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Fun Activities In Hawaii for a Memorable Honeymoon

By Sandi | Published December 24, 2010 | Posted in Hawaii


Click for slideshow of Hawaii’s Big Island

The Islands of Hawaii are one of the top honeymoon destinations and for good reason.  Each island offers a myriad of activities for honeymooners. Having fun together creates memories of a lifetime!    From beach-combing and sunbathing in Waikiki, to skiing on the Big Island, honeymooners will find they will run out of time before they run out of things to do!

Choosing the Island for your honeymoon will undoubtedly hinge on the activities available on each island.

Maui, the Magic Isle, and voted the Best Pacific Island for the past 16 years, is known for its beautiful beaches, lush rainforests, and rustic towns.  Some favorite excursions might include:

  • Biking from the summit of Mt. Haleakula at sunrise. The ride is 38 miles, but it’s downhill!
  • Parasailing above the beautiful Pacific Ocean
  • Exploring the “Road to Hana”.  Located on the far eastern coast of the island, on this drive you will encounter beautiful waterfalls, rustic towns, green valleys, narrow, curvy roads and one lane bridges. The Road to Hana is not to be attempted after dark!
  • Whale watching is a breathtaking experience from April to December.
  • Sunset Dinner Cruise
  • Zip Line!

Kauai, the Garden Isle, is an island that will take your breath away.  It is known for its rain forest, waterfalls, and beaches.  Experiences you do not want to miss:

  • Wailua Falls is a do not miss experience.  Just 5 minutes from Lihue.  Made famous by the 70′s TV show Fantasy Island.
  • Waipoo Falls, near Waimea Canyon is another sightseeing experience you will not want to miss.
  • Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific is spectacular.
  • Spouting Horn Park…..surf is channeled into a lava tube.  Depending upon the weather and the season, the resulting tower of water can be 10-60 feet high!
  • Shipwreck Beach is a favorite among the experienced swimmers and hikers looking for great vistas.  The water has strong currents and high surf which is excellent for body surfing, boogie boarding, and wind surfing.  The cliffs along the beach are great for hiking.
  • One of my favorite little towns is Hanalei Town on the north shore of Kauai.  This little town is both old and new!  Historic sites, eclectic shops and contemporary art galleries together make this a very interesting little place.  A suspension bridge with a weight limit guarantees no busloads of tourists!  The pier over Hanalei Bay is a perfect spot for a picnic supper and gazing into the sunset.
  • I cannot wait to do this on my next trip to Kauai: Mountain tubing!  Using an inner tube you will be riding the water through a tropical forest, through secret tunnels and open canals.

Hawaii, The Big Island, is one of my favorites.

It is known for its volcanoes, but is so much more.

  • By all means, visit the Kilauea Volcano, in Volcanoes National Park.  Depending upon the eruption situation, you will be able to walk all around the volcano.  If it’s erupting, probably not!
  • If you can’t hike Kilauea, by all means enjoy the view from a helicopter.
  • Mauna Kea……this mountain is home to an International Astronomical Observatory.  Since the summit can only be reached during the winter via 4 wheel drive, it might be wise to book a tour.  One of many tours available takes you the summit, where you will spend several hours, among a very large number of telescopes.  You will be able to witness an amazing sunset, as well as do a lot of stargazing!
  • Are you a skier?  Ever thought you could ski in Hawaii?  Well you can….Manua Kea offers skiing in the winter.  Ski one day, swim in the surf the next!
  • Spend the afternoon swimming with the dolphins!
  • Black Sand Beach, is made up of crushed lava.  While swimming probably isn’t a good idea, you can certainly walk on the beach and run the Black Sand through your toes!

Oahu, The Gathering Place, is the main island of Hawaii.  While Honolulu, the capital city of Hawaii, is quite a large, bustling city, there are so many activities and sights to see, that I think everyone should spend a little time exploring this island.

  • Remember the “old” Hawaii 5-0?  The Aloha Tower with the big clock? King Kamehameha’s Statue draped in floor length leis?  These icons are still just as picturesque as in the 70′s!
  • Learn about the Menehunes (think Hawaiian leprechaun) during the Sacred Spirits tour
  • Surfing lessons at the Hans Hedemann Surf School right on Waikiki Beach
  • Don’t forget to climb Diamond Head!
  • Are you a foody?  Hooked on those Food Channel creations?  The Hawaii Food Tour is one of the best food experiences in the world.  Imagine surprising the in-laws with an authentic Hawaiian dinner.
  • A luau is a must in Hawaii.  Whether you enjoy the poi and lomi-lomi salmon or not, you will enjoy the entertainment.  Hula Dancers, fire eaters, Tahitian dancers, and of course, lots of audience participation!
  • The Arizona Memorial and USS Missouri tours, along with Punchbowl (National Cemetery), are just a few of the historic sites in Honolulu.
  • Polynesian Cultural Center, learn about the many Polynesian Cultures through crafts, food, a long canoe parade, and the BEST Polynesian Show on the Island, perhaps in all of Hawaii.
  • Sightseeing by float plane!
    If you are thinking of honeymooning in the Hawaiian Islands, please contact me, Sandi, and sandi@totemtravel.com, or 425-821-4100.  I would love to help you plan spectacular honeymoon memories.

