Island Vacation Tips - www.island-vacation-tips.com

Hot Winter Holidays in Lanzarote

Admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:10:05 +0000

Whilst most other European sunspots have long since put away the sun loungers for another season there’s still one group of islands basking in temperatures of 20C plus.

Although in fairness they’re not really European at all – as the Spanish owned Canary Islands sit just 70 miles off the coast of West Africa on the same line of latitude as parts of Mexico and Florida.

Thanks to their relative proximity to the UK and reasonable four hour flight times the Canaries have become well established as a popular winter sun destination. And the eastern most link in the chain, Lanzarote, offers visitors much more than just sunshine and bucket and spade beach holidays alone. As this tiny volcanic island boasts incredible natural beauty, high quality accommodation and some of the most unique tourist attractions to be found anywhere in the world.

Unlike many other Spanish sunspots Lanzarote remains relatively unspoiled. Despite the fact that island has been operating as a hugely popular holiday destination for British and Irish tourists (attracting over one million visitors from both counties last year alone) for over thirty years.

The three main resorts are well contained, high rise buildings are banned and advertising hoardings are outlawed. Creating a pleasing overall aesthetic harmony that enhances the island’s considerable natural charms.

Much of the credit for this must go to an island born artist and architect called Cesar Manrqiue. Who fought tirelessly against the excesses of over development during the 1970´s – just as package tourism was really starting to take off in Spain.

Manrique was lucky enough to have friends in high places – such as Pepe Ramirez – who sat on the island’s governing council at that time and who was sympathetic to Manrique´s views. Together the pair sought to ensure that Lanzarote wasn’t buried beneath a sea of five star hotels. Whilst also working to create a unique set of tourist attractions that fused art with nature.

The greatest manifestation of this philosophy today can be found at the Jameos del Agua, in the north of the island. Where Manrique transformed a collapsed lava tube into a breathtaking underground grotto – beautifully planted and with a pool containing blind albino crabs as its centrepiece.

So impressed was visiting Hollywood actress Rita Heyworth that she declared the Jameos the 8^th wonder of the world. And as news of Manrique´s creations spread so the number if VIP visitors increased – attracted by the novelty of this new destination and the architectural plaudits garnered by Manriques work.

Amongst these visitors was Omar Sharif – fresh from the making of Doctor Zhivago and with money to burn. Sharif commissioned Manrique to create what must still be the most unusual property in Lanzarote – which he had built into the side of a volcano, featuring elaborate secret gardens and pools.

Legend has it that Sharif lost the house in a high stakes game of bridge not long after taking possession. But today his old home – now called LagOmar - is still open to the public – as it now plays host to one of the most upmarket restaurants in Lanzarote.

Thanks to the work of Manrique, Lanzarote was declared a UNESCO protected biosphere in 1993 – and large swathes of the island are now officially designated national parks. Such as the incredible Timanafaya Volcano Park – which was the epicentre of the eruptions that engulfed the island back in the 1730´s for over six years. And which today are the most popular tourist attraction on the island.

See also about other Spanish speaking islands for vacation HERE.

(Opens in a new window)

Cape Verde Islands: Sal Island

Admin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 11:54:06 +0000

Sal Island Cape Verde - A Brief Guide

The Cape Verde Islands is a name that has been conjured up recently and has been connected with property investment due to the recent activity by property developers on the islands.

Sal (Portuguese for salt) was first discovered in 1460 is part of the northern group of islands called Barlavento. It was initially named Plana or Llana meaning “flat”, which is due to the island being mostly flat. Sal is also the closest Island to West Africa and lies at the east of the Cape Verde archipelago.

The island is not huge, it is around 30km long and 12km wide and has a total area of just 216km. Even still, it has become the gateway for the rest of the archipelago due to its airport that was built in 1939.

Up until the middle of this century, Sal’s main export was Salt. The locals of Boa Vista originally used the island for grazing their animals until they came across the Salt there and decided to export it.

Activities and Sports

As a tourist destination although new and fairly untested, Sal has many things going for it including gorgeous sunshine of which there are 350 days per year. The beaches of Sal and other parts of Cape Verde rival any beaches in world and coupled with the fact that the seas are warm, it is also a great place for water sports enthusiasts.

There are a ton of events and carnivals that take place on Sal every year and are well worth seeing. These include the festival of S. Jose in Palmeira on the 19th March and the municipal celebrations which commemorate the Sal’s communities. The celebrations take place at the Santa Maria Festival of Music and are held on the beach. If you are visiting Sal in March, be sure to check out this festival as it is a wonderful occasion.

