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Saturday, March 7, 2009

I love Caneel Bay

Racking up quite a few awards and recommendations throughout its existence, the Caneel Bay resort arguably offers low key luxury at its best. Perhaps that’s why it’s been a favorite of discerning travelers for decades now. Hailed as the first eco-resort in the Caribbean, Caneel Bay was the brainchild of millionaire Laurance S. Rockefeller, who conceived the idea for the property in the mid-1950's. It’s found on the glorious island of St John, which is one of the main United States Virgin Islands. Since two-thirds of St John has been dedicated as a U.S. National Park, those seeking the great outdoors on their USVI vacation will certainly find plenty of nature here. According to some, St John is the prettiest of the United States Virgin Islands, and when you choose to stay at the Cannel Bay St John resort, you’ll be enjoying not only a beautiful setting, but also an exceedingly fun and relaxing time.


One of the best attributes of Caneel Bay is its location. An exclusive resort, Caneel Bay offers a pristine setting with no less than 7 staggering beaches to choose from. Since the resort is found within the Virgin Islands National Park, guests can feel free to properly disconnect themselves from the hectic world they’ve likely left behind. With 170 lush acres on hand, there seems little end to the amount of exploration that Caneel Bay guests can enjoy, and when it’s time to refuel, the resort’s excellent cuisine surely hits the spot. Dine at the elegant Turtle Bay Estate House, and you’ll not only savor the sumptuous food, but also the inspiring views out over the peninsula. Perhaps in the afternoon you’ll be up for a nice cocktail or cup of tea on the Turtle Bay Estate terrace. For those looking to enjoy something a bit more action-packed, there are plenty of other things to get into at the Caneel Bay St John resort as well.


As mentioned earlier, seven glorious beaches can be taken advantage of by those staying at the Caneel Bay resort. Regardless of which Caneel Bay beach you choose, you can expect coconut palms and seagrape trees for shade, soft white sand for comfort, and rich blue-green water to round everything out. Chances are good that your experience at a Caneel Bay beach will be an ideal one. Perhaps you’ll just be up for sunbathing, or maybe you’ll grab some complimentary snorkeling gear to see what lies beneath the sea’s surface. An introductory scuba clinic is offered in the rates as a Caneel Bay package bonus, so if you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at scuba diving, the Caneel Bay St John resort is an excellent place to get started. There are also kayaks and small sailboats available to guests free of charge, as well as a list of other complimentary services. If you have room in the budget, there are also scores of activities here to enjoy at an additional charge. They include sailing trips, guided snorkeling tours, tours of St John, power boat rentals, and scuba diving instruction, to name a few.

Of course, if you’re thinking of arranging a Caneel Bay vacation, you might be wondering about the resort’s rooms. There are 166 guest units to choose from at Caneel Bay, and they are spread out over much of the resort’s lush grounds. Each guest room is luxuriously decorated, being mindful of not going way over the top. Hand-crafted furniture, premium fabrics, and native stonework are just some of the added touches that make the Caneel Bay guest rooms so wonderful. Air-conditioning and ceiling fans are standard amenities throughout, but you won’t find any televisions or telephones in the rooms here. No sir, you’re here to unwind and leave it all behind. The rooms here are exceedingly comfortable, though, and since they are equipped with coffee makers, bathrobes, safes, mini-bars, free bottled water, bath products, and more, you’ll certainly enjoy a sufficient amount of modern conveniences. Outside of the rooms, there are telephone pavilions for guests to use, so if you should need to make some calls to arrange tours or things the like, you will be able to do so.

There are different room choices available for those planning a Caneel Bay vacation, and arguably, the 5 rooms in Cottage #7 are the most desirable. You’ll hardly be upset whichever room you choose, though, especially since you’ll likely be spending quite a bit of time outside your quarters. There are a dozen tennis courts on-hand if you like to play, and as mentioned, you can enjoy a number of activities at a Caneel Bay Beach. There is a children’s center that can come in quite handy if you are traveling with kids, and the fitness center and pool are ideal spots to spend some down time. If you can’t make it over to St Croix for a tour of the Cruzan Rum Distillery, you might entertain the notion of attending a rum-tasting demonstration at Caneel Bay. There’s just so much to talk about when it comes to the Caneel Bay St John resort. So plan your Caneel Bay vacation today, and see firsthand why it’s easily one of the top United States Virgin Islands resorts. As a side note, most guests at Caneel Bay fly first into the island of St Thomas. There is a Caneel Bay reception area at the St Thomas airport, and from there you’ll be transported via bus and ferry to the resort on St John.

by : destination360.com

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Best Mediterranean Beaches for Family Fun

If you are planning a family getaway to Europe and you love the beach, perhaps Mediterranean beaches are the best option for you. The Mediterranean Sea divides Europe from Africa and makes the boundary for over a dozen nations such as Greece, Italy, France, and Spain. Countries like Israel, Egypt, Morocco, and Cyprus are pretty popular with the tourists and showcase the Mediterranean's exotic beaches.

