Discover Indonesia's most epic beaches

There's no better way to make the most of summer than to embark on an adventure. So, here are the most amazing spots, breathtaking views, endless sunshine, and a host of experiences that will have you planning your trip to Indonesia. Impressive volcanic mountains, crystal-clear waters, and white-sand beaches... Indonesia is the perfect place for any nature-loving adventurer. Are you planning a trip to Indonesia soon? At Blue Banana, we're bringing you the best Indonesian beaches you should add to your trip. Let's go! INDONESIAN BEACHES KUTA BEACH Kuta Beach We show you one of the best Indonesian beaches and surely the most famous beach in the country: Kuta . Located in the southwest of Bali , Kuta Town's main beach is a stunning location for epic adventures. Swim in crystal-clear waters, enjoy the tropical climate, surf, scuba dive, savor its incredible traditional cuisine... thousands of adventures that will make it an unforgettable destination. Nusa Lembongan Nusa Lembongan Beach Another of the best Indonesian beaches It is, for us, Nusa Lembongan . It is located off the coast of Bali, with some brutal views and wild green hills overlooking the ocean. Here you can explore firsthand its coral reefs or even do kayak either snorkel in its crystal-clear waters. Batu Bolong Beach Batu Bolong Beach Surfer, it's your moment... Discover the beach of Batu Bolong in the surfing town of Canggu , Bali. It's a spot perfect for those adventurers who want to practice some water sports . A beach of black sand and the best waves to start practicing on the board. Plus, Canggu is the perfect destination for those looking for a truly adventurous place to experience unforgettable moments. OULAU WEH BEACHES Pulau Weh Beach Finally, a top place, where you can connect with nature and dive without limits . We are talking about Sumatra , a must-see destination for true adventure lovers. For us, the best spot is Pulau Weh, one of Indonesia's best beaches for its opportunities to dive among coral reefs and endless marine life. And, for lovers of Hiking , there are endless possibilities for brutal routes, with incredible views like the Pria Laot waterfall, located in an environment that will make you connect with nature. Thousands of opportunities will make Indonesia a top destination for all types of adventurers. What are you waiting for? Start planning your trip today and embark on the adventure! What are you waiting for? Start planning your trip today and embark on the adventure!

Indonesian Nature

After many of you asked us about epic vacation destinations, we can't help but recommend an adventure trip to Indonesia . This region of Asia is a true paradise for nature and adventure lovers. From exploring volcanoes and tropical islands to water sports like scuba diving and kayaking, Indonesia has something for every adventurer. Plus, the blend of local and foreign culture will give you experiences you won't find anywhere else in the world. A place where the beauty of nature blends with the excitement of adventure. Breathtaking sunsets, crystal-clear waters, and breathtaking landscapes. Want to know everything about an adventure trip to Indonesia? Let's go! THE BEST SPOTS IN INDONESIA Indonesia is a top destination if you want to connect with the nature and not put the brakes on your adventure. It's full of brutal spots that offer the opportunity to live unique experiences. For example, one of the best places to visit in Indonesia is the Tanjung Puting National Park , located in Kalimantan , the Indonesian part of Borneo. Here you can see proboscis monkeys and orangutans in their natural habitat, as well as enjoy stunning tropical landscapes. Another interesting place to explore is the Komodo National Park, where you can find the famous “dragons” which you're sure to be familiar with. It's an incredible experience to wander through these wild lands, where the world's largest lizards roam freely. Komodo dragon WHAT TO DO IN INDONESIA IN 15 DAYS? From Based on our experience, we recommend that you reserve at least 15 days to complete the entire route , to allow for any setbacks. During these 15 days, we can divide the adventure into three different spots. First, you can explore the country's nature, where you can find wild beaches and volcanoes with unimaginable views. In addition, the tropical forests from Indonesia are a paradise For adventurers like you. If you like this idea, you'll find some incredible national parks for hiking and unwinding in the best spots in the country. And of course, in a adventure trip to Indonesia You can also enjoy many water adventures such as diving, snorkeling, or kayaking along its incredible endless coastline with crystal-clear waters teeming with marine life. ROUTES THROUGH INDONESIA Depending on how you want to approach your adventure in Indonesia, dozens of routes come to mind. If you want to make the most of your trip and enjoy a limitless experience, we recommend some itineraries you can explore during your trip. Surfing Itinerary Day 1-3: Arrival in Bali and surfing in Canggu and Seminyak. Day 4-6: Transfer to Lombok and surf at Kuta Beach. Day 7-9: Travel to Sumbawa and surf at Lakey Peak beach. Days 10-12: Transfer to the Mentawai Islands and surf at Hollow Trees and Macaronis Beaches. Days 13-15: Return to Bali and surf at Uluwatu Beach. Diving and Snorkeling Itinerary Day 1-3: Arrive in Bali and snorkel at Amed and Tulamben beaches. Day 4-6: Travel to Nusa Lembongan Island and dive at Manta Point and Crystal Bay. Day 7-9: Transfer to the Gili Islands and dive at Shark Point and Turtle Heaven. Day 10-12: Travel to Flores Island and dive at Komodo National Park. Day 13-15: Return to Bali and snorkel at Menjangan Beach. Mountaineering and Trekking Itinerary Day 1-3: Arrival in Bali and trekking on Mount Batur and Mount Agung. Day 4-6: Travel to Java Island and trekking on Mount Bromo and Mount Ijen. Day 7-9: Transfer to Lombok Island and trekking on Mount Rinjani. Days 10-12: Travel to Sumatra and trek in Gunung Leuser National Park. Days 13-15: Return to Bali and relax in Ubud. Whatever your plan, an adventure trip to Indonesia will be an unforgettable and inspiring experience for anyone looking to experience adventure firsthand. The breathtaking views and culture of this epic destination will make your trip unforgettable— don't limit yourself!

