Resort – Maldo Travels

Papallacta – Natural Mountain Hot Springs

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 18:12:00 +0000

From Quito, it can take between 1 hour and 1 hour 30 minutes depending on where you’re staying to get to Papallacta. Public transport is an option but it’s best to go by car or organized tour. The weather varies but normally when it’s winter in Quito between October and May, it tends to be summer in Papallacta. As you approach Papallacta, if the skies are clear you’ll get to see the snow-topped Volcano Antisana in the background. It’s a great sight and the highway is in good condition for a comfortable journey to Papallacta.

Once in Papallacta, there are a couple of hot spring pools in the small town. The ones near the bottom are cheaper and have fewer facilities. We went to the one at the top of the hill called Termas de Papallacta which is a resort and spa but has pools open to the public. There’s lots of parking available and a guarded entrance. Tickets cost 9 USD¹ each and give you access to several pools, changing rooms, showers, and restroom facilities. You can also rent lockers available from the shop/cafe. There are several indoor changing rooms throughout the site as well as restrooms and showers. This site is quite relaxed with what you wear in the pools. It was very sunny on the day we went, so a lot of people got into the pools with a t-shirt and hat to avoid getting sunburnt.

We got there at around 9.30 AM so it wasn’t that busy. We first headed to the pools on the upper level. There are gazebos with tables and chairs throughout and we managed to grab one of those spots. It’s a nice place to relax in the pools and chill on the chairs. Around the back on the upper level, there is also a polar pool. After getting out of the hot pools, some people would jump in the polar pool since its supposed to be good for your muscles. Later in the afternoon, we went to explore the lower pools. There is a large pool and the temperature here is a little lower than the ones on the upper level. There are then some more pools around the corner and these are very hot. One of them has a warning sign and I could just about dip my toe in it. We also found an indoor area below the large pool which had 2 waterfall-like showers with the hot spring water. We stayed until around 2.30 PM before heading down to the town to get some lunch. Once we were done, we then headed back to Quito.

Macau – The Vegas of Asia

Jean Maldonado — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 18:59:00 +0000

Ferries leave from the piers at Sheung Wan which is one stop away from Central. When we arrived, there were 2 ticket offices open selling tickets and the Cotai operator was cheaper with tickets at 171 HKD². We saw someone reselling tickets for 150 HKD but only took cash. The ferry was scheduled to leave in 15 minutes at 11.10 AM. Going through security was very quick and we managed to board the ferry on time. The journey takes about an hour and we arrived at the port in Taipa which is next to the airport. Going through customs and security here is also quick and easy. Once at the arrivals hall, we set out looking for tours and an ATM. We met a tour guide offering his services for 150 HKD each. He took us to several casinos using the free bus transportation between casinos. At the casinos, he took us to the areas where they have timed shows. At Wynn Palace, there was a water fountain show like the Bellagio in Las Vegas. You could also tour around the water fountain in a cable car for free.

After visiting a couple of casinos, our guide took us to the historic city center. There are many colonial buildings and pedestrian streets which make for great walks. We walked through Senado Square, St. Dominic’s Church, and the Ruins of St Paul’s. We passed through some markets as well which were good for picking up some cheap souvenirs. We then head to a couple more casinos which include Studio City, The Parisian, and The Venetian. The guide also arranged for us to buy our ferry ticket back to Hong Kong with one of his friends. He got us first-class tickets for 200 HKD and we met up with his friend in the afternoon to pick up the tickets. We were done with our tour at around 7 PM and the guide dropped us off at the port.

Cancun – Sun, Sea, and Resorts

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 06 May 2018 17:16:24 +0000

With a short two hour flight from Mexico City, you can reach the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Caribbean in Cancun. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be swarmed by tour operators offering to take you to your hotel. It is also possible to schedule transportation beforehand online and you simply look for the operator outside. There is no Uber³ in Cancun and Taxis are quite expensive compared to shared transportation. Since Cancun is a popular tourist destination, anyone working in tourism speaks at least English. The airport is about a 20-30 minute ride to the hotel zone and downtown.

Boat Tour And Snorkeling

I’m not much of a beach person so naturally, my first instinct was to look for activities. There are a range of options and the one that interested me the most was the boat tour to Isla Mujeres with a snorkeling session to see the ‘underwater museum’. The tour operator picks you up from your hotel or in my case, from a nearby hotel and drops you off at the pier. The 220 MXN⁴ Marina fee was not included in the tour price and is paid for at the pier. They hand out the snorkeling gear here as well and give you a colored wristband for when they call out groups by color. The boats are very big with capacity for about 50 people. There are benches with storage space underneath them for personal belongings and a net at the front of the boat to sit on. The boat ride is very relaxing as you feel a cool breeze whilst sipping on unlimited rum punch and taking in the amazing views of the crystalline water. It takes about 30 minutes to arrive at the snorkeling zone. There are several other boats in the area so it’s important to remember the name of the boat and stick with the guide. If you’ve never been snorkeling, then this 30-minute experience will make for a nice first time and you’ll see a couple of ruins and a car but not much sea life. There are other snorkeling destinations that are much better.

Once back on the boat, it’s a 45-minute ride to a restaurant at the southern point of Isla Mujeres. The restaurant has a private beach to relax and take in the view. After lunch, the boat takes you to Playa Norte which is the main beach at Isla Mujeres. There’s a tequila tasting session and then you have an hour to roam around. The island is long but narrow and you can cross to the west side in a 5-minute walk. The Isla Mujeres Sign is on this side and there aren’t many people here since they stay on the main beach. It’s also possible to rent quad bikes if you want to see the whole island. The beaches are beautiful but the island is quite expensive.