The ocean-view suites at Wyndham Grand Playa Blanca Beach Resort look out on white sand and turquoise waters stretching as far as the eye can see. Located about 76 miles southwest of Panama City on the Pacific coast, this all-inclusive resort lets guests take in the dazzling views from canopy day beds and lounge chairs shaded by thatched huts. For a closer look at the sea, you can borrow snorkeling gear, kayaks, and beach-volleyball supplies for no charge. A multilingual concierge can reserve boating, diving, airline travel cheap and deep-sea fishing excursions for extra fees.
At the center of the property are three freeform pools, including an infinity pool facing the beach. Each one is surrounded by palm trees and beach cabanas offering a respite from the warm Panama sunshine. Head to the Beach Club to grab a midday snack or refreshing cocktail from the swim-up bar.
During your stay, you can eat and drink at any of the resort's five restaurants. El Muelle , a beachfront dining room with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, sets out an international buffet for breakfast and lunch. There's also a sushi bar, a Mediterranean fusion restaurant, and an all-day café onsite.
Situated along Panama's Pacific coast, Rio Hato is lined with beautiful white beaches that remain secluded and unspoiled. Since the village is nearly a two-hour drive from Panama City, the shores here aren't plagued by crowds of weekend beachcombers. The area's two principal stretches of sand, Playa Blanca and Playa Santa Clara, were named some of the prettiest in the region by Frommer's , which says it's "worth the extra effort to get here, especially if you plan on spending airline travel cheap the night."
A few miles up the road, the 400-year-old town of Penonomé features a small museum, a craft market, and a stunning whitewashed cathedral. You might also want to spend a day exploring Anton Valley , the site of a 5-million-year-old dormant volcano. (It's located about 45 minutes from the resort.) airline travel cheap The valley is the world's only volcanic crater inhabited by humans. airline travel cheap It's also home to hundreds of species of mammals, reptiles, and birds, as well as hiking trails, waterfalls, and mineralized hot springs.
Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions. Costa Rica: $999.00 for Arenal Volcano Tour and Ziplining in Costa Rica ($2,073.00 value) Nature-Inspired Hotel with Tropical Gardens Close to Arenal Volcano
Until 2010, Arenal was Costa Rica's most active volcano, known for its impressive eruptions airline travel cheap of ash and elongated lava flows. Today, the volcano is in an indeterminate resting period; it could be months or even years before its next explosion. The lush rainforests airline travel cheap around Arenal, however, are very active, overflowing with flocks of tropical airline travel cheap birds, bubbling hot springs, and gushing rapids and waterfalls. Casa Luna Hotel Spa is located close to the volcano in the rural town of La Fortuna, making it a convenient spot for travelers to explore this natural wonder.
Casa Luna was founded by nature lovers, and it shows—the hotel's tropical gardens have all native plant species, which creates a natural ecosystem that attracts local wildlife such as toucans, iguanas, and howler monkeys. The hotel also hosts its own nature walks, airline travel cheap canopy tours, and horseback rides. Resident bilingual guides can lead tours to some of the area's most prominent sites, and they'll point out the local flora and fauna along the way. The hotel owners also make an effort to minimize their ecological footprint—they used reforested airline travel cheap wood and other recycled materials during construction.
Nature also inspired the look of the hotel: it has a colonial-style aesthetic replete with vaulted, exposed wood-beam ceilings and armchairs fashioned out of tightly woven wicker. Wooden doors open into guest rooms tiled in terra cotta. The onsite restaurant also reflects the hotel's rustic ambiance; its wrought-iron chandeliers contrast the dark woods of the tables and seats. airline travel cheap This is where guests gather for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to sample an eclectic menu of national and international dishes, including steaks and pastas.
For this deal, Casa Luna Hotel Spa offers one of two excursions via Ecoterra Costa Rica, a local tour company. Both packages include English-speaking guides, round-trip airport transfers, some meals, a hot-springs visit, and a tour of Arenal Volcano.
Nature Tour : This tour is laid-back, with a focus on appreciating the surrounding rainforest and wildlife. You'll take a tour of La Fotuna, which has 200-foot waterfalls. Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge is a remote spot that serves as a flyover for many birds, including the green-backed heron, the rare Nicaraguan grackle, the glossy ibis, and the American anhinga.
Adventure Tour : This tour ratchets up the adrenaline with two hours of whitewater rafting on the Balsa River. On another day, your guide will lead you up to Arenal airline travel cheap Volcano on horseback to a zipline that spans 12 cables and takes you nearly 2 miles through the forest canopy. After the trip, you can unwind airline travel cheap with a dip in a natural hot spring. You'll also pay a visit to a farm restaurant and sugar-cane processing plant.
