|

St. Lucia’s Sugar Beach Debuts Beachfront Collection

Smack dab between the dramatic conical-shaped Pitons on a glorious stretch of white sand, Sugar Beach deserves top billing in the Caribbean. But now the ultra-sybaritic escape just pushed the envelope a little farther with the opening of two of five planned Beachfront Collection Residences. The four-bedroom homes have private access to the white sands of Glenconner Beach and come with all of the amenities of this Viceroy property, such as personalized butler service and access to the Rainforest Spa. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors connect the living and dining rooms with the outdoor terrace and private pool. Rates start at $5,000 a night. Let ActiveTravels know if you want to check availability. 

 

Similar Posts

|

Be Wary of Circuit Routes and Name-Brand Hotels When Choosing a Safari

The last two weeks I had the privilege of traveling with Rob Barbour around northern Tanzania, with stops in Arusha and Arusha National Park, the southern Amboseli plains, Mwiba Wildlife Reserve, Ngorongoro Crater, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Kusini Camp in the southern Serengeti, the Grumeti Wildlife Reserve, and the Lamai section of the northern Serengeti, where the legendary wildebeest migration takes place across the Mara River. Rob not only serves as director of African operations for the safari operator, Epic Private Journeys, but he’s a native Tanzanian who formerly owned his own lodges in Lamai and Ruaha National Park in southern Tanzania. It seems like every restaurant, hotel, and airport stop we made, he ran into an old friend. What was invaluable to me was the wealth of information he shared on taking a safari in Africa, knowledge accumulated over a lifetime. This week, I’ll be sharing some of his tips to ensure that your next safari is indeed a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

 
Throughout the trip, Rob emphasized that you can’t pick a safari based on hotel name. You design a safari itinerary on where the wildlife will be that time of year and than combine 3 or 4 properties near the wildlife that will best suit your needs, whether an upscale boutique hotel or a mobile tent deep in the African bush. Actually, to get the true African flavor, it’s best to have a combination of both, like 3 nights at Alex Walker’s Serian camps in Serengeti, combined with an exclusive stay at one of the private wildlife reserves say Singita Grumeti or the relatively new Mwiba Lodge. 
 
The most important thing is not to be seduced by name. Outfitters like Abercrombie & Kent or andBeyond will design a circuit solely based on their properties. That’s wonderful when staying at A&K’s Olonana Sanctuary on Kenya’s Mara River, where you wake up to breakfast with views of the hippos swimming. Not so great if you’re staying at A&K’s outpost near the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, where tents were lined up practically on top of each other. andBeyond’s Ngorongoro Crater Lodge and it’s over-the-top “Out of Africa” style is easily the best property in the region. But in Grumeti, andBeyond will put you in their own tents, which doesn’t offer the same privileges of staying at Singita Grumeti, like night drives and off-road driving to get closer to the wildlife. So it’s best to mix and match with a company like Epic Private Journeys who simply want the best experience and don’t have loyalty to one name. Also be wary of the big name hotelier. For example, Four Seasons Serengeti is located in central Serengeti in a locale far away from the both the wildebeest migration in summer and winter. It’s actually best in late February and March.
 
|

Ko Olina Resort Week—Spa and Fitness

A good massage is like a good entrée. One taste and you know whether the dish is sublime (like the blackened ahi tuna at Roy’s Ko Olina the other night). One touch by my masseuse, Jacki, at the JW Marriott Ihilani Spa and I knew I was in experienced hands. I like deep tissue and her pressure was spot on, not too painful that I cry out in agony and not too soft that it would be soothing but useless. After traveling around Oahu yesterday to dine on dim sum in Honolulu (Tai Pan was excellent), hiking Diamond Head for those exquisite vistas of Waikiki Beach, and then dining at that ultimate surfer restaurant, Duke’s, I was happy to stay put and have someone dig into me. The Ihilani Spa also offers the traditional Hawaiian LomiLomi massage that uses kneading strokes to release and relax muscles. Afterwards, I took full advantage of the men’s locker room to take deep breaths of eucalyptus in the steam room and shower, walking out refreshed. 
 
While I was getting my deep tissue massage, my daughter, Melanie, was receiving a facial next door at Aulani’s teen spa, Painted Sky. They massaged her neck and scalp, cleansed her face, and let her take advantage of the yogurt bar on the way out. Aulani features the only Disney-owned spa, Laniwai, with close to 150 spa therapies including signature treatments that use Hawaii produce like the sweet-smelling plumeria or rich and creamy coconut milk. Before or after the treatment, you can choose to relax in the shaded private garden, where you can even order food. 
 
All the Ko Olina Resort properties feature state-of-the-art fitness rooms, including free weights and the latest cardio machines. Also expect to find special rooms for spinning class at Aulani, three tennis courts with mountain views atop the JW Marriott Ihilani Spa, morning yoga on the lawn, and a great boardwalk along the 4 lagoons that leads all the way to the Ko Olina Marina, perfect for a jog or walk.
 
