• Categories
    • Culture
    • Food
    • Hot Tips
    • Inspiration
    • Itineraries
    • Must-Haves
    • News
    • Our L.A.
    • Planning
    • Unique Stays
  • Home
  • VLOGS
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • Support Our Work!
Travel Matters | by Stephen & Andie
  • Planning

A Unique Snorkeling Excursion In The U.S. Virgin Islands

April 5, 2022 14
woman and man wearing snorkeling masks and snorkels, underwater side by side waving at the camera during a snorkeling excursion in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

If you’re looking for a rec for a unique snorkeling excursion in the U.S. Virgin Islands, you’ve come to the right place! No trip to the USVI would be complete without snorkeling. But what about a snorkeling excursion with a foodie twist? After all, kicking around in flippers and sucking in salt water (no matter how hard you try not to) works up an appetite. In this post we’re going to tell you why we think Ocean Surfari has an especially unique snorkeling excursion in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Spoiler alert: it involves a pizzeria – that is a boat. You heard right. And they deliver – to your boat. *Sold!* Of course, snorkeling in the Caribbean is the real draw here, but if you’re a pizza freak like I am, this added selling point definitely tipped the scale for us and it might for you, too. Read on for all the fun!

About the U.S. Virgin Islands and Why They’re So Popular

a beach in St. John U.S. Virgin Islands. white sand beach with palm and other trees, clear turquoise water, and blue skies with white fluffy clouds

©Stephen & Andie

The U.S. Virgin Islands are among some of the world’s most popular snorkeling destinations, and for good reason. It consists of about 50 different islands and cays, and is famous for its rich marine life. There are three main islands: St. Croix, and the two that all of our activities took place in and around – St. Thomas and St. John. Two-thirds of St. John is designated as Virgin Islands National Park, which supports a range of tropical habitats including some of the best coral reefs in the Caribbean. And dig this fun fact: 40 percent of this national park is underwater! How cool is that? 

The conditions around these islands are perfect for snorkeling. The famously turquoise blue waters maintain a year-round temperature between 79-84 degrees and have excellent visibility, calm seas, and minimal current. Some of the “local residents” you can find yourself swimming with are sea turtles, rays, nurse sharks, moray eels, octopuses, and a plethora of tropical fish. Though we didn’t see any, we heard an occasional dolphin sometimes makes an appearance, too. You’ll also most likely see some gorgeous reefs, seagrass beds, sea urchins, and maybe even some cool sunken things like ships and planes!

Why We Chose Ocean Surfari For Our Snorkeling Excursion

Ok, let’s get into that unique snorkeling excursion we’re here to tell you about. Since we were coming into the port of Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas by way of our Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas cruise, we focused our search for a snorkeling excursion around this area. There are plenty of different companies offering a variety of excursions on and around the islands, but we settled on Ocean Surfari, who serve St. Thomas and St. John. They too have a handful of excursions to choose from, but their Do-It-All Snorkeling Trip was a no-brainer for us. I mean, its tagline is “Snorkeling, *Pizza,* and Sunset Cruise,” so what other choice is there, really? 

What Does the Do-It-All Snorkeling Excursion Include?

Advertisement showing the Reef Surfari Quick Adventure Guide from Ocean Surfari, including prices for different snorkeling excursion packages and photos of a person snorkeling with a sea turtle, the snorkel boat, and pizza on board

For $99 per adult, the Do-It-All Snorkeling Trip includes: snorkeling in two different locations in the VIrgin islands National Park around St. John; fresh-baked pizza; plenty of snacks, including a variety of chips and other crunchables; soft drinks; an impressive assortment of domestic and local beers; an open bar tended by the first mate, with mostly vodka and rum drinks like Painkillers and rum punch; and a sunset cruise through the islands around St. Thomas and St. John, while the captain tells stories about the islands and their history. Masks, snorkels, mouthpieces, flippers, and life vests are all included in the booking price, and are cleaned and sanitized between uses. You can buy new mouthpieces for $5 each in the shop before boarding, and you can also rent full face masks if you prefer those. The trip lasts about 5.5 hours total, including about 90 minutes of snorkel time, and you can leave from either St. Thomas or St. John.

Amazing Customer Service

Before we get into all the cool stuff we did and saw out on the waters during our snorkel excursion, we want to shine a light on the amazing customer service we experienced in the 24 hours leading up to it. This has to do with our booking, our somewhat unique position as cruisers in this particular situation, and how well Ocean Surfari took care of us. 

