Exploring Coral Reef in Fiji

Archive for the ‘Vacation Review’ Category

Exploring Coral Reef in Fiji

Monday, October 9th, 2006

The first time I ever saw a coral reef in person was on a trip to Fiji. It was actually just an extended layover; I was traveling from Auckland to Los Angeles and I was able to add a layover in Fiji for $20. I figured that I probably wouldn’t have another chance to go to Fiji for $20, so I took it. I started sweating the minute I got off the plane; after spending six months in rainy, temperate New Zealand I wasn’t prepared for eighty degree weather and ninety percent humidity.

After my first night in Nadi I caught a bus and then a boat to one of the outlying islands, where I was to spend four days doing essentially nothing. I brought a couple of books and my pack-able hammock, but when I made it to the island I found that the hammocks were already set up for me. The island was small, but gorgeous. It only housed two resorts, which were essentially right next to each other, and it took three or four hours to walk all the way around the island. Fresh water was somewhat scarce, and rain water collectors made up for the majority of it. The whole island ran on a large generator, so the lights went off at 10pm and didn’t turn on again until morning.

I had heard about Fiji’s great diving, but since I was there for such a short period of time and didn’t have a dive license, I opted to snorkel instead. On my second day on the island I hired a snorkel and a set of fins and set off to explore the coral reef right in front of our resort.

When I plunged into the warm water I felt like I was in a different world. My doctor used to have this big elaborate fish tank filled with fish of all different colors, large and small. Gliding over the coral reef made me feel like I was in a life-sized mock-up of the same tank. Big fish patrolled the shelf of the coral reef while little neon-colored ones flitted in and out of the coral heads. Sea cucumbers loafed about the bottom, while parrot fish nibbled and ground at the coral. I snorkeled all day, checking out the coral reef all around the island. By the end of the day I had a terribly sunburned back and salty hair, but I knew that I was going back in the water the next morning.

Posted in Adventure Travel, Advice, Beach, Budget Travel, Cheap Travel, Holiday, Information, Island, Resorts, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Review | No Comments »

Visit Hong Kong of Wonderful Contrasting Elements

Friday, September 29th, 2006

During a trip to Asia with my husband, we saw quite a bit of Japan and China. We also took a few days to visit Hong Kong. This city is one of the most fascinating places to spend time in and I would recommend it to anyone. The first thing to hit you is the energy of the place. It’s a noisy, chaotic throng of people and has wonderful contrasting elements. The Chinese tradition rubs along with the Western influences. Sometimes a run down apartment block is immediately behind a modern glass fronted skyscraper.

We flew in from Tokyo and got into Kowloon, which is just across the water from the central part of the city. When you visit Hong Kong, you need to walk the narrow streets and give yourself time to acclimatize. Several buildings were covered in scaffolding. This is noteworthy because they use bamboo scaffolding in this part of the world. It looks somewhat fragile but it seems to do the job. We found a small, cheap hotel to stay in run by a man with the unlikely name of Charlie Chan. Next morning, we woke fresh and eager to explore but first we needed breakfast. If you visit Hong Kong, anything is possible and we found a welcoming Irish bar that served a full English fry up.

We then took in some of the sights and smells, the very English looking buses, the food stalls full of seafood and vegetables we didn’t know the name of, and the advertising hoardings and giant video screens. We had to go to the Foreign Affairs Office to apply for our visas to allow us into China for the next stage of our trip. Thankfully, this was done speedily and efficiently. The next stop was to visit friends who live at the top of a gated complex up in the hills. They used to visit Hong Kong and then decided to stay. The view from their balcony is amazing. That evening, we all went bar hopping, enjoyed some live music, and met some other residents. To visit Hong Kong is to have a cosmopolitan experience, as lots of British, American, and Australian people live and work there.

Next day, we went into the New Territories and the Monastery of Ten Thousand Buddhas. This is one of the places when you visit Hong Kong where you can take a breather from the city and enjoy some tranquility. The Monastery is high up in the hills near the town of Sha Tin, and you have to climb up four hundred steps to get to it. Life-size Buddha statues line the way. It’s worth the climb, when you see the giant pagoda at the top and the temple. The interior of the temple is truly breathtaking with small statues of Buddhas lining the walls numbering not 10,000 but actually 13,000.

After this, we went back to Kowloon and looked round a very exclusive shop selling items made from mammoth ivory. No one should visit Hong Kong without spending time on the Waterfront, so we went down after dark and marveled at the skyscrapers. These buildings contain some of the most expensive office spaces in the world. Our last night in our visit to Hong Kong was spent looking at the twinkling lights from the boats in the harbor, reflected in the water. Next morning, we flew to Beijing but that’s another story!

