BEST BEACH RESORTS UNDER $200

YOUR

E nthusiast Travel Since 1981

FOR 2015

15
SECRET
ESCAPES

P. 30

THIS IS A TAHITIAN ISL AND

OFF A TAHITIAN ISL AND OFF A
TAHITIAN ISL AND. FOLLOW US,
BECAUSE IT ONLY GETS BET TER.
P. 30

HAWAII

COOK ISL ANDS

WISH
LIST

BRAZIL

The most mysterious

place weve ever seen
(and never touched)

A four-day cruise with no

technology, no plumbing
and no whining

New walkways lead to

world-renowned beaches.
So why is no one here?

P. 58

P. 44

P. 46

P. 14

CONTENTS
GRENADA P. 40

JAPAN P. 24

Writer Steve Spears

packed three bathing suits for his trip
to Sandals newest
resort. By day two,
two of his bathing
suits were too small.

TAHITI P. 30

Jon Whittle travels

250+ days a year
for Islands. His
wife rarely joins
him. Theyre happily married. How?
From a tiny private
atoll, a series of
strange letters offers
answers, and more.

Less rice, more

potatoes. Less sake,
more wine. Tokyos
tastes are changing.
Scott Haas reports
from the land of
rising pizza joints
and pork pits.

BRAZIL P. 46

Whether you send

me or not, Im going. Aaron Gulley
told me this en route
to Brazils most
heralded island.
His passion for it
trumped his pitch.

PHILIPPINES P. 22

No engine, no
shocks, no seat cushions odd island
vehicles arent novel.
But Ive never seen
anything like this.
EDDY PATRICELLI

10

G ET H E RE
Komodo dragons guard the
only entrance to Koh Hong,
Thailand. Why Belize is our
winter go-to. Stay on Turks
and Caicos famed Grace
Bay Beach for pennies.

22

L I F E H E RE
A new meaning for custom
bike in the Philippines.
You think you know Aruba?
This artist shares her
secrets. Even Paula Deen
would be hard-pressed to
declare a winner between
Japanese barbecue and
the American staple.

30

C L A I M YOU R OW N
TA H I T I A N ISL A N D
Now that its his, how does our
photographer share Motu
Teta with a spouse who isnt

61

Islands brand director

despises this photo. So
heres his attempt at
deflecting attention to
the mags real stars.

here? Bonus: How the best

assignment ever, at Sandals
in Grenada, became too
much of a good thing.

46

BRAZILS MOST
COVETED OUTPOST
The island of Fernando de
Noronha is ramping up for
stopovers after the 2016
Summer Olympics, but
are the locals ready? Bonus:
Getting to the Cook Islands
the most natural way.

30

24

58

H AWA I IS MOST
F ORBI DDE N ISL E
One mans plan to reach out
and feel the lore of Niihau.
Bonus: Sail with a manta ray
to Bora Bora.

65

HOW TO ...
Escape the escape. Move to
Bermuda (if youre lucky).
Find happiness on Happy
Island even if its painful.

P. 70

ON THE COVER Motu Teta: Tiny and truly Tahitian. Photo by Jon Whittle.
ISLANDS.COM

46

BAY ISLANDS

BRAND DIRECTOR

Eddy Patricelli

GROUP PUBLISHER

of honduras

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Laura Walker

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Barefoot Cay Resort

Roatan

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CARIBBEAN /MEXICO /EUROPE

UNITED STATES
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HAWAII

Luxury boutique resort on Roatan.

Private beachfront bungalows and villas,
spa, gourmet dining, pool. Valet diving
with 5-star dive center, Barefoot Divers.

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EDITORIAL
Audrey St. Clair
Steve Spears
Cami Webb
Kathleen M. Kiely
Grant Gentry
Jad Davenport, Aaron Gulley, Amanda Jones, Nathan Myers, Jen Judge,
R. Ian Lloyd, Brianna Randall, Edward Readicker-Henderson, Sarah Sekula
ART
Jennifer Pileggi
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Paula Iwanski, Advertising Director, 407-571-4605; paula.iwanski@bonniercorp.com
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I S L A N DS I S A D I V I S I O N O F

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Long-tail boats access

shallow waters, and are
often powered by a used
car or truck engine.

10 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

C U LT U R A T R AV E L /P H I L I P L E E H A R V E Y

GET
HERE

Thailand

PHOTO BY PHILIP LEE HARVEY

LIMESTONE
LAIR
IF YOURE CURIOUS
Those rock walls might
as well be gates. This
is the only entrance
to the interior of Thailands Koh Hong Island.
Hong means chamber.
The lagoon just beyond
this entrance is surrounded on four sides
by towering limestone
cliffs and jungle.

KOMODO
DRAGONS ROAM
THE SHO RELINES
IF YOURE SERIOUS

A 21-hour Thai Airways

flight from Los Angeles
lands you in Bangkok.
Then catch an hour
flight to Krabi. From
there, a 40-minute
taxi ride puts you in
the beach town of Ao
Nang, located on the
Andaman Sea. Koh
Hong Island is an hour
offshore by long-tail
boat. Day tours start at
$35. Pack a swimsuit.

AT LOW TIDE,
THE WATER IS
A METER DEEP,
AND CHANGES
FROM GREEN
TO TURQUOISE.
DECEMBER

ISLANDS 11

GET HERE

Trip Planner

WHEN FLYING ...

DO YOU RECLINE
YOUR SEAT?

54%
SAID: DONT
RECLINE

Last time the seat came

back, I tapped the guy on his
shoulder ... told him I needed
the airsick bag. His seat
was up for the rest of the
flight. Corinne Brooks

WHICH IS WORSE:
A SEAT RECLINED IN
YOUR L AP OR A KID KICKING YOUR SEATBACK?

Matachica Resort, Belize

SAID: KID
KICKING

NOW

MARCH

JUNE

BELIZE Expats love to tell us why they

moved here: 2-for-1 exchange rates, an
English-speaking nation, a surreal mix
of beaches, reefs and jungle. Lucky them.
And while Dec. 15 marks the start of high
season, Belize has nonstop flights (from
Atlanta, Dallas, Fort Worth, Los Angeles,
Miami) that make an early December
getaway easy. Lucky you. ALSO CONSIDER
Vieques, Puerto Rico. A 30-minute flight
from San Juan sidesteps the masses.

VIETNAM
Two words: dry
heat. This is the
month Vietnam
offers sun without
sweat. Its also
low season the
perfect time to
hop aboard a junk
cruise and tour Ha
Long Bays 1,969
islands. Theyve
graced this magazines cover twice.
See why. ALSO
CONSIDER Hawaii.
March is the grand
finale of whalewatching season.

ICELAND
Why head for
Iceland just as
summer begins?
For starters, the
sun never sets
here in June. The
golden hour
lingers for photo
ops, which abound.
Proof? Watch our
60-second video
clip at islands.com/
videos. ALSO CONSIDER
Wales. June 13 is
the man vs. horse
marathon. Worth a
Google search, and
perhaps a visit.

Wales
Hawaii

Puerto Rico
Vietnam

12 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

Thats like asking which

do you like better: vomit or
diarrhea? Linda Hamilton

AIR SHAMING
Personal space is a cultural crossing point. But this?
Aboard a flight to Dubai, a
man sits on my armrest. I had
been asleep in my aisle seat.
I awake to him essentially
seated over my lap, chatting
with a friend across the aisle.
I tap him. He departs slowly.
For years I think the story is
the apex of airline rudeness till
I see the horrors at passenger
shaming.com. At least my guy
wore a shirt. Eddy Patricelli

FROM LEFT: ZACH STOVALL; ISTOCK

WHERE WED GO ...

Iceland

82%

Chart a course for the exotic

Our all-inclusive pricing oers an exceptional value, with 50% o standard cruise
fares on all sailings of our luxury small ship plus included airfare from Los Angeles.
With heartfelt hospitality always on board, every destination feels like home.

For more information, contact your

Travel Professional, call 877-440-6119,
or visit www.pgcruises.com/islands

TAHITI
FRENCH POLYNESIA
FIJI

Jon Whittle, photographer

SOUTH PACIFIC

GET HERE

FOR
UNDER

$200

STAY ON
THE BEACH
A NIGHT

1.

SIBONNE, TURKS & CAICOS

FROM $110 A NIGHT
Grace Bay Beach on Providenciales is one
of The Huffington Posts 11 Caribbean
Beaches You Should See Before You Die.
And as Grace Bay gained this kind of stardom, the room rates gained dollar signs.
But Sibonne, the first hotel ever built on
this 12-mile stretch, is unrivaled when
it comes to location (closer to the beach

14 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

than any surrounding high-rise) and price

(closer to one hundred than two). Now,
theres nothing posh about Sibonne, but
with only 30 rooms, it feels exclusive, and
my view from one of just a few thatched
huts on the beach is actually of waves and
sand, not paddle-board rental kiosks or
lines of beach chairs. Im in the Caribbean,
no doubt, and Im choosing the colada over
the cosmo all day long. sibonne.com

SPEND WHAT YOU SAVE ON a rental car to

explore beyond Grace Bay (taxis are a ripoff ). Drive to Chalk Sound, snorkel Bight
Reef, see the Cheshire Hall ruins, but if you
have time for only one off-Grace Bay excursion, eat at Da Conch Shack. The fritters are
the stuff of dreams. Audrey St. Clair

Not a rock in sight, the sand at Grace Bay

Beach is as soft as baby powder.

Z AC H S TOVA L L

YES, EVEN THIS BEACH

FOR UNDER $200.
7+(6($/,67',*6$7
%/,6735,&(6387<28
WHERE YOU WANT TO
%($1'7+$76127,1
<285+27(/5220

Announcing the NEW

Family Concierge
at Paradisus Palma Real
We see luxury through family eyes. And that means personal
attention, compliments of the Family Concierge program, a
world class family experience in the worlds most luxurious
all-inclusive surroundings.
Come experience the all NEW Family Concierge at Paradisus
Palma Real.
NEW lavish Oceanfront Family Suites
NEW Family Concierge Check In lounge
NEW dedicated Family Concierge restaurant
Pools & private beach areas with valet service
Life-Enriching activities
Paradisus Kids beach Welcome pack
Special in-suite kids amenities (robes & slippers)
Cookies and milk turndown service
Exclusive family activities and sports

For more information contact your preferred travel agent,

call 800.336.3542 or visit PARADISUS.COM
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

MEXICO

COS TA RIC A (2015)

FOR
UNDER

GET HERE

$200
A NIGHT

2.

WEVE GOTTA ASK ABOUT ...

BEACH CHAIRS

1,538

The number lining the beach at the Hard

Rock Punta Cana. We cant confirm its
the most owned by a DR resort, but were
guessing its not far off considering Punta
Cana is the mecca of all-inclusives.

16 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

MULE VS. DONKEY

Weve seen mules carrying almonds on a
beach in the DR and donkeys carrying locals
to a hilltop bar in Puerto Rico. Or was it vice
versa? Donkey? Mule? We had to look it up. A
donkey is a member of the horse family, specifically a descendant of the African wild ass.
A mule is a cross between a female horse
and a male donkey. Next
time well have to ask
for pedigrees.

3.

MT. NICHOLAS
STATION,
NEW ZEALAND
FROM $130 A NIGHT
Cheap thrills arent an easy
find around Queenstown.
The Adventure Capital of the
World carries a steep price
tag. A basic bungee jump: $150.
A death-defying jet-boat ride:
$100. A short helicopter tour:
$300. These are the staples.
Over 200 other adrenalinesoaked activities beckon, most
of which are shared with the
world. BURIED ON THAT
LIST IS A STAY AT NEARBY
MT. NICHOLAS STATION,
A FAMILY-RUN FARM AND
LODGE. Its 100,000 acres
look like a national park.
Hike for three days and
youre still on farmland.
Mountain biking, fly-fishing
and horseback riding are
also on tap. And the price
tag, just $130 per night per
person for a stay in shearers
quarters, includes all meals
and a sheep-shearing lesson. I recommend it. Unlike
Queenstown, you wont share
Mt. Nicholas Station with
the world. You share it with
28,000 merino sheep. After
a few days of exploring their
turf, you may have visions of
becoming a sheep farmer. And
as with every high-country station in New Zealand, the views
are earned. mtnicholas.co.nz
SPEND WHAT YOU SAVE ON getting
here. Ferry over on Spirit of
Queenstown ($55 each way).
southerndiscoveries.co.nz
Eddy Patricelli

C LO C K W I S E F R O M L E F T: I S TO C K ; Z A C H S TO VA L L (2)

ITAL REST COTTAGES, JAMAICA / FROM $40 A NIGHT

Its almost dark when I pull into the grassy lot, but I can still make out the simple
thatch-roofed cottages nestled in frangipani and poinciana. I try to spot a front desk
when out of the foliage appears a woman with short salt-and-pepper hair. You must be
Jeanne? I ask. I reserved a cottage. She utters a quick hello and promptly begins my
check-in on the lawn. OK, the website did say no frills. She prattles on about the, ahem,
amenities: a bed, mythically draped in gauzy netting, with insect-repellent coils, OFF! bug
spray and a candle. Im sensing a theme. Theres no electricity or hot water, she chirps.
And no loud Jet Skis or spring-breakers either. This is a real Caribbean outpost on
a coastline unchanged for decades. All I have to do is walk three steps down a dirt
path (a first for the morning) and Im on my own private beach. For now, the sky is
inky black, only my candle and the crickets piercing the night. Theres no late-night
programming, no Jacuzzi tub, no Wi-Fi. But for the price of a date night at home,
Im in the heart of Treasure Beach on the south coast. I had to get rid of everything I
wanted, to discover what I really needed. italrest.com Kaci Hamilton

Sheraton Kona, Hawaii

4.

