Tag Archives: Play

Florida, Miami, Miami Beach, Play, South Beach, Stay, Trip Ideas

Best Pools in South Beach

April 24, 2017

On Miami’s South Beach, pool culture isn’t just about getting wet. From private cabanas and chair side concierge services to DJs and afternoon-into-the-night parties, the best pools are places where the beautiful people mingle and indulge. Favorites come and go, but for the moment, these are the places to be.

Delano South Beach

Just steps from the sand, this classic infinity-edged beauty continues to hold a prime position on the A List of SoBe’s pool decks. Chaise lounges set under white market umbrellas provide a cool, breezy venue for relaxation or taking in the scene, while a flanking row of canopies provide private couches and day beds where one can order up libations, spa services and noshes from Chef Brian Massie’s award-winning kitchen.

The classic rectangular pool at the Delano has long been a favorite gathering place of the glamorous crowd, as well as the site of South Beach’s longest running Sunday pool party. Photo: Delano

At night, the scene takes a sensuous turn as subtle lighting transforms the Philippe Starck-designed landscape, and cabanas become settings for tete-a-tete meetups. Not to be missed are Privileged Sundays, which are the hottest ticket on the beach, with resident DJs, dancers and body-painted models setting the scene from mid day through sunset. Visit: https://www.morganshotelgroup.com/delano/delano-south-beach/pool-beach/beach-club

Nautilus South Beach, A Sixty Hotel

Following a sweeping renovation and update, this Collins Avenue classic quickly became a local’s favorite. Within the lavish landscaping of an expansive private garden, teak decks lead from beach to the Nautilus pool. This chic oasis enhances warm saltwater immersions with an in-water sound system. In addition to the requisite collection of poolside daybeds and lounges, there are eight private cabanas offering dining tables, minibars and entertainment system.

The saltwater pool at the Nautilus lures a mix of sophisticated locals and international travelers, offering an underwater sound system and lavish private cabanas. Photo: Nautilus South Beach

A lively waterside bar serves signature cocktails and tempting bites, and just steps away is the Nautilus Cabana Club. This signature venue features both indoor and outdoor dining experiences based on locally sourced ingredients. The pool deck is a favorite setting for special events, and a regular weekly highlight is Rosé Sundays Brunch, which is followed by a pool party with cabana rentals and DJ sounds. Visit: http://www.sixtyhotels.com/nautilus-south-beach/

1 Hotel South Beach

Guests at 1 Hotel have four pools and more than 50 daybeds and cabanas to choose from. But it is the newly reopened rooftop option that draws Miami’s in crowd. Perched atop this 17-story landmark property is a 110-foot-long pool that is Miami Beach’s largest rooftop water feature. Delivering stunning views of island and ocean, this adults-only setting features a quarter-acre deck served by a rooftop restaurant and lounge.

Set on the 17th story rooftop, the adults-only pool at 1 Hotel delivers sweeping views of Miami Beach. On Sundays, it is a popular party scene. Photo: 1 Hotel South Beach

There are intimate two-person daybeds and cozy cabanas, plus a lavish rooftop living room cabana that can accommodate parties of up to 20. Show up for Organic Sundays to sample gourmet offerings and launch a day of sun and fun with a brunch that morphs into an all-day pool party. This event can draw a crowd, so it’s best to reserve a table or VIP cabana to ensure admission. Visit: https://www.1hotels.com/south-beach

The Miami Beach Edition

More than a pool, the decks and lushly landscaped outdoor spaces of Tropicale at the Miami Beach Edition were inspired by the classic beach clubs of Havana. The beachfront setting includes expansive lawn with games, outdoor movie nights and more. The property’s iconic 1950s-era swimming pool is now restored and includes a period diving board, while a second pool is surrounded by custom teak lounges and custom private cabanas with oversize daybeds, mini refrigerators, private safes and televisions.

The original 1950s-era pool at the Miami Beach Edition has been meticulously restored and updated, but still includes a classic high dive platform. Photo: Miami Beach Edition

The Matador Bar sits in the shade, surrounded by beautiful greenery, while the landmarked Sundial restaurant and bar offers a palate of fresh and light menu selections with the option of poolside or beachfront dining. For a refreshing change after the heat of the day, you can head downstairs to Basement, an entertainment complex that includes a nightclub, bowling alley and an indoor ice skating rink. Visit: http://www.editionhotels.com/miami-beach

Cabo San Lucas, Hawaii, Islands, Maui, Mexico, Oceania, Play, Trip Ideas

The World’s Most Amazing Places to Kayak with Whales

April 20, 2017

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There are a number of places around the world where you can observe whales from the deck of a tour boat. Far rarer are opportunities to paddle a kayak up close and personal to meet one of these magnificent marine mammals at eye level. And rarest of all are locations where these kayak encounters take place in warm tropical waters. Here are three places where paddlers and whales mingle.

