BLONDERLUST

Fly to Tahiti for only $899!

2012-01-24T13:27:00.000-05:00

For travel January 28-March 31, Air Tahiti Nui is offering a fabulous airfare deal between Los Angeles and Papeete, Tahiti. For only $899 per person including all taxes and fees, you can fly to this dream island for up to 5 days - believe me, it's worth the trip!

For more information or to book your Tahitian getaway, feel free to email me at caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

Fabulous deal at Sofitels in Moorea and Bora Bora!

2012-01-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

For travel now through March 31, book 5 nights at the Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort or the Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach & Private Island and pay for only 3, plus get free daily breakfast! Honeymooners will also receive a host of added perks, including a 30-minute couples massage, bottle of champagne, and other special gifts!

This special is valid on the following room categories:
Sofitel Moorea - Luxury Beach Bungalow, Superior Overwater Bungalow, Luxury Overwater Bungalow

Sofitel Bora Bora - all categories except Luxury Lagoon Front Bungalow

To take advantage of this super special, contact me at Caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

A new Cancun luxury resort - complete with limited-time deal!

2012-01-06T14:25:00.001-05:00

I'm excited to announce that one of my favorite all-inclusive brands, Secrets Resorts and Spas, will be opening a beautiful new property in Cancun come August - Secrets The Vine Cancun! And to celebrate, they are offering some fantastic deals!

Introductory Rate
Secrets Resorts & Spas is offering a limited time pre-opening special of $160 per person per night based on double occupancy for travel between August 1 - October 28, 2012, and $175 per person per night for travel between October 29 – December 27, 2012.*

* NOTE: The booking window is 11/29/11 to 1/31/12.

To book your stay at Secrets The Vine Cancun or any other tropical luxury resort, please don't hesitate to contact me at caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

Press release and more details on this new luxury resort after the jump!

AMResorts, provider of sales, marketing and brand management services for Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, and Secrets, Dreams, Now and Sunscape Resorts & Spas, will introduce the Secrets Resorts & Spas brand to Cancun's popular Hotel Zone with the opening of adults-only Secrets The Vine Cancun in August 2012. The resort becomes AMResorts' twenty first property in Mexico and tenth for the Secrets brand.

The newly built Secrets The Vine is located on the golden Yucatan Peninsula coastline. The property features 495 luxurious guest rooms, all with ocean views, private balconies, Italian porcelain floors, and teak wood furnishings.

The Secrets The Vine's lobby celebrates fine wine in both its design and menu offerings with a designated wine tasting area for guests, the Enoteca (wine cellar). Featuring a Mexican handcrafted wood table with seating for up to 30 guests, a unique wine wall housing as many as 3000 varieties of wine, and sommelier-lead tastings of some of the world's finest wine collections, the Enoteca promises guests a rich and relaxing wine tasting experience.

All resort guests will enjoy the benefits of Secrets Resorts & Spas' signature Unlimited-Luxury® vacation concept which offers limitless access to gourmet a la carte dining and premium beverage brands, 24-hour room and concierge services, countless daytime activities, live evening entertainment, and more.

The resort features seven distinctive restaurants and three bars offering a variety of experiences. Additionally, guests have access to a range of activities including land and water sports, daily special events such as movies on the beach, dance classes, nightly shows, evening entertainment and more.

Secrets The Vine's 12,580 square-feet spa offers the perfect atmosphere for those seeking relaxation with a selection of signature treatments and hydrotherapy experience inspired by the underground limestone caves and subterranean open water pools of the Yucatan Peninsula. A fitness center facility and full service beauty salon also are available.

The resort's variety of meeting spaces, including 17,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space overlooking the Nichupté lagoon, is ideal for group meetings and incentive travelers.

Secrets The Vine also provides the perfect romantic setting for couples with many special amenities; and wedding, honeymoon and anniversary packages available.

Pay 5/Stay 10 in French Polynesia extended!!

2011-11-09T09:54:00.001-05:00

Because there's no bad time to visit paradise, Pearl Resorts have re-upped their amazing "stay 10/pay 5" deal for November 1, 2011-April 30, 2012! If you love fabulous resorts, rich culture, delectable food, and the most stunning scenery on earth, take advantage of this deal - it's not likely to come along again soon!
For more information on this deal: http://travelprincessatl.blogspot.com/2011/01/incredible-last-minute-deal-to-french.html

Go ahead, tell me you don't wish you were here right now!

Fantastic "double deal" at two exotic Caribbean hideaways!

2011-11-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

The weather may have gotten cold in many parts of the world, but Firefly Mustique and Firefly Bequia are heating things up with their "Best of Both Worlds" special! These luxury resorts in St. Vincent & the Grenadines are still not exactly cheap, but this deal makes them less of a splurge, and is well worth every penny!

For $5999 per couple*, you'll receive:

+4 nights at Firefly Bequia
+4 nights at Firely Mustique
+Upgrade upon arrival to the best available room at each resort
+Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner at both resorts
+Daily afternoon tea at Firefly Bequia and daily sunset snacks at Firefly Mustique
+Free flight from Barbados to Bequia for both travelers
+Free flight or boat ride from Bequia to Mustique for both travelers
+Free flight from Mustique to Barbados for both travelers
+Transfers between airports/docks and resorts
+Complimentary use of Club Caribbean Lounge at Barbados airport
+All other inclusions as per resort policy

*Not including airfare to Barbados or airport taxes/fuel surcharge; airfare from the US and Barbados starts at around $420 per person

A pictures is worth a thousand words, so check out the websites, and I'll let these speak for themselves...don't you wish you were there right now? If so, please feel free to contact me at Caroline@easyescapestravel.com for a fully customized quote!

Photos courtesy of Firefly Resorts

Now on Twitter!

2011-11-04T19:43:00.000-04:00

I finally broke down and started a Twitter account! For lots of travel tidbits, follow me here: http://twitter.com/#!/Blonderlust! In the meantime, here's a photo of a monkey at Gumbalimba Park (Roatan, Honduras) marveling over the smoothness of my skin after the chocolate-coconut body scrub and massage I had at Serenity Day Spa.

Eco-friendly dream hotel - Ninamu Resort, Tikehau

2011-10-27T00:55:00.000-04:00

After countless trips to tropical islands all over the world, the island of Tikehau remains my top pick for a “castaway” feel without an insane amount of travel time. Located in French Polynesia’s Tuamotu archipelago, Tikehau only about an hour-long flight from Tahiti, but feels like a world away from even that paradisical isle. A coral atoll, Tikehau (which means “peaceful landing” in the Tuamotuan language) consists of 2 main islands and numerous smaller islets, all circling a 16-mile wide lagoon.

The lagoon itself is a natural aquarium - a study by the Jacques Cousteau Institute found it to have the greatest number and variety of fish in all of French Polynesia (an area the size of Western Europe)! These findings came as no surprise to those who’ve spent time on Tikehau; spend 5 minutes peeking over the edge of a pier into the gin-clear water and you’ll feel as though half of the ocean has swum by.

The islands and islets are also picture-perfect; flat, sandy (Tikehau is especially famous for its pink sand), and dusted with palm trees and lush foliage. Those who’ve always dreamed of the perfect untouched tropical paradise need not look any further!

Until recently, the only resort option here was the Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort (there are also a few very small family hotels, known as pensions). While the Pearl Beach is definitely a fabulous place to stay (and one of my all-time favorites), I’m very excited to hear that another resort has recently opened, offering fewer accommodations, eco-friendly luxury, and an even more intimate feel. Ninamu does not offer any overwater accommodations, but its 6 bungalows (3 located right along the beach and 3 set back a bit in the gardens) are each completely unique and designed with classically tropical style.

Rates begin at $700USD per couple per night, and include daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner – a rarity in French Polynesia. With round-trip transfers between the Tikehau airport and resort also included, along with unlimited use of all of the resort’s watercraft, Ninamu is an excellent value for those looking to get away from it all in a setting straight out of a dream!

Photos courtesy of Ninamu Resort

Finally, overwater bungalows in the Dominican Republic!

2011-09-30T19:37:00.000-04:00

Ok, so you won’t be able to actually enjoy them until 2013*, but I have a feeling they’ll be worth the wait! Harlequin Hotels & Resorts, owner of the luxurious and exclusive new Buccament Bay Resort in St. Vincent & the Grenadines (also very worth checking out!), is working on a new resort complex in Las Canas, Dominican Republic. Las Canas Resort will offer riverside, beachfront, and overwater bungalows at the main resort, as well as studios and apartments at a boutique property called The Hideaway, about a half kilometer away. Located only about 20 minutes from the Puerto Plata airport along a gorgeous tropical beach lapped by the crystal-clear turquoise sea, Las Canas and Hideaway are poised to become the next Caribbean “must-stay”!

Photos courtesy of Harlequin Hotels and Resorts

*Don't want to wait 2 years to enjoy an overwater bungalow vacation? Then contact me at Caroline@easyescapestravel.com for ideas and quotes on gorgeous resorts in other areas of the world that will allow you to be dipping your toes in the water from your deck within days!

Tadrai Island Resort, Fiji

2011-09-29T10:31:00.002-04:00

Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands just became even more enticing with the opening of the ultra-luxe Tadrai island Resort. Located on a paradisiacal palm-fringed isle, Tadrai is the perfect spot for a honeymoon or other romantic getaway. The resort boasts 5 beautiful and spacious beachfront villas, each with a plunge pool overlooking one of the property’s 4 private beaches.

With a maximum of 10 adult guests (sorry, no children allowed!) on property at any given time, attentive and personalized service is guaranteed. Rates include all meals, select alcoholic beverages, all non-alcoholic beverages, gratuities, and non-motorized water sports, making Tadrai one of just a few true all-inclusive properties in Fiji. The first few guests to stay at Tadrai have raved about the staff, food, spa, and everything else the resort has to offer, and I expect that the kudos will just keep coming!

To plan your own getaway to this pristine paradise, contact me at Caroline@EasyEscapesTravel.com!

