Vacationing in Jamaica

March 4th, 2010

Some of the unique things about Jamaica in comparison to other islands in the Caribbean are that it is bigger and more complicated. It is country that is like any other country, but it has some of the best beaches in the entire Caribbean. Not only that is has spectacular mountains, the bustling city of Kingston, and green hills and valleys that give the feel of being in England. It is a country with a lot of personality and offers more to its visitors than just beaches and partying.

However, Jamaica does have beautiful scenery and beaches, and is an outdoor- lover’s paradise. Negril, which is west of Montego Bay, offers seven miles of bars and restaurants to keep you entertained for a long time. If you go farther west you will come to Treasure Beach. It is small, but still beautiful and entertaining. However, the most beautiful beach in Jamaica could possibly be Frenchman’s Cove, which is located on the north coast. It is a curved stretch of sand that is surrounded by high, jungle-covered hills. It has a clear, freshwater river running beside it that empties into the sea. The Blue Lagoon, which is located in the east close to Port Antonio, has a mixture of warm ocean water and cold water coming from a mineral spring. It may be the best place to swim in Jamaica. On the north coast of the island, you can climb up Dunn’s River Falls, but if you just want to relax you can ride a raft down the Rio Grande near Port Antonio.

All- Inclusive Jamaican Vacation Package

March 3rd, 2010

If you’re looking for a Jamaican vacation package deal, look no further than the all inclusive Shaw Park Beach Hotel. This is an all inclusive Jamaican resort located on a private beach. Most of the amenities and activities at this hotel are included in the room rate. Guests are not charged extra for meals, drinks, activities, gratuities, or the use of land and non-motorized water-sports equipment.

Food and beverages that are included are breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. Also included are unlimited domestic and international drinks at all the bars, and room-service for food and drinks from 7:30 AM to 9 PM, and taxes and gratuities. Things that aren’t included are a five dollar room-service delivery charge, dinner at the Palm Room restaurant, premium-brand liquor, wine and champagne by the bottle, and gift-shop snacks and drinks.

The all-inclusive water sport activities and equipment that is included are kayaks, snorkeling gear, sunfish sailboats, and introductory scuba-diving lessons in the pool. Activities that aren’t included are motorized water sports, scuba-diving and snorkeling trips, and rafting on White River. All inclusive land sports include beach volleyball, ping-pong, shuffleboard, fitness center use, and sailing lessons.

All-inclusive entertainment and nightlife includes nightly live music on an outdoor stage, and nightly dancing at Silks Disco. When you get to this location you can expect peace and isolation from other resorts. You can enjoy the view of the ocean, polished wood floors, Asian rugs, Queen Anne-style furniture, plants, flowers, and Jamaican wood carvings. Prices begin at $552 for four-night air and hotel based on double occupancy.

Jamaican Vacation Package

March 2nd, 2010

If you’re looking to book a Jamaican vacation package, you might want to consider Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica. This is an all-inclusive hotel that provides a complimentary buffet breakfast. Airport transportation is available for a charge. The hotel is home to five restaurants, three pools, and five bars, one of which is a swim-up bar. There is also a Jamaican-style shopping and entertainment center at the entrance to the hotel called Pueblo Principe. Spas are available at this location and the hotel also has a kids’ club that provides activities for kids and supervision. Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica also provides a business center, large and small meeting rooms, currency exchange, and a fitness center is on location. If this isn’t enough, there is also a spa tub, sauna, and steam room and the hotel beach is private.

Other amenities include: pool tables, Coffee shop or café, doorman, beauty services, barbecue grills, coffee in the lobby, air-conditioned public areas, elevator, laundry provisions, massages, medical assistance, and nightclub. There are four floors at this hotel and 757 rooms. Rooms have patios and parking is free. Wedding services and room service is also available.

Room at the Gran Bahia Principe Jamaica have furnished balconies, sitting areas with sofa beds, internet access, safes, minibars, hair dryers, and cable and pay movies. Wake-up calls are available and rooms have ceiling fans, windows, air conditioning and complimentary bottled water. Other room amenities include housekeeping, satellite television service, desk, infant beds, makeup/shaving mirror, and a sewing kit. Prices begin at $750 for four night air and hotel.

Golf in Wickenburg, Arizona

March 1st, 2010

If you’re looking for a beautiful and affordable place to take a winter golf vacation, then look no further than Wickenburg, Arizona. The Wickenburg Country Club is a semi-private, eighteen-hole golf course with a green fee of fifty dollars. It is located on Country Club Drive in Wickenburg, Arizona.

