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Island breeze

February 2, 2015, 12:04 am
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Small islandsscatteredin the oceanblue. Luxuryresortperched ona whitesandbeach. Thispicturewas not confined tothe Maldives, butalsothe Riau Islands. ByRezaIdrisexplainswhythis provincedeserve to bea familyvacationdestination, executivesummarybydarmansjah

Umi Segantang Lada . This is the nickname ofthe Riau archipelago. Being in theassStraits of Malacca,the islandsshare aborderwithSingaporeandMalaysia(the annexationistregion). The extent of252 601km2, the number ofpieces2.408islandswith40% not yethave a name. Saidlocal resident,tocount theislandas much as itneededpepperbushel.

Glorioushistory. Locatedin one of theworld's busiesttrade routes, RiauIslandshave hadamassiveharbor. Golden agetook placeinthe 18th centuryunder thecommand ofthe Sultanate ofJohor-Riau. Most ofhis tracksstoredonthePenyengat  islandstatusimperialcenter. There we canfindthe Sultan ofRiauGrand Mosquethatsomebodyis madefromegg whites; Indonesianfather's tomb, RajaAliHaji; andtoweringfortresson Bukit Kursi.

Afterits vital roleas ahubof tradewas taken overSingapore,Riauislandsturned intotourist destinations. Luxury hotelsspringing up. Restaurantsare mushrooming. Tour operatorsare busyservingtravelers fromneighboringcountries, particularlySingapore(Singapore Dollarmajor currencieslikehere). Looking atthe landscapeandamenities, theRiauIslandshave the capitalto rivalthe Maldivesorthe Caribbean.

For the majority ofdomestictourists, unfortunately, the Riau Islandshas not beenpopular. He lost toshinethanexoticislandsineastern Indonesia. In fact, formatters of access, Riauarchipelagoqualifiedrelative. Heisthe provincewiththe largestairport: HangNadim Airportin Batam, RajaHajiFiasibilillahinbintan, RanaiinNatuna, inDaboDaboSingkep, MatakinAnambas, plusBusungairportbeing built innorthernbintan. And asI have provedfromthistrip, RiauIslandshavea fairly completeoffer ofactivities, includingfor travelerswhocomewith family.

Nikoi Island is one of the tourist magnet in the Riau Islands. The island area of ​​30 football fields can be reached using the ferry from Pelabuhan Kawal. Embedded in dark clouds, pilots spur speed, devouring waves rising wind. 'If it Bintan rains, Nikoi usually bright,' said one of the ships staff. Interval of 20 minutes, his words proved. Approaching the dock Nikoi, the sun showed his face back.

Originallyuninhabited island, breaksNikoitransformedsothatpopulardestinations. The story beginswhenthe expatriatenamedPeterTimmersailfor monthstotrack downthe islandtorealizehis dream: "a perfectparadise'. LikeNeckerIsland in VirginIslands, Nikoiadopted the concept of'oneisland, oneresort'. Peterbuilt17villaseach with itsthatchedroofandwooden walls. All thebuildingsare notpainted.Muchis leftbarefloorpaved withwhitesand. Peterwantedthe guestsone with nature.

The concept ofeco-resortis alsoappliedon the north sideof the island. In2007, founded theresortmanagerturtleconservation area. More than 200eggshatchedonthiscoast. Jordansaid, bartenderresorts,Nikoiamaternityhomeforgreenturtlesandhawsbill. They generallycomefromDecemberto October. GreenturtlelaststopFebruaryago,and their childrenwillemergefromthesandinmid-April.

Nikoialsooffers manyexcitingactivities. On the south sideof the island, visitors canride akayakto circumnavigate theislandwhich coversjust15hectares of this. Kayakingwilltake youbrowse throughchoppyseasandthrough thenarrowmangroveforestsinhabited byherdslizards.

Afterpaddling, guests can snorkelatseveral pointsaround the island. Pin, the staffof the island, took me tothe best location: thestretch ofreefis onlyeightmetersfrom the beach.South coastNikoicollectedsoft coralandenchantingcolorfulbiota, such as angelfish, nudibranchs, clownfish, butterfly fish, andbatfish. Whichis also fun, snorkelingequipmentcan be borrowedwithoutpaying.

