Destination Spotlight: Jamaica

Next up on my destination spotlight series is Jamaica.  Everything is "all right" on this island paradise and the theme of every vacation here is to relax to the max.  This beautiful Caribbean island is located south of Cuba and can be reached in just under 4 hours on a non-stop flight out of St. Louis.  It's the third largest and third most popular island in the Caribbean.  Locals here are English-speaking, although it may sound a little different to you and I.  They speak Patois (pronounced patwa), which is based on a combination of English, Spanish and French.

Jamaica has a tropical climate, with temperatures averaging between 73 to 89 degrees.  Their average temperatures are among the highest in the Caribbean and stay that way most of the year.  When is the best time to visit?  Here are some things to note...

• January-March: peak travel season, great weather, lowest chance of rainfall.
• April-June: can be a little rainy, crowds increase during spring break.
• July-October: flights & room rates are usually lowest, but it is located in the hurricane belt, so you will likely see lots of rain and even hurricanes during these months.  Decreased tourism and increased rain showers cause many key attractions & hotels to close.
• November-December: hurricane season has tapered off, great weather, crowds pick up during Christmas break.

Jamaica has three major tourist destination cities.  Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril.  

Montego Bay is located on the northwestern coast of Jamaica.  It is the second largest city on the island and top resort destination.  It offers many upscale and all-inclusive resorts, as well as plenty of beaches, outdoor activities, dining and entertainment options.

Ocho Rios is located on the north-central coast of Jamaica.  It's particularly famous for it's waterfalls (600 foot high Dunn's River Falls) and amazing beaches.  You can also swim with dolphins at Dolphin's Cove, hike to the Blue Hole or go zip-lining or bobsledding at Mystic Mountain.

Negril is located on the western edge of Jamaica.  It is a resort town with a carefree, easygoing attitude.  Many beaches here are clothing optional and frequented by the party crowd.  You can walk on the white sands along Seven Mile Beach or go along the coastline to Rick's Cafe, where you can watch cliff divers and the amazing sunset.

Besides it being one of the best destination wedding and honeymoon spots, there are plenty of activities for everyone.  

While visiting Jamaica, you should also try the local cuisine.  Their national dish, Ackee & saltfish, is considered a must try.  There is also bammy, which is usually eaten at breakfast and tastes similar to cornbread.  The most popular Jamaican cuisine is their jerk chicken, pork, beef or conch.  

No matter where you visit in Jamaica, one thing is certain, relaxing and enjoying the beautiful beaches will be "no problem, mon".  

Destination Spotlight: Costa Rica

If you're looking for more than a vacation destination and want to add some adventure, Costa Rica may be the perfect place for you to visit.  Costa Rica, which is about the size of West Virginia, is located in Central America.  Nicaragua is to the north and Panama is to the south, with the Pacific Ocean on the west and the Caribbean Sea on the east.  Costa Rica varies between coastal plains, dense forests and rugged mountains, while 25% of the country is made up of national parks and reserves.  You can visit volcanoes, river valleys and hundreds of beaches there as well.  It is one of the world's most biologically diverse countries, with more than 500,000 plant and animal species.  

Costa Rica has a tropical climate.  The dry season, also known as "summer", runs from December to April, while the rainy season, "winter", runs from May to November.  Some regions see constant rains during the rainy season.  The humidity is higher on the Caribbean side than it is on the Pacific side.  As with many tropical destinations, the busiest travel times occur during Christmas and New Years and the week before Easter, requiring interested vacationers to book far in advance and expect higher prices.

A few interesting facts about Costa Rica...

• The primary language spoken in Costa Rica is Spanish, however English is widely spoken as well.  
• The currency there is the colon, however U.S. dollars are widely accepted.
• There is clean tap water throughout the country.
• Compared to the rest of Central America, prices are relatively high, due to the country's high standard of living.
• The government provides free education thru 11th grade to it's citizens, as well as free healthcare.  
• It's one of the safest countries in Central America.

There are so many opportunities for adventure in Costa Rica.  Some of the options include...

• rappel down a waterfall
• go on a canopy tour
• zipline through a rainforest
• bathe in a hot spring
• go whale watching (Costa Rica has the longest humpback whale watching season in the world)
• go snorkeling, scuba diving or surfing 
• walk through a cloud forest
• hike to one of the world's most active volcanoes
• trek through a rainforest and see unique wildlife in one of the many national parks
• go whitewater rafting 
• relax and watch the sunset on one of the many beaches 

There are several types of accommodations available in Costa Rica.  You can relax at one of the all-inclusive resorts on the Pacific side or explore the country by doing one of the many different escorted or self-drive tour options available.  You could also combine an all-inclusive resort with a tour, allowing you to relax and see all that Costa Rica has to offer.  No matter what you're looking for, I can help you plan your accommodations and itinerary, making it a trip you'll remember forever.  

Contact me for more information or to get started planning your next vacation.

Destination Spotlight: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Cana is one of the most highly visited Caribbean destinations for very good reason.  Located on the easternmost tip of the Dominican Republic, this beautiful area is located where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea.  With over 40 miles of sugar white beaches and calm, warm water, it's a beach lovers paradise.  Punta Cana is easily accessible from all over the globe, with direct flights from many major cities (including St. Louis).  

The year-round average daytime temperature in Punta Cana is 82 degrees.  The weather is fairly consistent all year.  The months of December to April see the best weather, but the winter months also bring larger crowds & higher prices.  The most affordable and least crowded time to visit is in March to May.  July to September often have a little bit higher temperatures and humidity, while they are most susceptible to tropical storms in September & October.