Why Our Booking Situation Was Complicated

Even though we were sailing with a major cruise line, our particular cruise was chartered. We were on The 80s Cruise, and I (Stephen) was performing with one of the featured bands, Jack Russell’s Great White. Along with this gig came some scheduling uncertainty. While I knew the days and times of my shows in advance, the times of my other obligations like soundchecks and personal appearances were TBD. What we did know was that all of these things were happening on two of our port days. So, until we knew if, when, and for how long I’d be able to get off the ship, we couldn’t commit to booking any excursions. 

This is also why we didn’t book through the cruise line – because we couldn’t do it in advance, and excursions usually cost more once on board. Two other factors that would come into play are that our chartered cruise schedule was slightly different from the typical Royal Caribbean schedule. On top of that, our first port of call, Nassau, was canceled at the last minute due to weather. So, skipping Nassau meant we’d be arriving in St. Thomas a bit ahead of schedule, but the exact time was unknown.

How Ocean Surfari’s Customer Service Was Amazing

Fast forward two sea days, to less than 24 hours from docking in St. Thomas. Sure of our schedule now, we jumped on their site to book that snorkel cruise! In less than 30 minutes, we received two emails. One stating that we wouldn’t have enough time to get from the Crown Bay Cruise ship dock to their dock in Red Hook, which is a 30 minute drive. This was based on the typical Royal Caribbean cruise schedule, with a port time of 1:30 pm. The snorkel boat was leaving its dock at 1:30 pm, so obviously, this would be impossible. The next email was a cancellation confirmation. Since they don’t issue refunds to trips booked outside of a cruise line, they took the liberty of extending this courtesy, which we appreciated. But we didn’t see these emails until the next morning – snorkel day – after receiving a text from an Ocean Surfari associate named Chris. Since he hadn’t gotten a reply from us, he was following up to let us know that he canceled our trip and why. After a moment of panic, we let him know that we were actually docking around noon, and should make it in plenty of time. He replied that if we made it to their dock in time, he’d personally make sure we got on the boat. How amazing is that? 

A few hours later we arrived at their dock in Red Hook with time to spare, and headed into the shop to re-book our snorkel excursion. We explained the situation to the friendly staff, and as they tried to re-book us, it appeared as though the boat was full. Chris wasn’t on-site, but after a quick phone call we were all set. Thank you, Chris!

The Ocean Surfari Shop

The shop has everything you might need and then some. From souvenirs to sunblock, board shorts, surrongs, sunglasses, hats, and the two items we needed: new, unused mouthpieces for the snorkels we were renting, and two towels. We weren’t able to put in a request to borrow towels from the ship since it was less than 24 hours notice, so we were relegated to buying them. But we ended up with some super cool microfiber towels. They’re very absorbent yet thin, so they wouldn’t take up as much space in our luggage as regular towels. They also repel sand and come in a variety of cool St. Thomas designs. 

All Aboard the Reef Surfari!

Reef Surfari snorkeling excursion boat ashore on the white sand beach in U.S. Virgin Islands. various rafts and tables and chairs with umbrellas on beach

Finally, time for our snorkeling excursion! It was a gorgeous, warm sunny day as we boarded the Reef Surfari. This spacious catamaran comfortably holds around 50 passengers and has plenty of open and shaded seating. There’s also that refreshment bar we mentioned (no booze ‘til after snorkeling – safety first!), and yes, there’s a bathroom! 

Before we take off, the Captain introduces himself and his crew of two. Jake is his name, and to help us remember, he suggests thinking “… from State Farm.” Ha! Sierra’s the first mate, and Kaelynn rounds out the crew. We get an overview of the boat’s features, including some fun instructions on the toilet’s step-and-pump flushing system. “Step on the pedal on the left, and pump the lever on the right. And pump, and keep on pumping until the water gets uncomfortably high.” Hey, better than no toilet!

He tells us we’re making a short run from Red Hook Harbor across to Cruz Bay on St. John, where we’ll pick up a few more passengers. He cranks up some tunes and we shove off. With Lowrider blaring, we pulled ashore to load up our new friends. The Captain then gave a full safety briefing, instructions on putting on the snorkeling gear, and how to properly get in and out of the water. Next, Kaelynn and Sierra began handing out everyone’s snorkel gear and we hit the seas! 

