Feature Destination
Feature Destination: Go Mo Go Travel Blog; Koh Tao Thailand #SevenseasCleanUp

Twenty Years Coming
In my youth, which may be five years gone or twenty years gone, (a gentleman never says); I backpacked the east coast of Australia. Upon reaching Cairns, everyone who traverses this route generally decides to become scuba certified and start exploring The Great Barrier Reef; I was no exception. Except in my case when I went for the medical checkup I was turned down due to a heart condition with which I was born. The doctor told me that it is probably not a problem but I would need more tests if she was going to give the clearance to dive. At that time, being a poor backpacker, I did not have the funds for more tests, so I sadly gave it a pass. That stuck with me for a very long time, mostly because it was the first time in my life, I was told I couldn’t do something. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I believed that diving was dangerous for me, however, whenever someone broached the subject I always said, “Yes that’s something I should really look into one day.” Well without going into too much regret, I am kicking myself hard, very hard, for losing all that time.

My boyfriend and I had planned a short trip to our favourite island Koh Tao. We had travelled to the island before for a little anniversary “vacay” and thought that it would be nice to return to somewhere we knew since we were only going for a few days. This was at the same time the third and current wave of Covid was starting to hit Thailand pretty hard. We went back and forth on whether it was safe to travel or if we would even be allowed to fly, when very unexpectedly Sam, the man, decided that he couldn’t make it. I opted to still fly as the numbers were low enough for me, a true hypochondriac, to still not worry. But with several days at my disposal what was I to do? This is when the idea of becoming a certified diver took hold. I had the time (Koh Tao is known for its world-class diving) and it would be an easy way to keep busy whilst travelling solo. But was it even safe for me? There was only one way to find out. I hit up my doctor and had him look over all my charts to see if I was okay. It turns out that yes, yes I was! I kind of kicked myself then and therefore not doing this earlier. It wasn’t until later that I discovered how much harder an “ass whooping” I would be giving myself.

I only had a couple of days to organize this certification but I knew that it would be possible as it took three days to become open water certified and I had five. I quickly got on everyone’s good friend TripAdvisor and wrote down all the scuba shops, of which there were many, that had a 4.9-star rating and gave them all a call. Only one actually picked up the phone. Thus, by default, it was this shop with which I went.
Getting to Koh Tao, which is located about two hours ferry from Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand was actually really easy, all things considered. My dive shop was very kind. It organized a pickup and shuttled me to my hotel, which was included in the package. If I’m polite I would call the accommodation minimal. If I am less than polite; I would call it crap. In the end, it was fine, as I had no intention of spending much time in the room.

Opening My Mind To Open Water
The course started the next day with an in-class lecture by my very first, and coincidentally very last teacher on the island, named Titou. I showed up, notebook and pencil set in hand, and at the ready. I was there to learn and was ready to put my best foot forward. I had watched Moana the night before which set just the right tone for the class. Titou is tall and known well on the island for his long blonde locks. He definitely had a surfer vibe going for him and clearly had built a life around the ocean, demonstrated by the ease with which he took us through the information. I should probably tell you a bit about my water experiences before this; just to set the stage.
I used to be a lifeguard and a competitive swimmer. I have no idea why my father forced me down those routes, being Canadian, I would nearly die a hypothermic death every Saturday and Sunday and three times during the week training in the dead of a -20 degree winter. But it meant that I could swim. My family also often took vacations, usually in Central America each year to escape the aforementioned deadly winter, so snorkeling was always something I enjoyed. I heard stories, however, of people who were born into the ocean and learned to swim before they learned to walk. Those people are not me. I was always very nervous of the water, you know, untold monsters just lurking below the surface ready to cover me in slime or rip off a leg. I should also mention flesh eating bacteria and undercurrents. Needing to pee and little fish swimming up your pee hole and getting lodged inside your bladder, and swimming having not waited a full hour after eating were also part of my fears. It was all very concerning. Needless to say, I was facing a small fear then.
The course started with a bit of confusion, as the island had not seen this many people in a long time. It was the Thai New Year, Songkran. Songkran is a huge holiday in Thailand and many people decided to do exactly what I was doing, have a holiday and learn to dive. After the initial organizational confusion, we settled into class, with Titou at the helm, and started learning the basics. It was all straightforward albeit a tad scientific. They introduced to stuff like: how deep do you have to be before your lungs resemble a scrotum. You know, science. It had been a while since I had learned anything completely new so I was very much into it, even though a lot of it was how to stave off death while under the water or the many many ways you can die with drowning being the nicest. Titou was very thorough and explained everything effortlessly. I’m sure that had something to do with the 1 834 756 times he had taught the course before. Being a yoga teacher, I sympathised, as it is all about repetition and you really have to love what you do to keep it fresh and fun.

