Vacation Ideas

Roatan is the largest and most developed of the three Caribbean islands that make up Honduras, Central America. It is a simply idyllic paradise with turquoise clear waters, various sand beaches and clear blue skies that makes an ideal vacation spot.

Roatan Island is only four miles wide and thirty-three miles long. It has a paved road running down 75% of the length of the island that leads to the various beaches, destinations and attractions that the island offers. The fantastic landscapes that the vacationer can enjoy while traveling down the highway is truly impressive.

The island is surrounded by an impressive coral reef that is considered one of the largest in the world, which is part of the large Meso-American Barrier Reef. Travelers can enjoy the marvelous underwater world with snorkeling and scuba diving, or by taking a tour on a glass-bottom boat or riding in a mini-sub. Viewing the marine life and old shipwrecks found in the reef environment is not to be missed.

The capital city of Roatan is Coxen Hole, where visitors would arrive via the sailing port or international airport, but it is not the main tourist centre of the island. French Harbor, which is the second most important town in Roatan hosts the most recognized restaurants and has great shopping, nightlife and hotels.

West End, located on the western side of the island, is one of the tourist spots to see with beautiful beaches, restaurants, hotels and attractions for tourists. Here the visitor can rent a motorcycle to tour the island, take a kayak to paddle among the ocean waves, shop in the many souvenir shops, or dance the night away in the lively nightlife activities.

West Bay offers its own beautiful beaches with calm, peaceful waters and glittering white sands. This three-mile long stretch of white sand is considered one of the prettiest in all Honduras. Sandy Bay has beach hotels and restaurants for the sun-loving tourists, as well as a research centre, The Institute of Marine Sciences, to explore. The tourist visiting this area can enjoy a dolphin show, windsurfing or even just relax with a soothing spa treatment.

A vacationer to Roatan could enjoy learning about the Garifuna people who first settled the island in 1797. Every year on November 12th an exciting festival is held to celebrate the event. A visit to Politilly Bay in Punta Gorda is a great attraction to enjoy with dancing and music of the Garifuna culture.

Oak Ridge, and Afro-Antillean community, is very picturesque and is known for its tradition of building houses on the water. Local tours include water taxis to the mangrove swamps so vacationers can view the wildlife.

Paya Bay in Roatan is perhaps the most visited place for a Roatan Island vacation. It is close to Oak Ridge and is known for its white sand beaches and sparkling clear waters.

A ferry that connects Roatan to the mainland of Honduras runs twice daily allowing the visitor more sightseeing options. Roatan also has a recently completed dock capable of docking large cruise ships.

With the spectacular white sand beaches and the majestic reef surrounding this island, Roatan makes for a great vacation spot.

If you are planning a Caribbean vacation, St. Lucia is sure to provide a memorable one for you and your family. St. Lucia can provide a wonderful beach vacation with lots of rest and relaxation for adults and a whole lot of excitement and outdoor fun for the children. Many hotels on the island are geared for families and offer special features like kids clubs, special meals for children, and cater to sleeping arrangements with beds and cots (or adjoining rooms) to accommodate families. And the beautiful beach coastline is rimmed with rain-forested mountains making it a fantastic sight to discover.

But, what is there to do in St. Lucia? Well first off, there are the land sports. St. Lucia offers volleyball, basketball and soccer games, between staff and guests, at most hotels. Vacationers can attend soccer, volleyball, basketball, table tennis, running races or swimming tournaments that are regularly offered on the island. Most hotels also offer squash or tennis courts for their guests. And, although the cricket season is from March to August, guests can enjoy the friendly matches held year-round throughout the island. St. Lucia is home to the Beausejour Cricket Grounds which is world renown.

The water sports available on this beautiful island are not to be missed either. Sailors and fishermen will love St. Lucia as it has been described as “an angler’s dream come true.” St. Lucia is home to several species of big game fish and it is not uncommon to bring home a white marlin trophy. There are many companies that provide guests with the enjoyment of deep-sea fishing or yacht charters.