It’s just a short jaunt from Cruz Bay to our first snorkeling location in Virgin Islands National Park, around St. John. Along the way Captain Jake pointed out what is now my favorite boat in the U.S. Virgin Islands – Pizza Pi, where we’d be getting our fresh-baked pizza from later. But we’ve got some snorkeling to do first.

Pizza Pi pizzeria boat, on the water in U.S. Virgin Islands

 

Snorkeling In Virgin Islands National Park – Location #1

Beautiful view from the water in U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. Clouds, boats, sun, and horizon.

©Stephen & Andie

The Captain told us we’d have about an hour in the water, where we should respect the sea life by not getting too close or touchy. Also, we were not to go onto the shore. This was so exciting! Neither myself or Andie had ever been snorkeling before and we were so thrilled that our first time was going to be here, in the Caribbean! As we each took our first plunge we marveled at just how warm the water was! A clear and gorgeous turquoise blue, it was exactly “as advertised.” Perfection. The seas weren’t rough by any means, but we quickly realized we’d be gulping water no matter how hard we tried not to. Learning how deep not to go while breathing through the snorkel was another learning curve. And how the heck do you swim to the bottom? Hint: you have to dive, like a whale.

Speaking of diving whales, check out our Whale Watching In Juneau, Alaska vlog on our YouTube channel for plenty of that! 

Kicking our cool flippers, the exploration had begun. It was so amazing to have a firsthand look into this world beneath the sea. We saw plenty of beautiful fish, some sea urchins, and the underwater landscape itself is simply awesome. Looking down at dancing seagrass, reefs, and rock formations while hearing yourself breathe underwater is magical. Before we knew it, we saw the crew waving their arms from the boat, so we knew it was time to swim back. Good news – it’s snack time! And Ocean Surfari’s snack-game is strong, with a solid assortment of soft drinks and all the chips. All smiles, we all crunched away and swapped stories about what we saw underwater as we made our way to the next stop.

Snorkeling Location #2

a school of tropical fish underwater during snorkeling excursion in Virgin Islands National Park

©Stephen & Andie

Once again, it was a short ride. Unfortunately I don’t have a specific name to point out as to where either of these stops were, other than within the “Virgin Islands National Park around St. John.” I believe the locations can vary somewhat, based on various conditions and circumstances. For example, we passed up one spot because there were already a lot of boats anchored there. So I get the sense that the Captain makes the call accordingly on a case-by-case basis. The second spot that we did end up at was certainly no disappointment. Before we all got in the water, the captain pointed out an area where there was a sunken ship that we should swim out to see. Oh, now he’s speaking my language. With one “dive” under our belts, Andie and I were fearless pros at this point. In we go! Pretty quickly we spotted our first sea turtle. As much as I wanted to dive down to get a closer look, it was staring up at me and chewing, as if to say “I’m tryna eat down here!” We respectfully observed its awesomeness from the surface, all wide-eyed and gesturing to each other like two little kids. Then we saw a whole school of beautiful blue fish swim right past us. Beautiful. This area had more to see than the previous, as far as “things” in the water. It seemed like a lot more rocks and reefs, with more growth on them, too. We encountered another sea turtle below, this one lighter in color and with more pronounced markings. Also looking up at us while chewing. So cool! 

We Saw A Sunken Ship!

sunken ship seen during snorkeling excursion with the word "blush" on the bow. Virgin Islands National Park near St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

©Stephen & Andie

Soon, we arrived at the sunken ship. No, it’s not a pirate ship, and no hidden treasure that we know of. But it was beautiful, peaceful, and eerie all at the same time. The waters are shallow, so some of the ship is within arms reach and very easy to swim down close to. As yet another sea turtle demonstrated, diving down just in front of me. The ship is a playground for so many different, beautifully colored fish swimming in and out of it, and who knows what other sea creatures might hide out inside. I was beginning to wish I could scuba dive, to be able to really get down there and explore at length. It was fascinating to look at and contemplate how it ended up this way. Later, the Captain told us the ship sank during the hurricanes of 2017, due to having too small of an anchor, on too short of a rode (thanks for that word, Google!). The winds slammed the vessel into the rocks and it broke apart. Some parts of the ship are clearly visible resting on the shore, too. This was as much of a highlight as the plethora of marine life we encountered. Unfortunately, we were getting the high sign from our crew, and it was time to make our way back. On our swim back, in addition to filming Andie swimming, backlit by the sun rays beaming through the water, I decided to also pay close attention to the sea floor. I don’t know exactly all that I was seeing, but the variety of textures and shapes below, seen through such clear waters is just wondrous. If our GoPro didn’t already feel like one of our better investments, it was definitely paying for itself today!

