Active Holiday Photos and Stories

I was delighted to see that in the Guardian this past weekend their top readers’ tip for beaches in Spain was Poo beach just next to the Picos de Europa National Park. It is located almost exactly in the middle of the north coast of Spain. Poo beach is somewhere we have been sending people for years as part of our holidays to the Picos de Europa.

When you are finished with the beach of Playa del Poo, there is the village of Poo, an island offshore called Palo del Poo which interestingly enough translates as Poo Stick, no AA Milne link that I know of though.

To get this out of the way straight away, it is pronounced po as in ponder.

The beach itself is particularly nice because, as you can see from the photo above, the mouth of the bay is protected by an island which takes the battering from the waves of the Bay of Biscay. This means that the waters on Poo beach itself are very gentle compared to other beaches on the north coast of Spain.

There’s a little restaurant at the edge of the beach and it is a short walk back into the village of Poo which is where many of our families choose to stay as part of their active family holiday to the Picos.  We have some really lovely self catering apartments sitting towards the back of the village looking out over the coastal mountains.

The beauty of staying here is that you are still only 20 minutes or so from the high mountains of the Picos de Europa, in fact standing on Poo beach you can actually see the highest peaks of the Picos (+/-2,600m). See them, really they are towering over you as they are only about 5km away as the crow flies. It’s a very odd sensation to be standing with your feet on the sand looking at snow capped mountains which is exactly the case when I took this photo.

In the short piece in the Guardian, it says “The name puts children in a giggly mood before you even get there.” Children? It has been a source of some discussion, amusement, amazement amongst our Spanish guides over the years just how universal the giggling is amongst British clients.

A photo op by the entrance sign to the village is a staple even on our supposedly more mature small group walking holidays to the Picos.

Find out more about our family holidays or walking holidays to the Picos de Europa

Approaching Dead Woman's Pass on the Inca Trail

Clients and porter on the Inca Trail

This is some feedback from clients recently returned from our Walk and Beach, Peru Brazil combination holiday. I put it up here because I really like the sentiment, it simply tallies with the thinking behind Pura Aventura holidays.

“Peru was wonderful…..everything was so well organised, our guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable, and as for the Inca Trail itself….an experience that I will never forget.

The four days of camping and trekking almost had Mai-Britt giving up (Dead Womans’ Pass almost living up to it’s name) but when we finally reached the Sun Gate we were both nearly in tears. It was a wonderful, emotional moment as you see Machu Pichhu for the first time.

How people can just take the train and bus up I have no idea. We did it the right way in my mind, the hard and sweaty way but the right way. We earned it ! We all know what Machu Pichhu looks like, it’s an iconic image, but to see it for real was breathtaking.”

The photo above was taken by clients a few years back but shows the tough approach to Dead Woman’s Pass. It also shows one of our porters in the background looking disconcertingly untroubled by the climb.

If you see the full remarks below, more light is shed on the work our porters do. I also thought it was worth dropping in a photo of the view of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate (that’s where you get your first views when coming in on the Inca Trail).

It is a quite extraordinary moment and an emotional one for most.

Your first views of Machu Picchu

What can I say about the holiday then…..

It was the most amazing holiday experience we have ever had. It was certainly the most adventurous challenge we have given ourselves on a holiday.

Peru was wonderful…..everything was so well organised, our guide was fantastic, very knowledgeable, and as for the Inca Trail itself….an experience that I will never forget.

The four days of camping and trekking almost had Mai-Britt giving up (Dead Womans’ Pass almost living up to it’s name) but when we finally reached the Sun Gate we were both nearly in tears. It was a wonderful, emotional moment as you see Machu Pichhu for the first time. How people can just take the train and bus up I have no idea.

We did it the right way in my mind, the hard and sweaty way but the right way. We earned it ! We all know what Machu Pichhu looks like, it’s an iconic image, but to see it for real was breathtaking.

We have some amazing memories. Listening to the porters laughing was one of the simpler things we appreciated. Given the hard lives they lead in the mountain villages we appreciated their hard work, the help they gave us and they always had a smile on their faces. Priceless !

Rio was a nice stop-off before we headed to Buzios to re-charge our batteries. We wish we’d extended the holiday and had an extra couple of days in Rio, but we can’t complain.