 
 
|

San Antonio Week—Biking To the Pearl and Southtown on a B-Cycle

I love that San Antonio forged ahead and implemented a bike-sharing program, similar to the ones in Chicago, Denver, Boston, and Montreal. With its expanding network of trails, bike lanes on the roads, and a detailed biking map, the city is easy to get around on two wheels. Yesterday, I paid my $10 fee for 24 hours of use, grabbed a bike near the Alamo and dropped it off at the Pearl neighborhood, where I grabbed a tasty salmon sandwich for lunch at Sandbar. Then I cruised back downtown and did some work at my hotel. An hour later, I went back to the Alamo B-station, grabbed another bike, and pedaled past the King William neighborhood estates to the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, a former warehouse that’s now a home for cutting-edge art in the city. I saw the latest exhibition and then grabbed a pint of King William ale at one of the outdoor table at the Blue Star Brewing Company. Finally, I picked up another bike at the Blue Star B-station and simply cruised back downtown. It was a breeze to use. 

 
It’s been great to see all the changes happening in San Antonio this week. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have. Enjoy the weekend! I’ll be back in Boston on Monday with a new blog.
 
|

Biking the Shoreline of Lac-Saint-Jean

Three hours north of Quebec City, the mountainous ridges and anonymous lakes give way to a sylvan valley surrounding the massive inland sea they call Lac-Saint-Jean. Bright yellow fields of canola mix with the rolling green hillside, tall silos, and rolled hay that gives this terrain the unmistakable French countryside feel. Everywhere you look are cyclists biking on the celebrated Véloroute des Bleuets, a 256-kilometer bike trail that circumnavigates Lac-Saint-Jean, or fat-wheeling on mountain bike trails, even biking through sand on one of the 15 public beaches found around the lake. 

 
We chose to spend the first day and night at Parc national de la Pointe-Taillon, a peninsula that juts into the lake and offers its own 45 km circuit. We parked in the lot, grabbed sheets, blankets, bikes, and a small mini-trailer to carry all our belongings and off we went on a short ride to our lodging for the night, a Huttopia tent. Available in 17 of Quebec’s 24 national parks, these canvas tents are equipped with four beds, heating, and everything you need to cook a meal. We dropped our belongings and continued to bike along the peninsula looking at desolate beaches, large beaver dams, and a thicket of tall birch trees. This is prime moose country but we wouldn’t find the big fella this first night. After our ride, we dined on picnic tables overlooking the water, washed down with a local Riverbend pale ale. A perfect start to our week of adventure in the Lac-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, and Charlevoix sections of Quebec. 
 
|

September Newsletter Now Available at ActiveTravels.com

Calling all tortoise lovers, especially those of you who love mega-sized tortoises in the 100 year-old range! In our September newsletter, we describe our recent trip to the Galapagos, where we encounter many of these big boys. We also divulge our favorite all-inclusive resorts in America, including another summer outing to Vermont’s Basin Harbor Club; a new B&B in Provincetown, Salt House Inn, ideally suited for a quick getaway in September and October; and the outfitter, Tropic, that we used for our Ecuador trip to the Galapagos and the Amazon and who we highly recommend. 

 
All of our newsletters will soon be itemized, so you can quickly find a story on South Africa, Turkey, Nova Scotia, Oregon, and hundreds of other locales if you’re thinking of planning a trip there. That service will only be available to members who join ActiveTravels.com. Other benefits of our yearly membership include easy access to a travel writer who’s been to more than 80 countries and can answer all questions saving you hours of research on the web, a full-service travel agency that can book all vacations and can usually get VIP service and complimentary upgrades and meals through our connections, and most importantly, someone to call when something goes wrong, which is inevitable. Good luck calling customer service at Orbitz, Expedia, or Travelocity when your flight is canceled or your luggage goes missing. We’re here to help make your vacation memorable! 
 
|

Top 5 Travels of 2010, Visiting the Maasai at Shompole, Kenya

When visiting another country and booking a room, I always seek out local travel writers or outfitters who know every decent hotel in their country and have a basis for comparison. I’m not going to spend thousands of dollars, only to leave the important decision of where to stay to some stranger commenting on TripAdvisor. More than likely, it’s his first time in this country and it’s all bliss. But I know Africa too well and realize there are hotels that cater primarily to large tour companies from Asia and Europe, delivering the Disneyesque version of being on safari. So I asked Jane and Felix Pinto, owners of the Nairobi-based Micato Safaris, known for their boutique, small group outings, to find me the real thing, an authentic travel experience in the bush. They pointed the way to Shompole.

Less than an hour flight from Nairobi, you land in a grassy valley that feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere. Giraffes and warthogs greet you, along with Maasai villagers dressed in their colorful garb. You look around and find no signs of civilization except for rocky outcroppings that look like rooms nestled into the hillside. On closer inspection, these rooms, less than a dozen, are suites with their own private plunge pools. There are no walls. You’re simply immersed in nature, sleeping in king-sized bed under a mosquito net. You awake to the sounds of tropical birds and the sights of baboons walking across the valley floor.

During the day, Maasai villagers take you on nature walks to show you the natural remedies they use to cure their ailments. I’m sure pharmaceutical companies have sent teams to visit the Maasai to hopefully recreate these cures in pill form at a much more exorbitant price. We also were guests in their small homes and took bush drives to spot lions, Cape buffalo, and pink flamingoes that stand in the shallow waters of Lake Natron, the volcanic slopes of Tanzania seen in the distance. Unlike the Masai Mara, there are no other Jeeps taking people on drives, because there are no other travelers within a 50-mile radius! One night at twilight, the local villagers performed a dance with Mount Shompole looming in the background. Unlike hokey Hawaiian luau dancers that I’m used to seeing, this felt genuine. See for yourself.

Watch the video below, or if you do not see it view it on YouTube.

Leave a Reply