Maui, Hawaii

The world’s number one destination for kayak whale encounters is the island of Maui. Each year, as many as 10,000 humpback whales travel south from the arctic to breed, birth and nurse newborns in Hawaiian waters. The greatest numbers of whales are often seen off the western shores of Maui, where calm seas and warm water prove a comfortable habitat for whales, and relaxing surface conditions for humans.

Maui’s western shore is sheltered from prevailing trade winds by the island’s tall mountains, creating calm kayaking conditions for whale watching. Photo: Pixaby

Whale watching tours are offered aboard all types of sail and powerboats, but also allowed within this whale sanctuary are more personal encounters aboard self-powered craft. Several outfitters lead guided kayak trips into the whale sanctuary, where encounters can begin less than a mile from shore. As is the case with tour boats, kayakers are not allowed to approach within 100 yards of whales. The whales are free to approach humans, and are much more likely to swim close to a small, silent kayak than they would a tour boat with engine idling. Whales visit Hawaiian waters from November to May, with February and March being prime time for almost guaranteed interactions.

A whale tail breaks the surface in the calm waters off Maui’s western shore. This is a prime area for whale watching by kayak. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Loreto, Mexico

Some 200 miles north of the resorts of Cabo San Lucas, the historic port town of Loreto is the launching point for day trips and extended tours along the rugged coast of the Baja Peninsula. With dramatic cliffs, deserted islands and inviting blue waters, this is a bucket list paddling experience at any time of the year. Winter brings the added bonus of whales, which migrate along the coasts, and find shelter in the protected waters of the Loreto Bay National Marine Park.

The Sea of Cortez attracts seasonal migrations of grey and humpback whales, and is home to many more species of smaller whales and marine mammals. Photo: Pixaby

Gray whales are the most frequent visitors to these waters, but they are sometimes joined by the world’s largest animal, the blue whale. There’s always a chance of seeing a spouting whale on a day trip, but more popular are the multi-day paddling tours that transit the coast. These fully guided and supported excursions not only provide ongoing chances for whale sightings, but also bring dolphins and sea lions into the mix. Best of all, you don’t have to be a grizzled kayak veteran to participate, because many tours set a leisurely pace, and are shadowed by a support boat. At days end, paddlers stop at waterfront lodges or are treated to beachfront cookouts while guides do all the work of setting up a camp by the ocean.

In the coastal waters of the Sea of Cortez, a kayaker is treated to a once in a lifetime encounter with a 30-foot whale shark. Photo: Marie Humphrey/Flickr

Vava’u, Tonga

The islands of Tonga are off the beaten path, but that doesn’t deter travelers who come from around the world for a once in a lifetime opportunity to swim with humpback whales in clear Pacific water. A majority of these encounters take place in the sheltered waters of the Vava’u Island group, which also happens to be a world-class kayaking destination.

Paddling safaris through the islands of Tonga may include overnight camping stops on uninhabited beaches or day breaks for lunch and beach barbeques. Photo: Friendly Island Kayak Company/Flickr

Paddlers sign up for island hopping itineraries that include snorkeling on coral reefs, camping on uninhabited islands, and visits to local villages. And in the months between July and October, there’s a good chance of seeing whales while paddling. This is Tonga’s dry season, when seas are calmest and temperatures are mild. Anyone making the trip should certainly sign up for a swimming encounter. Adding a kayak tour will increase the chances to see humpbacks in the wild, without the time limitations that are placed on in water encounters.

Kayaks sit ready on a sandbar in the islands of Tonga. This area is one of only a few in the world where paddlers can come face to face with whales. Photo: Photo: Friendly Island Kayak Company/Flickr

Antigua & Barbuda, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Antigua’s Best Sailing Regattas

April 13, 2017

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Antigua has welcomed sailors since the days of tall ships, and was long the British Navy’s primary port in the Caribbean. These days, cannon-laden ships no longer tie to the wharfs at Nelson’s Dockyard, but a different type of nautical combat takes place each spring when sailing yachts of every type converge for bouts of trade wind powered racing action. Anyone who enjoys a spirited sail followed by a round or two back at the docks should plan on visiting the island during these signature events.

Antigua Sailing Week

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the Caribbean’s premier sailing event. From humble beginnings as a local event, this regatta has grown to attract an international following, bringing more than 100 yachts and thousands of sailors and spectators to the island for a week of racing action and lively shore side celebrations.

Racing along the southern coast of Antigua, highly trained crews trim sails and tighten lines to harness trade winds and coax every available bit of speed from their yachts. Photo: Antigua Sailing Week

Racers are divided into categories and provided with time handicaps that allow for spirited competition on an even playing field. As a result, the fleet includes everything from vintage sloops to futuristic multihulls and high-dollar luxury yachts. Racing takes place off the island’s south coast, giving spectators prime views of the fleet from beaches and bluffs. Shirley Heights Lookout hosts a pre-race breakfast, and this restored hilltop fortress is an ideal vantage point for racing action. Short hikes from Galleon Beach and Nelson’s Dockyard lead to more viewing points. Each day of racing is followed by a rigorous party schedule that includes balls, banquets and awards ceremonies.

Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta

Two weeks before Antigua’s Sailing Week events kick off, sailors gather for a blast from the past that brings together a fleet of tall ships, vintage ocean racers and island sloops. The Classic Yacht Regatta will celebrate it’s 31st running in April of 2017, with daily races staged in the waters offshore of Falmouth Harbour. Spectators can follow the action from shore, or book a place on a modern sailing yacht that shadows the fleet.

The historic grounds of Nelson’s Dockyard, once the center of England’s Caribbean naval activity, now draw sleek yachts for events such as Antigua Sailing Week. Photo: iStock

The day before racing begins, Concours d’Elegance provides a chance to wander the docks and admire the craftsmanship and gleaming brightwork of some 50 classic ketches, sloops and schooners, with prizes awarded to the best. Another highlight of the fleet are the Carriacou sloops. These historic vessels, once used for fishing and inter-island travel, showcase the skill of artisanal Caribbean boat builders while proving themselves to be capable competitors. In addition to nightly parties, the regatta winds up with a cream tea party in English Harbour and the Parade of Classics, with crews dressing up in period costumes for one final sail.

RORC Caribbean 600

In 2009, England’s Royal Ocean Racing Club decided to add a winter event to their usual race schedule, and to set it not in the British Isles, but in the warmer waters of the Caribbean in partnership with the Antigua Yacht Club. But this international completion is no pleasure sail, as it attracts some of the world’s fastest and most sophisticated ocean racing yachts for four days of round-the-clock sailing over a 600 mile-course that takes in 11 islands.

An international fleet of ocean racing yachts gather for the start of the 2017 RORC Caribbean 600. This demanding event draws some of the world’s best sailors to the island of Antigua each February. Photo: Debbie Snow

The 2017 event attracted more than 900 competitors from 30 nations. The start brings out spectators to watch boats jockey for a position before heading off around the island and out to sea. The course runs north past Barbuda, then west to Nevis, around Saba, St. Barts and St. Martin before heading south to Guadeloupe, with marks at Les Saintes and Les Désirade. A final run to Barbuda and Redonda lead to a dash back to Antigua’s Fort Charlotte. Many spectators track the course and boats on their smartphones, and there are opening and closing parties at the Antigua Yacht Club.

Hawaii, Hawaii-Big Island, Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Play, Trip Ideas

Hawaii’s Best Kayak and Snorkel Tours

March 31, 2017

The clear waters that wash the shores of Hawaii can seem very enticing when you are gliding across the surface in a kayak. So go ahead, jump in. But first, grab a mask and snorkel so you can fully appreciate the colors of the corals and follow the meanderings of the brilliantly hued tropical fish. If this sounds like your idea of a great day on the water, check out these seven combo trips that showcase the full beauty and diversity of the islands.

Visiting the Mokes

One of the most popular kayaking destinations in Oahu is a pair of small, deserted rock islands known as Na Mokulua, which locals refer to as “The Mokes.” The most popular starting point for the three-quarter-mile paddle to the site is Lanikai Beach, where there is no shore break to contend with. The smaller island, Moku Iki, remains off limits, and all landings happen on a beach on the larger island, Moku Nui. Snorkelers will find coral formations that begin in clear water right off the beach. Several tour companies run guided trips to the Mokes, and more paddlers make their own way in rented or personal kayaks, which means the place can get pretty busy on weekends and holidays.

Moku Iki is one of a pair of small islands that lie off the east coast of Oahu. It remains off limits, but kayakers can paddle to a beach on nearby Moku Nui. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Where’s Gilligan?

Fans of vintage television may be thrilled to hear that a trip to Coconut Island lands them on the location once used in the show Gilligan’s Island. But the castaways wouldn’t recognize the island these days, as it is now home to a research center operated by the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology. Trips begin at Heeia State Park, and make a half-mile crossing of Kaneohe Bay, which is fully sheltered from offshore waves. After touring the research facilities, the next stop is Horseshoe Reef, where snorkelers can explore the coral formations of Oahu’s only true barrier reef. This area is often home to sea turtles and eagle rays.

Kayak tours that begin at Heeia State Park pass by a historic fishpond before crossing the bay to Coconut Island and the snorkeling sites of Horseshoe Reef. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Maui’s Fishiest Place

The fish sanctuary at Maui’s Honolua Bay is one of the island’s best snorkeling venues. Due to limited and unsecured roadside parking and a lack of shore facilities, the site is best reached by water. As an alternative to big tour boats, several companies launch paddle trips from the nearby beaches at Kapalua, and head west along a shoreline of low cliffs and hidden bays. Tours usually include a stop on a small beach, and then head to the shallow western side of the bay where the best snorkel reefs are located. Summer is the best time for this excursion, as winter waves turn the outer reaches of the bay into a popular surf break.

