Tag: turquoise

Tulum Travel Diaries; Dreamy Blue Waters At ATIK

March 4, 2026

Primarily found on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, cenotes are natural, crystal-clear sinkholes formed by the collapse of limestone bedrock, revealing fresh groundwater underneath. So during our stay in Tulum we made it our mission to visit some of the best in the nearby area, one of which being ATIK.

Just a short 30 minute drive out of central Tulum town, it cost about £20 per person for entry to the park which features a number of cenotes, as well as some fantastic art installations.

Arriving in the mid afternoon, it wasn’t too busy so we were able to walk around the park and get photos without any crowds or many other people at all.

We started by exploring the art installations which feature the theme of skulls.

Not my usual taste of art, but the striking wall of colourful skulls made for some great content.

Continuing further into the thicker jungle canopy, there is a ginormous stone effect head sculpture.

Incongruous in its surroundings, this sculpture makes for quite the spectacle amongst the greenery of jungle growing around it.

I couldn’t get over the size of the thing, it made for a brilliant shot of me in front demonstrating its towering size.

Around the corner there was a set of two smaller head sculptures in another clearing which were giving spooky vibes, I wasn’t a fan of those if I’m honest!

It was time to move onto the main event of those dreamy turquoise blue cenotes.

The biggest cenote in the centre of the park is a classic open air one framed with impressive limestone cliff faces.

Nothing matches the magical blue colour of those waters making it feel like you are no longer even on earth, it’s just too perfect.

Although there were a few people swimming, unfortunately it was an overcast day and we weren’t brave enough for a chilly dip.

However on the other side of the cenote pool, there was a large wooden ladder from where we got some picturesque shots.

The way the luscious green vines frame the cenote so perfectly, it’s an Instagram girl’s dream.

I wore my bright coral one piece swimsuit making for an aesthetic colour contrast against the turquoise backdrop.

Another iconic photo spot at ATIK is the small pool within the jungle with a walkway up to another head sculpture.

With the shadows of the jungle canopy above, this photo spot made for a more moody shot.

ATIK park is just made for photos and filming, me and my boyfriend were in our element.

There was also another medium size cenote where there is a manmade large waterfall feature.

Again it wasn’t the perfect weather for taking a dip, but of course we got a few more pics here too.

On reflection, it would’ve been better to go on warmer day in order to experience the cenotes in all of their glory and enjoy bathing in their beautiful blue waters.

That’s not to say we didn’t have a successful trip though as the content we captured was just what I envisioned.

If you’re looking for an Instagramable location whilst visiting the area of Tulum, bookmark ATIK for the most picture perfect backdrops with a touch of abstract artistic edge ❤

Bali Diaries; Nusa Penida Island

February 2, 2025

Happy Sunday! We’re winding down after another awesome week here in Bali, so I thought I’d share some highlights of our trip to the island of Nusa Penida yesterday. I booked the trip with a local via Instagram and the total cost was 950k IDR per person, which is just under £50. Comparing this to prices online it seemed the best deal which is usually the case if you book through the locals.

Our day started bright and early with pickup from our villa at 6am to get to the port where the boat was departing at 7am. It took about 45 minutes to get over to the island of Penida where our driver for the day was ready to greet us.

First stop was Diamond Beach, an absolute paradise on earth with the white sand beach and crystal clear turquoise water. We trekked down the precarious stairs to walk along the beach, but you are not allowed to swim as the tide is too dangerous.

Salty toes and that warm ocean breeze was heavenly.

Next stop was the Thousand Island viewpoint where there is the famous instagram spot Tree House Molenteng. Unfortunately they make you pay for a photo here and there was a very long wait, so with the peak midday humidity we decided to pass on this.

It was then a long hour and a half car journey through the jungle roads to Kelingking Beach.

Another jaw dropping view out over the cliffs where many tourists come to get that iconic Instagram snap.

The tropical rain had started at this point so we didn’t walk very far down, but the view from the top overlooking Kelingking cliff faces was magnificent.

1:30pm and it was time for a well deserved lunch at a local Warung, also included in the cost of our trip. I had a fresh garden salad with a coffee and my boyfriend had a tasty sweet and sour chicken dish with rice.

With a long journey back to Bali mainland ahead of us, we caught the fast boat back from the island at 3pm and were driven home to our villa again. Bali traffic, particularly in Canggu gets hectic at rush hour, so it was 5:30pm by the time we arrived back at Casa Cherish.

A long day of travelling and hiking, but very much worth it to have seen these iconic natural wonders of Bali.

Diamond Beach was the highlight for me; it’s pure paradise which got me in a tropical state of mind ❤