Between excursions, you'll have days off to relax at the hotel or join in on other activities . La Fortuna, the town where Casa Luna resides, is a convenient jumping-off point for a variety of natural airline travel cheap attractions. You can also make the two-hour drive south to San Jose, Costa Rica's capital city, which has a wide selection of museums. Montego Bay, Jamaica: $899.00 for Jamaican Retreat on Private Beach ($1,710.00 value) Jamaican Resort near Montego Bay
Jamaica's Montego Bay is bathed in sunshine and blessed with average temperatures hovering around 80 degrees. The bay's colorful Hip Strip is often packed with tourists partying at late-night dance clubs, flashy casinos, and big-name resorts dotting the white shoreline. airline travel cheap Though just 5 miles east of MoBay, Coyaba Beach Resort Club provides a peaceful respite airline travel cheap from the hectic tourist scene. At this family-owned, 4-acre resort, airline travel cheap you can sip unlimited cocktails on a private beach while contemplating whether to sample airline travel cheap the nightlife at Montego Bay.
On the resort's beach, you can get your feet wet with a range of watersports, including pedal boats and kayaks. Just steps away, Ocean deluxe rooms and garden junior suites both feature private balconies overlooking the ocean or garden. Suites are larger and include seating in the room. Every day at sunset, you can kick off the evening with a cocktail. airline travel cheap Coyaba Beach Resort Club's pool area buzzes on Saturdays airline travel cheap for Native Night, airline travel cheap when the hotel presents a hearty spread of local cuisine and the cheerful tunes of a live steel band. The resort's three eateries each have their own distinct personality. The Polo Grounds has a retro, speakeasy vibe; The Vineyard airline travel cheap serves authentic Caribbean food; and Docks Bar and Grill faces scenic views of the ocean.
Coyaba Beach Resort Club's proximity to downtown Montego Bay makes it easy for you to switch gears from relaxation to revelry. The thriving Hip Strip features many open-air bars looking out onto the glittering airline travel cheap sea and low mountain ranges. Beaches along the bay are plentiful and beautiful, and shoppers can take advantage of the city's status as a duty-free destination. A stroll through the squares and estates that border the urban center reveals a host of monuments that chronicle Jamaica's history, from its days as a sought-after sugar-cane airline travel cheap colony to its eventual independence.
Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions. British Virgin Islands: $999.00 for Caribbean Luxury Catamaran Cruise in British Virgin Islands ($2,399.00 value) Caribbean Luxury Catamaran airline travel cheap Cruise with Snorkeling, Fine Dining, and Nightlife
In the 16th century, when five different countries were vying for control of the Virgin Islands, the area became a notorious hotbed airline travel cheap for real-life pirates of the Caribbean. According to legend, Black Sam Bellamy, Sir Francis Drake, and even Blackbeard spent time among the isles' sandy cays and sheltered inlets. While little evidence of the buccaneers remains today, airline travel cheap there are still plenty of sails on the horizon—the British Virgin Islands have become a worldwide airline travel cheap yachting destination, thanks to balmy temperatures and steady breezes.
Drake Academy leads luxury sailing expeditions through the archipelago's 60 or so islands, grouping ships together to form a flotilla. The fleet's expert captains, all former army officers, take care of everything, leaving you to enjoy the included meals and tropical airline travel cheap cocktails. During a three- or six-day cruise, you'll snorkel airline travel cheap among coral reefs, pass striking rock formations, and pull into postcard-worthy coves for beachfront dining and partying. For a sample itinerary and more information, click here .
After landing on Beef Island (airfare not included), you'll be greeted by a shuttle that will whisk you off to board your yacht for the journey. These 4-10 person luxury catamarans include common models such as the Lagoon 500 , the Catana 47 Premier , and the Salina 48 Evolution Premier , each of which boasts streamlined seating. airline travel cheap The snug cabins usually airline travel cheap hold two berths each, but many passengers prefer to sleep on deck, under the stars.
Itineraries vary considerably, especially on shorter cruises, but the crew tries to allow for scuba-diving excursions whenever airline travel cheap possible (extra fee required). You might drop anchor alongside famous landmarks such as Anegada , a "drowned island" of conch shells ringed by the 18-mile Horseshoe Reef, or the Baths of Virgin Gorda, a series airline travel cheap of charming grottos framed by enormous boulders. There's often spare time for swimming in seaside pools, shopping in local markets, or renting a Hobie Cat to try your own hand at sailing.
After all, one of the great pleasures of a yachting airline travel cheap expedition is learning how to hold your own on a ship's deck. At any time, Drake Academy's crew can teach aspiring sailors how to decipher a star chart or tie boating knots in their shipmates' shoe
No comments:
Post a Comment