6 things to love about Bermuda

 Sunset at Elbow Beach resort

I just returned yesterday from my first visit to this stunning island with a unique location in the Atlantic Ocean (I was lucky enough to stay at the fabulous Elbow Beach resort), and am already planning my next visit! Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1. The flights

Total time from takeoff at New York's JFK airport to arrival at LF Wade international airport on Bermuda? 1 hour and 35 minutes! My only complaint? Such a short flight meant that I did not get to see the last 5 minutes of the movie I was watching on the seat-back screen. Ah, I suppose there are worse problems...

Coming back, I flew from Bermuda into Atlanta. Even with headwinds and about 50% more distance to cover, I was still in the air for under 2.5 hours.

For travelers in the Midwest, and especially on the west coast, getting to Caribbean islands can be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring overnight flights or long layovers due to most flights leaving in the morning from the East Coast. But thanks to a couple of evening flights from Boston and New York, travelers coming from further west can easily get to Bermuda the same day with just one simple connection!

2. The Bermudians

From the moment you go through customs and immigration in Bermuda (where the booths sit next to a paneled English fireplace topped with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth, natch), you notice the huge smiles and genuine friendliness of the Bermudian people. Rightfully proud of their island, they are welcoming and gracious hosts, full of wonderful stories and information, and from what I could tell, love to share a hearty laugh! And they love their cocktails - making them definitely my kind of people! Which brings us to...

3. The national cocktails

Pick your poison - rum swizzle or dark n' stormy? The former is my personal favorite, but that did not stop me from sampling (for research purposes only, of course) quite a few of the latter as well. Islanders and visitors alike may disagree on where to find the best, and it seems like most locals will say no one makes them like mama, but rest assured that it's hard to find a bad rum swizzle or dark n' stormy anywhere on-island! For my money, dapper, charming Danny at Elbow Beach (see photo above) wins the award for the most delectable rum swizzles (and best stories - he's been at the resort since 1959)!

 

4. The beaches

I was blown away by the (approximately 63) stunning beaches here! Unfortunately I only got to visit a tiny fraction during my short stay, but that's a great excuse to go back! Warwick/Long Bay was my favorite on the island. With a long stretch of pink sand backed by dramatic rock and lush greenery and lapped by crystal clear turquoise and royal blue water, enough wave action to keep things fun without risking your neck, and portions where I did not see a single soul, what's there not to like? If you climb up over the rocks at one end (there's a little trail as well), you can also reach a tiny grotto in the rocks that acts as a natural swimming pool. A tiny concession rents umbrellas $15+$10 deposit) and sells some simple food items (hot dogs, fries, chicken fingers) and water/soda, but if you prefer your beach day to include beer or rum, be sure to bring your own!

 

 

 

 

5. The food

As an island nation, of course seafood tops the list of things to eat in Bermuda. And they do a fantastic job with it - everything from locally caught tuna made into delectable tartare to pecan crusted swordfish, enormous shrimp, and the (elusive but apparently incredibly lobster-like) hogfish. But the restaurant scene in Bermuda offers so much more as well - whether you're in the mood for Italian, French, Asian, English pub grub, or just about anything else, you can find it here! Be sure to check out the Ocean Club at Fairmont Southampton (and request a table next to the railing for incredible views), Lido at Elbow Beach (go early enough to enjoy the sunset from the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows), Sul Verde at Rosewood Tucker's Point (the antipasti buffet and mozzarella bar alone are worth the trip), and Swizzle Inn (a Bermuda institution, now with 2 locations and an especially delicious pizza -  aptly named "The Favorite").

 View from Ocean Club (with rainbow)

 

6. The customs & immigration process

Generally, coming back from an international destination means having to wait in interminable lines for C&I once you arrive back in the US. Not so when leaving Bermuda! Here, you go through C&I before you get on the flight. It's an extraordinarily simple, quick, and civilized process that perfects caps off your vacation and makes the trip home so much more pleasant, knowing that all you have to do at the other end is grab your luggage (or not, if you're a light packer and didn't check a bag), and go!

There's a whole lot more to love about Bermuda, but you should really go and find out for yourself! To get more information and plan your Bermuda vacation, contact me at caroline@easyescapestravel.com!

Nude-a on Barbuda

Ok, so there's not really any nudity in this post...though there are plenty of virgin beaches!

While on Antigua recently, my husband and I decided to do a spur-of-the-moment day trip over to Barbuda, Antigua's smaller, quieter, and much-less-developed sister island. Getting here was fairly easy; a taxi from the resort to the dock, then a ferry (about an hour and a half ride in each direction) to Barbuda! The blue boats in Antigua's harbour mimicked the color of the water...

Galley Bay-dreamin'

For the second half of our trip to Antigua, my husband and I chose to stay in a Premium Beachfront Suite at Galley Bay (another adult-only property, but much more luxe than our previous hotel on the island). I also loved the look of the Gauguin Cottages with their own private plunge pools, but they were sold out for our dates. But with the sand and ocean right outside of back door of our beachfront suite, you can't go too wrong!

Spectacular La Samanna on St. Martin

I was lucky enough to get to spend a night at the stunning La Samanna Resort & Spa on St. Martin this summer, and cannot wait to return! This resort (in my opinion the most luxurious on the island) gets my top marks for accommodations, service, setting, food, and amenities.

Check in was quick, smooth, and friendly, and best of all, came complete with a gift bag! La Samanna has partnered with a Martinique rum producer to offer guests La Samanna branded rum. Currently, guests at the resort are presented with a bottle of this delicious elixir, plus a lime, sugar, and a recipe for ti punch (a classic French Caribbean cocktail). Now that's my kind of welcome gift - and I'm not ashamed to admit that the bottle was only half full by the time I checked out the next day!

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!

Intercontinental Tahiti Resort

I’m currently in a gorgeous Beach Bungalow at the Bora Bora Pearl, reflecting over my fantastic first couple of days in French Polynesia! I arrived late on Wednesday night, and went directly onto my favorite Tahiti resort, the Intercontinental. The Panoramic View Room I was in was lovely, with a stunning view out to Moorea.

After some much needed sleep, I woke to a gentle sunrise and spent some time walking the resort grounds and taking some photos before my flight to Bora Bora.

Next up: St. Regis Bora Bora!

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

(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!

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?

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

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.

Nicaragua part 5 - Granada

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.

Manava Suite Resort, Tahiti

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).

Nicaragua part 4 - Ometepe

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.

Nicaragua part 3 - Big Corn Island

 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.

Nicaragua part 2 - Little Corn Island

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.