The next day after breakfast, despite not waiting a full hour; we were in the water at Mango Bay. Here we learned what they called “skills”. Very important skills like retrieving your regulator, breathing “thingy”, if you lose it underwater, how to purge your mask of water should it fill up, and how to share oxygen with a friend who ran out. Again, Titou breezed through the skills with the authority of someone who really knew his job well. Although it was fun learning I was more taken aback by the environment. Allow me a moment of reflection, because as you see, much like the rest of the world I hadn’t ‘experienced’ much in a very very long time.
Covid for Thailand started out pretty easy. In fact, compared to many countries we were very fortunate. Thailand closed its borders hard when the pandemic started, much to the detriment of the tourism industry, however, we lived a pretty free life compared to many people. Most people, however, were stuck in the country with very little going on. I am not usually in Bangkok for more than a couple of months at a time before flitting off somewhere, so having been in the city for well over a year, with only weekend excursions; things became very very mundane. Not complaining, but there’s only so many times you can explore Chinatown before you’re really not discovering anything anymore. Here I was, though, cradled in-between these two small mountains covered in lush jungle and spritely palm trees, surrounded by white sand, and the clearest water in which I’ve ever spent any amount of time. There were a lot of fish, maybe 3 meters offshore and they were very comfortable swimming around us while we did our skill lesson. Titou explained that when we kicked up sand, we actually kicked up nutrients that the fish ate. His words were lost on me, though, as I was already halfway through a Little Mermaid fantasy. When one of the little fish bit me, that brought me back to the course and to the fact I was actually underwater and doing this thing I had dreamed of doing for such a long time.

Skills And Drills
The third day started with confusion as well but quickly settled down. I was to have a new teacher today by the name of Carmen. The first thing you notice about Carmen is her hair. She was adorned with big flowing locks of curly hair. After a while on the island, you could always easily spot her on her motorcycle careening down the road, curls billowing behind her. The second thing you noticed is her smile. She had one of those smiles that beamed and made you feel at ease with her. The third thing you noticed very quickly about Carmen, after noticing her smile, was that she had a very commanding presence and wasn’t going to take any of my shit. I was incredibly happy about this, as today was the first day we were going into the water, at depth, to learn more skills and safety procedures. Today underlined how lucky I was that both my teachers had been competent and could teach. I was very nervous but somehow knowing I was in good hands made me feel better. This experience really cemented, for me, the importance of a teacher and how a good one can make all the difference.

The third day was a bit long. It was a lot of practicing and a lot of safety instruction which meant a lot of going up and down, practicing one procedure until we got it and then another right after. I couldn’t complain too loudly as I was still in the middle of The Gulf, diving in crystal waters, on a warm tropical day, with a lovely teacher; but repetition is repetition. We were in a group of four so all of us took turns trying out what we learned individually and in partners. After the good part of the day going up and down and practicing our procedure until Carmen was happy, we boarded the boat and waited to hear if we passed. I ponied up to Carmen on the boat, batted my eyelashes a bit, threw a coquettish glance over my shoulder and asked if I had passed. She looked at me sternly for a second and I was waiting for another tongue lashing, of which I had received several (when I screwed up). I told myself it was all part of self-betterment, but quickly her face melted into that brilliant smile and she told me that if I had passed the written portion I would be certified. I was ecstatic as I did do the written portion earlier and did manage to pass. Pro tip : do the reading because most of the exam answers are directly taken from the textbook quizzes. I was a diver and certified to 18 meters. I wasted no time and pleaded with Carmen to push my paperwork through because I wanted to go out on the afternoon boat for Fun Diving. Carmen was nice enough to oblige and within minutes of returning to shore, I was out again but this time as a real diver.