Posted in Advice, Asia, Budget Travel, Cheap Travel, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Island, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Weekend Trips for Family

Wednesday, September 27th, 2006

The work week can be incredibly hectic and chaotic for most people. There are weeks that go by that my family and I simply pass each other in the halls and fight for the bathroom. When the weekends arrive, we stare at each other as if we were strangers. We live for weekend trips. My parents own a beach house two hours from my home. That allows for us to take some well deserved weekend trips every so often. My husband and I strive to take at least one weekend a month for a family getaway and every other month we’ll add a weekend trip for just the two of us.

Weekend trips can do wonders for a marriage and for family life. It is a chance to connect with your loved ones while away from home and the everyday stresses that go along with being at home. I don’t think it matters where your weekend trips take you, as long as you are all together. Whether it happens to be an outing to the mountains or the beach, it is quality time that you are spending together. Several times a year, if the finances allow, my husband and I look into some more remote weekend trips. Perhaps we’ll look at a weekend cruise or whirlwind trip to another city. Last year, we decided to leave on a Thursday night and spend the 3 day weekend in Hollywood. Why? Simply because it sounded like fun and was spontaneous.

Could we afford it? Yes, but only because it was one of those last minute weekend trips that airlines and hotels offer excellent discounts on. We certainly aren’t a family that is made of money but more often than not we find weekend trips that we can afford simply because they are great bargains. That doesn’t mean that everyone should wait until the last moment to plan a weekend escape. However, sometimes weekend trips can turn out to be a real bargain if you do decide until the last moment to travel.

Some of the best weekend trips and getaways can be to someplace in your own city. Pick a fancy bed and breakfast you’ve always admired and spend one or two nights there. Camp out at a local campground if you love the outdoors. You don’t have to travel very far from home to enjoy being with your friends or family. There are times when you want to be out of your house but just don’t want to travel very far. With the gas prices nowadays, local weekend trips make the most sense. Every once in a while, you just may discover something that you’ve never noticed before. It’s even better if you discover that with your loved ones.

Posted in Advice, Budget Travel, Cheap Travel, Children, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Short Vacation, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Caribbean Cruise – Vacation Out On Sea

Thursday, September 21st, 2006

A Caribbean cruise may very well be the adventure vacation of a lifetime. A cruise in the Caribbean can be the all inclusive getaway you have dreamed about.

There are many activities to do while on a Caribbean cruise. A cruise ship is much like a floating city. With entertainment, sports, shopping, dining, casinos all onboard. Many Caribbean cruises offer entertainment from Broadway style shows to the latest comedy acts to many styles of music. Some cruises are even themed for certain crowds. There are family cruises, singles cruises, and even religious cruises.

If you aren’t taking in a show, you can enjoy fine dining, bars and lounges while on this floating city.Â After you have indulged, you can exercise in gyms and go swimming in a pool. Some Caribbean cruise lines offer rock climbing walls, golf and other specialty sports.

On board the ship, you may find shops, casinos, spas and more. The ways to pamper yourself may seem endless while you are on a Caribbean cruise. Most popular cruise lines offer programs for the children as well so that the whole family can enjoy the vacation.

A cruise is not just a floating adventure. The cruise ship will stop at various ports of call. While on shore, you will have the opportunity to explore some very exotic destinations. Your Caribbean cruise may stop in Jamaica, Mexico, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Belize, Aruba and more. Perhaps you will try scuba diving, or para-sailing. Maybe you will travel to the markets and shop for local crafts and try some of the local foods. Perhaps you will travel off the beaten trail and go sightseeing. Most Caribbean cruise lines will offer you many choices to suit you own tastes and sense of adventure.

The cost for a Caribbean cruise will vary. Many times there are special offers available. Cruises are available for short durations (a three or four day weekend) to longer vacations as even up to 14 nights. There are also many room options available which will also affect the cost of your Caribbean cruise. Some rooms will give you a view of the ocean, while other rooms are in the interior of the cruise ship. Just as in first class hotels, cruise ships also offer special suites as well as more traditional rooms.

A Caribbean cruise may be just the vacation you have been looking for. It will certainly be a vacation that you will not soon forget. I never forget the Caribbean cruise we went on for our honeymoon. It was most memorable.

Posted in Adventure Travel, Advice, Cruise, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Tours, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Packages, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Advantage of Mountain Cabins for Rent

Monday, September 18th, 2006

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a second home away from home? You know, one that differed from the mundane, hectic lifestyle you’re used to. A place where you could simply leave the stress and chaos behind you. Well, this is the reality for many. In fact you too can take advantage of mountain cabins for rent. Invest in a nice getaway with Mother Nature for a few weeks or months. It’s great to get that taste of the primal world before it was contaminated by man. Breathe in the fresh air and soak up the silence when you stay in mountain cabins for rent.

