Winter Getaways 2019

Winter Getaways 2019

This morning I had the privilege of talking with Sheila Gray at Local 12 News about winter travel ideas. This is the perfect time to plan a getaway and escape the cold! We talked about four categories: Bargain, Family, Off-The-Beaten-Path and Go Big. No matter what your style or budget there is a great getaway for you!


Click the link to view the segment. For booking info check out www.lovelandandsea.com.


Good Morning Cincinnati News Segment 

Bargain Travel 

The Bahamas - There are great specials available to get people back to the islands after the hurricane. Most islands in The Bahamas (14) are completely open for business. The islands that were affected can use our support. By traveling to the Bahamas we are supporting the economy and keeping people employed in the tourism industry. 

Family Travel

Take a Caribbean Cruise on the Brand New Norwegian Encore. The ship is perfect for families!  They offer go carts, laser tag with augmented reality, virtual reality games, an aqua park and kids club. 

For adults they offer a spa with a snow room and salt room, casino and Broadway-Style entertainment. October is a great time to book with many special offers including free drinks packages and free airfare. 

https://www.ncl.com/cruise/norwegian-encore/activities

Off The Beaten Path

Merida, Mexico. Conde Nast Magazine just named Merida the "Best Small City in the World, 2019." They offer charming walk-able streets, rich culture and friendly people.  I visited over the summer and fell in love! You can also check out Mayan ruins nearby. 

Photos from my recent trip are here:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/LoveLandandSea/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2462555150435462

Go Big

The Galapagos. Winter is the wet/warm season so it's perfect for those who want to snorkel and see animals such as marine iguanas, green sea turtles, and penguins. Land and Cruise options available. This destination is part of my Animal Adventures Collection. 

Akumal Turtle Snorkeling

If you have ever read my blog before you know that I love animals. Every time I travel I seek out the local wildlife and look for excursions that will feed my soul.

On my last visit to Mexico I decided to check out a snorkeling excursion. I only book tours where animals are in their natural habitat and not in captivity. I'ts very important to me that the animals I am seeing are not exploited, but protected and truly admired. I also only book with reputable companies whom I can trust for my personal travel as well as for my clients' travel.

Jose, from Surfing on the Road Tours suggested the Akumal Turtle Excursion. It was the perfect suggestion for my mother and I who were traveling together.

Juan picked us up right on time from our hotel. It was so nice not to have to worry about getting to and from the tour location. The ride was comfortable and air conditioned and Juan was just amazing! He was very friendly and spoke English very well (and even spoke some French!) Despite my efforts my Spanish is still very much lacking so it was nice to have someone who was so fluent.

We arrived to Akumal and met with the local turtle guide, Ruben from Wild Ak Tours.  He explained how the area is now protected and only a certain number of people can visit per day. He also talked about the rules and how a  minimum impact on the ocean life and environment was important.

When we got in the water I noticed that there was another tour company with a large group of people. I was so happy that this private tour only had myself, my mom, Juan and Ruben. It made the whole experience so much better. The large group seemed to all be fighting for their turns to see the turtles and I think they probably scared some away. Having just the 4 of us in the water made this tour magical and special.

I was a little concerned that my mother (65 years old) who had never snorkeled before might have a hard time, but Ruben gave her a float and offered to pull her along when needed. It was so nice!

I was expecting to maybe see a turtle or two. I was shocked and delighted when we saw three turtles within the first 5 minutes of swimming! Not only that but we saw stingrays, and fish right in front of us and below us. The turtles were literally right below us as we swam and I could watch as they munched on sea grass and swam to the surface for a breath of air.

This was by far one of the best experiences I have ever had. I honestly think that I wouldn't have felt the same way if I was with a large group. If you are considering this tour book the private option with Surfing on the Road. It's worth every penny and you will remember this forever.

**Photos and videos are courtesy of Surfing on the Road Tours

For booking details, visit my website at www.lovelandandsea.com 

Resort Review - Sandos Caracol Eco Resort

Sandos Caracol, in Playacar, Mexico is a wonderfully unique place. A few weeks ago I was able to stay there and take a tour of this beautiful all-inclusive eco resort. I instantly fell in love.

This is such a multi-dimensional place and each aspect comes together in perfect harmony. The best way to explain what they offer is just breaking it down.