Sailed off to Antigua, it took her 3 days on the boat...

2011-09-28T15:50:00.006-04:00

(Note: please excuse the odd formatting on this one...after trying to fix it for the past hour, I finally had to give up!)

Ok, so we actually went via plane, and it took more like 4 hours than 3 days, but I could not resist this line from one of my very favorite Jimmy Buffett songs! For our 7th wedding anniversary this April, my husband and I spent a week on the Caribbean island of Antigua, a sandy paradise dusted with more than a touch of British influence.

We spent 3 nights at Cocobay Resort and 4 at Galley Bay, two fairly different properties, but each of which has its own special qualities. We enjoyed our time at both resorts, though Galley Bay is far and away more luxurious overall and the only one of the two I would recommend to almost anyone without hesitation.

Check-in at Cocobay was a bit slow, but the front desk service was very friendly, and when we mentioned that it was out anniversary, they arranged for a complimentary bottle of champagne on ice to be sent to our room. We stayed in Loblolly Cay, one of the resort's Seafront Cottages. Most of the cottages are detached units, but Loblolly does share a high bamboo fence with another unit. However, we still thought it was the best location on property, and would have been our first choice if we'd had every cottage to choose from!

The interiors of the cottages are pretty simple, but comfortable and clean and certainly adequate considering how little time most people actually spend inside the room. Because why would you spend a minute more than necessary indoors when you can be outside enjoying this!?

Each morning and afternoon we were visited by dozens of these tiny birds - the more audacious one would fly into our room and try to steal sugar packets from the coffee service. Cute lizards were also frequent guests on our porch.

The resort grounds are also gorgeous, perfectly tropical, charming, and well maintained without being overly polished. The main resort pool is lovely and was never super-crowded, likely because so many guests do have their own plunge pools. (Note: we were there during low season, so it may be a bit more difficult to find space during high season.)

The open-air restaurant allows for beautiful views out over the sea and beach.

Service was pretty iffy, though as we found to be the case throughout Antigua, the Antiguan men seem to be more friendly and welcoming to tourists than are the Antiguan women. Breakfast at Cocobay is a buffet, with a made-or-order egg station, cereals, fruit, yogurt, meats and cheeses, and lots of fresh breads and pastries. I was very excited to see that unlike just about anywhere in the world outside the US, the bacon on offer was actually super crispy (is there anything more vile than undercooked bacon?). The blueberry muffins and banana bread are super yummy as well.

Unfortunately, lunch was...not exactly good. In fairness, it was not awful either, but I found the options to be way too limited and somewhat odd for a tropical resort. There was heavily sauced fish, some kind of mystery meat, mashed potatoes, rice, salad, and pasta with a tuna sauce. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer lighter, more local fare after a morning on the beach! We only ate lunch there one day, as we got in too late the first afternoon and were off property our last day, but I don't believe the menu varies much from day to day.

Dinner was ok. Again, not awful, but not great. This is definitely not a resort you go to for the food! The first night Bob and I both paid the surcharge (I believe it was $15-$20 per person) for the whole grilled lobster. Worth it? Yes, but only because I'm a lobster fiend! They are great about keeping guests' wineglasses refilled, which is always a plus!

The other drinks at the resort were uniformly bad. One beer choice, lukewarm from a tap, and I think I had two tasty mixed drinks the whole three days. The pina coladas were pretty good (made from a mix, and usually not available until early afternoon), and I had a good rum punch one day, but overall was a little surprised at the consistency of poor bartending (and let's be honest, I am not super-picky about alcoholic beverages). One tip - we brought insulated tumblers, and were so glad we did, as the cups at the bar are about half the size of a solo cup (yes, I do realize that I just complained that not only were the drinks bad,
they give you so little of them at a time. Still, beggars can't be choosers)!The resort did send over a bottle of champagne on ice in honor of our anniversary, which was a nice touch.

The resort is flanked by two beaches, both gorgeous. To the left of the resort is the main beach, where you'll find most of the beach chairs and the majority of beachgoers. All beaches in Antigua are public, and this is a popular island beach for both Cocobay guests and local Antiguans, but it never felt crowded. The long stretch of white sand is perfect for beach walks, and I loved the number and variety of shells here!

On the other side of the resort is Ffreyes beach, which is just as beautiful and generally almost deserted. You do have to navigate over some rocks and around some overhanging foliage to get here, but it's very worth it (I do recommend walking over and back during low tide, though)!

Overall, I'd recommend Cocobay for a short stay for those who don't mind things being a little rustic and for whom a beautiful view and private plunge pool (I would not stay here if that room category was not available)are much more important than food and service quality. For the price (much lower than most other all-inclusives in Antigua), I think it was a reasonable value, but not a great deal, even during low season. Three nights was perfect - I would not have minded one more full day swinging in my hammock and splashing in the plunge pool with that to-die-for view, but by the time we left we were certainly looking forward to an upgrade in food, drink, and service quality!

Stay tuned for my review of Galley Bay!

2011 Dream trip # 2: Costa Rica honeymoon!

2011-02-13T20:35:00.000-05:00

Since last Monday's episode of "The Bachelor", filmed at Costa Rica's Springs Resort & Spa near the Arenal volcano, I've noticed a huge uptick in the number of requests for information on vacations in this beautiful Central American country. So today I'm showcasing a fabulous itinerary - the perfect Costa Rican dream honeymoon!

Day 1:
Fly into Daniel Oduber International airport in Liberia (LIR), and then take a short flight from there to La Fortuna. After checking into your Honeymoon Vista Suite at The Springs Resort & Spa mid-afternoon, put on your bathing suits (or go au natural!) and sip champagne in your private infinity-edge jacuzzi, which is fed by hot mineral springs. Enjoy a romantic dinner at the resort's Las Ventanas restaurant, where the delicious fusion cuisine is outshone only by the incredible views of the Arenal volcano. After dinner, grab a bottle of wine to go, and head back to your private jacuzzi for some "star-gazing". ;)

Day 2:
After an indulgent buffet breakfast at Tres Cascadas (Three Waterfalls) restaurant, it's time to burn off some calories! A trip to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens fits the bill perfectly. Its 3.5 kilometers of walking trails wind past a butterfly observatory, hummingbird garden, serpentarium, frog exhibit, Tica House, Trout Lake, bird watching areas, wildlife preserve, and of course, waterfalls! From the Waterfall Gardens, you can view 5 stunning waterfalls from platforms above, below, and in front of the falls.

After a casual lunch set to Jimmy Buffett tunes at the open-air Treetops Grill, cool off (or heat up!) in some of the Springs' 18 (yes, eighteen!) pools. Spend some time forgetting your age as you glide down the Monkey Slide water flume carved out of a natural rock formation, then remember you're plenty old enough to enjoy a cocktail at the swim-up La Laguna bar!

Ready for a bit more adventure? Throw on some dry clothes and hop onto a horse for a ride through the Springs' private wildlife refuge. You may be a bit sore afterwards, but that gives you the perfect excuse for a sunset couple's massage at the Springs' gorgeous spa!

After an early dinner at Ginger Sushi, followed by wine and star-gazing in your jacuzzi, head to bed - you've got an early start tomorrow!

Day 3:
Wake up while it's still dark? On vacation?? You'll be glad you did as you soar over the volcano in a hot-air balloon or helicopter! Sip delicious local coffee and nibble on a pastry as you gaze at the amazing scenery below.

Back at the Springs, spend some time at the pools or in your jacuzzi before enjoying an early lunch at Tres Cascadas or Treetops--you'll want a bit more sustenance for the afternoon you have planned!

At 1PM, it's time for a rainforest adventure on the Arenal Hanging Bridges. Over the course of a 2 mile hike, you'll traverse 15 different bridges, 6 of which are hanging bridges that sway high above the forest floor. Here in the tree canopy, you'll spot a variety of wildlife while learning more about the animals, plants, geography, and history of this amazing place.

Arriving back at the hotel at 4:30, head for the Perdido Springs pools for a quick swim and a drink and snack at the Los Perdidos bar, which is surrounded by waterfalls and gardens. After getting ready for the evening (be sure to put on your dancing shoes), enjoy a leisurely dinner at one of the resort's 4 restaurants. When you've had your fill of the award-winning cuisine, it's time to make an appearance at the Springs' new Wa Experience lounge and nightclub. Enjoy live entertainment and music while dancing the night away!

Day 4:
After breakfast, it's time to check out of The Springs and head to the airport for your 40-minute flight to Manuel Antonio. Upon arrival in MA, you're picked up and driven to Arenas del Mar, the only luxury resort in town that sits right on the beach.

After checking into your Ocean View Premium Suite, it's time to hit the beach! There are two to choose from here at Arenas del Mar - Playa Espadilla and Playitas. The former is great for those looking to be more active, as it offers better swimming, surfing, walking, and exploring possibilities, while the latter offers a more relaxed and adult-oriented experience. If you'd like to be near a swimming pool and restaurant/bar, Playitas is also the better bet.

After you've had your fill of sun for the day, a couples massage in one of the open-air treatment rooms at the Las Brisas Spa is just the ticket. Don't want to leave the beach just yet? No problem--waterfront massages can also be arranged!

That evening, enjoy a 3-course romantic dinner inside or on the terrace of your suite. Private service and a bottle of wine make for a perfect honeymoon dinner! Once you're alone again, wind down with a soak in your private hot tub underneath the stars.

Day 5:
Wake up early, and take a sunrise stroll down the beach. Once you've worked up an appetite, grab a table at Arenas del Mar's El Mirador restaurant, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast.
After finishing the last of your delicious breakfast burrito, meet up with your guide for a private tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. As you walk along the trails, you'll likely spot monkeys, sloths, toucans, and other exotic wildlife--the park is home to 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds, as well as many species of reptiles and amphibians. Your guide will also point impart knowledge on various plant species and their uses, along with other information on the park and surrounding area.

Once the tour is over, enjoy a picnic lunch (the resort can pack this for you with advance notice) on one of the park's four beautiful beaches. After a nap in the sun, head back to the resort to shower and change for the evening.

