Tabla de contenidos para November 2015 en Islands

Rod McDowall works in an office. He has to. “If I didn’t work,” McDowall says, “I probably wouldn’t get much done.” It’s not that McDowall isn’t focused – he’s the operations manager of Red Sail Sports, Grand Cayman’s only full service dive and watersports operator with retail and hotel locations from East End to Seven Mile Beach. It’s that, for a lifelong diver, the water is quite the temptress. (“It’s good for the soul,” says McDowall.) While the native Australian has overseen tens of thousands of dive excursions across Cayman’s spectacular seascape, “the Caymanian people are really the face of our business.” • I came to the Cayman Islands from Australia to scuba dive. I planned to spend a year here. That was 32 years ago. • Red Sail offers…

WHEN ICY WINTER WINDS BLOW, HAWAI‘I’S BALMY TRADE WINDS BECKON. Explore these dramatically beautiful islands where superb outdoor adventures, locally sourced culinary delights, and a fascinating cultural heritage await. What could be more thrilling than exploring a mountain valley where ancient Hawaiians thrived, watching whales breach, or viewing towering sea cliffs from a helicopter? And what could be more delicious than tasting the bounty and creativity of Hawai‘i’s farmers, chefs and food producers? Come visit Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i Island Hāmākua Coast Exploration Discover the lush Hāmākua Coast with KapohoKine Adventures’ (kapohokine.com) new Waipi‘o Valley Explorer. Leaving from Kona, you’ll begin the day with a drive between Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea volcanoes to Rainbow Falls in Hilo. You’ll stop and shop at the famous Hilo Farmers Market, explore the rainforest and…

Crete,Greece Off the rocky northeastern coast of Crete, Greece’s largest island, sits a speck of ancient civilization: the islet of Mochlos, where crumbling settlements date back to the Bronze Age. A hop across the Gulf of Mirabella is the small fishing village bearing the same name, Mochlos. Intrepid tourists from the popular coastal town of Agios Nikolaos — about a hour’s drive away — will occasionally venture to Mochlos for a quiet meal and a glass of raki at a taverna. In spring, the hills bloom with wildflowers. Summer is ideal for swimming and snorkeling, and fishing is year-round. WHEN TO GO JUNE Pleasant temps in the 70s • Crowds have yet to arrive • The Aegean warms up late in the month…

Buy a cafecito and A Farewell To Arms at Cuba’s first English-language bookstore cafe. p. 55 Snack on curried bat wings in the Seychelles. p. 54 Move to a villa where Daniel Craig’s Casino Royale was filmed. p. 56 Slurp down Florida’s (other) delicious winter crop. p. 77 Stay at an all-inclusive in Mozambique. p. 62 Don’t forget to say fa’amolemole and fa’afetai in American Samoa. p. 24 Sample one (or nine) of the 150 tequilas at Las Ventanas al Paraíso in Los Cabos. p. 67 See Tahiti by freighter. p. 74 Eat lobster and conch where Christopher Columbus landed. p. 52 Hold your nose as you nosh on Taiwanese tofu. p. 40 Earn your paddle-board Ph.D. in Aruba. p. 36…

It’s a question I get all the time, but, in fact, it’s one I’m always reluctant to answer. Not because I wish to remain professionally neutral; nor is it indecisiveness. Rather, it’s that my favorite destination might still be out there — I just haven’t discovered it yet. While putting together this issue, I was reminded of just how much of the world I haven’t seen. There is Jad Davenport’s journey into the deepest, darkest reaches of Indonesia’s Sunda Islands (page 28), where the orangutans’ native rainforest habitat is fast disappearing as deforestation ramps up. Brooke Morton offers an equally compelling look at the remote villages of Papua New Guinea, pondering how the collision of modernity and tradition impacts these ancient tribes (page 42). And on the lighter side, contributor…