A Lady Diver
Well there I was. I was just certified and I was out on the boat again being whisked away to one of Koh Tao’s many top notch dive sights with a totally new Dive Master, by the name of Lady. Literally every time I said “HI” to her the opening of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert popped into my head and I could not get that song out for the rest of the day.

“Hey Lady, you Lady, cursing at your life.”
Every time – every time! That aside, responsibility hit me rather hard as I bounded over the waves. I had to look out for myself now. Although the responsibility of keeping everyone safe resided with the Dive Master, Lady’s job was no longer to babysit me and make sure I was doing everything right. That was my job now. I was going to be submerged under the water, practically all alone, my only life system strapped to my back and I had the sole responsibility to make sure I wasn’t going to die. Oh crap! Now is a good time to tell you that I don’t even drive a car because I don’t trust myself to be that responsible. To those who dive, you are probably thinking I’m being way over dramatic. Lady did. But to those who fear the ocean or don’t dive perhaps you see my point. Either way, Lady took me under her wing and yes ladies and gentlemen, I did not drown that day. In fact, I had the most incredible dive ever. This was the first time in my life I got to experience what was under the water, free from constraint, to be part of the ocean, and just float and admire. And there is a lot to admire.
The first thing I noticed was life. There is life everywhere you look. Not one surface is not covered in animals or plants, or itty-bitty little organisms. When those National Geographic documentaries talk about this sort of stuff you don’t get it. The oceans really are alive and thriving with so much LIFE. It comes at you from everywhere as well. You can look to the side and see multicolored coral with fish darting here and there; look down at the sand and see shrimps and more fish, bottom dwelling fish; look up and another school of larger fish will be swimming over your head. This is nothing to fear but everything to make you believe that life might be all too beautiful to take in. I have never, and if you’ve read my other blogs you know I do tend towards overdramatic, but believe me when I say I am not being overly dramatic here. I have never been more in awe than I was at that moment! Everything that people had told me over the years made sense. The oceans are an entirely different planet right here on earth, they are a highly organized, highly sophisticated entity that makes it both glorious and horrifying at how awesome they are. Everything is new and strange and beautiful and there is just so much to take in. By the end of the two dives, I was exhausted and extremely happy. I went from a mundane life of Netflix and cleaning to discovering an entirely new world in a matter of days. It was a lot to take in but I can assure you I wasted no time in signing up for my advanced course.

Advancement To The Advanced
The next day I was up early and at the Dive Shop throwing down my next payment for my Advanced Certification. The way I saw it was that if I could get certified up to 30 meters that would open a lot of dive sights for me and then I could just relax and enjoy being a diver. You see, with whichever company you decide to go to, PADI or SSI (which are the two big Dive Schools), the criteria are the same. Open Water is the first course and you learn the basics of Diving and if you pass you are certified to dive to 18 meters. If you decide to do your Advanced, then you are allowed to Dive to a depth of 30 meters. All of this continues under the supervision of a Divemaster. If you decide to go further there are speciality courses that allow you to dive even deeper, use speciality equipment, or do other fancy things under the water. Included in the Advanced course were other skills like; underwater navigation and learning how to use a dive computer, which is a little watch that tells you how deep you are or when it’s smart to come up. I was very eager to learn all of this.
My new teacher was a very nice gentleman by the name of Gary, and here is where I cannot stress enough the importance of teachers and teachers who love their jobs because with Gary, I was not so sure. I think he was just over it. Songkran holidays had been long and hard, and in the span of one day the entire island emptied of local tourists leaving only the few remaining, like myself. There was one other person on the course with me and I think Gary wasn’t so interested in going through the motions of teaching us. The course consisted of three specialty dives designed to teach us a new skill: the first was a deep dive going to 30 meters; the second was a night dive and the third was a navigation dive where we had to navigate underwater using a compass.
I was there for all of it and spent the night reading the textbook to make sure I knew what I was doing because clearly Gary wasn’t so concerned. The deep dive was actually very, very cool as it was at the HTMS Sattakut, which was an ex-Thai Navy boat sunk off the coast of Koh Tao to provide, in addition to the natural reef, a home to wildlife and a very cool dive sight. The wreck was eerie in all the best ways and seeing it in real life was a nearly indescribable experience. I felt like I was in a movie or a Nat Geo documentary. I could almost hear Richard Attenborough narrating my movements as I traversed the wreck.

