Cycling on Orcas Island

One of the best ways to explore Orcas Island is on two wheels. There are cycling options for both the casual rider and more experienced cyclists as well. Riders should keep in mind that Orcas Island is quite hilly, so here are some ideas for cycling around Orcas Island on your vacation.

Casual Riders 

Casual Riders

The options for casual riders are many. Riding a bike instead of taking a car or taxi is a great option for traveling from your Orcas Island vacation home to the Farmer's Market and museum and other attractions in Eastsound. In addition, if your legs get tired before making it back to your vacation home, you can take a break at many of the amazing overlooks to Puget Sound.

There are both paved and off road routes available all over the Island. It's important for casual riders to be aware that the Island is quite hilly, so be prepared. In addition, if you decide to ride the ferry and pedal into Eastsound, remember that Horseshoe Highway is the shortest and flattest road into town, but it is also the most congested with vehicle traffic. There are alternative though.

For a whole new vacation experience, it is possible to leave your vehicle at the ferry and rent a bike near the ferry landing on the Island for the duration of your stay. You can spend your vacation traveling at a slower speed which will allow you to take in more of the scenery.

Experienced Riders 
For more experienced and expert riders, Orcas Island is an ideal place to challenge your riding skills. Orcas Island has some very good hills and for those mountain bikers who really want a challenge, Mount Constitution is 2,409 feet high and is located in Moran State Park. The ride up affords cyclists some beautiful vistas and you are guaranteed to be exhausted when you reach the top. You will be rewarded with amazing 360 degree views of the area between Vancouver Island and mainland Washington State including the waterways and islands which dot the area. You can easily combine a workout and sightseeing at the same time.

For a slower pace during your vacation, riding a bicycle for the entire trip or for parts of your trip can be really rewarding. There are routes available for both casual and experienced riders and the slower pace can allow you to enjoy the scenery of the Island and Puget Sound in a whole new way.

Cruise the Eastern Caribbean - The Top 10 Islands

It still feels like winter in most of the U.S. Now through Spring is a terrific time to cruise the warm-weather islands of the Eastern Caribbean.

The Eastern Caribbean is my favorite part of the islands. The region offers a wide choice of ports-of-call. Plus there's a bonus. Lots of small, unknown islands populate the waters. In fact, not being able to see an island from the ship rarely happens.

The Eastern islands are less developed and commercialized than their Northern Caribbean brethren. Their topography is divided into mountainous rain forests and lush green valleys. Beaches are pristine white with coral reefs at their edge. Cascading rivers and turquoise blue sea comprise the waters inland and off the beach, respectively. The islands are mountainous and volcanic in origin. Some volcanoes still smolder to this day. The landscape is full of sharp contrasts, from ragged peaks with thick rain forests to flowing meadows and pastureland. The panoramic view as the ship approaches is breathtakingly beautiful.

The top 10 islands and their attributes are as follows:

Grenada

Antigua - This island has some of the Caribbean's finest beaches, and lots of them. The weather is outstanding also, featuring low humidity and trade winds, making Antigua perfect for virtually any activity under the warm Caribbean sun.

Barbados - This British island has a refined ambiance. Barbados consists of rolling green hills and is fringed by coral reefs. The west coast has pearly white beaches and calm waters. The east side is more rugged and pounded by white surf from the Atlantic.

Dominica - Dominica is the island for spectacular natural scenery. Covered from end to end with towering volcanic mountains, the land rises sharply from the shore to peaks that reach almost 5,000 feet. The blue-green peaks are carpeted with rain forests and exotic vegetation, and host more than 135 species of birds. This is not the island for all-inclusive resorts or shopping.

Grenada - The Spice Island, as Grenada is known, has air filled with the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. Bananas, ginger, vanilla and virtually every herb of the tropics are grown here. The mountain forests, kept lush green by cascading waterfalls, accommodate 450 species of flowering plants and 150 species of birds.