COSTA RICA - Pura Vida

How are you? How are you? I'm going to get straight to the point because I really want to tell you about my trip to one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. As always, it all starts with a call from Gonzalo. And also as always, I know something's up, and what's worse, it's up now. It's December 30th, and Gonzalo wants to be in Costa Rica in a week. Many calls later (to change schedules, holidays, meetings, and various other jobs), we all manage to be available for those dates. It's decided: on January 9th, 2021, we're leaving for Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a Central American country with tropical forests and coasts on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. It's known for its beaches, volcanoes, and rich biodiversity, but, most importantly, Costa Rica is our winter escape... And how eager I am to get there! January 9, 11:00 a.m. We arrive at the airport; the Madrid runways are supposedly closed, but we have to go through there before continuing to the Costa Rican capital, San José. What's happening makes no sense. No one knows what to do, and everything at the airport is chaotic. We arrive at the counter and are told it's impossible to fly and that we probably won't be able to fly for a few days. The worst part isn't not being able to leave on the day we had planned, it's all the planning that was already confirmed: all the flights, insurance, cars, accommodations, PCR tests, etc. Everything we've done has been useless, and we have to change everything. January 11, 8:30 a.m. Second attempt. Second slap in the face. Our flight is canceled again.   January 13, 9:30 a.m. Finally. Finally, they're letting us fly. We're off, PURA VIDA! Núria, Gon, Axel, and I left Barcelona and arrived in Madrid to meet up with Nacho, Juan, and Pascal. After the reunion, we got ready to take an 11.5-hour flight to San José. When we arrived, we went through all the checks: health, passport, insurance... It's midnight and we're inside. We still have to rent cars and drive to Arenal, the volcano that will be our first location for the shoot and is three hours away. Before I get started with the actual Adventure Journal, I'd like to introduce you to the people who were lucky enough to travel with me. First off, Núria, my great friend and travel companion, who I can always count on both in front of and behind the camera. She'll blow you away either way. Besides delighting us with her presence every morning, she never says no to anything, is quite cuddly, and occasionally goes crazy, which is the most fun part. Gonzalo, you already know him and how indispensable he is for every trip. Dictator, thinker, organizer, photographer, and surfer. He's got it all, even a cute dog! But he never wants to make beers on trips. Nobody's perfect. Axel, the most recognizable face in all of Blue Banana and possibly the image of some of your wildest dreams and worst nightmares. Driver, photographer, blogger, etc., a jack-of-all-trades, but he's still definitely part of the family for all the laughs he makes us have. Pascal, our new discovery of the trip. A German who can easily make a video of you doing parkour or backflips. Organized, cheerful, patient, and energetic 24/7. Just don't let him go hungry. You've been warned. Juan, one of the founders of Blue Banana. He's crazy enough to challenge you to anything, even if he's never tried it before. A clear example of self-confidence. Plus, he's the kind of person who doesn't need to make any effort to be funny; even when he's serious, he makes you laugh. Nacho, the most patient person I know, basically because he puts up with me the longest on trips and vice versa, eh... but he's the boss, so you have to put up with him. He's the last to go to sleep and the first to offer me a beer. As an Operations Manager, he's pretty bad, but as the founder of Blue Banana, he's not bad at all. After all, we're going to Costa Rica, right? DAY 1. NOTHING GOES WELL FOR US We started, and we started badly. We arrived at the hotel at 3:30 in the morning. Along the way, the police stopped us because there was a curfew in Costa Rica at the time, and it was clearly very late. We showed them the flights, and they let us through, but not before warning us to be careful depending on which area of ​​Costa Rica we were visiting. At 5:30 a.m. we're all ready and heading out to Arenal, a volcano that scientists consider still active and one of the most iconic in existence. Our plan is to go paddleboarding with the volcano's reflection in a lake just below. Adding to our bad luck, the weather is chaotic. It's foggy and raining, so no paddleboarding, no reflection, nothing. We decide to go to La Fortuna Waterfall, since the weather doesn't seem to be improving, and on these trips, every minute is precious, and we're racing against the clock. Upon arrival, we're told we have a half-hour descent ahead of us to reach the waterfall. The path is made up of rocks that are a perfect half-meter long. A spectacular workout for the butt. When we reach the bottom, we realize the trip has been totally worth it, and after shooting, we decide to go for a swim. Now it's time to go back, and the climb, ugh, isn't as fun, but we're pumped and can't stop. We return to the early morning spot and find a rope swing next to the lake. We still can't see the reflection because of the fog, but it's no longer raining, so we can jump in and do a little paddleboarding with some boards we rented there. By the way, it's already 9 a.m., and we've done so much. We continued our journey to the Río Celeste to watch the sunset there. We'd seen photos and the day had cleared up, so we all imagined something spectacular. Legend has it that when God finished painting the sky, he cleaned his brushes in the river, and that's why it has this color. Later, scientists interrupted us and told us it was an optical illusion caused by the composition of the water. The thing is, the water in this river has a very strong and distinctive turquoise color that—beware!