Barcelo Bavaro,
Dominican Republic

AVERAGE COST:
GET HERE VS. STAY HERE
Calibishie Cove

Barcelo Bavaro

$200

Casa Islena

$400

Oualie Resort

$600

Bolongo Bay

$800

GET HERE (Airfare from Miami )

STAY HERE

SHERATON
KONA, HAWAII
FROM $179 A NIGHT
As a photographer for Islands,
choosing a hotel for assignments always hinges on one
thing: Its gotta be close to
some good stuff (and, yeah,
its a bonus if it doesnt crush
the expense report). On my
first stay at the Sheraton Kona
Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay,
I honestly wasnt expecting
much. Not for $199 a night. Not
in Hawaii. At check-in I looked
out and saw what I thought was
rain. It was spray from waves
crashing against the natural
lava-rock breakwall. It didnt
take a closer look to realize that
although I wasnt staying on
the beach, I was definitely on
the water and in a few minutes Id be close enough for it to
be on me. sheratonkona.com
SPEND WHAT YOU SAVE ON that
cool stuff I mentioned above.
A three-minute walk from
the Sheraton, and Im at
Keauhou Bay for the night
manta-ray dive (spoiler: you
can sometimes see the same
mantas from the hotel bar). A
15-minute car ride puts me at
Greenwell Farms for the best
cup of Kona coffee imaginable,
and in a half-hour, Ive reached
the sacred site of Puuhonua o
Honaunau National Historical Park and am learning to
play konane, a board game
invented by the ancient
Hawaiians. Jon Whittle

5.

TRANQUILITY
BAY, BELIZE
FROM $135 A NIGHT
One of the most frequented
towns in Belize is San Pedro, a
dusty hub for dive outfits and
fishing charters, screaming
with the sounds of engines
ferrying people for water fun.
Though its bustling when the
boat from Tranquility Bay
scoops me from the dock, its
mere minutes before civilization disappears and with it my
cell signal. Facebook updates?
Dont need em. Work emails?
Not working this week. I want
to watch a palm tree sway in
the breeze, listen to gentle
waves lap the shoreline, and
revel in the thought that
paradise is costing me so little.
tranquilitybayresort.com
SPEND WHAT YOU SAVE ON seeing
sea life. Belizes barrier reef
is second only to Australias
and is close enough to the
resort for me to swim to it for a
snorkel. Dive sites where I can
look a nurse shark in the eye
are a quick boat ride away in the
Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve,
and a nice-looking fish looks
back at me from my plate each
night. Zach Stovall

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 19

GET HERE

WHAT YOU GET FOR $1,000

Oh, what a difference the dollar value makes. In Southeast Asia, live the high life for
a week. In the Maldives, bring bologna and dont be so quick to book a second night.
4 nights in
beachfront
hotel

1 fancy dinner
ARUBA

MALDIVES

2 half-day
snorkel trips
1 horseback
tour

7 nights at luxury
beachfront hotel
5 beers a day

Daily ham-andcheese pastechi

PHILIPPINES
1 street massage
a day

7 fancy dinners
5 cab rides a day

5 rum-and-cokes a day

Anguilla: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+264-497-2656
Antigua: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+268-462-9532
Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4816-8001
Aruba: . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+297-583-4832
Bahamas: . . . . . . . . . . . .+242-377-8300
Barbados: . . . . . . . . . . . .+246-416-4456
Belize: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+501-207-1271
Brazil: . . . . . . . . . . . .+55-92-3584-1293
Chile: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+56-2-2232-5892
Costa Rica: . . . . . . . . . .+506-2257-3434

3 scuba dives
Tour of Chocolate Hills
(including lunch on a floating
restaurant and private transfer to and from the hotel)

Curacao: . . . . . . . . . . . .+599-9461-3089
Dominican Republic: . . .+809-333-4000
Ecuador . . . . . . . . . . . .+5932-2-228-688
El Salvador: . . . . . . . . .+503-2263-7799
French Guiana . . . . . . . . . .0590-892803
Grand Cayman: . . . . . . .1-866-478-3421
Guadeloupe . . . . . . . . . . . .0590-892803
Guatemala: . . . . . . . . . .+502-2277-9070
Honduras: . . . . . . . . . . . .+504-234-3183
Jamaica: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+876-952-1126

Thrifty features a wide selection of quality vehicles. 2014 A licensee of DTG Operations, Inc., or its affiliates.

WHAT YOU GET FOR $0

MAUI It looks romantic. And makes
sense. We sleep on
a beach in the day.
Why would sleeping overnight be any
different? First off,
in Hawaii its only
legal in camping
areas, which require
a permit something I learned
with a police
flashlight trained

Martinique . . . . . . . . . . . . .0590-892803
Mexico: . . . . . . . . . . .+52-33-3122-5551
Nicaragua: . . . . . . . . . .+505-2255-7981
Panama: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+507-204-9555
Paraguay . . . . . . . . . . .(595)-21-5197310
Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(1) 447-7118
Puerto Rico: . . . . . . . . . .+787-253-2525
St. Barts . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0590 52 34 06
St. Kitts: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+869-465-2991
St. Lucia: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+758-451-6150

on my eyes. Other
beach blowbacks
include bugs (opt
for windier spots)
and beach bums.
Homeless people lay
claim to beaches at
night. So why sleep
on a beach? Your
airplane seat on the
way home will never
feel more comfy
than after a night on
the sand. EP

St. Maarten: . . . . . . . . . .+599-545-2393

St. Thomas: . . . . . . . . . . .+340-776-1500
Tobago: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+868-639-8507
Trinidad: . . . . . . . . . . . . .+868-669-0602
Turks & Caicos: . . . . . . .+649-946-4475
Uruguay: . . . . . . . . . . . .+598-2481-8170
Worldwide Reservations: 1-800-367-2277

To book online, please visit:

Z AC H S TOVA L L ; O P P O S I T E : T Y S AW Y E R

One night in
luxury overwater
bungalow

Daily bike rental

Try Not Having Fun ...

CATCHING
RAYS
BY SARAH SEKULA

WHERE:

STINGRAY CITY (G. CAYMAN)

I SMOOCHED A RAY.

CONFESSION:

Its unavoidable. I read about it on the

plane and saw stacks of pamphlets at the
hotel. Stingray City. An area in Grand
Caymans North Sound where dozens,
maybe hundreds, of Southern Atlantic
stingrays mingle. It isnt the rays I fear;
its the packs of tourists. You have to do
it, an island friend says. And so ...
As I shinny down the ladder of the
catamaran into the shallow water, a ray
swims up and sucks squid bits right from
my hand. Its the aquatic equivalent of
a Dyson. Still, Im competing for attention with the other tourists. The guide
senses my frustration.
Ever hug a stingray? he asks. He tells
me to extend my arms, squat and swim

backward. It feels kind of contrived, until

a prehistoric-looking pal starts gliding in
sync with me. I drift left, he drifts left. He
goes right, I go right. Just the two of us,
swimming as one. Someone snaps a picture. Later, when I post it on Facebook,
I become the Stingray Whisperer. You
know what? Im cool with that.

DO take selfies.
More than 130 rays
roam here. They
excel at photo
bombing, especially
if friends put squid
juice on your back.

DONT go on a day
when the cruise
ships are in. Friday
tends to draw more
rays than tourists.
Its $40 to $80.
redsailcayman.com

LIFE DOES COME WITH A RESET BUTTON.

YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW WHERE TO LOOK.
Get a fresh perspective on the world and reconnect with nature on Kauai.

Kauai Discovery.com

Philippines

BY PER-ANDRE HOFFMANN

CUSTOM
HOGS
IF YOURE CURIOUS
These daredevils are
wood artisans from
the Banaue region of
the Philippines. Every
three years they race
their homemade bikes
4 miles downhill during
the Imbayah Festival.
The costumes are for
show. The bikes arent
... necessarily.

30 MPH
NO SHOCKS ...
OR PANTS

Some of these bicycles

are decorated for the
Imbayah Festival, which
celebrates the areas
culture. But bikes like
these have been used
here for centuries, and
a few remain on the
road today. The Ifugao
(hill people) use the
two-wheelers to carry
wood, tools and supplies
downhill quickly.

THEY RACE
THEIR BICYCLES
DOWN THE STEEP,
WINDING ROAD
ALONGSIDE THE
FAMED BANAUE
RICE TERRACES.

22 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

LO O K D I E B I L DAG E N T U R D E R FOTO G R A F E N G M B H/A L A MY/P E R-A N D R E H O F FM A N N

IF YOURE SERIOUS

LIFE
HERE
The bikes display craftsmanship and courage. They
also are built with brakes.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 23

LIFE HERE

Taste

SMOKED JAPAN

WHERE:

CAT STREET, TOKYO

HINTS OF MEMPHIS

THE FIND:

Pork ribs are on my plate. Theres beer in

my glass and a barbecue-sauce mustache
on my face. The decor is best described
as roadhouse. This is not the picture of
Asian street food that I envisioned.
My trip to Japan was to be an all-out
search for the truest Japanese cuisine:
washoku. It consists of soba noodles,
mirin, soy, river eel and sashimi. Its a
confused plate, just like my mission,
which 30 minutes ago wandered into a
long line of Japanese people following
the smell of burnt hickory. Last night I
ate sushi for $600. Tonight Ive landed in
a place where Sweet Baby Rays would be
at home. Its far less formal than meals
that start with $60 cups of ramen.
It seems a little unusual to me, I say
to my friend, Shinji Nohara.
Why? he says. Why should we limit
ourselves to our fathers food?
I dont know. Its just I expect
Tokyo to be
He gestures at me with a cleanly

24 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

gnawed bone. We arent that old Tokyo

anymore. And you know what? We also
have better baguettes than Paris.
Id heard rumblings about a shift in
Tokyos food culture. Japanese people
now eat more potato products than ever.
They consume more wine from California and less sake from within. Pizza joints
are all over the big cities. And yes, there
are ribs styled from Americas heartland.
Food emigrates, Shinji says. Soba
came from China. Fried pork came from
the Portuguese.

But you have sushi, I say.

You have sushi in your American
malls, right? he says.
I quietly nod.
Shinji shifts from debate to direction
mode. If you want food from old Japan,
you have to go way out to the country.
To bite into washoku, he says I need to
take a four-hour train ride to a mountain
ryokan. And thats what I do two days later. In the town of Kaga, I enter an inn, exchange most of my clothes for a robe and
sit on the floor while tiny food samples on
tiny dishes are rotated in front of me. Its
a potpourri sampling of washoku, made
from items so fresh that some of them are
available for only 10 days a year. The sum
of flavors tastes superior to its parts and
makes me feel slightly connected to the
Japan of the pre-patty-melt era. I try to
express those thoughts to my host, but he
doesnt understand English.
As I stand up, re-clothe and walk into
the chilly night, a craving comes over
me. I walk back inside and ask, Is there
a barbecue place around here?
60 seconds in okinawa: islands.com

KICK IN THE BUTTER At a beach cook-up on Trinidad, I

watch a local lady season fish with her own garlic butter. An arms
length away, in a bottle, is her secret. I sidle in for a closer look. Its
no. It cant be. Angostura Bitters? In Trinidad, where theyre made,
the bitters arent just for rum cocktails, apparently. Ann Vanderhoof

The real stuff, in a

warm saucepan. Easy.

BUTTER

Stir it into the pan.

No surprises so far.

GARLIC

Two shakes and

whoa! A better butter.

BITTERS

TO P, F R O M L E F T: W I L L I E N A S H / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; M A S AYA YO S H I M U R A ; B OT TO M : I S TO C K ( 3 )

BY SCOTT HAAS

Dreams ARE MADE OF THIS...

Our Unlimited-Luxury destinations feature oceanfront settings, elegant accommodations,

gourmet meals and top-shelf spirits whenever you want, endless day and evening
activities with a supervised Explorers Club for kids plus so much more.
YOUR DREAMS.YOUR WAY.

Visit DreamsResorts.com for more details.