A paddle around the headlands of Maui’s north coast leads to the marine preserve at Honolua Bay, which is home to some of the island’s best coral reefs. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Touring Turtle Town

The section of Maui’s south coast between Makena and Wailea has earned the nickname “turtle town” for the large number of sea turtles that are seen year-round on coral formations close to shore. There are more than a dozen reefs in the area that are visited by tour boats, which can put dozens of snorkelers in the water at one time. To avoid the crowds, savvy paddlers go early and join a small group tour led by guides who know the area, and are able to seek out sites away from the crowds. As a bonus, the trip to and from turtle snorkels takes in big views of Mount Haleakala and the offshore profiles of Molokini and Lanai.

Sea turtles can be found on coral reefs all around the islands of Hawaii, but tend to gather in greater numbers on the reefs along Maui’s south coast known as Turtle Town. Photo: iStock

History and Coral Reefs

The Big Island’s signature kayak and snorkel combo takes place in a marine preserve on the island’s west coast. History buffs will note that Kealakekua Bay is the site where the first westerner, lead by Captain James Cook, landed on Hawaii Island. The shores are also the site of the sacred temple, Hikiau Heiau, dedicated to the Hawaiian god Lono. The bay is a favorite with both divers and snorkelers, as it is filled with vibrant coral reefs that are a home to a diverse range tropical fish, and often visited by schools of spinner dolphins. Permits are required for snorkeling or landing on the shores of the Captain Cook Monument, so it is best to book a trip with one of the several tour companies licensed to operate in the preserve.

A snorkeler begins a free diving plunge into the clear waters of Kealakekua Bay, which is known for its abundant fish life and colorful coral formations. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Cliffs and Caves

Just outside the village of Kailua, paddlers can launch into Keauhou Bay, which is rimmed in sea cliffs riddled with blowholes, arches and lava tubes. On guided tours, kayakers can play follow the leader as they make their way through narrow rock-lined channels and into sea caves. A highlight of many tours is a float into a large cavern where mineral stained pink walls are reflected in the clear water. After touring the cliffs and caves, paddlers beach their boats in a calm cove and spend time snorkeling on nearby coral formations, exploring tidal pools or—for the adventurous—leaping into the water from surrounding cliffs.

The shores of Keauhou Bay are lined with rugged lava formations riddled with caves and tidal pools. These waters are ideal for exploration by kayak. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

From River to Reef

A favorite paddling trip on the island of Kauai begins on the banks of the Hanalei River. A short downstream paddle leads to the expansive semi- circular sweep of Hanalei Bay, which is surrounded by green mountain slopes and ringed by more than two miles of the island’s best beaches. If snorkeling is part of the plan, kayakers head toward Waikoko Reef, which lies on the northwestern edge of the bay. The entire reef can be explored during the calm conditions common in summer, but when winter swells roll in, the outer portion of the reef becomes a popular surf break, limiting snorkeling to areas closer to shore.

Kayak trips that begin in the Hanalei River lead into the expansive bay of the same name. The eastern end of the bay holds excellent snorkeling reefs. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Bonaire, Caribbean, Play, Stay, Trip Ideas

Bonaire’s Best Dive Resorts

March 15, 2017

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There’s a reason the license plates on the island of Bonaire proclaim: “Divers Paradise.” The colorful reefs that surround this quiet island are considered the best in the Caribbean. Getting to these spectacular coral gardens couldn’t be easier. The best reefs are located just yards off the western shore in calm water, adjacent to a collection of first-class resorts that provide everything a diver could want. Here are three of the best.

Plaza Beach Resort Bonaire

Sitting on one of Bonaire’s only white sand beaches, and boasting the island’s most extensive range of resort amenities, Plaza Bonaire is a destination that will please divers and beach lovers alike. Spacious rooms and suites overlook a lagoon and marina, and the expansive resort complex includes meeting and entertainment spaces, a fitness center, children’s activity center, on-site spa, sports courts and a range of water sport equipment such as kayaks, paddleboards and sailboats. An all-inclusive rate plan covers meals, beverages, activities, sports equipment and entertainment. Not to be missed is the resort’s weekly beach barbecue, which draws locals and visitors alike.

At Plaza Bonaire, the Coconut Crash Beach Bar is a favorite with both guests and island locals. Each week, the resort stages a beach party with live music and dancing on the sand. Photo: Plaza Bonaire

Also on site at Plaza Resort is Toucan Diving, which caters to divers of all experience levels, and is well suited to introducing youngsters and novices to the sport. Children as young as eight can take their first underwater breaths safely with the PADI Bubble Maker Program, while teens and adults can sample the underwater world with a Discover Scuba Diving class, or go on to earn a full certification. More experienced divers can upgrade their skills with a range of specialty programs such as digital underwater photography, night diving and enriched air diving. There is lively reef immediately off the resort beach, along with daily boat diving excursions.

Plaza Bonaire sits next to the island’s finest beach. Divers can wade in from shore and make a short swim to the drop off, where a coral covered slope leads to deeper blue water. Photo: Plaza Bonaire

Buddy Dive Resort

Though diving is the primary theme at this property, Buddy Dive is no spartan scuba lodge. The 11-building compound perches above turquoise shallows, offering spacious studios or one, two and three bedroom apartments, all with kitchens and living spaces that will accommodate anyone from solo travelers to extended groups of family and friends. The grounds include two swimming pools, two restaurants and an activity center. Downtown Kralendijk is a short walk away and the concierge can arrange a variety of on-island adventures and activities.