—none of us ever saw. Why? Because Nacho failed as Operations Manager. We arrived at 5:00 PM, and the park closed at 2:00 PM. This means the park has been closed for 3 hours (and 1 minute for nothing). Anyway, between the rain and this failure, tomorrow can only get better. We grab the cars and head to Samara, where we'll spend the night. Samara is a town on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, a 3-hour drive away. *We drove a lot on this trip because we wanted to cover all of Costa Rica in 10 days, and the hours we spent driving were insane. We recommend taking a longer trip to see everything at a leisurely pace. DAY 2: WE VISITED SPECTACULAR BEACHES, HAD A GAME WITH A QUAD AND A MOTORCYCLE, AND STAYED ALIVE THANKS TO A WAITER We woke up in Samara and fell in love with this part of Costa Rica. We finally saw the sun in the morning, and how magical it was. A long, long beach lined with palm trees and absolutely no one else around. A beautiful spot. Highly recommended. We skated a bit along the roads next to the beach, and after a couple of hours of filming, we headed off to breakfast. Something I'd like to highlight is the friendliness and good vibes of all the locals. After breakfast, we rent a quad and a motorcycle to get some action-packed shots. We look for a secluded spot, so as not to cause a stir, and find a sort of abandoned lot perfect for filming. Our intention is to do everything possible to avoid injury, but we're not at all sure that something won't happen. Luckily, we all know exactly what we're doing, and the shooting turns out great. On the way back, we stop for lunch at a small house. We arrive at Camaronal Beach, which is very close to Samara. Axel, Juan, and Nacho are going to return the quad and motorcycle; the rest of us stay on the beach and rent a couple of boards to do a little surfing. Once again, a 1-kilometer beach, completely empty, with perfect waves breaking. We spent a fantastic afternoon, and before nightfall, we decided to return to Samara to watch the sunset there. We're exhausted, it's 6:00 PM, and we've been up and down since 5:00 AM. We can't take any more photos, so we're going to have some beers and dinner. We've earned it. We had dinner at a restaurant in Samara next to our hotel. Juan, Pascal, Gon, and Axel headed back to the hotel to start transferring all the material to the computer and planning tomorrow's day. Núria, Nacho, and I stayed a little longer at the bar, and when we left, Nacho swore he knew how to get back to the hotel; it was right next door and there was no need to use Google Maps. He said he knew Samara like the back of his hand, and we trusted him. After walking for 25 minutes in single file along an unlit road with three flashing phones, we started to realize we were lost. We all knew it, but we'd been walking for so long that no one said anything so as not to discourage the others. We had no internet, so we couldn't check. In the distance, we saw two figures standing on a bridge and decided to ask them, but before we could get there, a motorcycle passed by and stopped. He asked us if we were lost, and it turned out to be the waiter from the restaurant where we had dinner, who had recognized us by our sweatshirts. We basically walked 25 minutes in the opposite direction and arrived at Torito, an area not recommended for nightlife, especially for three lost tourists with flashlights in hand. Daniel lets us use his phone to send the location to Axel, and luckily, he's the only one who isn't asleep yet. It takes him two minutes to come and get us, and after thanking the waiter for his help and giving him a few sweatshirts, we make it back to the hotel. Conclusion: Nacho is not to be trusted. DAY 3: WE SURF HUGE WAVES, SEE TURTLES HATCHING, AND MAKE IT TO MONTEVERDE NATIONAL PARK We woke up at 5:30 and headed to the Camaronal National Wildlife Refuge. The sunrise was beautiful from there. But every good thing comes with a bad side: we got a flat tire. You know, our luck. The waves are huge. Gonzalo goes into the water, but it's impossible. We only have an hour to create all the content we need for that spot. When we're done, we leave some wet T-shirts on the beach in the hopes that some local surfer would pick them up and decide to represent Blue Banana in the tropics. Before leaving the beach, we see the lifeguard enter a shelter. He explains that he has to free some newly hatched turtles and asks if we want to join him. *They keep the turtles protected from beach tourists, but as soon as they hatch they release them into the water. She gives us a bucket so we don't touch them with our hands, as they could be contaminated with anything and the turtles could be harmed. It's beautiful to release a newborn turtle and think that its life begins at that moment. After a once-in-a-lifetime experience, we return to reality. Time to fix the flat tire and stop to buy something for breakfast, because we still have a three-hour drive ahead of us until we reach Monteverde National Park. When we arrive it starts to rain, but it doesn't matter, because we can't waste time or the spot, it's incredible! Hanging bridges in the middle of a jungle that's 90% virgin forest. After an hour exploring the park, we headed to the hummingbird shelter to see if we could capture one on video. It's incredible how beautiful they are and how fast they move. When we get there, we head back to the road and stop along the way to take a few shots with the drone, because the views are beautiful. Once the drone is in the air, we wait and wait, but it doesn't return. This is crazy, and given our history with drones, we're giving up. We managed to land it and ended up having to drive around for a while to locate it, but we got it back, except, as always, we were running late and still had to find a restaurant with an open kitchen. Luckily, we found one with a foosball table. Needless to say, Núria and I crushed it; we're just too good. DAY 4: WE GOT A GAMBLE TO GET TO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BEACH IN THE WORLD, WE HAD THE BIGGEST FAILURE OF THE TRIP AND SLEPT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE Today we're going to Punta Uvita, a beach shaped like a whale's tail in the Pacific. We arrived and the entrance was closed, but we needed to take photos in the light of dawn, so we took a chance and jumped over the fence. We crossed the stretch of jungle before reaching the beach, and when we arrived, we saw that the tide was still too high and we had to cross a very deep creek created by the tide (all of this with our backpacks on our heads, of course). This is always scary because of all the gear we carried, which clearly couldn't get wet. We made it without any casualties. Without a doubt, my favorite spot in Costa Rica. Beautiful light, a beach surrounded by lush, pristine vegetation. The reflections left by the waves on the beach don't seem real. It's getting late, the light is too harsh for photos, and people are starting to appear. As we leave, we realize that during normal hours, admission is charged, but we didn't know that, so we're spared. We're lucky to be the first to arrive. Our next destination is Manuel Antonio Park, where we'll be looking for monkeys, sloths, and all kinds of animals. There are supposedly tons of them, and we hope to see them all. Manuel Antonio Park is one of the most important parks in Costa Rica, so we know it'll be a very touristy place, which we're not entirely happy about because, as you know, we always seek the most natural and pure adventure. Anyway, when you visit countries you've never been to, you have to do everything, including the touristy