It’s always nice to have a couple of unexpected things happen or things go slightly wrong, it’s adds to the experience, but the local guides and Pura Aventura were quick to fix things and deal with it. There was a strike in Peru that meant we were forced to walk to the airport, as they blocked all the roads. We were always kept informed by our guide and with the help of the hotel we got to the airport with no problem. Another guide was even sent to the hotel to escort us there. Luckily we were picked up by a hotel mini-bus that picked his was past all the rocks and rubble dumped in the roads. Also, we were told we would be transferred by bus to Buzios with other people, which was not what was in our package. Not really an issue but we were meant to have a private transfer. Anyway a couple of phone calls later all was resolved. A small things, but you remember these things.

So a big thank you to Pura Aventura.

We have certainly recommended you to our friends and colleagues, so I hope you benefit in the future with some more bookings.

I know it’s a tough financial environment at the moment, but word of mouth counts for a lot when it comes to holiday experiences.

We will certainly be back.

Like to walk to Machu Picchu? Interested in Pura Aventura’s Peru holidays? Find out more about our Peru and Brazil holiday.

The empty beaches of Boipeba Island in Brazil's Bahia region

It’s February, it’s a bit dreary here in the UK and so I’ve decided to go with an image of a beach.

Not just any beach mind you, this is the main beach on the island of Boipeba in Brazil’s Bahia region. That’s up in the north east of the country.

You can get to Boipeba by ferry or air taxi (read ‘puddle jumper’) from the city of Salvador via the fairly well visited island neighbour of Morro do Sao Paolo. Then it’s a short boat ride across the estuary and you hop off on the end of the beach, next to the small bar (just behind where this picture was taken).

If you look carefully up on the bluff almost exactly in the middle of the frame, you will see some small buildings – thats the pousada we use. Set up by a friend of ours called Leandro and his wife. Your bags are carried by one of the gardeners in a wheelbarrow as you stroll along the beach towards your room on a hill.

The pousada itself is charming, comfortable, professional, laid-back, and enviro-responsible (solar heated water, recycled paper, energy saving bulbs, etc).

Rooms are in separate (all detached or semi-detached) bungalow units with balconies facing either East (for sunrise) or West (for sunset). They are all very private, have super comfortable king-size beds and hammocks on the balcony.

The gardens are beautifully kept, including an large cashew tree which fruits in November. There’s a newly completed swimming pool with a good sized deck around it with views down to the woods and sea below.

So that’s where I’d like to be right now, swinging in a hammock looking out over the beaches and forests of Bopieba.

But what’s the island itself like? Well, Boipeba feels remote, safe, friendly, unspoilt but without being a wilderness. The lack of cars and crowds is a big bonus. Just to reiterate that point, there are no roads, just some tracks and tractors.

It’s obviously set up for tourists (mostly Brazilian with some Europeans) but in a very low-key way. It doesn’t feel like a resort. The beaches are beautiful, the water warm and calm and the scenery behind is also gorgeous. The walking is easy and the temperature isn’t overbearing thanks to the light breeze.

I did most of my walking (inland and shoreline) barefoot – the entire island seems to be made of sand and very comfortable (and easiest) to walk barefoot as long as the sand isn’t too hot.

For lazing around, there’s a great variety of beaches – some would be perfect for families with children, others for couples, others for surfing etc. There are two great options within 10 minutes walk of the pousada and several more within a pleasant hour’s walk. You’re well looked after and in a very special place without it feeling like a resort.

For more active options, there’s a good list of things to do on land (walking, riding and cultural) and on the water (kayaking, exploring in a boat, swimming in the natural pools, fishing, etc.). Activities can be organised at very short notice so there’s great flexibility to accommodate mood and groups.

Who is Boipeba for?

Families – yes though probably best from 5 to pre-teen and for families who like to combine lazing with being active. The position of the pousada up high and layout of the rooms (larger rooms to share or next-door pairs) makes it safe and the parents can have some grown-up time in the evenings

Couples – yes undoubtedly a great honeymoon or other holiday visit anywhere from 3 to 7 days. It’s comfortable, peaceful, intimate, laid-back and professional.

It’s not for someone looking for luxury and being waited on hand and foot and high cuisine, nor is it for anyone who can’t manage a short walk and a flight or two of steps. If someone wants a beach-side flop and drop resort, this would be a bit of a waste.

Have a look here if you are now tempted to go on our Bahia Blend holiday to Brazil

Alternatively, read our holiday guide to Brazil