Tabla de contenidos para November - December 2016 en Islands

THIS WINTER, TRAVELLERS VISITING THE CAYMAN ISLANDS can trade the holiday season’s twinkling pine trees for swaying palms on the destination’s award-winning Seven Mile Beach. This one-of-a-kind luxury island trio comprised of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman caters to all ages and lifestyles and offers a relaxing winter escape like no other with seasonal events, unforgettable culinary festivals and countless opportunities to experience a Cayman holiday under the sun. Visitors will feel right at home for the holidays while staying on the Caribbean’s friendliest set of islands – renowned for its warm “Caymankind” hospitality which embodies the destination’s inviting local culture and kindhearted people. Further adding to its appeal, reaching Grand Cayman is even more convenient this season with nonstop flights available from several U.S cities including New…

1 DOMINICA It’s no fluke that Dominica is the whalewatching capital of the Caribbean — it’s one of the rare places where sperm whales live year-round. Don’t let their 67-foot frames fool you: The giants have a decidedly softer side. They “talk” in a kind of Morse code; if you’re lucky, you’ll hear it through your vessel’s hydrophone. From January to March, other whales hang in Dominica too, like humpbacks, pilot whales and false killer whales. 2 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Between January and March, North Atlantic humpbacks gather by the hundreds in Samana Bay to mate and calve. They’re truly the acrobats of the whale world and — believe us — watching a 40-ton whale go airborne and backflip is screamout-loud thrilling. Liveaboard vessels offer weeklong trips to the DR’s Silver…

It’s early morning. Dew clings to the leaves of silk trees lining a path in Antigua’s rugged southern reaches. Up the trail I go past Wallings Reservoir. Built in 1890, the reservoir’s Victorianindustrial terraces — in full view as they’re bone-dry — are a testament to more abundant times. But despite the drought that’s been plaguing Antigua and other islands in the region for several years, this verdant pocket is surprisingly lush. The canopy is a mix of 40 tree species, including mahogany, Spanish oak, Dominican kidney mango, hog plum, soursop and wild passion fruit. Beyond that, a fragrant field of lemon grass bends in the breeze atop the island’s thin layer of volcanic soil. The view reminds me of New Zealand, minus the wayward sheep. Antigua’s 108 square miles…

IN 1960, LAURANCE S. ROCKEFELLER, a conservationist and hotel visionary, was invited to the undeveloped island of Hawaii. As he flew over the volcanic island, he spotted a beautiful, crescentshaped white sand beach at the foot of the dormant volcano, Mauna Kea. Unable to peel his eyes away, he asked to take a swim after landing. Looking up from the bay, Rockefeller dreamed of a resort that conformed to, but did not intrude upon, the location’s incredible spirit and beauty — one that inspired guests to return for generations. Here, the magic of Mauna Kea Beach Hotel began. A luxurious retreat was conceived, and the industry’s leading contractors were hired to build it. Making its breathtaking debut in July 1965, it was the first resort hotel on the island and…

“He presents me with a deconstructed Hainanese curry rice dish that would be true to Dada artist Man Ray.” WHERE: SINGAPORE THE FIND: MOD SIN Chef Willin Low demonstrates a flagrant disregard for rules. During an eight-course omakase dinner at his restaurant Wild Rocket, I dig into his take on Singapore’s most ubiquitous dish, Hainanese chicken rice. Said dish is customarily composed of tender poached meat, fragrant ginger-, garlic-and pandanleaf-infused rice, and a cup of broth; Low’s version, served in a miniature black casserole dish, incorporates blacktruffle butter and shavings of the prize fungus. It’s utterly decadent — and sacrilegious to Singaporean culinary purists. Low became a celebrity for twisting regional fare into what he coined Mod Sin, short for modern Singaporean cuisine. Although long regarded a foodie destination,…

Day 1 OPENING CEREMONIES The Marquesas Art & Culture Festival was founded in 1986 to keep Marquesan rites and traditions alive for the younger generations. Last year, approximately 1,300 people from islands in the Polynesian Triangle — including Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Rikitea and Tahiti — came together on the Marquesan isle of Hiva Oa to play sports, learn tattooing, create art, and teach songs and dances. The festival’s theme: haahua tumu i te. A return to basics. One thing Polynesians do not come together for: tourists. The intimate festival — which takes place every four years — is meant for indigenous populations, not our Instagram feeds. In fact, a Tahitian reporter interviewed Strazis because she was a unicorn: a foreign journalist invited to document the festivities. Day 2 LUNCH…

“I’m pinned on my back and can’t seem to roll over on either side. Then I hear loud snorting and yelping sounds.” WHERE: CHANNEL ISLANDS THE FIND: THERMAL FRIENDS There’s no joy in being wet and cold, especially now, when my down sleeping bag is considerably soggy. I knew what I was getting into when I decided to circumnavigate the islands of Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa, roughly 30 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, in my trusty blue Necky kayak. These two isles are joined by the Santa Barbara, Anacapa and San Miguel Islands in comprising the Channel Islands National Park. It’s one of the most remote parks in North America, despite being only 60 miles west of the Los Angeles megalopolis. The islands are also known…