Guadeloupe - Guadeloupe is a study in contrasts. Its butterfly shape makes it almost two islands connected by a short land bridge, with Pointe-A Pitre, the center of commerce and main cruise port, barely east of the middle. Grand-Terre, the eastern wing, is a flat, dry limestone island, densely populated and highly developed. Basse-Terre, the western wing, is volcanic in origin with mountains rising to 5,000 feet. Most of Basse-Terre is a national park.

Martinique - Beauty is the sole common denominator across this seductive paradise. Martinique's three regions are apparently from different gene pools. Volcanic mountains, their peaks shrouded in clouds, are palpable in the northern sector. The central region is dotted by peaks and ridges that decline into meadows of grazing cattle and sugarcane fields. The southern end is flat, with parched lowland bordered by beaches.

St. Barthelemy (St. Barts) - Beauty and style are the signatures of this island, the smallest in the French West Indies. This paradise has green mountains and miniature valleys overlooking two dozen gorgeous beaches. The best hotels and restaurants tend to be fabulous but are very expensive.

St. Kitts-Nevis - Stunning and unspoiled are apt words to describe St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Kitts, the larger of the two, has volcanic mountains covered with rain forests at its core. Carefully manicured green hills lead down to grass that surrounds them. St. Kitts and Nevis are among the least expensive islands.

St. Lucia - Mostly Volcanic in origin, St. Lucia is the nature-lover's dream, a stupendous landscape of mountains with lush vegetation, and valleys covered by tropical fruits and flowers. The most-photographed images on the island are the two sharply-pointed Pitons, the taller of which provides guided tours. St. Lucia also offers white-sand beaches and excellent Creole cuisine.

St Vincent & the Grenadines - Though very different from each other in topography, St. Vincent and the Grenadines both have the ultimate in idyllic hideaways. St. Vincent is blanketed with mountains of deep green through which roads run, providing breathtaking views of tropical forests. The Grenadines, on the other hand, are 32 heavenly little isles ringed with immaculate beaches facing coral gardens.

Cheap Island Vacations to the Hawaiian Island of Oahu

Oahu is known locally as "The Gathering Place", and is the home of around 75% of the total Hawaiian Islands' population. At its widest points, this volcanic island is 44 miles long and 30 miles wide and has 227 miles of shoreline. Oahu is the result of two volcano's Waianae and Koolau, with a wide "valley" called the central Oahu Plain between them. The highest point is Mount Kaala in the Waianae Range at 4,003 feet above sea level.

Waikiki in Honolulu is on the south-east coast and now has several hostel accommodations where you can stay for a very humble payment from $25 per night. Private rooms are available so if you are on your honeymoon you need not be despair or be concerned that you have chosen hostel accommodation!

Koolau

Hostels are now thankfully losing the poor image they have suffered for many years of scratchy sheets, no sheets, and dark and dismal rooms occupied by pot smoking hippies. That scenario disappeared long ago, and now hostels are bright, cheery, welcoming, comfortable and clean establishments. The huge benefit of choosing a hostel, apart from all the cash you save is that you will meet friendly and down-to-earth people who are more than likely experienced travelers willing to share their knowledge with you, perhaps making lasting friendships. This gives you the best local information from day one of your vacation so that you will not miss out on the best restaurants, attractions, best value shopping and of course the beaches.

If you are travelling solo, hostels are definitely the best option, and not just to save money. Hotels can be very lonely places for single travelers, and the facilities they offer are usually aimed at couples and families. Apart from that, you really get stung on your room charges for solo occupancy. In any hostel you will make friends very quickly, and evenings often have a social gathering arranged for residents.

Oahu offers pristine beaches where you can snorkel as much as you like for the cost of a snorkel kit! The corals and colorful tropical fish will keep you occupied or hours and days on end. Water sports are of course offered, surfing being a very popular sport on the Hawaiian Islands. The Hawaiian climate is glorious, with little difference between seasons.

Hiking and walking are not to be overlooked and this is another free of charge activity. Oahu has an amazing and diverse landscape - Jurassic Park was filmed on the Hawaiian Islands and now you can experience that beauty and diversity without looking over your shoulder for veloceraptors!