Accommodations

Sandos Caracol offers a Family Section, Adults-Only Select Club and The Royal Elite Section. I stayed in the Select Club and was very happy. My room  was located near the main lobby and also close to the Select Club pool and reception area. The Select Club has a private restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and became one of my favorite spots (more on that later).

The Royal Elite rooms offer a close proximity to the beach and pool, as well as VIP service and a private restaurant.

Family Suites are sprinkled in the middle section so again, be prepared to walk a little bit to reach the beach and main pool. There are golf cart shuttles that come around and will take you across the resort if needed, so it's not a big deal to be further back on the property. Plus, the grounds are so beautiful the walk is enjoyable!

Pools & Beach 

The adults-only pool was quiet, calm and relaxing. Very nice for couples on a honeymoon. The only downside is that these rooms are a little walk from the beach area and the main entertainment plaza.

The main pool was located near the beach and that's where you will find the activities, water sports and nearby dining options.

The beach has gentle waves, not as much seaweed as several other resorts in the area this time of year and is only rocky on one side. If you walk the beach you will find the perfect spot to walk in!

There is an adults only section and Royal Elite section on the beach too, which offers some exclusivity.

Dining 

There were plenty of places to eat at Sandos Caracol. From an international buffet, to Italian and Mexican buffets there were plenty of choices. In addition, the A La Carte options were amazing. My favorite was the vegetarian restaurant, called Salvia. They have recently been discussing more vegan options there too which is very exciting!

Other dining options were with Teppanyaki, Brazilian, Mediterranean, Italian and a Steak & Fish place. I didn't have anything bad to eat the whole time. I will also mention that in the past I have been to all-inclusive resorts where the desserts look beautiful but have no taste.. not true here. They were all amazing. I think it may have to do with everything being made on site.

There is also a snack place open 24 hours so there is always something to eat. I didn't try the food there (except one evening when I grabbed a quick ice cream cone)!

 The bars were all great. They have a list of drinks they can make for you as resort specialties, but they are skilled bartenders and will make any other drink you request as well. I was very impressed with the bar service and quality of the drinks.

Activities/Entertainment

This is where Sandos Caracol really excels. Sure, there are plenty of resorts in the Riviera Maya. They all offer entertainment, water sports, land sports, etc. What you get at Sandos Caracol is that - plus MUCH more. They are called an Eco Resort for a reason.

Wildlife

Walking around you can spot several types of birds, turtles, coatis, iguanas all over, racoons and spider monkeys. The best part of my trip was when I was eating breakfast at the Select Club and four spider monkeys came down from the trees to grab bananas. They were hanging around eating their breakfast while everyone took pictures. They had no fear of us, but kept their distance too. It was such an amazing experience to be so close to nature.

I was very impressed that the resort respects nature and wildlife and leaves the animals alone in their natural habitat.

Nature

This place was built around the jungle. They didn't knock everything down to make room for the resort. Instead, they built around cenotes, trees, Mayan ruins and lagoons.

Our guide showed us different trees and explained the stories that the Mayas told about them. He also showed us the ruins that are on site and did a sensory experience with our group that was really cool.

What makes this place so unique is that you can explore the jungle (on foot or on provided bikes), swim in a cenote, view wildlife, get immersed in Mayan history and culture, yet still have all of the comforts and benefits of an all-inclusive beach resort at the same time.

Culture

The resort has entertainment every night and a huge focus is the Mayan culture. You can watch fire shows and ceremonies and participate in a survival game too. It's great for the whole family. For something romantic, couples can take a private boat ride in the Jade river.

Kids

For kids, there is a nice water park with slides and pools as well as a kids program with a full schedule each day to keep kids busy and happy the whole trip.

I'm already planning my next trip back. I will be recommending Sandos Caracol to my clients for sure! For more photos visit facebook.com/LoveLandandSea

For booking info contact beth@lovelandandsea.com

Resort Review - Sandos Playacar - Mexico

Sandos Playacar Beach Experience -  Mexico


A couple weeks ago I was able to tour and stay at all three of the Sandos resorts in the Cancun area. The first one I stayed at was Sandos Playacar Beach Resort. It's all in the name. this is a true beach experience. This resort had a fantastic long stretch of sandy white beach with clear water and gentle waves rolling in.

