Half-Day – Maldo Travels

San Andres – Semi Submarine

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 20:00:00 +0000

We booked this tour for the afternoon with Ecodivers Tours following our Scuba Experience Tour in the morning. The minibus that picked us up from the dive center dropped us off in Centro and we headed to the tour agency’s office. From here, one of the reps walked us over to the pier where the semi-submarine boat was located. It was a large boat which was anchored in deeper water, so we first got on a smaller boat which took us to the semi-submarine. The semi-submarine had lots of seating space for about 50 people and lots of shade. We set out at around 3 PM and headed in the direction of Haynes Cay for about 30 minutes.

The boat slowed down near a shallow zone where there was lots of sea life and we were invited to go down to the hull. The hull was full of windows so you could see all the marine life swimming around. The guide pointed out the different species and gave us information on them. Another guide dove into the water to lure fish toward the boat. This part of the tour lasted for about 20 minutes before we headed to another zone for swimming. The boat anchored in and we were free to go for a swim. The current was very strong so not many people got in, but it was a refreshing swim to cool down from the sun. At around 4.30 PM we began making our way back to the pier and finished the tour at 5 PM. It was a quick boat ride into the sea and a good way to explore the sea life without getting wet.

Ko Phi Phi – Island Boat Tour

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 22:55:54 +0000

On the main island Phi Phi Don, there are private and group boat options to explore the smaller Phi Phi islands. We got an afternoon snorkeling tour with a group boat for 1200 THB¹ each. The meeting point was at Loh Dalum beach on the north bay at 1.30 PM. There were about 10 of us in the group and once everyone arrived, we were given life jackets and set out to Monkey Beach on Phi Phi Don. We visited this beach earlier when we went kayaking in the morning. Visiting on the boat tour in the afternoon was quite different since the beach was very busy now with several tour boats anchored at the beach. It was a quick stop here for pictures and some snorkeling. There are a couple of fishes here but not that many. The next stop was then Long Beach on the south side of Phi Phi Don. The ship anchored in by the cliffside in an area called Shark Point. One of the guides said there was a chance to see some sharks hence the name of the site. We didn’t manage to see any but there were many fishes and some corals, so it was still a good snorkeling location.

We then left Phi Phi Don and headed further south to Phi Phi Leh arriving at the north side of the island at around 3 PM. The boat sailed around the perimeter of the island passing by Monkey Bay and a quick stop at Viking Cave where the guide tells us of the paintings found in the walls of what appear to be Viking ships. The guide also gives some info on how locals get edible swiftlet bird nests from here to sell. It is believed the bird nests have some health benefits and is considered a delicacy. We then continue sailing via Pi Leh Lagoon and then anchoring in at Loh Samah Bay for some more snorkeling. This was also a good snorkeling spot with corals and several different fish species.

Next, we continue to Maya Bay, the famous beach featured in the movie ‘The Beach’ starring Leonardo Di Caprio. The beach was closed off due to damage caused by tourism so we could only sail past it from a distance. This was the last location on Phi Phi Leh and we set off to Bamboo Island for the sunset. On the way, we made a brief stop at Nui Beach to take pictures. We arrived at Bamboo Island at around 4.20 PM and were told we could wander around the island and pointed to good snorkeling locations.

It’s a very small island and a great place to relax at the beach and swim in its refreshing waters. We stayed here until 6.30 PM when the sun started to set. We then got to see the rest of the sunset from the middle of the sea. The colors of the sky and silhouettes of the islands were beautiful. Once the sun had fully set, we headed to the south bay on Phi Phi Don for a swim with fluorescent plankton. When you jump in the water and splash around, the plankton light up. The plankton is tiny and I couldn’t capture it on a GoPro, but it was good fun. We were then dropped off at the pier and we headed to the hotel to change into some dry clothes before heading out for some dinner.

Ko Phi Phi – The Beaches by Kayak

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 16:33:00 +0000

In the morning, we got to Loh Dalum Beach at 8.40 AM and found a kayak rental place offering their services. We got a 2 person kayak with snorkeling gear for 3 hours which cost 200 THB¹ each. Our first stop was Monkey Beach which took us about 30 minutes to get to. The beach was empty in these early hours. We left our kayak on the beach and went for a stroll. When we got back, we found a monkey at our kayak who was going through a hidden compartment that we didn’t even know about. We left our water on the kayak which the monkey stole and drank. Once the monkey left, we picked up our kayak and headed to Nui Beach.