The golf course can be very challenging, but regular golfers there say it is fun to play. All the greens are slightly raised, and there are not water hazards on this golf course. The land is mostly hilly, and there are a number of large trees that can make some shots more challenging. Five of the holes were redone by Jack Snyder in 1963. There are additional tees that you can use when you’re playing an eighteen hole round.

This golf course at Wickenburg Country Club was built in 1950 by designers William F. Bell and William P. Bell. The greens consist of Bermuda grass, and the fairways are made of Winter Rye grass. There are not water hazards and eleven to twenty sand bunkers. The course also provides 100, 150, and 200 yard yardage markers.

The course doesn’t have a driving range on site, but it does have a putting green, chipping area, and Dave Desarmeaux serves as the professional teacher. The course provides rental clubs and pullcarts and there are no homes located on the course. There is also food and a bar available on site. So, if you’re looking for a fun place to play golf when you’re in the Wickenburg, Arizona area, you should swing by.

Arizona Winter Golf Locations

February 26th, 2010

If you’ve never taken a winter golf vacation in Arizona, here is some information that might help. You might just find that an Arizona golf vacation is exactly what you’re looking for. If you want a winter golf package that you will never forget, you don’t have to look any farther than Arizona. The state is packed full of winter golf destinations, and is home to spectacular golf courses, great weather year-round, and luxurious resorts. Arizona boasts some of the best golfing destinations in the United States.

A great winter golf package is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. It starts from $1225/person, and you must book it by March 30th, 2010. It includes three nights double occupancy in a Fairmont room at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, one round of golf at the TPC Stadium Course, one round at the Grayhawk Raptor Course, rental of a Hertz mid-size car for four days, and resort taxes and fees.

Another winter golf package is at the Arizona Biltmore Resort located in Phoenix. It includes a Garden or Mountain View resort room, three nights in a room with two rounds of golf at the Biltmore Country Club, seven nights in a room and four rounds of golf at the Biltmore Golf Courses, green fee and cart, and a Hertz rental car.

Last on this list of winter golf packages to Arizona is The Wigwam Resort Golf Package located in Litchfield Park. The prices range from $549 and include Traditional Garden Casita accommodations.

Winter Golf in Wickenburg, Arizona

February 25th, 2010

If you’re thinking about taking a winter golf vacation, you may want to consider going to Rancho de los Caballeros. It is a well-known guest ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona. People have been visiting the ranch for more than fifty years to enjoy golf, riding, great food, and nice weather. Guests can also relax in the recently added spa.

The low season at the ranch is from December 20th to April 20th and April 21st to May 10th. Costs begin at $400 for a double occupancy and include three meals a day. The high season is from December 20th to April 20th. Prices during this time are $462 for a double occupancy on a double Ranch Room and $616 for a Maricopa Suite. (2007-08 prices) Prices include three meals per day per person and the use of the ranch facilities. Children under the age of four are allowed to stay free with an adult. Other extra people in a room are charged $95 per night.

Rancho de los Caballeros is home to an eighteen-hole golf course that has been rated as one of the top seventy-five resort courses in the United States. It is a par 72 championship course that features 7,025 yards, well-placed bunkering, and beautiful Bermuda fairways. The back nine is hilly and will force you to have to use all nine of your clubs. The golf course also provides a putting green and driving range. Rancho de los Caballeros is a great place for the whole family.

Winter Golfing in Arizona

February 24th, 2010

Golfing in Arizona is hot and dry during the day, and cool and clear in the evenings. There is beautiful dessert scenery and great golf courses in Arizona as well. These are the images you will see if you play golf in Arizona, but there is a whole lot more to playing golf in Arizona. The state of Arizona has some of the most beautiful golf resorts and spas on Earth, which could make for a spectacular vacation. The golf courses in Arizona are challenging, and many of them are ranked at the top in the world.

There are several places that the golf vacation industry makes its living, and Scottsdale, Tucson, and Phoenix are on that list. Of all winter golfing destinations, the ones in these three Arizona cities are the easiest to access from the interstate or the airport, and they have some of the best courses the U.S. has to offer.

Scottsdale has a lot to offer the golf enthusiast. It is home to world-class resorts with breathtaking golf courses and pleasant weather, which makes it a year-round destination. It is one of the most popular golfing locations in the U.S. Some great places to play golf in Scottsdale, Arizona are: The Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa, Camelback Inn, Orange Tree Golf Resort, and The Phoenician.