“The young diver approaches and effortlessly glides along from bow to stern, taking the in the abundance of wildlife”
That’s a bit optimistic as I was seriously nervous. The deep dive didn’t feel much different, but the mood definitely changed. The water was murkier despite the pristine conditions Koh Tao offers. It was colder, and there was literally no sign of the surface. We were deep -like deep deep.
“Just keep calm and breathe”, I told myself. It was impossible to see the whole wreck, so as we glided along with it new features would emerge out of the depths showing off its long haul and grainy spikey details. Giant Groupers hid in doorways, schools of silver “some-kinda-fish” did acrobatics around the vessel, while thousands of sea urchins clung to the metal, making any contact with the wreck dangerous.
We were on a mission, however, so Gary led us down to the very bottom of the wreck to exactly 30 meters. There we hung out for a moment, with the huge ship silently towering over us and then we surfaced. That was it. We had a little time at the beginning to check everything out but the main point of the dive was to make sure I didn’t pass out or get narked at 30 meters. Narked, I later found out, is when too much nitrogen enters your body from the gasses you’re breathing and it produces a high-like state. This state, although fun, is very dangerous under the water. There was no narking for me so that was good.
The next dive was the navigation. I was given a compass to attach to my wrist, a two-minute explanation of how to use it, and then I was told I was to find my way back to the boat after the dive. I had read technically how to do this but if we were solely relying on me to get us back safe, “We are in for a very long swim.” , I thought.

This dive was a bit off. We went to a location called Shark Island, which was reputed to be very beautiful. However, we didn’t really enter the dive site. Instead, we went to the side and Gary pulled out a pack of eggs. I had no idea what was going on. Without explanation, obviously, as we were underwater, I was given an egg and was motioned to crack the egg. I did and much to my surprise the yolk stayed intact and floated around like a little yellow balloon. I had no idea what we were doing but I tapped my floating yellow ball around a little bit and then we swam off. Perplexed, I followed the leader as we swam past gorgeous lavender fields of soft coral to a spot somewhere in the open ocean without many features. It was then Gary pointed to me, the compass, and motioned for me to locate the boat. Using my skills I had read about, I toggled the compass, looked around, toggled again, lined up something called a lubber line, toggled again, and triumphantly pointed towards the boat. Gary shook his head, “No”. I was incorrect and Gary started swimming off in another direction. (I wasn’t shocked as my directional capabilities are terrible. This runs in my family. My mother used to get lost in our hometown after only living there for more than twenty years). Still completely confused as to how I got it wrong I followed Gary as he swam away but then started veering around in a large arch and back directly the way I pointed. I was right after all. I opted not to say anything but silently congratulated myself on my very first win over a directional challenge. As for the egg, I found out on the boat that it was meant to show the pressure of the water on our bodies. The pressure at that depth kept the yolk intact. It was nice but since none of this was explained to me you can imagine how weird that was. Anyways, I cracked an egg and found the boat, the night dive was lovely as well and in the end, I managed to scrape away with a certification. I was ready to get diving.

Sevenseas Media To The Gulf of Thailand

My boyfriend sadly doesn’t share my newfound enthusiasm for all things underwater. He occasionally enjoys a snorkel here and there but is most happy being a land dweller. We did, however, do a lot of snorkelling around the island. It was at Shark Bay that we were having a look around when I noticed a bit of plastic stuck between the rocks. I attempted a free dive down but having to equalize my ears, whilst holding my breath, whilst trying to reach for garbage proved a little too much of a multitask for me so I gave up. Disgruntled about leaving plastic in the ocean I swam over to Sam and said, “We gotta’ organize a reef clean up”.