Being an island and having such wonderful weather all year round, its no wonder that Sal is a haven for water sports enthusiasts. Santa Maria is the main port of call for the sporty types, and has everything there including a number of instructors who can teach you how windsurf or dive.

If you are looking for something a little more sedate why not try a nice walk or hire a jeep and see the whole of the island?

Sal Property Investment

Sal is also becoming very popular with property investors looking to get a foot on the ladder of the next up and coming property hotspot. With more and more interest from developers and investors alike, Sal and the Cape Verde Islands are sure to become a great place to invest in the next few years.

With 350 days of sunshine each year, it’s a perfect place to invest, especially if you plan on renting the property out as a holiday home. With so much beautiful weather all year round, you are not limited unlike other holiday destinations.

Sal and the Cape Verde Islands in general have been regarded as one of the poorest countries in the world in recent years and this all looks set to change in the next few years due to the property boom that is now starting to increase.

So although Salt may have been Sal’s greatest export over the years, its tourism and property investors that could become their greatest import and could kick start the islands economic growth.

Robert Griggs writes for Homes Abroad Cape Verde who specialize in new developments and resale property for sale on Sal Island and other islands in Cape Verde.

Please add your comments about your experience with Cape Verde and especially with the island at Cape Verde: Sal Island, just CLICK HERE

Nature Trails in Grand Cayman Island - Article

Admin — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 21:18:36 +0000

Grand Cayman Island Nature Trails, the Quieter Side of Island Life

I’ll start with the harder of the two trails, the Mastic Trail, named for a particular kind of tree used for making ships’ masts. It’s off Frank Sound Road just south of the QE II Botanic Park but on the opposite side of the road. It’s probably 30 minutes drive from George Town and West End.

This is a true hiking trail so be sure you’re wearing proper walking shoes if you plan to go far. It isn’t necessary to hike the whole trail; you can get a good feel for how the island looked before humans re-modeled it in only a mile or so of walking. Unfortunately, it isn’t a circular route so you have to re-trace your steps if you just want to sample it.

If you’re doing the whole trail, hiking from Frank Sound Road in the south to Further Road in the north, you’ll see a swampy mangrove forest, a rocky area full of crevices from which trees and plants sprout like mushrooms, a dry tropical forested area that still has remnants of pioneer William Watler’s fruit orchards, and finally a sub-tropical meadow – the Savannah.

William Watler was the settler who built the original road over a hundred years ago to get his produce to market and, although it has now been replaced by Frank Sound Road, his achievement is still pretty impressive. It’s wilder country than you’d expect from such a small island and the underlying ironshore is as hard as… well, iron. Leveling it must have taken years.

The Mastic Trail wends its way through land owned by the National Trust and they provide guides to assist you in identifying what you’re seeing. Unless you’re an expert in semi-tropical flora and fauna, it’s probably worth going with a guide. Otherwise the only thing you’re likely to observe with certainty is that there are a lot of trees.

The Woodland Trail, on the other hand, is inside the Grand Cayman National Trust’s Botanical Park and that makes it less scary for setting out on your own. It also has the advantage of markers on the trees and pools (to tell you about what you’re seeing), rest stops along the way, and a level, groomed path so you’re ‘walking’ not hiking. Ponds along the way are inhabited by turtles but, despite the name of one of the ponds, Crocodile Hole, no crocodiles. The crocodiles, or Caymans, were wiped out centuries ago.

Halfway along the trail is the blue iguana breeding centre, where you can see iguanas of all size and ages from toddlers to teenagers. The adults are out in the Park, which may or may not be a comforting thought. They are scary-looking creatures but the good news is they are harmless. However, as with all wildlife, it isn’t a good idea to feed them.

In the Park was the only place we saw the Cayman Green Parrot, the national bird of the Cayman Islands. Unfortunately, like many living national symbols around the world, it’s been pushed to the margins of life in its own home.

Two other areas you should consider for walking are, the Nature Reserve at Malportas pond in Northside, near the northern end of the Mastic Trail, and Barkers National Park, at the tip of West End. Both have walking paths and both are pretty quiet most of the time, few visitors wander far from their resorts’ amenities.

Author Paul C. James; from http://www.grand-cayman-wanderer.com

Condo Vacation Rentals, Ins or Vacation Homes on Sanibel Island

Admin — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 07:42:03 +0000

As you know Sanibel Island is popular for vacation of a few days, for week long holidays, and for monthly stays especially during winter months. I find the following advice from Sylvia Guarino useful when you have decided to stay at the location midland of Sanibel Island, not of Captiva Island. you can chose between condo vacation rentals, Ins or vacation homes.