The pier at Buddy Dive is right next to the resort’s dive center, giving guests easy access to dive boats and the coral reefs that begin close to shore. Photo: Beth Watson/Buddy Dive

The dive center includes a retail shop stocking a range of equipment and accessories for sale or rent. Both shore and boat diving activities begin right outside the shop. Bonaire is known for the many shore dive sites that begin at parking areas along the coastal road. To support this activity, Buddy Dive has an onsite vehicle rental office, and a unique drive-through air station where divers can load fresh tanks right into their rental vehicle. Buddy Dive is also the home of the only PADI 5-star Career Development Center in the southern Caribbean, providing training all the way to instructor level.

A diver is framed in the cargo booms of the Helma Hooker. This sunken freighter sits next to a reef on Bonaire’s western shore, just a short swim away from the beach. Photo: Beth Watson/Buddy Dive

Captain Don’s Habitat

This resort’s namesake founder was one of the Caribbean’s original scuba pioneers. It’s been four decades since the captain opened his original dive lodge near a prime reef a mile north of downtown Kralendijk, and it has remained a favorite ever since. The property has kept pace with the times, expanding to include deluxe ocean view rooms, detached one and two- bedroom garden villas and luxurious three-bedroom oceanfront suites with separate living rooms and kitchens. On-site Rum Runner’s restaurant is one of the islands best, with tables that perch feet from the Caribbean on a low bluff with spectacular sunset views.

Captain Don’s Habitat perches on a low limestone cliff that overlooks the island’s calm western shore. Divers can plunge right into the clear water, or catch a boat to more distant reefs. Photo: Captain Don’s Habitat

The on-site dive center is both PADI and SDI five-star rated, and offers a wide range of specialty courses, including technical and deep dive training. Underwater explorations can begin right from the resort pier, and daily single and two-tank boat dives access sites up and down the coast and on nearby Klein Bonaire island. Captain Don was an early proponent of conservation, and instrumental in the creation of the Bonaire Marine Park. This ethos has lead to a number of eco-friendly practices at the resort.

The dock at Captain Don’s Habitat is the starting point for explorations of an extensive coral reef system that runs for several miles along Bonaire’s western shore. Photo: Captain Don’s Habitat

Caribbean, Curacao, Play, Trip Ideas

Curacao’s Amazing Submarine Shark Expedition

February 27, 2017

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Next time one of your friends brags about scuba diving with sharks, casually mention the rarely seen specimens you ran into 1,000 feet deep in the Caribbean. This once-in-a-lifetime adventure takes place on the island of Curacao, where a unique mini sub known as the Curasub ferries a max of 4 passengers down to depths far beyond the range of scuba to view an underwater world few will ever see.

The Curasub provides an up-close look at the coral reefs of Curacao. This submersible is safe, comfortable and suitable even for persons who cannot dive due to ear problems. Photo: Barry Brown/ Substation Curacao

The sub, which is certified by Germanischer Lloyd’s to meet and exceed the industry’s highest safety standards, is operated by a professional pilot, leaving the passengers free to peer out the wide-angle front viewing bubble or through a pair of side windows. Unlike diving, there is no pressure change inside the sub, which makes these excursions suitable for many individuals who are unable to dive for medical reasons, have ear problems, or simply don’t want to get wet. In addition, the sub moves about with a smooth gliding motion that is typically enjoyable even for people who sometimes experience motion sickness on boats.

The Curasub can carry up to four passengers and a pilot to depths of 1,000 feet, and is also equipped to perform marine research tasks such as collecting samples. Photo: Substation Curacao

The company behind this undersea adventure is Substation Curacao, which not only offers these submersion programs to the public, but also conducts ongoing research projects. The Curasub is equipped with mechanical appendages for sampling and collection of specimens, and passengers sometimes become participants in the discovery of a new species, help document a previously unknown animal behavior, or aid in monitoring the health of the reefs.

The RV Chapman is a 127-foot research vessel that was once used by NOAA for oceanographic research. It now serves as a support vessel for the Curasub: Photo: Substation Curacao

A range of unique underwater experiences are offered, including submarine tours of the island’s shallow to mid-range coral reefs and shipwrecks; explorations of deeper reefs to depths of 500 feet; and plunges into the abyss to depths of 1,000 feet. Also offered are night dives and the latest addition: the Shark Deep Dive. This program allows participants to seek out a range of Caribbean shark species that includes not only those found at scuba diving depths, but also some that live in deeper water, such as the Cuban dogfish, sevengill shark and other deep sea creatures.