man swimming above sunken ship during snorkeling excursion in Virgin Islands National Park near St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands

©Stephen & Andie

Pizza Pi: Fresh-Baked Pizza Delivered On the Caribbean

pizza delivery by Pizza Pi on the water, by dinghy, in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

©Stephen & Andie

And now, the moment I’ve been waiting for. Pizza. But this isn’t your basic, cardboard-crust pizza that you’d expect would be all you can get your hands on out on the sea. Pizza Pi serves up legit New York style pizza. And let me clarify – Pizza Pi, the pizzeria, is a boat! They bake the pizza fresh and deliver it by dinghy to your boat. Now I’ve seen it all! And kudos to Ocean Surfari, there were plenty of pies to cover everyone. There was cheese, vegetarian, pepperoni, and possibly another topping option or two. Since we’re mostly vegetarian, we didn’t pay much attention beyond the cheese and veggie pies. The pizza was straight-up delicious, and truly made this a unique snorkeling excursion in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

pizza delivery by Pizza Pi on the water, by dinghy, in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

©Stephen & Andie

And since we’re talking pizza – if you’re like me and can’t get enough, you should check out our post on The Top 7 Pizzerias You Must Try In Naples, Italy.

The Caribbean’s Drink of Choice – Rum

Wouldn’t you know it,  the pizza paired nicely with a couple of those adult bevvies we mentioned. Namely, rum. Most rums are produced in the Caribbean, so naturally it’s the dominant drink. Under normal circumstances it wouldn’t be my first choice, but when in the Caribbean… 
And Andie’s not at all a fan of rum or coconut, so neither the Painkiller or the rum punch were for her. Not to worry, our girl Kaelynn concocted a lil’ vodka punch cocktail instead, and we were all set and on our way to toasting a beautiful sunset. Oh, but not before Captain Jake (from State Farm) insisted we all do as he does. Namely, joining him in a Captain-led conga line around the boat for the duration of a ridiculous-yet-catchy song he’d cranked up to 11. I couldn’t help but imagine all of the sea life beneath us scrambling to get as far away from the human vibrations as possible. Or are they immune to it by now?

Sunset Cruise In the U.S. Virgin Islands

sunset on the Caribbean Sea, in U.S. Virgin Islands

©Stephen & Andie

Captain Jake fired up the ride to take us on a storytelling cruise through the islands on our way back to St. Thomas. Before we got far, he pulled back on the throttle as we approached our new besties, Pizza Pi. We all cheered the great pie maker of the sea, both boats exchanged horn honks and we were on our way. We cruised to and paused at a few different locations, while the Captain shared history and stories about the islands, from both pirate and modern times. My fave was the legend behind the distinctive sharp and rugged rock formation known as Carval Rock. In modern times, it’s famous for making the foreground of countless Virgin Island sunset photos as well as being a hotspot for advanced cliff jumpers. But allegedly, in the lawless days of pirates in what was then then Danish West Indies, ships couldn’t go into land to trade goods, purchase supplies, or make repairs if they had live munitions on board. Doing so would have been considered an act of war. So they would fire their cannons at this rock formation to be able to legally go ashore. After years and years of being fired upon, this once rounded rock formation became the jagged and rough landmark we see today. Allegedly.

And so, all good things must come to an end. And what better way to wrap up such an amazing day than with a gorgeous Caribbean sunset… played off by Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On. Ok, I might have opted for silence myself, but hey, that’s why Ocean Surfari “makes the big bucks” as they say. They know how to party and have fun!

Have you been snorkeling in the U.S Virgin Islands? Share your experience in the comments below!

More Cruise-Related Content

If you’re a first-time cruiser, we wrote this one just for you: First-Time Cruiser Dos and Don’ts. We’re only one cruise removed from our first-time, and we know all too well how many questions you probably have

If you’re considering an Alaska cruise, not only do we highly recommend it, but we’ve got this post to answer all of those Alaska-specific packing questions: What To Bring (and NOT Bring) On An Alaska Cruise.

And if you want to see all of our Alaska cruise experiences, we’ve got an Alaska playlist on our YouTube channel with all of our videos related to that trip! Glacier Bay, our three ports of call: Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, packing tips, our first impressions of Princess Cruises’ Majestic Princess, a food tour of the ship, whale watching, and more! And if you like what you see, please subscribe to our channel. We’d love to have you with us on all of our travels!

