Search results for

Jean-Michel Cousteau and family have created an award-winning, five-star resort on the island of Vanua Levu, in Fiji. No phones, no wi-fi and no worries at this casual, luxurious resort. The thatched “bures” are private rooms and suiteswith views of the ocean or gardens. “The Villa” is the ultimate in privacy and island-style luxury with a private infinity pool, Jacuzzi tub, your own waterfall and outdoor shower. If you are familiar with the Cousteau family and the work Jean-Michel, and his father ocean conservationist and scientist Jacques Cousteau have done, you will be happy to know that the resort continues their work to preserve ocean life and teach people to co-exist with the flora and fauna of earth. Recycling, earth-friendly lighting and growing their own food for the kitchen along with ocean activities that promote learning and understanding of our world are key features. If you are a diver, you are in true paradise here. The resort provides access to the best dive sites in Fiji and the South Pacific. The Jean-Michel Cousteau Dive Centre is located just minutes away from a host of exciting dive sites. Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort’s restaurant offers a diverse cuisine, using only sustainable fish and local products. You’ll have an extraordinary ocean views from your table. If you brought the children, they can attend the complementary Bula Club at the resort. Glass-bottom boat excursions with the resort’s full-time Fijian naturalist/marine biologist Johnny Singh is a highlight. Children under the age of five have their own nanny assigned to them included in the accommodation. Website www.fijiresort.com

A city of red-tiled rooftops, pine- and cypress-shaded hills, and sparkling turquoise waters, the Old Town of Dubrovnik stuns with both its architecture and scenery. Its surrounding stone walls, built between the 11th and 13th centuries to protect the city from war and epidemics, stretch for a full 1.3 miles, comprising an immense system of forts, bastions, and walkways that offer breathtaking views. Hike along them, then be sure to check out the Lovrijenac Fortress, built atop a 100-foot rock looking out toward Venice (Dubrovnik’s historic rival). The Old Town’s main street of Stradun, known locally as Placa, is also worth exploring. It’s especially nice in the late afternoon, when the sun shines off the historic buildings and swallows soar in the blue sky above.

At the summit of Montmartre, the highest point in the city, you’ll find the Basilica de Sacré-Cœur. Contrasting with the Gothic churches like Notre-Dame, the Romano-Byzantine architecture is both beautiful inside and out. While outside, take in the panorama of Paris and while inside, marvel at the Apse Mosaic—one of the largest mosaics in the world. The Sacré-Cœur website has instructions on how to download the free audio guide on your phone before your visit which is recommended. Also, research the well-known (and apparently tried-and-true) scams before traveling to Paris. Overall, the city seems pretty free of tourist scams, but around Sacré-Cœur especially, visitors should be on alert.

The town of Adelaide River, about an hour south of Darwin near the entrance to Kakadu National Park, has a layered history, starting with its role as a base for workers constructing the Overland Telegraph Line and continuing with its military presence during World War II and an influx of gold prospectors in the 1970s. Today, travelers mainly come to visit Charlie, the water buffalo that Mick Dundee (Paul Hogan) hypnotizes to the ground in the outback hit Crocodile Dundee. Charlie passed away in 2000, and since he was a loyal patron of the Adelaide River Inn for so long, he was stuffed and hung for all to appreciate.

Perched atop Crow Hill you’ll find the Captain James Cook Monument, a National Historic Site overlooking beautiful Corner Brook and the Bay of Islands. British explorer and cartographer Captain James Cook, perhaps most famous for his journeys to the South Pacific, surveyed the Bay of Islands in 1767. In addition to the statue and the views, you’ll find interpretive panels of the charts created by Captain Cook. His maps were so accurate they were used well into the 20th century.

There’s only one way to make this journey--by narrow gauge railroad, pulled by a vintage steam locomotive. This is a truly iconic experience in the southwest of the state, and one of the ways to feel the full grandeur of the San Juan Mountains. You board the train in the morning at the depot in Durango, just as passengers have been doing since 1882! The trip takes about 3.5 hours and you can either ride the same train back, or opt for the one-hour bus ride down Highway 550. There are a number of cars and classes to choose from, from standard coach to the Knight Sky, an all-glass carriage in First Class that allows views up the stunning canyons (and not just their passing walls). Tickets start at $85.

In recent years, there has been an awesome pizza trend in Las Vegas. Gone are the days when the average toss-it-in-the-oven pie was the only option; today, there are fun local pizza eateries, high-end gourmet pies and even hidden alcoves housing some of the very best bites in the city. Locals love Metro Pizza, which has a handful of locations throughout the city, and Rocco’s Deli, which is all about keeping pizza simple and fresh. Despite that it’s meant to be a secret, one of the best known pizza places is tucked down a hallway in The Cosmopolitan. Five50, located in ARIA, has a menu of interesting pizzas, and the chefs serve from the front counter late into the night.

Oenophiles exploring South Africa’s Cape Winelands have a fashionable new place to rest their heads. In the gallery- and boutique-filled village of Franschhoek, Leeu House is a Cape Dutch–style building decorated with a breezy countryside aesthetic. The 12 individually styled rooms have neutral hues, sisal and oak accents, and marble bathrooms; two suites have private gardens. After a stroll through town or a trip to the surrounding wineries, guests can cool off in the hotel’s mosaic pool before heading to its glass-ceilinged Conservatory for such seasonal dishes as masala-spiced yellowtail, caught off Cape Point. Hoping to get even closer to the vineyards? A sister property, the 17-suite Leeu Estates, opens in June on the grounds of a first-class winery of the same name, just a three-minute tuk-tuk ride away. Doubles from $220, including breakfast

The Mitilíni market is one of the best cultural experiences in Greece. The agora stretches from the south port to the north port and has an impressive variety of goods. Stroll the narrow alleyways and discover antique shops and boutiques. The fish market is the place to go for fresh sardines and octopus. Lesbos is famous for its ouzo production, so be sure to stop by an ouzerie to pick up a bottle. This part of town is usually busy with shoppers, so take your time and enjoy the people-watching.