Trinidad Under a shady palm tree on the white sands of Cumana Bay, not much should be running through your mind — except perhaps “doh hot yuh head,” Trini slang for “don’t worry about it.” Maybe you’ll consider a hike to one of the isle’s abundant waterfalls, like Paria Falls on the north coast. Or a trip to the local market for a lunch of spicy saheena (East Indian fritters) and saltfish buljol (cod salad). Bird-watching is big here too . More than 450 avian species — including 17 varieties of hummingbird — call this island off the coast of Venezuela home. WHEN TO GO FEB Perhaps the best Carnival soiree in the Caribbean, thousands fl ood the streets for a cavalcade of elaborate costumes.…

CHOU DOUFU, TAIWAN Your nose might betray you with this stinky dish, a form of fermented tofu that is typically deep-fried before being served. The snack is common at night markets and roadside food stands around Taiwan, especially in Taipei. It is usually served with a side of chili sauce. CONCH FRITTERS, BAHAMAS A street-vendor favorite, the chewy meat of the giant sea snail is tucked inside fried-dough balls and seasoned with garlic, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt. Fritters are usually served in a small bag and slathered with a lime-flavored tartar-like sauce. SPAM MUSUBI, HAWAII Spam, rice and nori are the three main ingredients in this portable, sushi-like snack, though many versions feature fried egg as well. Musubi can be found at just about every convenience store in Hawaii.…

Koh Kood,Thailand Look at a satellite map of Koh Kood, an hour’s flight from Bangkok. The linear pattern of coconut and rubber plantations merges with untouched jungle. No cities, no towns, barely any roads. Just endless greenery. Where that green meets the shore is a string of crisp white canopies — the Soneva Kiri resort. Each shelters a room — a bedroom, a living room, an outdoor bathroom — all separate, but joined into villa compounds by sprawling pine decks and private infinity pools. Stylishly assembled with raw and reclaimed wood, each is an artwork paying homage to Koh Kood’s natural state. soneva.com WHEN TO GO NOV TO MAY The dry winter and spring months are the ideal time to go — many resorts on Koh Kood close for the…

DO: Book passage in the first four months of 2016, when the company offers a 10 percent discount while the kinks get worked out on the new ship. DON’T: Think you have to do the full 14 days; the company offers shorter, one-way journeys where you’ll still see all the islands but fly back to Papeete. DO: Bring insect repellent for the voracious sand flies that are hungriest during the wet season, from November to March. Avon’s Skin So Soft body lotion is a popular yachtie hack; it costs half what a name-brand DEET repellent will run you. DO: Shop. This is the place to get that tattoo you’ve longed for (ask for Akitini on Nuka Hiva) or buy a genuine Tiki from a local carver (prices are often half…

YOU’VE BEEN INSTAGRAM Use #islandsmag, and your photo might end up in the magazine. “I FULLY EXPECT SHATNER TO MAKE SHIPBOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS STARTING WITH ‘THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING’.” — Dale Del Fierro, about the 2017 Star Trek cruise, via Facebook FOLLOW US See where we are in the world: instagram.com/islandsmagazine WE’VE BEEN The sun starts peeking up over the green hills of Costa Rica’s Central Valley around 5:30 a.m., pulling me from my bed and into my balcony’s birdcage of a chair, where I soak up views that stretch all the way to the Pacific Ocean. This final morning at The Retreat at Altos del Monte mirrors my previous four in every detail — the birds calling to each other, the heart-pumping hike leading to the top of the…

NOW ST. MAARTEN The island-hopping Caribbean RUM & BEER FESTIVAL, Nov. 6-7, lands on Maho Beach this year, with master classes, bartender cocktail wars and cooking demos. CAYMAN ISLANDS Channel your inner Jack Sparrow at PIRATES WEEK, Nov. 12-22. Avast, me hearties, the swashbuckling festival kicks off when buccaneers “invade” from ships offshore to capture the governor. NEW ZEALAND It’s spring Down Under and November packs a one-two punch for foodies. Watch the city’s hottest chefs in action at Taste of Auckland, Nov. 5-8, and sample local vintages at the HAWKE’S BAY FOOD AND WINE CLASSIC, Nov. 6-15. TURKS & CAICOS The 12th annual CONCH FESTIVAL on Nov. 28 celebrates T&C’s most famous delicacy. Conch-etitions allow home cooks and chefs to contend for bragging rights. FEB PUERTO RICO Expect top…

