Tag: Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Galapagos Islands for Authentic Travelers
Galapagos adventures top many travel bucket lists. Blue footed boobies, sea turtles, and reef sharks draw travelers from around the world to the popular South American destination. Some people only dream of this experience, but travel writer Marilyn Jones researched the options, made reservations and had a great time. She shares her authentic travel experiences […]
Catalina Island – An Insider’s Guide
Catalina Island – the place that’s “26 miles across the sea,” has a reputation as being touristy, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s also an authentic side to Catalina. On my last visit, I found a charming inn, a great place to eat, and a spa that truly reflects the island’s heritage – all […]
Best La Jolla Beach Boutique Hotel
La Jolla beach hotels tend to be busy places, but one boutique property offers a sweet retreat with an ocean view. Scripps Inn faces the Pacific a few blocks south of La Jolla Cove – just far enough from the Children’s Pool seal colony to avoid the masses of visitors that the marine cuties attract. I’ve lived […]
Cozumel Mexico – Warm Beaches & Cool Diving
Cozumel is a magnet for lovers of warm weather, sunny beaches, and great diving. This includes my immediate family – all three generations of us. The youngest likes nothing more than building sand castles; we all love swimming; and the adults get really excited about snorkeling around exotic marine life. I’d heard of Cozumel, but […]
Nevis – a Caribbean Island for Savvy Travelers
Nevis wasn’t the first Caribbean island I visited. Like many travelers, I started with bigger, more obvious places. Some of these have international airports and almost all of them are on the cruise ship circuit. But what I wanted was an authentic experience, a chance to meet local people and learn about their culture. So […]
Lanai Hawaii – Why You Should Go Now
Lanai is the only accessible Hawaiian Island that I haven’t experienced. I’ve stared at it across the water from our Maui vacation rental, but just never felt motivated to plan a visit – mainly because I didn’t know much about it. That all changed when I received this Lanai guest post from Elaine Masters. Read […]
Romantic Turtle Island Fiji
Turtle Island is not just the most romantic resort in Fiji, it’s one of the dreamiest places in the world. I’ve written about Turtle Island before, but my husband and I recently visited again, and I can’t resist telling you about the improvements. But first – some Turtle Island things that didn’t change The scenery […]
La Jolla, California – Best Things to Do
La Jolla – San Diego’s favorite coastal community – is known for beautiful beaches and great dining options. I’ve lived in La Jolla most of my life and love walking on the beach and having drinks or a meal with a water view. I also know that our community offers many unique activities that first-time visitors […]
Scuba Diving Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
This trip report was contributed by San Diegan Elaine Masters, who is a travel writer, podcaster and event host. She invites you to visit her web site Go Easy / Travel Well and read her blog Trip Wellness. The first time I glimpsed the bizarre creatures that call Lembeh Strait home was at an underwater […]
Bucket List Travel
Recently, a close friend boarded a flight from San Diego to New York en route to a meeting in Milan. Shortly into the flight, this very fit guy with no major health issues passed out and collapsed in the aisle. Because American Airlines’ planes are equipped with a remarkable amount of emergency medical equipment and a […]
Huahine – the Best of French Polynesia
Huahine is one of many spectacularly beautiful islands in French Polynesia. It’s also my favorite, primarily because it doesn’t feel touristy. When my husband and I explored the island on foot and by car, we encountered only friendly locals and felt very welcome. Many readers have told me that if they could go anywhere in the world, it […]
Vacation Rentals in Hawaii – Maui & Big Island
Vacation rentals in Hawaii are perfect for families or groups of friends traveling together. As I said in an early post on this topic, rental homes cost considerably less than a flock of hotel rooms and provide more space, privacy, and conveniences. And what could be more authentic than staying in a real home instead of […]
Best Bermuda Hotel – The Reefs
Best Bermuda Hotel? I think it’s The Reefs Resort & Club on the south side of the main island (see map below). This beautiful family-owned resort is geographically not far from the Fairmont Southhampton – but a world away in terms of amosphere. At The Reefs, we couldn’t stop staring at the beautiful beach just steps away and loved snorkeling over the coral […]
Authentic Maldives ?
It’s been widely reported in the media this week that the government of the Maldives – beautiful low-lying islands in the Indian Ocean – has ordered all the resorts on the islands to close their spas because they are fronts for brothels. First, I have to say that this is nonsense, but it also underscores […]