When I come up with ideas such as these, of which there are many, I usually get an eye roll and a groan, as when I say,” WE” need to organize some such thing, it usually ends up being ME coming up with the ideas and HE who must organize the whole thing. I’m a visionary, not an implementer, what can I say? In this case, however, I had other people to help out. I quickly messaged Carmen and Titou and it took them all of 12 seconds to agree to do it and maybe 12 seconds more to outline what needed to happen. I was kinda expecting we would meet up, snorkel, grab some garbage, umm THEY grab garbage whilst I hold the bag and make sure everyone had a cool drink waiting for them afterwards with some light finger food, and call it a day; things, however, escalated quickly. Within maybe 36 hours, Titou had organized a boat, a captain and 60 tanks of air. Carmen started a Facebook group for all the divers on the island (of which we had 30 members) to get ready for the Reef Clean. She had organized gear for those who didn’t have it. They both researched where best to dive to find single-use plastic, and I agreed to come up with the funds.

The funny thing was I hadn’t actually secured any funds by this point and was flailing around quite desperately in an attempt to do so. Fate was on my side, however, and after finally getting Giacomo, our fearless Seven Seas Leader on the phone (he was busy) to explain what was happening; it took him about 12 seconds to agree to help out. Everything was in place.
I have done many charity events such as these in the past and it’s always an uphill struggle trying to gain interest. Understandable. But you can imagine how shocked I was by how quickly, and enthusiastically everyone got on board- literally. We had a boat full of divers, who were very eager to get into the water and make the ocean that much nicer. It was my job to come up with garbage bags and cookies for the boat, as well as, to document the experience. Other than the cookies I honestly needn’t have done anything. Everyone came along with mesh bags ready to fill with plastic. We had underwater cameras – very fancy ones. Free divers came as well to help and film both above and below the water, and everyone brought tools such as knives (which I was told I was not allowed to use), gloves and all the accoutrements of a proper Reef Clean. What an island and what a fantastic group of volunteers who took literally no encouragement to help out!
Due to the generosity of Seven Seas, we were able to afford two dives at two locations. Bag after bag of single-use plastic, discarded fishing nets, which are the most dangerous human additions to the sea (I learned), and other plastic oddities, like a deck of cards landed on the boat, to be secured and sorted by Titou. Teams were divided into shore and reef so both the reef and the area closer to the shore, (which usually holds a lot of plastic due to ocean currents leading the plastic in towards the island), could be cleaned. It was incredible! Carmen even allowed me two minutes between her cutting a discarded fishing line from the reef to watch a Blue Spotted Ray swim along the sandy bottom. I was the only inexperienced diver on the boat, so I stuck to Carmen like glue. As a group we managed to pull five huge boxes of rubbish out of the ocean and thanks to another NGOs support we shipped it off to Bangkok to be turned into fuel. All the plastic was taken off the island so it wouldn’t turn into landfill and risk rolling back into the ocean. What an incredible day with a very dedicated group of people!
Bangkok was struggling hard to control this outbreak of Covid and it made no sense for us to return back home where it was dangerous when we were safe and very happy on this island. After a short discussion, Sam and I decided to book our hotel for another month and see what the cases were like a week to week before deciding to return to our home. Looks like I had more time with the fishes after all. Stay tuned.

We had thirty divers, doing two dives, at two different locations, and we managed to pull 5. KG boxes of plastic out of the ocean
Mark Scodellaro