The accommodations in Punta Cana consist mostly of all-inclusive resorts.  There are many to choose from, including family-friendly or adults-only resorts.  Staying at an all-inclusive resort means that you never even have to leave the resort.  Enjoy all of the food and drinks you want and sit and relax at the pool or beach or enjoy some of the all-inclusive activities.  If you do look for a little more adventure while on vacation, there are tons of excursions to choose from.  Punta Cana is one of the best golf destinations in the world, with 19 amazing golf courses.  Some other popular activities include zip-lining, wind surfing, kayaking and sailing.  

The locals in Punta Cana are mostly Spanish speaking.  The Peso is the national currency of Dominican Republic.  Although, around tourist zones, the American dollar is widely accepted.

If you're interested in planning a trip to Punta Cana, I would love to help you.  Contact me for more information.

Questions Answered: What does a travel agent do? Why should I plan & book my trip with you?

I talk with people all the time who have never used a travel agent and don't really understand the advantages of using one.  Many years ago, if you wanted to travel out of the country, you pretty much had to use a travel agent.  Now that everyone has access to the internet, a lot of people feel like they can book whatever they need on their own, but what they soon realize is that planning a trip is time-consuming and complicated.  Travel agents simplify the process.  We provide expertise and help plan entire travel packages.  I take my knowledge about different areas and resorts, combined with what you tell me you're looking for, to help you plan the perfect vacation. 

Here's a list of some of the many things that I do to for my clients...

-research different locations, resorts, hotels, airlines and anything else the client is looking for.  I belong to a large network of travel experts, so if I have no personal experience with something you're looking for, I know several people who do.  In addition, I research every detail of everything about your trip, saving you precious time.

-search for the best prices.  Not only do I search for the best prices, I often get discounts only offered to travel agents that I can then pass along to you.  Find a great deal online?  I can let you know if it's a scam or usually match or beat your price if it's not.

-help you make the best informed decisions to get the most value for your vacation dollars.  There are tons of resort and hotel options available.  I can help steer you away from ones that you're probably not going to enjoy and help you find the ones that have everything you're looking for.

-make all travel arrangements.  I book flights, cruises, rental cars, hotels, resorts, transfers to/from the airport to most Mexican & Caribbean resorts, travel insurance, excursions, train tickets, bed & breakfasts, vacation homes/condos and so much more.

-relay important weather information, travel advisories or required travel documents.  I keep up with the latest travel related news and pass any information pertaining to your trip on to you.

-watch to see if your reservation goes on sale, saving you even more money.  Many travel insurance policies offer "price change guarantees".  This means that if the price of your particular trip goes down, you get the savings as well.  

-set up payment plans.  With most of my resort and cruise bookings, you just have to put down a small deposit, make as many payments as you want, then pay the remaining balance 45-60 days before departure.  

-become your personal advocate when unexpected things happen while you're on vacation.  Flight cancelled?  No worries.  I'll get on the phone & find you a new one.  Need to make a travel insurance claim?  I work on behalf of you.  

-educate you about destinations that might be just what you're looking for.  My hope is to educate my clients (present and future) about many different possible locations to travel to.  I have a feature on my blog called "Destination Spotlight" for this reason.  Every couple of weeks I spotlight a new location that I recommend in Mexico, the Caribbean or the United States and give you information about that area.  This gives you one less thing to have to research when planning a vacation.

As you can see, my help can be invaluable.  As I've discussed before on my blog, I don't charge anything for any of these services.  Instead, I can save you time and money.  

Want to know more about what kind of travel I specialize in? Currently, I specialize in mostly leisure travel for individuals, couples, families, groups and corporations.  I have the most expertise in Mexico & Caribbean resorts, Disney World Resort and several destinations across the United States.

If you have any other questions or would like help booking your next vacation, contact me.  I would love to help you plan your trip.

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Destination Spotlight: The Bahamas

The next destination that I wanted to spotlight is the Bahamas.  The Bahamas are actually made up of over 700 islands and cays, some packed with resorts and some uninhabited. Located in the Atlantic Ocean, these beautiful islands begin at just 50 miles off the coast of Florida.  The Bahamas are known for having some of the clearest water on the planet, as well as powder-fine sand beaches.  They truly are a sight to see.  

The Bahamas have a warm and winter-less climate.  They see an average of 340 days of sunlight annually.  The wettest months are in the summer months of May & June, while they see a little bit cooler evenings in December thru February.  Average temperatures range anywhere from 70-90 degrees.

The official language of the Bahamas is English and the Bahamian dollar is on par with the U.S. dollar.  Both are accepted throughout the islands, so there's no need to exchange money.  If you decide to rent a car and go exploring on your own, British driving laws are enforced, so plan on driving on the left side of the road.  Most of the major islands have duty-free shopping, saving you 25-50% off of U.S. prices.  

Whether you visit the larger, more popular islands of Grand Bahama Island or Nassau Paradise Island, or the more secluded islands of Mayaguana or Cat Island, each island has unique characteristics and offerings for everyone.  While it may seem overwhelming to choose just where to visit in the Bahamas, I can help you narrow down which island(s) are perfect for you based on your interests.  Scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, sailing and environmental tours are just a few of the options available in the Bahamas.  You can even swim with pigs on Big Major Cay off the Exuma island!

As far as accommodations go, there are many different types to choose from.  Some of the larger islands have a variety of all-inclusive and other resorts, while many of the smaller islands have smaller boutique hotels, guest houses and rental homes.  Several of the islands have their own airports, making it easy to travel to, but another popular option is to visit by cruise ship.  Several of the major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Disney all have private islands in the Bahamas that only passengers may visit.  

I recently completed the Bahamas Specialist program, which means I am now a certified Bahamas Specialist, and I would love to help you plan a vacation so that you can see these beautiful islands for yourself.  Contact me for more information.