Saskatchewan, Canada is home to nearly 100,000 lakes and rivers and the best freshwater fishing in the world. Fly fishing, ice fishing, drive-in or fly-in, you’ll find the fishing experience of a lifetime in Saskatchewan. With its warmer lakes in the south, to the colder waters in the north, the province has a remarkable diversity of species—68 different ones, in fact. Experienced fishing outfitters will help you find Northern pike, walleye, lake trout, Arctic grayling, rainbow trout and more. You can opt for a remote fishing lodge, like the Hatchet Lake Lodge, located on a private island in northern Saskatchewan, or let the fish that interests you lead you in your trip planning. If you want a walleye, then the Saskatchewan River is a good choice. Big on bass? They thrive in the Boundary Dam Reservoir. Wherever you head, put a nightcrawler on your hook, and you’ll have a bite before long. Photo by Kevin Hogarth Photography

Karawari Lodge is one of the most remarkable places I’ve ever stayed in what is the most incredible country I’ve ever visited. There’s no AC at the lodge, no WiFi, and very little hot water. But what there is is a real sense of adventure. Stationed on a ridge some 300-feet above the Karawari River, deep in remote Arambak country, the lodge serves as a gateway to the dense lowland rainforest that is home to a staggering array of flora and fauna and what seems like an endless number of spectacular villages. After days of exploring via riverboat, the lodge is a great place to return home to – watching the sun set over endless expanses of jungle with a cold South Pacific beer in hand is my idea of a good time. Flash Parker traveled to Papua New Guinea courtesy of Tourism Papua New Guinea and Swain Destinations as part of AFAR’s partnership with The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), whose members provide travelers with unparalleled access, insider knowledge, and peace-of-mind to destinations across the globe. For more info on Flash’s journey, visit the USTOA blog.

Described by writer Tahir Shah as the “greatest show on Earth,” no visit to Marrakech would be complete without a visit to the famous night market on the Djemaa el Fna. Arrive before sunset and park yourself at one of the various cafés with terraces overlooking the square to watch performers set up; then venture into the fray in search of adventure. Silk-clad acrobats, wide-eyed storytellers, sly snake charmers, jangling belly dancers, and capricious monkey handlers all emerge from the darkness, ringing the edge of the food stalls with their own special brand of entertainment. When you tire of the heckling, prowl the market in search of good things to eat: bite-size morsels of grilled lamb rubbed in cumin, sardines fried in chermoula, peppery snails, and sheep’s heads for the brave. Then nudge up alongside a family of locals at the table and settle in for the feast. If you’re nervous about going it alone, you can sign up for a food tour with Canadian tour guide and all-round good egg Mandy Sinclair of Tasting Marrakech; she’ll help you find the best stalls while introducing you to the secrets and delights of traditional Moroccan street food.

The Exumas are a stunning archipelago of remote islands and cays strung between Nassau and Long Island, and around a dozen of these tiny islands are protected within the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Established in 1958 as a preserve where no fishing is allowed, it was the first marine protected area in the Caribbean. It has been highly successful at maintaining the fragile beaches and marine life found in the area. Visitors can take boat tours to the park to go diving and snorkeling on the many healthy reefs and to explore the secluded tropical islands, where endangered Bahamian iguanas roam the beaches. On Big Major Cay, you can go swimming with the pigs at Pig Beach and give them fresh water, as their water supply is limited.

Blackbird Caye Resort is the gateway to the stunning Belize Barrier Reef, but so much more than a stopgap hitching post for scuba nerds. Stretched across two miles of palm-fringed beach on the windward side of the Turneffe Atoll, Blackbird is set against a backdrop of more than 4,000 acres of untrammeled jungle, mangrove forests, sprawling lagoons, and migratory bird habitats. Many guests come to Blackbird to get under the water and at the reef – some of the best diving sites in Belize are a short five or ten minute boat ride from Blackbird’s dock – though this isolated island paradise has plenty to offer visitors looking to stretch their land legs. 18 ocean-view cabanas, each with its own private balcony and hammock, hold dominion over the Caribbean Sea. The Poolside Bar is a great place to unwind after a hot day in the sun, while the gallant High Tide Bar, with at least two feet in the sea at any one time, offers an excellent happy hour and complimentary snacks, including island fare like lion fish fingers, ceviche, conch fritters, and fried grouper. One of the top dive resorts in the world and a postcard-perfect island paradise, Blackbird is at once home away from home, and your own secluded hideaway. Photo Finish: Nikon D800 | 24-70mm f/2.8 lens | Aperture f/7.1 | ISO-640 | Shutter 1/30 sec.

As you enter Barcelona‘s famous Mercat de Sant Josep de La Boqueria from La Rambla, one of the first stalls you encounter is Tocineria Marcos, purveyors of Iberico ham and a stunning array of other cured, cooked, and fresh meats. It’s just one of the dazzling displays of delicacies in this, the most famous of Barcelona‘s 40 or so food markets. (Another favorite, and slightly less touristed, is the beautifully remodeled Mercat de Santa Caterina, short walk away.) La Boqueria dates back to 1217; a pig market was conducted here starting in 1470; and the current metal roof was built in 1914. There’s no better place to shop for a taste of Catalan culture.