Tabla de contenidos para May - June 2016 en Islands

Regarded as the friendliest set of islands in the Caribbean with its warm “Caymankind” culture and array of family-friendly accommodations to suit all budget and lifestyle needs, it’s easy to see why the Cayman Islands is one of the best destinations for family travel. Home to three diverse islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, the trio of islands offers an eclectic variety of excursions available to all generations that are sure to create long-lasting memories. From swimming alongside gentle rays in the calm, crystalblue waters of Stingray City to horseback riding along the iconic Seven Mile Beach, the Cayman Islands is a one-stop shop for family entertainment. Not to mention, traveling to the destination is convenient and hassle-free – especially for families with young travelers – with nonstop…

ON THE WATER-TAXI RIDE FROM Venice’s Stazione di Venezia Santa Lucia, a storm is building on the horizon. The boat skids over the canals, blurring past Gothic arched windows and ornamental bridges before emptying out into the vast, open wetlands of the lagoon. The driver points to the inky sky and shouts over the engine, “Acqua alta!” It means “high water” in Italian, but it’s the Venetian term for the especially high tides that affect the lagoon from September to May. Tellingly, it’s also interchangeable with the local word for storm. Water, as every Venetian knows, is ubiquitous here: It’s under you, around you and, in this case, even over you. This rainy day is the start of my five-night trip to Venice, capital of the Veneto region. This time,…

ROSE STYRON AGE: 87 OCCUPATION: Poet, journalist and humanrights activist. Her latest collection of poems, Fierce Day, was released in 2015. At 87 square miles, Martha’s Vineyard is parked just 7 miles off the coast of Cape Cod. “The Vineyard,” as locals call it, is divided into six towns: Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Aquinnah, Chilmark, Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury. The ferry to Chappaquiddick is three minutes. Martha’s Vineyard has changed since I started to come with my family in 1959. The main difference is that now, even more interesting and diverse people from all over the world visit. There’s still the beauty of the landscape — as well as the political and human-rights activists, artists and public servants of all kinds who come here. There are a lot more big…

IT’S LATE SUMMER, BUT SNOWFLAKES BURN MY FACE LIKE EMBERS IN THE 50-KNOT WIND. I’M STANDING ON THE DECK OF MV OCEAN ENDEAVOUR, A 117-PASSENGER EXPEDITION SHIP CRUISING THE SOUTH COAST OF DEVON ISLAND. We’re currently on a two-week expedition through Nunavut, Canada’s newest and largest territory. “Our Land” in the indigenous language of Inuktitut, Nunavut was the eastern half of the Northwest Territory up until 1999, when the government settled a sweeping aboriginal land claim. Today, Nunavut is one of the least populated regions in the world, a vast swath of tundra and polar ice caps three times the size of Texas with barely 37,000 souls — almost three-quarters of whom are Inuit. Tourism isn’t exactly new to Nunavut. Adventure-seekers have been exploring the Northwest Passage for decades. This…

Celebrity health guru Dr. Mehmet Oz advocates the importance of staying healthy, even on vacation. He recently collaborated with a team of medical experts to design the Integrated Wellness Program for the Six Senses brand. We asked him about the new venture. ■ WHY DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH SIX SENSES? I love the idea of collecting all of the best ideas from all over the world and making them accessible to every client in every venue. Six Senses embeds itself into local cultures and harvests healing traditions authentically. ■ HOW IS THIS WELLNESS PROGRAM DIFFERENT? The program is personalized. If a guest doesn’t want to be fully immersed, with all the healthy eating and increased physical activity, the program can be tailored to that individual. In addition to food…

1 ANSEL IN THE HOUSE Water is the theme of a photography show on view through Labor Day at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art in Friday Harbor; it includes work from Ansel Adams, Dorothy Kerper Monnelly and underwater photographer Ernest H. Brooks II. Titled “Fragile Waters,” it calls attention to this critical resource through 117 black-andwhite photographs that capture the grandeur of water in nature. $10, under 18 free; sjima.org 2 MAKING A SPLASH Following years of population stagnation and decline, two of the pods of orcas that call the San Juans home experienced a baby boom this past year, producing nine new calves. The best spot to see the whales and their little ones from shore: Lime Kiln Point State Park, on the west side of San…

The Hawaiian Islands’ collection of varied landscapes — tropical rainforests and lava plains, blackand white-sand beaches, sheer cliffs and wide-open bays — make it a true paradise. Want to experience the authentic aloha spirit year-round? Here are new options to buy on Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island. HAWAII ISLAND HUALALAI RESORT Imagine looking out of your kitchen window to see rolling fields punctuated with dark lava flows and the Pacific Ocean filling the horizon, while the lush Kohala mountains dominate the views from the bedroom. You’ll find that at this sprawling resort on the Big Island’s Gold Coast, 10 minutes from Kona International Airport. Hualalai encompasses 24 development sites, and it’s expected to have 475 total residences by its completion in 2020. Resort owners can apply for club membership when…

It takes me three passes in my rental car before I find the entrance to the Mukul resort. I’m a long way down a dirt road on Nicaragua’s wild western coast, far from anything else, with Google Maps maddeningly insisting that I had arrived. Wouldn’t the most luxurious hotel in the history of the country at least have a sign? I finally stop at a development called Guacalito de la Isla and ask the security guard. “Esta aqui, señor,” he says, giving no indication that I’m an idiot. It happens all the time, apparently. Mukul almost doesn’t want you to know about it, which feels like the theme up and down the stretch of Pacific shoreline known as the Emerald Coast. But that’s about to change. A new airport, Costa…