1. COOL CONCHI Saddle up at Rancho Daimari for a guided horseback tour over the sand dunes of Arikok National Park to the Natural Pool, known to locals as Conchi, where volcanic rock forms a secluded oasis. Thrill seekers dive from the cliffs above, while snorkelers spot coral and colorful fish below the surface. Set out at dawn to welcome the sunrise over this rugged east side of the island — it’s worth the wake-up call. arubarancho daimari.net 2. CHILL OUT Make The Ritz-Carlton, Aruba home during your stay. With a 15,000-square-foot luxury spa, the largest on the island, you’ll find a treatment to maximize your relaxation. Can’t decide between lounge time in a hammock or a massage? You don’t need to. Book the signature Zoya Hamaca Experencia and let…

ANTS THE SIZE OF PUSHPINS WORK THEIR WAY UP TO my belt loops in the time it takes me to catch my breath. They’re making better progress than we are — or so it seems. Their route is direct while ours has been circuitous, the destination perhaps unknown. For the first time in three hours, we rest, a fallen tree in the jungle serving as a bench. Our group of four, two dogs in tow, had set out at first light from the village of Orotoaba, high atop a fjord finger jutting off the northeastern half of Papua New Guinea’s main island. A ruddy footpath guided us down past the settlement’s 30 or so thatch-roof houses, through yam patches and gardens of banana trees and watermelons, then out into the…

Conner Gorry moved from New York to Cuba in 2002 after marrying the man she met while volunteering there. The newlyweds lived on the outskirts of Havana with no hot water, no AC, no car and no l andline — let alone the Internet. Eventually they moved to the capital, where she launched a blog, Here is Havana; created a travel app, Havana Good Time, to explore the city like a local; and opened the island’s first English-language bookstore cafe, Cuba Libro. Q: Why did you decide to open a bookstore cafe? A: I saw a need for a cool place for Cubans and travelers to hang out, where they could access English-language literature and magazines, drink excellent Cuban coffee (including iced, which was virtually unknown here before we started…

RESORT REPORT ESTATES OF PLAYLive at a Caribbean resort year-round: In the BVI, Oil Nut Bay’s Jewel Box Beach Villa (above) lets you enjoy the private island resort’s amenities and direct beach access ($4.9 million, oilnutbay.com), while Turks and Caicos’ Dunes at Grace Bay Resorts offers up onebedroom villas with outdoor showers and private pools (from $4.25 million, gracebayclub.com). KEYS TO THE KEYS Key Largo’s hotly anticipated Playa Largo Resort & Spa (from $319, playalargoresort.com) opens in December, with 144 rooms, 10 bungalows and a villa, plus four dining options, including a steakhouse and a ceviche bar. Watch the sun set from the 745-foot-long strip of powdery bayfront beach as bonfires and lounge music set the low-key mood. OLD IS NEW AGAIN IN MAUI The legendary Travaasa Hana Maui (from…

Just about everywhere in North America where oysters are in season (Canada’s coasts, Puget Sound), it’s chilly. But in Apalachicola, Florida, in the Panhandle, afternoon temps hover at a comfy 72 degrees. Restaurants and raw bars up and down the shore serve icy platters of fat, palm-size oysters, individually gleaned, not dredged, from the bay floor. For 23 years, Larry and Caroline Maddren have owned and operated Boss Oyster, a restaurant and retail seafood operation specializing in the meaty bivalves. Their own boats harvest daily, helmed by full-time third- and fourth-generation oystermen using 15-foot “tongs” to pluck the shelled creatures from the bottom of the protected Apalachicola River. Once the oysters hit the deck, they’re chilled within the hour. Order them grillfired and bubbling with cheese on tabletop pizza ovens,…