Colorful sponges growing on a shipwreck are illuminated by the Curasub’s lights. These are used on night dives and deep dives where there is little or no sunlight. Photo: Barry Brown/ Substation Curacao

The Curasub makes up to four dives a day from the Substation Curacao base, near the Curacao Sea Aquarium on the island’s southeast coast. For more information, visit www.substation-curacao.com

Caribbean, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Play, Trip Ideas

The Caribbean’s Best Islands for Whale Watching

January 11, 2017

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Thanks to warm weather, clear waters and an abundance of large marine mammals, the Caribbean is gaining an international reputation as one of the world’s best whale watching destinations. In all, more than 25 species of whales and dolphin are found in these waters. They may be found around many of the Windward and Leeward Islands, but there are certain destinations that provide almost guaranteed sightings. Here are three of our favorites.

Dominican Republic

The DR is the most popular whale watching destination in the Caribbean, thanks to the seasonal arrival of humpback whales, which migrate from northern waters each winter to breed and give birth in protected waters along the island’s northern coast. A limited number of long-range boats visit offshore sites on the Silver and Navidad Banks, but the vast majority of whale watching activity takes place in the sheltered waters of Samaná Bay. A half-day excursion puts watchers in the thick of the action, and these whales do much more than just come up for air. Humpbacks are known for behaviors such as pectoral slapping, lob tailing and breaching. In simple terms, this means they can be seen rolling onto their sides to slap the water with a large fin, turning upside down and sticking their large tail flukes high in the air, and leaping from the water to create dramatic splashes. Humpbacks also sing, and a number of tour operators equip their boats with underwater hydrophones that allow passengers to hear the underwater sounds of the whales. The Dominican Republic’s whale watching season runs from January to March.

Humpbacks come to the Dominican Republic each winter to rest and breed in the protected waters of Samaná Bay. The bay, which is now a humpback sanctuary, draws several thousand whales. Photo: Dominican Republic Tourism

Dominica

The steep mountains of Dominica continue downward into the Caribbean Sea, reaching depths of more than 3,000 feet quite close to the island’s coast. This creates an ideal habitat for one of the largest mammals in the world—the sperm whale. Sheltered from wind and waves by the tall peaks, they find calm waters where they can rest between deep dives for giant octopus, which are their favorite food. More than 200 sperm whales live year round in an area off the island’s western shore. Many of Dominica’s full-time whales are females who use the protected waters to give birth and raise their young. From February through May, they are joined by males, who take a break from their open ocean rovings to stop by for courtship and breeding. Whale watching tours are conducted year round, but the period from October through March is considered prime season, as this is the best time to find not only the sperm whales, but also migrating species such as humpbacks and large pods of bottlenose, spinner and spotted dolphins. The towns of Scotts Head, Roseau, Layou and Point Round are all popular starting points for boat trips.

Passengers on a whale watching boat in the waters of Dominica watch as a sperm whale dives into the depths. This species can be found year round close to the island’s west coast. Photo: Dominica Tourist Board

Guadeloupe

For sheer variety, few whale watching destinations can match the islands of Guadeloupe. At any time of the year, one of more than two dozen species of marine mammals may be spotted from land or from the decks of the ferryboats that connect the islands. But for all almost guaranteed encounters with whales and dolphin, visitors head to the northwestern corner of Basse Terre. Just a few miles from shore, an area of deep water is home to sperm whales, and sits right in the pathway of migrating humpbacks. In addition to these two high-profile species, the waters hold a veritable who’s who of Caribbean whales, including long and short finned pilot whales, orca, pygmy right whales, false killer whales, pygmy sperm whales, melon-headed whales and the rare Antilles beaked whale. Also frequenting these waters are spinner, spotted, bottlenose, Risso’s and Fraser’s dolphins. Tour boats often use underwater microphones to locate sperm whales by the clicking sounds they make. At any time of the year, operators claim a better than 60 percent chance of finding the sperms, and encounters with one or more of the area’s other types of whale or dolphin are all but guaranteed. A favorite are the large pods of spinner dolphins, which can number in the hundreds, and provide an aerial show as they leap and twist.

In Guadeloupe, the island of Basse-Terre is the starting point for whale watching tours to an area known to hold more than 15 different species of marine mammal. Photo: Debbie Snow

Central America, Costa Rica, Play, Trip Ideas

How to Spot a Monkey in Costa Rica

November 3, 2016

Bird watching is fine, but for a real treat; search the treetops for monkeys the next time you are in Costa Rica. The country’s extensive nature preserves are home to the most robust populations of primates in Central America. There are five native species, and once you get to know your monkeys, they can provide hours of entertaining viewing.

Hawaii, Maui, Play, Trip Ideas

Maui’s Mermaid Magic

October 27, 2016

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Forget whales and dolphins. The most unusual marine mammals you may discover in the waters around Maui are mermaids. Yep, as in women with tails. Make that women wearing tails. A mermaid suit may seem like a costume, but it’s actually an innovative type of diving gear that has spawned a new sport. Built into the tail is a special swim fin that resembles the tail fluke of a whale. Known as a mono fin, it holds the user’s two feet inside one fin to create a powerful whale-like swimming motion. Mono fin swimming first gained popularity in the sport of free diving, and it was only a matter of time before imaginative innovators added the fabric sheath to create the appearance of a tail.

