Fabian in Maldives

Where in the world...

So this is heaven! 

Fabian Lebrija: June 2014

I recently spent 4 unforgettable nights in the Maldives at Taj Exotica Resort and Spa as a guest of Taj Hotels. The lush 56-acre island is what dreams are made of and the moment your boat pulls up, I can promise this: your jaw will drop.

After flying halfway around the world, the last thing you want to deal with is getting on a small float plane or a long boat ride. What’s nice about the Taj Exotica is that a few minutes after you land at the Malé airport, you will be taken in a speedboat for no more than 10 minutes.  Please don’t get me wrong… there are other Amazing properties throughout the Maldives that are worth that extra time such as these amazing properties:

• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
• Gili Lankanfushi Maldives (formerly Soneva Gili)
• One&Only Reethi Rah 
• Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
• Soneva Fushi  
• Cocoa Island by Como 

I am just pointing out a “plus” in staying at the Taj Exotica is that it is close to Male. The moment you collect your belongings and clear customs, your worries will disappear and you can stop thinking all together. A Taj representative will be waiting to escort you to the boat, where you will be at your hotel within minutes.



I was fortunate enough to stay at an "overwater bungalow" that had a plunge pool on the balcony. You need to stay in an odd numbered suite since you then get unobstructed views of the Indian Ocean and a bit more privacy (obviously Travelworld of Coronado will take care of this). There’s no need to bring electrical adapters or converters as the rooms have plenty of multi-pronged outlets. One of the nicest amenities with getting an overwater bungalow is that you have your own butler that helps with EVERYTHING.  My butler unpacked my suitcase, took me around the island whenever I needed to go somewhere, brought me lemon and chili for my breakfast in the room… EVERYTHING. It is veeery easy to get in touch with your butler…. Just dial a two digit number from your room and voila!  If you are lazy or in a hurry, you call your butler and get a ride to and from your room to wherever you are going within minutes.

THINGS TO DO

The Maldives is definitely a romantic destination, but can be geared towards families as well.  I personally think pairing with another country is an absolute MUST; for example, the south of India, Sri Lanka (what I did, you can read my post here), or the United Arab Emirates.

The main attractions are water-based. The turquoise color of the water is ridiculously beautiful and warm all throughout the Maldives at roughly 87°F (31°C) in peak season. Guests can pretty much do any type of water sport. I saw people jet ski, wind surf, stand up paddle, parasail, waterski, go for banana boat rides … but the real treat is diving or snorkeling. I focused on this, as it was absolutely impressive. The water was so clear and warm and had beautiful coral and fish.

Other fun things to do are spot small black tip reef sharks, and even pet stingrays. The resident marine biologist does a nightly feeding for both and gives an interesting educational talk. FYI: I was told there are no snakes or mosquitoes in the Maldives so no worries about Malaria. Bugs definitely weren’t a problem and I didn’t use my bug spray once, unlike in India or Sri Lanka.

On my last evening in “paradise”, I took a traditional boat ride and went out on a one-hour sunset cruise. This is worth doing, as you get a feel of the tranquility and serenity of what is the Maldives.

IN THE KNOW
You cannot bring in alcohol. So if you're thinking of bringing in a bottle of bubbly to celebrate (even in your suitecase), leave it behind as it is a strict Muslim country.  Don't get me wrong, you can buy alcohol there and no one cares but you just can't bring it in.

There is absolutely nothing to do in Male, the capital. There is no such thing as a "city center", nightlife (you create your own), nor your typical historical site-seeing. The point of going to the Maldives is entirely to enjoy the water and relax (disconnect)

The Maldives is a bit more expensive than I imagined. I know it’s an island nation (made up of 1,197 islands, 200 of which are inhabited), so everything is rightly marked up but this destination isn’t cheap. Taxation is what drives the prices way up, so be prepared to stuff your wallet before travelling.

BEST TIME TO GO
December to April is the high season, which encounters the drier northeast monsoon. From May to November you'll experience some rain during the southwestern monsoon that occurs at this time, but you'll have the least company and best prices at the resorts. Plus, surfers will catch the best waves, and divers will see the most life on the reefs. Maldives never sees overcrowding though!