The beautyof coralreefs inNikoicould not be separatedfromthe roleMichel Lippitsch, the man from Francewhohasdozens of yearsto explorethe underwater worldof Indonesia,ranging fromalortoRaja Ampat. 'The best divinglocationin the south ofthe island, "he said while pointingwatersnear theislandlinedsandandmangrovelinedislands, about 10minutesfromNikoi. Michelheld aregularclassdivingtherefora minimum12-year-old child. Aprilto Octoberis thebestdivingperiod.

Snorkeling and diving can also be done on the Pulau Beralas Pasir, the island with an area of ​​only 4 ha which is quite close to the beach Nikoi. Only a handful of humans who inhabit it. The entry fee of US$5 per person and is valid all day. Some of the accommodation or tour operators often take their guests to this tiny land.

Foraphobiaof water, Nikoiofferstrekkingin thejungle toursin theeast of the island. Bembeng, rangersfromFlores, guide methrough thefieldto drainenoughstamina: the route, winding roadof rock and soil, bushyplants. I watched thespiderlilyflower, frangipani, andmilky whitestinkhornmushrooms. Also seena spidergoldenorbandsomekind oflizardtailaremilling about in thebranchesof trees. Inmid-2008, a researcherof Indian originhad doneresearchhereandfindattractivecreatures, such as theKingfisherbird, littleheron, andwhitebellysea eagle.

NightatNikoinot filledwitha partyat thebar, but thesafari. Armed withflashlightsandsticks, I tracethe pathto the east. Less than10minutes, fiddlercrabscaughtflashlightsland. He was small, equivalent tothe size ofa cell phone. According to thesafariguide, these animalscome outat nighttoeat thefruitthat fallsfrom theseafigtrees.Finishedeating, hewoulddiga holein the groundashis new home, whileher old hometurned into acatchmentpitthatplays an important rolein maintainingsoil fertility. PeterTimmerseemed tosuccessfullyreach his dream, Nikoiis'perfectparadise'-a place whereman and naturelive together, while enjoyingall thatGod has given.

LagoilikeNusa DuaversionRiauIslands: pouchpocketsinhabited bytouristsluxurypropertyandpremiumfacilities. Landarea of​​23.000hato3.000haof whichoccupiedsevenhotelsandfourJack Nicklausdesigngolffield.

WhattoDoinRiauIslands

DivinginPulau Beralas Pasir
 
This tinyislandwaterscollected about100.000thousandmarine species. It is advisableto comein summerforbestvisibility(Asia DiveNow.GlobalOperations CentreBlk465,Singapore: 65360656532; www.diveasianow.com).

BintanElephantSafariPark
 
The zoooffers aprogramof interactionbetween humans andSumatranelephants. Guestscan also visit thefeedingstationup thebacksof elephantsandelephantsafariin thejungle(WelcomeToBintan; 062 771 318 692; www.welcometobintan.com).

JetskiSafari
 
Tourthrough themangroveforestinBintan, visit thefishing villageSegiling, andrace inthe water circuit(Bintan LagoonResort: 08127065752; www.jetskisafari.com).

GunungBintanAdventureTrek

Trekkingthrough thewilderness ofBintanto theheight of340m. Thisforestinhabited bymonkeys, eagles, and variousexoticplants. Tourdiitutupby bathingin a waterfall(111NorthBridgeRoad#02-07PeninsulaPlaza, Singapore; www.bintanbagus.com).

CatamaranSailing
 
Glide30kmperhourspeedcatamaranboatand see the beautyaroundNikoiIsland(Nikoi Island; 06596351950;www.nikoi.com).

Tourism areainBintanwas launchedon18July1996 oncooperation between the governmentof Indonesia andSingapore. Predictably, the maincustomersaretourists fromSingapore. Every weekend, peoplearesaturatedwith panoramic viewsneighboringskyscraperscameintoLagoitofeel thesoftness ofwhitesandbetweenyour toes, see thewaving palm trees, and of course, swinging a golf club. By the government, Lagoieven hadpromotedas the 'Bali volume two'.