Accommodations on Sanibel Island

Ok, now you know where on the Island you think you want to be, but there is a catch!

If you want to stay at one of the island inns, and you want to be on Sanibel, not Captiva, you will have to restrict yourself to the mid island location. There are no inns on the quiet, west end of the island. As suggested in my earlier post, the west end of the island is the non-commercialized area of the island. The closest inns on the west end are actually on Captiva. Captiva is Sanibel’s neighboring island, and quite lovely. But you will do yourself a service by comparing prices for inn lodging on both islands as you plan your trip.

Inns are great for short stays, generally not allowed in the condo rentals. Most condo vacation rentals mandate a rental of a week or more. Inns offer the luxury of having daily maid service and some offer a place to have a bite to eat. Only a few condo complexes have dining facilities. The majority are self catering, which means you do your own cooking and cleaning while you are on holiday. You should find your condo unit clean when you arrive, and if you leave it in good condition, you will not be charged in the majority of complexes for cleaning on your departure.

Also do your home work on condo complexes. If you absolutely must have a Gulf view accommodation, be sure the unit you have chosen offers same. There are many, many complexes directly on the Gulf, but some units do not offer the view.

If a Gulf view is not an absolute, you will find that there are complexes near the beach that offer more space and better pricing.

And, in regards to pricing, if you are vacationing for 4 weeks or more, you may find your best value in renting a private rental home.

Vacation homes on Sanibel are mandated by the town to be 28 day rentals. That makes for less competition than weekly rental condos, especially in off season. Explore your options if you are planning a month’s stay on Sanibel as you well may find the best pricing on private homes for rent.

Please visit my blog for more information on Sanibel: http://sanibel-rentalsnet.blogspot.com
Author Sylvia Guarino.

Read more about Sanibel Island Vacation, click here.

The Balearic Islands - Find a Spanish Mediterranean Island

Admin — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:15:21 +0000

Holidays on the Balearic Islands - Cluster of Great Spanish Islands

A Spanish archipelago situated in the west Mediterranean Sea, Balearic Islands is a grouping of four key islands along with many other tiny islets. These Spanish islands are filled with sunny weather all year long and are an amazing holiday destination, in Spain.

Following are some of the things to do or see in the major islands of Balearic Islands:

Mallorca (Majorca)

Mallorca or Majorca is the largest and the key island out of all the Spanish islands, forming Balearic Islands. With its capital city as Palma and inhabitation living a metropolitan style, this island is a great stopover for tourist or visitors holidaying in Balearic Islands. Mallorca or Majorca is known for its lively beaches, sunny weather, gothic architecture, harbors, villages and blue Mediterranean coastline. This ‘one of the’ Spanish islands also has lots of adventure and water activities, rich delicacy of food and markets for buying great souvenirs.

Some of the major tourist attractions, to visit Mallorca or Majorca for, include City of Palma de Mallorca, Cathedral of Palma, Bellver castle, Sierra de Tramuntana and Train from Palma to Soller. Many of the tourist or visitors visit this island for its beautiful beaches and superb resorts, for a great holiday in Balearic Islands.

Menorca

Menorca is the second largest and key island out of the archipelago of Spanish islands forming Balearic Islands. This island is usually visited by tourist or visitors hoping for some great water adventure when holidaying in Balearic Islands. Menorca is surrounded with marvelous beaches, lots of history, cultural heritage and flavorsome cuisine for a great holiday in Balearic Islands.

Some of the popular tourist attractions to cherish when visiting Menorca for a great holiday in these Spanish islands include Mahon, Los Delfines Aquapark, Monte Toro, Es Freginal Park and Xoriguer Distillery. The land of Menorca also has striking history and culture rich museums, such as Museu de Menorca, Museu Municipal de Ciutadella and Museu de la Natura de Menorca.

Ibiza

Ibiza is largely famous as a party city of Balearic Islands; also it is the third largest as well as key island among the grouping of islands marking Balearic Islands. Known for its lively and wild beaches and great nightlife, Ibiza has lot more to offer such as delicious cuisine, UNESCO acknowledged archeologically rich town, pine forests, picturesque Mediterranean views, caves, museums and lots of adventure like hiking, climbing, scuba diving, surfing, golf and go-karting.

