’s easy to feel like Frank Sinatra as you sip your morning coffee from the panoramic balcony, while outside life in Marrakech goes on around you. The bathroom is split between two rooms with one having the toilet and bidet, while the other room a sink, shower and bathtub with a handful of shower gels and moisturizers waiting for you upon your arrival.

Riad Barroko

Do you like boutique hotels? If so, then you will love the rooms at Riad Barroko. For me, one of my favorite things about staying in a boutique room, especially ones in older properties, is the attention to detail that the property owner puts into the space.

At Riad Barroko, for example, you won’t find any television, radio or even an alarm clock in your room, but what you get is a space that highlights the beauty of traditional Riads, which is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior garden or courtyard, while feeling timeless and romantic without being dated.

Our room featured a queen and twin-sized bed as well as elegantly painted wooden door trims and delicate stained glass windows that looked out above the lush courtyard and pool.

Round 2: Amenities

Albatros Garden

Seeing the people lounging around Albatros Garden is a testament in itself to the relaxing nature of this Marrackech resort.

From the moment your day starts you can either do absolutely nothing (as in laying by one of the two large pool with a book (or drink) in hand or get a massage, facial and/or have a soak in the hammam. For those who like to get the blood pumping, there is also a fitness room on the property. The choice is yours and there is no wrong answer.

Breakfast is abundant at the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets–olives, bread, coffee, croissants, etc. In fact, Beth, who is a vegetarian, said multiple times about how the resort’s breakfast was one of her favorite breakfasts in the world. Additionally, the Albatros Garden features multiple restaurants, bars and lounges that dish up everything from pizza to tagines.

The service from the restaurant, bar, spa and cleaning staff was good; however, the overall service from the front desk was average bordering on below-average. It took multiple in-person requests at reception to get a room service menu brought up to our room (they wouldn’t just give me one). While they were polite and served up service with a smile, the staff just wasn’t that helpful. Despite having more reception staff than most places I’ve visited they always seemed to behind the eight-ball. In other words, we felt like a (room) number to them; instead of a guest in a 5-star hotel.

Riad Barroko

Keeping with the original style of the Riad and introducing elements from boutique hotels and spa resorts, Riad Barroko features an iridescent courtyard pool surrounded by a fountain, plants, flowers and orange trees, rod-iron tables and chairs with rose petals scattered about  as well as a cushy Morrocan-style nook. Additionally, there are two terraces, one on the second floor and one on the roof. At night, the courtyard glows with candles providing the perfect setting for one of the Riad’s home cooked meals or just a nice glass of wine under the inky desert night.

Breakfast is traditional and a simple affair featuring fresh breads, Moroccan-style pancake, jams, coffee, tea and juice served with a smile. In fact, from the moment we checked into until the moment we left, we got fantastic service. At check-in, we were greeted with a deliciously refreshing mint tea while the manager brought out a map and gave us some tips for bargaining in the souks and visting Djemaa El Fna. He even warned us about the food we should stay away from and what was safe to eat in the square.

Round 3: Location

Albatros Gardens

Located outside of the Medina, the Albatros Gardens accomplishes what it sets out to do: create an inclusive setting for you to relax and enjoy Marrakech sans the hustle and bustle of the Medina. The views of the Atlas Mountains and olive grooves from our balcony were fantastic. It reminded me of resorts in Palm Springs, California, circa 1957.

If you wanted to go to the Medina for shopping or just hanging out, you could either walk (approximately 30-45 minutes) or have the hotel call a cab for you. We paid 100 Dirhams (appx. $12 USD) for a ride from the Albatros Garden to Riad Barroko, but another women we spoke with said it cost her only 60 Dirhams to get to the Medina. Apparently we didn’t bargain well enough!

Riad Barraka

Tucked away in the narrow corridors of Marrakech’s storied Medina and other Marrakech attractions, Riad Barroko is an oasis in the sea of madness that swirls about the Medina’s streets. As you sit in the courtyard, your room or terraces, its hard to imagine that the hustle of Marrakech’s famous Djemaa El Fna square is only a 10 minute walk away. It’s extremely peaceful, relaxing and quiet.

We walked back from the aforementioned square several times in the evening during our stay and felt safe every time. There are always people (locals and tourists) out in the night and its a downhill walk past little markets, shops and restaurants. Alternatively, it would be a very short and cheap taxi ride back to the Riad. That being said we had to pay a local kid to help us find the Riad when we first arrived in the Medina. We never would’ve found it on our own but after the initial time of locating it, we never had a problem again. Note: This photo is not the view from the Riad, it’s a shot of the medina.

The Decision:

Both properties put on a fantastic show and, depending on your style of travel, both make a perfect fit for short breaks to Marrakech. In our opinion, though, Riad Barroko is the clear winner. While we both liked the Albatros Gardens Resort, we found it lacked the personality, details and traditional characteristics that made staying at the Riad a truly unique Moroccan experience. The lobbies were immaculate with ornate tile work & chandeliers but unfortunately the same care was not carried through into the rooms. Additionally, the one-on-one personal attention from the manager at the Riad made our stay both exciting and comforting at the same time. We knew they were looking out for us and we could ask them any question and get an honest reply. At the Riad we truly felt like we were experiencing Marrakech at it’s fullest.

Here are some more photos from the Riad Barroko and Albatros Gardens Resort:

*Our stay at both properties was provided by Low Cost Holidays but our reviews & opinions are entirely our own.

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*Please remember all photos on this website, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted and property of Beers and Beans Travel Website, Nariko’ s Nest Weddings & Bethany Salvon. Please do not use them without my permission. If you do want to use one of them please contact me first because I do love to share and I would be flattered. Thanks!