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vantemei · 7 years ago

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ok so fucking get with this: namjoon is exhausted after all the rushing around he had to do for seoul fashion week and decides to treat himself to a vacation. a friend of his, music producer min yoongi, recommends the four seasons resort at hualalai, where he took his husband hoseok after his mixtape went gold, and namjoon agrees. it's a bit pricy but it's practically nothing to namjoon after his three year streak of leading the underground korean fashion scene and making it big with his blog and magazine kimdaily followed by his own clothing line. so he books a one way ticket and rents a house for a two months at the resort.

namjoon can speak english well but he requests a korean speaking liaison anyways because it's so much more comfortable to not have to worry about what he's saying, it's his vacation after all. again, the agent he requested is recommended by yoongi, the kim taehyung who organized and prepared yoongi and hoseok's trip and subsequent proposal.

when he gets to kona he nearly goes slack jawed at the beautiful man standing in front of baggage claim with a tablet that says 'kim namjoon' on the front. his black hair looks cloud soft and his skin looks like he bathes in honey and gold. namjoon actually chokes on his spit when the man speaks, introduces himself as kim taehyung in perfect korean and leads namjoon to silver mercedes he requested to have for his trip.

he drives namjoon to the resort and shows him around his house, a simple one story with three bedrooms (for when his friends inevitably ask to come visit), the main room being in the back of the house right next to the pool with a california king bed covered in pillows with a large plush chair in the corner of the room and a hammock right outside between two trees. the walls can be pulled back to leave the room exposed and the pool has a jacuzzi next to it, the ocean easily visible from both. the kitchen is massive and the bathroom is luxurious, the tub large and comfortable looking with jets and a shower just next to it and a glass door leading to the outdoor shower.

it's jaw-dropping, nearly as much as taehyung is, and namjoon thanks him for the tour and taehyung leaves for his next appointment after giving him his number and assuring him that he is available 24/7 for namjoon's needs unless he is predisposed with another client.

namjoon has nothing planned for he first two days, intent on exploring the resort and just resting up in the house to recover from the jet lag and time difference. taehyung checks in with him on the second day to make sure he has everything he needs and namjoon asks him about restaurants in the area. taehyung is there an hour later in his uniform, knee length khakis and a light blue polo that looks oh so good with his skin tone, and he's takes namjoon on a golf cart ride through the massive resort, stopping at the restaurants and telling namjoon about the menu's and services offered. kim taehyung is good at his job and namjoon has a booked reservation for the beach front restaurant for that night.

the live music is beautiful against the dusk ocean backdrop and the steak is just as good as taehyung said it would be. he has a helicopter ride the next day over the island and taehyung drives him to and from it, blushing heavily when namjoon asks him to join him for lunch when he's still riding the high of flying over the island. taehyung agrees and they go to a cafe right on the ocean that has fresh sourdough bread and the best lillikoi juice on the island according to taehyung. taehyung asks about namjoon's life and why he decided to vacation at hualalai and namjoon tells him about growing up poor, alone, and surviving on a dream with his best friend yoongi.

taehyung nearly shouts at the mention of yoongi and he excitedly asks about how the rapper and his soon to be husband are doing. namjoon happily informs him of the summer wedding they have planned and taehyung swoons remembering the romantic night he helped yoongi plan.

after that namjoon asks taehyung out more. to lunches, to accompany him to the aquarium on oahu for the day, they talk more and more each time, spending more and more time together as the month progresses. namjoon knows they're held back by the role of client and agent, that dating will get taehyung in a lot of trouble, so he makes the excuse of needing a translator when he wants to spend time with the younger.

he learns more and more about taehyung with everyday, because when they aren't together, namjoon texts him, asks him about his day, about his health, about anything he can think of for even a second more to talk to teahyung. he learns a lot through those small questions. he learns that taehyung is going to college online to finish his masters in foreign language. he speaks nine languages fluently and is working on four more currently. he's most confident in korean because he was raised with it as his first language by his parents, followed by english and then japanese. next is mandarin and then spanish and tagalog. thai and ilocano are fluent but a bit rougher and then cantonese and arabic. he's working on portuguese, bengali, russian, and french. when he first told namjoon the elder had been at a complete loss for words, amazed at taehyung's dedication. taehyung's reason for learning so many languages since he was young was that he wanted 'to make friends with and help as many people as possible'.

every time they see each other namjoon is just more and more enamored and he knows he's a goner for kim taehyung.

#OK SO THIS IS BASED ROUGHLY OFF THE #BOY WHO WAS A GOLF BOY AT THE RESORT WHILE I WAS WORKING AS A VACATION PLANNER #HE SPOKE SO MANY LANGUAGES AND WAS SO FUCKING CUTE #VMON FOR THE WIN #THIS IS STUPID BUT THERE"S MORE COMING #vmon #bts #bts drabble #bts vmon #vmon fanfiction #vmon fic #vmon au #My Paradise is with You #listen to hyung

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coolcancunyachts · 3 years ago

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Visiting Isla Mujeres for the Weekend

Isla Mujeres (Isla) is by far one of Allan and my favorite spots to escape Playa del Carmen for a short weekend trip. Besides having one of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen, Isla posses this wonderful island charm that is hard to come by. After having spent the past weekend exploring the island for the first time, both Allan and I are positive we'll be coming back again this summer.

Isla is only a 20 minute luxury, high speed ferry ride off the coast of Yachts for Rent in Cancun at Puerto Juarez and only costs roughly $15 USD round trip per person. The ferries leave every half hour during the day providing a lot of flexibility for Allan and I, who tend to try to cramp a lot into one day are are usually running late for something.

Once in Isla the four of us crammed into a small taxi cab with luggage and within 4 minutes we had arrived at Cabanas del Maria del Mar on the north coast of the island. Isla is only about 5 miles long and 1 mile wide, which make tranversing the island very easy. Most people travel by golf cart!

The cabanas provided a no frills, comfortable option at an unbeatable price (roughly $40 USD for a double room per night). The price is usually twice that but since we asked for a locals' discount we were able to secure the discount. The hotel sits right on the beach and includes a small pool and free continental breakfast. The rooms are nothing special but given the price and location, we will definitely be booking again!

Our arrival in Isla was greeted with heavy downpours and amazing thunderstorms which provided a wonderful light show. The weather did not deter us from veturing out for a stroll and some dinner. Low season (May - October) is a perfect time to visit since no one is around. For dinner we enjoyed some Asian cuisine and great people watching. The restaurant was located on what I call restaurant alley. The street is charming yet a bit cramped with a myriad of ethnic restaurants from Argentian and Italian. Between the outdoor dining, the pedestrians and the restaurant employees eagerly trying to solicit our business, I would think the street in high season would become quite crowded.

Back at the hotel that evening Allan and I took a dip in the pool which was literally like bath water. I guess there is something as a pool being too hot. However, it was so refreshing enough and helped us to relax and sleep through the night.

We woke up next morning to a picture perfect day. The water was this amazingly light colored blue that has to be one of the most beautiful beach sites I have ever seen. We ate our free breakfast of toast, coffee and juice under a thatched roof over looking the water, listening to classical music. What a way to start the day!

We decided to rent 2 golf carts for roughly $30 USD each from 9am to 5pm and used these to get around the island. One cart could have sufficed for the 4 of us but that would have meant 2 of us would be sitting on the back facing backward.

Carting around the island was the ideal way to get around. There are not a lot of cars and you really feel like you are on a Caribbean island. Isla is absolutely beautiful with gorgeous beaches and it seems people really care for their homes and shops. Storefronts are well maintained and painted in bright Caribbean colors like light blue and yellow. Parks are well groomed and you don't see much poverty or rift raft.

Our first stop for the day was at a turtle farm where they breed and raise fresh water and sea turtles. It was a great way to see the turtles up close and even observe other sea creatures in tanks like sea horses and octopuses. You can pick up rays, fresh water turtles and conch, but not the sea turtles. Then in the ocean in a decent sized enclosure was a nurse shark. I'd say our local guide was one of the highlights as he let us break a few rules which I won't discuss here, and he added a lot of smiles and charm, always ready to help us or answer any questions (in Spanish).

After the turtle farm we went to visit the home of a very eccentric guy who built his home all from recycled materials. The base the home floats on is made from plastic bottles. His home was originally in Puerto Aventuras, but it was destroyed in a storm, so he rebuilt in Isla. We observed his make shift residence from the shore as it appeared he was not home. We actually don't know the owner, nor have every met him and as he was not expecting us, I am not entirely surprised he was out.

For lunch that day we enjoyed an incredible meal at Pita Amore. The menu is small and really only consists of pitas stuffed with meat like chicken or turkey and vegetables. However, the food is so delicious, it's not only highly rated on Trip Advisor, it's also been visited by celebrity Chef Jacques Pepin and is also now one of our favorite lunch spots in all of the Rivera Maya. The inside of the restaurant is a bit rustic, but the food is so good it doesn't matter.

After lunch we spent some time on the beach outside our hotel, as yachts moored not too far off shore. The water was a warm 85 degrees and you could wade out hundreds of feet on the soft sand. It was one of those days and places where we began to think how lucky we were to be living in such a beautiful spot. We reflected back on our lives and what brought us to this point in our lives. We contemplated our friends and family who were all mostly back in cold climates not enjoying the warm waters of the Caribbean. And it wasn't like this was just a rare vacation for us - we live only about an hour away, and Playa del Carmen is arguably just as nice.

Dinner that evening was scrumptious Mediterranean food at Olivias which consisted of pita, kebabs, salad and moussaka. Olivias is also well rated on Trip Advisor. Without a doubt we'll be returning for dinner on our next trip this summer.

The following day was cloudy, but that did not prevent Scot and Allan from partaking in a small snorkeling adventure in a small inlet within walking distance of our cabanas at the Avalon Reef Club. From what I hear the variety and quantity of fish marvel that of Puerto Morelos. Scot and Allan think the hotel must feed the fish to keep so many in such a small area.

After snorkeling it was time to leave the wonderful island. Allan and I were already mentally planning another trip back before even departing. Isla Mujeres is just so charming and beautiful. We expect to return over and over!

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anestiefel · 5 years ago

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Jamaica vs. Dominican Republic: Which Is a Better Vacation Spot for You?

Getting There and Around in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic

Couples Swept Away Negril/Oyster

Of course, flight times to anywhere in the Caribbean are shorter from the South and east coast in the United States. Most flights from the west coast or the Midwest will likely require a layover. All major cruise lines offer sailings with Jamaica and Dominican Republic port calls (though these may be too brief to really get a feel for either place). Both destinations require a valid passport for entry. Visas are not required for U.S. and Canadian citizens in Jamaica, but visitors to the Dominican Republic are charged a $10 arrival tax, rolled into the airline ticket cost.

