Pure Life Podcast | Japan Travel, Immersive Travel & Meaningful Escapes

Maui – the Valley Isle – is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands and a perfect destination for just about everyone. The island offers just about anything you can think of; beaches, mountains, rain forest, desert, volcanic summits, hiking, scuba, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, hiking . . . and so much more! With so much to do, it’s hard to know where to begin. Well, we break it down for you in this latest podcast.

In this episode, we go over some of our favorite destinations and uncover a few gems along the way. If you are planning a visit to Maui, check this episode out to get some great tips on how to get the most out of this beautiful destination. Also, be sure to check out some of our pics for more behind the scenes in Maui. Enjoy!

Maui – the Valley Isle – is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands and a perfect destination for just about everyone. The island offers just about anything you can think of; beaches, mountains, rain forest, desert, volcanic summits, hiking, scuba, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, hiking . . . and so much more! With so much to do, it’s hard to know where to begin. Well, we break it down for you in this latest podcast.

In this episode, we go over some of our favorite destinations and uncover a few gems along the way. If you are planning a visit to Maui, check this episode out to get some great tips on how to get the most out of this beautiful destination. Also, be sure to check out some of our pics for more behind the scenes in Maui on our Destinations and Hawaii pages. Enjoy!

In this episode, we return to the Bahamas for a truly amazing family vacation in the Exuma Bahamas, a district of the Bahamas consisting of over 365 islands, also called cays. With an island for every day of the year, it’s easy to find something to suit any taste – from swimming with sharks to stretching out on beaches so soft you’d swear the sand was made from powder sugar.

We stayed on Fowl Cay Resort, a private island just north of Staniel Cay that boasts only six villas spread across a private 50-acre retreat. Spectacular amenities and crystal-clear, warm turquoise water add up to one extraordinary experience. We break it all down for you in this episode – from getting there to navigating around and even the food at the Harbour Club Restaurant. If the Exuma Bahamas aren’t on your bucket list, they should be. Be sure to visit our Bahamas or Destinations pages for more information and pictures. Check it out!

In this episode, we return to the Bahamas for a truly amazing family vacation in the Exumas, a district of the Bahamas consisting of over 365 islands, also called cays. With an island for every day of the year, it’s easy to find something to suit any taste – from swimming with sharks to stretching out on beaches so soft you’d swear the sand was made from powder sugar.

We stayed on Fowl Cay Resort, a private island just north of Staniel Cay that boasts only six villas spread across a private 50-acre retreat. Spectacular amenities and crystal-clear, warm turquoise water add up to one extraordinary experience. We break it all down for you in this episode – from getting there to navigating around and even the food at the Harbour Club Restaurant. If the Exumas aren’t on your bucket list, they should be. Be sure to visit the Bahamas listing on our destinations tab for some of our pictures. Check it out!

n this episode, we share our experience exploring the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The Atlantis is located on Paradise Island, just north of Nassau Island in the heart of the Bahamas. The resort itself is HUGE!! It boasts 5 miles of beaches, 11 pools, 21 restaurants and an impressive 141-acre water park including water slides and lazy river rides. If that’s not enough, it also offers one of the largest open-air marine habitats containing nearly 50,000 marine animals in 15 exhibit lagoons. Add it all up and you get the perfect spot for some family fun, relaxation or what ever suits your tastes.

We break it all down for you – from the slides, the pools, the aquarium and beaches – and provide first-hand accounts for what’s in store when you visit the Atlantis Bahamas. Check out some of our pics in the Destinations and The Bahamas pages for more behind the scenes on our adventures at the Atlantis Bahamas. Let's go!

In this weeks episode, we take a detour from our experiences in Japan and explore the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The Atlantis is located on Paradise Island, just north of Nassau Island in the heart of the Bahamas. The resort itself is HUGE!! It boasts 5 miles of beaches, 11 pools, 21 restaurants and an impressive 141-acre water park including water slides and river rides. If that’s not enough, it also offers one of the largest open-air marine habitats containing nearly 50,000 marine animals in 15 exhibit lagoons. Add it all up and you get the perfect spot for some family fun, relaxation or what ever suits your tastes.