Few remarkable tourist destinations to enjoy when thinking of Ibiza on your holiday in Balearic Islands include Museum of Archaeology, Scenic Tour Train, Ibiza Old Town, Galeria Van der Voort, C’an Marça Caves and Hippy Market - Punta Arabi. Of course when on a holiday in Ibiza the best thing is to enjoy and unwind in the outstanding and superb beaches such as Playa Talamanca, Playa des Cana, Santa Eulalia, Figueretas, Cala Lena and Cala Llonga

Formentera

Formentera is the fourth major islands among the four islands forming Balearic Islands. This ‘one of the’ Spanish islands is famous for its calm, tranquil and natural beauty as well as environment rich tourist destinations or attractions. From vivid nightlife, scrumptious cuisines, landscapes, hills, salient shores, stunning villas, wineries, breweries, parks, zoos to incredible museums, tourist and visitors can find a lot to add to their holiday in Balearic Islands.

Best time to visit or holiday in Balearic Islands

These major islands of Balearic Islands offer great summer holiday with moderate Mediterranean climate and average temperature of 25 degree Celsius. The best months to visit Balearic Islands are considered to be June, July and August.

Author: Luki Johnson.

If you found this information useful you can find out more at http://www.directholidays.me.uk You will be able to watch holiday videos as well as find out more about holiday destinations and browse Direct Holidays .

Hawaii Wedding Photographer Where

Admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 08:16:16 +0000

Finding a Skilled Wedding Photographer Around Hawaii is Quick

Destination and Hawaiian weddings are beautiful, but it can be hard to hire a Hawaii wedding photographer when you’re hundreds of miles away. For tips and tricks on how to book the perfect photographer for your island wedding, keep reading.

Conduct an Interview Over the Phone

If you can’t meet your Hawaii wedding photographer in advance, you should get a phone interview as a bare minimum. Remember, you’ll be spending the bulk of your wedding day with your camera person, so you want someone that meshes with your personal style.

Interviewing a service provider over the phone can be difficult, but try to get a sense for both their personality and photography style. Ask about the equipment used, preferred shots, picture technique and what you can expect for the price.

Review Their Portfolio

Hiring a photographer over a long distance can be difficult, but the Internet lets you browse portfolios and get samples via email in seconds. A good photographer should already have an online portfolio that you can review. If they don’t, then maybe you should look into someone else.

When you review a prospective photographer’s portfolio, look beyond the quality of their web design or flashy gimmicks and get right to the photos. Ask yourself if they tell a compelling story? Do you like the style and feel? Would you hang those photos in your home? Do the people look good or washed out?

Ask for Client Referrals or References in Your Area

When hiring a wedding photographer for any destination wedding, including in Hawaii, you should not only ask for references, but see if they can provide a reference in your area. Ideally, you could call or email the prior client and ask about the service, whether satisfied with the work and if they would hire the photographer again.

Bring a Photographer From Home

Many professional photographers will travel with you, but it can be expensive. If you’re prepared to spend the extra money, bringing a photographer from home allows you to meet the individual in advance, review their work personally and choose the photographer that you actually want.

However, bringing your photographer with you from home can be very expensive. In addition to the photographer’s fees, you will be responsible fro their airfare, transportation to and from the airport, hotel accommodations and a per diem for food. To save money, many brides book their photographer’s hotel at a nearby, cheaper alternative rather than at their own, more expensive resort.

Ask Your Venue or Hotel for Advice

Weddings are popular in Hawaii and because most hotels or venues hold weddings every weekend, so they have a chance to work with and evaluate hundreds of local photographers. Ask them which Hawaii wedding photographer they’d recommend or, better yet, ask who they would hire to shoot their own wedding.

Author: Trevor Price. For great information on wedding preparation tips, see weddingpreptips.com, a popular site providing helpful pre-wedding insights, such as finding a Cincinnati wedding DJ, California yacht weddings, and many more!

Seychelles in Videos - Be Inspired for a Seychelles Vacation

Admin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 13:40:32 +0000

Seychelles in Videos

Be inspired for your Seychelles vacation by seeing these videos from TravelChannelVOD. They show you different aspects and qualities of The Seychelles Islands. From my own experience I think they give you a quite OK impression of these very attractive islands for any kind of relaxing holiday. To me an island vacation in the Seychelles archipelago is one of the trips I always want to repeat. Simply beautiful settings and such a nice atmophere.

Galapagos is among South America’s Top Ten Travel Wonders

Admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:37:00 +0000

South America’s Top Ten Travel Wonders

South America holds a staggering array of travel wonders both natural and cultural. Boasting the greatest rain-forest, the most spectacular waterfall, the highest waterfall and the greatest river in the world along with cosmopolitan cities and remarkable ancient cultures, there is something in this great continent for everyone.

It is near impossible to nominate a top ten travel wonders list without omitting a number of “must see” sights. Here is my list. How many have you seen?