Waikiki has many nightclubs and bars to party the night away, giving a total contrast to the peace and tranquility you can also experience on this island. The center of Honolulu is teeming with designer stores, shopping malls and restaurants to satisfy all tastes. Hawaii has a beautiful culture and you should not miss going to a Luau which is a Hawaiian feast, and perhaps a slack key concert where traditional Hawaiian song and music is performed.

Hawaii's number one attraction is the Pearl Harbor Memorial. The first United States battle of World War II in the Pacific was the surprise attack from the Imperial Japanese Navy on Pearl Harbor, Oahu on the morning of December 7th 1941 and was aimed at the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy and its defending Army Air Corps and Marine Air Forces. 353 Japanese fighters, bombers and torpedo planes were launched in two waves from six aircraft carriers and attacked, damaged or destroyed twelve American warships, 188 aircraft, and killed 2,403 American servicemen and 68 civilians.

At the memorial you watch a film of the attack and see memorabilia in the museum. You can almost hear the aircraft as you look over Oahu bay and imagine what that terrible day must have been like for those people who died and for those who lived to tell of their experience. The memorial is named Arizona after the tragic sinking of the Navy vessel Arizona on which so many perished.

The Arizona memorial is a privilege to visit, and Oahu is a blessing that everyone can now take advantage of with cheap flights readily available and friendly hostel accommodations waiting. These islands used to be an exclusively rich man's paradise, but not any more, Oahu and the Hawaiian Islands is now a paradise available to everyone.

Caribbean Overview - Tropical Island Vacationing at Its Best

The term "Caribbean" generally refers to the tropical islands and coastal regions in and around the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean Sea is bounded by Cuba and the island of Hispaniola to the North, the islands of the Lesser Antilles (such as St. Lucia and Barbados) to the east, the northernmost coast of South America to the South, and the coasts of Central America and Mexico to the West. The Caribbean region is also referred to sometimes as the "West Indies" due to an error made by Christopher Columbus when he first arrived in the area and mistakenly thought he was in the Indies of Asia.

The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands are not immediately adjacent to the Caribbean Sea but are generally thought of as being a part of the Caribbean due to their similarity to other islands in that region. Bermuda is a bit of an island unto itself, being located fairly far to the north of the Caribbean (being roughly 640 miles to the West/Northwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina), but often Bermuda gets similar billing to Caribbean destinations due to its appeal as an island tourist destination.

The Caribbean geography was formed mainly by volcanic activity, and there still exists volcanic activity in the area, such as in Montserrat, which has an active volcano that had a major eruption as recently as 1995. The Caribbean is also prone to hurricanes, which generally occur most frequently in the hurricane season from late May through the end of November each year.

The Caribbean has a rich cultural history ranging from the earliest inhabitants that included the Carib Indians from which the area takes its name, to the subsequent explorers, settlers, and inhabitants that included many from Spain, England, The Netherlands, France, and Africa. There exists today a great cultural diversity throughout the region offering many different vacation experiences.

The proximity of the Caribbean to the United States and Canada makes the Caribbean the most widely visited tropical region for tourists from those countries. The Caribbean is also very popular with European tourists as well as those from Central and South America. The Caribbean contains roughly 7000+ islands (many of which are uninhabited or only sparsely inhabited) and the region lends itself well to sailing and cruise vacationing. Whether by private sailboat or commercial cruise ship, the Caribbean offers some of the best island hopping experiences in the world.

The Caribbean is widely known for its appealing tropical climate, beautiful sand beaches, cultural richness, water sports, and focus on providing great vacation experiences for tourists from around the world. The Caribbean offers some of the worlds best vacation opportunities, and is particularly appealing as a vacation escape from the winter seasons in other parts of the World.

Honeymoon In Caribbean Island

Everyone knows that Honeymoon is the most important part of a newlywed couples life. Mostly newlywed couples like their honeymoon to be very special, which will make their honeymoon unforgettable & extraordinary. While choosing a honeymoon destination you should think about your partners choice first. You should choose a honeymoon destination that best fit for you and your partners interests, which will make your honeymoon very special and unforgettable.