Next on the list of Arizona golf destinations is Phoenix. There isn’t a whole lot of difference in going to play golf in Scottsdale or Phoenix. They both have great courses and are both accessible from the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Tourist Attractions in Nicaragua

February 23rd, 2010

Nicaragua has been labeled “the land of lakes and volcanoes” because of the many lagoons and lakes, and the string of volcanoes that run north and south along the Pacific side of the country. Currently, only seven of the fifty volcanoes in the country are labeled as active. A lot of these volcanoes provide some great opportunities for with activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, and swimming in crater lakes. Another recent activity that has gained popularity is sand skiing. It is most popular at the Cerro Negro volcano that is located in the city of Leon. If you are adventurous, both dormant and active volcanoes can be climbed. Some of the most frequently visited volcanoes are Masaya Volcano, Momotombo, Mombacho, Ometepe’s Maderas, Cosiguina, and Concepcion.

The Apoyo Lagoon was formed by the eruption of the Apoyo Volcano around 23,000 years ago. The eruption left a large 7km-wide crater that slowly filled with water. It is encircled by the crater wall. The edge of the lagoon is populated with restaurants that also have kayaks available to customers. Many visitors enjoy exploring the forest around the lagoon, kayaking, and participating in other water sports.

Another popular tourist attraction in Nicaragua is the archipelago of 365 islands that are called the Islets of Granada. The islets were made when the Mombacho volcano erupted and blew its top into the lake. The islets are popular with tourists and locals alike. They are of all different sizes and have a population of around 1200 people.

Information on Tourism in Nicaragua

February 22nd, 2010

With the rise of tourism in Nicaragua, ecotourism has become more popular in the country as well. Ecotourism has the goal of being ecologically and socially focused on things such as the local culture, adventure, and the wilderness. Nicaragua’s ecotourism has several ecotourism tours that are great tours if you love adventure. Nicaragua has three areas of ecotourism that are the Pacific, Atlantic, and Central which have volcanoes, agriculture, and tropical rainforests.

Nicaragua has seventy-eight protected areas over twenty percent of its land. It also contains seven percent of Earth’s biodiversity. This is more than Costa Rica, which many falsely believe has the most. Also, Nicaragua is the location of Bosawas, which is the biggest rainforest north of the Amazon in Brazil. It also contains the biggest lake in Central America, which is Lake Cocibolca. Lake Cocibolca brings in a lot of tourists every year, but most of them go to see Ometepe, which is a big volcanic island that was made by two volcanoes in the lake. Also, many tourists enjoy seeing the flora and fauna that is located in the Charco Verde Nature Reserve.

The biodiversity of Nicaragua attracts a lot of tourists to protected locations such as the Indio Maiz Biological Reserve. This reserve is home to more species of birds, trees, and insects than all of Europe. Nicaragua has one international airport, which is Augusto C. Sandino International Airport. Since its recent renovations, it is now the most modern airport in Central America.

Nicaragua Tourism

February 19th, 2010

Tourism in Nicaragua has seen a lot of growth in the last ten years, and many tourists visit the country for ecotourism and surfing. Although Granada is currently the most popular tourist destination in Nicaragua, another well known place is the Corn Islands. They are located around 70 km off the Caribbean coast of the country near Bluefields. The islands are revered by many as a “tropical paradise”. Cruise ships began docking in San Juan del Sur in January of 2000, and they average around 50,000 tourists every year. Many who visit go on tours to nearby Lake Cocibolca and the colonial city of Granada.

A fact that may be surprising to some is that Nicaragua has recently been ranked with the lowest crime rate in Latin America by Interpol and other sources. Stats show that there are only twelve crimes for every 100,000 citizens. Nicaragua also is home to the largest lake in Central America, 700 bird species, and unspoiled natural beauty. In light of all this, it is a surprising fact that Nicaragua is still the least visited country in the area. The low number of tourists has been instrumental in causing the country to keep their prices low and preventing it from having a touristy atmosphere.

CECOFAFEN is a Nicaraguan organization of coffee processors that run a rural tourism project. It was founded in 1997 and became a project in 2003 after the prices of coffee dropped. CECOCAFEN gives visitors the chance to visit a coffee farm, learn about making coffee, and stay the night on the farm and go exploring with a guide.