I began myexplorationofBintanLagoonResort, resortarea of​​310hawith amoderncontemporarystyle architecture. TogetherOutdoorAdventuretouroperatorandBintanLagoon, I scouredthe hillson the east sideresortusing theATV. AtvracingwhenI wasthrough the woods,past thefieldsoilandsand along the2km. If tooslow, the vehicleweighs300kgiseasyto fall intothesand pit.

Beforethrough the woods, Ihadstopped at Pantai Panjang.  1.5kmalong thebeachis relativelyquiet, perhapsbecauseaccessis difficult. SaidMartin, the guide, not farfrom herethere is afishingvillagecalled VillageSegiling. The fishermengenerallyto the shoreforgrouperfishing.

BintanLagoonalso provideselectricbicycletourlasted90min. Participantswill be takendown the pathpavedtreelinedshady. Differentfrom theATVtour, thisactivityis morerelaxed. While enjoying thebreeze, Isawthe monkeysperched onthe branchesof trees

Lagoimanagersare quite serious inmaintainingthe ecosystemof the area.Hoteland golf courseshouldstand, butpockets ofgreenremainsconserved. Later, thisstrategybear fruitevenprofitable, for manytourists fromSingaporewaslikenatureexplorationpackage.

Ecotourismisone of the packagesofferedby theBintanLagoon. In the evening, the participantsbrought to Sebung riverthroughthe mangroveforest, thenboardeda boatto watch thefireflieslight up the nightflying. If youcomeduring the day, wecanseea variety ofwildlife,such asgoldringsnake, lizard, andwith luck, crocodiles.

Explore thetouristharvestsuccessintemptingsome investorsto work onotherareasinRiauIslands. Manyislandsare nowbeing developedas atouristarea, one of them ‘Pulau Bawah'in the waters Anambas, about 3 hoursof'Pelabuahan Kawal'. The planof thisislandwill betransformed intoa specialretreatof foreigncelebrities. IfPrinceWilliamwent to theSeychellesfortheir honeymoon, canbeprinceharrylaterbrought his wifeto theRiauIslands.

GettingThere

BatamandBintanare the twomaingates ofthe Riau Islandsarecommonlyvisited bythe nationalairlines. BintanflightJakarta-served among othersbyLionAir(www.lionair.com), SriwijayaAirandBataviaAir(www.bataviaair.com) allpurgihomeinMay.NikoiBintanIslandis locatedinthe East. Toreach it, youcan take ataxifrom the airport tothe PortGuard, ferryboatsthatconnectedoppositeeachat 12and15. To achieveLagoi, youcan ridea rentedvehicle. One of theoperatorsare eligible to choosetheIndorent(sebung bayFerry PortBlock5&6;Lagoi: 0770691 931; www.indorent.co.id).

When toGo

Water sports activitiescan not bedone duringheavy rainfall. Peak ofthe rainyseasonoccurredfromNovember toMarch, while thesummerfromearlyAprilthrough August.

Where toStay
 
NikoiIsland, premiumresortand onlyNikoiIsland, offers17traditional-style villawiththe concept ofwater. Select thenumber sevenvillasarelocatedneara variety ofresort facilities(065 9635190; www.nikoi.com, ranging from U.S. $390). Lagoiregion, bintanumbrellaLagoonResort411roomsand57villasthat are divided intovarioustypes(Jl. InderaSegaraSiteA12, Lagoi29 155; 062 770 691 388; www.bintanlagoon.com; roomsstart at U.S.$ 168).


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Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

February 3, 2015, 1:45 am
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Best For: Aesthetically minded skiers who appreciate fine wine

Executive summary by darmansjah

With the dramatic peaks of the Dolomites rising like ruddy cathedrals in every direction, the ski areas around Cortina have been called the most beautiful in the world. Many of the bejeweled visitors here seem to be vying for the same title. The most upscale resort in Italy, Cortina’s car-free Corso Italia is packed with furriers, designer boutiques, and Italians with sunglasses that cost more than most skis. It’s a slice of classic Italy and loads of fun if you want to sample la dolce vita.