Cancun beaches typically have a lot of sea grass this time of year, and this year in particular it's been pretty bad. Sandos was on top of it! They worked hard day and night keeping it cleaned up. What I liked most about this beach is that it was truly walk-able. The resort sits at the end of the strip of hotels in this area,  so I was able to take a very long walk down nothing but beach.

Large Beach Area

Sunrise 

The resort is only a few miles to Playa del Carmen, where you will find fifth avenue, a charming street with shops and restaurants. A short cab ride will take you right there. For those wanting to stay inside the resort for their stay, there's no need to worry about running out of things to do.

Beach at Sandos Playacar

Dining

I arrived at the resort just in time for dinner. Our group met at Riviera Maya, the Mexican restaurant at Sandos Playacar. This restaurant provided authentic Mexican dishes with seafood options. I only had dessert here but everyone at the table seemed very happy with their dishes.

The next night I had an amazing Vegetarian Lasagna from the Italian Restaurant, El Pimonte. I could have eaten 10 more (although the serving size was quite big) it was just that good.

In addition to Italian and Mexican dining options Sandos Playacar offers Asiana, with oriental cuisine, Blue Moon, a casual beach side sandwich shop, El Gaucho (steak house), Fogo de Janeiro (Brazilian), Iztapalapa for Mediterranean specialties, Le Gourmet (French) and the International Buffet. For those staying in the Sandos Select rooms, there is an additional breakfast buffet located in the Select Club. The newest restaurant is Chayita Mexican Grill. I had lunch here on  my second day and it was set up just like Chipotle. I had a burrito bowl and it was fantastic. The hot salsa was a little hotter than Chipotle's so keep that in mind. Sandos Playacar also offers 24 hour room service.

Chayita Mexican Grill

One of my favorite spots at this resort was the Cupcake Cafe. This cute little shop was full of pastries, gourmet cupcakes and coffee drinks. For travelers who need their morning latte or afternoon frap this place is heaven. The best part, of course, is that it's all included. No additional costs for any of the dining here.

There was so much to do here. I would have needed several more days to experience it all. From beach activities like  snorkeling, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing to land sports (Biking, walking, billiards, ping-pong, chess, tennis, mini golf) There was something for everyone. Teens will especially love this place. The teens area offered plenty of activities and the entertainment team here is top notch!

I was able to see the Madonna show and it was fantastic. A tribute to all of her music with fun dancing and great visual effects.

Fantastic Entertainment

If you are traveling as a couple I highly recommend the Select Club. Access to the adults-only pool and beach area is a huge benefit, along with private check in. Families will love this whole property. There is so much to do for kids and teens (not to mention the adults) that everyone will be happy! The Royal Elite Haciendas on this property are ideal for large families who want VIP treatment and a semi-private pool.

I also found this to be a great place for weddings. Brides and grooms are able to choose from a beautiful garden location or a breathtaking beach spot. There are plenty of benefits to having a destination wedding here too, including a current special where you can get a free room when you book 7 rooms.

Garden area for weddings

I will be recommending this resort to my travel clients for sure and I will be back here in the future! For more details or a quote contact beth@lovelandandsea.com. For a full album of photos check out my Facebook page 

Swimming with the Whale Sharks

I suppose it's fitting that I write this post during "shark week," even though this particular encounter has been on my mind for several years now. Since I first saw footage of someone swimming next to a whale shark I knew that I wanted to swim alongside one myself.

It was one of those things that stayed in a little corner of my mind, labeled "some day." I spoke of it a few times when others would discuss ocean adventures, dreams and bucket list items.

I learned of the places where people can experience these creatures.  The Philippines, Seychelles, Galapagos, Belize, Australia, Mozambique, Maldives, Thailand and Isla Mujeres Mexico. As much I would like to (and intend to) travel to every place on the list, I knew that realistically Mexico was my best bet to make it happen.

A few months ago I was contacted about a travel agent trip taking place in late June in the Cancun area, and I knew that it was my time. Whale shark season was in full force in June and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to experience these amazing creatures.

I did some research online and chose to book a tour with Mexico Whale Shark http://www.mexicowhaleshark.com/

I liked the fact that their rate was inclusive of the resort transfers and food and drinks on board.