This was a longer journey than our first leg and more tiring which took us about 40 minutes. On the way, we went past the cliffside of Phi Phi Don and some large rocks in the middle of the sea. Nui Beach small but it’s a very scenic beach. In the background, you can see several large rocks including one which looks like a camel. Other than some locals prepping a boat, we were the only ones here. The water here is quite shallow which makes it great for snorkeling to get up close to the sealife. We stayed here for about 30 minutes before continuing onto Loh Lana Bay.

It took us about 20 minutes to reach the shore of Loh Lana Bay. Once again, we were the only ones here. This beach was the biggest of all 3 that we visited and its waters were also quite shallow. We didn’t stay here for too long since we had to get back to return the kayak. So after taking some pictures, we headed back to Loh Dalum Beach. It took us about 40 minutes to row back, taking breaks in between.

Arequipa – White Water Rafting

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 21:18:00 +0000

There are several time slots available to go rafting in Arequipa. We went for the midday time slot since we arrived the previous evening from the 2-day Colca Canyon tour. The rafting tour cost 60 PEN² each and included all equipment rental. The only additional cost was for the pictures taken by a professional photographer which came to 30 PEN for our group of 3. The photographer drives ahead and captures action shots with a DSLR camera so it was worth getting the pictures.

For the midday tour, the meeting point was at the tour agency’s office at the Plaza de Armas. It was then a quick 30-40 minute drive to the equipment rental location. Equipment includes a wet suit, water shoes, life jacket, and helmet. A thing to note is that if you have a GoPro, be one of the first ones to get a helmet since there’s like 1 or 2 that have the attachment. There’s a male and female changing area and once everyone was ready, we headed to the River Chill. It was another short 30-minute drive to the river where the boats were being set up for us. We were split up into groups with the smallest being 2 people and the largest being 4 people. Each group had a guide and they went over the instructions before setting out. There are several calm spots in between the fast-moving currents of the river. We stopped at the river bank for a break halfway through. In total, we were in the river for about 45 minutes and it was great fun. When we reached the end, we got changed behind the minibus and then made our way back to the city.

NYC’s Aircraft Carrier and Submarine

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 17:06:40 +0000

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is not one of New York City’s most sought after destinations but if you’re intrigued by history and the second world war, then you should definitely add this spot to your New York itinerary. A floating museum docked at Pier 86 (46th Street on the west side) is a repurposed aircraft carrier and a submarine with numerous planes, artifacts, and exhibitions. There is also an excellent interactive and engaging learning zone for kids. The museum opens its doors at 10 AM and general admission tickets are 33 USD³ but 19 USD if you’re a New York City resident. The museum offers guided tours but it’s possible to find your way around with a map provided at the information desk. You can complete a self-guided tour of the museum in about 3 or 4 hours, but if you’re one who likes to read and see everything, you could easily spend the whole day there.

First, I started by visiting the living quarters in the area above the anchor room. With so many people living on the carrier, the sleeping situation was very cramped. The higher-ranking officers had more private areas with desks but the lowest ranking recruits had to make do with bunk beds and lockers. I then stepped down to the anchor room where there are huge chains and machinery to operate the massive anchor. There are information panels and a touch screen display detailing the process. Lowering the anchor can be dangerous so trained and skilled engineers are required for the job. Next, I went to the deck where there are anti-aircraft guns from different periods before heading down to the lower level where there was a museum with experiments. This area is great for kids as you get to interact with different exhibits.

After the museum, I headed back up to the main deck where the rooms are that were used for naval operations. These include spaces for the communications room, the planning room, the control room, and the briefing room for the pilots who would fly out to battle. The layouts of the rooms have been kept as they would have been during their use. There is a great view from the control tower of the aircraft on the deck with the Manhattan skyline in the background. On the way back down to the main deck, I went through the mess hall. You walk past the kitchen which has massive pots and stoves which were used to feed the thousands aboard. Next, I stepped out to the main deck where many different aircraft were lined up on display. At the end of the deck, there is the space section where the space shuttle Enterprise is kept on display.

My following stop was then the submarine which is docked next to the aircraft carrier. It quickly gets cramped as you walk down the steps and you have to watch your head. Although there’s not much space, it’s amazing how many rooms fit in the long and narrow submarine. The layout begins with the living quarters which are even more cramped than the ship. The kitchen is also small but there are only a couple dozen who lived in the submarine. There are then several rooms for the naval operations and at the end of the submarine, there is the torpedo room. You then step out on the other end and get back on the aircraft carrier. This was the end of my visit and it was a great experience learning about how both these complex vessels were used.