“Paradise” is a decision to see your world with new eyes

There's this thing that happens when you live somewhere long enough. You stop seeing it. The familiar becomes invisible, the everyday becomes ordinary, and before you know it, you're walking past paradise without even noticing.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately, especially as I watch my friends scroll through Instagram, sighing over pictures of bamboo bars in Bali, beach clubs in Barbados, and tropical getaways that look like something out of a dream. "I wish we had places like this in Guyana," they say, and I nod along because, honestly, I used to think the same thing.

But what if we're wrong? What if we've just forgotten how to see our own backyard with fresh eyes?

I had a theory, and last week I decided to test it. I did a little photoshoot at a place I drive pass everyday to get to work, you know, just playing around with angles, capturing some behind-the-scenes content for my followers. The photos turned out gorgeous: tropical vibes, bamboo textures, that golden hour lighting that makes everything look like a vacation.

So I posted a teaser. One simple photo with the caption: "Guess my location "

The responses flooded in. "Barbados" "Jamaica" "Grenada" Some people even guessed Punta Cana and Mexico! Comment after comment, guess after guess and only one person said Seawall, and that's because she saw me there when I was doing the photoshoot! (Hey Vishyyy!) and you know what? People laugh reacted to her Seawall comment cause it sounded like a big joke!

Everyone was convinced I had hopped on a plane to some exotic Caribbean destination. The irony? I was sitting 15-20 minutes from most of their houses, right here on the Sea Wall in Georgetown.

That's when it hit me that my theory was indeed right! We've trained ourselves to see paradise everywhere except where we actually live

The place that fooled everyone? Coconut Cove! And let me tell you the story of how this little slice of paradise came to be right under our noses.

A mother and son, the Coates family, who carried their Caribbean heritage like a treasure chest from the islands to Essequibo. The mother said her mom once had a place called "Breadfruit Cove", her own little haven where stories were shared and memories were made. When life brought them to Guyana, she looked around at all the coconut trees dotting the Essequibo landscape and knew exactly what her new chapter would be called.

For years, they nurtured Coconut Cove in the countryside, creating something special away from the city's rush. But dreams have a way of growing, and when the opportunity came to set up shop on Georgetown's Sea Wall, they didn't hesitate.

About a year ago, they transformed a simple waterfront spot into what can only be described as a tropical escape. Bamboo bars, natural wood carvings, branches that sway with the Atlantic breeze, every detail carefully chosen to transport you somewhere that feels like vacation.

Their "Tiki Coco Cocktail" bar sits at the heart of it all, crafted from bamboo and branches like something you'd find at a high-end resort. But this isn't about copying anyone else's paradise, this is about creating their own.

Walking into Coconut Cove feels like stepping through a portal. The menu reads like a love letter to comfort, WINGSSSS! Burgers, Fish, Fries, wedges, PLANTAINSSS!! and extensive cocktail menu.

But here's what really gets me, it's not just about the food or even the gorgeous setup. It's about the feeling. You sit there, sea breeze in your hair, surrounded by all this natural beauty, and suddenly you remember what it's like to slow down. To actually be present. To feel like you're somewhere special.

Those Instagram photos that make us dream of faraway places? I recreated every single vibe right here at Coconut Cove! The tropical aesthetic, the natural lighting, that authentic island feeling - it's all here. We just needed to look with intention instead of assumption.

The Coates family understood something we're all slowly remembering: paradise isn't about the fanciest restaurant or the most expensive destination. It's about vision, about creating magic wherever you choose to plant your feet, about seeing possibility where others see ordinary.

They didn't wait for someone else to bring Caribbean vibes to Georgetown. They became the change they wanted to see, one bamboo bar and one perfectly crafted cocktail at a time.

So here we are, with paradise hiding in plain sight while we scroll through feeds of distant shores. The next time you catch yourself sighing over someone else's tropical getaway, remember this: that feeling you're craving, that sense of escape and beauty and magic? It might just be a Sea Wall stroll away.

Sometimes paradise isn't a destination. Sometimes it's a decision - the decision to see your world with new eyes, to be present in your own story, to recognise that home can be just as magical as anywhere else.

We just have to remember how to look.

What hidden gem in Guyana deserves more love? Hit me up let's collab! 💋

📸 : Jay Carter