Did you know there are mountain cabins for rent in the Smokey’s? How ideal would it be to drop everything and load up the family for a trip down into the Carolina Mountains? I can honestly tell you from experience that they’re amazing. As you cruise up those curvaceous county roads, you’ll not only notice a decrease in chaos, but you’ll also notice an increase in clean air. There’s plain and simply nothing like fresh mountain air.

You will notice what I’m raving about the first time you soak it up and take it in. It’s much healthier for the lungs and body. Fortunately this is one of the places we have left to retreat, away from the smog. I am jealous of my brother who actually had an old-school cabin built on his own land. Of course he had a slight advantage since his mother-in-law owns thousands of acres. When the land comes for free, the building costs no longer seem so bad. Now days he enjoys his personal home away from home whenever he likes. Be it winter or summer, the hand crafted cabin is a blast.

However, for those of us who cannot afford building our very own cabin, there are mountain cabins for rent. Therefore we might as well take advantage of all they have to offer. It’s fairly simple to get online and see what it is I’m taking about. You can choose from a variety of mountain cabins for rent, all differing in price range. If you do find one you like, I recommend booking it as soon as possible. This will ensure that you do get the country dwelling of your dreams. Jump into cyberspace and check it out. Sometimes it’s fun and exciting to just get away from it all.

Posted in Adventure Travel, Advice, Cabin, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Rental, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Vacation Village at Bonaventure Review

Thursday, September 14th, 2006

At first glance at the promotional photographs of Vacation Village at Bonaventure, the high-end apartment/condominium complex comes to mind, as does maybe the skyscraping dormitory of a popular four-year university. But at further inspection and with supplemental information, one learns that there is so much more to Vacation Village at Bonaventure.

Location is prime for Vacation Village at Bonaventure, which is situated in the South Florida Bonaventure Spa, Tennis, and Gold community twenty-five miles from Fort Lauderdale and the ocean, for boating, fishing, water-skiing, wind surfing, and scuba diving. Closer are medical facilities and entertainment sites, within two miles; and even closer are shopping centers/malls, a grocery store, and other shops within a mile of the community.

Immediately in the vicinity on the premises of Vacation Village at Bonaventure are numerous facilities and amenities, from handicap accessibility, outdoor pool, beautiful man-made lake, a golf course, tennis courts, and car rental services to indoor conference rooms and facilities, laundry facilities, a hairdresser salon and a spa, racquetball courts, and a restaurant.

The costs to stay at Vacation Village at Bonaventure range from $390 a week for a one-bedroom studio to $1,800 a week for a two-bedroom/two-bath suite. The reviews are reflective of the relative prices and vacation fun, comfort, and relaxation levels such prices afford earning Vacation Village at Bonaventure an overall rating of four out of five stars. For example, one super-satisfied visitor, giving Vacation Village at Bonaventure five stars, praises the service as nothing but excellent; the room they stayed in, overlooking the spacious pool and waterfall as magnificent; the poolside as undercrowded and a great place to relax, read, and enjoy complimentary coffee; and suggesting the best sporting facilities as the tennis and racquetball, with the ideal travel arrangements made either for the definite plus of car renting or using the free shuttle, which, the reviewer reports, will run you anywhere around Weston for free.

Another satisfied client at Vacation Village at Bonaventure gave it four stars and describes how their stay in the smaller room was perfect for the two of them, and explaining that had they brought their three kids would have been upgraded to the rooms. This reviewer’s emphasis was on the rooms, which she/he found were clean and fully stocked; and his/her discussion further reveals a warning to others that Vacation Village at Bonaventure is NOT a typical hotel with maid service/room service, etc., but is rather a do-it-yourself vacation site that may or may not have the room service for extra charges. Like others who give pleasing reports, this reviewer closes with the recommendation to others for making long-term visits and needing a good long-term stay facility.

Posted in Advice, Budget Travel, Cheap Travel, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Rental, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Homes, Vacation Rental, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

The Best California Bed Breakfast

Tuesday, September 5th, 2006

The many wonderful things about a good California bed breakfast are homemade biscuits at breakfast, which are, yes, served in the room; the fresh bedding; the special guest dinners; the perks and amenities. But what I find most impressive in not only the California bed breakfast experience but the bed and breakfast experience in general is the theme room/hotel. Maybe you have a penchant for nature. Maybe you are a history buff. Or maybe you have a fetish for a particular travel destination or have a thing for art. Whatever the desire or need, you can indulge in a weekend fantasy at a themed California bed breakfast.