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
14 Comments
Tags:North AmericaSt. JohnSt. ThomasU.S. Virgin IslandsUnited States
Previous Post Motown Records: a Must-See For Music Lovers!
Next PostSouthwest Airlines Announces Wanna Get Away Plus™

You Might Also Like

sitting outside of the Customs House in Charleston, SC

What To Do In Charleston, South Carolina

August 3, 2021
passports, mobile phone, and coffees on a table

How To Plan A Trip: A Guide To Travel Planning

December 18, 2020
Stephen & Andie cross the street at the famous Abbey Road crossing in London, England

London Walking Tours: Our Favorite Way To See The City

March 22, 2021

14 Comments

  1. Shireen says:
    April 11, 2022 at 2:17 am Reply

    I was sold on the locals you see when snorkelling and after how good the customer service is. But having pizza delivered to you on your excursion? Unbeatable.

    1. Stephen & Andie says:
      April 11, 2022 at 8:23 am Reply

      Seriously – it’s a slam dunk. Most impressive to me is that there’s a pizza oven living the water. Crazy!

  2. Mitch - Very Tasty World says:
    April 11, 2022 at 3:49 am Reply

    This sounds like an fantastic excursion and it’s always good to hear about excellent customer service. The snorkelling looked absolutely wonderful in the crystal clear waters. And to round it all off with pizza and rum at sunset? Perfect!

    1. Stephen & Andie says:
      April 11, 2022 at 8:21 am Reply

      It truly was an outstanding day from top to bottom.

  3. Peggy Zipperer says:
    April 11, 2022 at 4:19 pm Reply

    What a fun snorkel trip! Great story telling as well. Pizza, Snorkel, sunset and painkillers – I can’t imagine a better combination.

  4. Paul (Paul Passing Through) says:
    April 11, 2022 at 5:01 pm Reply

    Cruises like this are a lot of fun. It’s nice this included both snorkeling and the sunset cruise, not to mention the pizza! I feel like the pizza is a given, though haha

    I have to know, was Celine dion meant as a tongue-in-cheek joke or was it supposed to be serious lol

    1. Stephen & Andie says:
      April 19, 2022 at 7:04 am Reply

      Fair question! We’re pretty sure tongue was firmly planted in cheek when that playlist was put together by the Captain and/or crew. All of the songs were pretty well curated, seemingly with “fun” in mind.

  5. Barry says:
    April 12, 2022 at 2:28 pm Reply

    This sounds like a lot of sun. I’m glad you reported that the sea was warm because my first thought is I rarely go into any seas because I find them too cold. That Caribbean drink of choice would have been good for me.
    I’ve been snorkelling only once, in Eilat Israel. The gulf was really warm and I was out there so long on my own that friends came looking for me thinking something was wrong. I lost count of time swimming among all the fish and underwater scenery so I get how excited you were doing this.
    You definitely got good good service and value for money on the experience.

    1. Stephen & Andie says:
      April 12, 2022 at 6:45 pm Reply

      Snorkeling in Israel sounds wonderful, especially if the water is warm like this was! We’re with you, neither of us have been IN an ocean for many, many years. Even in all of our combined decades living in Los Angeles, after each of our first few years there, we rarely went to any of the beaches, just to hang out, and especially not to go in the water. We could easily have snorkeled for MUCh longer on this excursion, too! Thanks, Barry!

  6. Stephen & Andie says:
    April 12, 2022 at 8:35 pm Reply

    Thanks so much! That sunken ship really was something else! It made it feel like we were in a giant aquarium, with all of the fish swimming in and out of it and sea life growing on it.

  7. Sydney Brown Travels says:
    April 19, 2022 at 8:40 pm Reply

    This honestly sounds so incredible–I love snorkeling, though I haven’t done it in a while. The pizza looked really good, too. So neat that they deliver it by boat! That’s the first time I’ve ever heard of that! Haha! Great post.

    1. Stephen & Andie says:
      April 20, 2022 at 12:48 pm Reply

      Thanks Sydney! Same here – we would have never imagined pizza delivery by boat, let alone being baked on a boat, too! It was such an amazing day.

  8. Stefan says:
    May 23, 2022 at 7:23 am Reply

    Pizza, beer, a captain’s yarn, and some snorkeling… count me in.

    1. Stephen & Andie says:
      June 8, 2022 at 11:22 am Reply

      Not much more one could ask for, right? Thanks for stopping by!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I accept the Terms and Conditions and the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Get Our Monthly Newsletter

We'll send you all of the inside scoop: where we are, what we're working on, and our latest posts and vlogs!