Honeymoon is another way for a newlywed couple to understand each other better. Honeymoon is the most entertaining days of a newlywed couples life. Every couple wants to make their honeymoon very special which allow them to share their honeymoon experience to another. So choosing a honeymoon destination is not so much easy. Before choosing a destination that best fit to your honeymoon needs you must well plan everything to make your honeymoon successful.

Caribbean is one of the most famous islands and a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea. Caribbean is situated to the north of South America, east of Central America and southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and Northern America. Caribbean Island contains 7,000 islands and all are full of beauty with beaches, white sands, green mountains & blue waters which make an outstanding accommodation. These Caribbean islands are called paradise of earth. These Caribbean islands are full of natural beauties. You can feel the paradise of heaven in these islands. These islands are really great destination for your honeymoon destination. While choosing your honeymoon destination you should think of Caribbean islands.

A honeymoon in Caribbean island is one of the best ideas to make your honeymoon unforgettable & extraordinary. Newlywed couple mostly likes a honeymoon in Caribbean Islands, because of the beaches, green mountains, blue waters and excellent accommodations. A honeymoon in Caribbean island is a nice place to start a new life with your partner and a perfect way to start a bond that will last forever. A honeymoon in Caribbean Island is like dreams come true.

Today there are a lot of companies providing information on Caribbean honeymoon online. These companies also provide information about the best Caribbean honeymoon hotels, Caribbean honeymoon villas, Caribbean honeymoon resorts, Caribbean honeymoon destination and packages information etc. So before choosing a Caribbean honeymoon you should find out the best Caribbean honeymoon information provider to help you making your honeymoon successful.

Cheap Beach Escapes With Maldives All Inclusive Holiday Rates

Rest and relaxation does not get any better than slipping into a tropical setting to melt the cares away. The Maldives is destination number one for a gentle wave of calm and tranquil waters, surreal tropical scenery and a little peace and quiet to rest and rejuvenate. All inclusive Maldives holidays bring the best of the beach and sunny island skies down to one low price that is easy to pay.

Though small on size, the Maldives are big on recreation with plenty of water sports and beach side activities for all ages and fitness levels. Windsurfing, kayaking, and snorkelling the turquoise waters top the list of all inclusive Maldives holidays designed to bring the best and bring it for less.

Fishing the crystal clean waters is a Maldives extravaganza with bountiful supplies of tuna, squirrel fish, barracuda, jacks, snappers and more. In addition to the fair weather conditions for optimal daytime excursions, night fishing has become a favourite attraction with tourists for the thrill of trying something new.

The Maldives is a rich resource to watch and interact with some of the most interesting and entertaining wildlife in the region. Take a whale watching tour, mix and mingle with the friendly dolphins, or hike and bike the rich foliage of the rain forests to catch site of the region's most colourful birds, lizards and fine furry friends.

All inclusive Maldives holidays cut the travel budget down to size with price breaker deals every month of the year. All inclusive rates cover the cost of international airfare, airport shuttle service, your choice of three, four or five star lodging, non-motorized on-site resort activities and a daily meal plan from a sumptuous buffet. The all inclusive travel package will not be undersold, making this mode of travel the consumer favourite for value, quality and exceptional service.

Early booking to the Maldives is recommended to secure your sea view room and first choice of hotel and departure dates. However, late all inclusive Maldives deals are up for grabs for the free spirited traveller that can fly out the door on short notice. Whether you book your all inclusive Maldives package early for maximum savings or snap up the best bargain late deal of the day, Maldives holidays are your ticket to paradise at the price you want to pay. Book your perfect Maldives holiday early and pre-pay your island escape for carefree travel with no thought of money on your mind.

Caribbean Cuisine - A Guide to the Best Island Food

Aside from the breathtaking beaches, the year round sunny weather and the crystal blue waters, there is yet one other thing that drives tourists to the Caribbean shores and that is their delicious Caribbean cuisine. Caribbean cuisine has a wide range of dishes to offer locals and tourists alike. For travelers, the best ways to get a hold of these gastronomical delights are through Puerto Rico all inclusive resorts that give you everything that you need to make that vacation the most memorable one - from local food, accommodations, activities, tours and many others.

