Máncora, not Monaco, is the destination for the jet-setting crowd of Peru. This beachside resort town is on the Pacific Ocean, near the country’s northernmost border that it shares with Ecuador. Think sun, surf, and …
September 19, 2016
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Stories by Joe Tuborg
Máncora, not Monaco
Pailon del Diablo will make you a believer
Rio Verde is a small Ecuadorean puebla in the center of the country. Nestled between two tunnels on a mountainous road, the one and only entrance can be easily missed. Fortunately there are signs and …
December 15, 2015
Off-track in Boca de Yuma, Dominican Republic
The easternmost point of the Dominican Republic is locked in a struggle between the lapping transparent waters of the Caribbean and the darker rough waters of the Atlantic. Throw in the mouth of a freshwater …
June 11, 2015
Lounging in Baja's San Felipe
Strung like a hammock along the Eastern Baja coast, San Felipe lounges along the sandy beaches of the Sea of Cortez. The town's vibe is as laid back as the lapping of its Caribbean blue–like …
April 14, 2015
Backcountry to Baja
Awhile back we traveled to Nicaragua. Much of the country’s road systems are inaccessible by car, and if you wanted to explore the interior you were forced to walk, ride a bike or rent a …
January 22, 2015
Diving at Big Corn Island, Nicaragua
A vertical sign written out in white seashells stated we had reached the dive shop destination. It was with some reluctance that I shuffled up to the two-story weatherbeaten building. My last resort dive had …
July 25, 2014
Tournament time in Indian Wells
Each March I make my pilgrimage to the desert to pay homage to the world’s greatest tennis players. Framed by the snow-summitted Mt. San Jacinto, the BNP Paribas Open is hosted at the Indian Wells …
February 11, 2014
Playa El Espino, El Salvador
Call me a spoiled Southern Californian, but until I visited Playa El Espino I had never been forced to walk through a herd of milling cattle (left) to get to the ocean. This small fishing …
December 14, 2013
Bocas del Toro, Panama
A chill ran down my spine as we passed a burnt-out fuselage that sat rusting in the front yard of a home near the exit gate of the Bocas del Toro airport (left). It made …
September 17, 2013
Mesmerizing Ometepe
Approaching the island of Ometepe is a bit foreboding. As the ferry moves nearer and nearer, it's too easy to invoke movie images of Jurassic Park or King Kong. The tops of the two volcanoes …
July 18, 2013
Serengeti hippo pool, Tanzania
Even during the dry season, there is water in the Serengeti. One of the region's most notable watering holes is the hippo pool. Fed by the Seronera River, the site is located towards the northwest …
June 4, 2013
Belize's Baboon Sanctuary
Sometimes the beauty of Central America is its simplicity. A small sign on the west side of the road announces that you’ve arrived at the Belize Community Baboon Sanctuary. (A misnomer, Belize’s "baboons" are in …
January 2, 2013
Groveland's Gold-Rush Era Watering Hole
Sitting approximately 25 miles from the western gate of Yosemite National Park is Groveland, CA. The town straddles highway 120 and is as rooted in the past as any other you will see on this …
November 29, 2012
Kenya for Carnivores
Although a bit out of your way for nightly dinner reservations, if you happen to be in Nairobi, Kenya, this restaurant is not to be missed. In fact, it’s hard to avoid, as it seems …
November 9, 2012
On Safari in Lake Manyara National Park
Three turns into the park, our Land Rover was forced to a stop as two large bull elephants sauntered across the road. Their tusks protruding forward, as if they were divining rods steering them into …
September 13, 2012
Berkeley City Club: A California Classic
Smack dab in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Berkeley stands Julia Morgan’s “Little Castle.” Old hotels hold a certain allure for me, and the Berkeley City Club is no exception. The stone …
June 12, 2012
Bauer, Iowa: Sunset on Rural America
In order to describe Iowa, you have to start with the land. Its freshly overturned sod is as black as a starless night, and a handful of dirt is richer than any potting soil you …
April 7, 2012
Shooting Star Saloon - Huntsville, Utah
Utah might be the last place on earth you would expect to find the longest-running open bar west of the Mississippi. And when traveling towards Huntsville, UT, it’s not hard to imagine that you are …
February 16, 2012
Hiking the Lower 48's Highest: Mt. Whitney, California
On a lonely stretch of Highway 395 in Central Cali, the Sierras rise from the earth and reach for the heavens. It is here, and more specifically Mt. Whitney, where the modern-day hiker goes for …
January 12, 2012
Xunantunich Ruins, Belize
Over the river and through the trees lie the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. First unearthed in British Honduras at the turn of the last century, this ancient archeological site is one of the finest in …
November 16, 2011
Balsamo Coast, El Salvador
The Balsamo Coast of El Salvador isn’t heaven – but if you surf, it may be the nearest thing here on earth. Plus it’s a whole lot easier to get in. A four-hour flight from …
September 6, 2011
The Grand Canyon: Phantom Ranch
The hardest part about visiting Phantom Ranch isn’t getting there, but getting back. There are no welcome signs, no strategically placed words of encouragement. In fact, just the opposite. The one and only sign we …
May 14, 2011
The Bob Marley Mausoleum in Nine Mile, Jamaica
Stashed high above the brilliant turquoise waters of the Caribbean lies the small village of Nine Mile. Protected from the majority of rum-swilling tourists by a seemly impossible narrow curving road, the hamlet is home …
January 7, 2011