It’s important to note that some Maldivian holidays follow our own Georgian calendar, while others abide by the lunar Islamic calendar. Island holidays won’t affect your resort stay too much, although some visitors have remarked that Maldivians are slightly less hospitable during Ramadan.

Click here to view my photo gallery.

Tania in Bahamas 2014

Where in the world...

Bahamas Take 2...
The Kids Edition 

The last time I was in the Bahamas it was in March of 2011. I went with some friends. We stayed at Atlantis but at The Cove which is considered 'adult only'. We saw no kids and drank rum punch all day. (Click here for blog from that trip!)

This time I went with my 2 year old and husband! A completely different trip. We stayed at Atlantis for the first half of our trip and although I had been to the Atlantis before, I had stuck to the adults only pool at the Cove. Now I was to venture to the kids only areas. I thought I was prepared.

A bit of background is in order at this point. The entire Atlantis Paradise Island Resort has over 3,600 guestrooms! It is broken up into 6 areas:

• Coral Towers
• Royal Towers
• Beach Tower
• Harborside ( Residential-style villas)
• The Reef (Virtuoso)



Pool at the Reef. One of many pools.

• The Cove  (Virtuoso)

The place is massive. No other place in the Caribbean really compares. It has tons of activities for both adults (think Nobu, casino and nightclubs) and children (from dolphin encounters to ‘splish splash’ areas for the little ones). The water park is amazing and guests have free access. There are over 20 restaurants.

Obviously this leads to a lot of crowds and add to it that you even have non-guest people that come for the day (from other hotels or cruises), you could wait quite a while to get on to some of the slides.

The Reef (where we stayed) was nice overall. It is discrete and quiet. You have a lot of kids at the hotel but it is well managed.  I think the secrete here though is if you want to stay at Atlantis and do a bit more luxury, you stay at the Cove (remember…it's the Pool that’s adult only!) and just go to different pools. 

 You have to be very careful of what kind of room size you request and especially the view. Just look at the difference between these two:

One thing I noticed about the Bahamas is that it is incredibly expensive. Insanely so. From a bottle of water to dinner or a simple pack of gum, everything is off the charts. There are some meal packages that Atlantis offers and I would look into that if going again with family. Just to give you an idea, WiFi was about $20 a day extra (a pet peeve of mine when hotels charge)

The service was very extreme. Some excellent, some horrible. You would have some wonderful people with the biggest smiles that could not do enough to help you whilst at times you would encounter some people that you knew did not want to be there.

The second half of our time in the Bahamas we stayed at the One & Only Resort – Ocean Club. This is a lot more of how we like to travel as we like quiet, understated luxury. I think if my daughter was older then perhaps Atlantis would be perfect but even then, the two resorts are so close that you can stay at One & Only and spend the day at the waterpark at Atlantis. 

Welcome to One & Only

It is very quiet but the good thing is they have two seperate pools. One for kids only and the other for adults. This makes it nice for parents with screaming kids as you don't really bother anyone. They also have a kids "fun zone" which is indoors (in case it gets too hot) with computers, crafts etc. The service was good and the rooms spacious with nice amenities. Although I would say that it is in need of a refurbishment soon given it's a bit old. 

My kind of childcare

 

The interesting news is that there is a huge complex being built in Nassau (so closer to the airport) where you will have 4 hotels in one area. With over 400 hectares along the beach, Baha Mar will be home to:

• Rosewood
• SLS Hotel (originally the Mondrian)
•  Grand Hyatt
• The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel (new concept)

It is slated to be open in December 2014. I’m looking forward to this!

Fabian in Sri Lanka

Where in the world...

Fabian in Sri Lanka 

On May 3^rd I set out on a 2 week adventure! 

The first 5 days in Sri Lanka, then 3.5 days in the Maldives with a pit stop in Istanbul. I couldn’t wait. No one in the office had gone to Sri Lanka and it was a great group of us going, lead by our friend from Taj Hotels.