stuff. The visit, at least in our case, turns out to be the biggest failure of the trip. Besides having to pay for absolutely everything, we don't see any monkeys or sloths, just iguanas and the occasional ant. We decide to continue the trip and head to Sierpe. Always with a smile. We descend super fast toward a river where we have to take a raft, board the car, and cross it to reach our hotel. As always, we're short on time, and the bad thing this time is that if we miss the raft, the return trip to get to the hotel will be too long. Thanks to our driving skills, we manage to arrive on time. Tonight we stayed at an eco-hotel in the middle of nowhere. It's run by a family with a beautiful story: an American guy who came to Costa Rica, fell in love with a Tica (as Costa Ricans like to call themselves) and never left. This is his home now. The service is great, the dinner is delicious, and we go to bed happy, having been awake since 4:30 and having to get up early again tomorrow. DAY 5: WE SEE CROCODILES, BUILD A CABIN AND EXPERIENCE ONE OF THE BEST SUNSETS OF THE TRIP We woke up very early to watch the sunrise while sailing through the Sierpe Mangroves. Sierpe is the gateway to the largest pristine mangrove forest in Central America, a refuge for countless species of birds and other wildlife. We went with the intention of seeing crocodiles, sloths, monkeys, and every kind of wildlife we ​​could find. As we travel through the canals, the captain explains that food is plentiful and therefore, if someone falls off the boat, the crocodiles will not attack them directly. *The hidden crocodiles that can be found are about 4-5 meters long compared to those near the town that are around 2-3 meters long. When we're done, we treat ourselves to a few beers while watching one of the best sunsets we've ever seen. Cheers. DAY 6: A FAMILY OF DOLPHINS VISITS US AND WE END THE DAY WITH A BONFIRE AND NIGHT BATHING We woke up leisurely and allowed ourselves to rest a little. The hostel owner joined us for breakfast, and after explaining all our travels, he told us about a friend of his who owns a boat and could take us to see dolphins, turtles, manta rays, and, with a bit of luck, even a humpback whale. They took us to Golfo Dulce, one of the world's three tropical fjords, where humpback whales from Antarctica and Alaska come at different times of the year. Without a doubt, this is the best place to observe pods of dolphins traveling in numbers of hundreds of individuals. When we finish, we get back in the car to continue our route, but along the way we get diverted due to roadworks and end up on the beach. We took the opportunity to take some shots of the cars on the sand while Pascal drove the FPV. The cars ended up looking white from the dust and sand. *Something we always experience is embarrassment when returning rental cars because people never understand how they end up like this. We managed to see thousands of dolphins playing around the boat. Every time they came close, one of us jumped in to swim with them, but it was impossible; they were too fast. After a bit of a mess there, we arrived at Pavones beach and watched the sunset. It's a beautiful beach where we end up building a bonfire and drinking beers we bought at a nearby beach bar. Before leaving, we go for a night swim. DAY 7: 8 HOURS BY CAR TO REACH A SPOT THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO RAIN We woke up early to continue the trip. This time we headed to the Caribbean, towards Bajos del Toro, but first we stopped at some waterfalls. We had an eight-hour drive, but we're so used to it now that no one complained. We took turns eating, sleeping, and singing. We made a pit stop along the way, and by pure chance, we saw the first sloth of the trip! FINALLY. The second stop was the Tárcoles River Bridge to see crocodiles. It's a very famous bridge and, therefore, also popular with tourists, because you can always see crocodiles basking in the sun below. There are many, and some are gigantic. We leave the Pacific Ocean behind and head back to the Poas Volcano National Park. We've come to see the San Fernando Waterfall, which we've heard wonderful things about. It's raining when we arrive, and we decide to stop for lunch while we wait for it to subside, but it doesn't seem like it's going to. We try to go down because it's only supposed to be for half an hour, but it's raining so hard that it's impossible for shooting. Although we're really looking forward to seeing the waterfall because it looks impressive from the top, our cameras and clothes are getting wet, and the ground is too slippery with such a steep slope. We're soaked from the rain, so we decide it's best to head back to the hostel and think that tomorrow will be the day we reach the Caribbean. Our home for the night is a pair of beautiful wooden cabins in the middle of nowhere, in Bajos del Toro. When we arrive, we all grab a beer. Well, everyone except Pascal, who starts a full workout while making the rest of us feel terrible. When he's done, he joins in, of course. In true German style. DAY 8: WE VISIT AN ACID WATERFALL, CROSS A FAST-FLOWING RIVER, AND GET A PCR TEST FROM THE CAR When we wake up, it's raining. *Rain is a very common phenomenon in areas near the Costa Rican jungle, unlike in coastal areas. You have to see everything, not just stay on the beaches, but don't forget the rain . Luckily, while we're having breakfast, the sun rises, and with it, we head out to some waterfalls that someone recommended to us. They're spectacular and very wild. *The Toro Waterfall is located in an ancient volcano that hasn't erupted in years and is about 100 meters high. Another interesting fact is that the water that flows out is acidic, so swimming is prohibited for your own survival. It stings our eyes just from being near it. From there we went to the twin waterfalls, which, as their name suggests, are two identical waterfalls. They're not as high as the one we saw this morning, but access is much more difficult. You have to walk for a while and cross a rather complicated river with a very strong current. Of course, it's raining. Although some people almost died along the way, we managed to cross. *Special mention to the guide who accompanied us and who crossed the river as if he were walking through his own home. After our adventures, we have to return to the real world and head to the capital, San José, to get the PCR test that will allow us to return to Spain. The PCR test is done from the car; we just have to open the window. When we get out, we have lunch next to the hospital and continue on our way. We still have five hours until we reach the Caribbean region. It's 5:30 p.m. and we're heading to Cahuita National Park. We don't want to arrive too late so we have time to rest a little. DAY 9: THE LAST DAY OF THE TRIP ALWAYS INVOLVES WHIMS