We're all about sharing the love and knowledge when it comes to travel, but we respect your privacy and we'll never share your info.

Our Latest Vlog:
Today we explore the Amazon jungle by night. Our flashlights reveal plenty of creepy crawlies, including unusual insects, cute frogs, a variety of spiders – including a bizarre one that looked like a robot, and Andie got her wish when we saw not one, but two tarantulas! Stephen was relieved to not run into any snakes, but later that night he was jolted awake by an an uninvited “guest” in our bed!

Only 2% of the #Amazon Jungle is in Ecuador, and part of that is in the #Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, which is where we visited during our Ecuador trip. It was our first visit to the world's largest rainforest, and we already can't wait to go back and see more!

This is the sixth video in our first-ever international series! Quito, Ecuador was the first international trip we took together back in 2011. Eleven years later, it’s where we filmed our first international series and first drone footage for our channel! 

We spent two weeks in Ecuador this time, including Quito, day-trips to Mindo and Cotopaxi National Park, the Amazon, and one of our top-3 bucket list destinations: the Galápagos Islands! 

If you’ve missed our previous Ecuador videos, you can catch up on the series here:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbuSS3LLcHKhYj7iiXC3xGbaeGl3sS0zf

A very special thank you to our travel agents, Angelica and Christian, @TerraSurTravels!  
https://terrasurtravels.com

VLOG no. 69

*Please note that all info is based on our own experience and we do our best to be accurate. However any details may (and often do) change at any time, and you may find differences in your own travels. Please research all schedules, fees, rules and regulations, and other details by contacting the responsible agencies directly prior to your own patronage. Thanks!

📍LOCATION: Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador, South America

✦ PLACES VISITED IN THIS VLOG: 

Cuyabeno Dolphin Lodge
https://www.cuyabenodolphinlodge.com/

**this video is not sponsored, nor have we received any product or in-kind consideration. We just like to provide the info and especially shout-out the small businesses we patronize.

PREVIOUS VIDEO ▶ The Amazon Rainforest | Travel Vlog | Ecuador Series, ep. 5
https://youtu.be/dU_CH0HwZHE

📷 OUR GEAR: https://tinyurl.com/ourvloggear

✔ TRAVEL ESSENTIALS: https://tinyurl.com/travelssentials

NOTE: Some of the links here may be affiliate links, which means when you buy something we may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you, and it really helps to support us as creators, so thank you!

☕️ NEW! Sponsor one of our local coffee stops via our Buy Me A Coffee campaign, and we'll shout you out in a future vlog!
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/stephenandandie

🕺🏻 SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/StephenAndie?sub_confirmation=1

💃🏻 SUPPORT OUR WORK: https://www.stephenandandie.com/how-to-support-our-work-as-creators/

We are so grateful for your support. Thank you for watching, subscribing, and clicking!

________________________________

💌 NEWSLETTER
Get our weekly newsletter for all the latest and to help us plan our adventures! 
https://mailchi.mp/stephenandandie/newsletter

________________________________

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Intro
00:28 Lagoon Swimming
01:00 Caiman Search
01:38 Baby Snake
02:30 Claustrophobia
02:43 Night 2
03:58 Venus & Sunset
04:18 Nightwalk in the Jungle
04:54 Big Creepy Spider(s)!
04:29 Nocturnal Bird & Frogs
05:57 Tarantula!
06:27 Another Tarantula!
07:03 IT WAS IN OUR BED!

________________________________
♫ MUSIC: EPIDEMIC SOUND

Like our music? We use Epidemic Sound! If you use this referral link and end up subscribing, we get a free month. It's a great way to support our channel, help us keep creating, and get something for yourself, too!

https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/b6kdl8/a
________________________________

ABOUT US:
Married in 2008, we love to #travel and explore whenever possible. Fast forward to 2020 and the global pandemic that left us "safer at home" and without jobs. In need of something to do, we quickly learned about videos and editing and started to #travelvlog! Some of the places we visit are old faves, most others are new discoveries, and we're excited to take you along with us as we share them all. Thank you for watching, and don't forget to subscribe! 