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2014

My Island
North
Coast

BEST ARUBA
BEACH FOR ...
WALKING: The
stretch of sand
between Manchebo
and Divi Tamarijn
offers easy access
and no crowds.
SNORKELING: Baby
Beach is a favorite.
Boca Catalina on
the north end rivals
it. One step in and
fish are at your feet.
SPECTATING: Boca
Grandi isnt a beach
you swim at. Its
where kiteboarders
take flight.

Boca
Catalina

Fishermans
Huts

Jolly Pirates

Manchebo

Blue Lobster

Divi Tamarijn

Oranjestad

ARUBA
Arikok
National
Park

Mikes Reef

ARUBA RENEWED
THE CARIBBEANS
MOST REVISITED
ISLAND STILL HAS
SECRETS, AND THIS
ARTIST KNOWS
THEM ALL.

After 24 years on Aruba, I

cant believe how few people
visit Wilson Island. OK,

thats my name for it. Locals

call it Mikes Reef. Its a barrier island across from Marina
Pirata. Empty beaches, a blue
lagoon, mangroves there
are even rustic bunkhouses.
Any boat for hire can take you.
My art starts with trash: old
toys (see purse), electrical
sockets, fishnets you name
it. The art I create lets people
escape brand names, and the
insanity of always updating.
The cheapest Aruba getaway?

DESIREE
REP-SPORKSLEDE
AGE

47
OCCUPATION

Artist, teacher, mom

CONTACT

artauplateau@gmail.com

26 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

My husband and I throw good

furniture in the back of the
truck and head to the north
coast with a bottle of wine.
Its a beautiful, barren landscape. We set our good chairs
on a cliff and ... voil!
If we want to splurge well
head to White Modern Cui-

sine for fusion foods. That,

or we go to Blue Lobster, the

San Nicolas
z

Boca Grandi

Baby Beach

islands best-kept secret.

Modest digs, but delicious.
When friends visit, I insist
they do a few Aruba staples.

A jeep tour through Arikok

National Park is a must. So is a
sailing tour with Jolly Pirates.
We live here, and we love this
cruise. My son is fearless on
the rope swing into the sea.

If you dont
love dogs,
why buy one
to put in a
purse? Why
not just buy
a purse that
looks like
a dog?

The two island events to plan

your trips for are Carnival

(Feb. 7-18, 2015), and the

arrival of leatherback turtles
(March-July). Anyone can
join Carnival. The leatherbacks come ashore to lay eggs
at Eagle Beach, Manchebo,
Fishermans Huts and others.
Youll find my art in a lot of
expats homes. Some is dis-

carded items Ive turned into

art. Its funny, expats move to
Aruba for the same reasons I
left Holland. We feel healthier
here. Aruba is life-sustaining.
Maybe thats why people who
come always come back.

WHAT ARUBA
ISNT ...
Arubans arent
overwhelmed by
loneliness or lack of
civilization. People
visit from around
the world. And
since Aruba has a
vacation vibe, you
really meet visitors.
I met Al Gore. That
wouldnt happen
elsewhere. DRS

MAP: OLIVER WINWARD; PURSE & HEAD SHOT: COURTESY DESIREE REP-SPORKSLEDE

LIFE HERE

YOUR

WISH
LIST

FOR 2015

W H AT I TS L I K E TO...

Escape. Get away. Disappear. Lets be serious, theyre all wishy travel concepts that
can never come to life, not literally. Something always happens. Four days of feasting
become painful. A dream hike hits shaky ground. The unblemished beach has footprints. The swim to a mystical shore hits a blockade. The wish gets twisted ... and in a
way it becomes better. No, wishes dont come exactly true, except maybe this one:

30 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

CLAIM A
TA H I T I A N
ISLAND
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ON THIS PRIVATE
MOTU IS HOW TO DOWNPLAY IT BACK HOME.
P H O T O E S S AY B Y J O N W H I T T L E

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 31

Nothing is for show.

Kissing sharks,
foraging for dinner,
wearing owers,
being alone, this is
Tahitian life.

32 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

MY DEAREST WIFE,

Sorry for just getting around

to writing you. I arrived on
the island a few hours ago on a
little shuttle boat nope, no
ferry service. At one point on
the ride over from Rangiroa I
thought we might be lost. All
I could see was eerily blue
water and a little dot of land
in the distance (yep, Motu
Teta). We made it, but there
are only three people here: me,
a lady named Celine, and a big
dude named Heiarii. Theyre
the island hosts, and get this:
Neither of them was trained at
a French hospitality academy.
Theyre just regular Tahitian
people. She shes (using old
spark plugs for weights) and
he has pets (sharks in the
lagoon). Denitely not a resort.
Bummed you couldnt come,
but at least you have cable TV.
Note: The Wi-Fi is spotty at
best, so sending pictures is out
of the question.

HI BABE,
Cant sleep. Theres no road
traffic outside or drunken
laughter at a pool to lull me to
sleep. I tried going for a long
walk, but it only took ve minutes to get to the other side of
the island. Its all beach, beach,
beach, even off my front porch.
Youd probably nd it way too
quiet here. And way too sandy.
Oh, and the ambient light is
a bit of a problem too, because
the stars look like theyre collapsing right on top of me. Im
staring at them now (sigh).

MISS YOU,
This has been another strange
day. Im eating breakfast alone

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 33

This is the
residence, as in the
one and only place
to stay on Motu
Teta. Live-streaming entertainment
comes in the form
of an object called
the ocean, which
also serves up the
islands food.

RANGIROA

this morning when Heiarii

strolls up and says he wants
to take me by boat to a little
island called Ote Pipi. Love
hearing a guy the size of a commercial freezer saying cute
Tahitian names. Ote Pipi. Yeah,
so anyway, he says, Well get
dinner on Ote Pipi.
Sounds great, right?
When we get to Ote Pipi,
Heiarii shows me around a
really old church and leads
me through a eld of coconut
palms. He says farmers still
gather the nuts for monoi, or
coconut oil, to make a living.
Hmm. No corn or soy, I guess.
Its an eye-opener because I
now realize there are about a
billion of these little islands
and most belong to families,
not hotel companies. Even
Motu Teta is owned by a guy
who wants to keep it totally
Tahitian (sidebar opposite).
So Ote Pipi was pretty cool,
but theres no restaurant.
Heiarii and I got to this pink
reef and started collecting
snails our dinner. Back on
Motu Teta (is it easier if I just
call it my island?) Celine did
something magical with the
escargot. But you might have
freaked they didnt have any
frozen chicken as a backup.

ME AGAIN,
Been really busy. This afternoon I was into a three-hour
hammock nap when Heiarii
stirred me. Something about
a Polynesian voice it almost
put me right back to sleep.
Anyway, he says he has some
special entertainment in mind
for tonight. If its anything
like yesterday, it will not be
tame. Yeah, we lassoed sharks
Heiarii kissed them and called
them by name. We spend most

36 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

90 min.

MOTU TETA
1 hour

MOOREA

Papeete
TAHITI

As if Rangiroa
werent remote
enough, the ride
by skiff to Motu
Teta goes even
farther aeld,
across one of the
prettiest lagoons
weve ever seen.

W H AT S I T L I K E T O O W N A TA H I T I A N I S L A N D F O R M O R E T H A N A W E E K ?
The holder of the deed to Motu Teta, a full-time California resident who wishes to remain anonymous, tries to help us comprehend.
The 12-by-12-foot pavilion you see here is my favorite spot in the world. I like simple. Its why I fell for Motu Teta from the very start.
Being disconnected from Internet and cell service made me more connected with the Tahitian way of life. I often think of the day my
wife and three children rst stepped onto the island. The excitement in those faces Ill never forget it. They didnt need a computer
or a theme park. All they had to do was open their eyes. After that trip, I came back to the States ready to handle anything in life.
Thats why Im keeping the island distraction-free. I want others to experience Motu Teta for what it is, not for what someone wants
it to be. Prices range from $688 to $1,679 per person per night. Go to yourdreamisland.com.

of our time in the lagoon. The

water is as clear as an aquarium, and I think Heiarii knows
when I pee. Makes me miss a
crowded pool.

JUST A QUICK NOTE,

Forgot to check in with you
last night. I got caught up in
some things. Heiarii came
over after my dinner on the
beach, handed me a headlamp
and said, The lobsters are out.
So while you were sleeping
with the cats, I was hiking in
waist-deep water with a light
strapped to my forehead. An
albino eel slithered at my feet
and a shark fin moved past
Heiariis buddy, I suppose.
Im thinking this would be an
insurance nightmare in the U.S.
Then my light hit two shiny
blue orbs: the eyes of a Pacicsize lobster. I went to grab it,
but my grip was weak from
carrying the camera all day.
Heiarii laughed. I love that
laugh. Cant you just hear it?

HEY,
Havent seen Heiarii yet. But
Celine says she wants to show
me what her family does for
fun. It could get complicated,
so I gotta go. Oh, I might need
to stay a couple extra days.

see a 60-second video:

Milk comes from

trees. Dinner is
hunted at midnight.
Giant crabs are
pets. The island is
strangely silent.

PRIVATE ISLANDS TO RULE (FOR A FEW DAYS)

HAYMAN
ISLAND
A seaplane
drops guests
onto this
Great Barrier
Reef hideaway. Not private
enough? A shuttle boat can
take two guests to their own
low-tide sand spit. $700+
nightly, oneandonlyresorts.com

38 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

EAST SISTER ROCK ISLAND

It sits less than half a mile
off Marathon, Florida, so
essentially its on the Florida
Key-chain. Not a resort, its a
2,500-square-foot home (with
19 sliding glass doors!) plus a
guesthouse. Bring your own
butler or at least some sh
for the grill. $6,000 weekly,
oridaisland.com

PETIT ST.
VINCENT
How perfect
that transportation is
by Mini Moke.
Whats big? The staff, and hopefully not your head when you
see 130 people waiting on your
little party of 56. $108,000 for
four nights, petitstvincent.com

HATCHET CAYE
An island of cabanas, a bar and
a volleyball court its 17 miles
off the Belize coast and claimable for as few as three nights
(for up to 26 people). Pack
kazoos and knitting needles
Hatchet Caye collects items
for a youth center on the
mainland. $1,080+ per person
per night, hatchetcaye.com

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: JON WHITTLE (2);

ZACH STOVALL, JON WHITTLE; OPPOSITE: ISTOCK

islands.com/videos

MY UNTOLD STORY

D E V O LV I N G I N D A R W I N C O U N T R Y

rnesto, the ships naturalist, has gathered us in the boats salon for our first
lecture. We are an earnest bunch of travelers, all of us having come to the Galapagos to revel
in natures bounty and mystique. I, for one, have long imagined swimming with a sea lion, and
many of my shipmates have saved their pennies so they can see some boobies the winged
kind. We are all settling into Ernestos slideshow when the respectful silence is shattered.

Id always
imagined the
Galapagos to
be barren and
inhospitable.
Wrong. Think
white beaches,
tropical ocean
and thick ora.
Amanda Jones

Four people muscle their way through the

door, sitting heavily in the back. One slams a
bottle of whiskey on the table and begins to
talk at full volume in a foreign tongue.
The people in the room turn to see two
powerfully built men accompanied by two
young women, both with dyed crimson hair.
I lean toward my friend, Mike. Russians?
Poles? I ask. Russians, he hisses. Stop
staring.
Early the first morning we go ashore
to visit a giant tortoise sanctuary. Please
remember the rules, the gentle-natured
Ernesto says, directing his words toward the
Russians, who have shown up at breakfast
with yet another bottle of whiskey. No going
close, no feeding them, no noise.
Shortly after arriving at the sensitive
island sanctuary, I hear human voices shouting. I hurry toward a clearing where Im faced
with a stocky Russian straddling a giant tortoise while the other three encircle it, roaring
with laughter and whacking it on the tail with
a branch. Ernesto, crimson-faced, dashes
over and reprimands them. They stare back
belligerently. Someone behind me speculates
about Russian maa. Everyone slinks off.
Several days and many bottles of whiskey
later, we visit a sea-lion colony. Obey the
rules, a now desperate Ernesto states. No
closer than 9 feet to the animals. If you annoy
them, they will bite. Over 100 stitches and a
terrible infection.
We hit the beach and the Russians charge
out of the tender, the men stripping down to

only their Speedos.