Neo hippie, yoga non- guru, and man of mystery. Avid traveller but only recently started writing about it. Yoga enthusiast, activist, and teacher in Bangkok. Loving father of four fur babies.
[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]
Feature Destination
Feature Destination: A Conservationist’s Reflection on Family, Biodiversity, and Restoration in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is one of the few countries I’ve returned to repeatedly over the last twenty or so years. Each visit has reinforced why this small Central American nation continues to hold a special place in my heart. As a conservationist, I’ve long admired its bold environmental policies, its ability to restore vast areas of degraded land, and the extraordinary biodiversity that thrives here. But what draws me back just as strongly is the feeling that Costa Rica gives you: the quiet assurance that another world is possible, one where people and nature can coexist with purpose and respect.
I had the chance to experience Costa Rica in a new way, traveling with three generations of my family. My husband, my sister and her family, and our aging parents all came together for what we knew would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. My sister chose Costa Rica not only because of its beauty, but also because it felt manageable for a multigenerational vacation. It’s safe, accessible, and well set up for travelers of all ages. We also understood it would be expensive, but for the chance to travel together as a full family, the investment was worth it.
We started our journey in San José, where my husband and I stayed in a homestay with a Costa Rican grandmother. She greeted us with warmth, fed us incredible meals, and gave us our first taste, quite literally, of the hospitality this country is known for. From there, we headed to Quepos on the Pacific coast, where my sister had rented an Airbnb home. It was the perfect setup with a space for all of us to gather, cook, relax, and look out over a small deck that faced what appeared to be pure jungle. The view was mesmerizing. We later learned that only a few decades ago, the entire landscape had been logged and used for farmland or extraction. But thanks to Costa Rica’s climate and commitment to restoration, nature had returned with full force. You’d never know it had once been stripped bare.
Every morning, we gathered on that deck before sunrise with coffee in hand to watch the forest awaken. Birds darted through the trees: tanagers, flycatchers, motmots, flickering colors between the leaves. For a family of nature lovers, those quiet hours became some of the most meaningful and memorable moments of the entire trip.
Quepos gave us easy access to both the coast and the rainforest. We hiked in the nearby parks, explored waterfalls, we stumbled on eco-tours of chocolate-making, coffee farming, and sustainable agriculture. The excursions were varied and accessible. Canopy walks, guided nature trails, and small boat rides. Costa Rica’s dynamic geography from the mountains, coasts, volcanoes, and rainforests means you don’t have to travel far to experience completely different ecosystems.
Although my husband and I skipped diving this time to stay together as a family, we did take a longer boat ride to a more remote patch of primary forest. I believe we were on the edge of the Osa Peninsula or near Corcovado National Park, which is known as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth. The experience reminded me again how rare it is to be able to witness truly untouched rainforest.
Every meal we ate was exceptional. With such a strong agricultural foundation, the food was consistently fresh, flavorful, and locally grown. Pineapple, avocado, coffee, papaya, rice, and beans, all vibrant and prepared with pride. Costa Rica’s commitment to sustainable agriculture shows in the taste of what ends up on your plate.
Beyond the beauty and comfort, what continues to impress me most is Costa Rica’s national commitment to conservation. Despite being only about 51,000 square kilometers in size, Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, about 5% of the world’s biodiversity, thanks to its location at the intersection of North and South America. The diversity includes iconic species like the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), jaguars (Panthera onca), and endangered sea turtles like the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which nests on the Caribbean coast in places like Tortuguero National Park.
Costa Rica has not only preserved what it has, it has reversed damage from generations of less sustainable development. In the 1980s, deforestation was rampant, with forest cover reduced to about 21%. But thanks to a range of government policies, including the 1997 launch of the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program, forest cover has increased to over 50% as of the 2010s, and as of 2022 forests covered approximately 60.1% of the country’s land area, according to the World Bank. The PES program rewards landowners for keeping forests intact, recognizing the economic value of ecosystem services such as carbon capture, water filtration, and biodiversity protection. Much of this work is administered through MINAE (the Ministry of Environment and Energy), and its subsidiary agencies like SINAC, FONAFIFO, and CONAGEBIO.
The country has also turned its attention toward marine conservation, with over 30% of its territorial waters now designated as marine protected areas (MPAs). These include coral reefs, mangroves, and marine corridors vital for species like sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Organizations like the MarViva Foundation have been instrumental in managing these MPAs, particularly around the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Folks from Costa Rica, also called Ticos, have the reputation of being affectionately warm, proud, and deeply connected to the land. You quickly learn the phrase “Pura Vida” is more than a slogan. It’s a mindset, an expression of gratitude, resilience, and appreciation for life’s simple gifts. It’s said as a greeting, a farewell, a thank-you, and always with a smile.
Traveling here, you’ll find that Costa Rica is not only logistically easy, but emotionally and intellectually enriching. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a multigenerational family like us, there’s something for everyone. The country is incredibly welcoming to people of all backgrounds, and it’s one of the safest places in Central America to visit.
If you’re planning a trip, the best advice is to decide what kind of experience you’re looking for. Do you want to immerse yourself in the jungle? Lounge on the beach? Explore volcanoes? Stay in a city and do day trips? Or do a bit of everything? There’s no single way to “do” Costa Rica. You can rent a car or rely on shuttle services. Stay in a city hotel, a remote eco-lodge, or a beachside Airbnb. It’s all possible.
Here are a few key regions to consider:
-
Central Valley (San José and surroundings): Cultural sites, museums, and access to volcanoes and cloud forests.
-
Pacific Coast (including Quepos and Manuel Antonio): National parks, beaches, and adventure tourism.
-
Caribbean Coast (like Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero): Afro-Caribbean culture, nesting turtles, and rich biodiversity.
-
Northern Plains (Arenal and La Fortuna): Hot springs, waterfalls, and volcanoes.
-
Southern Zone (Osa Peninsula and Corcovado): Pristine rainforest, rare species, and incredible biodiversity.
VisitCostaRica.com is the official tourism website and a helpful starting point for researching regions, accommodations, and activities.
For us, this trip was a chance to reconnect, not just with each other, but with the natural world. Costa Rica has a way of doing that. When you’re surrounded by howler monkeys at dawn, or listening to rain fall onto leaves the size of couch cushions, or catching a glimpse of a toucan in flight, you remember what it feels like to be part of something ancient and alive.
And in a world where conservation so often feels like a losing battle, Costa Rica shows what can be achieved when a nation decides to prioritize nature, not just in words, but through action.
Feature Destination
Feature Destination: The Most Awe-Inspiring National Parks in Latin America
Feature Destination
Feature Destination – Journeys With Purpose: Restoring Island-Ocean Ecosystems in Palau
Visiting Palau has been one of the most remarkable and affirming experiences of my life. Spending hours in the ocean observing turtles, sharks, rays and a host of other marine species, including cuttlefish changing colour and form to their immediate environment, has proven to be one of the greatest joys and wonders in the world.
I grew up watching and entranced by the TV series ‘The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau’. Such was the impression Cousteau’s series made on me, as a very young child my first pet was called ‘Calypso’, after his fabled research vessel. My experiences in Palau brought back these vivid memories directly. With a particular snorkelling experience on this journey, a fellow traveller commented that this must be “the day you fell in love with sharks” – and it truly was.