✈️ WANT TO SUPPORT OUR TRAVELS AND CONTENT? 
There are many ways you can help keep us on the road, and most of them are FREE!
https://www.stephenandandie.com/how-to-support-our-work-as-creators/

★ Check out our TRAVEL BLOG!
https://travelmatters.stephenandandie.com

Connect with us on the socials for behind the scenes, real-time travel, video previews, and other fun stuff!:

📸 INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/stephenandandie/

🐦 TWITTER:
https://twitter.com/StephenAndAndie

👱🏼‍♂️ FACEBOOK:
https://facebook.com/StephenAndAndie

©2022 Stephen & Andie | Travel Matters
THE JUNGLE at NIGHT | Ecuador Travel Vlog | Ecuador Series, ep. 6
Subscribe
Find Us On Instagram

stephenandandie

TRAVEL, FOOD, CULTURE, CLIMATE
Follow Our Mission to See ALL 50 STATES! 🇺🇸 🚐

Stephen & Andie | Travel Stuff
Oregon’s got #mood for days! Oregon is state no Oregon’s got #mood for days!

Oregon is state no. 22 in our mission to see ALL 50 STATES (plus DC & Puerto Rico)! Our first sleep and first morning of #vanlife was in Astoria, then we headed to Cannon Beach and were bowled over by the foggy views of majestic Haystack Rock. 

👉 LINK IN BIO 👈 to see more of the beautiful Oregon coast in our latest vlog, “First Night In Our Van!”

•

•

•

#traveloregon #cannonbeach #oregoncoast #cannonbeachoregon #oregon #haystackrock #travelmatters #all50states #vanlife
We fell in love with Oregon! Swipe 👉 to see why We fell in love with Oregon! Swipe 👉 to see why!

After buying our Sprinter in Portland we headed for the Oregon coast to spend our first night in her in Astoria. The next day we explored town and also made our way to Cannon Beach. Both were nothing short of stunning! Our drives through the state just got more and more beautiful and we couldn’t stop thinking how grateful and excited we are to be new #vanlifers. 

This is going to be an amazing year!

📷 Our first coffee on our first morning after our first night sleeping in our campervan. 📍Astoria.

📷 Isn’t she lovely? 😍 That’s Haystack Rock behind Andie. You might recognize it from movies like Point Break and GOONIES! 📍Cannon Beach.

📷 Having too much fun watching a pile of giant sea lions sleeping peacefully. 📍Astoria

📷 Loving our lives! 📍 Cannon Beach

👉 Link in bio 👈 to see all of this and more in our latest vlog “First Night In Our Van!”

•

•

•

#oregon #oregoncoast #astoria #cannonbeach #haystackrock #lewisandclarkrvpark #vanlife #sprintervan #sprintervanlife #all50states
Hello #vanlife! 🚐 We’re so excited to finally Hello #vanlife! 🚐 We’re so excited to finally share this news with you – we bought a camper van! *Join us at 12:15pm EST today (Monday)* for a live chat during the Premiere of our new vlog, where we spill the tea.

After months of behind the scenes planning and hunting, we settled on this beauty at the end of October: a 170” wheelbase, high top Sprinter, located in Portland, OR. In this video we fly to the Pacific Northwest to make the purchase and begin our two and a half week, cross-country journey from Portland back to North Carolina. But not before grabbing a rainy day lunch at one of Portland’s food cart havens – Cartlandia. Some hot grits from Grits Gone Wild warm us up to send us on our first outing in our new home on wheels.

We couldn’t be more excited, and this trip already kicks off our mission to see all 50 states (plus DC and Puerto Rico!). You’ll be seeing this cross-country trip, plus another month-long run in her over the holidays –  all in our upcoming vlogs!

Now — any guesses what we named her? 
Hint: any fans of the movie Role Models? 😜

PLACES VISITED IN THIS VLOG:

@gritsgonewildpnw 

#cartlandia

•

•

•

#sprinter #sprintervan #sprinter2500 #campervan #vantravel  #vanlifers #roadtrip #roadtrippers #travelmatters #travelvloggers #UStravel #USAtravel #youtubers #DIY #Ace #kissmyvanthia #vanlifeusa
$150 train ticket from New York to… New York? $150 train ticket from New York to… New York? 

We REALLY loved our first time doing some train travel in the U.S. together! We rode the Hudson River Rail aboard the 20th Century Limited – the last two remaining, fully restored, 1940s train cars from what was “The Most Famous Train In the World” in its day. 

Our journey took us from Penn Station in Manhattan up to Albany and back. 

Sit back and enjoy the views! 👉 Link in bio 👈 to see the vlog!