All four trot toward the animals ahead
of Ernesto and one yells in Russian for his
crimson-headed female companion to lie
down beside a baby sea lion. She curls around
the creature, nervously gazing into his video
camera. Ernesto, embarrassed, walks over
and explains, once again, the sacred rules of
the Galapagos. The Russians ignore him and
he begins to leave, crushed.
At that instant, with a sudden lunge, a
female sea lion charges the camera-wielding
Russian, her mouth agape and held exactly at
the height of his manhood, which is obvious
to all because of the Speedo. She approaches
fast and angry, and for a split second it looks
like he might actually lose his jewels. No one,
not even Ernesto, makes a move to help. The
Russian screams and falls backward. The sea
lion, perhaps seeing him as no contest, gives
up her chase. Snickers can be heard among
my fellow travelers.
The moment isnt the display of nature
any of us came here for. Its better.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 39

S
T IT
WHA TO...
LIKE

H AV E T H E
E A S I E S T T R AV E L
ASSIGNMENT
WHEN THE TASK IS TO STAY PUT, AND THIS IS
THE VIEW, THE STORY IS EFFORTLESS ... RIGHT?
BY STEVE SPEARS

Innity pools, waterfalls and meandering rivers mix with living space at
Sandals LaSource Grenada.

40 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

Grenada

IF YOURE CURIOUS

Sure, there are nine

restaurants to enjoy,
but also included
in a stay at Sandals
Grenada are diving,
snorkeling, sailing,
live shows and topshelf liquor.
IF YOURE SERIOUS

L
COURTESY SANDALS LASOURCE GRENADA

LUCKY ME: COULD TWO WORDS BETTER

sum up a travel story? Go. See. Do. Then

brag, factoid, brag, factoid, brag. Done.
Im not the bragging type. This is my
first travel-writing gig. And it sounded
easy enough. But its day two, and after
two servings of tuna sushi, three servings
of octopus sashimi and a beer, Im on the
verge of a permanent food coma.
Would you like to try the nutmeg ice
cream? my server asks. I shouldnt. I
cant. Yes, please. I have to. Its my job.
My assignment is to check out the new
Sandals LaSource Grenada. Four days and
nine restaurants with just one catch: no
going off the 17-acre property set on Pink
Gin Beach, and no turning down food.
A snapper fillet in a lemon butter
sauce at Cucina Romana? Yep. Pacific
rim jumbo shrimp at Kimonos Oriental
Cuisine? OK. A let mignon from Butchs
Chophouse? Medium rare, please.
Earlier this afternoon, Shannel, my
butler, asked if I wanted to join a guided
tour of the island. Finally, my assignment
demanded I say No.
Oh, she responded. Perhaps youd
like a slice of pizza from the pool bar.
And that would be a yes.
The only escape is my room, but even
it has its perils. Its a Skypool Butler Suite.
Of the propertys 225 suites, 69 of them
are butler suites, all of which involve a
plunge pool of sorts.

Rates start at $339

per person per
night. Spa treatments and island
tours cost extra.
Nonstop ights to
Grenada y from
Miami and New
York (JFK).

Sliding-glass
doors open to mine,
and to the balcony
thats pictured on this page. My rst dip is
as indulgent as imagined. Lucky me.
But in the wake of these eating orgies,
stepping into the pool has me watching the
water I displace roll over the innity edge.
Beyond it, my eyes land on the lights of
Grenadas capital, St. George, a city I could
burn calories exploring ... not.
I must stay put, and that should be
an easy task. But Im craving something
beyond the feta lamb kebabs at Neptunes.
My only view of Grenada was during the
ve-minute drive from the airport. Five
minutes an airport so close, Ive been
waiting for the sound of jet airplanes
to send ripples across my innity pool.
Thus far, nada. Apparently only I do that.
This shouldnt surprise me. On my
rst night, as Shannel showed me around
the suite, my eyes landed on top-shelf
liquors, travertine oors and a small set
of portable wooden steps.
What are those for? I asked.
To the bed, she answered.
Unnecessary, I thought.
But I used those steps last night. I had to.
I was recovering from sushi/sashimi overload. This morning, nally, Im basking in
a semi-state of weightlessness in my pool.
The phone rings.
Where would you like to eat today?

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 41

breakfast buffet at Spices, a Caribbeanthemed restaurant. Im not hungry, but

smoky local greens known as callaloo,
served sauteed alongside a local salted sh,
somehow awakens my taste buds. Im told
its an island favorite, and I soon know why.
Eventually, I roll myself back to my
suite, and climb the wooden steps into bed.
My presence surprises the housekeeper.

Oh, callaloo! she says. She helps me

spell it correctly for a Google search. Like
Shannel, she is nice. Unlike Shannel, she
is here just to clean. No food offerings. The
thought comforts me. I relax. We chat.
When do you leave? she asks on her
way out. I tell her. Would you like me to
bring you some callaloo to take home?
Lucky me.

SWEDENS KOON ISLAND is said to be Scandinavias answer to chillaxing. The promise of warm hands and
silky seaweed have me partially melted before I even walk into the spa at Marstrands Havshotell. One step inside
makes me freeze. Apparently, Swedes have a different approach to respites. A man is gripping a rail and walking,
with a grimace and a hunched back, over sharp stones. A lady is standing under a bucket labeled iskalla hinken: Icy
bucket. I start to question this. Skip the Swedish treatment, I say. Just a massage. It begins with percussive chops.
I can go deeper, she says. Lets go deeper, I say. Its basic. Exotic. A wish changed on the y. Noah Lederman

42 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

FROM TOP: COURTESY SANDALS

LASOURCE GRENADA; ISTOCK;
OPPOSITE: ISTOCK

asks Shannel. I adjust my bathrobes belt,

take a deep breath and offer my picks.
At breakfast, new friends tell me
about an underwater sculpture garden
they visited not far from the resort.
Youve got to see it, one insists.
I shrug, and tell them about my assignment. Sorry, duty calls.
Minutes later I stand before the

MY UNTOLD STORY
T H E S W E E T E S T WAT E R FA L L E V E R

ur guides walk barefoot. my cameraman and i, we complain about our shoes. Every
slippery twist of this crooked tiger trail leads us deeper into the jungles of Sumba in southern
Indonesia. Toward paradise, and no farther. Back at the resort, they told us the waterfall at the
end of this trail had never been seen by Western eyes. It was Sumbanese sacred ground, but
these local teens were willing to share it with us. To carry our bags there, even.

I wanted to
look awesome
for a shot of
me in Indonesia. But Im not
that awesome.
The waterfall,
yes. But me?
Not awesome.
Nathan Myers

It sounded too good to be true, but only

when we cleared the dank tunnel of jungle
trail that had darkened our spirits and
leeched our feet did we realize just how good.
This was the Garden of Eden, alive and
well. Clear blue pools. Prehistoric greenery painted on 1,000-foot granite walls and
carpeting the dirt oors. And there, straight
ahead, a massive spigot of water blasting
the whole misty-eyed moment into sublime satisfaction. It is pristine beyond all
wrong notions of pristine. Quite possibly
the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen.
Our guides immediately plop down on the
mossy rocks, pass around a pack of cigarettes,
and toss the empty carton onto the ground.
Its the rst thing they do. Litter.
I shoot them a reproachful glare and
make a big show of picking up the trash
and putting it into my pocket. See! The
guides three village boys barely in their
teens look amused and continue smoking. The journalists here to document
this untainted, unexposed and undeveloped
island in Indonesia unpack their cameras.
Its the rst thing we do. Take pictures.
We shoot photos and videos for an hour,
even buzzing an aerial drone for a more Godlike perspective on this unseen vision. Then
we swim in the cool, crystal pools at the
base of the falls and happily lie down in the
Tempur-Pedic moss. Two candy wrappers
utter past me in the mist. Then I notice our
guides guiltlessly slurping away on their lollies. But what can I say? Their parents grew

up without plastics. Their teachers werent

explaining that simple biodegradation can
take 1,000 years. They are innocent.
Which is perhaps more than I can say
for us, out here hoarding photos of these
sacred falls for an online gallery. Sure, we
tread lightly, but what about the next groups
who show up? The ones who actually see our
online gallery and follow us? Their footprints
alone make me shudder.
Departing the falls, I turn for one last
look, ashing back to my rst impression of
the waterfall an hour ago. Is it as beautiful
now as it was when we came upon it? Would
it have been as impressive if Id rst seen it in
a picture on a computer monitor at home? If
I had known what to expect before arriving?
The guides carry the gear up the jagged
trail, but I carry a weight of my own. With
each candy wrapper I pluck from the trail, I
move closer to my decision to edit this little
adventure out of the gallery. Just this one.
Back at the truck, we remove our troubling shoes and rub our trail-weary feet. One
of the young, barefoot guides offers me some
of his candy. Its unexpectedly delicious.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 43

S
T IT
WHA TO...
E
LIK

FIND THE
COOK
ISLANDS
WE NEED TO LOCATE A SPECK IN THE
OCEAN USING ONLY (HIS) SENSES.

Master navigator Tua Pittman

guides eight guests on the
Aitutaki Adventure ($899, email
bookings@islanddiscoveriesco.ck).

44 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

F R O M L E F T : W A T E R R I G H T S / S U P E R S T O C K ; S U S A N G O U G H H E N LY ( 3 )

B Y S U S A N G O U G H H E N LY

UR VOYAGING CANOE CLIMBS,

creaks and dips in the inky

ocean swells. Our sails are
rigged crab-claw style, like upside-down
triangles. Above them, the Milky Way
sprinkles the night sky.
At the tiller is 54-year-old Cook Islander
Tua Pittman, a master navigator. Hes
watching the stars, mentally computing
where each of them should be so our vaka
(canoe) continues its northward course.
Tua didnt invite me aboard. Im on
a four-day adventure offered by Island
Discoveries. Eight passengers like me,
along with a crew of eight, departed
Rarotonga this afternoon. If Tua reads the
stars right (he has memorized 250 of them),
well sail on what feels like a 160-mile tightrope to Aitutaki, a speck of an island.

Cook Islands
(2,700 miles
from Australia)

WELL NAVIGATE
BY THE STARS, SUN,
MOON AND WIND.
Well sleep in shifts in small bunks.
Well share a toilet that requires dipping
a bucket over the side to ush. Well work
alongside the crew, all to experience a
small slice of this ancient navigating tradition that, not long ago, almost vanished.
The ocean swells have risen around us.
Tua and a crew member point to the sky.
Southern Cross. Sirius. Canopus.
Theyre conrming where these stars rise
against the star compass carved into the
deck. If a star rises in the wrong quadrant ...
Tiller down, Tua orders.
Were off course, just slightly, I hope.
My thoughts drift to advice Tua shared.
Imagine you are stationary and the island
is coming to you. I look ahead, and imagine Aitutaki approaching. I see nothing.
I look to Tua, now leaning on the tiller.
He sees Aitutaki. Its in his eyes.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 45

46 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

F E AT U R E P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT ESY O F B R A Z I L I A N TO U R I S M B OA R D
(E M B R AT U R) - P H OTO G R A P H E R A N D R E M AC E I R A

On an island that allows only

246 visitors at one time,
Conceio Beach is considered
by locals to be crowded.

S
T IT
WHA TO...
LIKE

LAND ON
B R A Z I LS
MOST
COVETED
OUTPOST
NEW WALKWAYS LEAD
TO BEACHES LIKE THIS,
BUT ONLY FOR THE
LUCKY FEW WHO CAN
STEP FOOT HERE.
STORY BY AARON GULLEY

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 47

I hear its paradise, one hotelier on

the mainland told me after nding out I
was about to take the short ight out to
Noronha. Every Brazilian dreams of it,
but very few of us can afford it.
My ights from Phoenix to the island
totaled over $3,300, ve times what Id have
paid to go to Hawaii. And my hotel, a simple
pousada, costs $360 a night. The island has
4 miles of road and 3,600 permanent residents. What they possess beyond wealth is
astounding. Several of Noronhas strands
routinely make Brazils Best Beaches
lists, a feat in a country with 4,655 miles
of coastline and spots as iconic as Ipanema
and Copacabana. Its also referred to as the
Galapagos of the Atlantic because, being so
far off the coast, its waters are crystalline
and boiling with marine life.
At Praia do Sueste, Tapioca and I n
out in search of animals, though with the
water so turgid from the storm I doubt we
can glimpse the seaoor. Tapioca gestures
downward. When I stick my face into the
drink, sure enough, a green sea turtle
stares back at me as impassively as Yoda.
Easy, Tapioca says. Thats life here.
Tapioca slithers up on half a dozen
more turtles and a small, testy shark that
leaves teeth marks on our pole-mounted
GoPro. Later I watch the footage over and
over. The video, like the island, is raw and
obscure, and wild beyond expectation.