The good news is that most people here are more interested in socializing than actually skiing and snowboarding, so the slopes aren’t crowded—at least by European standards. It’s also possible to stay and eat here inexpensively, as long as you steer clear of establishments that require second mortgages to afford. Though mind-meltingly scenic, the skiing itself is inconveniently spread out, making taxi services or a car useful if you want to maximize the area’s potential. There is a free shuttle bus that connects the ski areas with continuous service during the operating hours of the lifts. Beginners and intermediates will have the most fun on the many gorgeous, groomed runs (Socrepes and Mietres are dedicated to children and beginners). If you don’t mind the bus or taxi rides, Dolomiti Superski tickets give access to a network of resorts that reach far beyond Cortina and offer more terrain for advanced skiers.

Ask a Local 

Ski instructor and guide Paolo D’Amico was born and raised in Cortina d’Ampezzo and personally guided Sylvester Stallone when he visited to film Cliffhanger. Here are his recommendations.

Best Digs 

Budget: Hotel Montana is cheap, in the center of town, and next to the church steeple so you can “hear the bells singing.”

Swank: Hotel de la Poste is where you can really experience the Italian atmosphere.

Best Eats 

Cheap: Twenty Euro will get you a meal at Birreria Vienna, Pizzeria-Restorante—about as cheap as it gets in Cortina.

Gourmet: You can see the entire valley from the terrace of Il Meloncino al Camineto.

Best After-Ski Party Spot 

Ernest Hemingway’s favorite was the Enoteca Cortina wine bar, where he once got so drunk with an instructor at midday that he was unable to get back in his skis after the break.

Best Rest-Day Activity 
 
Go Italian—spend the day shopping and eating.

Cortina’s Classic Run 

The Canalone Staunies is only open in warm weather when the snow conditions are good. It’s so steep and prone to ice that several people have died skiing there. Of course, it’s a major draw because of its beauty and challenge. Many people come to Cortina just to ski this high, steep slope cupped between dozens of thorny Dolomite peaks.

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Black Sea Coast, Crimea

February 4, 2015, 1:55 am
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Executive summary by darmansjah

The Black Sea coast of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula remains a mystery to most North American travelers. With its subtropical climate, underwater grottos, South Shore seaside resorts (including Yalta, Simeiz, Alushta, Koreiz, and Gurzuf), Russian imperial palaces, and dramatic white limestone backdrops, this former “Russian Riviera” of the Soviet era attracts savvy European visitors searching for a less crowded, close-to-home Mediterranean alternative.
 
Beyond the stress-reducing mineral spas, palm trees, vineyards, bike trails, and secluded beaches, the coast is a significant cultural crossroads blending ancient Greek and Roman, Byzantine, Russian, Tatar, and modern Crimean history and architecture. Visit the terrestrial and underwater ruins at the ancient city of Khersoness (4th-12th century B.C.), the neo-Gothic Swallow's Nest castle perched 130 feet (40 meters) above the sea near Yalta, and the Livadia Palace near Yalta—home of the last of the Russian tsars and site of the Big Three’s (Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin) 1945 Yalta Conference.

Pictured here: Visitors inside the church at Livadia Palace

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Croagh Patrick, Ireland

February 5, 2015, 1:59 am
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Summit Climb, Westport, County Mayo

Executive summary by darmansjah

Round-Trip: 8 miles, 1 day

When to Go: Spring through fall is best for weather, but the climb can be done year round when the summit isn’t covered with snow and ice. Expect fog, wind, rain, and hail rolling in off the Atlantic at any time.