📷 1: on the platform in Albany

📷 2: Penn Station, NYC

🎥 3: enjoying the VIP lounge at Penn Station pre-boarding

•

•

•

#newyork #traintravel #hudsonriverrail #20thcenturylimited #1940s #vintagetrain #hudsonriver #travelmatters #travelvloggers #youtubers
California sunsets just hit different. 🌅 We we California sunsets just hit different. 🌅

We were Angelenos for literal decades and we still can’t believe how many iconic places in California we took for granted and never visited! Morro Bay is just one of them, and we’re SO STOKED that a recent cross-country road trip (big announcement on that front soon!) took us right past the area. Naturally, we looked at each other, said “Morro Bay?,” and turned the 🚐 around to head back just in time for a gorgeous sunset. 

Now we’re even more determined to hit all the spots that we took for granted and we’ll always find excuses to make our way back through Cali! Yosemite, Redwoods, Death Valley – we’re talking to you! 

What other spots do we need to hit? Shout ‘em out in the comments!

•

•

•

#morrobay #sunset #centralcoast #SLO  #SanLuisObispo #california #southerncalifornia #daytrip #roadtrip #californialandmarks
We saw ALL THE MANATEES today! This was our second We saw ALL THE MANATEES today!
This was our second attempt at @bluespringstatepark within a couple weeks. We saw zero manatees the first time, and committed to returning after spending some time in Southern Florida. Turns out, we happened upon some manatees in the marina @evergladesnps, but the water was so murky we could only see parts of them… if they surfaced. 

Today was the day we got to return to Blue Spring. The weather was much cooler this time (great conditions for spotting manatees in the springs), and when we pulled up to the entrance, the sign read “MANATEE COUNT *288*” For context, there was no count on the sign for our previous visit, so… YAY! 

Can’t say exactly what OUR manatee count was, but we easily saw dozens in a short amount of time – from adorable little babies to giants! The water was crystal clear. It was so serene – watching them graciously glide through, only occasionally making a splash. Hearing that beautiful sound when they surfaced for air. Today was an AWESOME day, and we’re so thankful that we had the flexibility to come back and spend some quality time with these beautiful, unique creatures. 🥰

•

•

•

#manatees #bluespringstatepark #centralflorida #orlando #florida #therealflorida #wildlife #statepark #bluespring #bluesprings #manateestatepark #bluespringmanatees #travelmatters #travelvloggers
Is this seat taken? Nothing says “classic New J Is this seat taken? 
Nothing says “classic New Jersey” like Asbury Park! We visited the boardwalk for the first time this summer as part of our DIY food tour of New Jersey. 

A killer coffee roastery? ✅
Cereal pancakes? ✅
Disco fries? ✅
$27 milkshake??? ✅

LINK IN BIO to see all that, plus a unique Jersey twist on “the slushee” in our latest vlog, now live on YouTube! 

This is state #20 in our mission to visit all 50 states (plus DC & Puerto Rico) - join our adventures! 

PLACES VISITED IN THIS VLOG:
@buddysjc
@roastd.coffee
@thetopsdiner
@coneywaffleasburypark

•

•

•

#newjersey #asburypark #newjerseyfood #foodtour #jerseycity #fortlee #jerseyshore #travelvlog #travelmatters
As you set your goals for 2023, don’t be afraid As you set your goals for 2023, don’t be afraid to be the orange fish. If an idea or dream scares you or feels too different, it’s probably the one you should go for!

We spotted these guys while snorkeling in the Galápagos Islands. See the full vlogs on our YouTube channel. LINK IN BIO!

•

•

•

#fish #schooloffish #galapagos #galapagosislands #ecuador #travelmatters #travelvloggers #wildlife #conservation #underwatervideo #snorkeling🐠 
#newyeargoals #lifegoals
We saw so much cool wildlife in the Galapagos! See We saw so much cool wildlife in the Galapagos! See the full vlogs on our YouTube channel. LINK IN BIO!

•

•

•

#galapagos #galapagosislands #ecuador #travelmatters #travelvloggers #wildlife #conservation #sealion #bluefootedbooby #tortoise #frigate #iguana #crab #fish
Follow on Instagram
Popular Posts
  • 13 Packing Essentials for a Trip to the Amazon
  • Quito Itinerary: 7 Essential Things To Do And See
  • 22 Amazing Gift Ideas For Travelers
  • We’re on a MISSION to see ALL 50 STATES (+ DC and Puerto Rico)!
  • 14 Gift Ideas For Artists And Creators

©2022 Travel Matters by Stephen & Andie