Then there are the beaches…fine white sand beaches lined with gently swaying palm trees beside crystal clear warm waves lapping against them. The clear waters make for excellent snorkeling or diving opportunities. This island is well-known for some of the best underwater dive sites in the Caribbean.

Or how about a different view? Windsurfing, water skiing and para-sailing are also available. Advanced and intermediate windsurfers will enjoy the popular wave sites at Cas en Bas and Vieus Fort, while beginners can try the calmer waters of the west coast. Equipment and instruction are available at most hotels on the island. Para-sailers can be thrilled with an aerial view of this spectacular island as they soar above Rodney Bay.

St. Lucia also offers some voyages of discovery. Vacationers can visit Marigot Bay, a wonderful natural harbor that once provided a hideout for pirate ships. Another popular spot is the Maria Islands Nature Reserve, which are tiny islands located in Southern St. Lucia and are home to rare wildlife and birds. Some species that make this reserve their home exist nowhere else in the world. There is also the Pigeon Island Museum and Interpretive Centre which is a ‘hands-on’ representation of Pigeon Island’s history from the 1800’s.

Another attraction that may be of interest to St. Lucia visitors is whale or turtle watching. St. Lucia is recognized as a major whale watching site and over 20 species of whales are spotted regularly throughout the year, including sperm whales, pilot whales, humpback whales and spinning and spotted dolphins. There are also an abundance of turtles that make St. Lucia their home, and these fascinating creatures are protected by local environmental activists.

St. Lucia received the ‘2000 Ecotourism Award’ for its Heritage Tourism Programme and received the OECS Vacation Paradise Award which makes it one of the top family vacation destinations in the Caribbean.

If you choose to visit St. Lucia, you will not be disappointed. The sensational beaches and the fantastic water activities will be sure to please the entire family, not to mention the many attractions found on the island.

When you decide to take a cruise it is an exciting choice. But, it can also seem daunting because there are so many different types of cruises to choose from, and deciding which is best for you can seem very confusing. Here are a few cruise choices you may wish to take:

1. Mediterranean cruise
2. Caribbean cruise
3. an Alaskan cruise,
4. a cruise down the Amazon
5. a Panama Canal cruise
6. a Transatlantic ocean crossing
7. a cruise in the South Pacific
8. a Hawaiian Island cruise
9. River cruises (such as the fjords in Norway, down the Danube in Europe, along the Nile in Egypt, even down the Mississippi)
10. Polar cruises (to see the penguins) in the Antarctic
11. Russian waterways cruises
12. Galapagos Island cruises
13. New Zealand or Australia

Each has its own appeal, but each is also very different.

The first thing to consider in taking a cruise is the time of year you wish to travel. This can dictate the type of cruise available to you. For instance, some cruise ship lines do not offer cruises to the Mediterranean in the winter months, but transfer their ships to the warmer waters of the Caribbean, and vice versa. Or, Alaskan cruises can only run in certain months because of weather conditions. Transatlantic cruises (Transatlantic) take place only as the seasons change in order for cruise ship companies to reposition their ships to match the high seasons’ tourist industry.

You also have to decide on the length of your cruise. Many cruises are 7 nights in length, but there are also ones from 3-4 nights to over a month in length, and sometimes more. You may have a vacation time limit that dictates the length of your cruise, but you should also take into consideration if this is your first cruise. You may want to limit your cruise time to a 3-4 night or 7 night option to find out how you like cruising, or if you are prone to seasickness.

Knowing which ports you want to see can also determine which cruise is the right choice for you. Do you yearn to see the Bahamas or have you always dreamed of the Greek Islands? You can achieve your dreams by choosing the destinations you want most to see. And, you can experience various places on one vacation by taking a cruise.

You also need to consider how much time you wish to spend “at sea” or onboard the ship. On some cruises, such as a Transatlantic voyage, you are at sea for many days at a time without touching into a port. This could suit you if you don’t want the hassle of docking at different ports all the time. But, it can also prove to be a downside if you want a lot of variety on your vacation. Some cruises are very busy and dock at a different port every day. This hectic type of activity can be too much for some vacationers.