Jamaica: There are three international airports in Jamaica: Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Norman Manley International Airport in the capital city of Kingston, and (for smaller aircrafts) the Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios. Getting to Negril or Ocho Rios requires a two-hour taxi or shuttle ride from Montego Bay. Visitors can rent a car, but driving on the opposite side of the road may be too confusing for some and GPS systems don’t work well. There’s also very little public transportation on the island, so non-metered taxis are the most popular way to get around. Haggling for the rate is expected and visitors should always follow common sense safety tips.

Dominican Republic: Approximately six million people visit the Dominican Republic every year, and most of them arrive by air at one of the three international airports. Punta Cana International Airport sees the most visits, and it’s a privately owned commercial airport. Roads can be narrow and poorly paved, but the D.R. does have an inexpensive bus service that covers much of the country. Another option is to hire a guagua (pronounced wawa), an informal taxi network with vehicles that range from old vans to nice minibuses. These get packed with tourists and locals hitching a cheap ride. Note that tourists are usually charged much more than locals, so it’s smart to agree on a rate beforehand. Taxis are also available, but this option is super pricey.

All-Inclusive Resorts and Boutique Hotels in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana/Oyster

Tourism makes up a giant percentage of both Caribbean nations’ economies, so it’s no surprise that both destinations have seemingly endless hotel options from which to choose. Whether you want a cheap all-inclusive beach hotel or designer boutique digs with privacy and butler service, you can find all levels of luxury and budget in both destinations. That said, we do think that Jamaica has a slight leg up in terms of overall quality — especially for mid-range resorts.

Jamaica: The island is one of the all-inclusive capitals of the world, and one of the first Caribbean islands to introduce the leave-your-wallet-at-home (don’t really do that) concept to attract tourists who were tired of paying a la carte prices and hidden fees. All-inclusive resorts are especially popular around Montego Bay. The adults-only Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay offers 10 restaurants, eight bars, and free dance lessons on the beach. Negril is still home to cozy and rustic boutique properties with lower rates. Negril Tree House Resort is right on famous Seven Mile Beach, and provides free breakfast and yoga classes.

Dominican Republic: Punta Cana is the epicenter for tourism in the country, so it’s no surprise that the biggest hotel names are clustered together on the long stretches of white sandy beaches that make the area a favorite for family vacations, party-seekers, and honeymoons. One of the top contenders is the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, a massive all-inclusive resort with something for everyone: a large casino, 13 pools, 13 restaurants, waterslides, beach access, and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course. For something more intimate, Tortuga Bay Hotel Puntacana Resort & Club has just 13 rooms designed by Oscar de la Renta. To get away from Punta Cana’s tourist scene, Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa is a six-hour drive north and offers eco-friendly bungalows, an excellent spa, and a quiet beach.

Food and Drinks in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic

Office of Nature lobster shack, Negril/Oyster

It would be entirely possible to visit either country and subsist completely off of American chain fare: McDonald’s, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, TGI Friday’s, Applebee’s, and Burger King are just a few of the Western restaurants that cater to homesick (or maybe just picky) Americans. But it would be a giant mistake to miss out on the local food scenes in Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

Jamaica: One of the best parts of eating in Jamaica is how pervasive and affordable the local cuisine is. Casual jerk shops (jerk is shorthand for a spicy marinade rubbed on meats) line the roads and beaches. The menu usually consists of the aforementioned jerk meats, like chicken or fish, smoked over pimento wood and served with rice, beans, and plantains. Scotch bonnet peppers add serious heat, so be forewarned. Other easily accessible gourmet items include Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, sweet sapodilla fruit, and coconut water. The island’s history as an English colony means that tea is still regularly served in the late afternoons. Red Stripe is one of the most popular Jamaican beers.

Dominican Republic: Dominican dishes combine African, Spanish, and Taíno (indigenous people living in Cuba, Trinidad, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico) food flavors, using ingredients that are easily accessible in the Caribbean. Dominican staples to try include mangú, made from boiled, green plantains that are mashed and topped with sauteed red onions; fried plantains called tostones; and rice cooked with black or red kidney beans. Passion fruit juice, glass bottles of Refresco Country Club soda, and strong coffee with lots of sugar are favorite beverages. For the truly adventurous, have a slow shot of mamajuana, a homemade liquor made with rum, red wine, tree bark, spices, and herbs — it’s considered an aphrodisiac.

Activities and Nightlife in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic

Tensing Pen, Negril/Oyster

Apart from the obvious plethora of beach activities — swimming, paddleboarding, parasailing, and catamaran cruises — both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic offer tons for tourists to see and do. Most all-inclusive resorts put on some sort of evening entertainment, which can include traditional dances, comedy, and magic shows. Quality truly varies, and many American guests at budget D.R. resorts complain that these activities tend to be conducted in Spanish. We suggest getting away from the resorts for the best entertainment.

Jamaica: Jamaica does have beautiful sand beaches, but Negril is better known for its adrenaline-pumping cliff jump into the crystal-clear water below at Rick’s Cafe. Other popular activities include horseback riding in the ocean (the horses actually swim for part of the trek), waterfall swimming in Blue Hole, and taking the Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour to learn about reggae. Speaking of which, the island hosts several annual musical festivals and there’s almost always a dance party on the beach or in the nightclubs. In Kingston, Olympic runner Usain Bolt opened a sports bar and restaurant called Tracks and Records.

Dominican Republic: Activities in the Dominican Republic range from adventure (zip-lining through rain forest canopy) to history (walking tour of Santo Domingo). Ocean World Adventure Park is a popular place for sea lion shows. Scape Park at Cap Cana is a must-visit for a cenote swim, cave swim, and indigenous cultural exhibits. Outside of Punta Cana, most of the nightlife caters to locals and can feel intimidating to tourists, but Punta Cana has an epic nightlife scene that includes cave bars. Note that the water isn’t ideal for snorkeling or surfing in the D.R.

You Might Also Like: Jamaica Excursions: 6 Top Things to do in Jamaica

Language and Safety in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic

Occidental Punta Cana/Oyster

Though both destinations are extremely safe for tourists (especially most parts of Montego Bay and Punta Cana), there are two very specific caveats that might make some visitors uncomfortable.

Jamaica: Marijuana was decriminalized in 2015, and though trafficking and possession of the herb is still illegal, possessing less than two ounces of marijuana is considered a petty offense. Drugs are regularly offered to tourists on the beaches and in the streets, though a polite “no thanks” is usually all it takes to deter a sale. Visitors should be cautious of petty theft in Kingston. Also note that homosexuality among men is illegal and there’s a general hostility toward LGBT individuals. English is the predominant language in Jamaica.

Is It Safe to Visit Jamaica Right Now?

Dominican Republic: Prostitution is legal and visible in the Dominican Republic. With a quarter of the population living below the poverty line, it’s no surprise that many women turn to sex work. Boca Chica and the north coast’s Sosua are the two big areas for prostitution, and male tourists are targeted. Some of the smaller (and cheaper) hotels cater to this clientele, which can feel unsafe for families and female travelers. Spanish is the predominant language, which can make exploring the island and communicating outside of the tourist areas difficult for non-Spanish speakers.

Is It Safe to Visit the Dominican Republic Right Now?

Where to Stay in Jamaica

Our Jamaica Hotel Pick: The Caves

The Caves/Oyster

With its upscale boutique vibe, and dramatic cliffside setting, The Caves is considered one of Jamaica’s most romantic escapes. The 12 unique, private cottages and suites at this upscale all-inclusive property unfold along lush garden paths and dramatic seaside cliffs carved with steep stairways down to the water and into incredible grottos. There’s a clifftop bar, a grotto bar, and private candlelit cave dining on offer.

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Where to Stay in the Dominican Republic

Our Dominican Republic Hotel Pick: Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana/Oyster

The Majestic Colonial Punta Cana is one of three upscale all-inclusive sister properties on a beautiful stretch of Bavaro Beach. The property closed completely for two months in 2017 to thoroughly renovate the lobby and restaurants. It now operates almost as two resorts: the family-friendly side and the adult-only Colonial Club side. The 658 suites are attractive with marble floors, jetted tubs, and some ocean views.

Pricing for Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

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Traveling? Consider the Carry-On from Away

The Carry-On from Away

Still using dated luggage from the 90’s? Upgrade your style with the last carry-on you’ll ever have to buy from Away. With a USB port, 360 degree spinning wheels, a hard exterior shell, and a TSA-approved lock–it’s worth it.

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Some outfit inspiration, regardless of which destination you choose:

Caribbean Rookie Mistakes Outfit

Shop the look

Floppy Straw Hat

Nordstrom

Travel T Dress

Orvis

Saylors

Warby Parker

Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Simple Modern

Sandals

Zappos

Men’s Summertime Daywear

Shop the look

Pocket T

Carhartt

Khaki Shorts

Dockers

Golf Hat

Nike

Travel Size Sunscreen

Banana Boat

Shoes

Nike

Best-Selling Women’s Beach Look

Shop the look

Swimsuit Coverup

Harhay

Sunscreen Lip Balm

Banana Boat

Waterproof Phone Pouch

Joto

OnePiece Swimsuit

Amazon

Mineral Sunscreen Powder

Brush On Block

Mens Beach Resort Essentials

Shop the look

Tanktop

Neiman Marcus

Swim Trunks

Hurley

Sunglasses

Oakley

Sling Bag

Guess

Beach Sandals

Birkenstock

You’ll Also Like:

Face-Off: Cancun vs. Punta Cana

6 Stellar Destinations in the Dominican Republic That Aren’t Punta Cana

Where to Stay in the Dominican Republic for Every Budget

Where to Go in Jamaica: 5 Destinations You Can’t Miss

Getting There and Around

Couples Swept Away Negril/Oyster

Of course, flight times are shorter to anywhere in the Caribbean from the South and East Coast in the United States. Most flights from the West Coast or the Midwest will likely require a layover. All major cruise lines have sailings with Jamaica and Dominican Republic port calls (though these may be too brief to really get a feel for either place). Both destinations require a valid passport for entry. Visas are not required for U.S. and Canadian citizens in Jamaica, but visitors must purchase a tourist card on arrival in the Dominican Republic.

Jamaica: There are three international airports in Jamaica — Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Norman Manley International Airport in the capital city of Kingston, and (for smaller aircrafts) the Ian Fleming International Airport in Ocho Rios. Getting to Negril or Ocho Rios requires a two-hour taxi or shuttle ride from Montego Bay. Visitors can rent a car, but driving on the opposite side of the road may be too confusing for some and GPS systems don’t work well. There’s also very little public transportation on the island, so non-metered taxis are the most popular way to get around. Haggling for the rate is expected and visitors should always follow common sense safety tips.