A short cab ride will land you at Gaia Hotel & Reserve. This resort's overall design is a bit too aggressively modern and out-of-place for my taste (I spent 4 nights here on my first visit to Costa Rica in 2006), but I do love their beautiful and comfortable Ambar Lounge. This open-air restaurant and bar is the perfect place to enjoy yummy cocktails and tapas and watch the sky turn 1000 vibrant colors as the sun sinks into the ocean. Once darkness has settled, take a seat at the connected La Luna restaurant and try one of their delicious entrees featuring local seafood or beef. Order a bottle of champagne, and toast another fabulous day in paradise.

Day 6:
Order breakfast from room service, and enjoy it on your private terrace overlooking the deep blue waters of the Pacific.
Mid-morning, get picked up and driven to the marina, where you'll board a catamaran for about 4 hours of adventure on the high seas. Today's activity is a dolphin and whale-watching cruise, with stops for snorkeling and lunch.

Back at your resort, spend the afternoon on the beach or by the pool - or maybe even back in the spa (there's no such thing as too many massages)! A late afternoon soak in your hot tub followed by cocktails at El Mirador Bar will leave you perfectly relaxed. For dinner, cab it over to El Avion, home to Manuel Antonio's famous "airplane bar".

Day 7: After breakfast, check out of Arenas del Mar and catch a flight back to Liberia. Here, you'll be picked up by one of the drivers from Los Altos de Eros Inn & Spa, located about 20 minutes outside of Tamarindo.

I've saved the best for last here, as Los Altos is truly an amazing and unique property, and one of my personal favorite places in the world! Tripadvisor.com just gave this hotel three separate honors in its 2011 Traveler's Choice awards, including Best Service, Best Relaxation and Spa, and #8 in the Top 25 Hotels in the World! These types of honors are not new to Los Altos, though - they have received similar recognition every year since 2007. You can see reviews and photos from my first trip to Los Altos here; I should also have a review from my 2nd stay there up shortly (it was every bit as fabulous the second time around)!

After the hour-long drive from Liberia to Los Altos, you'll be warmly greeted by their amazing staff, and offered a cold drink before being shown your room. All beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages (be sure to try the fresh fruit smoothies) are included in the room rate, along with daily breakfast, lunch, and snacks, and dinner on Tuesday and Saturday nights.

Since its your honeymoon, splurge on the Eros Suite if it is available! If it's not, the queen and king poolside rooms are also lovely.

After dropping your bags off in your room, change into bathing suits, grab the bottle of chilled white wine from your room, and sip the grapey goodness as you float in the infinity edge swimming pool.

Lunch is a multi-course affair, featuring different dishes each day. At the communal dining table, you'll chat with whichever other guests around around that afternoon as you feast on perfectly prepared seafood, salads, and other delicious dishes. You can also take your meal by the pool if you'd prefer a bit more privacy. But one of the best parts of a stay at Los Altos is getting to know the other guests, so I do recommend eating at least most of your meals there at the table!

After lunch, take another swim, then plop down on one of the cushy lounge chairs and crack open that book you've always wanted to read. Or just stare out over the lush countryside that slopes down towards the ocean in the distance. Have some more wine or a few Imperials (Costa Rica's national beer) - hey, you're on vacation! Don't be startled when you hear something that sounds like lions roaring - that's just the howler monkeys who live in the trees around the resort. If you can't spot them, don't worry - a staff member surely soon will, and will let guests know so that they can get a closer look and some photos! As you relax, the exceptionally attentive staff members will make sure you always have anything you need just when you want it. Mid-afternoon someone will come by with delicious goodies - the chocolate macadamia nut cookies are my favorites, but I've never had a bad bite of anything at Los Altos!

After whiling away the afternoon in pampered luxury, take a long bath in your private jacuzzi (Eros Suite), or take advantage of the private outdoor shower in your Queen or King Room and listen to the sounds of nature as you soap up. Head back outside from a sunset walk through the property, or just sit by the pool and watch the sun sink slowly into the sea.

If it happens to be a Tuesday night (and let's just assume it is!), you can join in a cooking class featuring local/traditional Costa Rican dishes. Afterwards, enjoy a multi-course gourmet dinner and lively conversation around the dining table.

Day 8:
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt, meats and cheese, cereal, breads, and local dishes. Be sure to try the gallo pinto (rice and beans), a traditional Costa Rican dish.

Afterwards, take the resort's free shuttle to Playa Avellenas for some beach time. The staff will even pack you a beach bag with towels and bottles of water to take along! If it gets too hot out on the beach, duck under the shady cover of Lola's beach bar and restaurant for a delicious frozen cocktail or 3. If you're lucky, you'll even spot the bar's mascot - a large pig named (what else!) Lola! Around lunchtime, get picked up and driven back to Los Altos, or grab a bite at Lola's if you're not quite ready to leave the sand yet.

Late in the afternoon, walk down to Los Altos' spa for your sunset couples massage. Enjoy an amazing rubdown side-by-side in one of the open-air treatment rooms overlooking the trees, as the sounds of the jungle both soothe and thrill you. When the massage is over, the masseuses will leave you to enjoy champagne and strawberries in the treatment room or by/in the jacuzzi for as long as you'd like.

After a quick shower back in the room, head back to the spa for your private dinner. At a table for 2 near the jacuzzi, with a small waterfall on one side and the rainforest on the other, you'll dine on inventive salads, local fish, beef, or other entrees, freshly baked bread, and amazing homemade desserts. Afterwards, hit the jacuzzi, or just lay in the nearby lounge chairs sipping wine and enjoy the gentle night. The spa is all yours for the whole evening, so enjoy!

Day 9:
Yesterday was blissfully relaxing, but now it's time for a bit more adventure! A zip-lining tour through the canopy is a can't-miss activity in Costa Rica. Have a blast zipping through the trees far above the ground, and let the adrenaline flow! Afterwards, enjoy a lunch of local specialties before heading back to Los Altos for some pool time.

Later that afternoon, take a sunset catamaran cruise with Blue Dolphin Sailing. Enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as you glide through the water and enjoy uninterrupted views of the sun sinking into the water on one side, and casting beautiful light over the land in the other direction.

Back on dry land, have dinner in town - Nibbana, Carolina's, and Kahiki are some of my top recommendations. After returning to Los Altos, sip more wine or beer poolside and enjoy the brilliant stars overhead.

Day 10:
For the last 24 hours of your honeymoon, take advantage of the amazing food and service at Los Altos, and spend the whole day here. Relax by the pool, take a walk around the property and look for monkeys, indulge in more food and wine or beer than you ever would at home, and just let the staff pamper you!
In the afternoon, how about another sunset couple's massage? It is your honeymoon, after all!

Later that evening, order a delicious dinner from the set menu, and enjoy it with your new friends around the dining table as you share stories and laughter.

Day 11:
After one final breakfast, pack your suitcase with your freshly laundered clothes (Los Altos offers complimentary laundry service), and say good-bye to the wonderful people you've met during your stay. Try not to cry. And don't forget to make a reservation for your first anniversary, so you have something wonderful to look forward to as the plane lifts off to carry you home...

I hope you've enjoyed reading through this itinerary as much as I enjoyed putting it together! For any questions or to book this or other international travel, please don't hesitate to contact me at caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

Incredible last minute deal to French Polynesia - 10 nights for the price of 5!

2011-01-25T00:45:00.001-05:00

Baby, it's COLD outside! But why stay indoors when you could be sunning yourself on the beach in the famed islands of French Polynesia? Book now for travel through March 31st, and you can get 5 or more nights free!

Here's how it works:
Book 5 or more nights at the Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa or the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort Spa in an Overwater or Premium Overwater Bungalow...
And then receive the same number of nights free in ANY room category at Huahine Te Tiare Beach Resort, Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort, or Manihi Pearl Beach Resort! Having trouble deciding where to use your free nights? No problem - they can be split between any of these gorgeous properties!

For more details, please feel free to contact me at caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

Need a few more reasons to take advantage of this incredible offer? Check out the photos below from my stays at these resorts and islands, along with the top reasons for visiting each of them!
Disclaimer: I have not yet stayed at Manihi Pearl Beach Resort, so photos of that property are courtesy of spmhotels.com.

Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa
Great for those looking:
*To not travel far from Tahiti - Moorea is accessible via a 10 minute flight or 30 minute ferry from Papeete!
*To experience a gorgeous, lush, and laid-back tropical island, while still having access to plenty of activities and excursions
*To experience an island that is less developed than Tahiti or Bora Bora, but not totally off the beaten path
*To explore via a car or buggy--the island can be circumnavigated in a few hours!
*To interact with dolphins
*To visit a fruit juice and tropical liqueur distillery (and enjoy free tastings!)
*To see sea turtles from the deck of your overwater bungalow
*To get married in paradise, complete with traditional Polynesian wedding leis
*To hike up to Belvedere Lookout for great views of Cooks Bay, the inspiration for Jimmy Buffett's "One Particular Harbour"

Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa
Great for those looking:
*To spend time on the most iconic of French Polynesia's islands
*To swim (or just float!) in a crystal clear lagoon often referred to as "the eighth natural wonder of the world"
*To enjoy the sun rising over Bora Bora's famed Mt. Otemanu
*To swim with sharks and stingrays
*To have dinner at Bloody Mary's, the island's most famous restaurant and legendary celebrity hangout
*To stay in an overwater bungalow in the waters off a motu (tiny coral island)
*To snorkel in coral gardens teeming with colorful and exotic sea life
*To slip into pure bliss with a couple's massage at the gorgeous Manea Spa

Te Tiare Beach Resort, Huahine
Great for those looking:
*To take a peek into traditional Polynesian life
*To visit the island's sacred blue-eyed, long "eared" eels
*To rent a car and explore 2 islands at once - Huahine Iti and Huahine Nui
*To relax in an incredibly beautiful and tranquil setting
*To enjoy a classically Polynesian dinner and show

Tikehau Pearl Beach Resort
Great for those looking:
*To snorkel or dive among incredible sea life - in a recent study, the Jacques Cousteau Institute found that Tikehau has the highest concentration and variety of marine life in all of French Polynesia
*To enjoy a "luxury Robinson Crusoe" experience
*To really get away from it all in a remote and gorgeous location
*To explore one of the quietest and least-touristed villages in the South Pacific
*To spot birds during a 1/2 day trip to Oe Oe (Bird Island), a nesting spot for noddys and white fairy terns
*To kayak to deserted motus for a picnic lunch

Manihi Pearl Beach Resort

Great for those looking:
*To visit a pearl farm
*To snorkel and dive with schools of sharks, manta rays, barracuda, and other large fish
*To get off the beaten path, while still enjoying resort amenities and excellent service
*To eat seafood that was caught in the lagoon only minutes before
*To have a breakfast delivered to your overwater bungalow via outrigger canoe
*To go deep sea fishing

Fiji 2010 day 2: Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa

2011-01-17T19:03:00.004-05:00

For more background on this trip, click here!