1. Machu Picchu and Inca Trail (Peru)

Surrounded by thick forest and sitting atop a mountain, the precision crafting of the Incan stonework and the grandeur of its religious sites makes Machu Picchu a truly significant ceremonial center.

2. Iguazu Falls (Argentina / Brazil)

The sheer scale of the greater than 250 cascades and its surrounding lush tropical rainforest ensures that Iguazu Falls are the most mesmerizing waterfalls in the world.

3. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

The broad variety of wildlife that has adapted to the warm seas and volcanic islands offers one of greatest wildlife shows on Earth.

4. Amazon River and Rain Forest

Providing around half of the rainforest, one-fifth of the oxygen and home to ten percent of the variety of fauna and flora on the planet, spending time on the river or walking the forest trails is one of most treasured experiences in life.

5. Easter Island (Chile)

The mysterious stone statues (moai) cut from the local volcanic rock stand in testament to an isolated past civilization on this remote Pacific island.

6. Patagonia / Torres del Paine (Argentina / Chile)

Rugged mountain peaks, sapphire-blue lakes, thunderous waterfalls and icy glaciers provide a seductive outdoor experience to those spending time in the far south of the American continent.

7. Andes

Snaking around 8000 kilometres (5000 miles) as the backbone of South America, the Andes are the second highest mountain range in the world.

8. Angel Falls (Venezuela)

The tallest falls in the world are remote but remain unchanged changed from when an American pilot landed near the falls in a stranded plane.

9. Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

The sun-drenched beaches, the enchanting Carnaval festival and the great city vistas from the Christ statue and Sugar Loaf mountain makes Rio the most rewarding city in South America.

10. Nazca Lines (Peru)

Mysterious geometric designs and giant animals (100 to 200 yards across) including a spider, a hummingbird and a condor were marked into the dry and dusty Peruvian desert by an ancient culture.

South America has a tremendous variety of attractions, travel wonders and experiences from natural wonderlands of forests, glaciers and waterfalls to rich cultural cities, both historic and in the present. Travel with an open mind and enjoy this remarkable and diverse continent.

Author Mark H is the author of the popular travel blog Travel Wonders of the World. He has traveled extensively to all seven continents and believes that travel is the greatest education anyone can have.

Read more about Easter Island here

When to travel to The Galapagos Islands

Admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:36:59 +0000

The Galapagos, When to Travel

Similar case to every foreign destination, Ecuador and surround provinces are affected by a distinct weather pattern, guiding its flow of tourism. What was intended to be an exotic getaway to the notorious yet relatively anonymous Galapagos Islands has the potential for disaster.

To those unfamiliar to Ecuador’s wet and dry seasons, planning a vacation and failing to invest the research is the difference between memorable and miserable. While inland Galapagos’ wet season is bearable and not nearly as incessant, the coastal areas tend to be a little less forgiving.

There is one theme shared by the two regions, however, January through April are months that should be abstained from unless you’re planning for a overcast and soppy vacation. Depending on preference- tepid or cool- most tourists to Ecuador and its provinces plan their travels between June and August, and December and January; these are the country’s, the Galapagos includes, driest months.

Weather, an integral element to any Ecuadorian vacations, is not, however, the only. Altitude is also deserving of keen consideration and choosing one over the other is a decision between summer and spring during any month of the year.

Where if you are visiting the inland, high-altitude regions of Ecuador, you can expect year-round highs of 24C (66F), in a coastal territory such as the Galapagos, daily highs can reach 86F. Planning a vacation by the tune of Ecuador’s irregular climatic beat is what keeps the country’s veteran travelers returning, Galapagos tours touring, and the stories of outlandish adventures alive and in circulation.

Author Enid Glasgow is a travel writer who enjoys Galapagos travel with Big Five custom vacations

Remark from Soren: According to recent information the month of April can be a very nice month to experience The Galapagos Islands. The sea is rather calm and the sky is clear and a lot of activity is going on in the animal world - what The Galapagos Islands are so famous for.

Se more info about The Galapagos Islands

Soren

Hawaii Pictures and Hawaiian Music: Blue Hawaii

Admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:11:41 +0000

Pictures from Hawaii: Beautiful beaches, beautiful scenery, beautiful sunsets and palm islands, beautiful women from Hawaii in this nice Hawaiian song from artist: Kealoha Kona & His Orchestra playing Blue Hawaii - a song famous with Elvis Presley. Here from the album Pleasures from Hawaii.

Find more information about Hawaii Travel Packages here - including good offers and tips (opens in new window).