A trio of breath-holding free divers wearing special mono fin-equipped mermaid tails descends onto a coral reef on the western shore of Maui. Photo: Hawaii Mermaid Adventures

Swimming with a mermaid tail takes a bit of practice, which is exactly what is offered at Hawaii Mermaid Adventures. Located in the Kihei region on Maui’s west coast, this school for aspiring mermaids offers training sessions that prepare participants for supervised swims on nearby coral reefs. Instructors are certified lifeguards with years of experience. In addition to teaching the techniques of monofin swimming, the program delves into mermaid mythology and sailors’ tales, along with fascinating facts on marine life and underwater environment. A high point of the two-hour swimming session is an underwater photo shoot that captures mermaid memories with images that can be shared as proof that mermaids really do exist.

Caribbean, Play, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico’s Best Golf Resorts

October 27, 2016

With more than 20 championship courses to choose from, Puerto Rico is the grand dame of Caribbean golf. And a number of the island’s premier courses offer more than great play, as they are attached to world-class resorts. Here are five of the island’s best places to stay and play.

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort

Nature comes into play at this Robert Trent Jones Jr. course, which is tucked into a native maritime forest between the ocean and the foothills of the El Yunque Rainforest. The course, which has been awarded Audubon International Signature Sanctuary status, plays through dense forest and winding lagoons, with 15 holes guarded by water hazards, and the final three finishing along the beach. With five tee sets providing a long game of just over 7,000 yards, play can be relaxing or challenging. The same foliage that provides scenic enhancement also shelters fairways from prevailing ocean breezes, though the final three beachfront holes can provide exhilarating late-round birdie opportunities in downwind conditions. Onsite facilities include a large driving range, practice area, and a plantation-style clubhouse with a pro shop and restaurant.

The course at Bahia Beach plays through a landscape of native forest and lagoons before arriving at the beach. The grounds have been awarded Audubon International Signature Sanctuary status. Photo: St. Regis Bahia Beach

The 483-acre grounds of the Bahia Beach Resort stretch along two miles of private beach, and more than 65 percent of the land remains undeveloped and protected as a nature preserve. There are miles of walking and bike trails, a bird sanctuary and kayak and canoe trails along 80 acres of lakes and the Espíritu Santo River. The 139-room hotel is the Caribbean’s first St. Regis property, and Puerto Rico’s first AAA Five Diamond rated resort. Guest rooms feature beamed ceilings, private terraces and upscale touches such as 300-thread-count linens. Onsite amenities include chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Fern restaurant, the 10,000 square-foot Reme?de Spa, a seaside swimming pool and esplanade, fitness facility, tennis facility, 24- hour concierge, and St. Regis’s signature Butler Service.

Bahia Beach is the first St. Regis property in the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico’s first AAA Five Diamond rated resort. More than half of the 483-acre grounds are set aside as a nature preserve. Photo: St. Regis Bahia Beach

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa

As the name promises, Rio Mar (river and ocean in English) gives players a choice between a Greg Norman-designed course along the Mameyes River, and a Tom and George Fazio course that delivers ocean views. The 6,782- yard Ocean Course is one of Puerto Rico’s most popular, with a classic layout that features four sets of tees, numerous bunkers and elevated greens. The signature 16th hole, an oceanside par 3, is regarded as one of the Caribbean’s best. The adjacent River Course plays 6,945 yards and is suitable for all skill levels, with wide fairways, open greens, shallow bunkers and light rough. When creating the course, Norman made a special effort to preserve native foliage and let the natural terrain determine placement of all holes. Rio Mar is also home to Puerto Rico’s only resort-based golf academy.

Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Golf Course Aerial

Rio Mar offers two courses set along river and ocean, with views of El Yunque rainforest in the background. The Ocean Course is one of Puerto Rico’s most popular. Photo: Victor Elias/Wyndham

The Rio Mar resort sits on 500 landscaped acres overlooking a mile-long stretch of Atlantic coast beach. Each of the property’s 400 rooms and suites has recently undergone a comprehensive renovation, and all feature private furnished balconies with views of the ocean or the El Yunque rainforest. There are five full-service restaurants on the premises, with menus created by Executive Chef Ramón Carrillo to reflect a diverse range of both innovative and traditional global cuisines. Recreational amenities include a tennis complex and watersports center. The full-service Mandara Spa provides more than 25 unique treatments inspired by indigenous products and Balinese therapeutic techniques. Guests can relax with oceanfront meditation and in-room yoga or work with the resort’s concierge staff to plan action packed days on land or water.

Wyndham Grand’s Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa sits on a 500-acre oceanfront site fronted by more than a mile of beach. The property has recently undergone a complete renovation. Photo: Victor Elias/Wyndham

El Conquistador Resort

The Arthur Hill-designed course at El Conquistador is not your typical resort course experience. Elevation comes into play from the very first hole, where an elevated tee shot puts players on the first of many sloping and rolling fairways that reward precision while directing poorly-placed balls towards woods or water. The course rises and falls through 200 feet of vertical relief, with more elevated tees and numerous uneven lies along the way. But while challenging, the course is ultimately rewarding, and adds the bonus of sweeping views of ocean and rainforest. There is an on-site pro shop and available PGA instructor.