CALIFORNIA BED BREAKFAST THEME HOTELS/INNS

For example, the following are just some of the possible fantasy weekend packages offered:

At the Churchill Manor Bed and Breakfast in Napa Valley, you can experience the plantation in the Gone with the Wind rooms in the old southern Colonial home.

The Gone with the Wind theme is also delightful at Plantation Bed and Breakfast in Lemon Grove, and

At The Union Hotel and Victorian Mansion, in Los Almos, you might enjoy the Victorian age in the manse or indulge in the fantasy of the 1950s, the gypsy life, Roman antiquity, Egyptian royalty, French history, or Pirate swashbuckling.

At Leucadia Inn in Encinitas, besides having subtly placed microwave and other modern amenities, you can have the dream of your choice come true in a Tropical setting, in the Hollywood Nostalgia room, on an African Safari, or by way of the decor that takes you to Nantucket, Calypso (style), or New Orleans.

The Splash Spa in Los Angeles has the infamous cave, the Monte Carlo, and the Jungle Room, as well as rooms ala the Mediterranean, Barcelona, and Japan. But note that this California bed breakfast is not really a b&b but an hourly place to stay for a quickie or short rest (and, of course, spa treatment).

And the wilder, more natural, and appropriately, more western urges can be satisfied at such places as The Featherbed Railroad Company, where you and yours can get loose with Mint Julep (rooms), engage in the romance of Casablanca, go alternative in the Easy Rider or La Loose, relive (so to speak) the mystery of The Orient Express, or go right back to the heart of The Wild, Wild West.

California bed breakfast experiences, then, take you where you want to go or need to be, whether it is to re-experience your teen years in a Rockin 50′s Suite, with the bed that is fashioned out of a 1959 Cadillac; to play nouveau riche in a five-star Garden Theme room, in The English Rose, the Apricot Blossom Suite, or the Forget Me Not room; or exact the life of a writer in a cottage or a tortured one with James Dean angst in the Rebel Room.

With the California bed breakfast, you can appreciate the amenities, can be coddled by old world cuisine and courtesy and charm of the caretakers, and can find appeal in anything from the attractive views, the ambience, or the general atmosphere. But further, with the themed California bed breakfast, you come away with a memory of having gone back in time, gone forward in time, and having gone into the lives and spirit of another be it Elvis or Scarlet Hara, an astronaut or a Neanderthal or a thug.

Posted in Advice, Bed and Breakfast, Budget Travel, California, Cheap Travel, Children, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Homes, Vacation Packages, Vacation Rental, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Some of the Best Beach Vacations

Friday, September 1st, 2006

I will never forget all the beach vacations my family took when I was growing up. I live in the northeast, in New England, and the beach has always been less than an hour drive away from where I’ve lived. Even though I’ve always lived near the beach, and spent a lot of time there during the summer, I still love to go away on beach vacations to other places. You’d think I’d be sick of the beach by now but I find myself still as drawn to it as I’ve always been.

Probably the best of all the beach vacations I’ve ever taken was on my honeymoon when we went on a cruise to Bermuda. The beaches in Bermuda are absolutely beautiful, with white sand and sparkling clear water, it looks like something straight off the front of a postcard. Another of the beach vacations I am fond of is the trip I took to the Florida Keys, way down south where there are no giant singing mice who live in castles. Pretty much the only things to do in southern Florida are playing bingo or relaxing on the beach. I hate bingo so you can probably figure out how I spent my vacation.

For one of my next beach vacations I would like to stay at a resort in Jamaica, the kind where it is all couples and they don’t allow children on the premises. I love children, don’t get me wrong, but they do not belong on the beach with me while I sip rum drinks during my vacation. It’s too distracting and I’m sure it would make me feel guilty about my own child that I’d left at home so I could run away with my husband to a beautiful land far, far away. Also up high on my list of future beach vacations I would like to take are returning to Bermuda and a nice long trip to Australia during our winter. Since winter in the United States is summer in Australia, every time I imagine exotic beach vacations to the land down under, I picture catching a plane during a snowstorm and landing on a sun drenched airstrip.

It’s a bit absurd of me to be thinking about my next vacation when I just returned from a lovely beach vacation just a few days ago. But that’s the problem I have with the beach. Every time I go it only makes me want more. I am sure many people feel the same as me. Beach vacations always leave me feeling refreshed and relaxed.