The trip started from LAX to Istanbul (nonstop) with Turkish Airlines.  I must say, this airline really stepped up their game.  Their Business class is very comfortable, at a reasonable price, and premium economy is extremely impressive…. Reminded me of a seat on a first class domestic flight.

 

As there was an 8-hour layover to take the next jump from Istanbul to Colombo, we decided to enjoy the evening in Turkey.  We got in at about 5pm on a Saturday. We had planned a quick Bosporus Cruise and dinner at the pier. Who would ever think there would be traffic at that time??  WRONG.  The streets were packed with cars mushed bumper to bumper.

 The ride was roughly 45 minutes from the airport to the pier, where normally it would take 20 minutes tops.  But it was definitely worth it.  I highly recommend even a 1-hour cruise through the Boshorus.  This really gives you a good “feel” for the city.  After a nice boat ride, followed by a delicious traditional Turkish dinner near the pier, we hopped on the plane again and headed over to Sri Lanka.

Cruise Down Bosporus

Sears?

HELLO COLOMBO!  We arrived at the airport, got off the plane and proceeded to customs.  “We are here!”  Wait, what’s this??  Washing machines, refrigerators, coffee makers, microwaves… as you make your way through customs.  Huh??  For a second, I thought I was still on the plane dreaming about being in a Sears.

After the ever-so strange encounter with Sears meeting JFK, we got our bags and were greeted by our Sri Lankan trio; pro driver, guide and assistant guide (prepared by Ceylon Express Tours).  The three wise men were great…. very knowledgeable of the area, flexible, good manners and great English.  They stayed with us throughout the entire stay in Sri Lanka, as the country is relatively small (no need to fly anywhere… train or car is all you need… possibly a tuk tuk as well).

The drive from the airport to our hotel was about 1.5 hours. We arrived to the hotel, the Taj Samudra, where traditional dancers were doing their groove at the lobby entrance. The hotel is nice; beach-front with clean rooms and great views. Tip: stay on the top floor, as the hotel recently renovated these rooms. 

After a long-needed sleep on an actual bed, the next morning was a blast.  Our target that day was Kandy (2-hour drive), with a pit-stop at the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala.  We just made it to see the end of the Elephant bathing. We then went to feed the elephants after they were nice and clean. I have to say, getting up close to the largest land animal in the world and feeding it full bananas, watermelon and pineapple… you feel tiny  (even me!). 

Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala

Next stop was our target city of  Kandy, a larger city around the middle of Sri Lanka. Here is where I felt the similarities of Sri Lanka and India; the people, the food, the hustle and bustle, the crowds etc…We went directly to our hotel, the Mahaweli ReachHotel. After checking-in to the room, we headed right out to see a cultural performance by Kandyan dancers. 

Following the cultural show, our “tour guide trio" took us to the most famous temple in Sri Lanka, the Temple of the Tooth. It is famous because it safeguards the tooth of Buddha, and people come to catch a glimpse of the tooth through a small window of the room where it is kept. Maybe I was just tired from a full day of experiences, but I wasn’t swayed by the magnificence of the temple. I am sure many people beg to differ but regardless, Buddhist or not, one still finds it very interesting to see the beliefs and respect that the locals have to the temple and its withholdings.

Temple of the Tooth

Kandy

View from Hotel Room

The next day, we returned to Colombo by train, to then drive to a beach town called Bentota. The train ride is well known for its scenery… unfortunately we did not get this as it was pouring rain and extremely foggy, but you could tell that on a nice day, the views must be incredible (confirmed by my friend Google). TIP: go first class.  The difference is not much monetarily, yet very well worth it.  After the 1 hour train ride and 1.5 hour drive to Bentota, we finally arrived to our hotel; the Vivanta by TajBentota. 

Vivanta by TajBentota

The town of Bentota is well known for its scuba diving, surfing and its cinnamon!  Believe it or not, the bulk of the world's cinnamon production (80-90%) comes from Sri Lanka. We enjoyed a nice dinner at the hotel and off to bed, to recharge and count some sheep.