ABOUT 220 MILES OFF THE NORTHeastern coast of Brazil, the island heaves
out of the central Atlantic like a black, volcanic barb. Fernando de Noronha is said
to have some of South Americas creamiest beaches, strung like lace between sea
pillars, so picture-perfect that theyre on
the Internet often enough for armchair
globetrotters to recognize the island.
Few have seen it firsthand, though. A
government-imposed limit on travel (the
official number of visitors allowed daily
is 246, but the number is fuzzy because
its hard to keep track) has also kept the
island isolated. But in the lead-up to the
2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Noronha
is being promoted as a stopover for travelers. Armed with a rare invitation and a
soft airport landing, Im peeling back the
curtain to see if its ready.
On a cool, windy afternoon, Im following a swarthy, tangle-haired Noronha
guide named Tapioca down a dirt path
and into the ocean. An early season storm
has roiled the seas into a slate sheet and
churned the sand of Praia do Sueste with
a camouage of seaweed. Im not inspired
to snorkel on this unsettled afternoon, but
Tapioca is a local legend for sniffing out THERE IS NO ONE AT THE ROADSIDE
turtles and sharks. I follow him into the snorkel-gear stand. My guide on this day
water and mention that the weather must is Carlos Santos, a wiry 43-year-old wearing a soccer jersey. I note that he picks up
be keeping everyone away.
our
gear and leaves no deposit.
This is how it always is, Tapioca says.
Its almost like were lost at sea.
Everyone knows everyone here,
Tapioca, who wears a surf cap with Carlos says. You can sleep on the beach
neoprene earaps that makes him look if you want. Its almost the perfect place.
like a baby seal, works as a guide for a
Almost, he tells me during the ride to
company trying to push this hinterland Baa dos Golnhos, because much of the
onto the international market. The fact infrastructure on Noronha is crumbling.
that Ive been driving him around in a Our taxi is a pickup truck. It veers drunktruck is a good indication that tourism is enly around potholes and occasionally
new. The conundrum of Noronha is that hits them so hard that the snorkels and
Americans have the means to visit but nd masks threaten to lob over the tailgate.
it difficult to crack the daily entry list of Sometimes we have no water, Carlos con246. Brazilians have the desire to escape des. Weeks before my visit, the island was
to Noronha but dont have the resources. running so low on drinking water, which is

48 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

Buggies (or boogies) dot the

islands 4-mile road. A guide
named Tapioca and new ladders
lead the way to footprint-free
beaches like Praia do Sancho.

Fernando
de Noronha
BRAZIL

IF YOURE
CURIOUS
Noronha proper is
a 10-square-mile
speck, the only
one of the archipelagos 21 islands
thats inhabited.
There are no farms,
no full-service
hotels, but one
bank and dozens
of family-run inns
similar to bed-andbreakfasts, with
meals in a dining
room and lots of
conversation in
Portuguese.
IF YOURE
SERIOUS
The cost of coming
here would keep
tourist traffic
down even without
the government
restrictions on
visitors. A ight
from the U.S. is in
the $3,000 range,
a rental buggy
$80 a day (no roof
and no doors is the
local version of air
conditioning), and
you pay a stay tax
of $20 to $50 per
person per day for
the privilege of
visiting this World
Heritage site.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 49

The island is safe now, but its

history as a prison in the 1800s
only adds to its mystery.

50 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

shipped from the mainland, that the government almost suspended tourist ights.
Yet at Baa dos Golnhos, a brand-new
boardwalk leads to the lookout over the
bay where spinner dolphins come to play.
Farther east along the forest promenade,
shiny ladders and stairs have replaced
the rope scramble that, until a year ago,
was the only way to reach Baa do Sancho,
a cliff-shielded crescent of sand that
recently topped Trip Advisors Ultimate
Beach in the World list. Carlos tells me
the improvements are courtesy of a new
management company, which won the
concession for Noronha two years ago.
Local people were not happy, Carlos
says. Suddenly they had to pay to go to
places theyd been going all their lives.
This illustrates the dilemma on
Noronha, where people know they need
to modernize to attract travelers but are
also loathe to embrace the reality, and the
result, of change. I feel it too because part
of what makes Noronha worth visiting is
that, well, nobody else does. The worn
roads and buildings add ... character.
For now were alone at the point, which
serves as a fork between past and present.
Theres a lemon shark, Carlos says,
nonchalantly pointing to the bay. A few people sit beneath the black cliffs on a beach
straight out of a brochure. Its the perfect
spot for drinking coconut water, striking up
a game of ftevolei that Brazilian hybrid
of volleyball and soccer played with the feet
and napping in a hammock.
I have another place for you, Carlos
says. He knows that Americans, like
Brazilians, want beaches. So we head
by truck to Cacimba do Padre, where a
surng festival is going on. Tent speakers pipe in samba. Brazilian women as
bronzed as statues mill on the beach.
On Noronha this is the closest thing to
the frenetic waterfront scene for which
mainland Brazil is renowned.
Tapioca shows up in his seal disguise
and carrying a surfboard. Carlos and I drink
caipirinhas, the national drink made with a
sugar-cane distillation called cachaa, lime,
mint and heaps of sugar. See? Carlos asks.
You ask why I want to live here.

THE WHOLE WORLD

HAS FORGOTTEN
US, SAYS CARLOS. I
DONT KNOW, MAYBE
ITS BETTER THAT WAY.
The easygoing vibe draws me into the
water for a swim. But the surf is massive,
and eventually one huge wave attens me
like a developer grading a beach. Another
wave hits me, then another. Im a pale
rag doll on spin cycle in the balmy south
Atlantic. What could be more relaxing?
CARLOS CATCHES ME OFF GUARD.
At a sunset overlook called Forte de So
Pedro do Boldr, he hands me a quartersize lapel pin shaped like a green sea turtle.
The animals are Noronhas totem. I hope
you wont forget us, Carlos tells me.
Why would I forget you? I ask.
The whole world has forgotten us. I
dont know, maybe its better that way.
Actually, the world hasnt forgotten
what its never known. And I cant help
thinking that yes, maybe it is better that
way. Fact is, looking out over the twin
peaks of Ilha Dois Irmos, with the occasional spear of late sunshine stabbing
through the clouds and bouncing off the
water in dramatic platinum sparkles, I
like the island just the way it is. Noronha
is still the sort of place where you daydream of washing up and secreting away
forever. Eat sh indenitely. Sleep on the
beach. And return the snorkel gear later.
Maybe what Noronha needs isnt more
traffic and investment, but less. In a world
jam-packed with manicured islands and
big, shiny resorts, a place like Noronha
doesnt really need any polish. Its moldering infrastructure, family-owned pousadas
and low-key attitude make for the type of
paradise that is increasingly difficult to
nd a real one. As Carlos says, Were
just a pile of rocks in the ocean.
Yes, but its a pile of rocks with new ladders down to the beaches. Really, could
any island be more blessed than that?
25 best snorkel spots: islands.com

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 51

S
T IT
WHA TO...
LIKE

HIKE
NO-MANS
L AND
BY MELANIE RADZICKI MCMANUS

News from Iceland almost kept

the author away, but she moved
forward on shaky ground.

52 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

D AV I D F O R S T E R

THE TRAIL BREATHES FIRE,

FORGES ICE AND ENDS IN
SPECTACLE IF ITS SAFE.

Iceland

IF YOURE CURIOUS

CURTAIN OF WATER BLOWS

Go with a friend
from June to September. In other
months, the huts
are closed because
of volatile weather,
even by Iceland
standards. Guided
hikes are $1,500.
IF YOURE SERIOUS

Our four-day
hike ended in
Thrsmrk. There,
an Icelandic woman
told us shed won
a race on the trail.
Her time: Five
hours and change.

across me. The hard rain and

my lime-green hood block my
view of what is supposed to
be one of the most stunning
landscapes in the world.
This cant be happening, I
say to my husband, Ed.
We had a lot invested in this hike long before we
arrived in Iceland. Wed purchased backpacks, thick
sleeping bags and freeze-dried meals about a month
before for the sole purpose of completing the famed
Laugavegur Trail. A few days later, on Aug. 16, the
Brdarbunga Volcano started making noise. For
the next three weeks, from our home in Wisconsin,
we watched the news as record seismic activity was
reported in southeast Iceland, possible precursors
to a major eruption. We knew the event could shut
down the airport, the trail and my dream of hiking
the Laugavegur, known to be surreal but manageable.
Despite the ongoing tremors and the fact that
the trail is less than 100 miles from the volcano, we
were cleared to go. And then this. Thunder booms.
Lightning cracks. Steady rain disrupts our steps and
our sightlines. One hour into the four-day, 34-mile
hike, Im looking down at grit from previous volcanic
activity. Water rolls off my jacket. This was a mistake.
As we come to a clearing, the sound of rain bouncing off my hood stops. I look up and see two fat rainbows arcing across the sky twin kaleidoscopes of
color brushed across a canvas unlike any Ive ever
seen. If the Earth shook and lava spewed at our feet
right now, we wouldnt even know it.
Do we need to move on? Ed asks.
Its supposed to get better, I say.
The trail climbs up to 1,500 feet, but the otherworldliness makes it an easy walk. Gleaming black
chunks of obsidian wink at us as we pick across a lava
eld, kicking aside lumps of pumice. Eggy-smelling
steam puffs from holes in the Earth. The mountains

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 53

For the next two days, we jump over streams and

scramble down black, sandy hills. Were oblivious
to little earthquakes coming from Brdarbunga and
to a lava ow farther north at Holuhraun. Iceland is
almost always changing, and were walking through
the transition (or around it in the case of the Cold
Crotch River.) We battle one more downpour when
again the pewter sky brightens and a rock formation
stops us near the end of the trail. I look back and think
Ive just seen the closest thing to the end of the Earth.

A guidepost is a
welcome sight on
a foreign terrain
that runs the gamut
of boiling water,
frozen tunnels and
slippery scree.

5 MEMORABLE GUIDES by Sarah Sekula

ANDREW PARK JR.
(Fishing, Maui)
Throw nets. Bamboo
poles. Andrew has
missed only a few days
of shing in 43 years,
teaching
how to use
whatever is
available on
Hana Bay.

54 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

SIMON REGU
(Hiking, Fiji)
He points out barking
pigeons and makes
pancakes with lemonleaf tea on our Taveuni
Island hike. Most impressive? Simon offers
to carry a 6-foot-tall
tourist with lupus the
entire way.

MELANIE
PITCHER
(Surfing,
Barbados)
Her name
goes with surf the
way sh goes with
chowder. The instruction is life-changing
when Im not distracted
by her world-class abs.

IVAN LOPEZ
(Diving, Galapagos)
He has guided 1,200
underwater excursions,
so Ivan knows everyone in the sea. Burrito
grunts. Golden cow
rays. He tells me to get
eyeball to eyeball with
a reef shark. The quick
intro is unforgettable.

ABDILLAH ABUBAKAR
(Culture walking, Lamu)
This Kenyan makes the
list for navigating the
labyrinth of old, narrow
streets, and for saving
me from
crossing
in front
of donkey
traffic.

C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P : M A R CO D E S T E FA N I S ; JA N I S
T U R K ;CO U R T E S Y M E L A N I E P I TC H E R ; Z AC H S TOVA L L ;
O P P O S I T E , F R O M L E F T: A M A N D A C A S T L E M A N ; S T E V E
DAV E Y P H OTO G R A P H Y/A L A MY

are streaked with terra cotta, butter and emerald.

Our lodging for the night is a mountain hut. The
rain comes and goes. So do the rainbows. Its unusual
for lightnings and thunders here, says hut warden
Frmann Ingvarsson. But we always have rainbows.
The next morning Frmann tells us what lies ahead:
Ice caves. Sure enough, a short distance from the hut
we nearly stumble into a sparkling tunnel. Its sweating because of hot springs bubbling outside the yawning
front door. Somewhere below us the Earth is boiling.

MY UNTOLD STORY

WA R M C O U C H E S O N A C O L D B E A C H

hey look like giant couches. no, they look like sun-warmed rocks pretending to
be giant couches. All of which is to say they look like something I couldnt have imagined, even
though I was raised to be incredibly good at spotting animals in the wild, treating forests and
oceans and canyons like a game of whats hidden in this picture? But Im not sure I would
have noticed these walruses if the boat hadnt stopped. They look too logical, like there is no

As a kid, I had a
walrus rest its
head on my arm
at SeaWorld. As
an adult, being
on a beach
with one the
size of a car was
pure magic.
Edward
ReadickerHenderson

other possibility in the world except for them

to be here. The walruses lie, stretched out
on the beach in Svalbard, as if its perfectly
natural to be a walrus on a beach in Svalbard.
Our ship, Lindblads Explorer, has spent
a couple of bright days following the edge of
the ice from Greenland to this tiny patch of
rock so far above the Arctic Circle that my
head sort of explodes when I try to do the
math in miles. Weve seen sperm whales
and watched a polar bear simply vanish into
a snowscape. The ice banging against the
hull keeps me awake at night, but thats OK
because I dont want to miss any of this.
There, a crew member said as we dropped
anchor. But when I walked to the rail to look,
all I saw was a beach and driftwood.
So I took it on faith that it would be worth
loading onto the Zodiacs, zipping through a
few bergy bits, and stepping onto the slate
shore for a closer look. This part of Svalbard
has lost almost all color: gray rocks, long
shadows, grayish behemoths on tan sand.
We arrive. And there they are. Four walruses on the beach, hauled up just far enough
to stay dry, to catch every last ray of the summer sun. Theyre piled on each other like they
have no need for the rest of the world.
One of the walruses levers itself up and
glances back toward us. That means maybe 10
feet and 3,000 pounds of animal on the move.
Yes, Ive seen bigger animals elephants,
elephant seals but this is like watching an
earthquake. This is like watching the planets
rearrange themselves. At the end of the world,

an animal is happy in the sun.