My driver, Juan, picked me up from my hotel lobby in the Riviera Maya. He was right on time, 6:50 A.M. We talked the whole way to the next resort, where he filled up the van with a group. Everyone was very excited as we made our way to the marina near Cancun.

The marina was a private little dock with an outdoor restaurant. We were offered complimentary continental-style breakfast, coffee and juice. We were briefed on the safety procedures and reminded that this is wildlife, and not a zoo.  It may take some time to find the whales. He said the initial trip out to sea would be about an hour.

We loaded into 2 boats since our group was large. They allow up to 10 people per boat to meet regulations and we were all required to wear our life jackets while on board. As we set off I just thought to myself how amazing it was and how lucky I was to be on my way to experience whale sharks.

We were going pretty quickly when all of the sudden the boat stopped and everyone became quiet. I knew we were too close to be near the whale sharks. Jimmy, the first mate and whale shark guide yelled out, " Dolphins!"

We all went to the side of the boat to watch as three dolphins swam around and jumped in and out of the water. What an amazing thing to see. After a few moments Archie, our Captain, started the engine back up and we were on our way. We saw a flying fish but did not encounter any manta rays as some others have seen during this tour.

Finally, we get to the spot. I had lost track of time but my guess is it was about 50 minutes. The engine stopped and we saw a few boats stopped as well behind us. The boats all formed a circle and you could see the captains and first mates of all of the boats looking around for signs of a whale shark in the water.

Jimmy had the first set of swimmers ready to go. They had their snorkels and masks on and their fins were secured. They sat on the edge of the boat and Jimmy held the back of their life jackets so they wouldn't fall in as the boat rocked back and forth. Finally, we heard Archie say Go! Go! Go! as the boat moved forward.  The two swimmers jumped into the water with Jimmy and swam alongside the whale shark.

A few minutes later they were back on the boat,with huge smiles. "Amazing." "Incredible." were the words I heard from the other side of the boat. Now the next two prepared and waited for the next shark to be spotted. There were a few times when it was called out, "whale shark!" but the boats that were in the circle would all take turns sending in their swimmers and we had to wait until it was our turn again.


We went through this process over and over until it seemed the whale sharks were no longer coming to the surface. Archie decided to go to a different spot in the ocean.

At this point there were four people on the boat who were already seasick. It seems the worst part is when the boat is not moving, but just rocking in the sea. Two of them were physically throwing up over the side and the other two were just lying down trying to feel better. When the boat started moving again they were relieved and started to feel better.

We stopped at the new location and it was my turn. Kristen, a girl I met on board was sitting next to me on the edge of the boat. She grabbed my hand before we jumped in.  It took a few seconds to catch my breath. I swam as fast as I could to catch up with the whale shark. I came within a few feet of the back end of this huge fish... and saw his tail move side to side. It was incredible to be so close to this animal in the wild.

The whale shark moved on and we climbed back into the boat. Jimmy asked who wanted to go again. Of course, I did. Kristen did too. We got on the edge of the boat and waited for the next whale shark to be spotted.

This time, Jimmy grabbed my hand and pulled me so we could get ahead of the whale shark. I saw it swimming right towards me with it's huge mouth slightly opened. That was when I felt it. The first experience was amazing, but this was life-changing. I watched as the entire creature swam right past me. I was close enough to touch it, but followed the rules and resisted temptation. Just those few moments made it worth the wait.  Not just the hours on the boat that day, but the years that I was waiting to experience this.

On the way back everyone was much more relaxed. We listened to music and everyone ate sandwiches, homemade ceviche, chips and fruit. Since I don't eat meat I just had the chips and fruit but everyone on the boat said the food was very good. I would recommend this tour company to anyone who wants to experience this.

Me & Jimmy 

Some advice:

1. If you tend to get sea sick make sure you take something before the trip and bring extra with you.

2. Only wear biodegradable sunscreen. You can't wear regular sunscreens into the protected areas of the ocean and they are bad for the environment.

3. Eat something before the tour, but not too much. Even if you don't usually get sea sick the water can be choppy at times and you don't want an empty (or too-full stomach)

Questions or comments? Want to book your trip to Mexico? Contact beth@lovelandandsea.com