We break it all down for you – from the slides, the pools, the aquarium and beaches – and provide first-hand accounts for what’s in store. Check out some of our pics in the Destinations page for more behind the scenes on our adventures at the Atlantis Bahamas. Enjoy!

In this episode, we wrap up our road trip through Kyushu with a couple of quick stops in the Fukuoka and Saga prefectures. Fukuoka provided a convenient port of entry and exit from Kyushu, so we stayed overnight and explored some of the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, dedicated to scholar and politician Michizane Sugawara. We also spent time at the shopping and entertainment arcade Canal City Hakata where we found the truly enjoyable Ramen Stadium, a must experience for even the most discerning ramen lovers.

Next we visited Saga and spent the entire day exploring the Yoshinogari Historical Park. This incredible archaeological site takes you back to the Yayoi Period of Japan’s history to show what life was like as Japan transformed into more of an agricultural society and culture. What a way to cap off the experience! We will surely return for more outstanding adventures! Please check out our Destinations and Japan pages for even more amazing views of Kyushu.

In this episode, we wrap up our amazing trip to Kyushu with a couple of quick stops in the Fukuoka and Saga prefectures. Fukuoka provided a convenient port of entry and exit from Kyushu, so we stayed overnight and explored some of the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, dedicated to scholar and politician Michizane Sugawara. We also spent time at the shopping and entertainment arcade Canal City Hakata where we found the truly enjoyable Ramen Stadium, a must experience for even the most discerning ramen lovers.

Next we visited Saga and spent the entire day exploring the Yoshinogari Historical Park. This incredible archaeological site takes you back to the Yayoi Period of Japan’s history to show what life was like as Japan transformed into more of an agricultural society and culture. What a way to cap off the experience! We will surely return for more outstanding adventures!

In this episode, we head back for a quick stop over in the Kumamoto prefecture. Kumamoto is located in the center of Kyushu along the western coast. Among the attractions of Kumamoto are Mount Aso, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, Kumamoto Castle in the capital city of Kumamoto, and Kurokawa Onsen (or hot spring baths).

Our adventures took us through Kumamoto twice; once to visit Mt. Aso and Kurokawa, and another trip to visit Kumamoto castle. Highly recommend Kurokawa – such an amazing town with charming ryokan inns in a delightfully natural setting. Definitely a must stop to experience traditional Japanese hospitality and rejuvenate your spirit. Next we stopped over in Kumamoto city for a quick visit to the castle. Unfortunately, the castle was damaged by two powerful earthquakes in 2016 so the inner grounds were closed to the public but we were still able walk around the outside of the castle to get an idea of the sheer size of the complex as well as view the restoration in progress. In addition, the shops at the entrance to the castle offer a great spot to get some refreshments or souvenirs. And don't forget to check out our Destinations and Japan pages for even more itinerary ideas. Enjoy!

We took a week off to catch our breath but are back this week with a quick stop over in the Kumamoto prefecture. Kumamoto is located in the center of Kyushu along the western coast. Among the attractions of Kumamoto are Mount Aso, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, Kumamoto Castle in the capital city of Kumamoto, and Kurokawa Onsen (or hot spring baths).

Our adventures took us through Kumamoto twice; once to visit Mt. Aso and Kurokawa, and another trip to visit Kumamoto castle. Highly recommend Kurokawa – such an amazing town with charming ryokan inns in a delightfully natural setting. Definitely a must stop to experience traditional Japanese hospitality and rejuvinate your spirit. Next we stopped over in Kumamoto city for a quick visit to the castle. Unfortunately, the castle was damaged by two powerful earthquakes in 2016 so the inner grounds are closed to the public but you can still walk around the outside of the castle to get an idea of the sheer size of the complex as well as view the restoration in progress. In addition, the shops at the entrance to the castle offer a great spot to get some refreshments or souvenirs. Enjoy!