JOANNA MIKUTOWICZ Scuba instructor and owner of Divetech, a full-service scuba operator MY 3 CENTS 1. You need to have healthcare in order to work here, and employers are required to pay for half. The plans are quite good. I trust the hospitals here for just about any procedure. But for a really invasive surgery, I’d go to Miami. 2. Puppy passports are required through the department of agriculture, and there’s a three-month quarantine prior to travel. You’re met at the airport to check all paperwork. 3. I shipped a ton of stuff from Hawaii. Once you’re here on a permanent work visa, you’re allowed one shipment duty-free. I loaded a wooden container with boxes. Royal Hawaiian Movers hauled the load across the Pacific and transferred it to Miracle Brokers,…

There comes a point when a surface snorkeler looks down longingly at the bustle of reef life below and dreams of getting deeper into the sport. Morphing yourself from a casual snorkeler into a skin diver — someone who makes short, breath-holding dives — isn’t hard, but it takes some specialized gear and training. PADI offers a snorkeling and skin-diving course that introduces the equipment, diving techniques and safety concerns involved with the sport. Start practicing by making 15- to 30-second dives no deeper than 10 feet. While you’re still on the surface, pinch your nose and gently puff air to equalize the pressure as you go down. The most common mistake made by beginning skin divers is starting to equalize too late — you have to start right at…

NEW ZEALAND “There’s so much to do in New Zealand. If you enjoy the outdoors and have a sense of adventure, this place tops anywhere in the world. Every day is different, and you never really experience the same thing twice. We go on hikes, cycle incredible trails, kayak in the ocean and walk through the forest. We loved the magnificent scenery and instant connection to nature we felt when we arrived in Queenstown. We flew by helicopter up to the Tasman Glacier, and it was spectacular. Nature’s imagination is unlimited — when you see something you’ve never seen before, it’s a wonderful experience. ” — JAMES CAMERON, Filmmaker, director and producer…

DAWN IS BREAKING OVER the Gulf of Thailand as the boat drops me off at Prek Svay, a small fishing village on Koh Rong island. About the size of St. Thomas, it’s the largest of the 15 islands in Cambodia’s Koh Rong Archipelago, and the second largest island in the country. Tucked inside my pocket is an unusual map. I won’t need it to navigate — there are no roads here, only a few bush trails that lead into the forested interior — but it might help me understand what the future holds for one of Indochina’s last untouched archipelagos. Prek Svay is a traditional Khmer village. Plankboard houses sit atop stilts to ward off floodwaters during monsoon season and cobras during dry season. There are no guesthouses or tourist…

BEST NEW PORTS Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve Get ready for the biggest private Out Island in the Bahamas. Ocean Cay by MSC Cruises debuts December 2017 with six beaches, a spa, a zip-line and a wedding pavilion. And don’t worry about tender hassles: Docking will allow showering back on board before returning to the island for a show in the 2,000-seat amphitheater. Progreso, Mexico Azamara Quest heads to this Yucatan port city for the first time on its May 21, 2017, voyage from Miami. Guests can marvel at Chichen Itza’s ruins or chill on the milelong beach beside the malecón (promenade). Consider sampling the native licorice-flavored liqueur, xtabentún. When in Progreso … Timor-Leste, Southeast Asia On two Fiji-Bali cruises in April and June 2017, Paul Gauguin will drop…

1 VOLCANO DIVING Want to throw yourself into a volcano? Dive Dominica, a PADI dive and snorkel center, can arrange day tours to Champagne Beach. Slip on your fins, swim out and suddenly you’re enveloped in millions of 120-degree bubbles percolating up from the seafloor. You’re snorkeling in the heart of the Soufriere caldera, a half-sunken, dormant volcano. 2 FEEL LIKE A MILLION BUCKS? A king’s ransom of WWII wreckage sleeps just off Million Dollar Point on Espiritu Island in Vanuatu. Seventy years later, coral has turned a heap of jeeps, trucks, bulldozers and even unopened cases of Coca-Cola into a thriving coral reef. Go one step further and scuba dive the site with Allan Power Dive Tours, a PADI resort and dive shop. 3 EQUATORIAL PENGUIN PLUNGE You don’t…

Shooting pictures underwater is not like shooting on land. From the radical effects of water on color and light to the difficulty of manipulating your camera gear in a liquid medium — not to mention making sure you are paying attention to safe diving protocols and respecting the underwater environment — shooting underwater presents special challenges. But the rewards are worth the effort. These tips are repeated over and over to new underwater photography students for a good reason: They work. OUR UNDERWATER GEAR PICKS FOR SHARING THE MOMENT FOR VIDEOS The GoPro Hero 4 with standard housing delivers high-quality video in two versions: Black and Silver. The Black version shoots 1080p120 video; the Silver version shoots 1080p60 or 720p120 video. FOR PHOTOS Compact, lightweight and fully sealed down to…