So for those of you who are heading out to this part of the world and want to get a taste of the best dishes that the island has to offer, read on and find out the top Caribbean dishes today!

Keshi Yena

Keshi Yena
This is one of the best comfort foods in the island that you will surely fall in love with. Keshi Yena is of Dutch origin but is now embraced by the local people like it was their own. The dish makes use of a block of Gouda cheese that is hollowed out in the center. The center is then filed with a spicy mixture of meat (chicken or beef) and baked to perfection.

Jerk chicken
This is one of the most popular Caribbean dishes. Jerk chicken is spicy chicken, seasoned and barbecued until golden brown. The old fashioned way to cook Jerk chicken would be to roast it with a number of seasonings (pimento, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and nutmeg) over a sizzling coal. Today, this cooking style also makes use of sausages and some types of fishes.

Grouper sandwich
Grouper are one of the most abundant fish in Caribbean waters. And locals have made use of this by creating a wide array of dishes out of Grouper meat - and yes, even sandwiches. But flinch not because once you get a taste of this exotic dish, you will surely be asking for more. Grouper meat is sweet, tender and very delicate in taste. They are then coated in batter and deep fried till perfectly brown.

Lobster

Lobster
Surrounded by water, the Caribbean island is extremely blessed with vast amounts of fresh seafood everyday. And one of the best catches that the sea has to offer is the lobsters. Caribbean lobster dishes are made with butter - the perfect way to complement the milky and delicate lobster meat.

Ackee and salt fish
This is the national dish of Jamaica but is nonetheless popular among the rest of the islands in the Caribbean. The salt fish is actually cod that is salt cured and served with the Ackee fruit. Both complement each other quite well making them one of the well-loved and the most popularly served delicacies in the island.

Cat Island Vacation Is A Thrilling Experience

If you are looking for the best travel destination guide information, I would suggest take a tour of cat island vacation as they are a pure pleasure to enjoy your time with family and friends. The serene atmosphere here just makes it a wonderful experience for you to enjoy some quality time with loved ones. The Cat Island are located at 135 miles southeast of Nassau, you can reach this place by taking Bahamas air flight from Nassau to Cat Island. There are several private charter companies that offer you direct flights to Cat Island. The best attraction of the cat island vacation tours according to the vacation guide is the place called as The Hermitage. Hermitage is the place where you can take a hiking trail up to 63 meter of Mt. Alvernia, after going at the top you will get to see the panoramic view of the place. It is just one of the best places to visit while you are at Bahamas.

Cat Island

You can never forget this lovely destination as it has so much to offer, you can not surely forget the blue waters here sparkling at you like diamond, the sand here and the all colorful atmosphere of people in their swim clothes all the while getting a sun tan. Bahamas lets you enjoy the natural wonders of the sea world, you can see the tropical fish sway by your ankles while you are in water along the shore. It is such a marvelous experience to see blue waters all around the place. The best travel destination guide suggests that even if you stay here just for two days you feel that you have stayed here for two weeks. You get so acquainted and familiar with the place in just one day. There are various types of water sports you can enjoy here, and the vacation guide recommends to definitely trying the scuba diving experience as you can see the beautiful tropical coral reefs that have been unexplored and unspoiled for years now. The crystal clear waters makes you feel like you are in some dream world, you can never get bored at this wonderful place here. The water is so clear that you can see the water bubbles even standing at 200 feet away.

The best travel destination guide offers greater discounts on the all the water sports activity along with hotel discounts and of course to enjoy the tropical food here at discounted rates. You can enjoy world class snorkeling experience while at Cat island vacations as they offer you variety of things to do and enjoy with family and friends. The breathtaking view from the hermitage makes you feel as if you are on top of the world. The beautiful tropical fish in the waters makes you feel all fresh and rejuvenated. The cat island vacations are just perfect places to visit with family and friends and it is one of the best destinations to relax and rejuvenate.