My travel bucket list is quite extensive and typically grows every month.
My passion for traveling was ignited after a semester studying abroad in Beijing, China. While all my friends chose to explore Europe, I enrolled at the University of International Business and Economics, in the heart of Beijing not knowing another student. Asia completely fascinated me, and for this reason when my husband, a US Marine, got orders to Guam, a US territory in the Pacific, I was thrilled! Our two years overseas allowed me the opportunity to explore several other countries in the Pacific beyond China.
It’s funny looking at our family travel map. The red indicates places I’ve traveled, the blue my husband and the stripped flags, where we’ve traveled together. Red flags cover various Asian countries, while blue is spread throughout Europe.
So when I was tasked with the difficult decision to choose a location for my PARALLAXploration, I knew I wanted to venture beyond Asia, but wasn’t entirely certain for where I’d go alone.
While catching up on my weekly Travel+Leisure newsletter (guilty pleasure of mine to daydream about my next trip) I came across an article titled “The Azores Aren’t the ‘Next Iceland’ – And That’s Exactly Why You Should Go”. After reading the article, I added yet another spot to my growing list and penned it in, right at the top. The Azores sounded like the perfect spot for my next adventure. Rated the top destination for eco-tourism, with a rich culture, great food, warm weather and filled with outdoor activities, it sounded like my perfect paradise. After wrapping up a big project a work, I knew I wanted some relaxation, but it’s not my nature to sit poolside, drink mai tai’s and nap all day. The Azores provides that perfect balance! You can hike a challenging trail to then relax in warm hot springs in the middle of a jungle, with few tourists around.
Rather than setting out a detailed itinerary (like I often do listed out by the hour), I challenged my type A self to just wing my trip. I planned for 5 full days in Sao Miguel, the largest island in the Azores, chose a few hotels throughout the island, rented a car (a must while visiting the Azores), bought a plane ticket and just went with no real plans in mind.
If you have the opportunity to visit the Azores, I highly recommend going, and going soon! One month before my trip, Delta opened up the first domestic non-stop route from New York. The four and a half hour flight only flies to Sao Miguel three times a week. During my trip, I rarely came across another American and felt the authenticity and true beauty that remains intact, due to the limited tourism (that will most likely change in the coming years as the awareness of the Azores grows).
I could go on about the countless reasons for why I love the Azores, but I’ll let my photos do the talking.
I decided in order to see as much of the Island as I could, to divide the island into sections. Even though Sao Miguel is fairly small (it takes about 2 hours to drive the entire island that is 293 square miles), there’s so much to do and see in each unique town.
Situated on three tectonic plates, there are 3 active volcanoes on Sao Miguel. Each is distinctly beautiful. The volcanoes have erupted five times in the last 500 years.
Having visited several other archipelago islands, I was surprised by how clean the island was! I rarely came across any trash and all the buildings and roads are well maintained.
Farming and agriculture are one of the main industries in the Azores. Cows are everywhere. I even heard the ratio of cows to people is 2:1 (with a population of 140,000)
If you’re a lover of the water, the Azores are for you. There are countless activities from diving, surfing, cliff jumping, sailing and even canyoning, something I had never heard of before, and wish I could have experience in the Azores… next time!
There are hot springs everywhere!
The Azores are home to a 1/3 of the oceans cestaceans (whales and dolphins). For my volunteer part of my trip, I met with the owner of the islands largest tour company to talk about how they’re educating visitors on sustainable animal watching and their impact on the island.
A famous cuisine of the Azores, Cozido das Furnas is made by combining meats and vegetables in a metal container and submerging it underground for 7 hours. The result, a delicious dinner feast!
Traveling to another country without a detailed itinerary and companion would typically make me anxious. Instead, I discovered a new way to travel. I loved how each day brought unexpected plans and allowed me to spontaneous pull off to the side of the road, and just be present in nature. I wasn’t rushing to my next spot on my list and felt that I was able to experience the true beauty of the small island in a new way.