After leaving Sonaisali, the 30 or so agents on the Fiji Matai FAM were split into 4 groups, each heading in a different direction for the next 5 days. The first stop for my group of 8 agents was the new(ish) Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, opened in June 2009 and located on Fiji's aptly named Coral Coast.

The Coral Coast as seen from my flight between Nadi and Pacific Harbour in November 2009.

We were welcomed to the Intercontinental with some Fijian-style drumming, and spent a few minutes sipping refreshing tropical drinks and gazing at the beautiful view from the resort's lobby.

We then started our site inspection, guided by the delightful Navi Gagalia, the resort's business development manager. I must say, although the Intercontinental is a larger and slightly more commercialized property than I personally prefer, it is absolutely gorgeous! Far and away the best option I've seen in Fiji for travelers looking for a classic luxury beach resort experience on the main island of Viti Levu. I would compare the Intercontinental to the top end properties in Hawaii in terms of amenities, services, room quality and design, etc.- but the Intercontinental offers a better value and a wonderfully Fiji flair.

This property also has a championship 18-hole golf course, so is the perfect choice for anyone looking to swing a club in paradise! It's also a fantastic family resort - children will love the Planet Trekkers kid's club, and parents will love the incredible value and the option to have some time to themselves! Open daily from 9AM to 6PM, children aged 3-12 can spend part or all of the day there for only $30FJD (about $15USD), including all activities and 1 meal. Babysitting is also available outside those hours and for children under 3, for about $15FJD/$7.50USD per hour.

A wide variety of activities and excursions are available both on- and off-property for both adults and children who wish to see more of the area and enjoy some sightseeing and/or outdoor adventures! Horseback riding along the beach, shopping at the Sigatoka market, taking a ride on the Coral Coast railway (restored sugar cane locomotives), and hiking to waterfalls and caves are just a few of the options available in the Coral Coast area.

The Intercontinental was designed to mimic the layout of a traditional Fijian village - a rather large and fancy one, apparently!

It sits on a long stretch of gorgeous white sand, with the crystal clear waters of Natadola Bay sparkling a dozen shades of blue just beyond the beach.

On one side, the water dips inward to form a lovely lagoon, perfect for swimming, sunning, or hanging out with your new equine buddies.

There are quite a few different accommodation options at the Intercontinental, starting with the "standard" rooms. Standard may be a bit of a misnomer, because even these are over 600 square feet and beautifully decorated, with some of the most comfortably appointed patios/decks I've ever seen.

Each room's outdoor spaces offers multiple places to relax, including a daybed, "egg" chair, and soaking tub.

The Garden View Rooms are the entry level category, but Lagoon View and Beachfront Rooms are also available for a slightly higher price. Lagoon and Beachfront Suites offer even more space with the addition of a separate living area.

While the Executive Club level suites are located at the top of a hill, further from the beach and main resort areas, these 1 and 2 bedroom suites are also worth serious consideration.

Only guests staying in these suites have access to the clubhouse, which offers a host of special amenities. In the clubhouse's dining area, Executive Club guests can enjoy buffet breakfast, afternoon tea, non-alcoholic drinks, and sunset cocktails and canapes, all for no additional charge. The clubhouse also features a lounge area, business/work area, and a beautiful infinity-edge pool overlooking the resort and blue sea.

24-hour butler service is another benefit of the Executive Club, but in my opinion the best reason to stay here is to take advantage of one of the suites with a private plunge pool (about half of the Executive Club suites have these)!

After checking out the Intercontinental's beautiful and spacious spa, we jumped into golf carts (since the Intercontinental is so large and spread out, the resort offers complimentary golf cart rides to/from anywhere on the property) and headed for lunch at Toba Bar & Grill. Toba is located in between the resort's expansive all-ages "activity" pool and the adult-only infinity pool.

Although it features a variety of dishes, Toba specializes in gourmet woodfired pizzas, most notably the lobster pizza. Lobster + cilantro + pesto, all on a pizza = heaven!

The other pizzas we tried were also delicious, though, as were the salads and antipasto platter.

Beef teriyaki

Chicken Satay

Roasted pumpkin

Prosciutto and red onion

With full bellies, we headed back to the lobby where a van waited to take us on to the Shangri-La. I cast a wishful glance back at the beach and wished we had even a few more hours here... Guess I'll need to plan a real stay here soon!

My idea of a perfect day at the Intercontinental:
6:00AM - Take a sunrise walk along the water, looking for shells on the beach and dolphins in the bay.
8:00AM - Order a room service breakfast and enjoy it outside on the daybed of my beachfront suite.
9:30AM - Time for some sunbathing on the beach!
11:00AM - Put on my snorkeling gear and hear towards the coral in search of colorful tropical sea life.
11:10AM - Back to the beach after being charged and almost attacked by a picasso triggerfish (Note: this will probably not be an issue for you - see the Blue Lagoon snorkel section of this review for an explanation!)
12:30PM - Lobster pizza and umbrella drinks at Toba? Don't mind if I do!
1:30PM - More sunbathing, swimming, and fruity cocktails at the adult-only infinity pool

3:30PM - After my terrifying wildlife encounter earlier, a relaxing massage is definitely in order! The only question would be whether to have it in the open air beachside massage palapa, or with one of the air-conditioned spa treatment rooms overlooking lush gardens.

5:30PM - Sunset cocktails at the Kama Lounge, where I'd relax on the huge cushioned lounge beds and take in a cultural show on the Meke Lawn.

7:30PM - Dinner at Navo, the Intercontinental's elegant restaurant overlooking the lagoon. I'd order lobster (what else) and enjoy watching the chefs prepare it in the glass-walled show kitchen. If traveling by myself, I'd sit at the restaurant's communal table (they do also offer private tables) and make some new friends!

9:30PM - Full and perhaps ever-so-slightly tipsy, I'd finish the day the way I started it, with a walk down the beach. Then a bit more relaxation on my terrace, reading and listening to the waves gently lap the shore, before turning in for the night and dreaming of all the beauty and fun the next day would bring. Ahhhh...

Remembering 2010, dreaming of 2011!

2010-12-30T15:55:00.003-05:00

As 2010 comes to a close, I find myself reminiscing about the amazing places I visited this year, and getting excited to see where 2011 takes me! With this year's destinations including Savannah, French Polynesia, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, South Africa, and Fiji, 2010 is going to be hard to top - but I look forward to trying!

Everyone keeps asking me where I'm headed next, but I actually have no idea! With a few things up in the air in terms of travel agents conferences and my husband's vacation time, I likely won't know for a little while where my next passport stamp will come from. But as usual, I've got a wish list a mile long! So starting today, I'll be posting a few times a week with my top travel picks for 2011, including dream hotels, excursion ideas, and other destination information! First up...the Cook Islands (after the jump)!

I'd also love to hear where 2010 has taken you, and where you're going (or even just dreaming of) in 2011!

A toast to all of you! (at Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa)

And a bit more champagne on the grounds of Villa Monastero in Varenna (on Lake Como), Italy - because who can stop at just one glass?

2011 Dream trip # 1 - Cook Islands
It's no secret that the South Pacific is my favorite region on Earth, so I don't think anyone would be surprised to find this island group on my list! The Cooks lie just west of French Polynesia, and offer similar scenery to their cousins Tahiti, Bora Bora, etc., with stunning crystal clear lagoons, coral reefs, lush peaks, and white sand beaches. But the Cooks also feature a slightly lower price tag and even less development and tourism! I'd most likely split my trip between the largest islands of Rarotonga and Aitutaki, but if given all the time in the world, would also love to visit some of the remote outer islands. Atiu, "the island of birds and legends", particularly fascinates me, with its colorful and mysterious history and caves full of ancient bones!

Photo courtesy of atiu.info

The only downside to visiting the Cooks is that non-stop flights from the US are very limited, with only 1 outbound and 1 inbound option a week. From Los Angeles, the Sunday flight on Air New Zealand leaves late at night, arriving in Rarotonga early Monday morning. Coming back, the flight leaves Rarotonga late on Saturday evenings, arriving back in Los Angeles on Sunday morning. So only stays of 5 nights or 12 (or 19, etc.) are possible from the US, unless you connect through New Zealand (which would make a fabulous combo trip for those looking for a combination of adventure and relaxation)! But while 5 nights would be a bit short, at least the flight times mean that you end up with about 6 full days in the islands!

The hardest part of a Cooks trip? Deciding where to stay! But I think I've managed to narrow it down to 3 properties on each of the larger islands...
Rarotonga

Photo courtesy of pacificresort.com

Little Polynesian - what I wouldn't give to be relaxing on one of the crisp and cozy white daybeds on the decks of LP's OverBeach Ares (bungalows) right now...

Photo courtesy of littlepolynesian.com

Pacific Resort Rarotonga - with an ideal location on Rarotonga's famed Muri beach and lagoon, beautiful accommodations, and excellent service, how can you go wrong?

