Overwater Bungalows in Africa!

 

Having trouble deciding between that South African safari or a beach vacation in a bungalow over the sea, but don't have the time or money to visit SA and Tahiti or the Maldives on the same trip?  No need to weigh the options for one more moment, thanks to Flamingo Bay Water Lodge in Mozambique! So go ahead, start narrowing down those safari lodges, and plan a relaxing pre- or post-animal-viewing stop in this amazing country!

 Only about an hour's flight from Johannesburg, South Africa to the town of Inhambane and a half-hour car ride will bring you to this eco-paradise.

 Flamingo Bay's barefoot elegance, laid-back style and atmosphere, excellent food and service, simple but lovely water chalets, and exotic setting would definitely be worth a splurge! However, the rates here could actually be more accurately described as a steal - $350-$400USD total for 2 per night, including daily breakfast and dinner!

Here, you can be as relaxed or as active as your heart desires...
Just want to laze? Spend time soaking up the sun on the deck of your chalet, jumping off now and then to cool off and snorkel in the clear waters below. After you've worked up an appetite, jump in one of the complimentary golf carts for the short ride from your chalet to the resort's restaurant and bar. A treatment at Flamingo Bay's spa is a fabulous way to spend the afternoon, and later, a sunset cruise is the perfect activity to cap off the day!

 

Want more adventure and excitement? Paddle around in a kayak, go for a horseback ride down the beach, take a guided city tour of Inhambane or a walk through one of the nearby small villages, try your hand at deep sea fishing, explore the local waters and islands by catamaran or traditional dhow, or take out a bike or ATV to visit one of the gorgeous nearby beaches!

No matter how you choose to spend your stay at Flamingo Bay, it's sure to be an unforgettable experience!

Photos courtesy of Flamingo Bay, Barra Resorts, and Mozambique Tourism

Steal - romantic Hawaiian dream vacation!

For the second installment of Splurge vs Steal: Hawaii, I present to you the "steal" itinerary!
While this trip is a bit shorter and does not have quite as many high-end room categories and extra amenities as the splurge trip, it still offers 4- and 5-star resorts, ocean views from all of your rooms, and plenty of romantic extras - all for about than 25% the price of the splurge itinerary!

Steal: 9 nights/10 days on 3 incredible islands!
Please don't hesitate to contact me at Caroline@easyescapestravel.com if you'd like to book this trip or have me fully customize your own dream vacation! 


Day 1:
Upon arriving at the airport in Honolulu, you'll be met at baggage claim, lei'd, and whisked off by private car to begin your 2-night stay at the beautiful Outrigger Reef on the Beach.

Splurge vs Steal #1 - romantic Hawaiian dream vacation!

I'm starting a new blog feature called "Splurge vs Steal"! Each week, I will showcase 2 amazing trips or properties; one will be very high-end, the other more moderate (but still with the same general feel, plenty of little luxuries and special experiences). For my first edition, I'll be showing you Hawaii 2 ways. Today's post will be the splurge trip, tomorrow's, the steal!

Splurge - 14 nights/15 days on 4 incredible islands!
Please don't hesitate to contact me at Caroline@easyescapestravel.com if you'd like to book this trip or have me fully customize your own dream vacation! 

Day 1:
Upon arriving at the airport in Honolulu (after a relaxing flight in business class, of course), you'll be met at baggage claim, lei'd, and whisked off by private car to begin your 3-night stay at the incomparable Halekulani Hotel.

Champagne and and other treats will await you in your Diamondhead Oceanfront Room (or Ocean Junior Suite, if you'd like a bit more space to spread out). Toast with a glass of bubbly on your lanai, while taking in the incredible view, before heading down to the pool or beach to soak up the late-afternoon rays and watch the sun sink slowly into the sea.

Later that night, enjoy dinner at Halekulani's celebrated Le Mer, a perennial AAA 5-Diamond awardee.

50% off at the incomparable Royal Davui Island Resort!

Always wanted to stay at Royal Davui, but could not quite afford it? For stays in February of 2013, this incredible resort is offering an amazing half-off special!

There is a bit of fine print; over the course of the month, they will be doing some construction of new staff quarters and renovations of the existing ones. All of the guest facilities will be open as normal during this time, though! And having stayed at Royal Davui and being familiar with the location of these quarters (see my review and photos here), I am confident that any disturbance to guests will be negligible. This is truly a fabulous deal, and I hope to see many travelers take advantage of it!

To plan your Royal Davui dream vacation, please don't hesitate to contact me at Caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

Bora Bora day 1 - St. Regis!

After a quick overnight on Tahiti, it was time to continue on to the second stop of my 2-week French Polynesian adventure! I hopped on one of the most scenic flights you can imagine, and after a quick stop on Huahine, I arrived in glorious Bora Bora!

Greeted by a delightful St. Regis staff member, I boarded the St. Regis’s luxurious boat for the 10-minute ride over to the resort. I was checked in on the boat, so upon arrival there was no paperwork to delay my enjoyment of the resort.

After being greeted upon arrival with a chilled towel and freshly made iced tea, I met the wonderful Marion, who took me on a tour of this stunning property.  The largest resort in French Polynesia in terms of acreage, the St. Regis offers not only fantastic luxury, but also a ton of space and privacy. The staff is also the friendliest I’ve ever encountered in French Polynesia, and I was extremely impressed by how many knew my name immediately and greeted me with it every time they saw me!

A few photos of the resort after the jump...

Fabulous deal at Sofitels in Moorea and Bora Bora!

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!

Fantastic "double deal" at two exotic Caribbean hideaways!

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

2011 Dream trip # 2: Costa Rica honeymoon!

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". ;)

 

 

Remembering 2010, dreaming of 2011!

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?