Dominican Republic: Approximately six million people visited the Dominican Republic in 2016, and most of them arrived by air at one of the three international airports. Roads can be narrow and poorly paved, but the D.R. does have an inexpensive bus service that covers much of the country. Another option is to hire a guagua (pronounced wawa), an informal taxi network with vehicles that range from old vans to nice minibuses. These get packed with tourists and locals hitching a cheap ride. Note that tourists are usually charged much more than locals, so it’s smart to agree on a rate beforehand. Taxis are also available, but this option is super pricey.

All-Inclusive Resorts and Boutique Hotels

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana/Oyster

Dominican Republic:Punta Cana is the epicenter for tourism in the country, so it’s no surprise that the biggest hotel names are clustered together on the long stretches of white sandy beaches that make the area a favorite for family vacations and honeymoons. One of the top contenders is the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana, a massive all-inclusive resort with something for everyone: a large casino, 13 pools, 13 restaurants, waterslides, beach access, and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course. For something more intimate, Tortuga Bay Hotel Puntacana Resort & Club has just 13 rooms designed by Oscar de la Renta. To get away from Punta Cana’s tourist scene, Natura Cabana Boutique Hotel & Spa is a six-hour drive north and offers eco-friendly bungalows, an excellent spa, and a quiet beach.

Food

Office of Nature lobster shack, Negril/Oyster

It would be entirely possible to visit either country and subsist completely off of American chain fare: McDonald’s, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, TGI Friday’s, Applebee’s, and Burger King are just a few of the Western restaurants that cater to homesick Americans. But it would be a giant mistake to miss out on the local food scene in both countries.

Dominican Republic: Dominican dishes combine African, Spanish, and Taíno (indigenous people living in Cuba, Trinidad, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico) food flavors using ingredients that are easily accessible in the Caribbean. Dominican staples to try include mangú, made from boiled, green plantains that are mashed and topped with sauteed red onions; fried plantains called tostones; and rice cooked with black or red kidney beans. Passion fruit juice, glass bottles of Refresco Country Club soda, and strong coffee with lots of sugar are favorite beverages. For the truly adventurous, have a slow shot of Mamajuana, a homemade liquor made with rum, red wine, tree bark, spices, and herbs — it’s considered an aphrodisiac.

Activities and Nightlife

Tensing Pen, Negril/Oyster

Dominican Republic: Activities in the Dominican Republic range from adventure (zip-lining through rain forest canopy) to history (walking tour of Santo Domingo). Ocean World Adventure Park is a popular place for sea lion shows. The Indigenous Eyes Ecological Park and Reserve has 12 gorgeous freshwater lakes, three of which are available for swimming. Outside of Punta Cana, most of the nightlife caters to locals and can feel intimidating to tourists. Also note that the water isn’t ideal for snorkeling or surfing in the D.R.

You Might Also Like: Jamaica Excursions: 6 Top Things to do in Jamaica

Language and Safety

Occidental Punta Cana/Oyster

Though both destinations are extremely safe for tourists (especially Montego Bay and Punta Cana), there are two very specific caveats that might make some visitors uncomfortable.

Where to Stay:

In Jamaica: The Caves

The Caves/Oyster

Pricing for The Caves

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In the Dominican Republic: Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

Majestic Colonial Punta Cana/Oyster

Pricing for Majestic Colonial Punta Cana

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Traveling? Consider the Carry-On from Away

The Carry-On from Away

Shop Now

Some outfit inspiration, regardless of which destination you choose:

Caribbean Rookie Mistakes Outfit

Shop the look

Floppy Straw Hat

Nordstrom

Travel T Dress

Orvis

Saylors

Warby Parker

Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Simple Modern

Sandals

Zappos

Men’s Summertime Daywear

Shop the look

Pocket T

Carhartt

Khaki Shorts

Dockers

Golf Hat

Nike

Travel Size Sunscreen

Banana Boat

Shoes

Nike

Best-Selling Women’s Beach Look

Shop the look

Swimsuit Coverup

Harhay

Sunscreen Lip Balm

Banana Boat

Waterproof Phone Pouch

Joto

OnePiece Swimsuit

Amazon

Mineral Sunscreen Powder

Brush On Block

Mens Beach Resort Essentials

Shop the look

Tanktop

Neiman Marcus

Swim Trunks

Hurley

Sunglasses

Oakley

Sling Bag

Guess

Beach Sandals

Birkenstock

You’ll Also Like:

Face-Off: Cancun vs. Punta Cana

6 Stellar Destinations in the Dominican Republic That Aren’t Punta Cana

Where to Stay in the Dominican Republic for Every Budget

Where to Go in Jamaica: 5 Destinations You Can’t Miss

The post Jamaica vs. Dominican Republic: Which Is a Better Vacation Spot for You? appeared first on Oyster.com.

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asmirandaseesit · 8 years ago

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Vamos a la Playa

Hello again,

It’s been a while since we’ve last seen each other. As an update on my life, I’m a senior now, and after returning from Turkey I’ve spent the past calendar year basically doing nothing. I’ve been to a few new cities in the U.S., most notably Chicago, which I’ve been considering posting about solely to talk about the food. I’ll keep you posted as to what I decide to do.

Anyways, this time I decided to brush the dust off this blog to talk about my recent spring break trip to Puerto Rico. I apologize in advance for the low-quality photos, in a lapse of judgement I forgot to pack my camera... :(

So- to the fun stuff. Puerto Rico. Otherwise known as one of the random islands in the Caribbean that the U.S. for some unclear reason still has ownership over (we got Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and temporarily Cuba as part of the end of the Spanish-American War). If I were to summarize Puerto Rico in a few words, it would probably be: fun, and lawless. I can’t really think of anything else that would capture it as well as those two words. Popular would work too, since there were a lot of other tourists while we were there. It was like any Caribbean island I would have expected: an endless bounty of rum, fresh fruits, and sunshine, all topped with a Latin flair and failing economy (thanks for the tip, Disney). The people were all so kind and so interesting too! Basically all of our Uber drivers engaged us in a fully-fledged conversation and usually gave us recommendations on places to go/eat. The food was exactly what I would have wanted-- dishes emphasized seafood, plantains (served in any method possible), Spanish spices, and I never found myself in a shortage of avocados. What more could a girl ask for?

Needless to say, I’d give Puerto Rico a 9/10. I’m deducting a point off because this week cost me an arm and a leg. Restaurants were priced the same as places in Manhattan or LA, (understanding that I ate seafood practically every day) which was a rude awakening considering people had told me that Puerto Rico was relatively cheap. However, I don’t regret a single dollar I spent, I had a blast and that’s what matters... right?

To walk you through my experiences, I’ll go through the pictures first. We left Syracuse Thursday night for NYC, crashed at friends’ for the night to catch our 11 am flight Friday morning to San Juan. Shoutout to Kai for letting me sleep on his futon, again (you’re the best, and you always will be).

Funny enough, the day we left the entire Northeast was getting slammed with a snow storm-- I think there were a couple of inches in NYC. Man, never had I ever been more glad to be waiting in an airport, jetting off somewhere (literally anywhere) else. Cackling to ourselves at the blizzard outside, the squad and I boarded and took off on time for San Juan. Unscathed by the winter storm, we landed in San Juan around 4 pm that day-- I love when you fly somewhere and the second you walk out of the airport, your body is shocked by the temperature difference. Ahh, the sweet sensation of perspiration.

We quickly went back to our Airbnb, changed, and went out to dinner. Now maybe it was the travel- or the sangria- but this was one of the more euphoric meals I’ve ever had. We went to Casita Miramar, and all ordered the aguacates rellenos (stuffed avocados).

Yes, it was just as good as it looks. Better, actually. *drools* The shrimp was charred perfectly, served with a creamy red pepper sauce that was sweet, garlicky, buttery and just classically good. On the side were tostones (smashed fried plantains). UggGGHHHhh. We then split a guava panetela (divine buttery almost amaretto-y cake layered with guava jam) and were served complimentary shots at the end- called “chichaitos,” they’re traditional Puerto Rican rum shots with anise liquer and a few coffee beans added (usually three for money, love, and health). After slamming those down and being painfully reminded of my relationship with rakı, we went home to catch some z’s for the rest of our trip.

The next day, we rented a car to go to a beach about an hour out of San Juan. My roommate has a friend from San Juan, so we shaped a lot of our itinerary around his suggestions (turns out, the locals know what they’re talking about). So, we ventured out to Manatí, and visited the playa la Poza de las Mujeres.

The water was crystal blue, warm, and the beach wasn’t crowded at all. I had to stop for two iguanas to cross the road though, which was weird.

We then went out to dinner at a little place called Mere Pescao (where I got mahi mahi and plantain skewers) and then went out to drinks at La Coctelera on Calle Loiza. There, I got a rosemary and beet Tom Collins, which was OK but not my favorite. We also went to a Basque bakery and I got a guava pastelito (divine).

The next day, we went to probably the worst brunch we’ve ever had (DON’T go to Caficultura) in Old San Juan. The food was subpar and the service was horrendous. I would say the one saving grace was being able to try a Cortadito, a local favorite similar to a macchiato (the real kind, not the over-dressed crap you get at Starbucks). However, if you do want the real deal-artisanal Puerto Rican coffee, DO go to Cuatro Sombras. They roast all their beans in house (which are locally harvested from Yauco) and even offer special cupping demonstrations and tastings. We then walked around Old San Juan, which is absolutely adorable and reminiscent of Macau (or any other old Portuguese/Spanish town with cobblestone streets, brightly colored buildings and ornate white reliefs).

This is one of the castles in Old San Juan- nicknamed “El Morro” it served as a fort dating back to the 16th century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The next day, we were on the road by 7 am to go horseback riding on the beach in Isabela (2.5 hours west of San Juan). We went with a small company called Tropical Trail Rides, which was a 2 hour trail ride on 3 different beaches/through coastal brush. Coincidentally, our horses all embodied us in their own ways; Taína was the dark, ethnically ambiguous one (me), Cristal was the crotchety standoffish one (Audrey), Canela didn’t give a flying f*** about the trail ride or her job (Bella), and Whiskey was fully erect the entire time (Lily). Classic.

The four horsemen of the apocalypse

It was a really nice ride, and honestly I could’ve done it all day. We even got to walk over old U.S. missile launchpads in the forest dating back to the Cuban Missile Crisis! Love me some history.

After getting back from horses, we got smoothies and lunch/dinner at La Casita Blanca, a small local place in Santurce. I got the pastelón, which is essentially a take on lasagna but instead of pasta its sweet plantains. I didn’t snag a picture because frankly it wasn’t pretty enough, but trust me- it was DELICIOUS. Like a Puerto Rican moussaka- all the things good in this world, really.