Last day of the trip. We're in Cahuita, a town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. This place is a perfect combination of paradisiacal white-sand beaches and turquoise waters, beautiful coral reefs, and a tropical rainforest teeming with life. We got up early to catch the sunrise, but it's very cloudy. Although that doesn't mean we have to stop, we have to take photos no matter what. We're on one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica. It's the only day we haven't had any luck with the lights on the beach, so we can't complain. Everything important has been taken. We just need a few photos for the website, and we'll be done. When we're done, we look for a restaurant where we can have pancakes for breakfast, a treat to say goodbye to the trip. Afterward, we head to another beach in the center of town to finish filming a couple of team stories, and then all that's left to do is enjoy and relax for the afternoon. We buy a couple of smoothies and relax on the beach. Unfortunately, tomorrow we'll be back and the trip will be over. DAY 10: CHAOS. We wake up and the last day is always chaotic. A mix between a ring and a flea market, where we all fight over which clothes we want to keep and how to fit everything into our luggage. The flight is at 5 p.m., but we still have to cross all of Costa Rica (about 6 or 7 hours by car) and return the cars. We don't have the PCR results yet, so we're crossing our fingers and hoping everything goes well so we can return. All the results were negative. We managed to arrive on time and catch our flights. We spent the flight sleeping and catching up on sleep. Upon arriving in Madrid, we parted ways. Nacho, Juan, and Pascal stayed behind, while the rest of us continued on to Barcelona. When booking the flights, I had a problem with mine, so I had to spend three more hours alone at the Madrid airport, which allowed me time to reflect on everything that had happened. Everyone tells us how lucky we are. And we know it. But these trips aren't easy. They require a lot of physical effort and a lot of patience to put up with everyone traveling with you. You have to be motivated at all times to endure and bring out the best in yourself, both personally and professionally. But we all know that anyone would give anything to be able to experience them. I love traveling, and I love traveling alone because it allows me to experience places more personally. In this case, having been so intense, having explored so many parts of Costa Rica (literally from north to south and east to west), I think we all fell in love with this place, and some even considered leaving everything behind and staying. It's impossible for Costa Rica to leave you indifferent. It has a magic that captivates and fascinates you. Now I fully understand all those people we've met along the way who told us they'd found their place in that land. Upon arriving in Barcelona, ​​a friend gave me the book Pura Vida by José María Mendiluce, which says about Costa Rica: "There, life fails to conform to rules, nor are rules able to control lives." And I wonder, isn't this the same philosophy of Blue Banana? If I ever disappear, You know where to look for me, Anna

ISLÂNDIA - Lugares escondidos e melhores lugare...

Hello! Let me introduce myself, I'm Felip, a content creator, surfer, skater, skier... Well, a bit of everything. But what brought me here was my passion for adventure and discovering hidden corners of the world surrounded by nature. I've accompanied this crazy gang from Blue Banana on a couple of expeditions, and this was my third campaign with the team. Iceland, a fucking natural paradise, a no-man's-land, with a mix of ice, fire, and green... It feels like another world. Speaking technically, Iceland is the second largest island in Europe and the third largest in the Atlantic. It covers an area of ​​103,000 km² and is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, between Greenland, Norway, and Scotland. I was accompanied on this trip by incredible people, which made it even more magical. Suzie, Hildur, Gon, Charlie, Axel, Pascal, Nacho, and Jhonny are responsible for making my time so good. Our trip to Iceland lasted about 11 days, and we traveled along the entire south coast from Reykjavik, the capital, to Höfn, a small fishing village on the eastern tip of the island. We traveled in late August/early September, and it still rained and the sky was cloudy most days. I see very few hours of sunshine in this country. Day 1 The trip begins. We all arrive at Reykjavik airport and have our first team meeting, as the group includes people from Spain, Sweden, and Germany. To make things even better, we decide to go to a restaurant in the capital and start talking about the entire trip. We end up at a burger joint, and once we're ready, we start the journey to our first accommodation. To make the trip more comfortable, we decided to sleep in different hotels/apartments and spend two nights in each to get the most out of each area. We spent the first night near the first spot (Skógar). Day 2 One of the most intense days of the trip is about to begin, or so I think. We woke up at 5 a.m. to head to Skógafoss, an incredibly beautiful waterfall surrounded by green meadows and with a massive drop. I'm loving it so far! We go early in the morning because we want to avoid the crowds, as it's a very accessible waterfall (you only have to walk about 50 meters to reach the base). First, we film at the base, where the entire waterfall falls, and then we climb some stairs on one side of the waterfall to see everything from above. It's worth the climb. Of course, we have to accept that the weather isn't exactly cooperating at the moment. It's been raining all morning, and between the rain and the waterfall, we're all soaked. But there's still the day ahead. We return to the hotel, have breakfast (how I love the all-you-can-eat buffet... 