🌊🏔️From Surf to Stars: Three Wild Escapes That Breathe Different🌌

✨ Hi besties!

Need a little something to look forward to? Same.
This week, we’re skipping the stress and chasing slow magic — the kind that lives in ocean breezes, desert stars, and mountain mornings.

I’ve picked three dreamy destinations that are all about feeling free and breathing deep: a surfy jungle nook in Costa Rica, a stargazer’s paradise in Chile, and a sky-high hideaway in Peru that will absolutely steal your heart.

Grab your imaginary backpack (or real one, honestly), and let’s float toward somewhere beautiful. 🌊🌌🏔️

🧐 Travel Trivia Time!

Question: Which of these places is home to the highest tropical mountain range in the world? 🏔️☀️

A) The Andes in Bolivia
B) The Cordillera Blanca in Peru
C) The Sierra Nevada in Colombia
D) The Blue Mountains in Jamaica

👀 Hint: It’s where Laguna 69 shimmers like a turquoise gem, and hikers sip coca tea at sunrise.

👉 Hit reply with your guess — no Googling 😉
Find the answer at the bottom of the newsletter! 🎒💬

🛡️ Health & Safety Tips:

• Altitude Acclimation (Kongde, Chajnantor): Ascend gradually, keep rest days, hydrate well, and don’t push physical exertion too fast.

• UV & Sun Safety (Malpaís, Atacama): Even dry air doesn’t save you - use strong sunscreen, wear hats, and protect skin.

• Desert Conditions: Sandstorms, temperature swings, and dry air demand layers, eye protection, and hydration strategies.

• Travel Insurance: Make sure your plan covers high-altitude rescue, desert emergency support, and remote clinics.

Want more safety tips? We’ve got you covered: Navigating Offbeat Destinations Safely. Travel insurance is your BFF. Missed flights, lost bags, or weather hiccups? You’re covered. ✅ Understand the true benefits of travel insurance here…

🌴 1. Malpaís, Costa Rica 🇨🇷

Vibe: Surf town serenity + jungle energy + barefoot bliss

Tucked on the Nicoya Peninsula, Malpaís is where the Pacific meets slow living. Spend your days surfing mellow waves, hiking jungle trails to hidden waterfalls, or riding horseback through forest paths. At night, retreat to bungalows draped in vines and the sounds of the wild.

🍽️ Taste: Fresh mango, grilled fish, and coconut smoothies at open-air cafés
🧘 Slow moment: Hammock time — where shadows of leaves dance across your skin and the ocean whispers through palm trees.

🔗 Read more here

🔗 Watch a video here

🔭 2. San Pedro de Atacama & Chajnantor Plateau, Chile 🇨🇱

Vibe: Stargazing heights + salt flats + Mars-on-Earth

In the heart of the Atacama Desert, the Chajnantor Plateau rises like a window to the cosmos. This is one of the best places on Earth for stargazing, thanks to its high altitude and zero light pollution. During the day, explore lunar landscapes, steamy geysers, and surreal salt flats.

🛰️ Geek out: ALMA Observatory — home to some of the most advanced space telescopes in the world
🌌 Slow moment: Watch the Milky Way arc above you in absolute stillness. It's not just quiet — it's cosmic.

🔗 Things to do in San Pedro de Atacama

🔗 More info about Stargazing in Chile’s Atacama Desert here

🗻Cordillera Blanca, Peru 🇵🇪

Vibe: Andean peaks + glacier lakes + Quechua culture

This lesser-known Peruvian mountain range is home to some of the highest tropical peaks in the world. Base yourself in Huaraz, then explore turquoise lakes like Laguna 69 and climb among clouds.

🌄 Slow Moment: Sunrise over snow-capped peaks with coca tea in hand and alpacas grazing nearby.
🎒 Local Tip: Acclimate for a day or two — this is serious altitude (some peaks top 6,000m!).

🔗 Discovering The Mighty Cordillera Blanca, Peru

🔗 Watch a video here

📈 Travel Trend Spotlight: Storybook Escapes Are In 📚🍂🕯️

This fall and early winter, travelers aren’t just chasing views — they’re chasing vibes. And the biggest vibe? Feeling like the main character in your favorite fairy tale.Here’s how that’s playing out:

📖 Villages That Feel Like Fiction – Travelers are choosing destinations with cobblestone lanes, gas lamps, and misty mornings. (Looking at you, Alsace and Hallstatt.)

🏰 Stays with Soul – Boutique inns, ivy-covered cottages, converted monasteries. The vibe is "lost chapter in a novel,” not “standard suite.” ✨.

💌 Printed Travel Journals Are Back – Travelers are journaling again — by hand. Think ink-stained postcards, wax-sealed notes, and analog romance.

💳 Points & Rewards Corner:

• Fly to South Korea for Less ✈️ – Use ANA Mileage Club or Alaska miles for great Asia redemptions.

• Eco-Stays on Eigg 🏨 – While most spots are local-run, use Chase Pay Yourself Back to offset costs.

• Boutique Casas in Cuba 📍 – Some local guesthouses accept card payments via prepaid travel cards.

• Did you know that American Express travel perks can make slow travel even better? 🚀 Amex Platinum: Incredible perks, like lounge access and travel insurance. 🛋️

✅ Trivia Answer: B) The Cordillera Blanca in Peru 🇵🇪🏔️

The Cordillera Blanca is part of the Andes but holds the title as the highest tropical mountain range in the world. It’s home to Nevado Huascarán, which peaks at a breathtaking 6,768 meters (22,205 ft)!

This magical range is packed with glacier-fed lakes, dramatic ridgelines, and colorful high-altitude valleys where locals still speak Quechua and chew coca leaves to adapt to the thin air.

It’s a trekker’s paradise — and totally underrated. If you ever wanted to walk through the sky, this is the place.

🧭 Until next Friday...

May your pack be light 🎒, your flights smooth ✈️, and your wanderlust ever bright 🌟.
If this brought a little joy to your inbox, share it with a friend who could use some travel magic 🪄🌍.

With stardust ✨, sea foam 🌊, and mountain dreams 🏔️,
Sasha 💌
Editor, Travel Report Weekly

🌿 Stay curious. Keep wandering. 🗺️

Links and Guides:
To assist you in planning your next adventure, here are some valuable resources:

• CDC Travel Health Notices

• Travel Advisory and Alerts

• World Nomads Travel Insurance

• Lonely Planet Travel Guides

TripAdvisor Reviews and Recommendations

Stay safe, travel smart, and enjoy every moment of your journey. Until next week, happy travels!