The next day, we left our house at 5:30 am to catch the 9 am ferry to the island of Culebra. (Yes, you did the math right, Fajardo ferry terminal is an hour away from San Juan, and the ferry was scheduled for 9) - It’s an island about equidistant from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, approximately an hour east of PR. I was nervous about this ferry since I had read online it could be rough seas, and with my seasickness, I knew it could get ugly. Luckily, I could recline my head back so I felt fine- but man, the seas were unkind to us that morning. At least 10 people in my immediate proximity were stumbling over to the trash can/bathroom. People were dropping like flies! Bags were being passed left and right, people were toppling over pale and drenched with sweat... it was atrocious. Like a cafeteria food fight, but not fun. After an hour or so of that torture, we landed on the island and decided to rent a golf cart to navigate to/from the beaches around the coastline.

Drinking a piña colada on the 2nd most beautiful beach in the world. My white privilege is checking in right about now.

Flamenco Beach was gorgeous. The sand was fine and white, the water was bright turquoise, and the coastline was curved perfectly like a horseshoe. It was well worth waking up at 5 am to see.

After our time at the beach, we decided to go snorkeling for a bit at Melones Point and try to find some turtles. No turtles unfortunately, but we saw some cool fish and got a lot of hilarious snorkel photos in the water.

After a full day without food, I decided to get some sustenance at Zaco’s Tacos while waiting for our 5 pm ferry back to the main island- would recommend if you’re on Culebra, it’s reasonably priced and the tortillas are definitely made in house (as a Southern Californian, you can tell).

The next day, we had our zip lining adventure in El Yunque National Rainforest. Fun fact, PR is home to the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Parks system. So, when in Rome.

The rainforest was beautiful. The park was a combination of 8 zip lines, mostly short, but the longest was about 2000 feet long over unobstructed tree tops with a view to the ocean. Simply incredible.

Jacked mushrooms go zip lining

After our boost of adrenaline, we ventured into the rainforest to check out a suggested trail to a swimming hole in the river. The “hike” was about 10-15 minutes, really a casual stroll, but the swimming hole was beautiful, and well worth the confusing drive/30 potholes I ruined our rental car with.

Like basically any other body of water in/near Puerto Rico, the river was clear and there were these cute fish swimming around us the whole time. They kept bumping into me though, which I didn’t know to find endearing or creepy.

After another long day, we got food at this restaurant on the beach called El Alambique, where we got buzzed off more piña coladas (an ongoing trend over spring break) and I ate a seafood salad the size of my torso. The Syracuse game was also on at the bar the whole time, funny enough.

The next few days were slightly uneventful, as we had to return our rental car (the crappy Hyundai Accent we became so attached to, listening to Puerto Rican radio and counting iguana roadkill on the highways... final number of 26 FYI) and we had already hit everything on our itinerary. We ended up spending a day the the Renaissance Hotel on the beach in Condado, which was great because we got all the perks of staying there without actually dishing out the $400 a night!

Sipping on prosecco like I’m actually worth something

For lunch, we walked to a nearby food truck called Kabanas for the best fish tacos I’ve had in my life.

You really can’t go wrong with fresh red snapper though, can you?

Afterwards, we went home to get ready for dinner and happy hour. We went to a rooftop restaurant called El Punto de Vista in Old San Juan, where they have 2 for 1 mojitos EVERY DAY until 5 pm. Need I say more?

This place is known for their mofongo, which is another Puerto Rican specialty. Take plantains, fry them, mash them, then top them with meat/seafood and a sauce. This is mofongo with shrimp and garlic sauce. Come on, forget about it.

The next day, I went on a run around Condado to get some exercise. After realizing I hadn’t been that warm in about 5-6 months, it made sense why about 2 miles in I was dripping sweat. I ran around the lagoon and back and managed to snap this photo:

Ah, what it would be like to run this every morning

The next day or so we pretty much screwed around San Juan and ate a lot more. Our last night, we went out to La Placita de Santurce and it would have been like 150% more fun if any of us were in the mood to binge drink. If you’ve been to Hong Kong, I would compare this to a Puerto Rican LKF: a concentrated network of bars and clubs and drunk pedestrians crowding the streets looking for the next place to go. Good vibes, readily available alcohol, and a crowd with people young and old... it was the place to be on a Friday night.

Unfortunately, the next day I woke up with a sore throat, and what viral infection I thought I fended off right before break finally caught up with me. I took it easy my last day there, and we finished off with dinner at one of the most renowned restaurants in San Juan- Jose Enrique. To preface, it’s got 680 reviews on yelp and 4.5 stars, and at opening at 6:30 pm there was a line to get in about 30 people long. Was it worth all that hype? Maybe- the food was incredible, I got the snapper which was fried and served with a sweet potato puree and a papaya avocado pico de gallo. It was, in all worlds, a very good meal. If you can swing the wait, I recommend going here.

I’m not going to talk about the 15.5 hour horror story that was our trip back to Syracuse, but to give you an idea, it lasted from 12 am to 3:30 pm the next day. So, I’ll leave you with my favorite song right now, that we heard about 3 times a day in PR. It’s a bop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQP7kiw5Fk

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time!

Hasta luego~

Miranda

#travel #travel blog #puerto rico #san juan #food #spring break #caribbean #vacation #beach #if you like pina coladas #horseback riding #horses #zip lining #zip line #el yunque

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drtanstravels · 5 years ago

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We left off in my previous post having spent a few days hanging out in the beachside city of Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico before crossing back over the border into the US. The original title for this post was going to be A Tale Of Two Californias, Pt. 2; San Diego, California, because we spent essentially all of our time except for a couple of hours on this leg of the trip in San Diego, however, I realised that I didn’t capture any decent photos while there and the reason will become more evident as you read.

The purpose for our stay in San Diego was because Anna had been inducted into the Macula Society last year and this year we would be attending their 43rd Annual Meeting that would also be hosting a welcome dinner for all new Macula Society members. This was a pretty big deal because, not only is Anna now possibly the youngest member of the society, but she was also one of only three women inducted this time around. Besides the dinner, she would also be presenting at the conference, as well as chairing some events. Let’s now focus on the American leg of this trip.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020 I ended our last post when we were finally able to cross the border back into the US. When we came out on the other side we were a little confused; we were pretty sure that we were in the correct place, but all of the shops and signs were in Spanish and there were hispanic people everywhere. Had we made some kind of mistake, taken a wrong path, and were still in Tijuana? It sure seemed that way, but we hadn’t veered off the common path while crossing and if so, the signs definitely need to be clearer, because we certainly didn’t want to be subjected to that whole immigration process again! We walked around and eventually saw a sign that said “To Mexico” so we were definitely on the US side of the border, it just happened to be almost entirely hispanic as well. We got into an extremely unroadworthy taxi and went to the San Diego International Airport in order to pick up our rental car, a white Hyundai sedan. While Anna was inside the office signing all of the paperwork, it became apparent to me in the fading daylight that the car had a lot of bumps, scuffs, and scratches all over it. I took photos of them all, which Anna showed to the Avis representative, however, he told us not to worry, “You’ve got full coverage.” As soon as we got in the car, another thing became immediately apparent; the inside of this thing absolutely stunk of weed! It honestly smelled like the person who had just returned the car only rented it so they could spend a couple of days hotboxing.

En route to the resort at which we were staying was a giant factory outlet centre so naturally we stopped in there. There were outlets for pretty much every fashion label and store you could think of, this place was enormous, so Anna looked at the clothing outlets and I checked out the shoes and sporting goods ones, but it was almost impossible to find any sneakers that weren’t absolutely hideous. Denim Air Jordan 6s simply shouldn’t exist, but it was only awful stuff like that that I was able to find. As we slowly made our way through this sprawling mass of outlet stores, they began to get cheaper and cheaper until we found ourselves at a store we would see several more times over the coming days — Ross, a clothing outlet with the slogan, “Dress for Less.” I don’t recall seeing these stores when we lived in New York City, maybe they’re just predominantly in California, but apparently Ross is the largest off-price retailer in the US. When I was in my very early twenties, I for a time worked unloading trucks and stacking shelves in a similar store in Melbourne called Myer Goodbuy Clearance Centre, an outlet for excess, end of season, and just generally unsellable stock for the Myer department store chain. That place was just like being in a regular department store and you could get really good stuff at a great price. This particular Ross store was on a whole different level completely! It was kind of laid out like a thrift store with just random clothing items crammed onto racks, except in Ross the items were new and people were just ripping pieces off the racks, looking at them, throwing them on the ground, and then grabbing another. It was like the Wild West in there, people in cowboy hats fighting, but instead of over poker games or cattle rustling, they were fighting over extremely discounted clothes. Definitely a site to behold.

When the factory outlet centre was coming close to closing time, we got back into the weed-infused car and drove in the general direction of San Diego until we came to Rancho Bernardo, a kind of upperclass gated community where our resort, the Rancho Bernardo Inn, was located. Rancho Bernardo Inn is an enormous, Spanish-style resort set on a golf course, but it is also still at least a 30-40 minute Uber ride out of the main parts of town so we were going to be spending a lot of time there. When we arrived, a valet took our car to park it, giving a smile and a nod as the scent wafted out, and we checked into the inn. It was a bit of a maze to find our room, but when we eventually did it was big and seemed like a comfortable way to spend the coming days. The TV was already on when we entered, the home screen and movie options both inexplicably presented by Mario Lopez of Saved by the Bell fame. They must also get a few people stay there who become a little tired of the isolation of the place, because there was also completely free porn access in each room. Here’s a look around ours:

Entering our room once we had found it.

Those wooden doors opened out onto a large balcony, the view from which is the feature image for this post

Looking toward the entrance

Mario doing his thing

I hope that doesn’t mean all the movies star Mario Lopez

Just some of the other entertainment options available

Once we had dumped all of our suitcases in our room we went down to one of the hotel’s restaurants for dinner and then to the hotel bar for a couple of drinks while watching college basketball and playing shuffleboard again like we did in Vancouver. We still don’t know the actual rules to shuffleboard, despite them being posted on the wall in the bar, they just seem too complicated, plus the table had a slightly different layout this time so we continued to do it our way until the bar closed at midnight.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 Anna registered for the conference, met up with our friend from Spain, Rosa Dolz-Marco, who was also attending, and then I went down to have a coffee with them at the hotel cafe. Rosa had to leave so Anna and I walked around with our drinks, just exploring this vast resort, one so large that staff used golf carts to get around the grounds, and that’s not even including the golf course itself. I was wearing a Brant Bjork t-shirt and I’ve found that a lot of Americans aren’t particularly shy about giving you their opinions or asking questions so I wasn’t all that surprised when a grey-haired man with a handlebar moustache stopped the golf cart he was driving , turned to me and yelled, “Who the hell is Brant Bjork?” I told him he was a musician and the man then explained that Bjork was his own surname before driving off again. Anna soon had to be at the conference and I always love checking out record and thrift stores so my plan for the day was to head into the the Gaslamp District of San Diego, as well as some other nearby neighbourhoods:

The Gaslamp Quarter is a district of San Diego, California. It is a 16½ block historical neighborhood in Downtown San Diego, and is the site of several entertainment and night life venues, as well as scheduled events and festivals, including Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp, Street Scene Music Festival, Taste of Gaslamp and ShamROCK, a St. Patrick’s Day event. Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres is located one block away in downtown San Diego’s East Village.