Over the next couple of years, Ill write
a lot about this trip. Stories about puffins
and polar bears and musk oxen and a beach
named after the man who invented the kaleidoscope, which is only fair, since the Arctic
is where light comes out to play. But I dont
write about the walruses on the beach. How
can I do justice to the sheer awe of watching
a head come up, its 3-foot-long ivory tusks
the brightest thing in the entire landscape?
Until today I havent told anybody. Travel
has given me so much, and over the years,
Ive tried to share all of it. But this, I wanted
to keep for my own. An encounter with the
sheer power of the way the world goes on
just ne without us, without our witness. Its
the story I will probably wish, tomorrow, I
hadnt told, had hoarded like gold.
A story about how the walruses stretch
back out, sandwiched between each other,
and how once again, they look like warm,
giant couches. How once again, they look like
theyve always been here. How we, not they,
are the ghosts in this landscape.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 55

S
T IT
WHA TO...
LIKE

SAIL TO
PA R A D I S E

THIS IS THE SIGHT. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE

HERE FOR THE SOUNDS (AND SMELLS).

BY BRIANNA RANDALL

56 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

LAP! THE SOUND OF FLESH HITTING WATER reverberates through our 40-foot sailboat.
My husband, Rob, and I have sailed empty waters from Canada to Australia, and
strange sounds have become familiar. But not this one. In a panic, I hustle up from
the cabin, thinking the splash might be my husband falling overboard.
Its a manta! he shouts from on deck. A giant one! Its 6-foot wing slaps the water
again, as if waving hello toward our boat as we enter Bora Boras lagoon (pictured).
Weve seemingly seen it all during our world excursions. Ukulele jam sessions. Mangoes
falling like manna in the jungle. But the mantas wave is a gift of mystical proportion,
heralding the surreal scene in front of our bow: white sand, swaying coconut trees,
wooden bungalows and sailboats dotting the turquoise water like festive ornaments.
As the manta starts to swim away from us, my husband turns to me and casually utters a
line as memorable as the scene: I like Bora Boras welcoming committee.

B U E N A V I S TA I M AG E S /G E T T Y; H O LG E R L E U E /G E T T Y I M AG E S ; Z AC H S TOVA L L

PROBLEMS IN
PARADISE
Just 14 hours after we
anchor in paradise, a
horric stench suddenly
mingles with the smell
of fresh-brewed coffee
on deck. Robs curse
rings through the still
morning air. The head
is clogged! We wont
be snorkeling with manta rays today. But thats
sailing. An alternative?
Fly to paradise and use
someone elses boat.

WHERE TO CHARTER
SAN BLAS (Panama)
The least confusing way
to sail is to rent a sailor
with the boat. Here,
captained charters sail
through Guna Yala, a
territory of tropical
islands and river-lled
rainforests. Its a mix of
awes and ahs. DO IT:
sanblassailing.com

VAVAU (Tonga)
Sailing in Vavau is a
snap, I mean once you
get here. The seas
are calm and anchorages sandy. Swim with
humpbacks
July to November. DO
IT: sunsailtonga.com

SAN JUANS (Wash.)

These pine forests are
just as spectacular as
swaying palm trees.
And the water? Weve
sailed alongside orcas,
dolphins and salmon.
Just dont lose the
chart there are 450
islands out here. DO IT:
sanjuansailing.com

BVI
Theres
a reason
Tortola is
known for
catamaran cruises. The
conditions are easy, like
Tonga. Plus, the islands
are an easy ight, unlike
Tonga. DO IT: horizon
yachtcharters.com/bvi

WHITSUNDAYS
Bring good sunglasses.
Few places can rival the
blinding white beaches
that back up to the
Great Barrier Reef.
For the most stunning
views, board a boat, any
boat (yacht, sailboat,
pontoon, kayak). DO IT:
rentayacht.com.au

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 57

TOUCH
FORBIDDEN
H AWA I I
(ALMOST)

ONE EFFORT TO SWIM THROUGH THE

RUMORS AND REACH FOR LAND.
BY ROBERT STEPHENS

The oh-so-close cruise to Niihau is

followed by a run up to its unique
neighbor Lehua (pictured).

58 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

JON WHITTLE

S
T IT
WHA TO...
LIKE

KAUAI
NIIHAU

HAWAII
IF YOURE CURIOUS

Aside from little

boats run by brave
Kauai shermen,
Holo Holo is the only
craft that approaches Niihau daily. It
has made the trip
5,000 times. The
$195 includes
snorkeling and Na
Pali Coast close-ups
(holoholokauaiboat
tours.com).
IF YOURE SERIOUS

If you know how to

hunt elands (and
can prove you can
shoot a gun), the
Robinsons might
let you pay $1,750
to helicopter in for
a day. Maybe.

THE BOAT IS SLOWING TO AN IDLE. AGAIN.

From the bridge atop the 65-foot catamaran Holo Holo, Capt. Wendell Merritt
is caught in a swirl of awe. This, he says,
trying to keep his cool, is an OMG day.
Even by our standards.
This makes the third time he has
paused for breaching humpback whales
in the Kaulakahi Channel off the west
coast of Kauai. He has also yielded twice
to manta rays and once to an endangered
monk seal that swam from the Lehua atoll
(photo, left) up to Holo Holos stern as if
waiting for someone to help him up the
boarding ladder. Each time there was mild
chaos among the 40 passengers. Camera
phones came out. Camera phones were repocketed. Everyone sat back down. And
the collective focus returned to the lump
of land toward which the boat is pointed.
That little island is what everyone
comes for, says Capt. Wendell.
Niihau. The Forbidden Island. Saying
the name practically brings a hush on
the more touchable Hawaiian islands. It
all seems weird when looking at Niihau
from the west coast of Kauai, sitting there
17 miles away, plain as day. Its the cake
behind the plexiglass, stirring up a whisper: If I could only get a nger on it.
The mystery is the attraction, says
Kevin Millett, who built Holo Holo for
the purpose of doing the unthinkable back
in 1997: crossing the rough channel and
practically shaving Niihaus chin with the
boats bow on day trips. We dont let anyone go ashore, even if we dont like how
the family goes about guarding the island.
That family, the Robinsons, has managed to keep Niihau sequestered ever
since family matriarch Elizabeth Sinclair
purchased it from the Kingdom of Hawaii
in 1864. (Sticker price: $10,000.) The family says its keeping a 150-year promise to

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 59

Rare monk seals swim around

Niihau in plain view, but daily life
on land is still a big mystery.

HAHEI HOT WATER BEACH in New Zealand looks like a sand-castle competition gone wrong. Dozens of
people are digging holes and building berms with no rhyme or reason. A young girl tosses a shovelful of sand
toward my shins. Hurry! she says. You gotta make a pool before the tide comes in! I nd a spot and start
digging. Two ssures pump out 140-degree mineral water at low tide, so the holes ll and become personal spas.
After a 10-mile bike ride from Whitianga, my saddle-sore muscles are ready for thermal therapy. I settle into my
hard-earned 8 inches of volcanic spring water. It isnt pretty. But it sure feels good. Brianna Randall

60 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

F R O M TO P : F R A N CO S A L M O I R AG H I /A L A MY;
DOUG PERRINE/MINDEN PICTURES;
DAV I D N O B L E /A L A MY; O P P O S I T E : I S TO C K

preserve what has been lost elsewhere:

a Hawaii youd recognize in any century.
Problem is, you cant recognize what you
cant see. Yes, visitors can walk on the
island by signing up for a $1,750 day safari.
But given the safaris restrictions (the
only village, Puuwai, is out of bounds)the
island is still just a lump of hearsay.
For example: There are no stores, no
paved roads, and men are rumored to
patrol Niihau on horseback, bearing arms.
Hawaiian is supposedly spoken as the primary language, even though the most common surname, Robinson, hardly makes a
translator necessary. Cartoonish animals
like elands and aoudads are found only on
Niihau, in Africa and in Dr. Seuss books.
How close will we be when we drop
anchor? I ask Kevins wife, Marcie.
A couple hundred yards maybe?
Thats swimming distance.
From a half-mile away, Niihau frankly
bears little family resemblance to Kauai.
The beach and scrub dont take my breath
away, but one lone teepee on the sand does
make my arm tingle a little. The anchor
lines are set 50 yards out. Snorkel gear is
distributed. With face down, I inconspicuously kick toward Niihau.
Touch it how a swimmer touches the end
of a pool and turn back. No sudden moves.
Closer closer clo
Hey! I look up. Holo Holos biggest deckhand, Kaeo, is sitting on a surfboard right
between me and the forbidden island, which
is now 20 feet away. Youre too close.
And so I swim away from Niihau.
Farther farther out to where I belong.
Would a touch change my life? Ill never
know. I take one more look back at the
island. Theres Kaeo. Theres the teepee.
At least one person has his eyes on me.

MY UNTOLD STORY
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM

y taxi is sprinting up the coast of montego bay, jamaica. im desperate to reach the
airport. A hurricane is coming and everyone is trying to get off the island, me included. Ever
since I arrived a week ago, the manager of my oceanfront hotel has been loosely tracking the
slow approach of the storm veering through the Caribbean like a badly injured prizeghter,
lurching this way and that, picking up strength and then losing it, bobbing, weaving, jabbing.

Im not religious,
but oating
on my back in
the ocean as
a hurricane
approached
felt enormously
spiritual.
David Lansing

Every morning he has given me updates.

Everything is ne, he said Tuesday.
It wont come near us, he said Wednesday.
If it hits Jamaica, it will be on the other
side of the island, was yesterdays report.
Around noon today he knocked on my door
and told me to be ready to go to the airport
in 30 minutes. Its coming. You must hurry.
But I am too late. When I jump out of the
cab at the airport, I discover that all ights,
in and out, have been cancelled. So the taxi
driver, shaking his head, hurriedly drives me
back to the hotel, which now seems deserted.
Im told to do as everyone else is doing take
refuge in my room and follow the instructions that hotel staffers have slipped beneath
each door, which read, Close shutters and
drapes, and for your safety PLEASE STAY
AWAY FROM THE WINDOWS.
Back in my room, I open the shutters of
the balcony and look out across Doctors
Cave Beach. Yesterday there were hundreds
of people in the water, swimming, snorkeling,
kayaking. Today it is abandoned. And so peaceful looking. In fact, the ocean looks so calm and
beautiful that I decide to quickly throw on my
trunks and go for a swim. Why not?
Now Im out here in water smooth as an ice
rink, oating on my back, all alone except for a
single frigate bird that, just as I am meditating
on my solitude, breaks the mood as he desperately aps his wings on his way out to sea.
Coward.
As I am thinking this, a beefy hotel lifeguard in a white polo shirt and bright red

swim trunks cups his hands and yells out

across the water, Mon mon! Get out of
da water, mon! You must be crazy, mon!
Hurricane coming!
I wave at him and go back to oating on my
back. The ocean is mine. No people. No birds.
Nothing. Even the sh seem to have disappeared. So I slowly do the backstroke, moving
away from shore, wondering if the lifeguard
will risk coming after me or let me go. Like a
buoy torn loose. Or a balloon oating away.
Nothing to be done about it.
When I dare to look up, he is gone. I swim
back to shore and jog up the beach to my
room just as the first sharp gust of wind
appears. Minutes later, a noise like a freight
train rumbles through the inky sky. Debris
slams against my shutters. The electricity
goes out. The building quivers and it gets
very, very dark. I calm myself by lying on
my bed, eyes closed, thinking about oating
tranquilly on my back in the ocean, alone, in
the eye of a hurricane.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 61

ON ASSIGNMENT

2015

STAND HERE. TAKE

Come sail with Islands staff photographers and Sail Windjammer to

remote Caribbean islands. Find our favorite spots and learn our best
photo tips on location. This is your dream trip ours too.

PICTURES LIKE THIS.

M AY 10-16, 2015
WHOS INVITED
Anyone. No photo
experience is
required. Use any
camera, or just
come and enjoy the
rare sights. This is
about the experience, not the gear.

HOW MUCH
A limited number
of passengers can
sign up for $2,479+
(your guest sails for
just $1,779). Only
a handful of cabins
were unclaimed
when we went to
press with this issue.

WHO LEADS
The Caribbeans
most fun boat crew
takes us to the best
locations under sail.
Islands photographers Jon Whittle
and Lori Barbely
show you how to
shoot epic photos,
even with an iPhone.

ST. VINCENT

WHERE
Its a seven-day
cruise through the
Grenadines on a
classic schooner,
Mandalay, one
of our favorite
boats and favorite
itineraries.