Photo courtesy of pacificresort.com

Rumours Luxury Villas & Spa - for a splurge, how about Rumours' Ultimate Beachfront Villa? Granted, the movie theater would be untouched during my stay (why go all the way to the South Pacific to watch videos?), but I'd have to be dragged away kicking and screaming from incredible private pool and outdoor space!

Photo courtesy of bluelisthotels.com

Aitutaki

Photo courtesy of cookislands.org

Etu Moana - this resort's small size, stylish bungalows with outdoor showers, and fantastic tripadvisor.com reviews put it at the top of my list!

Photo courtesy of etumoana.com

Pacific Resort Aitutaki - beautiful accommodations, beach-side food and drink service, and a pool that seems to flow right into the ocean? Yes, please!

Photo courtesy of pacificresort.com

Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa - while it seems that some renovations/updates may be in order here, the fabulous location, gorgeous grounds, and the Cooks' only (semi)overwater bungalows make this resort a very tempting option!

Photo courtesy of aitutakilagoonresort.com

Excursions
The Cooks don't offer quite as many opportunities for adventure activities as some of the other South Pacific island groups, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to do but lie on the beach! On Rarotonga, a jeep or scooter rental for at least a day is a must. Guided tours are also available, but I love the freedom of having my own set of wheels! I'd circumnavigate the island, taking in all of the culture and natural beauty it has to offer

Photo courtesy of superstock.com

On Aitutaki, my top excursion choice would be a One Foot Island day trip. After a cruise around the lagoon with stops for snorkeling, I'd relax on One Foot's stunning white sand beach and eat a picnic lunch washed down with a few cold Matutus (the local beer). And I'd need to make sure to take my passport, so that One Foot's post office - the smallest in the world - could add a fun new stamp to my ever-growing collection!

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.com

*Sigh*

If only I could teleport myself there right this moment...

Fiji 2010 day 1: Hotel Novotel Nadi and Sonaisali Island Resort

2010-12-27T19:56:00.003-05:00

For background info on this trip: http://travelprincessatl.blogspot.com/2010/12/fiji-me.html
After landing in Fiji about 5:30AM, all of the agents on the trip were driven to the Hotel Novotel Nadi to eat breakfast, freshen up, have a site inspection, and then eat lunch. Only about 10 minutes from the airport, the Novotel is convenient for those needing a day room for a few hours between flights, but I would not recommend it for a stay longer than a quick overnight.

The rooms were a reasonable size, the balconies have a lovely view out to the mountains, and the decor is fine, but the rooms just did not seem as clean as they could have been.

The grounds are pretty, and there is a small swimming pool, but up close it also looked to be in need of a good scrubbing.

The breakfast buffet was decent, and the omelette station was a nice touch, but the lunch buffet left a bit to be desired. Lunch can also be ordered a la carte, though I can't comment on the quality of that food.

Overall, I think it would be worth it to spend just a bit more money and time to go over to one of the Denarau Island resorts if you'll be staying in the Nadi area for more than a few hours. By doing so, you'll be in a nicer room and resort, and will also be on the beach! My favorite resort in that area is the Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa, but the Sofitel, Sheraton, and Radisson are also good options in that area.

After lunch at the Novotel, we headed for Sonaisali Island Resort. Sonaisali is located on its own island, about a 3-minute shuttle boat ride off the coast of Viti Levu.

A large property by Fiji private island standards, it has about 125 rooms and bures, spread out down a long but thin stretch of tawny sand. Honestly, this is not a property I'd be likely to recommend to clients at this point, so I'll keep this review fairly short and to-the-point.

Pros:
*Spa is reasonably priced and my massage was excellent overall

*Bures are spacious
*Bures have good-sized decks, some (Beachfront Spa Bures) with private jacuzzis

*Friendly staff

*Dinner was beautifully presented and delicious (especially dessert!)

*Nice grounds

Cons:
*Bure design and furnishings are a bit basic and in need of some updating

*Found stains that appeared to be fresh dried blood on sheets and bathrobe (of which there is only 1 in each room, which is a bit odd)
*Breakfast selection was very limited, poorly laid out, and service at that meal was nonexistent - I asked for a napkin and drink, which never showed up in the hour I was there.
*Beachside open air massage area is right next to the volleyball court. While this may not always cause problems, it's hard to relax when several pre-teens are screaming obscenities and hitting/kicking the ball into the massage area for your entire hour-long massage.

*Check-in was very disorganized and there was a lot of confusion over our bags at checkout, though the fact that we had a fairly large group may have been partially to blame for this. Still, since Sonaisali does attract a good number of groups (company retreats, weddings, etc.), I was surprised that they were not better equipped to handle multiple guests checking in/out at the same time.
*Feedback from other guests staying at the resort were not good - other agents in my group also reported hearing multiple complaints regarding service, room cleanliness, activity availability, food, etc.

Sonaisali did put on a lovely reception for us in the evening, with cocktails, kava ceremonies, traditional henna tattoos, fire dancers, and a recital by darling local children--definitely the highlight of our stay there! But unfortunately, that just could not make up for the negatives we encountered at the resort.

I hate having to give such negative reviews of the first two properties, but at least the subsequent resorts we visited on this trip were much better! Up next: Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa and Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa!

Nicaragua part 5 - Granada

2010-12-26T19:07:00.004-05:00

For the last 3 nights of our July trip to Nicaragua, we decided to visit the colonial city of Granada. After a lot of research, we settled on Hotel Spa Granada, which was originally the largest private colonial home in the city, but had recently been renovated and reopened as a hotel. A few days ago, it was actually featured on the Today Show as one of their top hotel bargains for travel this holiday season - you can watch a clip of the show here (HSG portion of the clip starts about 1 minute and 40 seconds in)! We actually spent our last 2 nights (more on that below) in the room they show with the pink bed.
HSG is conveniently located in the heart Granada, within easy walking distance of most of the city's attractions. Check in was quick and easy, and we were immediately shown to our deluxe room. I'm not a huge fan of the retro-modern furniture used at HSG, but the room itself was full of character and classic colonial details, including beautiful huge carved wooden doors and a super-high domed ceiling. I thought the open shower in the corner of the room was an odd touch, though my husband loved it!

We were only to spend one night in this room, though. Perhaps the best way to explain why is to give you a transcript of the conversation my husband and I had the next morning:

Bob: *with a weird look on his face that I know well--it means that he's about to give me news I won't like* "Um, so, I need to tell you something. I wasn't sure whether to tell you or not, but I'm going to.You know when I literally jumped into bed late last night and you woke up for a second and asked why in the hell I did that? And I told you that I tripped?"
Caroline: "Yes. So what really happened?"
Bob: "I stepped on a bat."
Caroline: "What what?"
Bob: "When I got up to go to the bathroom, I heard some weird noises and looked up. You know how there was a bit of light coming in the windows up near the ceiling? Well, in that light I could see a bunch of bats flying around. Then I kicked something furry on the ground in the dark. So I jumped into bed and pulled all the covers over me."
Caroline: "Let me get this straight. There were bats flying around above my head while I slept, they could have pooped on me, and you did not think of waking me up so we could change rooms? Or at least pulling the covers over me?" (Note: it was hot and I'd slept on top of the covers in a tank top and shorts)
Bob: "I really didn't want to have to switch rooms at 3AM, and know you would have insisted on it if I'd told you then. Not quite sure what to say about leaving you uncovered." *pause* "I suppose an apology is in order for that."
Caroline: (frantically checking self and belongings for guano) "I suppose a lot more than a simple apology is in order for this. Like jewelry. Or at least morning cocktails."

Needless to say, we changed rooms shortly thereafter. Our new room was actually just next door, and shared a wall with the bat cave, but did not have the same issues. We also saw workers in our original room later that day, working to make sure bats could not get in anymore, and I was pretty impressed with how quickly they took care of the problem! At any rate, we've gotten more than a few laughs out of this story, so I just can't bring myself to hold it against the hotel (especially with their rapid handling of the situation)!

As is typical in Granada (due to the architectural design of the colonial homes/hotels), the rooms at HSG do not feature windows or balconies. However, the front doors of the rooms all open out either right onto one of the hotel's courtyards or onto the second story walkways overlooking the courtyards. The 2 courtyards feature unusual artwork, lots of lush greenery and flowers, and even a small turtle!The dog paintings are part of artist Peta Kaplan-Sandzer's "Stray Dogs of Nicaragua" series.

Doorway to our second room

At the back of the hotel, an open doorway leads to the pool, also known as the Mombacho Beach Club. As there's no beach here, I'm not sure exactly how the pool got this moniker, but it is a great place to hang out, relax, and people-watch! The pool is open to non-guests for a small fee, and we saw a pretty interesting cross-section of visitors during the hours we spent there; from quiet couples and playful families to a pair of teenagers using the pool like the backseat of a car (seriously, they were actually even sucking each others' toes at one point.in public.....ewww) and a few older European men with their much younger Nicaraguan companions.

A poolside bar offers drinks and small plates/snacks, along with a selection of ice cream treats. The service here is quick and friendly, and the foods and drinks were all tasty! If you have any leftovers, the curious ducks who live in the courtyard will be happy to take them off your hands, despite the fact that the staff leaves out bowls of duck food and water for them!

HSG's spa treatment rooms are located just off the pool courtyard. A free spa treatment (manicure, pedicure, facial, or 30-minute massage) per room per night is included in the rates, and additional treatments are available at exceptionally reasonable prices - about $20 per hour for massages, under $10 for facials, manis, and pedis, etc. If staying more than 1 night, you can combine your spa credits for a longer massage. I had a couple of massages while there, and while they were not the best I'd ever had, the value was still very good.

We arrived in Granada around dinnertime the first night, and ended up grabbing a quick bite at Il Portico, Hotel Alhambra's outdoor restaurant overlooking Parque Central. The food and service were decent, though nothing to write home about.

A voucher for breakfast at the Garden Cafe was included in the room rate at HSG*. While the Garden Cafe is not on-site, we enjoyed the 10-minute walk each morning. Tables, chairs, and a few hammocks line a small but lush courtyard, and the gentle sound of water from a fountain helps make the atmosphere very tranquil and relaxing.

