What the Virgin Islands (aviation) can Offer Tourists
No commentsBy Roberto Garabell
Do you dream of clear blue waters, with mild wave action and sandy beaches? If you love the sun, sand, and tropics, you might be interested in the U.S. Virgin Islands. You may think that a trip to this exotic and tropical locale is out of your budget but in truth, there are many ways you can visit the Virgin Islands without robbing a bank. It is possible to book a hotel, flight, and vacation package that will allow you to sit on Caribbean shores. The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas. These three are world-renowned destinations with rich history and duty-free shopping. A paradise such as this should not be missed because you fear your budget. Instead, recognize the travel site that will provide you with an all-inclusive package for under $700 per person in top hotels like the Wyndham.
It is a real possibility to find your perfect getaway in the Virgin Islands when you have trips including airfare for $619. If you do not want a package but just the accommodations with meals included, it can be less than $200 per person. With the advent of the Internet, nothing is unattainable anymore. There are too many deals being offered for you to wait to book a U.S. Virgin Islands vacation.
You might wonder what do the Virgin Islands have to offer tourists? Certainly warm weather, sandy beaches, and water sports but what else can be included in your vacation of three to seven nights?
The U.S. Virgin Islands, as mentioned, include St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. Depending on how long you will stay in the Virgin Islands, you may be able to travel to all three islands or visit only one. St. Croix and St. Thomas are the two most popular islands for tourists, with St. John as a third option. The main thing besides a tropical paradise that the Virgin Islands offer is culture.
The islands have been formed on a myriad of cultures such as the Carib Indians, Arawak, Africans, Britons, Dutch, Spanish, French, and Indians. There are, of course, United States residents on the Islands as well. This mixture of cultures is apparent in almost anything one can do in the Virgin Islands. You will discover a mingling of languages, architecture, and even boutiques. The most modern history of the U.S. Virgin Islands begins with Christopher Columbus who named them on his second voyage in 1493. At this time, some structures were erected but the native Islanders still had control. Over the next 300 years, the islands became a rich resource for the West India Trading Company and sugarcane. Wars did break out which finally left the Islands in U.S. control. Tourists can visit some of the more historical sites, when they take a break from the private beaches and national parks.
Other attractions available on all three islands include kayaking, hiking, ecological tours, scuba diving, sailing, tropical forest tours, and nightlife. One cannot talk about the U.S. Virgin Islands without exploring the underwater world. The waters around the islands are calm, offering crystal-clear views of more than 100 feet. There are days when the water can be a bit brackish, usually after a storm, but on average there are 300 days of great diving. Cave diving, wreck diving, and reef diving are the typical enjoyments. With diving comes snorkeling tours so if you do not wish to include diving lessons as part of your all-inclusive package consider at least a snorkeling trip. Sailing around the islands to find private beaches, picnic areas, and underwater sites is a major boost to the economy. Night cruises often leave port with dinner, sunset, and luxury in mind.
Cuisine in the restaurants will be varied with such a mingling of cultures as described above. International fare such as Indian food, favorite American dishes, and local meals are all available to the adventurous tourist. A plethora of shops and boutiques will greet you almost as soon as you step off a cruise ship or airplane. You might want to ask a few locals where to head for the best souvenirs, as there are your typical souvenir shops and then those that are off the beaten path. Often, it is easier to find deals in the little known shops set up by locals than in the tourist traps. There is more than one way to reach the U.S. Virgin Islands. A plane package is often a great way to see all three islands but you also have major cruise lines that visit the U.S. Virgin Islands’ ports.
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Discovering Alaska in an RV
By Albert Garcia
Rving in Alaska is not a two week trip, plan for a much longer time because getting there and back is half the fun, enjoying the stops along the way. But if time is an issue then you have several options. Alaska is a large state with a lot to see,So if you are still working or have school age children you can plan a shorter trip and limit the area you cover. A driver-friendly option is a sea-and-land tour via the Inside Passage. You can load your RV on the BC ferries in Seattle, Washington or British Columbia, or you can fly to Alaska and rent an Rv. If you have the time there are many points of interest in the US and Canada on the way. A trip in itself is sightseeing in Glacier National Park, Calgary, Lake Louise, Baniff and the Edmonton Mall before you get to the Alcan Highway.
Be sure to take a side trip to Skagway to ride the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. Experience the historic 1898 narrow gauge Klondike Gold Rush Railroad with breathtaking terrain, beautiful scenery, cascading waterfalls and sky-high trestles. Then back to Whitehorse and on to Tok, where a decision needs to be made whether to go southwest to Anchorage or north to Fairbanks. We went southwest first to Anchorage (largest city in Alaska) with good RV facilities and a place to rest and get supplies. A good side trip is Valdez, south end of the Alaskan pipeline, Museum of the earthquake, fish hatchery, glaciers and viewing the whales from a party boat. We thought that viewing the glaciers from the boat was spectacular. The glaciers were all around us, we had to go very slow as of the glaciers were hidden under the water.
For people who enjoy fishing, then Seward, Soldotna, Kenai and Homer is a must. For Halibut and King Salmon you must take a charter boat or rent a boat. Then back to Anchorage and north to Denali Park. A bus trip through the park is a must, hope it is a clear day so you can see the top of Mount McKinley. Be sure to visit the World largest coal mine just north of the park.
Then on to Fairbanks, be sure to take the Riverboat cruise to learn about the Eskimos way of living and surviving off the land in the frigid winters. They must catch and cure one salmon per sled dog per day. The salmon season is not that long and just think about cleaning that many salmon for ten or twelve dogs. Also while in Fairbanks visit the factory where they make beautiful bowls from trees.
Then back to Tok for the rugged Top of the World Highway that takes you on to Chicken and Dawson City on your way through the Yukon to Whitehorse. Then you must decide your route home, the eastern route back to Edmonton or the Western route to Prince George then the US of A. There are many State Parks in Canada on lakes with Rving Sites.
An investment well worth the money is the Milepost, a book for your trip to and while you are in Alaska, milepost by milepost starting at Dawson Creek, British Columbia, milepost 0. This book makes rving in Alaska easy. Remember your passport as you will soon need one, so it is best to apply for one now.
Learn about ficus benjamina and ficus bonsai at the Ficus Plant site.
Get Your Flight Report Before Heading To The Airport
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 4:05 pm and is filed under travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