Located on a plateau high above the ocean, the course at El Conquistador features numerous elevation changes and sloping fairways that require strategic placements and careful attention to terrain. Photo: El Conquistador

The 984-room El Conquistador is a premier Waldorf Astoria property, and Puerto Rico’s most expansive resort complex. There are seven pools and a water park on site; four fine dining venues and 11 additional casual restaurants. The resort’s central area includes game rooms, markets, an ice cream parlor, cafes and two fully equipped fitness centers to work off those indulgences. A water taxi connects to beaches at nearby Palomino Island, where guests can enjoy water sports, snorkeling and horseback rides. Two on-site spas specialize in Thai massages, ocean detoxes, and aqua therapy, and for those who can’t leave the office behind, there is a modern business center. As a lower-key alternative to the main resort complex, there are the villas at Las Casitas, which sit just a short shuttle ride away.

The expansive grounds of the El Conquistador resort complex include seven pools, a water park, 15 restaurants, two on-site spas and a marina. A private island lies just offshore. Photo: Thomas Shelby/El Conquistador

Dorado Beach, Ritz-Carlton Reserve

Puerto Rico’s top-rated course is the star attraction at Dorado Beach. For more than 50 years, the East Course has challenged and delighted dedicated amateurs and PGA pros alike. Created by legendary designer Robert Trent Jones Sr., the course now benefits from updates by his son, Robert Jr., and remains one of the Caribbean’s must-play rounds of golf. Most famous is the par-5 fifth, which no less than Jack Nicklaus has called it one of the toughest holes he’s ever played. But the East Course is just one of four at Dorado Beach. Jones Sr. also created the scenic West Course, orienting holes to bring the ever-present sea breezes into play. Also on the roster is the Sugarcane Course, which winds through rivers and lakes, with a challenging yet manageable number of forced carries and deep bunkers. More relaxing is the Pineapple Course, which offers wider greens, shallower bunkers and ocean views from several holes.

The East Course at Dorado Beach was created by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1958. Over the years it has hosted tour events, provided challenges and rewards for golfers from around the world. Photo: Ritz-Carlton Dorado

Built on the lushly landscaped grounds of the former Laurance Rockefeller estate, the Dorado Beach is a Ritz-Carlton Reserve property. The resort’s 114 oceanfront rooms combine the founder’s original environmental design philosophies with a modern minimal décor. Rooms open directly onto beachside terraces that blur the boundaries between indoors and outside. A range of beachside dining options includes the signature Mi Casa from acclaimed chef José Andrés, who provides epicurean adventures that reflects Puerto Rico’s heritage. Also on the premises is Spa Botánico, a five- acre botanical sanctuary that provides a holistic yet modern approach to beauty and wellness, utilizing indigenous ingredients grown on site.

Rooms and public area at the Dorado Beach resort are positioned directly adjacent to the beach, and are designed in an open style that removes barriers between indoor and outdoor spaces. Photo: Ritz-Carlton Dorado

Royal Isabella

The Royal Isabella is unique among Caribbean golf courses. Perched cliffside on the island’s northwestern coast, this links-style course is the handwork of native sons Charlie and Stanley Pasarell, who set out to create a course for golf purists in the tradition of St. Andrews, Cabot Links or Pebble Beach. Working in collaboration with architect David Pfaff, they created a course that evolved from the land itself, integrating native grasses, natural sand dunes and deep canyons into the layout. After a series of jungle-shrouded holes on the front nine, the course moves cliffside to present a magnificent string of oceanfront challenges. The short but precise par-3 eleventh is the Caribbean version of Pebble Beach’s famous seventh, while the twelfth pays homage to the ocean carry at Hawaii’s Mauna Kea, with a tee shot over a cove of crashing surf.

With a back nine that plays along ocean cliffs, the Royal Isabela course is unlike any other in Puerto Rico. Signature par-threes have been likened to Pebble Beach and Hawaii’s Mauna Kea courses. Photo: Joan Dost/Royal Isabela

The centerpiece of the 2,000-acre golf resort is La Casa, a castle-like stone edifice golf club and restaurant built in the style of a historic sugar mill, and housing the golf club and restaurant. Guests are accommodated in 20 stand- alone casitas set at a high point on the property that captures sea breezes and delivers sweeping ocean views. Each casita is terraced onto the hillside, with split-level layouts that feature high ceilings, rich woods and floor-to- ceiling windows opening onto private terraces with plunge pools. Four- poster beds are draped with decorative netting, while separate living areas create additional private spaces. The emphasis is on tranquility, with a private beach at the base of the cliff, and the Pasarell family farm in the adjacent river valley, where guests can hike, bike and kayak.

Built to resemble an 18th century sugar mill, La Casa at Royal Isabela is the gathering place for members and resort guests. A collection of individual villas sits on nearby hillsides. Photo: Joan Dost/Royal Isabela

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