The service here can sometimes be slow as molasses, but the wait was worth it for the chompipe, an amazing buttery croissant filled with egg, turkey (I actually liked it better without this, though), avocado, cheese, and tomato. If I was ever on the Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate: Breakfast", this sandwich would definitely be my pick! As usual, Bob ordered a very traditional breakfast every morning, so nothing too exciting there, but it was good.

*Note: it appears that HSG is now offering an on-premises buffet breakfast instead of the Garden Cafe vouchers. Cannot comment on food quality, but this is of course a more convenient (though likely not quite as delicious!) option for many travelers, especially for those who like to grab a cup of coffee in the morning without leaving their hotel.

We had originally planned to do a couple of excursions while in Granada, including a boat ride and tour of the islands of Lake Nicaragua and a visit to the city of Masaya and its famous handicraft market. However, after moving around so much over the course of the past week, we decided to make the last few days a bit more relaxing. When not hanging by HSG's pool, getting spa treatments, or eating, we just wandered around the city, taking in the beautiful and colorful architecture, browsing in small shops, galleries, and markets, and enjoying the atmosphere of this small colonial city.

The elusive Double Tourist Mullet

We seriously considered spending the rest of the afternoon inside this truck!

Although the weather was good for most of our time in Granada, it did start raining early the first afternoon. Luckily, we were right near the Garden Cafe, so ducked in there to stay dry and try out their lunch offerings. They have a fairly extensive menu featuring soups, salads, sandwiches, etc., and we were not disappointed with our delicious veggie (me) and pork (Bob) sandwiches!

That night, we were both craving pizza for some reason, so ended up at a pizzeria recommended by HSG's doorman. Tele Pizza was just a few blocks from HSG, and was actually really delicious. Sometimes you just can't beat a pepperoni and mushroom pie and a bottle of wine!

For lunch on our second and last full day in Granada, we stuffed ourselves with margaritas, homemade guacamole and chips, quesadillas, and chicken and beef cooked in a mole sauce and smothered with lettuce and sour cream at Tequila Vallarta. This restaurant is located on Granada's pedestrian street, La Calzada, and features both authentic and Americanized Mexican dishes.

After lunch, we headed to Pure Spa for massages. Their prices are pretty similar to those of HSG's spa, and the quality was also about the same. It's a lovely spa, built around a courtyard filled with tropical plants, and is also home to a rather large tortoise!

After leaving Pure, we headed back to HSG's pool and ended up falling into conversation with a friendly and interesting Canadian couple, C & E, who were in Nicaragua on an extended sabbatical. Before heading home, they invited us to come by the house they were renting a few blocks away for drinks and hors d'oeuvres later that evening. Bob and I accepted, and had a great time hearing more about their stay in Nicaragua and seeing the house itself (always love seeing the inside of people's homes, especially in other countries!). The value for the money in Granada was astounding - for less than it would cost for us to rent a 1-bedroom apartment in a bad area of Atlanta, they were renting a beautiful colonial home with 3 bedrooms, several living spaces, modern kitchen, courtyard with swimming pool, and even a/c! Not to mention an almost-daily housekeeper and pool service...if only my husband could work from Nicaragua!

Afterwards (though I'm a bit embarrassed to admit it), we actually went back to Tele Pizza to grab a pizza to go. In our defense, it was late and since we were being picked at 4AM the next morning so wanted something quick and easy! Once again, a yummy experience.

For our 4AM, 45-minute transfer from Granada back to the airport in Managua, I booked seats on a Paxeos shuttle. They were on time, picked us up a clean new van, and had us to the airport right on time, so I would not hesitate to use/recommend this service in the future.

Overall, we had a fantastic time in Granada, and would definitely recommend the city and Hotel Spa Granada to other travelers looking for a great value stay in a beautiful and charming location!

Note on safety:
Granada is considered to be a good bit safer than Managua, but you'll still want to take some basic precautions here as well. Be sure to have your hotel or a reputable restaurant call a legal cab for you if you need transportation - many illegal cabs are used by thieves in "express kidnappings" (you can read a good explanation of these here). Stay in well-lit areas at night, and even in the daytime try to stay away from streets that appear to be deserted. As always, be aware of your surroundings, and don't wear flashy jewelry or carry an expensive handbag, as all of these can make you a target for purse-snatchers and other criminals. I'd also read that visitors should stay away from parts of the lakefront in Granada, as these are well-known robbery hotspots. We followed all of these tips, and while I won't say we felt 100% safe all the time (there were a couple of times when we started down a street, felt a bit iffy about where we were, and decided to go in another direction), we ended up having no safety issues whatsoever in Granada.

Fiji Me!

2010-12-09T18:35:00.001-05:00

Bula Vinaka!

Enjoying some kava at Outrigger on the Lagoon on Fiji's Coral Coast

Well, once again I've fallen way behind in my blogging duties. And once again, I enter a defense of "not guilty by reason of travel insanity". I just returned home from a whirlwind trip to Fiji , where I spent time at 17 different resorts over the course of a week! A huge vinaka vakalevu (thank you in Fijian) to Tourism Fiji for putting together this amazing trip for me and the 30 other Matai (Fiji specialist) travel agents who attended!

And an even larger vinaka vakalevu to the extraordinarily warm, friendly, and welcoming Fijian people who so graciously hosted us in their beautiful country!

Matangi staff (and a couple of the resort's furry mascots!) singing a traditional farewell song

The agents were split up into 4 different groups, each visiting different areas of Fiji for all but the first and last nights of the trip. My group was called "Talei", which in Fijian means "the best", and I would have a hard time disagreeing with that! Our itinerary had us spending time in the Nadi area and Coral Coast on Viti Levu (Fiji's largest island), as well as heading to the Northeast part of the islands to visit Savusavu on Vanua Levu (Fiji's 2nd largest island) and Taveuni (you guessed it - the 3rd largest), as well as the small islands of Matangi and Qamea which lay right off Taveuni's coast. As I'd not visited the north of Fiji before, I was thrilled to get to see an entirely new part of this gorgeous island nation!

Part of Matangi Private Island Resort's beautiful beach at high tide

It may take me a little while to complete my reviews, but in the meantime, I'll leave you with a list of each of the unique properties I was able to visit on this trip and an invitation to contact me anytime you'd like assistance with planning your own fabulous Fiji vacation!
Hotel Novotel Nadi
Sonaisali Island Resort*
Intercontinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa
Shangri-La's Fijian Resort & Spa*
Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji
Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort*
Koro Sun Resort
Namale*
Taveuni Island Resort
Garden Island Resort*
Paradise Taveuni
Matangi Private Island Resort*
Qamea Resort & Spa
Sheraton Fiji Resort*
Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa**
Sheraton Denarau Villas
Radisson Resort Fiji Denarau Island
*Spent a night at this property on this trip
**Spent a night at this property on my trip to Fiji last year, did a site inspection this year

Manava Suite Resort, Tahiti

2010-11-22T14:50:00.002-05:00

Manava Suite Resort Tahiti
Janelle and I chose to spend the final night of our March 2010 French Polynesia trip at Papeete's newest resort, and were very pleased with our stay! We were in a Lagoon Suite with an incredible view over the infinity pool and out to Moorea off the large balcony (equipped with 2 chairs and a table).

The perfect place to enjoy a few Hinanos, Tahiti's local beer!

The suite featured a separate bedroom, spacious living area, and small kitchen, as well as a smallish but very nice bathroom with separate tub and shower.

The decor is very modern but with some local touches, including dramatic black and white photographs of Polynesian people, fabrics that utilize traditional designs, and even a tiki guarding over the double vanity in the bathroom. The room was a bit modern for my taste, and I would like to see some lounge chairs on the balcony, but overall the suites at Manava (there are also rooms with the same layout with a garden view) are an excellent option for couples or small families who plan to stay for a reasonable length of time and would like to have space to spread out and a kitchen to cook some meals.

Manava also offers standard guestrooms (your basic hotel room with a bedroom with queen-size or twin beds and desk & chair and a full bathroom), that are small but offer a great value for a quick overnight stay. Lagoon and Garden Studio Suites offer more space than the guestrooms for a bit more cost; these do not have the living area or the kitchen you'll find in the Suites, but do have a small sitting area in the bedroom and a good-sized balcony or terrace. One and two bedroom Duplex Suites and 1, 2, and 3 bedroom Manava Suites are also available for those who would prefer a different layout or more space.

The resort grounds are fairly compact, but do offer a gorgeous infinity pool with views to Moorea, a small sand beach in place of a pool terrace, and 2 tiny "islands" where you can lay out or get a massage.

A pool bar serves a very limited menu of salads and sandwiches along with a much more extensive selection of beverages. In the main building of the resort you'll find the main restaurant where 3 meals a day are served. There's also a bar with an intimate feel and cozy seating which serves a short list of tapas. Manava's on-site spa offers some massages and other standard spa treatments, but focuses more on aesthetic treatments. A few shots from around the hotel...

Beautiful black and white photographs decorate the hotel's common areas and rooms.

The 2-story lobby

Entrance to the bar

To top off a great stay, we were treated to a gorgeous sunset!

Overall, I would recommend Manava for: a short overnight stay (as it is currently the best value of the resorts near the airport), for those who really prefer resorts with a modern feel; or for those who want to have a kitchen and/or a lot of space/multiple bedrooms.

For those who are planning a longer stay and want more convenient access to downtown Papeete, a larger resort with more to see and do, and a more traditionally Polynesian feel, the Intercontinental (as seen from the plane in the photo below) is still my favorite resort on Tahiti!

Nicaragua part 4 - Ometepe

2010-11-20T16:10:00.004-05:00

After flying from Big Corn Island back into Managua, we were met by a rather surly driver from Adelante Express. After a long wait for another couple who were being dropped off in San Juan del Sur, we finally were on our way to San Jorge, where most of the boats and ferries leave to Ometepe. Two hours and a dash through a rainstorm later, we just barely managed to jump on the boat over to Moyogalpa, Ometepe's main port. There was only a bit of covered space on the boat, and it was already overcrowded so the first part of the ride was a bit damp.