The Gaslamp Quarter extends from Broadway to Harbor Drive, and from 4th to 6th Avenue, covering 16½ blocks. It includes 94 historic buildings, most of which were constructed in the Victorian Era, and are still in use with active tenants including restaurants, shops and nightclubs.

“Gaslamp District” is the more commonly used name of the neighborhood by local San Diegans, while “Gaslamp Quarter”, despite being on the entryway arch and all official city signage and banners, is rarely used by locals. The use of “Gaslamp District” is so pervasive by locals that it has become a shibboleth to determine who is a local San Diegan and who is a tourist.

I called an Uber to go into town and as I made my way through the lobby of the resort and approached the pick up area, who else was there on arrival but the man with the handlebar moustache, this time waiting with a fellow employee. “Hey!” he shouted. “Show this guy your shirt!” I humoured him by showing them both my Brant Bjork shirt again, adorned with a giant, red marijuana leaf, and they both laughed, shook their heads, and walked away. My Uber arrived and for a fee of US$35.00 plus more than half an hour of my time I was finally in town and it wasn’t really what I expected. The Gaslamp District had what looked like some cool places to eat and drink, but not a whole lot of shops I wanted to look at. Of course, going out in the evening would mean adding close to US$100.00 to our night out once you include after-hours fees to a ride in a taxi or Uber back to where we were staying, plus we don’t know how dodgy the Gaslamp District is after hours. The shops I wanted to see were deep in the East Village, and my guess is that none of the characters in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (above, right), ever once set foot into the East Village of San Diego:

In the latter part of the 20th century the East Village became known for its vacant buildings, dive-bars, and eclectic dwellings of artists. Prostitutes, drug addicts, and homeless people were common. Beginning with redevelopment, and particularly after the opening of Petco Park in 2004, the area became known for upscale restaurants and trendy shops, although it is still rife with homeless.

I first visited the record store I had intended to and then there were a couple of thrift stores a 20-minute walk away. I figured after paying that much to get here I might as well check out what I’d come to see so I kept walking deeper and deeper into the Village. Sure, the area had become a bit gentrified, as tends to happen often with the shittier areas of cities, but the homelessness was still rife, countless transients everywhere pushing all of their possessions around in old shopping carts. At one stage I thought an African-American guy was walking toward me, resplendent in his tattered rags and a trolley full of trash, but it turned out to be a white guy who was so dirty and grimy that his skin and hair gave him the appearance of being from a completely different race. I had several guys mutter what drugs they could sell me as they walked past and before long I was at the thrift stores. These stores were large, but not quite what I was expecting — There wasn’t a whole lot of goods for people like me that love stumbling across vintage crap, but instead catering to what appeared to be their main demographic, the countless vagrants in the area that were just trying to stay warm at night on the street. The other option for the classier of the homeless community was another nearby Ross outlet a block away.

It was now late afternoon and I had returned to the Gaslamp District and was just exploring the area, browsing in some of the shops and looking at possible options for if we did choose to spend a night out in the city, when Anna messaged me to tell me about the dinner plans back at the resort. I jumped in a cab so I could get back and have a shower and my driver turned out to be this fascinating Moroccan-born data analyst from Finnland who gets bored at work and drives for Uber to improve his already fluent English. We got stuck in traffic for a bit so our ride back to Rancho Bernardo took longer, but we had a really interesting chat on the way, a trip that cost over US$40.00. When I arrived home Anna was giving a talk so I freshened up and later went to dinner with Anna, Rosa, and their crew. The food was an American-international buffet, but the busiest station was true Americana, a build-your-own burger bar. After dinner it was back to the bar for a couple of drinks with Rosa and company. Take a look around Rancho Bernardo Inn, some stuff I found in town, and Anna having dinner with some international colleagues:

We were staying upstairs in that building

Now going back to the lobby

Still going…

…and going…

…getting warmer

This place is enormous!

Looking back at the entrance

Probably the most American canine-based publication I’ve encountered

Mario Lopez is huge in this town

Now having dinner with some of Anna’s international fellows

Thursday, February 20, 2020 Anna didn’t have anything on in the afternoon so we decided to check out some shopping malls, however, they were still about 30km (18.5 miles) away. The valet brought over our dope-odoriferous car, smiled as he handed us the keys, and it was time to hit the road. We soon came to another outlet mall and although she wanted to do some shopping, there is another thing that Anna surprisingly has a soft spot for whenever she’s in the US, one that I would never have expected — In-n-Out Burger. Despite the fact that we had just had lunch, we pulled up a seat in the old-school burger joint from the Happy Days era, and had a burger each before going to the shops. We spent a bit of time looking around, but there wasn’t a whole lot there, although I did manage to pick up a nice tie to wear to the dinner the next night.

Anna was going to have work drinks with her colleagues so I showered and went down to the hotel bar, which was showing the NCAA basketball. I pulled up a seat at the bar next to an older gentleman and we both took in a great game between Oregon and Arizona State, fortunately for us with it on mute and some music playing, otherwise we would’ve got stuck listening to Bill Walton talking about composting or his time hanging out with the Grateful Dead, anything but the game. I got talking to the guy next to me, an ex-Marine who had lived briefly in Broome, Western Australia before retiring in Florida, and then recently moving to the Rancho Bernardo neighbourhood. He said he moved to San Diego because his main hobby is sailing, but ultimately regrets it due to the cost of living and how spread out the area is. In fact, he was drinking in the hotel bar because it was the only one even remotely near his house. The old guy left after the game was over and Anna joined me in the bar for more shuffleboard to finish off the night.

Friday, February 21, 2020 The big day was here, Anna’s welcome dinner for the Macula Society would be later that night, but first after she gave a presentation and chaired a panel I would join them at one of their lunches. Might as well just pull up a seat and grab a bite to eat while they all talk shop. One of the Irish doctors in attendance had just been for a swim in the ocean, because it was about 25°C (77°F) and she told me it pretty much never gets that hot back in Dublin. After lunch we had a look around Fashion Valley mall, although there wasn’t a whole lot for me to look at, however, Anna took advantage of the situation and stocked up on miniature bottles of hand sanitiser, something that has been a little tough to come across for hospital staff in Singapore since the coronavirus outbreak. She bought 40 bottles to be precise. I just picked up an awesome pair of Andre the Giant socks and before long we were headed back to Rancho Bernardo again.

They had a really good band playing at the dinner, everyone one was standing around having more drinks, and Anna and I were catching up with fellows of hers from around the world that we hadn’t seen in quite a while. Soon we were seated, speeches were being made while several people felt the need to passive-aggressively hit their champagne glasses repeatedly with a spoon at the slightest hint of noise, and then after the main course, the highlight of the night for us took place:

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Moments like this make me extremely proud, especially, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Anna was one of only three women inducted this year and is now possibly the youngest member of the Macular Society. It’s just a shame she didn’t get to keep that saxophone. The rest of the dinner was spent doing more mingling and catching up, interspersed with Anna being congratulated and being asked to be in photos. When the band wrapped up and the dinner came to a close, the older doctors and professors went back to their rooms, while some of the younger ones went down to the bar for more drinks and some drunken, novice attempts at shuffleboard with the uninitiated. The barman had seen Anna and myself every night since we had been at Rancho Bernardo Inn and asked what the occasion was when I went to the bar to get Anna a drink. I told him about Anna’s achievement and he soon returned to present her with a celebratory cupcake, the perfect way to cap off an awesome night. Anna with her fellows at the welcome dinner, as well as my new socks:

All of the new Macula Society members

The three newest female members

Had to take my opportunity for a picture while there was a chance

Anna’s celebratory cupcake

My new socks

Saturday, February 22, 2020 Our last day in California was upon us so we checked out of Rancho Bernardo Inn, got in our stinky car, and headed for Los Angeles, stopping off in Ladera Ranch to visit Anna’s uncle and auntie, Bob and Susan, the latter of whom is suffering from a degenerative neurological condition, so they were glad they had a chance to see us while the opportunity was still there.

(image source)

After the visit we were back in the general direction of Los Angeles. I mentioned the first time we came to LA how bad the traffic is, but what I didn’t mention is how difficult it is to navigate the closer you get to the city, a good example being this image to the left. That may appear confusing at first glance, but it is even more difficult in the dark using Google Maps and let’s not ignore the fact that there are many of these types of junctions. Sure, the traffic jams of endless SUVs make it relatively slow, but if you look closer you’ll notice in that image that in some areas there are four or more layers of traffic and in others you can be on a road following the same route directly above or below another road, making it impossible to figure out which path you are following on Google Maps. Add to this exits splitting into multiple exits, other exits barely metres after the previous exit, and if you miss the one you require, you may need to rapidly cross six lanes of traffic to counter your mistake by taking another exit, this time on the other side of the freeway. But there is no other option, the city is so sprawling with pretty much only taxis for public transport so you either have to drive or get driven.