😋), and get ready to head to the next spot. This spot wasn't on the agenda, but it happens to be my favorite of the day: Kvernufoss. We take a very easy hike, a maximum of 20 minutes, to reach this waterfall, located in an incredible, almost perfect location! You can enter behind the waterfall, and there's a whole canyon leading up to it. We finish shooting and head to another area where there's a huge cliff with a couple of waterfalls inside that are well worth visiting. Plus, access to the site is very easy: Gljúfrabúi and Seljalandsfoss. As you can see, the names are very easy to pronounce. We finished the shoot by almost swimming in Seljalandsfoss (you can find everything on the Iceland blog, in Part 1). Already soaked, we returned to the hotel to eat pizza, dry our clothes, and rest. It was an intense day, with more than 15 hours of shooting between waterfalls, cameras, and drones. More tomorrow. Day 3 We woke up at 5:00 a.m. We like to get up early to enjoy the empty spots. This morning's mission was to go to the Plane Wreck. We left the car in a parking lot next to the road and started hiking along a flat but long path. After an hour of walking, we arrived at this incredible place that looks like something from another planet. Complete with black sand and a wrecked plane in the middle of nowhere. Of course, the rain is a must! We're getting used to it. After shooting, we return to the hotel for breakfast, collect all our bags, and head to Reynisfjara Viewpoint, which overlooks an incredible beach. We're at the top of the cliffs, but I decide to head down to try some shots; I almost kill myself trying, but the location is worth it! Next spot: Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. This spot joins the list of surreal landscapes. I think it's in the top three of the entire trip; it's so beautiful! We shoot through the entire canyon, but the fog eventually takes us over, and we have to give up for today. Our accommodation for the day is an Airbnb nestled between rivers and waterfalls. Day 4 We woke up early, although we slept a little more today, made some sandwiches, and set off on our adventure. First stop: the Skaftafell Glacier. We visited the entire glacier from the lake where all the icebergs reside and shot there. Gon, flying the drone in search of patterns, ran out of battery and lost connection between the controller and the drone. Luckily, I managed to see him, but we were on the verge of losing him. Next idea: climb to Kristínartindar summit, but fog and bad weather prevent us from doing so, since the goal is to see the entire glacier from the mountains on the sides and with the fog it is impossible. After capturing some epic shots, we eat and head off-road to another glacier exit (since it's a huge glacier): Svínafellsjökull. This spot has incredible views, and Pascal manages to capture the most epic shots by diving into the ice crevices with the FPV drone. When we decided to leave, a loud noise started, which scared us all, and suddenly we saw a piece of glacier fall into the water. We were amazed! Flying the drone from there, we discovered another spot on the other side of the glacier where there's a lot of ice. Access is easy, so we decided to go and investigate. The views, once again, are breathtaking, and the expedition above the ice... Advice: don't do it. I'll say no more. We go to dinner at a restaurant in the nearest town and return home to rest, recharge our batteries, and dry our clothes. Day 5 Good morning! Time to wake up, tidy up the house, and get ready for the next leg of the trip. First stop: Diamond Beach. This beach is one of Iceland's most typical beaches, thanks to all the small icebergs that remain on the beach as the tide rises and falls, as it's located right at the mouth of a river that flows from the glacier. They really look like diamonds on the black sand. We take some amazing shots running through the sea and the ice cubes and end up a little soaked, again... We love it! We also see seals for the first time on this beach. The photos, the textures emerging from the ice cubes, are incredible... Everything is great! We finished and our intention is to go to Jokularsson, although it is so cloudy we decided to leave it for another day. In the afternoon, we go in search of a movie spot. It ends up being the best hike I've ever done: the Múlagljúfur Canyon. I never would have imagined something as beautiful as this canyon could exist. The hike lasts just under an hour. At the end, you reach a river with cliffs on both sides, waterfalls cascading down… Surreal! After making the most of the site, we head to the next accommodation in the eastern part of Iceland, in the village of Höfn. Day 6 We got up at 4:30 because we wanted to see the sunrise. Mission failed; the clouds changed our plans again. We go to Stockness Beach, an incredible beach with black sand and tall, green grass on the small hills, with mountains all around, seals bathing in the sea... The only problem is the wind. I start flying my drone to go and film some mountains, and when I bring it back, there's such a headwind that it can't move forward and, to top it all off, it runs out of battery in a place inaccessible by car, several kilometers from where we are. Nacho and I go in search of the lost drone, which appears even further away than it should, but luckily everything is fine. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant on the way to Jokularsson, and when we reached the glacier, we were incredibly lucky. Thanks to the wind, everything had cleared up, and it was even sunny. It was the first day of the trip that we managed to shoot in the sun! We flew the drone normally. Suddenly, while flying the FPV drone, Pascal loses connection with the drone as it passes behind an iceberg, and the FPV goes straight to the bottom of the glacier lake. This time, there's no way to recover it... On the way back to Höfn, to make the day even better, we got a flat tire. Once the tire was replaced, we could finally go eat and rest. Day 7 Today we have about an eight-hour drive ahead of us. We're heading to the Highlands, a route comprised largely of off-road vehicles. We make our first stop at Jokularsson, basically to go skinny dipping in the frozen lake (yes, that's right, you can check it out in blog 8). We'll take some drone shots of the icebergs near the sand, then continue. Along the way, we found a meadow with a very steep slope and decided to skate around it, like crazy! The landscapes here have me amazed. Once you leave the South Iceland Highway and head towards the Highlands, it's all off-road roads and you'll cross rivers of varying sizes. We're traveling in a 4x4 and a van, and at one of these rivers, the van stalled, although everything seemed fine afterwards (Spoiler: it wasn't). The last spot of the day is Bláhyur, a lake surrounded by green and black mountains. We climbed the highest mountain to watch the sunset, which once again lingered between clouds and more clouds. Even so, it was an incredible experience, given the views of this natural park. Today we're sleeping in a hostel in the middle of nowhere. We're exhausted, and we're looking forward to a pretty poor dinner because our schedule isn't typical in this country. Tip: Eat dinner early and stick to your schedule, otherwise you'll end up eating at the most expensive places. Day 8 We woke up at 6 a.m. ready to explore the Highlands, but the van wouldn't start and decided not to work. Between one story and another, we managed to make progress at 10 a.m. with the 4x4 and the Land Rover. This time we were truly prepared for every river we encountered! We head towards Landmannalaugar, where a landscape that seems like it's from another planet awaits us (sorry for repeating myself, but this place has me