My Travel Destination Short List for 2014: Bora Bora, The Galapagos and More...
It seems like half the year is already gone, and even with a lot of bucket-list travel under my belt so far - like my first trip to Australia and a remote island paradise in Brazil, as well a return to my beloved Dublin - I'm finding myself feeling antsy for adventure. Before I blink and the summer's here, I want to lend you a little inspiration for your own vacation time, and remind myself of what's special about my top choices for travel adventures in 2014.
These destinations would take me (and hopefully you, too) all around the globe: to the South Pacific, South America, the Antipodes, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. So let's all start thinking about some trip planning!
1. Bora Bora. The popular name of this French Polynesian island is actually a mistake made by 18th-century explorer Captain Cook (the island's ancient Tahitian name is actually "Pora Pora"), but that doesn't make it any less of a dream destination. Often referred to as the most beautiful island on Earth, Bora Bora is known for almost ridiculously turquoise water, lush mountain peaks that offer views that go on forever, pink-purple sunsets that you'd have to see to believe, and the most sought-after black pearls in the world.
But why do I want to go? The reportedly amazing scuba diving, including an oceanic drop-off composed of big, bright clusters of coral, where there's plenty of space to observe large schools of sharks and tropical fish, as well as the passes, where large varieties of big animals play in a very dynamic environment. I'm also intrigued by a private, invitation-only satellite island called Motu Tapu, and the overwater bungalows at resorts like the Le Meridien Bora Bora and the The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort. Now that I've been to an underwater restaurant in the Maldives and been surrounded from above by the glassed-in Indian Ocean, my ideal next step is to see the South Pacific from my own guest room, right beneath my feet!
2. The Galapagos. If you love travel as much as I do, chances are this once-in-a-lifetime destination's on your own list, too. Hopefully, this is the year I'll finally make it to this remote chain of 18 volcanic islands off the coast of Ecuador, where creatures have evolved differently than anywhere else on the planet. Largely uninhabited by people, the Galapagos are full of sea lions, iguanas, bright orange crabs, and seabirds called blue-footed boobies, as well as some of the world's most pristine dive sites.
Top on my to-dive list is Darwin's Arch (named for the explorer who made these islands world-famous), where visibility is clear between 40 and 80 feet down, and I'd love to see massive schools of fish, rays and sharks, including tigers and hammerheads. You pretty much had me at "sharks," but I'd also love to explore topside, taking a small-boat cruise to see double-named islands like Bartolomé (Bartholomew), Española (Hood) and Isabela (Albemarle). You used to have to sleep aboard the small vessels that are approved for traveling through these protected waters, but happily for me and my long legs, there's now the environmentally friendly Finch Bay Eco Hotel on Santa Cruz Island where I could return for a good night's rest each night.
3. New Zealand. I've featured write-ups on Queenstown and the Wellington-area wine country of Martinborough, but sadly, I've never been to New Zealand, myself. Two main islands are set 1,500 miles across the Tasman Sea from the southeast coast of Australia, and there's an amazing array of adventures to be had in this wide-open country where sheep outnumber people by about 5 to 1. In addition to Hobbits, there are enormous snow-capped mountains called the Southern Alps, the famous fjordlands at Milford Sound, board-walked paths through protected rainforests (where ferns sometimes grow as tall as me), thermal pools colored neon-bright by minerals, huge lakes and rushing rivers, and the fascinating Maori people, who create incredible carvings out of wood, bone and an indigenous type of jade called greenstone.
But again it's scuba diving that calls to me in a Kiwi accent. Named for a native fish called the Blue Maomao (which rhymes with cow cow), the Blue Maomao Arch is found 14 miles offshore from the southeast (or Tutukaka) coast of New Zealand's North Island and marks the site of a well-lit, cathedral-sized aquarium full of, well...blue maomao. I've heard that sometimes there are so many of these fish here that you can't see other divers - and the arch itself is covered with colorful sponges, hard corals and little nudibranches. Sounds like an incredible dive to me!
4. Oman. A sultanate on the Arabian Peninsula, there are lots of different exciting landscapes to explore here: the turquoise Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, the jagged Al Hajar Mountains in the northeast, palm-rimmed deserts with ancient ruins, and romantic cities like the capital, Muscat, which is known for sweet little wine grapes, lavishly tiled buildings, and a history that stretches back thousands of years. I want to go to the A'Sharqiyah Sands, the original land of the Bedouin nomads, and experience a sand safari, where you stay in a luxury version of a Bedouins tent camp in the middle of the desert, leaning back on hand-woven pillows and staring at some of the clearest, starriest skies in the world. I also want to climb aboard an ancient style of boat called a dhow, which is pointed and curved (imagine a genie's slipper), and glide along the fjords of Khor Sham, surrounded by tall mountains and leading to the remote, white-sand beaches of Telegraph and Seebi islands for some snorkeling.
I'd also want to head just a little ways outside Muscat to the Bandar Khayran Marine Reserve, where there are 22 separate dive sites amongst protected coral reefs. Sounds like the water is clearest from September to May, and to and from dive sites -- which are home to about 900 types of tropical fish! - I could see whole schools of dolphins, who like to chase dive boats around these parts. Once I'm done diving, I'd be happy to stay in Muscat at one of the three properties that make up the five-star Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa - the Al Husn, which has views overlooking the Sea of Oman.
5. Belize. This Central American country has the second-longest barrier reef in the world (after the Great Barrier Reef), and in addition to chocolate tours, banana fields, bright yellow butterflies, furry little raccoon-cat-dog creatures called coatis, and Mayan pyramids slowly being reclaimed by thick jungles, Belize is known for having some of the best dive sites in the Caribbean Sea.
One I'm especially excited about is Half Moon Caye, set 52 miles off the coast of Belize's Ambergris Caye (pronounced "key") and home to plunging walls of colorful coral that attract tons of marine life. Its neighboring site, the Blue Hole, is the more famous of the two, but this site sounds like the better place to see a reef in macro action. Visibility apparently goes on for ages, and I'd be likely to (very clearly) see loggerhead turtles, tarpon, eagle rays. I want to swim through caves that shelter groupers, barracudas and Moray eels, and then come up to the surface to spot razorfish, conch and garden eels.
For a high-end jungle experience near the ruins of Xunantunich (pronounced "zoo-NAN-too-neesh"), I'd look into Ka'ana Resort in San Ignacio and in Ambergris Caye, and in Ambergris Caye, a beachside resort like Las Terrazas. While on Ambergris Caye, I'd go explore the main town of San Pedro, which has a ton of ice cream shops and a popular restaurant called Elvi's Kitchen, which is known for its seafood, including a whole fish fried in roasted garlic. (And see there, now I'm hungry...)
Where do you see yourself going this year? I want to hear about your dream adventure(s) for the rest of 2014 - and beyond!
[card card-name='Barclaycard Arrival™ World MasterCard®' card-id='22089566' type='javascript' bullet-id='1']
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.