The next day, we toured through the city of Bentota and its surroundings, including a visit to a turtle hatchery, a cinnamon and moonstone factory, a pit stop  by side of the road to see how the locals make Coconut Liquor and finished the day with a quick drive to Galle, where we saw the Dutch fortress and the once-most important port on the island (18^th century during the Dutch Colonial Period).

Dutch Fortress and Coconut Liquor Tasting

Cinnamon Factory

Moonstone Factory

The beach town was the final leg of our Sri Lanka journey. Overall, my thoughts on Sri Lanka is that it is a very interesting country, filled with rich history, great food (lots of spice), and pleasant people. I would recommend going to Sri Lanka, but only if you pair it with a visit to another country.   Examples are the United Arab Emirates, India, and my personal favorite, Maldives!  The Taj Hotels are great and if you want a bit more luxury, we have 2 Virtuoso properties that are AmanResorts: Amangali in Galle which is in the South West and Amanwella in Tangalle which is in the South East.

We returned to  Colombo by car to take a flight and transport ourselves to PARADISE. The Maldives left me speechless.

Stay tuned for part 2 of Fabian’s trip coming soon......Check out a complete collage of all of Fabian's Pictures here.

From a stylish retreat in Bhutan to a chic city stay Bangkok, we have Travel + Leisure's hit list of the coolest hotels and what pushes them to the top. We'll summarize 2013's most extraordinary hotels for any style of travel!

City 

Banyan Tree Shanghai on the Bund

Located on the northern part of the iconic Bund waterfront, provides the ultimate escape to this megalopolis of 23 million. From the unobstructed views of the Huangpu River to the both thoughtful and discreet service, everything about this hotel is to die for. Oh and did we forget to mention the three-floor, marble-clad spa, spread over 14,000 square feet, with the most comprehensive treatment menu around. Click here to check out Fabian's travels through China!

Shangri-La, Mumbai

Bringing even more glamour to the Mumbai, the Shangri-La is the perfect escape within the bustling city. Whether it be soaking in a hot-stone massage at the Chi spa, designer shopping at the ground-floor Palladium Mall, or lounging by the breezy outdoor pool, the hotel is almost a city in itself. Upstairs, the spectacular 390 guest rooms offer sweeping views of the city and Arabian Sea beyond. Click here and we will help you make this relaxing dream come true.

Rustic

Capaldi Atlas Mountains, Morocco

A visit to Morocco is now incomplete without a visit to the windswept dunes of the Moroccan desert, just outside of Marrakesh. At night, feast on tender côte de boeuf at the French-inspired restaurant before a swim under the stars in the pool and a midnight movie at the hotel’s private cinema. Click here for more information.

Cicada Lodge, Nitmiluk National Park, Australia
There are 500 remaining Jawoyn Aborigines in the Northern Territory that make up one of the world’s oldest surviving cultures, and now, with the opening of Cicada Lodge they are also Australia's most anticipated hoteliers. This boutique hotel that consists of 18 relaxing rooms aims to put Nitmiluk Gorge on the traveler's map. From high intensity four-wheel-drive touring to swimming under waterfalls, this national park has something for everyone and we can help you plan it.

Beach

Mukul Beach, Golf & Spa
The country’s first five-star hideaway, located on an undeveloped stretch of land on the Pacific coast that now reeks of luxury. From plunge pools, butlers, a spa with themed treatment rooms, and a golf course designed by David McLay Kid, this is the ultimate beach get-away.We love the culture elements incorporated from the mostly local staff to the local grass-fed Nicaraguan beef and Flor de Caña rum. Click here to see how Nicaragua may be the perfect place for your next beach destination.

Oyster Inn, Waiheke Island, New Zealand
Just 35 minutes from Auckland by ferry, Kiwis have known about it forever, but the world is just catching on to Waiheke Island, thanks to the Oyster Inn. Waking up in the small but sweet all whitewashed guestrooms with  exposed rafters and colorful kilims and walking over to the patio café overlooking Oneroa Bay, ordering platters of bivalves plucked straight from the sea, could not make for a better beach getaway. Click here to talk to us about planning your island vacation.