CARIBBEAN & BAHAMAS 1. Barceló Hotels & Resorts -Barceló Hotels & Resorts, premier all-inclusive resorts in Mexico, Aruba, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica. PAGE 7 2. Blue Residences - Aruba -Spectacular ocean views, featuring fully equipped apartment suites and a great variety of resort amenities and services. PAGE 59 3. Cayman Islands Department of Tourism - Experience Caymankind, everything and everyone that makes a Cayman Islands vacation so unique. PAGE 4-5 4. Elite Island Resorts -St. Jame’s Club Resort & Villas and The Verandah Resort & Spa - Two stunning all - inclusive beachfront resorts in Antigua, perfect for destination weddings and honeymoons, family vacations, or spa getaways. PAGE 12-13 5. Royal West Indies -Turks & Caicos - A luxurious beach-front hotel resort nestled on the shores of world famous…

Until recently, the Maldives, a low-slung archipelago off India, was the Bhutan of the island world, a kingdom where tourism beyond resorts was forbidden. These days, rules have loosened, and visitors can stay in local guesthouses on many secluded islands. But what if you want a more luxurious stay while still seeing the lesser-known islands and meeting the locals? The Four Seasons gives you that option. Thanks to three properties spread throughout the archipelago, guests can choose just how deep they want to go into the wilderness and culture. The Kuda Huraa resort is a 25-minute speedboat ride from the airport, which means you can bookend your stay with tours of Male, the capital. Be sure to stop by the 17th-century Old Friday Mosque, but dress conservatively if you want…

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS are places of epic and wild beauty that offer a plentiful range of off-the-beaten-path experiences. Hike to deserted beaches, hidden waterfalls and volcanic highlands, or go off-road touring in the remote backcountry. Help restore an ancient Hawaiian fishpond or take a walking tour of a historic town. Learn to take photos like a pro and night-dive with manta rays. Extraordinary adventures await across Hawai‘i. O‘AHU BACKCOUNTRY ADVENTURES Just a one-hour drive from Honolulu, O‘ahu’s North Shore is a world away of pristine mountains, valleys and forests. NORTH SHORE ECOTOURS (northshoreecotours.com) offers hiking adventures and an off-road driving tour on private conservations lands, providing guests with secluded access to O‘ahu’s natural beauty. Experience the island’s breathtaking natural terrain and vistas while learning about Hawai‘i’s exotic plants, culture and…

1. WEST INDIAN QUEEN CREAM All cream sodas have vanilla flavoring, but some have more than others. Take this one, for example: Found on most Caribbean islands, it’s almost overpoweringly sweet — it was traditionally served atop vanilla ice cream as a sauce. With a thick and long-lasting head, we dare you to drink it from a pint glass without getting a moustache. 2. RED SOLO, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO This saccharine sorrel soda is as red as a cherry lollipop. Locals love pairing it with roti, a street food featuring savory filling wrapped in flatbread. 3. COLA COURONNE, HAITI The name of this gold-colored elixir is deceiving for English speakers — though it’s called “cola,” the soda is actually fruitflavored, with hints of orange, pineapple and banana. It is, without…

1. Before boarding, I search: A for the perfect sail-away tune B the ship’s restaurant menus for the spot on the dock to fit the entire bow in a selfie C my soul 2. I wish I’d brought more: A storage on my phone to record live music B travel pouches for wine bottles C memory cards D journals 3. I’m happiest when: A dancing B eating C learning D getting my namaste on 4. The region I most connect with is: A the more lively side of the Caribbean B Europe’s wine provinces C the wilds of South America D the more peaceful side of the Caribbean 5. In port, I envision: A cocktail in hand, feet in sand, swaying to the beat B local markets selling spices I’ve…

RESORT SPOTLIGHT Like any grand hotel worth its salt, One&Only Ocean Club has a glittering history. It began as the site of Shangri-La, a palatial private estate built by a wealthy Swedish industrialist in 1939, with gardens modeled after those at Versailles. Twenty years later, it was sold to A&P heir Huntington Hartford II, who constructed a swanky 52-room hotel, carved out a harbor for yachts and added a 12thcentury cloister (once owned by William Randolph Hearst) to the gardens. He christened it the Ocean Club and tossed a lavish opening party with a guest list of Hollywood swells, New York high society and plenty of royalty. In the decades since, the hotel has undergone expansions and modernizations, but it still retains much of that original glamour. A redesign of…

1 GO SPELUNKING Explore western Belize’s ancient cave systems —the most spectacular is Actun Tunichil Muknal. An easy mile-long trail leads to the entrance, accessed by swimming through a pool. Caves are littered with Maya relics, including the skeleton of the Crystal Maiden, a human sacrifice. cavesbranch.com 2 HOIST A SHEET Go back in time to the Golden Age of Sail aboard Star Clipper as it voyages from Barbados up through the Lesser Antilles, stopping off in Dominica, Saint Lucia and St. Kitts. Far from being a floating museum, the ship boasts pools, a three-story atrium and luxury cabins. starclippers.com 3 SEE A TRIBAL RITUAL Watch villagers in the remote highlands of Vanuatu’s Tanna island as they dance and sing traditional Melanesian songs. The island is one of the most…