We had given ourselves plenty of time to get to LAX so we had a couple of hours to spare before we needed to be there. We decided that we should get something to eat as the food in the airport lounge would probably be kind of ordinary, plus Anna knows that my favourite record store in the entire world, Amoeba Records, is on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood so that’s where we’d be stopping, we just forgot how awful that part of town is. It’s strange how revered and lauded Hollywood is, Sunset Blvd. in particular in music and film, the place where dreams are realised, but that is only for a small few. In reality it appears to be where all hopes are dashed. Our plan was to park in the lot out the front of the Jack in the Box across the street from Amoeba, but there was the small issue of the two violently alcoholic bums that would be directly in front of a car full of our belongings, one of whom could barely stand and the other who was screaming and threatening to glass him with a half-empty wine bottle. I made the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas comparison the first time we were in LA, but it is impressive how accurately they managed to encapsulate this city, the only main differences are that in reality the traffic is worse and the streets are dirtier, but why would you want blocked roads in a game that involves endless driving? Anyway, we contemplated the situation for a good couple of minutes, figured it wasn’t worth the risk, especially when there was a little tent city on the same block containing more people who would probably be more than willing to cash in on the items inside the multiple suitcases in our car. It turned out that there was a multi-storey parking lot with guards just around the corner so we dropped off the car and went to Amoeba. I won’t bore you with the details of me shopping, I could’ve spent all day there and picked up some great stuff, it was just fortunate that we hadn’t gone the day before, because Ozzy Osbourne had done an in-store signing there. Don’t get me wrong, I love Black Sabbath, but it would’ve made looking around a tad difficult, where as now I could embrace it. Time was soon running out so we went to a Japanese restaurant around the corner for some dinner, then it was back in the car and on our way to the the airport. Our last day in California:

Anna with her auntie

Me with her uncle

“Parking there might not be that bad…”

Although this guy threatened to cut a dude out the front

“Hollywood is like Picasso’s bathroom.” ― Candice Bergen

It was worth the traffic and lack of public safety just to visit this place again

Took this the day after Ozzy was there

After dinner we were in the car for the final time. Google Maps was trying to get us to go back on the freeway in a huge arcing loop of endless traffic that would most likely result in us taking multiple wrong exits in order to get to the airport, when there was also another more direct route through back streets that would take essentially the same amount of time. Obviously we opted for the second option and got to the airport completely hassle-free with time to spare. We dropped the Hyundai off at the Avis lot at LAX, hoping we didn’t smell like pot after a day of sitting in that thing, and then had to take a shuttle to get to our terminal, the driver supposed to tell us when we arrived. Only she didn’t, she drove straight past it without us knowing and about half an hour later we were back at the Avis lot. The driver told us she had forgotten that we were stopping there, but wouldn’t forget this time so after close to an hour on the shuttle we were finally ready to check in, leaving us in the usual mad rush that we always seem to end up in, despite initially arriving at the airport with plenty of time remaining. I hate airports at the best of the times, but the ones in the US are among the worst, all patrolled by security staff not smart enough to pass the police exam, but still with the cop mentality. When we had our boarding passes we went through security and the first point was the sniffer dog phase, despite the fact that we were leaving the country and would be arriving in one with some of the strictest drug laws in the world. One security guard at the back was telling the line not to stop, just forcing us to keep moving, yet the guard at the end near the dogs was telling everyone to stop moving forward and back up, causing a bit of a squishy situation in the middle of the queue. Then it was on to the metal detectors, where you have to remove boots, but not shoes. One man in the line who clearly didn’t understand English just saw people taking their boots off so he decided to do the same with his sneakers. “Sir! SIR!” the security guard shouted into the crowd angrily, but the man had no idea it was him being yelled at, he was just doing what almost everyone else was doing. The guard approached him and continued shouting, but the man had no idea what was going on, he just put his shoes in the tray, and went through the metal detector while the guard rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath. After a quick stop in the lounge and changing into some cooler clothes, we were seated and on our way home.

This was an awesome trip, we absolutely loved Mexico and had a complete blast there and yes, we may have spent our time in a more tourist-friendly area, but when we returned, people in both the US and Singapore couldn’t believe we weren’t attacked or killed, but to be honest I felt a lot safer in Mexico than I have any time on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood! It would’ve also been cool to see a bit more of San Diego and get some photos around the town, if we go again we’ll try to stay in the city, but it was all worth it to see Anna get welcomed into the Macula Society.

The second part of our recent trip, arriving in San Diego from a vacation in Mexico so Anna could be welcomed into the Macula Society, before trying to navigate freeways in Los Angeles. We left off in my previous post having spent a few days hanging out in the beachside city of Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico before crossing back over the border into the US.

#airports #homeless #Los Angeles #Macula Society #San Diego #traffic

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charllieeldridge · 5 years ago

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19 Fun Things To Do in Isla Mujeres

For such a small, sleepy place, there’s a wide variety of things to do in Isla Mujeres — an island located off the coast of Cancun in Mexico. Translated from Spanish, Isla Mujeres means the “Island of Women”, named after the Mayan Goddess Ixchel, the Goddess of fertility and happiness.

There are numerous incredible places to visit in Mexico, but make sure you add Isla Mujeres to the list!

A quick, 20-minute ferry ride from Cancun will whisk you away to an island paradise of warm turquoise waters, swaying palm trees and white silky sand beaches.

Isla Mujeres is perfect for a day trip but we recommend staying longer, especially if you want to escape the party scene and all of the crazy things to do in Cancun. This is the place to come to enjoy a relaxing island break.

Note: This post has been updated December, 2019 to reflect current rates, attractions and things to do (and not do) in Isla Mujeres. Enjoy!

In this post, I’ll list the top 19 things to do in Isla Mujeres you don’t want to miss, but first…

Getting To & From Isla Mujeres

You have different options to get to Isla Mujeres from the Cancun Airport — either by bus, taxis at the airport, or private transportation booked prior to your arrival.

Many people opt to take private transportation to Isla Mujeres booked with Cancun Airport Transportation. The vehicle provided is a van, and the ride is private — if you book it, you get the vehicle to yourself. You can also share with a group of people to reduce the cost. The vans include a bilingual driver, air conditioning, and insurance.

To get from the Cancun airport to Isla Mujeres, the cost of the whole van would be $45 one-way, or $75 round trip. Click here to learn more.

1. Laze On The Pristine Playa Norte Beach

A 10-minute walk from the Ferry Pier is the popular beach of Playa Norte or North Beach. This is the main beach on Isla Mujeres and has been named one of the best beaches in the Caribbean! The water here is calm, and shallow, making it a great spot for families or for just a chilled out day of floating around.

2. Check Out Punta Sur

Punta Sur is located on the southern tip of Isla Mujeres. Here you can visit the Pre-Colombian Mayan Ruins of Ixchel, or simply admire the stunning rocky views. This is a gorgeous place to simply come and enjoy the scenery.

If you’re looking for a great place to relax, snorkel and have a drink in Punta Sur, check out Garaffon de Castilla — which is located next to the Garrafon Reef Park (which we list below, and don’t recommend). For 100 pesos ($5), you have access to the lounge chairs, showers, change rooms and snorkel gear as well. This is a nice, mellow spot to relax during the afternoon.

Garrafon Reef Park is located next door and is home to the Sculpture Garden, ziplining, and other “resort” type things. In 2001 the Sebastian Foundation and 23 famous artists from Mexico and around the world created sculptures to represent the Mayan civilisation.

Note: While we recommend visiting the southern part of Isla Mujeres, Goats On The Road does not support Garrafon Park due to the fact that captive dolphins are kept here. Be a responsible traveller and consider where you want your tourism dollars to go.

☞ See Also: Things To Do in Playa del Carmen – a list of the top 21 fun things you don’t want to miss!

3. Rent A Golf Cart (one of the best things to do in Isla Mujeres!)

To be able to experience all the things to do in Isla Mujeres we recommend that you rent a golf cart for the day. This is completely normal and is a popular thing to do.

There are many golf car rental agencies available around the ferry port and you can expect to pay $45 – 55USD per day for a 2 seater. If you wish to hire a golf buggy for a week you can expect to pay anywhere between $270 -375. The longer the rental, the cheaper the rate will be. You will need a valid driver’s licence in order to rent a golf cart.

And, if you’re into golfing, and not just riding golf carts, make sure to head to the town of San Pancho on the west coast. Golfing is one of the top things to do in San Pancho, the course there is well kept and very nice! Or, there are some great golfing opportunities in Cancun as well.

4. Join a Yoga Class

The Treehouse overlooks Playa Norte and it is a paradise for yoga lovers. Enjoy an early morning sunrise yoga class or an evening sunset class.

If you’re looking to get some exercise during your trip, practicing yoga is one of the top things to do in Isla Mujeres. Prices start at $20 for 90 minutes and there are classes to suit all levels. For the latest timings, and classes check out their Facebook page.

⇒ See Also: 21 Things To Do in Mazatlan

5. Walk Around Centro & Admire The Sea Wall Murals

As responsible travellers, we’re all for the preservation of our world’s ocean and we were delighted to see the ‘Sea Wall Murals’ of Isla Mujeres. These murals were created by various top street artists from around the world to raise awareness of marine species threatened by extinction in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.

☞ See Also: Things To Do in Puerto Vallarta – a list of the Top 20 things you don’t want to miss!

6. Day Trip to Isla Contoy

Isla Contoy is located 30 km north of Isla Mujeres. This natural wildlife reserve and bird sanctuary is 9 km long and 20 metres wide and was declared a National Park in 1998.

Isla Contoy is one of the most important areas in Mexico for nesting sea birds and sea turtles. There is a maximum of 200 tourists allowed to visit on a daily basis. A day tour starts from $75 per person click here for more information.

7. MUSA (Underwater Museum of Art in Isla Mujeres)

One of the most popular activities in Isla Mujeres is to visit MUSA, (Museo Subacuático de Arte). You can tour the underwater museum by glass-bottom boat and enjoy over 500 sculptures by the creator Jason deCaires Taylor.

For a better experience, and to get closer to the sculptures, head on a snorkelling tour or go scuba diving. MUSA was created to encourage visitors to visit an alternative area around Isla Mujeres taking the pressure off the nearby reef.

Underwater sculpture parks are created as tourist attractions, but they are also used as artificial reefs to help promote the growth of coral and the return of more marine life. A visit to underwater sculptures (by the same artist) is also one of the top things to do in Grenada, and the Bahamas.

The site in Isla Mujeres is divided into two galleries with 3 salons:

Salon Nizuc – at a depth of 4 metres and suitable for snorkelling, the Jungle Tour and the Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Salon Punta Sam – suitable for snorkelling

Salone Machones – at a depth of 8 metres and suitable for both snorkellers and scuba divers

For more information on booking click here.

8. Go Fishing

The turquoise blue waters of Isla Mujeres are perfect for deep-sea fishing, inshore fishing, and spearfishing. The best months for sailfish and marlin are from mid-December through to July. If you prefer tuna fishing the best months are between April and August.

Depending on what type of fishing you enjoy the most, there are many charter operators that will cater to your needs, ranging from charter boats to private yacht tours.

⇒ See Also: Puerto Escondido – The Ultimate Travel Guide

9. Swim With Whale Sharks

Another popular water activity in Isla Mujeres is to swim with Whale Sharks (it’s also one of the top things to do in Cabo San Lucas). During the summer months of June to September you can see these beautiful creatures. Whale Sharks can reach a length of 14 metres and they are really just gentle giants weighing in at around 15 tonnes.

Official regulating bodies have put a cap on tours at around $125 per person. The tour includes swimming with the whale sharks, breakfast, lunch, soft drinks, snorkel equipment and usually some time to snorkel the reefs.

It is illegal to touch the sharks and you must keep a distance of 2 metres. It’s important that you do your research and go with a reputable, eco-conscious tour company that regulates and respects the rules.