Posted in Advice, Beach, Budget Travel, Cheap Travel, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Resorts, Short Vacation, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Green Valley Ranch Resort, Las Vegas

Thursday, August 17th, 2006

Look at the advertisement photos for the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas and you can not only imagine yourself there but can imagine the place filled with classic celebrities. I see the likes of Elvis or one of his characters, like Rick conversing or conferring in the fabulous indoor pool room with the welcoming overstuffed chairs and matching footrests or better, do one of his classic group songs where he sings and plays the git while the go-go girls, clad only in fringed two-piece suits shimmy around him and the shimmering blue pool.Â One can also see Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. kicked back and tipping back clinking cocktails, or Wayne Newton and his entourage taking over this area of the Green Valley Ranch Resort during a break from sets in the lounge.

You can also see the likes of any celebrity at the outdoor pool of Green Valley Ranch Resort which is lined with symmetrically, artistically, and even ergonomically apt lounge chairs: you can imagine Lucille Ball and Dezi Arnez, or Jerry Lewis, or Jackie Gleason, relaxing in between sets or gigs, enjoying the cabana service, the fresh air and sun, the deep Mediterranean teal blue pool.

I get these nostalgic impressions from the decor especially that which is a delightful throwback to or simulation of the fifties and sixties, but the decor also changes, progresses, as do the amenities at Green Valley Ranch Resort. For example, the spa facilities are shown by photos with sleek women stretched out in meditative repose, smooth stones lining their backbones or special skin treatment solutions (that look like egg yolk batter or paint) being applied as they recline in quiet serenity. Therefore, I get the sense that if they were to visit Las Vegas and were to choose Green Valley Ranch Resort, big stars like Angelina Jolie or Michelle Pfieffer or Ving Rames or Brad Pitt would be in their vacationing element in spas like these.

Of course, big time gamblers like Ben Affleck would look and feel just as right in the Green Valley Ranch Resort casino (if he/they didn’t feel up to going a few hundred feet away to the strip and the other gambling houses); and the entertainment, which turns out to be advertised with a nod toward Hollywood, is both indoor and outdoor delight at the Green Valley Ranch Resort. So come to think of it, I can see myself lounging at the water, getting pampered in the spa, or gambling like all get out. Check out the photos and slide show of the Green Valley Ranch Resort and I would BET you can imagine yourself there, as well.

Posted in Adventure Travel, Advice, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Las Vegas, Resorts, Spring Break, Summer Trip, Travel, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Packages, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

Cheap Beach Vacation Rentals For Summer

Wednesday, August 16th, 2006

How is your summer? Many of us want to strive for that tone body and tan. We want to look great in our bathing suits. The destination of choice is usually the beach. Although a weekend of fun in the sun can be a relaxing experience, many of us prefer a longer stay. Those crashing waves and warm sand are hard to turn away from. The sun calls to us whether we like it or not. Luckily there are options other than the standard hotel room. Beach vacation rentals are an ideal place to spend your summer.

If you’ve ever took that family vacation to the coast, you probably have memories of a basic hotel room, which if you’re lucky, was ocean front. You stared out at the serene waterfront from your balcony. It was an experience that probably lasted for a couple days. This is likely due to funding. You may have the vacation time, but the hotel rooms can get pricey. With beach vacation rentals, you can plan your entire summer at the beach. It’s actually like having a home away from home. No more renting a hotel room far in advance to ensure you’re close to the shore. Check into beach vacation rentals for a more reasonable stay.

The Internet provides us with a wide selection of websites, which offer many great deals on beach vacation rentals. No matter what your price range is, you can certainly find something that’s right for you. Surf the packages and locate that ideal place to lodge. It beats finding that last minute hotel room. You can reserve beach vacation rentals in advance so you know it’s waiting for you when the sun creeps out and the temperature rises.

When I was a kid, we always took that family vacation to the beach. I recall one summer when I met a couple of kids while roaming the shops. They were dark tan and certainly seemed in their element. After getting to know them a little, I discovered that they had been staying there for weeks. I was a little baffled by this, especially when they claimed that they didn’t live there. It turned out they were there for the entire summer and living in a beach vacation rental.

Wow, I was jealous. Why didn’t my parents ever consider this? We sure liked coming to the beach, and always wanted to stay longer. Beach vacation rentals were the answer to our problem. These days with the Internet on your side, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a fun, and affordable summer at the beach. It doesn’t need to cost alot and you get to enjoy long holiday under the sun at the beach. Why not?

Posted in Advice, Beach, Budget Travel, Cheap Travel, Children, Family Vacation, Holiday, Information, Rental, Short Vacation, Summer Trip, Vacation, Vacation Destination, Vacation Packages, Vacation Rental, Vacation Review, Vacation Suggestion | No Comments »

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