Francis' Central American Adventure

Where in the world...  
By: Francis Contreras

Costa Rica to Nicaragua!

A trip through Costa Rica and Nicaragua was the perfect summer kick-off. Costa Rica... endless outdoor activities, rain forest, volcanoes, and of course tropical beaches all around. While, the beautiful beachfront villas of Mukul Resort in Nicaragua serve as the perfect home base with their private pools, incredible golf course and luxury spa.

Costa Rica, here I come...

 

The flight from San Diego is quite tiring due to the connections to Liberia but I chose to do it this way as it is not recommended to arrive at San Juan, given that it´s a four hour drive to Liberia. Flying into Liberia cuts down your drive to the hotels to only 45 minutes.

The most luxurious part of Costa Rica is the region of Papagayo. I recommend staying at the Four Seasons Papagayo, which has three types of rooms to choose from:

• Homes, which are beautiful, updated 3-room houses that serve as a wonderful home base- I highly suggest going this route
• Villas, which were nice but could use a bit of a facelift 
• Normal rooms, which are nice but could also use a bit of remodeling

The Four Seasons Papagayo boasts an incredible golf course with access to the Beach Club, along with clay and grass tennis courts with professional instruction if you want to polish up your swing. Di Mare restaurant and adjoining Tico Bar are great ways to end your beach days with a full belly and the pools and activities offered make the hotel perfect for a family getaway.

Another option for luxury accommodations is Villa Manzu (website still under construction). The 8-room villa, in terms of luxury, is the best I have seen. The rate per night includes all meals and drinks. There is a chef and a daily cleaning service. The chef prepares the most extraordinary dishes and they include superb wines. Villa Manzu is about a 10 minute drive from the Four Seasons and the guests are granted access to the Four Seasons amenities. There is access to a beautiful Spa located within the house. The whole house must be rented; they do not rent by room. 

Costa Rica as a whole is the perfect vacation with it's endless outdoor activities, rain forest, volcanoes, and of course tropical beaches all around. 

Now off to Nicaragua....

To get from Papagayo to Nicaraguan border only takes approximately 1.5 hours by car. The road is not bad and the drive is pretty but when you get to the border it´s a different story. Though the country is beautiful and the resorts are spectacular, there are some things to be aware of in terms of actually getting there, as the Nicaraguan infrastructure is still developing. The process of getting into the country takes quite a bit of time, as one must go through a Costa Rican office where passports are stamped then onto the offices of the country of Nicaragua, which is considered third world. The weekend we passed through, the offices were packed with people so the process took us about 4 hours. It is very tiring and there is a lot of corruption; we constantly had to pay bribes to pass through the lines which were enormous.

The road from the boarder to Mukul Resort is not in the best condition; therefore the drive takes about another 1.5 hours.  Shortly, this drive will be cut down significantly as the owner of Mukul Resort is arranging with the migration offices to make this easier by giving a free pass to guests in order to avoid lines. If you prefer not to deal with the roads at all, there is always the option of getting there by helicopter but the cost is extremely high at about $4,000 USD.

The resort itself is a whole experience though it is a bit difficult to get there.  Located 2.5 hours from the airport of Managua by car, the trip can be made by helicopter and the negotiated price is $1500 per helicopter. The cost is cheap as 4 to 5 people can fit in each helicopter. On the way there, there is a visit to the colonial city of Granada, although there is not much to see there. 

Mukul Resort is the first luxury hotel Spa in Nicaragua- it opened its doors on February, 2013. The 12 beautiful beachfront villas, known as 'Bohios', consist of 23 constructions among the trees with an ocean view and a private pool in each one. The property boasts 6 separate SPA buildings, each one offering a different Spa experience. This was truly incredible, the perfect amenity for a luxury getaway.

The golf course, Guacalito de la Isla, designed by David McLay Kidd, is considered one of the best- it is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

All in all, Nicaragua's new luxury resorts and beautiful beaches while still being a bit rough around the edges serves as a great adventure to an up and coming tourist destination.