Your next choice in choosing a cruise is to decide on the cruise line and size of ship you want to take. Of course, one can dictate the other as some cruise lines have larger ships in their line than others. Some cruise lines may only have smaller vessels for smaller groups of people. Others offer huge ships to accommodate passengers in the thousands. It is up to you to decide whether you like a smaller ship with a more personal touch or the larger ships with more options and amenities onboard.

There are so many different types of cruises that cater to various personalities. You can also choose to take theme cruises, which specialize in a certain area, such as art collector’s cruises, golfer’s cruises or cooking cruises. There are some cruises that cater to families and children, some that stress the party atmosphere and others that are for adults

Finding a cruise to suit your individuality is an important factor in determining your overall cruise enjoyment. Read the many cruise brochures available, do some researching on-line and discuss with your travel agent which cruise would suit you best.

When you decide to take a cruise, there are many decisions to make. Of course, the first decisions are about timing and cruise itinerary, but choosing the ship you travel on can be key in determining how well you enjoy your cruise vacation. Cruise ships come in many sizes, from large ones that carry thousands of passengers, to smaller ones that only accommodate 30-40 passengers. Different cruise ships also offer different amenities. And, there are many types of ships that cater to various types of people.

When you are trying to make the decision as to which cruise ship you will be traveling on, you need to examine your wishes and what you expect from your vacation. You need to know what ‘fun’ means to you. Some people will want an exciting, fun, party-style vacation while others may prefer a more tranquil, laid-back environment. There are different cruise lines that cater to each group so you need to do a little homework to find the one that would suit your wishes best.

The first thing you need to do before deciding on a ship is to examine the marketing of the cruise line you are considering. Does it advertise a fast-paced party atmosphere, or does its marketing campaign show a relaxed, more luxurious style? Does the ship cater to children or adults, or both? Does it have a set-dinner policy, or does it offer free-style dining? Which style would you be more comfortable in?

You also need to determine the size of the ship you want to travel on. Most cruise ships are large affairs that carry thousands of passengers. Sometimes on these ships, waiting times for embarkation or disembarking from the ship are long. Also, you may want a quieter atmosphere than that provided by a ship with many other vacationers. Alternately, if you want to meet new people and don’t mind crowds these larger ships are ideal. The larger ships also tend to come with a lower price for their cruise vacations.

Another thing to look for in determining the ship you travel on is the ship’s Registry, meaning the country that the ship line is from. Ships can have different Registry’s that dictate the style of cruising being offered. For example, the Costa cruise ships are of an Italian Registry and their overall presentation is geared more towards Italian cooking and decorating style.

Different ships also offer different amenities, so you need to look at the ones that are most appealing to you. For instance, does the ship you are considering have a movie theatre-you may wish to take in a first-run show or keep your children occupied with a movie? Does the ship offer workout rooms or spa facilities that may be important to you? Does the ship have an ice rink for skating (as some ships do!) or rock-climbing walls? How many pools does it have? There are many amenity options on different ships that could make your vacation extra-special.

Of course, you also need to look at the ship’s itinerary. Along with itinerary, you should examine which excursions are offered on your ship of choice. You need to make sure that the ship you are on travels to the ports that you wish to see. Or possibly, you may want to be at sea for extended periods. Some ships stop at a different port each day, while others, like trans-Atlantic crossings, go for days without seeing a port. Also some ships are so large that some smaller ports of call cannot accommodate them, or you may have to travel to those ports by tender.

Planning your cruise vacation and taking the time to properly research the ship you choose to travel on can be very rewarding in the end. Deciding on a ship and how well it matches what your dreams of a cruise entail can truly expand your cruise enjoyment. And, proper planning for your cruise can be part of your fun.

There are many exotic vacation spots in the Caribbean that almost everyone is aware of, like Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Aruba, etc.-just to mention a few. Not many think of Panama as a warm beach spot to visit. But, it is a very exciting and memorable spot for a great vacation.

First and foremost, the history of Panama and the Panama Canal is fascinating, even though we won’t get into a big history lesson here, the Panama Canal is a marvel in engineering and one of the most significant waterways in the world.