C L A I M A S P O T: I S L A N D S .C O M / I O A

BEQUIA

MAYREAU
UNION

TOBAGO
CAYS

CARRIACOU

GRENADA

Ways to
Explore the

U.S. VIRGIN
ISLANDS
Choose your own adventure
when trailblazing by
catamaran, kayak, dinghy,
horseback or on foot.

3. TREK TROPICAL FORESTS

The map online is free thanks to a
renegade pathnder who calls himself
the St. John Trail Bandit. His chart
details 34 hiking trails that vary
in length and difculty. One
highlight, the Tektite Trail,
provides a moderate
climb with cliff-side
views of the southern
shore; it ends near
Great Lameshur
Bay, an excellent
snorkeling spot.

S P E C I A L P R O M O T I O N A L F E AT U R E

4. Beach-hop

via dinghy

1. PADDLE A MANGROVE MAZE

Mangrove
Lagoon on St. Thomas east end allows no
motorized boats, making kayaking particularly
peaceful. Virgin Islands Ecotours offers guided
trips that incorporate hiking, so you learn
about the ora and fauna of land and sea
for example, how green herons hunt, and
why juvenile lemon sharks stay among the
mangroves until adulthood.

2. Catamaran sail

The sweetest beaches

feel wildly remote,
but lie within reach of
a day trip. Heavenly
Days, the catamaran
belonging to Bolongo
Bay Beach Resort
on St. Thomas, takes
guests to St. Johns
Honeymoon Beach,
interrupted by few
footprints. The crew packs salads,
sandwiches and snacks, and when
snorkeling ends, open bar begins.
bolongobay.com

The Westin St.

John hands over
the keys to a dinghy,
letting you set the course
for the stretch of sand that
best suits your mood. Cruz
Bay Watersports rents a eet
on property, and offers tips
on local beaches. To play
volleyball with locals, head to
Maho Bay, but for seclusion,
Francis Bay is best.
westinresortstjohn.com
5. TROT TO HIGH VISTAS
With Carolina Coral on St. John, all
paths lead to the same high perch overlooking Hurricane Hole and the British
Virgin Islands but horseback riders
choose the path up based on difculty.
Regardless of route, youll
encounter the pipe organ
cacti plus the soursop and
sugar apple trees that make
St. John such a biodiverse
destination.

HOW TO

Bleaker Island, Falklands

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: EDDY PATRICELLI; JAD DAVENPORT; ZACH STOVALL

ESCAPE THE ESCAPE

WHEN WHAT
WE SEEK ON
AN ISLAND
OFFERS
MORE THAN
WE CAN
HANDLE.

1 FALKLANDS

2 NEW ZEALAND

TOO WILD?

TOO PRETTY?

3 ABC ISLANDS
TOO SUNNY?

Among gentoo
penguins, youre
told to sit still.
Soon, penguins
surround you. Near
elephant seals,
youre told to watch
and wait. Soon,
two bulls each
6,000-plus pounds
rear up and fight
for dominance. But
amid 8,000 pairs of
imperial cormorants (above), the
acidic odor of their
poop overwhelms
any instructions.
SOLUTION: Dont sit.
Dont wait. Take
the photo and run.

Theres a Maori
legend that when
the god Tu-te-rakiwhanoa created the
Fiordland of New
Zealand, the people
were so awestruck
they stopped
working. The goddess Hinenuitepo
created the sand fly
to bite workers to
keep them on task.
Todays sand flies
dont distinguish
workers from
vacationers. SOLUTION: Bug spray,
yes. Also, sunlight.
Its believed the
flies avoid it.

On Aruba, cooling
winds make us
forget about sun
exposure. On
Bonaire, the reefs
distract us while
we snorkel. And on
Curaao, the sun
makes the islands
rum exceptionally
potent. SOLUTION:
On these islands,
sunscreen early,
often, always.

SWIM FOR IT

VANISHING BLISS

We call it our sandbank picnic,

the concierge says, handing us
photos, but guests call it honeymoon island. My new girlfriend,
Karin, and I have just arrived at
a private island resort off Vanua
Levu, one of Fijis northernmost
islands. A champagne picnic on a
remote sandbank sounds like the
perfect kickoff to our journey.
But the word sandbank stops
me. What happens at high tide?
We pick you up before the
island goes underwater, the
concierge says. And we leave you
with a radio, so you can call us.
Three hours later Karin is
standing on the cooler scanning
the horizon for a boat. Any boat.
Wed lost track of time. So too, it
seems, has the resort. Sea foam
wraps around my ankles. I grab
the radio. Its display flashes low
battery, then dies. Waves splash
my thighs. The only reminder of
solid ground is the faint warmth
of sand fading beneath my soles.
Were getting ready to swim
for the distant mainland when
the boat arrives at full throttle.
Sorry, so sorry, the captain says,
rounding up the floating chairs.
Back at the resort they want
to make it up to us. Well take
you to an island haunted by a
cannibal king, they say. Is the
island dry at high tide? Karin
asks. They nod. What time do we
leave? Jad Davenport

LIFESAVING SWIM
San Franciscos Island to Island
swim race follows the supposed
route of Alcatrazs escapees to
Angel Island. waterworldswim.com

LESSONS LEARNED PASSING GAS ISNT A NO-NO AROUND CERTAIN FISH. HERRING COMMUNICATE BY FARTING.

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 65

HOW TO

GAVIN HOWARTH
PHOTOGRAPHER

Wedding Specialist
YEARS ON ISLAND

34

MY 3 CENTS
1. Bermuda has no
source of fresh
water, so every
drop that we drink,
flush or wash with is
rain thats collected
on our roofs.

Turquoise water meets a color wheel of

homes in the waterfront town of Hamilton.

LIVE ON

A MISJUDGED SPECK
EXPATS WITH THE RIGHT JOB AND A FLEXIBLE SENSE OF GEOGRAPHY

I have my wife to thank for our move here

to Bermuda in 2008. Like most who move
here, she got a job in the city of Hamilton, an
insurance mecca that lures the worlds top
firms with its tax-haven status. Those firms
incentivize relocation, which is why a bankroll
isnt needed to move just a spouse whos
well versed in annuities and expense ratios.
Two kids and dozens of Dark n Stormies later,
were still here in the mid-Atlantic (not the
Caribbean). DAILY SNAPSHOT We have the best
backyard in the world. Its a secluded cove
called Church Bay not literally out our back
door, but just a five-minute walk down a quiet
road lined with candy-colored cottages. We
stroll there for pink-sand picnics and snorkeling around boiler reefs teeming with marine
life. On our walk back we chase feral chickens
(there are thousands and theyre a nuisance)

and collect downed coconuts (for cheap

milk). Its bedtime when the tree frogs begin
a cacophony that doesnt stop until sunrise.
MOVER BEWARE Unless youre a multimillionaire
like Michael Bloomberg or Ross Perot, both of
whom own lavish homes here, the best way to
live in Bermuda is to be gainfully employed
thanks again, honey. Some expats have housing
paid for by their employers, making life possible on less than $150,000 a year. Gas is over
$8 a gallon (hello, scooter), and a family of four
can spend $800 a week on groceries, since most
items are shipped in from overseas. Bermudas
lenient tax policies are favorable to those who
set up shop here, but everything for sale has a
way of doubling its normal retail price. Its the
cost of doing business in a place with limited
space and natural resources. David LaHuta
best islands to live on: islands.com/bitlo

3. The perfect spot

for pictures? For
me its Chaplin
Bay, with rocky
outcrops, pink sand,
turquoise water ...
I shoot there six
months a year.

TO BUY OR
TO TRY
67$1'$/21(
HOMES START
AT $4.5 MILLION.
7:2%('5220
CONDOS
ARE AROUND
$500,000, OR
RENT FOR $1,120
PER WEEK.

BEST ISLANDS FOR FAMOUS NEIGHBORS: EXUMAS (BAHAMAS), MARTHAS VINEYARD, MUSTIQUE, STAR (MIAMI)

66 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

FROM LEFT: CHRISTINA FERRIN/DREAMSTIME.COM; COURTESY GAVIN HOWARTH

BEST FOR:

2. Were often
lumped in with the
Caribbean, even
though Bermuda is
in the Atlantic. Its
the vibe life here
is slow and laidback, and everyone
waves hello.

FREE TRAVEL INFORMATION!

Free brochures, catalogs and other advertiser information. Simply mail the attached Reader Response Card, FAX tollfree to 888.847.6035, or visit islands.com/freeinfo for direct access to each Advertisers website and free information.
CARIBBEAN & BAHAMAS
1.

2.

7.

Bolongo Bay Beach Resort

U.S. Virgin Islands PAGE 64
Cayman Islands Department
of Tourism Experience
Caymankind, everything
and everyone that makes a
Cayman Islands vacation so
unique. PAGE 75

8.

3.

Club Seabourne Puerto

Rico PAGE 70

9.

4.

Hilton Hotels & Resort in

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
Hiltons offers fun in every
flavor, from resort casinos
to secluded island retreats.

6.

Ports of Call Turks &

Caicos - Exciting, modern
and affordable - the perfect
combination for a Caribbean
vacation. PAGE 29
Rincon Beach Resort Fourstar boutique hotel with an
ocean view, in a corner of
Puerto Ricos west coast,
Porta del Sol. PAGE 71

Westin St. John Resort &

Villas U.S. Virgin Islands
PAGE 64

CENTRAL AMERICA
Barefoot Cay Bay Islands,
Western Caribbean PAGE 6

10. SunBreeze Suites A perfect

PAGE 71

5.

Royal West Indies Turks &

Caicos A luxurious beachfront hotel resort nestled on
the shores of world famous
Grace Bay Beach in the Turks
and Caicos Islands. PAGE 29

11.

MEXICO
14. Palladium Hotels & Resorts

Five-Star all-inclusive
accommodations on some of
the worlds finest beaches.
Perfect for a honeymoon or
family vacation. PAGE 76
SOUTH PACIFIC
15. Fiji Tourism 333 exotic

islands to satisfy your quest

for privacy, relaxation,
adventure and cultural interaction. PAGE 17

vacation getaway conveniently located within a stroll

from the quaint town of San
Pedro Belize on Amergris
Caye, Belize. PAGE 69

16. Tahiti Tourism Plan your

Utopia Village Utila Utila

Bay Islands of Honduras.

17. Paul Gauguin Cruises

PAGE 6

FLORIDA
12. Little Palm Island Exclusive

Private Island resort. The

Florida Keys most romantic
weddings and honeymoon
destination. PAGE 9
HAWAII
13. Kauai Visitors Bureau From

endless beaches to green

valleys, discover Kauai.
Request a free travel planner
today. PAGE 21

Tahiti vacation, search special

offers and learn about Tahiti,
Bora Bora and Moorea. PAGE 7
CRUISE/YACHT VACATIONS
Comfort and luxury, with
spacious suites and staterooms, water sports and an
atmosphere of warmth and
informality. PAGE 13

20. Thrifty Car Rental Get out

and have some fun!

PAGE 20

MULTIPLE ISLANDS
21. Dreams Resorts & Spas

Offers couples and couples

with children UnlimitedLuxury. Cancun, Tulum, Los
Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and
Punta Cana. PAGE 25
22. Paradisus Resorts A world

class family experience in

the worlds most luxurious
all-inclusive surroundings.
PAGE 15

23. Sandals Resorts - Jamaica,

Antigua, St. Lucia & the

Bahamas - Voted the worlds
best all-inclusive resorts for
over a decade. PAGE 2-3
VACATION RENTALS
24. Antigua Village Beach Resort

Antigua PAGE 72
25. Caribbean Villas and Resort

Multiple Islands PAGE 72

18. Star Clippers Star Clippers

three tall ships offer passengers the activities, amenities

and atmosphere of a private
yacht. PAGE 5

26. Catered To...Vacation Homes

St. John, USVI PAGE 72

27. Cayo Espanto Belize PAGE 72

MISCELLANEOUS
19. PADI Vacations end, but

diving is forever. PAGE 27

DECEMBER

ISLANDS 67

HOW TO

COLD PLAYS
The instruments at this Ice
Music Festival in Norway
are exactly what you think.
Theyre made of ice from the
nearby Holmevatnet Islands.
Listen: islands.com/icemusic

ICE CELLO

FIND

THE SECRET TO HAPP ...

BY ROBERT STEPHENS

WHERE:

THE GRENADINES
MOOD SWINGS

T H E D I S C OV E R Y :

It has a lot to live up to, Happy Island.

ICE MARIMBA

Musical accidents are different

here. When one of the marimbas 18
keys breaks, the percussionist asks
for a doctor in the house. Its all
temporary anyway. Festival founder
Terje Isungset will drink any melted
parts when the event is over.

