Tag Archives: Caribbean

6 Healthy Holiday Destinations to Add to 2019 Bucket List

04/08/2019 Archie Ward 4 Comments

Holidaymakers are beginning to realize that there is more to a well-earned break than just lounging around a hotel pool. Increased awareness of how mind and body should work in harmony is leading many tourists to seek the additional benefits offered by health retreats. And with such glorious, natural scenery to enjoy, a visit to at least one healthy living retreat should be on everyone’s bucket list for 2019.

1. Himalayas, India

The foothills of the Himalayan mountain range in northern India is famous for being the centre of ayurvedic medicine. It’s an ancient holistic lifestyle that uses meditation and yoga to capture the serenity many tourists crave. A warm, settled climate offers endless opportunities to combine regimes dedicated to healthy eating and relaxing spa treatments with sightseeing trips. The Himalayan River Valley has breathtaking rivers tumbling through the mountainous landscape contrasted with acres of blooms in the Valley of Flowers National Park. Unforgettable visits to see the friendly monkeys at the Jakhu Hill Temple high up in the mountains and the Pool of Nectar at the Golden Temple of Amritsar are refreshing experiences that convey perfect peace and well-being.

2. California, USA

The state of California has so many natural hot springs running along its length that it has become a place of pilgrimage for holidaymakers hoping for therapeutic relaxation in muddy pools of warm water. From the Mount Lassen National Park in the north, through the Napa Valley and onwards to the stunning, mountainous scenery around San Diego and Los Angeles, there are hot spring spas offering every tourist a perfect, healthy living retreat. The rich mineral content of red clay combined with natural, carbonated water is guaranteed to restore aches and pains whilst relaxing the mind amongst the untamed rocky creeks of areas such as the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

3. Caribbean Islands

For total relaxation amongst the tropical forests, endless white beaches and seas of the deepest blue, the Caribbean Islands deserve to be on any bucket list. Antigua and St. Lucia are just two of the islands offering relaxing massages and Zumba dance classes to help visitors enjoy a fun route to keeping fit. More strenuous fitness programmes include scuba diving and long treks through the beautiful, unspoiled scenery. There is local wildlife to admire in the Pigeon National Park and the Grande Anse beach has its own visiting sea turtles. Montserrat and St Kitts have beautiful tropical rainforests to explore. Stunning views and striking sunsets throughout the islands capture the beauty of a relaxing paradise.

4. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Popular weight loss holidays in Thailand are concentrated in the beautiful northern landscape of Chiang Mai. Gentle activities focus on long walks or bicycle rides through a region littered with national parks. Especially heartening is a visit to the Elephant Park where these noble creatures enjoy living a natural life. The Crystal Creek Waterfall and the Doi Pui-Doi Suthep National Park with its famous hilltop Buddhist temple are great favourites for restoring energy and vitality. Visitors who experience weight loss camp in Thailand can retrain their minds at spas dedicated to eating healthily and following a simpler lifestyle that will last beyond their unforgettable holidays.

5. Philippines

The hundreds of assorted islands that are known collectively as the Philippines has become a popular holiday destination for those seeking a healthier lifestyle. Spas that offer relaxation techniques such as yoga and gentle massages aim primarily at detoxifying the body’s system. While enjoying generous portions of fresh, local fruit and vegetables, visitors are encouraged to experience the benefits of a vegan diet. Holidaymakers are spoilt for choice when looking for beautiful beaches with clean, golden sands and aquamarine seas. Tubbataha Reef, one of the world’s most fascinating coral reefs, is to be found at Palawan while the Chocolate Hills at Bohol is a protected conservation area due to its outstanding natural beauty.

6. Egypt

The area bordering the Red Sea is a must for tourists who want the opportunity to include restorative benefits to their well-being. The Red Sea with its high mineral content has long been known for its healing properties. Spas and hotels offer a diverse range of therapeutic treatments including steamy Turkish baths, yoga and Reiki massages. Healthy, nutritious meals designed to obtain an ideal weight include exotic fruits and vegetables. Popular tourist spots to revive the spirits are at St Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai. Other sightseeing trips include visits to some of Egypt’s most fascinating temples at Luxor or the Great Pyramids. Hurghada beaches and Abu Dabab offer the chance to snorkel or scuba dive while admiring the beautiful fish and turtles who live there.

Have you decided to get healthy by traveling this year? Hope this guide will help you think about where to jump in soon!