The canal stretches from Panama City on the Pacific coast to Colon on the Atlantic side, and is 80 km (or 50 miles) in length. Over 12,000 ocean-going vessels use the canal per year, nudging their way through the narrow canal and rising up and down in the various locks to compensate for the difference in elevation between the two oceans. There are vast tracts of virgin jungle on both sides of the canal. It is truly an unforgettable sight to see the huge ships pass through the locks. It is a must-see when visiting Panama.

The Mira Flores, Locks, located on the Pacific coast, is on the northeastern fringe of Panama City. A platform offers visitors a good view of the locks in operation and has a very interesting museum attached.

The City and Canal tour offered by local tour companies is a wonderful tour of Panama City as well as the Mira Flores Locks in action. There are also Partial Transit Tours of about four hours in length which start in Gamboa, located at the north end of the Gaillard Cut where the Chagres River flows into the Canal. Your vessel would pass through the Pedro Miguel Locks and the Mara Flores Locks, where the vessel is lowered 18 metres in two steps, and your voyage would end at the beautiful Flamenco Marina.

There is also a full canal tour onboard the Pacific Queen, where you can experience the canal in close operation. This would be a once in a lifetime adventure where you could feel the sensation of going up or down in the locks in order to get from one ocean to the other. A visitor can also take a rail adventure where you tour along-side the Canal while sitting comfortably on a train.

Panama City is also worth visiting. The city is split between the modern, thriving commercial center stretching 10 km (6 miles) along the Pacific coast and the old district of San Felipe, an area of decaying colonial grandeur. San Felipe juts into the sea on the southwestern side of town, and represents replicas of houses of the three most important cultures of the country: the Spanish, the Indian and the Afro-Antillan. The old-world architecture is beautiful and in many places is being restored to its original grandeur. The tour of the old district should not be missed.

Located in the modern part of Panama City is the Multicentro, Central America’s largest shopping mall with over 250 stores. Panama City is famous for its shopping and offers a wide variety of merchandise including shoes, purses, sports articles, souvenirs, clothes, china, etc. There is also a large casino located directly inside the mall.

Panama boasts some of the greatest ‘eco’ sightseeing in the world with the Panamanian Rainforest. Over 300 species of birds have been seen in a day, and Panama offers terrific bird-watching with species such as the iris-beaked toucan, the tangara and the white-tailed sparrow hawk to mention a few. According to studies by the National Panamanian University and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the mountains of basaltic rock at altitude contribute to the rich diversity of species.

Panama also offers a two-centre holiday option-for a one week vacation you stay five nights at the Royal Decameron Beach Resort and two nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort. That would gives the vacationer both a beach holiday and the ‘eco’ experience. This two-centre option is only offered at certain times of the year.

Other tours that may be of interest are the Jungle Boat Tour, the Canopy Adventure Tour (where you can ride the treetops in an eco adventure), or the Anton Valley Adventure where you visit an extinct volcano, a zoo and botanical garden, and a crafts market offering handmade crafts by local villagers.

Other parts of Panama offers deep-sea fishing, sunset sailboat cruises, Panama Express train to Colon, or scuba diving. In short, there are endless possibilities for adventure and fun in Panama and at fairly reasonable rates too.

The people of Panama are very pleasant and companionable. Although Spanish is the official language, English is widely spoken. Often times the local people speak English so well it is hard to tell if they are locals or not.

Panama has two seasons, the dry season (January to mid-April) and the rainy season (mid-April to December). It is best to keep these seasons in mind when planning your vacation. It may also be advisable to take a small traveling umbrella just in case. They don’t call it the rain forest for nothing!

Temperatures are around 80-90? F (25-30? C) and are fairly consistent year-round, although nights are usually cooler. The equatorial sun is intense in Panama and care should be taken to use sunscreen. It is even possible to get a sunburn sitting under the canopy on the beach.
Visiting Panama is really an enjoyable experience, especially when you take into account the history of Panama City and the Canal. A vacationer visiting here will not be disappointed.