amazed and I can't find any more adjectives to define these landscapes that have no possible normal description). We left the car in a sandy parking lot where people were camping and began the hike. Suddenly, we found ourselves in a place that looked like the center of a giant crater, with volcanic rocks and moss on top, colorful mountains all around, geysers everywhere, and a wide variety of unimaginable landscapes. We explored a bit and ended up at some colorful mountains, arranged as if painted, and we got THE shot of the trip. After this excursion, we hopped back in the car and headed back to the hotel. Day 9 Today we woke up and set out to explore the surroundings of Landmannalaugar. We started with a shoot on the roads between volcanoes and got some epic shots out of the Landy's windows. We ended on a road that goes over the lakes and managed to capture some brutal shots with the FPV at full speed. Then, heading to the next spot, we stopped to shoot at another spot lost in the Highlands that had a river with incredible textures right next to it. Gon worked his magic and took the best drone shots of the entire trip. By the way, don't ask me the name because I have no idea. Next, we climbed the crater of the Stutur volcano, which was spectacular. The views were out of this world, and the landscape was a thousand colors. Hungry as hell, we go to a spectacular place in the middle of the Highlands for lunch: some buses away from everything that have a small shop selling basic groceries. We buy some sandwiches and something to drink. It's great for continuing shooting into the afternoon, since that's all there is around. Getting in and out of there requires crossing several very deep rivers. It's true what they say about not being able to travel around here without a well-equipped and equipped 4x4 because there are always so many rivers to cross. To end the day, on the way to our next hotel, we do an express photo op at the Maelifell volcano. A stunning landscape, filled with black sand surrounding an incredible green mountain, with glaciers and mountains in the distance. We take the opportunity to take some photos and some FPV shots of the tent and the Land Rover. After the shoot, we continued on our way to the last hotel of the trip—well, more than a hotel, a campsite with bungalows in the middle of nowhere: Básar Hut & Campsite. To get there, we absolutely had to use the Land Rover 4x4, otherwise crossing the rivers would be impossible. It's also prohibited without a fully equipped 4x4. At two of the rivers we crossed, the car sank above the hood, and since it was nighttime, we were left blind. In fact, a property manager had to come and find us to find out which route to take so we could cross the rivers correctly. Day 10 We woke up surrounded by nature and took the morning a little more leisurely. We had breakfast and went exploring the area. We took the opportunity to record footage of the Land Rover crossing the rivers during the day and ended up in the Stakkholtsgjá Canyon, a beautiful place, different from the canyons we'd seen so far, wider and with higher walls. And on top of that, we were alone, flying the FPV and exploring the caves. We ended up at a more enclosed spot where there was a waterfall with a huge drop that bounced between the moss walls, where only a trickle of light entered—unbelievable! To finish the last full day of the trip, after lunch, we'll hike from our accommodation to Thórsmörk Mountain. The views from the top are breathtaking: a glacier, various rivers, mountains, and more mountains with spectacular shapes. For a change, the sun hasn't risen yet, nor have we seen the last sunset of the trip. After the last supper, we had a celebratory beer and went to sleep. Day 11 We woke up and started the route back to Reykjavik. We stop at the Flói Nature Reserve, at some geysers, but we're short on time and can only record a couple of shots before starting the return journey. It's time to go to the airport, return the cars, and catch a flight home. See you soon, Iceland! Author Profile Felip Vives is a young man from Barcelona who loves surfing, skateboarding, photography, and traveling. He's joined us on every crazy adventure we've suggested; he's a jack-of-all-trades. He's accompanied us on many trips, including to Iceland, Panama, and Fuerteventura. He acts as an action man, a model, a filmmaker; he does whatever it takes to get THAT shot (he even climbs wherever necessary!). He's already part of the Blue Banana family, and we share our way of enjoying life and our desire to seek adventures around the world.

SPAIN 2021 - UNKNOWN ROADS, LITERALLY

Hello everyone! I'm Anna Mendiola, a photographer, motorcycle enthusiast, and adventure lover. I've accompanied the Blue Banana crew on many of their trips, including Indonesia, the Azores, and Costa Rica... incredible! This time, I'm here to tell you about my latest adventure with them: a road trip through Spain with BMW Motorrad. Together with Pol Alberdi, we started the bikes without knowing where our next stop would be. Everything was in the hands of our Instagram followers, who decided our every step through surveys... Infinite possibilities and destinations completely unknown to us. But Pol and I were prepared for anything. So, we started in the Pyrenees, and from there, everything was unpredictable. The first stop was a hot air balloon ride to watch the sunrise from the top... brutal. From there, we crossed all kinds of roads and traveled to our next destination: Mallorca. We toured the Mediterranean coast, visited spectacular coves, and spent a day boating around the island. Crystal-clear waters, abundant nature, unimaginable landscapes, and much more in a week where we discovered incredible places in Spain. But this is just a brief summary. There's much more: dozens of stories, incredible photos, breathtaking landscapes, and reflections on the trip that you can only find in our eBook. To learn everything behind our journey, access your private Blue Banana profile and return to this page to download in just one click all the details of a story that begins and ends on wheels. Because you don't have to travel far to discover places that will leave you speechless... don't miss it! Until the next adventure, Anna Author Profile Anna Mendiola She's a young woman from Barcelona who loves photography, motorcycles, and, above all, adventure. She's up for anything, and no matter what we suggest, she never says no. She's accompanied us on many of our trips, including to Costa Rica, Indonesia, and the Azores. She models, showcases her photography skills, and gives it her all on a motorcycle. She's already part of the Blue Banana family, and we share her way of living and seeing life, our desire to explore the world and discover every corner of it.

AZORES 2020 - Traveling in the middle of a pand...