ICE HARP

A sickening crack is heard. A beautiIXOKDUSKDVH[SORGHG6FXOSWRU%LOO

Covitz, who makes the pilgrimage
from Connecticut to Norway, will
spend the next 12 hours fabricating a
smaller version to cap a festival full of
chilling sagas. Iris Brooks

68 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

Built on a heap of bright conch shells.

Powered by playful windmills. Space
only for a sand pit and a rum bar. Tires
around its borders, making the entire
island ready for a game of bumper cars.
And lording over it all, a man with a
story. Perhaps a smile too.
First understand that a dog could
swim to Happiness from Union Island
less than half a mile away, but otherwise
this handmade escape is accessible only
by boat. Our tender from the tall ship
Mandalay approaches with 18 passengers
one afternoon, long before happy hour
officially begins everywhere else. The
reggae music stops and a voice blares
through loudspeakers: Welcome to
Happy Island! You will find this is
I cant understand the rest of the
intro, which is lost in the sea breeze.
Theres a one-drink minimum requirement, a fair cover charge for access
onto a private Caribbean island. I wait
for the 17 others to order so I can spend

a little quality time with Janti, Happy

Islands builder, bartender, governor of
pleasure and press secretary. We start
with the Grenadines version of small talk.
Is that Jack Iron in my rum punch?
I ask, referring to the flammable liquor
made on nearby Carriacou. Janti looks
down at my notepad and then stares up
at me, without a word, without a smile.
The windmill overhead turns faster, as if
trying to usher in a better vibe.
So, I say, pretending the first 10 seconds never happened. Conch shells, huh?
You wont get this right, Janti says.
Probably not, I admit. Three sips
into my punch and Happy Island is already starting to sway. But lets try.
Janti leans forward on his elbows. His
eyes dont budge from my nose. I make
a show of putting the pen away, like a
criminal giving up his gun. Happy? I
say. Janti isnt feeling me.
Im Mister Happy, he rumbles.
Theres nobody like me. Anywhere.
Like you? No, of course not um,
Happy Island was built as a sanctuary from
stress, mother countries and the media.

ISLANDS MADE OF REEDS ARE HOME TO THE UROS PEOPLE ON LAKE TITICACA.

TOP: JON WHITTLE; INSTRUMENTS: JON H. DAVIS & IRIS BROOKS/NORTHERN LIGHTS STUDIO (3)

The gloved cellist performs on an

instrument carved three years ago
(he stores the cello in a freezer). He
SOD\V%DFK+HLVDSSODXGHG$QG
then he shocks everyone by smashing the cello on stage, Jimi Hendrix
style. It gives me the shivers.

what exactly do you mean?

Janti, from now on known as my good
friend Mr. Happy, stands up straight and
lets out a long breathy groan. I have will.
I hauled these conch shells from garbage
piles, with just a boat and my hands.
These hands. I made the island. It is not
ruled by the mother country.
All I can come up with is, OK.
Mr. Happy stares hot cinders into my
pupils again. You arent getting this.
Help me out here. What mother
country are we talking about?
All of them. Britain. Grenada. The
U.S. Carriacou.
Carriacou? I ask because I really do
want to get this, but Carriacou is slightly
bigger than my nieces schoolyard.
All are mother countries. They guide
mens ideas. I am guided only by nature.
I can see that. The labor its taken
to build an island in the Caribbean is
incomprehensible, no matter how big it
is. The clearest tangible evidence of the
work involved comes from the size of Mr.
Happys shoulders. Around them, behind
the bar, I notice a
SEE IT
room. Do you live
WITH US
back there?
Were visiting
His eyes grow
Happy Island
wider, his cheeks
during a cruise
puffier. I resist the
with Sail Windurge to tell him that
jammer in May.
he reminds me of
Book a cabin:
Whoopi Goldberg.
islands.com/ioa
Thats private. I
will tell you this: One day I will have an
Olympic team. This I want to hear. But
he never quite gets on a roll. His suspicion wont allow it. Youll twist this all
around and make money.
It doesnt work that way, Mr. Happy.
Youre from the U.S., he says. You
come with a gold spoon in your mouth.
Thats just a catchy phrase. You dont
know my story any more than I know
yours. Id love a Happy Island. You got
space for me and my family?
Mr. Happy looks away for a moment.
And for the first time in 15 minutes his
face matches his name. OK, what else
do you want to know?
Lets leave it at that. I think we finally
understand each other.
He laughs out loud and reaches for a
bottle. You need more rum, he says.
No thanks, I say and reach for my
wallet. I couldnt be happier.
win trips islands.com/newsletter

bask in warm sun, dive & snorkel the coral reefs, wake up to sunrise,
swim in the clear blue waters of the Caribbean, explore the caves,
discover Maya ruins, zip line through the rainforest

Feel the charm of this multi-cultural Island, San Pedro Ambergris Caye,
with the comfort and conveniences of SunBreeze Hotel or SunBreeze Suites.
Both properties are conveniently located in town and offer modern amenities
combined with Caribbean charm. Choose from the self-catering, seafront
SunBreeze Suites boasting 20 fully equipped units with living, dining room,
kitchen and private balcony, or SunBreeze Hotel with 43 rooms featuring
partial ocean and garden views.

www.sunbreeze.net | EMAIL: sunbreeze@btl.net | TOLL FREE: 1-800-688-0191

www.sunbreezesuites.com | EMAIL: sunbreezesuites@btl.net | TOLL FREE: 1-800-820-1631

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SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Luxury
Living
Puerto Rico embraces the
special touches to make
your vacation stand out.

A VISIT TO PUERTO RICO BEGINS WITH

beautiful white-sand beaches and an abundance of natural and historic attractions. Add
in world-class accommodations, top-notch cuisine and superior service, and your stay on the
tropical Caribbean island just became exactly
what youre looking for: pampering luxury.
Getting to Puerto Rico adds to the experience because its so easy: Since its part of the
United States, no passport is required for U.S.
citizens. With more than 400 weekly nonstop
ights from the States, you can start your relaxation with no stress.
Once you are on the island, resort concierges
can assist with creating the vacation you want.
Arrange for a private guide to take you on a
walking tour of Old San Juan, the second-oldest settlement in the Western Hemisphere, to
see the citys museums, art galleries, shops
and the famed Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a

16th-century citadel and United Nations World

Heritage Site.
Play golf, snorkel or surf within San Juan or
in the southern, eastern or western parts of the
island. Hike through El Yunque rainforest or
simply lie on the beach, sipping a pia colada
and taking in the near constant sunshine.
Where you stay in Puerto Rico will help create the luxury experience you desire.
One San Juan choice is the Caribe Hilton and
Condado Lagoon villas at Caribe Hilton, located
on a secluded peninsula with 17 acres of lush
tropical gardens. The Condado Lagoon Villas

offer studios, as well as one- or two-bedroom

luxury accommodations, all with private terraces and spectacular views, kitchenettes
and fully equipped kitchens when extra space
and amenities are what you crave. Mortons
Steakhouse and the 12,000-square-foot Olas
Spa & Health Club are among the on-site pampering options. caribehilton.com
El San Juan Resort & Casino, A Hilton Hotel
also provides luxury options like dining in Meat
Market Miami and the Edouard de Paris Day
Salon & Spa. Spend days enjoying Puerto Ricos
spectacular sun on the resorts two miles of pristine beach, with loungers, cabanas and towel
service, or at the Olympic pool or adult-oriented
Fantasy Pool Area. elsanjuanresort.com
Special touches at The Condado Plaza Hilton
start with panoramic water views of the Atlantic
Ocean and Condado Lagoon and continue
with ne dining at the award-wining Pikayo,
the agship restaurant from Puerto Ricos own
chef Wilo Benet. Spend time in the islands only
saltwater pool (one of three at the property),
along the private beach, or snorkeling right off
the propertys articial reef. condadoplaza.com
Outside San Juan in the southern part of
the island, the oceanfront Hilton Ponce Golf &
Casino Resort in Ponce is a retreat with its own
27-hole championship golf course, designed
by Bruce Bessy. When youre done challenging
the greens, dine at the award-wining La Cava
Restaurant. hiltonponceresort.com
A world of its own 31 miles east of San Juan,
El Conquistador Resort and Las Casitas Village,
A Waldorf Astoria Resort is located on a cliff top
above the sea and spread over 500 acres. It
too boasts its own golf course, an Arthur Hills
design, as well as the 26,000-square-foot
Waldorf Astoria Spa. Luxurious days here can
also be spent on the resorts private 100-acre

Culebra Caribbean Chic

Boutique Hotel,
Bar & Restaurant
Culebra Island, PR
(787)742-3169
www.clubseabourne.com

Palomino Island enjoying water sports, hiking

or horseback riding. Indulge in the services of
a butler with a stay in one of Las Casitas villas. elconresort.com
Head to the west coast and the 112-room
oceanfront Rincon Beach Resort on the Bay

of Aasco for a true escape at the boutique

property. Opt for one of the spacious oneor two-bedroom condo villas at this serene
oceanfront resort and make this a homeaway-from-home retreat. An innity freeform
swimming pool and Jacuzzi overlook the

Caribbean Sea when youre not at the beach.

Brasas Restaurant features Caribbean cuisine
and an extensive wine list. Make your stay on
the west coast memorable with excursions
to the remote Desecheo Island, diving off La
Parguera or observing nesting leatherback turtles on the resorts coast. rinconbeach.com
Another low-key getaway is Club Seabourne
Boutique Hotel on secluded Culebra Island,
located 17 miles off the east coast of Puerto
Rico. The intimate mini-resort boasts only 12
contemporary Caribbean-style villas, set on
the shores of Fulladoza Bay in the hillsides of
Culebra Island. Chef Gio Yovovich creates new
dishes Thursday through Sunday evenings at
the resorts Gio Gastro Bar. While on-site, swim
in the resort pool and lie in a hammock in
the gardens. Explore the islands magnicent
beaches, waters and snorkeling spots, and take
advantage of the resorts kayaks and bicycles
available for your use. clubseabourne.com
Turn your luxury dreams into reality by visiting prhta.org or seepuertorico.com for more
information on Puerto Rico. 9

LuxuryVILLAS

BELIZE

CAYO ESPANTO A PRIVATE ISLAND

Our ve-star, world-class Belize resort is for the discriminating

few who demand the best life has to offer. 888-666-4282 aprivateisland.com

ST. JOHN, USVI

CATERED TO VACATION HOMES

Our private homes are beautifully furnished and
landscaped, all with spectacular deck views and
most with pools or spas. cateredto.com

ST. JOHN, USVI

ANTIGUA

CARIBBEAN VILLAS & RESORTS OF ST. JOHN Introducing The Taylor House in Peter Bay,

ANTIGUA VILLAGE Personally styled, luxury

beachfront villas and condos set in lush tropical
gardens on one of the most beautiful and famous
beaches on Antigua. antiguavillage.net

a beautiful new addition to our impressive portfolio of 100 plus villas and condos on St. John.
Youve got friends on the island, since 1990. 800 338-0987 Caribbeanvilla.com
72 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

W H AT N O B O D Y T E L L S Y O U A B O U T ...
The Santai (Amed , Bali)

ITS A LONG HAUL

FAV O R I T E M O M E N T

AN EYE-OPENER

The stopwatch on my
phone read 39 hours, 7
minutes, after flying from
L.A. to Hong Kong to
Denpasar. Then came a
three-hour ride to Amed
among swarms of passing scooters. From the
chaos came the payoff: an
ocean-facing bungalow.

YEP, I GOT LOST

ON MY SCOOTER
SOMEWHERE
AMONG RICE
TERRACES AND
WINDING ROADS.
IT WAS A BL AST.

For the best beach scene,

rise before the sun and
look down the coast.
Under darkness fishermen
slip their narrow wooden
boats into the water. By
the time first light appears
hundreds of colorful boats
are heading out to catch
lunch: maybe yours.

STORY AND PHOTO BY ZACH STOVALL

ISLANDS, VOL. 34, NO. 8, DECEMBER 2014 (ISSN 0745-7847), is published 8 times a year (Jan./Feb., March, April/May, June, July/Aug., Sept./Oct., Nov., Dec.) by Bonnier Corporation, P.O. Box 8500, Winter Park, FL 32790; 407-628-4802. One year (8 issues) $24
in the U.S. For Canada, add $9 for postage per year. All other countries add $18. Copyright 2014 by Bonnier Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the written consent of Bonnier Corporation. Periodicals postage paid at Winter Park, FL, and at additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ISLANDS, P.O. Box 6364, Harlan, IA 51593. Printed in USA. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NUMBER 40612608 CANADA RETURN MAIL: IMEX, P.O. Box 25542, London, Ontario N6C 6B2

74 ISLANDS

DECEMBER

PREPARING A MEAL, SERVING A MEMORY.

THATS CAYMANKIND.

A WORLD AWAY. JUST ONE HOUR FROM MIAMI.

WWW.CAYMANISLANDS.KY