But the rain did stop about halfway through the 40 minute trip, and soon we were getting our first glimpse of this magical volcanic island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua!

I'm not the first writer to visit Ometepe; Mark Twain beat me there by about 144 years! The following spring, he wrote about his experience for a San Francisco newspaper - here's what he had to say about his first look at the island.
Mark Twain - Alta California, March 16, 1867
Out of the midst of the beautiful Lake Nicaragua spring two magnificent pyramids, clad in the softest and richest green, all flecked with shadow and sunshine, whose summits pierce the billowy clouds. They look so isolated from the world and its turmoil - so tranquil, so dreamy, so steeped in slumber and eternal repose. What a home one might make among their shady forests, their sunny slopes, their breezy dells, after he had grown weary of the toil, anxiety and unrest of the bustling, driving world.

As I could not even hope to improve upon this description, I'll just say...ditto!

Upon docking in Moyogalpa, we were picked up by a driver for the ride to our home for the next 2 nights, La Omaja. Our driver was a very friendly guy named Oscar who was great about pointing out the sights along the way.

The road is currently being improved, but for now is fairly rough most of the way, so the 16 mile route took about an hour and a half. It's a very scenic drive, though!

We also stopped for a few minutes when our driver spotted monkeys in the trees along the roadside.

Yes, those are monkeys eating Pringles. No, Pringles are probably not any healthier for monkeys than for humans. But everyone deserves a little treat now and then!

Upon arrival at La Omaja we were greeted by the owner, Jamie, and his sweet dog Maya.

As it was low season, the hotel was fairly empty, and we were lucky enough to get to spend many hours chatting with Jamie over the course of the next 2 days. Jamie moved to Nicaragua from Omaha, Nebraska (thus the hotel's name) some years ago, and is married to an Ometepan woman with whom he has 2 children. All of this makes him extremely knowledgeable on everything from island/country politics to the history and legends of Ometepe to the unique benefits and challenges of living on a remote island in the middle of a lake in the middle of Central America!

We were immediately enthralled with a beauty of La Omaja's setting. Perched on the side of the Maderas volcano, the property offers a view down the verdant hillside to Lake Nicaragua to the front and left, and to the right you can see the Concepcion volcano, its summit often partially shrouded in romantic mist or fluffy clouds. Lush tropical flowers attract hundreds of butterflies, brightly colored birds sing sweetly (and occasionally screech) as they fly overhead, and Jamie's horses graze sedately in the grass. At night, thousands of fireflies sparkle like glitter everywhere you look - I've never seen anything like it!

The deluxe cabanas are fairly simple but comfortable, with two double beds, a couple of wooden rocking chairs and table facing a TV (the hotel offers Direct tv, though as usual we never turned the tv on). The standard cabanas have 2-4 twin beds and no television. Both categories have fans and the deluxe cabanas also have a/c (the standards may as well, though I'm not sure). All cabanas feature a modern bathroom with a cool rock shower, with surprisingly good water pressure and plenty of hot water.

Each cabana also has a large covered terrace with a couple of chairs, a table, and a hammock.

La Omaja's restaurant offers a pretty extensive menu for such a small and remote property, with everything from sandwiches and full American-style breakfasts to traditional Nicaraguan specialties.

The food was very good, though the tostones were particularly excellent. Here, the fried slices of plantain were served with fried circles of Nicaraguan cheese - my mouth waters just thinking of this delectable dish!

They also have a full bar, of which we took regular advantage. From what I recall, beers were around $1 apiece, bottled soft drinks a bit less, and bottles of rum around $8 each. Hammocks hang alongside the tables, and I spent more than a few hours reading, reclining, and rumming in these! La Omaja's bar/restaurant staff (along with others working at the resort) don't speak much English as a whole (though probably more than we can speak Spanish!), but are warm, friendly, and very helpful and efficient!

In between relaxing and taking in the scenery, we did manage to fit in a few excursions! We only had one full day on Ometepe, but were determined to make it count. After breakfast, Jamie drove us to the beach, where we rented a kayak and set out for the Monkey Islands. These were a bit further (and the lake a bit rougher) than we had expected, but worth the effort. As we drew up to the first Monkey Island, it's two resident spider monkeys came out to stare us down threateningly. After having read a story about a girl who got to close and was attacked by the aggressive male, we opted to keep a safe distance. Especially after noting the chompers on one of them...

After getting our fill of the spider monkeys, we kayayed over to the other Monkey Island, which supposedly hosts several groups of howlers and capuchins. We spotted none of the former and only one of the latter - perhaps we were there during naptime? We did see quite a few birds, though!

La Omaja from the water

Back on the beach where we rented the kayak, we watched some local women wash clothes the natural way, and looked for signs of Lake Nicaragua's infamous bull sharks. No fins were spotted, though--maybe they were napping too?

That afternoon, Jamie went with us for a hike up to the San Ramon waterfall on the Maderas volcano. Although we were able to drive up the volcano a bit, there was still about a kilometer's worth of pretty rough terrain to traverse. A kilometer is nothing when on dry, flat ground, but as we soon learned, it can feel like a much longer distance when hiking almost straight up on muddy paths and climbing over slippery rocks in the middle of a river! But when we finally made it to the waterfall about an hour and a half later, we discovered it was well worth the energy expended. From the top of a ridge over 150 feet high, the water rushed in multiple torrents down through the lush rainforest. Unfortunately, the humidity and mist made it difficult to get good pictures, but at least we have the memories!

On the way back to the ferry the next day we stopped at Santo Domingo, a dark sand beach, for a few minutes. As it was cloudy, we decided not to spend much time there, but on a sunny day it would be fun to spend a few hours laying out and enjoying food and drinks from beachfront bars/restaurants!

From there we headed to Ojos de Agua ("eyes of the water"), two natural swimming pools. It started raining right when we arrived, and the water was a bit chilly, so we didn't spend much time in the water, but did enjoy some tostones, cocktails, and chatting with some tourists and locals!

Finally it was time to leave for the ferry dock. This time we were taking the big ferry out of San Jose - a much more comfortable experience than the tiny boat we took to the island!

Overall, we loved our time on Ometepe. It's truly a magical place, and I highly recommend it (and La Omaja) to anyone looking for a unique and wonderful experience a bit off the beaten path!

When we arrived back in San Jorge, we were picked up by the same driver from Adelante Express, and made it to Granada in record time (despite our pleas to the driver to slow down, he seemed to be in a tremendous hurry to get home for the evening). But we did make it to our hotel in one piece, and were excited to experience Nicaragua's famous colonial city!

Why I've been AWOL...

2010-10-22T12:00:00.002-04:00

Sorry for the couple of weeks lag time in between posts! I've really been trying to get better about posting more often lately, but at least I have a great excuse...I was in South Africa!

The back-story: a couple of months ago, I entered a contest through one of my travel suppliers, Goway. Their AfricaExperts "Ultimate FAM* Trip" was open to all agents who had recently booked client trips to South Africa. I entered my bookings for a chance to win, and then, to be honest, forgot all about it. Until I arrived at my hotel in Zurich, Switzerland on the last night of my Labor Day European vacation (to be blogged soon) and was handed a phone message telling me I had won and needed to get in touch with Goway ASAP since we were set to leave in exactly 4 weeks!
*FAM is short for "familization", and refers to a trip that travel agents take to get first-hand experience with an area, hotel, etc.

Here is the press release about the trip - if only they'd spelled my last name right (it's actually Caroline Bracewell)!
http://travelworldnews.com/2010/09/goway-announces-winners-for-the-%E2%80%9Cultimate-fam-trip%E2%80%9D/ There's an old PR axiom that "all publicity is good publicity, as long as they spell your name right". Since this release can in no way be considered bad publicity, I guess it would fall into the arena of neutral publicity? ;)

But not too worried about that...I'm just thrilled I got to go! It was an amazing trip, and I can't wait to share pictures, reviews, and stories of my adventures on the dark continent. In the meantime, a sneak peak of one of the most amazing things I saw (warning: not for the squeamish!)...

Nicaragua part 3 - Big Corn Island

2010-10-07T00:26:00.001-04:00

Upon arriving back on Big Corn, we grabbed a cab and headed for our hotel, Casa Canada. At $109 + tax per night (including breakfast), this property is a bit pricey by Nicaragua standards, but is also the most luxurious hotel in the Corn Islands.

The connected stucco "cabanas" have all the modern amenities including air conditioning, tv, and a stocked mini bar (with the most reasonable mini-bar prices I've ever seen - comparable to what you would pay in a local store!). We thought the black leather furniture in the sitting area of our cabana was a bit of an odd choice for a tropical resort, but it was quite comfortable (ditto the bed). The bathrooms are very small, but the shower offered hot water and good water pressure, which was a treat after the more eco-friendly shower in our cabana on Little Corn. And the air-conditioning was heaven! We soaked it in for a good long while before heading out to relax by the lovely infinity pool. Somehow I forgot to take any photos of our room, but it did look exactly the same as on the Casa Canada website.

Our original plan had been to take a tour and see some of the sights on Big Corn, but we ended up just relaxing, swimming, and chatting with another couple who were spending several months traveling around Central America.

We ate dinner at the hotel's restaurant that night; the food was good and the service friendly, if a bit slow. I let the front desk know that we would be checking out very early the next morning in order to catch our flight back to Managua, and they offered to have the restaurant put out some pastries and coffee for us to grab before we left. This was a very nice offer, but the fact that they did not actually bother to follow through on it was rather disappointing, especially since there was no food available at or near the airport.

But at least we had some great scenery to distract from the hunger pangs!

Overall, I was a bit "eh" on Casa Canada, but it is a nice property and a good choice for those looking for a bit of (relative) luxury in the Corn Islands!