North America

Top 3 Islands that People Sailing Around the Caribbean Should Visit

05/04/2018 Romeo Demes 1 Comment

When sailing around the Caribbean, one of the most difficult decisions you will make is which specific destinations you must visit. Because let’s face it, there’s no place in the Caribbean that isn’t magical. With this in mind, here are the top three places where anyone sailing around the Caribbean should visit.

1. Anguilla

This 35-square-mile island has 33 of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. There are no pebble-strewn coastlines or rocky shores here, just sandy sweeps begging to be immortalized on Instagram. The sun is a permanent feature in Anguilla, and the island is surrounded by a magnificent coastline crying to be walked on barefoot. If taking in the palm-fringed bays while a tropical drink melts in your hand sounds like a good idea, this is the place to be.

In addition to the beautiful beaches and sunset view, Anguilla is also quite affordable. Resorts and villa prices have gone down over the years and aren’t as stratospheric as they used to be. The locals are pretty chilled out too. It is not uncommon to hear the pounding of dominoes on make-shift wooden tables by smiling faces-an atmosphere that is almost contagious.

If the aforementioned reasons aren’t enticing enough, perhaps the addictive smell of smokey jerk chicken grilling on the shores will do the trick. Anguilla is bursting with gourmet restaurants serving everything from the Caribbean, American to Italian delicacies.

2. Bahamas

It’s not at all difficult to find reasons why you should visit the Bahamas. When most people think of the Bahamas, paradise island, white sand, and crystal blue beaches come to mind. However, these are just a tip of what the island has to offer.

This Caribbean nation’s geographic location, weather, culture and 700 unique islands, make it a must-have in your bucket-list if you plan on sailing around the Caribbean. With historic tourist attractions such as The Long island museum, Columbus Monument, Dean’s blue hole and Adderly plantation, it’s difficult to think of any close rival to the Bahamas.

The crystal clear water, reefs and marine life in the Bahamas, make it the must-go-to destination if you’re into scuba diving and snorkelling. You won’t have to worry about anything since all scuba diving companies are approved and monitored by the Bahamas Diving Association. The hospitality is also world-class with several upscale restaurants well spread around this Caribbean nation.

3. St. Martin

A home away from home, St Martin is another must have in your bucket-list if you plan on sailing around the Caribbean. With over 120 nationalities, St. Martin is a truly magical and international place. Here you will find the friendliest and most cheerful people. The weather is great throughout the year making it convenient to travel whenever you like.

You can choose either a remote desert beach or one with buzzy and rocky cliffs from one of St. Martin’s 37 beaches. This makes it an ideal place to visit with family and to do activities such as scuba diving, jet skiing, and snorkelling among others.

Another great reason to visit st. Martin is that the whole island is duty-free and you can find great bargains on clothes, jewellery, and electronics. With all the best shops and stores located here, you can buy literally anything you want tax-free!

Food

Cuba for the Foodies

06/10/2015 Kate Flannery Leave a comment

When speaking about ideal places for one’s vacation, most people will always envision a beautiful, heaven like a location in the Caribbean. Although for generations, Cuba served as a synonym for Caribbean paradise, political occurrences prevented it from ever developing into the most wanted Caribbean tourist destination. With the recent warming of the relationship between the U.S. and the Cuban government, this dreamlike island and all its wonders are once again open for foreign visitors.

Truth be told, Cuba is a place of incredible natural riches and dazzling landscapes. However, visiting a place and getting to really learn about it is not just about sightseeing. In order to get to really know a place, you must experience its culture, meet its people but above all else have a taste of local culture through its cuisine. When it comes to this, Cuba is second to none.

Best of Cuban cuisine

Treat yourself and take a culinary vacation to this incredible Caribbean island. Although its recent isolation damaged the Cuban economy somewhat, it influenced its cuisine for better. Because embargo prevented this country from importing many culinary supplies, it pushed local cooks and chefs into developing an even more autochthonous cuisine by relying solely on spices, vegetables and types of meat that were available to them locally. All of it had a part in making this otherwise unique cuisine even more authentic.

The way to start your day

Tasting a culture is not just about eating local but drinking local as well. Start your day with a Cubita, a local substitute for espresso or café con leche, based on your personal preference, in one of the local cafés. Add to this coffee a Cuban tostada, Cuban toast with butter, and there you have yourself a perfect and authentic local breakfast and experience.

Lunch in Cuba

Proceed with your culinary day in this Caribbean jewel by enjoying your lunch in one of the magnificent yet simple Cuban restaurants. Try the traditional empanada, as well as chicken or meat turnovers. Further complement your delicious dish with a side of mariquitas, thinly sliced plantain chips and you are bound to get a meal that you are unlikely to forget.