“Get Personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!”

-Sandi
1 (425) 821-4100
1 (800) 321-7907
sandi@totemtravel.com

Sandals and Beaches all-inclusive resorts offer a wide variety of food choices.

By Sandi | Published December 10, 2010 | Posted in Sandals Resorts


Click here for a slideshow of Beaches Turks and Caicos

The agents at Totem Travel have traveled to all of the Sandals and Beaches Resorts and have been treated to many different cuisines.  Sandals Halcyon in St. Lucia is known for its Pier Restaurant; Sandals Royal Caribbean in Jamaica is famous for its Thai Restaurant. Guests at Sandals Whitehouse cannot stop raving about the European Patisserie with the fantastic espressos and pastries!  And the great thing is that you can eat at all of the specialty restaurants as many times during your stay as you wish.  Some resort chains limit the number of visits to specialty restaurants, but not Sandals or Beaches!

We all have our favorite restaurants and selections at each.  If you are a seafood lover, you will want to be sure and visit the new Neptune’s Restaurants at Sandals Whitehouse and Sandals Regency La Toc or the Stewfish Restaurant at Sandals Montego Bay.  The Sushi Bar at Sandals Grande Antigua and Beaches Turks and Caicos is a real treat! The three of us all love the English-style pubs at the resorts.  Most of the Sandals now have a Cricketer’s Pub, with great English offerings.  My husband loves the fish and chips served with vinegar but I love the Cottage Pie and Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding!  Shepherd’s Pie at several of the Pubs is a big hit too.  Lots of great beer, too, including Guinness.  The décor of the Pubs are very authentically English with Cricket gear, and billiards tables.  There is often live music, too.

Are you a fan of the Japanese Teppanyaki style dining?  Many of the resorts offer Kimonos, which serves Teppanyaki style with the chefs preparing your meal, and entertaining, right at your table.  You will be very amused by the Caribbean chefs, in their Japanese garb!  This dinner isn’t just tasty it is filled with lots fun!  You will find Kimonos at Sandals Regency LaToc, Sandals Grande Antigua, Sandals Royal Bahamian and Sandals Negril and Beaches Turks and Caicos.

While at Sandals Grande Antigua I must have consumed 4 or 5 personal size pizzas.  They are pizzas cooked in a wood-fired brick oven and are fantastic.  Toppings range from the usual pepperoni, and sausage, to more unusual offerings such as artichoke hearts and pineapple.  The pizzas are served either at the outdoor café or you can get them “to go” in pizza boxes.  Great for that quick snack at the pool, or on the beach.  Pizza restaurants are available at most of the Beaches and Sandals Resorts and before long all of the resorts will sport at least one pizza restaurant.

Beachfront dining is also very popular at both Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The Barefoot by the Sea Restaurant at Sandals Negril, Sandals Grande St. Lucian and Beaches Turks and Caicos are fun by day, and romantic by night.  Sandwiches and wraps are the menu during the day, but at night seafood is the fare, and you can dine with your toes in the sand, and the sound of the waves hitting the beach.

All of the resorts have wonderful Italian restaurants, with beautiful antipasto bars, and fantastic desserts (the best Tiramisu I’ve ever had was at Mario’s at Sandals Grande Antigua), along with many traditional Italian dishes, as well as seafood prepared with Italian sauces and spices.  At Beaches Turks and Caicos I was lucky enough to attend the Grand Italian Buffet with a pasta bar, fantastic sauces, amazing desserts, along with lots of shellfish, fresh fruits, and a variety of cheeses.  The presentation was a work of art!

For those of you who love those burgers and fries, they are certainly available, too!  Arizona’s at Turks and Caicos has a wonderful afternoon BBQ with a variety of options: hamburgers, hot dogs, jerk chicken and pork, as well, as a fruit smoothie bar!