☞ See Also: Things To Do in La Paz – Mexico’s Chilled Out Town

10. La Tortuga Granja – Turtle Farm

Located on Sac Bajo is La Tortuga Granja, the hatching ground for the sea turtles on Isla Mujeres. From May to September these grand creatures lay their eggs in the soft sand where volunteers assist in gathering the eggs and placing them in pens to keep them safe from predators.

From August to October, you can witness the local children and tourists releasing the turtles into the ocean. As with the whale sharks, don’t touch the sea turtles. Entrance fee is $3.00 per person.

11. Get Underwater While Scuba Diving

Isla Mujeres has some of the best scuba diving in the Caribbean. Here you can enjoy some incredible caves, and an abundance of sea life — eels, groupers, snappers, turtles, parrotfish and numerous corals.

A unique experience is diving at the Cave of the Sleeping Sharks where a large group of reef, bull, and nurse sharks can be seen sleeping on the bottom of the ocean. At a depth of 20-30 meters, this dive site is recommended for advanced divers.

Other popular sites include the Machones Reef (800m in length), Tavos Reef, Media Luna, Punta Sur and the site of the Navy Boat Shipwreck (at a depth of 21m). Check out Squalo Adventures for scuba diving trips.

12. Joysxee Floating Bottle Island

An island made from plastic bottles! What a great way to utilize some of the excessive amounts of plastic on the island. If you plan to visit, make sure the creator Richard Sowa is in residence. He will come and collect you by small boat and charges 50 pesos ($2.50) per person to take you back to his island made from over 150,000 bottles.

Richard explains how he gathers plastic bottles from Isla Mujeres and creates a platform from them by placing them into bags. On top of the bags, he places wooden pallets, adding plywood, carpet, sand and dirt, rocks and then plants mangroves that assists in binding it all together. A visit here is one of the most unique things to do in Isla Mujeres. Update December 2019, sadly, due to a horrible storm, this island isn’t here anymore and is permanently closed.

13. Snorkelling in Isla Mujeres

If you are a beginner and haven’t done much snorkelling in the past, the best place to snorkel is El Farito. El Farito, to the north of the island, is shallow and perfect for beginners to see schools of colourful fish.

Los Machones is more suited to advance snorkellers with a depth of 35 – 40 feet. Other amazing snorkel sites include MUSA, Garrafon Natural Reef Park and Isla Contoy. For more snorkelling and diving, don’t miss Mexico’s most popular island and all of the incredible things to do in Cozumel!

14. Pueblo Magico or Magic Town

In 2001 SECTUR (Mexican Board of Tourism) put together a Pueblo Magico program to recognise Mexican towns that have a special appeal or magic about them in 3 categories.

natural beauty

historical

cultural

Isla Mujeres now shares the title with over 80 other towns and cities throughout Mexico. Isla Mujeres has a special charm to it, making it a place you will want to return to again and again. It shares the limelight with the charming cobblestoned village of Tepoztlan and its magical pyramid, San Miguel de Allende, San Cristobal de las Casas, Tulum and Taxco, to name a few.

15. Mercado Municipal

A visit to Mercado Municipal in Centro is a must on your list of things to do in Isla Mujeres. Not only can you soak up the local atmosphere, but the authentic food is cheap and delicious. For as little as a few dollars, you can enjoy the best fish tacos and empanadas on the island. It does close early afternoon so make sure you arrive around lunchtime.

16. Experience The Zocalo

Every Mexican town has a central square called a Zocalo (it’s one of the best things to do in Mexico City as well). I recommend visiting the Zocalo on Isla Mujeres in the evening, as you’ll find food vendors selling tasty local Mexican street food. Plus, there’s music, entertainment and dancing.

☞ See Also: Things To Do in Guadalajara: A List of The Top 21 Best

17. Go On a Shopping Spree

Shopping for authentic souvenirs and clothing is one of the top things to do in Mexico as a whole. You’ll find the usual Mexican souvenir shops in Isla Mujeres, but if you’re after Tequila or Mezcal, folk art, silver jewellery, hammocks, and Mexican ceramics there are certain shops that you should check out.

Some of the best shopping can be found along Avenida Rueda Medina, but don’t miss:

Galeria de Arte Mexicano – Av Guerrero 3 for silver jewellery

Galeria L’mento Arte – Av. Hidalgo, at Plaza Los Almendros for wooden boxes, ceramics and hand carved goods

Isla Mujeres Artist Fair – On the first Thursday of every month between November and April the fair takes place in the Zocalo between 4 pm and 9 pm. There are works of art, jewellery, clothing and book stalls with a selection of local food vendors offering Mexican cuisine.

18. Sunset Cruise on a Catamaran

A perfect way to end the day is to enjoy a cocktail or two whilst sailing at sunset around Isla Mujeres. A 3-hour boat tour includes beer, wine and snacks and starts from $85.00 per person. For more information click here.

☞ See Also: Manzanillo, Mexico: The Ultimate Travel Guide

19. Eat Tasty Food

You’re in Mexico, so it comes as no surprise that the food in Isla Mujeres is amazing! Not to mention, this is an island so you can expect some delicious seafood options. Here are a few restaurants you don’t want to miss:

Cafe Mango at Playa Obispo for local Mexican cuisine. A great breakfast cafe.

North Garden for breakfast by the beach on Playa Norte

Cafe Mogagua at Av Juarez at Madero for breakfast and lunch

If you’re backpacking Mexico on a budget, you’ll definitely want to check out the Mercado Municipal for cheap eats.

☞ See Also: Things To Do in Oaxaca: A List Of The Top 21

Ready to enjoy all of the things to do in Isla Mujeres?

Isla Mujeres is a perfect vacation destination for families, couples, solo travellers and backpackers. It’s one of those destinations that draws you back year after year and has so much to offer visitors.

Who couldn’t love its warm azure waters, perfect temperatures all year round, fun activities and the stunning sunrises and sunsets? Hopefully this list gave you some great ideas for things to do in Isla Mujeres on your next holiday. Have you visited Isla Mujeres? Add another activity or two in the comments below!

Images in this article are courtesy of Shutterstock.com.

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spanishwellsgolfcartrentals · 2 years ago

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Spanish Wells is a beautiful island located in the Bahamas that has become a popular tourist destination in recent years. Choose to Rent A Golf Cart in Spanish Wells to explore beautiful places in proximity vacation accommodation.

#Rent A Golf Cart in Spanish Wells #Spanish Wells Golf Cart Rentals Booking

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crazyblondelife · 6 years ago

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Bald Head Island - A Travel Guide

Our family has been going to Bald Head Island for 26 years and when I think of the beach, I think of Bald Head! I always look forward to summer days spent relaxing and spending time with family. Nature surrounds you on the island and stress melts away as you transition to "turtle time"!

Bald Head is located at the mouth of the Cape Fear River and In order to travel there, you have to take a ferry from Deep Point Marina in Southport, which is about 30 minutes from Wilmington North Carolina, that is, unless you have your own boat. Be sure to look out for dolphins swimming alongside the ferry as your going over to the island!

Once you arrive, a tram service takes you to your accommodations. There are no cars on the island (with the exception of emergency vehicles and construction trucks), so once you get there, you scoot around in a golf cart, ride a bicycle, or walk. There isn't much hustle and bustle, just lots of swimming in the ocean, reading, wine drinking and conversation.

It's a pretty safe bet that any time you see a beautiful harbor and a lighthouse in the distance, you know you're in for a good vacation. So begins your time on Bald Head...you'll love the beauty of the island including moss covered trees as you ride through the largest maritime forest, and the quiet beauty of natural uncrowded beaches. This island is small and intimate and it will quickly start to feel like home.

One of the main attractions of the island is the Bald Head Island lighthouse, otherwise known as Old Baldy. Commissioned by Thomas Jefferson, it is the oldest lighthouse still standing in North Carolina. It was activated on December 23, 1794 and directed traffic to the Cape Fear River and the port of Wilmington. There is a replica of the 1850's lighthouse keeper's cottage next to the lighthouse where you will learn about the maritime past of Old Baldy! After touring the cottage and learning more about the history of the island, you'll definitely want to climb to the top of the lighthouse for a breathtaking view of the surrounding natural beauty!

Be prepared for a workout when you climb the steps to the top of the Old Baldy Lighthouse! You'll be so glad you did when you get to the top because the views are breathtaking!

While you won't find a water park on Bald Head, there are 14 miles of uncrowded beach to discover as well as opportunities to paddle board, kayak, fly kites, surf and canoe. There are two clubs located on the island with swimming pools and delicious restaurants. The Shoals Club is just steps from the beach and provides beach chairs and towels. After you've spent time on the beach, the Sandbar Grill has frozen cocktails, salads, seafood and burgers.

I love knowing that my grandson Hudson will grow up going to Bald Head!

I took this picture just about a month ago as I was sitting on the beach!

Long walks on the beach will feed your soul as you soak in all the beauty of this amazing island.

Golf cart rides and kayaking are about as crazy as it gets on Bald Head.

The Bald Head Island Club includes a golf course originally designed by golf course architect George Cobb and recently renovated by architect Tim Cate, the Bald Head Island Club golf course winds its way over dunes, around lagoons, along the ocean, and through a maritime forest.

The Bald Head Island Chapel is a charming destination for weddings and has a beautiful view of the marsh.

The Maritime Market is the only grocery store on the island, but it has pretty much everything you'll need for your stay!

Two of my favorite shops are All About Art, which features work from local artists as well as gifts, and Room Service, which carries beautiful candles and housewares and also offers design services. Other shops include Island Passage for the cutest selection of beachy fashion, Coastal Urge for clothing and gear, Island Hardware for all of your hardware store needs, The Silver Peddler and Bald Head Blues for the best selection of "coastal clothes" for men and women.

The island is a nesting location for endangered sea turtle populations and you won't want to miss going on a Turtle Walk provided by The Bald Head Island Conservancy. There is so much wildlife to see...be on the lookout for creatures like River Otters, White-tail Deer, and Red Foxes. The conservancy also works to protect the maritime forest, sand dunes, marsh properties and keep the waterways healthy. Over 200 bird species use the Smith Island Complex as a feeding and nesting ground or a stopover point in migration.

Dining on Bald Head Island

The Bald Head Island Club

The Grille - The Grille is the Club’s primary and most elegant dining venue where lunch and dinner are served daily in the clubhouse. The menu features land and seafood favorites as well as appetizers the whole family can share and desserts you won’t be able to resist.

The Palms - The Palms features panoramic views of the croquet greenswards and hole #10 & #18. The relaxed social setting is highlighted with large screen televisions, a fully stocked bar, and an informal place to enjoy a cold beverage after a round of golf.

The Palms Terrace - The Palms Terrace is the Club’s newest dining venue and features al fresco dining for lunch and dinner surrounded by stunning views of the golf course and croquet greens.