Throughout the course of the last 12+ months, Journeys With Purpose has worked alongside the world-class organisations of Island Conservation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in association with Re:wild, on a ‘Restoring Island-Ocean Ecosystems’ journey to champion and support the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC).
The IOCC aims to restore at least 40 globally significant island-ocean ecosystems from ridge to reef by 2030 to benefit people, wildlife and our planet. This goal is delivering tangible action and successes, and signifying more widely the essential connection between island health and ocean health. Holistically restoring islands delivers outsized benefits for wildlife, oceans, people and climate impacts.
Key IOCC messages:
- Healthy oceans need healthy islands
- island and marine ecosystem elements cycle into one another, sharing nutrients vital to the plants and animals within them. Invasive species damage these fragile ecosystems and work to remove these in order to restore balance and endemic species such as the Megapode bird is vital.
- Everything is connected – Indigenous Peoples and local communities know this
- Indigenous Peoples and local communities have long understood and managed their natural resources in the context of island-to-sea connections. As Wayne Andrew, Micronesia Director of OneReef says “Community is not people alone. Community is a place, the reef. The respect of all that is so important”. This is rooted in their traditional knowledge and wisdom, including ancient oral stories such as the “Megapode Bird and Hawksbill Turtle”. It is essential to support local leadership and communities in the decisions they wish to make to protect these vital ecosystems.
- Collaboration is essential
- taking a collective approach to sustainable science and the importance of collaboration with local communities to achieve more holistic results.
- Emerging Science and Impact Monitoring
- global scalability of work informed by science. Emerging research shows people, wildlife and marine environments benefit when island-ocean connections are restored.
- Islands are on the frontline of environmental crises
- a staggering 41% of critically threatened species are found on islands
- 27% of all languages come from island communities
- surrounding coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life