Another Cuban specialty, usually enjoyed for lunch, is the pan con bistec, a thin slice of palomilla steak on bread, which is then garnished with lettuce, tomatoes, and fried potato sticks on the side. One thing is for sure, regardless of what you decide on, you will certainly not regret it and it is quite possible you will urge to revel in Cuba’s culinary magnificence again as soon as possible.

Authentic Cuban snack and dinner

Pastelitos, croquetas, and bocaditos are all delicious Cuban finger food, a specialty of Cuban chefs usually enjoyed as a delicious snack, to help you make it between a delicious Cuban lunch and a delicious Cuban dinner. Dinner usually consists of meat, most commonly chicken or fish accompanied with either white rice or black beans. For dessert, Cuban caramel-flavored custard is usually served; if not this, it is expected that its replacement will be one of the most curious local treats, rice pudding.

Each of these meals has its completely unique taste and every single one carries in itself its own little part of Cuba. Unfortunately, no holiday is long enough for one to taste them all. Still you are always welcome to return to Cuba over and over again, and with the wonderful weather, the authentic cultural vibe and the vintage cars – why wouldn’t you?

Destinations, North America

Around Dominican Republic

05/02/2015 Josip Ivanovic Leave a comment

The Dominican Republic is a world famous destination that attracts more and more tourists every year, thanks to its sandy beaches and mild climate. This beautiful country is not only popular among tourists, but also among those, who are looking for a place to settle down. This country loves foreigners so much that in shops, there can find signs in English, French, Italian and Spanish. Dominicans are known for being very friendly towards tourists.

The country itself is the perfect destination for all lovers of natural beauty. Hundreds of kilometers long beaches, lush forests with beautiful waterfalls and lakes, unusual plants and animals…the Dominican Republic has it all. If you are spending a week in the Dominican Republic, you are most certainly going to enjoy every moment spent there.

The main tourist destination in the Dominican Republic is of course Punta Cana, located on the Costa Bavaro. Because of its beautiful and long sandy beaches, it is the ideal place for enjoying the warm weather and drinking cocktails under tropical trees. In addition to that, in Punta Cana, there are also numerous restaurants, bars, night clubs, casinos and various evening shows that guarantee an unforgettable experience.

205 km further, we can find the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo. This city was completely rebuilt in 1930, due to the hurricane, which largely destroyed it, however, the Dominicans still managed to preserve. There many buildings from the Spanish colonial era.

Another must see destination is Catalina, one of the most beautiful islands in the whole Caribbean. The island has over 100 different species of birds, dolphins and various species of fish, which are a delight for everyone, who decides to go diving there.

After visiting Catalina, you should definitely visit Saona, an island that is located inside the National Park of the East. It is an almost uninhabited island, except for a few fishermen’s villages.

It is not difficult to travel from one place in the country to another. There are several private transportation companies that offer comfortable, modern buses. The price of a ride on a distance up to 225 km at Metro Buses and Caribe Tours is less than ten dollars. You can also use the OMSA buses, which drive from 7.00 a.m. to 9 p.m. along the main streets of Santo Domingo and Santiago. The price of a ride is between RD $ 5 and RD $ 10, depending on whether the buses have or do not have air conditioning.

Several car rental companies, such as National, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Hertz and Dollar also offer their services in the Dominican Republic. To visit the destinations and the tourist attractions on the north coast or on the Samaná half-island, it is best to rent a vehicle. This also applies when you want to visit all the beaches in Punta Cana and La Romana.

Other options for transportation are small buses, called “Guaguas” that drive through the main streets and avenues, where they stop at the request of passengers. The price for longer distances never exceeds RD $ 25.

But tourists do not only visit the Dominican Republic for relaxation or sightseeing. The Dominican Republic has also the reputation for being a gourmet destination. The food there is tasty and versatile and, therefore, many different types of restaurants can be found all over the country. There are refined and luxurious restaurants with gourmet menus, and also restaurants with Creole cuisine, the local touch and a casual atmosphere. You can find Oriental, Mexican, Mediterranean and Italian restaurants, as well as many pizzerias and snack bars.

The Dominican Republic has so much to offer – white beaches, turquoise waters, palm trees, rivers and spectacular waterfalls, forests, amazing islands like Catalina and Saona etc. The natural beauty of this astonishing country seems endless. During your week there, this extraordinary island will give you an experience of a lifetime for sure.

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