The Ocean Room - The Ocean Room conveys an ambiance that feels exclusive and reveals outstanding ocean and sunset views. Throughout the season, especially during the busy summer months, the Ocean Room hosts larger events such as the annual Easter Brunch or Thanksgiving Dinner which feature lavish buffets, complete with musical entertainment.

Other Restaurants on Bald Head Island

Aqua's at The Shoals Club - As the Club's premier dining venue, Aqua's talented chefs present simple, yet sophisticated preparation that allow fresh, regionally sourced ingredients to shine. The main dining room is family-friendly, perfect for either dinner for two or a large gathering with all the kids to end a spectacular day on the island, watching the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

Delphina Cantina - Delphina Cantina brings the fresh flavors of Latin cuisine to Bald Head Island. Located in the harbor this lively restaurant serves Mexican food with a Spanish and Cuban flair.

Mojos on The Harbor - MoJo's delivers imaginative food, welcoming hospitality and a relaxed family friendly environment. They offer outstanding wines by the glass or bottle and new specialty cocktails, icy cold beer and the best view on Bald Head Island.

Honey's BBQ Shack - Located next to Mojo's on the Harbor, Honey's BBQ Shack serves the best pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken and BBQ sauces ever.

Staying On Bald Head Island

Rent a house, condo or cottage through Bald Head Island Rentals.

The Marsh Harbour Inn - Overlooking the Marina on Bald Head Island, this 10,000 square foot property dominates the Harbour Village landscape. Open, common area decks and porches provide ample opportunities to bask in ambiance of a seaside village and get to know your fellow guests and owners.

The Inn at Bald Head Island - Artfully placed in the heart of the Harbor Village, the Inn offers 10 unique bedroom suites each with their own full bath.

I hope you've enjoyed my little tour of Bald Head Island! It's truly a place that will capture your heart!

#travel #bald head island

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paulorodriguesfloridarealto-blog · 6 years ago

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janetchavezcom · 6 years ago

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15 Best Places To Vacation In South Carolina

It should come as no surprise that South Carolina is one of the best places in the USA to spend a vacation. It could be the tranquil beaches, spell-binding history, or full-blast of Southern charm and hospitality—or all of the above! We’ve rounded up 15 of the best places to vacation in South Carolina so you can decide for yourself.

Best South Carolina Getaways: Where To Stay

With so many good options, choosing where to stay in South Carolina can be overwhelming! That’s why at FlipKey, we did some of the leg work. We analyzed the lifetime average vacation rental review scores on TripAdvisor and FlipKey (FlipKey is a TripAdvisor company), for all South Carolina destinations. Then, we identified which spots were among the highest rated according to reviewer rental scores. Cities and towns needed at least 100 total reviews, and at least a 4.50/5.00 average score to rank. Travelers have rated the following 15 destinations as some of the best places to stay for a South Carolina vacation.

Seneca

Seneca’s charming character is best seen in its historic downtown—walk down tree-lined boulevards full of historic homes and quaint shops to see for yourself. Aside from its cute looks and historical appeal, Seneca is one of the best South Carolina getaways because of its prime location in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and on the edge of Lake Keowee, making it a great choice for families with energetic kids or anyone with a penchant for the outdoors. Grab a paddle board or a kayak and hit the water, then round out your day with a fountain soda or an ice cream cone from Hochstetler’s Country Store.

Find a great place to stay in Seneca!

Port Royal

Lowcountry natural attractions are at their best in the sleepy town of Port Royal, which offers close proximity to walking trails, a community beach, and plenty of ways to experience the area’s wildlife—especially the fish and birds that live in its estuaries. Take a fishing charter out on the marsh or walk through the Cypress Wetlands to experience the area’s nature for yourself and see why this peaceful retreat is one of the best South Carolina vacation destinations for nature-lovers.

Find a great place to stay in Port Royal!

Litchfield Beach

Located on classy Pawleys Island in South Carolina’s Grand Strand, Litchfield Beach is a dream come true for golfers. Play a round on one of the town’s many golf courses before jumping into warm ocean waters or grabbing a bite at the Eggs Up Grill. To take advantage of the quiet Atlantic waters ringed by marshes, rent a kayak or charter a boat for a full day of adventure.

Find a great place to stay in Litchfield Beach!

Saint Helena Island

One of South Carolina’s Sea Islands, St. Helena is one of the last remaining places to learn about the Southeast’s distinct Gullah culture; start your trip at the Gullah Center to learn all about Gullah origin and language. Other popular sights include the striking Chapel of Ease and Fort Fremont—two historic buildings covered in Spanish moss—and Downtown Frogmore, where you can find art galleries, shops, and restaurants serving up plates of fresh seafood.

Find a great place to stay on Saint Helena Island!

Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina, USA at the historic homes on The Battery.

Great food, fun nightlife, tons of attractions, and history galore, Charleston is one of the best places to visit in South Carolina and aptly considered the “Gem of the South.” Though you can stroll through downtown Charleston in just a couple hours, passing pocket gardens and hidden fountains as you go, the downtown area is packed with enough boutiques, museums, and historical houses and monuments to keep you busy for days. Look for rentals in the heart of downtown Charleston for easy access to the Battery, White Point Gardens, and the Charleston Market, or choose something in the trendy Upper King district to easily walk to Hampton Park and the hippest bars and restaurants. Flat terrain and a small area means that anywhere in Charleston is just a short walk or bike ride away.

Find a great place to stay in Charleston!

Bluffton

A young population and vibrant community set the coastal town of Bluffton apart from its nearby neighbors. Be sure to check out top Bluffton sites including the Rose Hill Mansion and the Church of the Cross—popular for its dramatic location overlooking the May River—and then head to Old Town Bluffton for a first-hand look at the city’s mingling of the old and the new.

Find a great place to stay in Bluffton!

Harbor Island

Private and quiet, Harbor Island is one of the best South Carolina vacations for beach-induced bliss. Find a vacation rental right on the dunes of the 1,400-acre barrier island for a taste of total tranquility, or take a 20-minute drive across the Sea Island Parkway and into Beaufort for all the amenities of town. Because it strikes the perfect balance of away-from-it-all and close-to-everything, Harbor Island is one of the best places to stay in South Carolina for a taste of the Palmetto State’s diversity.

Find a great place to stay in Harbor Island!

Greenville

Up-and-coming Greenville has evolved from a sleepy Southern town to a lively urban center in the foothills of South Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Stroll through the city’s pedestrian-friendly downtown to see why—plenty of boutiques, restaurants, and breweries await. Plus, Greenville boasts popular parks, museums, theaters, and a river walk, made all the more enjoyable by the area’s comparably temperate climate. Falls Park on the Reedy and the Swamp Rabbit Trail are two particularly popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts.

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Folly Beach

Just 20 minutes from downtown Charleston, Folly Beach is the the Holy City’s laid-back neighbor. Join the crowds sunbathing, surfing, and swimming on any weekend between May and October when the weather is warm, or enjoy the beach’s less-visited historical attractions such as the Morris Island Lighthouse. Folly Beach County Park is also a good choice for seeing the natural beauty of Folly Beach’s driftwood and sand dunes without the crowds.

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Mount Pleasant

A short drive from downtown Charleston and across the spectacular Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge drops you in the trendy suburb of Mt. Pleasant—the name says it all. The town emulates Charleston’s charm with farm-to-table restaurants and friendly boutiques, but is most popular for the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum, home to the docked USS Yorktown, and the Shem Creek area. Hit the marshy tidal waters of Shem Creek on a kayak or stand up paddle board, or slurp oysters and grab a beer while watching the sunset from one of the many creek-front restaurants with outdoor seating.

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Daufuskie Island

Accessible only by boat, Daufuskie Island is a living museum of Lowcountry history and nature. Though many people visit to see the popular Pat Conroy novel The Water is Wide come to life, others come to explore ancient oyster mounds, visit the 135-year-old First Union African Baptist Church, and learn about the mingling Gullah, Spanish, and Native American cultures that continue to shape the island. See it all in a day with a golf cart tour, or do it yourself by walking the well-marked Robert Kennedy Historical Trail.

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Kiawah Island

A beach getaway takes a classy twist on Kiawah Island, a favorite South Carolina vacation destination filled with golf courses, country clubs, and 10 miles of beaches. Even if you’re not a golfer, you’ll enjoy the picture-perfect sand dunes and swaying sea grasses that cushion the island in an away-from-it-all sense of serenity.

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Hilton Head

Consider Hilton Head your one-stop-vacation-shop: play a round of golf or tennis at more than 33 locations, ride a beach cruiser down the Hilton Head Island Bike Trails, or spend a full day playing in gentle Atlantic waves. Hilton Head is also home to a number of cultural activities, including the Coastal Discovery Museum, Harbour Town Lighthouse Museum, and a wide variety of art galleries featuring everything from pastels to metalworks. Hilton Head is no stranger to “best of South Carolina” awards, and its excellent rental review scores further confirm that it’s a great place to spend your vacation.

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Myrtle Beach

The kid-friendly Vegas of South Carolina, Myrtle Beach offers so much more to do than just relax on the sand. Myrtle Beach is one of the best South Carolina vacation destinations for families, known for its action-packed Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and the flashing neon lights of Broadway at the Beach shopping and entertainment complex. You can also catch a flashy music or dance performance, visit the kid-pleasing Ripley’s Aquarium or Family Kingdom Amusement Park, or take in miles of views on the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel.

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The post 15 Best Places To Vacation In South Carolina appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://www.flipkey.com/blog/2018/07/16/best-south-carolina-vacations-places-to-stay/

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kevingbakeruk · 6 years ago

Text

15 Best Places To Vacation In South Carolina

Best South Carolina Getaways: Where To Stay

Seneca

Find a great place to stay in Seneca!

Port Royal

Find a great place to stay in Port Royal!

Litchfield Beach

Find a great place to stay in Litchfield Beach!

Saint Helena Island

Find a great place to stay on Saint Helena Island!

Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina, USA at the historic homes on The Battery.

Find a great place to stay in Charleston!

Bluffton

Find a great place to stay in Bluffton!

Harbor Island

Find a great place to stay in Harbor Island!

Greenville

Find a great place to stay in Greenville!

Folly Beach

Find a great place to stay in Folly Beach!

Mount Pleasant

Find a great place to stay in Mount Pleasant!

Daufuskie Island

Find a great place to stay on Daufuskie Island!

Kiawah Island

Find a great place to stay on Kiawah Island!

Hilton Head

Find a great place to stay in Hilton Head!

Myrtle Beach

Find a great place to stay in Myrtle Beach!

The post 15 Best Places To Vacation In South Carolina appeared first on The FlipKey Blog.

from Tips For Traveling https://www.flipkey.com/blog/2018/07/16/best-south-carolina-vacations-places-to-stay/

0 notes