Okay, guys, this trip has been a fucking crazy trip, I'm not going to lie to you. We had another destination in mind to generate all the content for the new collection, and five days before the release date, with everything bought and reserved, a new law came out that forced anyone arriving in the country to quarantine, so we had to put together an express trip to another destination and bet everything on one, with the risk of the same thing happening to us again, but we had no other choice, so we chose: AZORES + MADEIRA. Wonderful islands separated by thousands of miles, it was a perfect fit for us to produce the content for AW20. We all took a PCR test less than 72 hours before the flight, and after testing negative, we set off on the adventure with more enthusiasm than ever! First things first, let me introduce you to the amazing team of creators, models, and thinkers who went on this adventure. From left to right, Nacho, co-founder of Blue Banana and operations intern for the Media team during productions; Axel, who is Axel, there's no possible description for this guy, only that he's crazy as a fucking goat. In the middle, I, Gon, I'd say the only one with a bit of sense, but that's a lie, I'm also crazy... To my right, Santi, an elegant content creator until you put a few beers in front of him, then he's a real joker. If you see him, call him SSSSoosi. Continuing to the right, Juan, the other founder of Blue Banana and a guy with an iron pulse, a magician with the Steady Cam, I'd say. Then there's Anna; you've probably already seen her in one, I mean one, in all of BlueBanana's ads, with an impeccable smile from 5 in the morning until 1 in the morning, this girl knocks us all out. And the best for last, Miss Cova, a constant positive vibe, a rainy and cold day with expectations of radiant sunshine is a gift for this woman, joy 24/7, a pleasure! Okay, now let's get down to business! First of all, here's the itinerary we followed: As you can see, it's quite busy and the days are quite long. I recommend adding 3 or 4 more days to take things more relaxed, especially knowing that you never know what the weather will be like in the Azores. Day 0 and 1: Our FPV flight is down, we visit one of the most beautiful spots of the trip, and Strike 1 tries to see the Corvo caldera. We started the trip sleepy, but very motivated. It took us two days to arrive, but it was worth it. Our first destination, Flores Island , a paradise for nature lovers. The first place we visited was Ribeira do Ferreiro, one of the most famous spots to see on the island, and we soon understood why. A spectacular set of waterfalls that rose above a green cliff and flowed into a lake with a perfect reflection. We enjoyed the spot alone for a couple of hours, and then headed to the next, a stunning waterfall by the sea. We recorded some footage with the FPV, did a bit of skating, and headed straight to the port. We hadn't even been cruising for 5 hours and it was time to change islands! We boarded the boat and headed for Corvo Island, a small, remote island with only a village and a crater. We were going there just to see the crater, with a lot of uncertainty about the weather, as we hadn't yet seen the sun during our trip. We had two opportunities, one that afternoon and another very early the next morning. Afterwards, we left the island to head to São Miguel, the most famous island in the Azores archipelago. The first attempt was a tragedy. We reached the crater with visibility below 3 meters, with winds of over 50 km/h and heavy rain. With long faces but eager to create, we took advantage of the downhill curves to film on our skates, yeah! Then we returned to the hotel to rest and prepare for a second attempt the following morning. Up to this point, we had taken three planes, a boat, and completed a rather unpleasant PCR test. All to get where we were. If we didn't make it, all the efforts made up to that point would have been for nothing. Day 2; The weather gives us half an hour, we see dolphins, and Juan almost loses his cap in the middle of the Atlantic. At 5 a.m. the alarm went off, we woke up, and headed for the crater. It looked clear, but the closer we got to the summit, the worse it looked. All the damn storms that then reach Spain start in the Azores, so keep that in mind! We had a half-hour window of sunshine before it started pouring with rain, just enough time to create all the content we needed and head off to our next destination. Done! Yiha! We took the boat back to Flores Island in the nick of time, saw a few dolphins, and almost lost a cap in the Atlantic, but all was well. We returned the rental car and headed straight to the airport. It was time to fly back to São Miguel (the main island and where we stopped on our first day). There we rented a beautiful villa near Ribeira Grande, known for its surfing and good local food. That afternoon we relaxed and backed up the SD cards, which were loaded with precious megabytes! Day 3: We head to the most famous spot in the entire archipelago and lose ourselves in a lush forest straight out of Hawaii. The next day, early (for a change), we headed to Sete Cidades, the most famous spot on the island and the one through which most people know the archipelago, and no wonder, you don't see those views every day! We spent a couple of hours recording, ALONE. One good thing about Covid was that everything we visited was empty of tourists, and it was a real blast, to be honest. In the afternoon we visited one of the most famous waterfalls on the island and had a nice swim. The path there looks like something straight out of Hawaii, such amazing greenery! Day 4; We lose an FPV drone in the middle of the lake and go down to rescue it. The next day we saw a beautiful sunrise and continued the day with a hike at the foot of Lagoa do Fogo. Santi flew the FPV drone, and within 30 seconds it was already in the lake, so we had to go down and find it! After a long search, we finally found the drone and were able to recover the SD card with all the videos—a miracle! In the afternoon we had a blast skating down the roads leading to Lagoa do Fogo, a real treat if you like downhill! We'd just packed our bags and gotten everything ready because the next day was time to leave the Azores—short but intense! The adventure continued in Madeira. Day 5: We barely made it into Madeira, it rained all afternoon, and we ended the day above the clouds.  We arrived at the airport without the results of the PCR tests we had taken, and the entry was a bit complicated. We spent an hour trying to explain that we hadn't received the results but that we had the tests done. We managed to get through to the São Miguel hospital where we had been tested. After calling the hospital and having the Portuguese people talk to each other, we got through—we were in! We headed straight for the adventure, straight to Caldeirão Verde, a hike that lasted about 4 hours round trip. We had exactly 4 hours before sunset, which we wanted to see on another mountain above the clouds, so we had to run (as always). We want to do everything, and that comes at a price, even if not everyone likes it sometimes, haha. We completed the Caldera excursion in two and a half hours, with the content done. On a shitty, rainy, and dark day, we headed for the mountain to try to see the sunset with no expectations. We made bets. The most pessimistic said we'd be eating our snot, while Nacho and I hoped it would open up. And so it did. After half an hour of climbing, we were above the fucking clouds. HOLY CRAP! We rounded out the content with a historic spot and went to dinner like champions at the local bar. The last day was left, and we had almost all the content done, so we were quite calm even though we had suffered with the weather throughout the trip, we knew how to take advantage of the fog always with a good face. Last day: We started the day at 2000 meters and ended up seeing sperm whales. To top off the trip, of course, we had to get up early. We went to see the sunrise at Pico Arrieiro. What a sight! We could see the sea from the nearly 2,000m elevation gain. A spectacular view. We spent that afternoon on a whale-watching tour, where we saw sperm whales, dolphins, and some rare whales. The boat driver was amazed. We saw another fin, and it seemed just like the others, just as it is. We ended the trip watching the moon rise over a sea of ​​clouds on Pico Ruivo, and satisfied with the work done, we went to make some beers, which we had easily earned! Author Profile Gonzalo Pasquier is a young Spanish adventurer and photographer. He lives and works for travel, and his photographs are inspired by his passion for nature. At Blue Banana, we are fortunate to have him on our team, and his mission is none other than to make this new adventure a reality and capture it in our brand through content with a unique perspective that takes things to the next level. This isn't about what we do, but how we do it. And Gonzalo Pasquier is the man in charge of proving it.