Nicaragua part 2 - Little Corn Island

2010-10-05T15:21:00.005-04:00

We arrived at the La Costena Airlines check in area (a small, smelly, and very crowded room in a building separate from the main part of the airport) and spent the next 45 minutes hoping the long line was not going to make us miss our flight. This fear was unfounded, though, as the flight did not actually take off until 7:30 (in talking to a pilot, this "delay" seems to be pretty typical for this airline/route, as he laughed when we told him the original departure time we'd been given). Note: you do need to pay a small fee (I believe it was $2-$3USD/$40-$60 Nicaraguan Cordobas per person) before going through security, so it's good to have some small bills on hand. Once you get through security, there's a small waiting area with 2 stands selling drinks and food (prepackaged snacks and some "fresh"--I use this word loosely--pastries/rolls).

We finally boarded the plane for the hour or so flight (including a short stop in Bluefields on the Caribbean coast) to Big Corn Island.
The flight was reasonably smooth and fairly scenic. Upon landing on Big Corn, we went to get our bags and go through security (they write down the passport information of everyone arriving on the island), then grabbed a taxi to the pier from which our boat to Little Corn would depart ($1 per person). We arrived about 9:15 and the boat was not scheduled to leave until 10:30, so we grabbed some breakfast from the restaurant next door and chatted with fellow travelers while we waited. Also checked out some of the local sealife, including a nurse shark and moray eel.

We headed to the panga (boat) about 10:15 to try and get a good seat. We'd tipped one of the boat attendants when we left our suitcases before heading to breakfast, and it turned out that he'd already saved us seats in the middle of one of the back rows--ideal for staying reasonably dry! The panga was designed to hold maybe 40 people, but the operator ended up filling it with more than 60. The local police actually would not let us leave Big Corn with so many people, citing safety issues. But apparently the money subsequently paid to the police by the panga owner magically made it safer.

I don't usually get seasick, but felt pretty nauseated the whole ride, thinking we were going to flip over or that the boat was going to snap in half as we slammed down over large waves in the very overcrowded boat! The ride from Big Corn to Little Corn took about 40 minutes, and luckily the rain did not start until right as we stepped off the panga.

Little Corn has no roads and no motorized vehicles, so the hotel where we were staying had arranged for someone to meet us at the pier with a wheelbarrow for our luggage. He filled it with our suitcases, and we set off along a dirt path past some colorful local homes.

The path then led into the jungle...

before opening onto the beach adjacent to our home for the next 3 nights, Little Corn Beach and Bungalow.

15 minutes after getting off the boat, we arrived at LCBB, a small property, with just 8 casitas and a restaurant/bar. All of the casitas are named after famous shipwreckees; we stayed in Wilson (after Tom Hank's "buddy" in Castaway), a Gulliver category accommodation.

Gulliver casitas feature a sitting area and kitchenette, small bedroom (just large enough for a queen sized bed and wall-mounted fan), and bathroom on the main level, plus a loft with another bed.

The front porches are just big enough for a couple of adirondack chairs, but make up for a lack of size with a great view!

In the movie "The Beach" Leonardo di Caprio describes his new community as "a beach resort for people who don't like beach resorts". I think the general idea behind this line could apply to LCBB (although I personally love almost all beach resorts!). While LCBB is probably the nicest place to stay on Little Corn, neither it nor the Corn Islands in general will appeal to those who want Barbados or even Belize-type luxury accommodations with all the amenities.

The casitas are very rustic, and due to conservation efforts, linens are only changed every few days (a housekeeper does come in and make the bed/tidy up daily, though). The resort collects and uses rainwater whenever possible, so the shower water tends to be cool and a bit on the trickly side.

This actually did not bother us too much, as it was so hot outside that a chilly shower was quite refreshing, but if you must have a hot shower with good water pressure, you may want to choose another destination. Our only real complaint about LCBB (and this would have been an issue almost anywhere we stayed on the island) is that the electricity only runs for part of the afternoon/night. When the fan stopped running in the bedroom every morning around 6AM, it got very hot very fast (there's no a/c in the casitas). Not a huge deal, but just something to keep in mind if you're considering a stay at the resort!

LCBB is located along the longest stretch of beach on Little Corn, an expanse of driftwood-dotted white sand backed with palm trees and fronted by calm, clear aqua and turquoise water. The water can get a bit murky after a heavy rain, so we did not end up doing any snorkeling (plus, we're lazy), but the snorkeling and diving off Little Corn are supposed to be excellent. We were there smack dab in the middle of rainy season, but lucked out and had gorgeous weather for all but a few hours of our first day!

The menu at LCBB's Turned Turtle restaurant is a bit limited, but the food was excellent.

If you're looking to have a more secluded meal, you can also enjoy it under one of the palapas!

The Island Benedict was our favorite breakfast order, but the Southern Scramble and Mushroom omelet were also delicious.

You can see the lunch menu here; Bob still dreams of the "Porker" sandwich, and I highly recommend the fish tacos.

Since we got there the very first day of lobster season, it was not on the menu til the 2nd night, it was worth the wait! The shrimp and parmesan-crusted fish or chicken are also very good (but really, you just can't top lobster). All dinners came with a salad, rice or potatoes, garlic bread, and dessert - a fantastic value at under $15!

While I'm usually a fan of wine with dinner, nothing goes better with seafood in the tropics than rum! One taste of Nicaragua's Flor de Cana and I was hooked on its smooth, mild taste (and the fact that it somehow does not induce hangovers, even when one is drinking it in, shall we say, pirate-esque quantities).

The LCBB staff is very friendly and eager to please. Service can be slightly slow at times, but overall is more efficient than we've experienced in many other tropical/rustic areas, with not a single incorrect food or drink order, and someone coming around regularly to our casita or hammock to see if we needed anything.

As animal lovers, one of the deciding factors in our choice of LCBB was the fact that the owners Scot and Kristine had started a spay-neuter program and veterinary clinics on the island. You can read the very touching story of "Minnow's Legacy" here.

We got a chance to talk with Scot and Kristine a good bit during our stay, and loved hearing stories about the adventures that come along with opening a resort on a far-flung island! Minnow and the owners' dog Georgie love to visit with the guests, as do a couple of other furry locals. We fell especially in love with this little girl...

LCBB even has a resident parrot named Lola, who stayed quiet for most of our visit but will occasionally join in the discussion!

A large part of our time at LCBB was spent just relaxing in the cozy hammocks or in the small lounge area of the Turned Turtle, sipping rum drinks (Caroline) and beers (Bob - he was a big fan of local brands Tona and Victoria).

But we did manage to fit in a few other activities as well!
The very best part of our stay at LCBB was meeting the other guests. We made fast friends with a young couple from Canada traveling around central American during the summer break from their teaching careers, another from Colorado celebrating their honeymoon, and an adult family of 4 from Boston. The 10 of us had a great time hanging out on the beach, grabbing cocktails in the evening, and eating dinner together a couple of nights.

Bob was delighted to discover that a deep sea fishing excursion here cost only a fraction of what it would in more developed areas. While the boat and equipment were not fancy, at $50 per person for about 4 hours of fishing it was still a major bargain!

I had originally offered to go with him, but it turned out that one of our new friends also wanted to go (and also had a wife who would prefer to just read and relax beachside), so they went together and hooked several fine specimens, including two large jackfish and a barracuda! The resort will cook the fish for you if you choose, but as lobster was on the menu that evening, they offered the barracuda to their guide and the jacks to one of our favorite LCBB staffers instead.

Other than that, we did not take any tours/excursions, though we did walk through the lush jungle to town a couple of times.

There's not much to "town"- just the waterfront with a couple of dive shops, a church and a few small hotels, restaurants, and shops selling basic necessities and/or local handicrafts, but we really enjoyed the laid-back feel.

This one wins my vote for most creative and best use of recyclable materials!

A little further down the sidewalk was one of Little Corn's waterfront neighborhoods.

We ate lunch one day at Hotel Los Delphines' restaurant overlooking the water. Both the fried lobster and grilled lobster were excellent, and we made yet another new feline friend. One note: many of the restaurants on Little Corn do not take credit cards, and there is no ATM on the island, so be sure to bring plenty of cash (there is a bank/ATM on Big Corn if you forget to get money before you arrive in the Corns).

We'd hoped to eat at Casa Iguana one night, but did not make reservations in time (they apparently only serve dinner if there are a certain number of reservations, so it's best if you can plan ahead). If you do plan to eat there, take your flashlight for the very dark walk down the beach between LCBB and CI!

There are a couple of other small, backpacker-type hotels with restaurants/bars on the beach (though we did not find any of them as charming or peaceful as the Turned Turtle) if you're looking for a change of scenery or some new faces. From what we saw, prices at these were very similar to those at LCBB.

On the last day of our stay, we had originally planned to go over to Big Corn on the 7AM panga and spend the day exploring the island by golf cart. However, we ended up not wanting to leave LCBB a minute earlier than necessary, so decided to take the 2PM panga instead. We walked to town a bit early, in order to grab lunch at Little Corn's most well-known restaurant, Habana Libre.

Sadly, they were out of mint so I was unable to enjoy one of their famously delicious mojitos and had to settle for some version of a caipirinha, but the incredible jalapeno shrimp helped make up for the disappointment.

Two full tummies (and a photo of a soldier toting a machine gun...interesting) later we boarded the panga back to Big Corn. This time it was only about 1/2 full, so the ride was much more pleasant than it had been on the way over.

Overall, we really enjoyed Little Corn Island, and were very happy that we'd chosen to stay at Little Corn Beach & Bungalow. Both are worth a visit for those looking for a very laid-back, off-the-beaten-path island and resort!

Note: During the planning stages of this trip, I read a lot about safety concerns in the Corn Islands. For what it's worth, we never felt unsafe, and it seems that as long as travelers take some basic precautions they are unlikely to have any issues. It's not recommended to walk through the jungle at night, to buy drugs (the dealers often sell to tourists, then wait for them along a secluded path and rob them of the just purchased drugs and any other valuables) or to leave belongings laying on a secluded stretch of beach while you play in the water or nap in the sand. Also note, that while Little Corn does now have a couple of police officers (there were none until a year or so ago), who also help keep the island safer!