We travelled with leadership from Palau’s local communities, Island Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and supporters of these organisations. The collective experience of our time with these communities, and snorkelling and diving, was quite remarkable – a true spirit of togetherness and bonding developed that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. And importantly to take forward into action.
My key takeaways are thus:
- People make Places
- this is never more true than in Palau. There are approximately 20,000 local inhabitants on Palau’s islands, and they demonstrate an incredible bond, cohesiveness and strength together. This is brilliantly encapsulated by the local Hatohobei community, who rejected sizeable bribes to thwart a significant illegal fishing operation – “… we’re doing it for our people, for the future generations.”
- Impact at Scale
- the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS), effective 1 January 2020 with support from the Palauan government and several NGOs, is one of the largest marine protected areas (MPA) in the world. It was the first MPA of its kind, protecting 80% of a country’s national waters in a fully protected no-take zone.
- the PNMS protects a vast array of marine life and unique geological features within its over 475,000 km2, an area larger than Germany, Japan, Iraq, Sweden, etc. Eight hundred marine vertebrate species call the PNMS home, including nearly 30 different marine mammals and 60 shark and ray species, though these numbers are likely underestimated, as the biodiversity of the PNMS remains understudied.
- all achieved with the spirit of just 20,000 Palauans.
- Be Brave
- as above, the Palauans have been incredibly brave in their approach with their communities, natural environment and ambition. Very sadly, this is not the norm around the world, but is, however, a lesson for us all – trust our hearts and do the right thing to help deliver today a viable future. We must turn the currency of hope into the currency of action.

I have observed these three takeaways in the great conservation and rewilding endeavours around the world. It can be done. I urge us all, in the strongest possible manner, to support the work of the people of Palau, Island Conservation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography – brilliant people, doing brilliant work, in brilliant places. My eternal gratitude to our partners and supporters on this journey, and in particular to the exceptional dedication, hospitality and warmth of our local Palauan partners at Island Conservation Palau, Ebiil Society, OneReef, Koror State DCLE (Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement), Ngarchelong State Rangers and many others. Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation in the Micronesia region of Oceania in the western Pacific, comprising an archipelago of over 350 islands. Little known to many of us, it is one of the most remarkable ecosystems and communities on Earth. Please connect here – connect@journeyswithpurpose.org – to understand how you can contribute, and visit Palau.
GET IN TOUCH TO START YOUR JOURNEY
A tribute to the people of Palau:- in memoriam to Prince LeeBoo of Palau, 1763 to 1784.
With the consent of his father King Ibedul of Koror, Prince LeeBoo departed Palau with Captain Henry Wilson and the crew of the Antelope to London, England on 12 November 1783. Whilst in London, Prince LeeBoo became Palau’s de facto ambassador of goodwill to England, and a scholar. However, LeeBoo’s plan of returning to Palau to spread knowledge and scientific discoveries to his people ended abruptly when the young prince succumbed to smallpox in the winter of 1784. The remains of Prince LeeBoo and his plans lay buried today in the courtyard of St. Mary’s church in Rotherhithe, London, England.
Despite the dilapidation of time, the spirit of Prince LeeBoo continues to live in the hearts of the people of Palau – their immense strength of community, positive impact and fortitude. His story, and purpose in life, remains widely told amongst the people of Palau today.
This article was retrived from Duncan’s Field Notes.
Journeys With Purpose offers immersive conservation and ethical travel experiences. Through private and hosted trips with pioneering conservationists, guests experience rewilding and restoring biodiversity in the wildest corners of the world. Our “Seven Worlds, One Planet” approach is a global curriculum focused on recovering and conserving vibrant landscapes, biodiversity, wildlife and livelihoods across all seven continents.
-
News2 days ago
Wheaton Women in Ocean Science Award Now Accepting Applications for 2025
-
Voices2 weeks ago
Mass Death of Magellanic Penguins Observed at Reserva Provincial Cabo Vírgenes
-
Book Suggestion2 weeks ago
Wet and Salty. A Lifelong Journey Seeking Coral Conservation and Resilience.
-
News2 weeks ago
New Coral Gardens and Hydrothermal Vents Found in the Icy Depths of the Remote South Sandwich Islands
-
Art & Culture1 week ago
Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Science Without Borders® Challenge
-
Feature Destination3 weeks ago
Feature Destination: The Most Awe-Inspiring National Parks in Latin America
-
Aquacultures & Fisheries3 weeks ago
Breathe. Wheel. Flukes Up. Dive. Swim On, Whales!
-
Ocean Literacy1 month ago
Microplastics: From rubbish bins to your next meal