As you can tell, Sandals and Beaches are not just buffets!  Although, buffets are available and are beautifully presented with loads of variety, specialty restaurants are plentiful and offer many different local and international cuisines.  The resorts all have at least 3 restaurants, but most have 7 or more!  Sandals Grande Ocho Rios presently has 11 and will have 14 very soon.  Beaches Turks and Caicos has 16 restaurants to choose from!

Please give me a call or send an email when you are ready to try the many cuisines of Sandals or Beaches!  Sandi@totemtravel.com or 425-821-4100

Garza Blanca Preserve, Puerto Vallarta’s new Luxury Oceanfront Resort and Spa

By Sandi | Published November 26, 2010 | Posted in Mexico


Click for a slideshow of the Garza Blanca Preserve

I recently had the pleasure to tour the Garza Blanca Preserve on the south shore of Banderas Bay, outside Puerto Vallarta. This resort is absolutely beautiful, brand new, and in a fantastic tropical jungle setting, on a private beach.

Garza Blanca Preserve is a contemporary hotel set amid the lush hills and mountains of a nature preserve.  Walking paths lead guests to the private, secluded beach below.  Garza Blanca Preserve is designed to complement its surroundings, with a relaxed atmosphere for families and couples seeking that stress-free Puerto Vallarta vacation.

With only 82 guestrooms and suites, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort is not a mega resort, but more quiet and intimate.  Guestrooms feature furnished balconies, marble bathrooms with separate tubs and showers, plush bathrobes.  Suites, 1 to 3 bedrooms, have full kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and laundry facilities.  The suite terraces are huge, with a wet bar, and are the perfect setting for family get-togethers, even a small wedding reception!

Within the Garza Blanca Preserve Resort are 2 swimming pools, one just for kids, a poolside bar, with snacks and beverages, as well as the gourmet restaurant Blanca Blue.  Baby sitting service is also available, so mom and dad can have that romantic private candlelit dinner on the beach!

If luxurious, beachfront, accommodations, in a peaceful setting, are on your wish-list, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort, in Puerto Vallarta is the place for you.  Whether for a family vacation, a wedding, honeymoon,  or a couples retreat, Garza Blanca Preserve Resort offers something for everyone!

Please give me a call, Sandi, 425-821-4100, or send me an email to start the ball rolling on your luxury vacation!

At Totem Travel you will get personalized help from a travel expert, at no extra cost!

Sandals and Beaches offer Military and Fireman’s Discount

By Sandi | Published November 5, 2010 | Posted in Sandals Resorts

As a special thank-you to the men and women serving in the Military, Sandals and Beaches Resorts are offering all US and Canadian armed forces members, a 10% discount on their stay at any of the resorts.  The discount is taken from the lowest promotional rate available at the time of booking. The discount applies only to the land portion of your reservation. All active duty, retired, reservists, and veterans are eligible for this discount!  Proper identification is required at the time of check-in at the resort.  I.e. Military ID card, DD 214.

Sandals and Beaches would also like to extend the same offer to firefighters.    Again the discount is taken from the lowest promotional rate available at the time of booking.   As with the Military Discount, the discount applies only to the land portion of your reservation.  Proof of International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) ID affiliation is required at the time of booking.

Sandals Resorts are adults only, couples only, all-inclusive resorts on 5 islands in the Caribbean Sea.  All of your meals, beverages, water sports, are all included! Free weddings are offered at most of the resorts, as well as fantastic honeymoon options.

Beaches Resorts are for everyone!  They are also all-inclusive!  Water sports, food, beverages and kids club & activities, are all included!  Families, a BFF Get-a-way, or honeymooners love the fun of a Caribbean vacation!    Free weddings are offered at every Beaches Resort.

Please call or email Totem Travel to book your Sandals or Beaches honeymoon, couples get-a-way or family vacation!

We are a Preferred Sandals and Beaches Specialist Agency, with 3 Sandals and Beaches Certified Agents on staff. We have been to all of the Sandals and Beaches Resorts, most multiple times!  We can help you pick the resort and room category that best fits your wish list!

Phone:  1 800 321 7907
linda@totemtravel.com
sandi@totemtravel.com
patty@totemtravel.com

Hilton on the Big Island of Hawaii welcomes a baby dolphin!

By Sandi | Published October 28, 2010 | Posted in Updates, specials & deals

Hilton Waikoloa Village on The Big Island of Hawaii has welcomed a new dolphin calf.   This brings to 11 the total number of Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins residing at Hilton Waikoloa Village . Of course this little guy isn’t allowed to participate in the Swim with Dolphins program, yet, but there are lots of his friends to help you enjoy Swimming with the Dolphins!

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