Nature lovers say that the Mediterranean is not just a place but in fact it is a state of mind. The mild climate in the Mediterranean and its hot dry summers makes for perfect beach weather. The deep blue waters are accentuated with the warm hospitality of the Mediterranean people who are well known as being passionate with a real zest for life.

The best time to visit the Mediterranean is between the fall and spring. If you are planning your holidays for August, be sure to make the arrangements way in advance. This is because the coastal towns are often full with vacationing Europeans during this time.

Italy, France and Corsica have some of the most beautiful beaches in this area. Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera and is well-known for its sandy beaches which are animated all year round. You can expect to see people sunbathing and swimming right through the winter months. There are lots of private beach clubs where you can eat or rent a lounger for the day and at either end there are public beaches, and a municipal beach where you can rent deck chair and watch the world go by.

Corsica is an Island and is sophisticated, flashy, and perhaps among the best places in the Mediterranean for water sports. Corsica's 600 miles coastline comprises a number of secluded coves and deserted shores. St Restitude, located near Calvi north-west, is best for a peaceful hideaway. It has a secluded small beach with clean water, soft sand, and adorable pine woods in plenty. There is also Palombaggia Beach, Golfe di Sogno Beach, and Santa-Giulia Beach near the couth-east Porto-Vecchio, an upmarket resort town situated on a rocky hill. The town is very popular among the tourists for its beaches, cafes, restaurants, yacht marina, lively streets, and a wide range of accommodation. The best beach in this town is Palombaggia Beach, a perfect crescent of white sand that is sandwiched between the blue sea and dune clusters.

One of best beaches in Italy is Terracina, situated at 1.5 hours south-west of Rome towards Naples. The Terracina beach is among the best beaches on Italy's mainland and is very long, wide with plenty of soft sand to offer its visitors. Cap de Begur, situated nearly 40 mins from Girona offers plentiful Spanish culture both old and new together with a collection of beautiful small beaches such as Aiguablava, the nudist (families beware) L'Illa Roja, and the family-oriented Llanfranc and Platja de Raco.

you can find great ideas for family beach vacations and family travel in Europe.

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Banzai Pipeline - One of World's Best Surfing Beaches

Banzai Pipeline is the world's most spectacular tubular wave found in the North Shore of Oahu. It is the tube that every expert surfer of shooting that when surfers compete for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, they'd patiently wait for days and weeks for the sea to curl into the world's most challenging surf reef break.

To view the waves, locals and tourists have to go to the home of the Banzai Pipeline: the Ehukai Beach Park. Ehukai Beach Park is located on Ke Nui Road off Kamehameha Highway in front of the Sunset Elementary School. Ehukai, which means "reddish tinged water" in Hawaiian, is a white sand beach is fronted by an acre of green grass and shady trees.

Because of its world-famous , the 1.2 acre Ehukai Beach Park gets hordes of visitors especially during winter months.

Spectators, journalists, and photographers crowd the beach as well to watch the surfers ride the world's most dangerous waves.

The beach's pounding waves are for experts only; inexperienced surfers and swimmers have to wait for spring and summer waves to enjoy the waves over the sandbar. Even in summer, however, the waves breaking near the shore and the rip currents are something that swimmers have to negotiate.

Services and amenities: lifeguards, restrooms, showers, parking, picnic areas and tables, phones

5 unique things about Ehukai Beach Park

  • Banzai Pipeline got its name in 1961 when surfing movie producer Bruce Brown stopped at the yet-unnamed surf site up Ehukai Beach Park. Coincidentally, a pipeline was being constructed on nearby Kamehameha Highway. California surfer Mike Diffenderfer who was with Brown at the time suggested to name the wave Pipeline. The name was first used in Brown's fourth movie, Surfing Hollow Days. Since the beach that fronted the pipeline was then known as Banzai Beach, Banzai was appended to Pipeline; hence the compound name Banzai Pipeline.
  • Ehukai Beach Park is the home of the world's hardest and deadliest surf break, the Banzai Pipeline. More people (surfers and even photographers) have higher statistics of death or serious injury than in any other surf spot.
  • Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, the world's greatest and most challenging surfing competition, is held here.
  • Ehukai Beach Park covers three areas: the Ehukai Beach, Banzai, and Pipeline.
  • The sub-plot of the Hollywood film "Blue Crush" starring Kate Bosworth was about shooting the Pipeline.

Book your Hawaii resort and come to enjoy Banzai Pipeline and other Hawaii Attractions.

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