A climb of this gnarly, holy peak provides ample beauty, challenge, and spiritual power to really experience this long-settled country. Croagh is the Gaelic word for "sharp mountain," an apt term for this steep ascent of the 2,507-foot mountain where St. Patrick is said to have spent 40 days and nights in prayer at its summit. More than half the people who come to climb the rocky, exposed, and lung-churning trail to the top are not hikers of any stripe, but pilgrims paying homage to St. Patrick, who, with his Celtic cross design, symbolically brought Christians and pagans together. Stunning views of Clew Bay and all of verdant County Mayo are the payoff for making it to the top, with its tiny white chapel. A Guinness in the centuries-old Campbell’s Pub at the base is the mandatory finish. There, the most oft heard phrase is, “Wow, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Insider Tip: Myth says that if you climb Croagh Patrick seven times, your entry into heaven is assured despite previous bad behavior.

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Dominica

February 6, 2015, 2:04 am
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Executive summary by darmansjah

A lack of white sandy beaches and an overabundance of rainfall keep this mountainous island of tropical rain forests off typical Caribbean vacation itineraries—a plus for adventure seekers.

Perpetual geothermal and volcanic activity—there are seven active volcanoes—make 285-square-mile (739-square-kilometer) Dominica, located between Guadeloupe and Martinique, a paradise in progress. Venture into the rugged landscape Spiderman-style on an Extreme Dominica canyoneering tour, which takes visitors rappelling down pristine waterfalls, deep gorges, and volcanic bedrock canyons. The seven-mile round-trip hike from Titou Gorge to Boiling Lake, a vapor-covered cauldron that reaches 198º Fahrenheit (92º Celsius), is strenuous but worth the panoramic Caribbean views from atop 3,000-foot (914-meter) Morne Nicholls, as well as the chance to explore the Valley of Desolation’s brightly colored sulfur springs, mini-geysers, and bubbling mud pools. Recharge at the locally built and staffed Jungle Bay Resort & Spa. The 55-acre (22-hectare) tropical retreat features 35 secluded, hardwood cottages perched high atop posts beneath the jungle canopy.



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Crimea

February 7, 2015, 4:04 am
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Playground of the tsars

Executive summary by darmansjah

The neo-Gothic Swallow's Nest castle perches 130 feet above the Black Sea near Yalta in southern Ukraine. Built by a German noble in 1912, the flamboyant seaside residence is now a popular tourist destination.

"Russianeeds its paradise,” Prince Grigory Potemkin, Catherine the Great’s general, wrote in 1782 urging the annexation of Crimea, and no wonder.

The Crimean Peninsula, with its voluptuously curved Black Sea coast of sparkling cliffs, is paradise—with Riviera-grade vistas but without Riviera prices. Balmy with 300 days of sun a year (“It is never winter here,” said the writer Anton Chekhov, who had a dacha near Yalta), the place served as the playground of tsars and Politburo fat cats. Russians practically wept when, after the breakup of the Soviet Union, Crimea was pulled out of the orbit of Russian rule and became part of an independent Ukraine.

A trace of Soviet hangover endures in the form of unsmiling babushkas and concrete block architecture. Visitors can tour the once secret nuclear-blast-proof Soviet submarine base in Balaklava, a piece of Cold War history, now a museum. Afterward, retreat to one of the briny health resorts of the west and east coasts for a therapeutic mud bath, or go for a run down to Livadia Palace in Yalta, scene of the 1945 conference that reconfigured postwar Europe.

Summer is high season, crowded with Russian and eastern European tourists (North Americans are still rare). In autumn the air turns soft and it’s harvest time at vineyards like Massandra, built in the 19th century to supply wines for Nicholas II, the last Russian tsar. There you may have the pleasure of tasting a Riesling with the scent of alpine meadows, port the color of rubies, and a nectar called “Seventh Heaven,” of which a recent visitor said: “I could kneel in front of this wine.” —Cathy Newman

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-October

Where to Stay: Newer (opened in 2011) Crimea Breeze Residenceis a posh, southern peninsula oasis with low-rise stucco-and-stone luxury villas, seawater pools, and a helpful English-speaking staff.

How to Get Around: Marshrutka (minibus) routes crisscross the region. Private and public bus and train routes connect most cities, and taxis are readily available. Luxury train tour options include the two-week Crimean Express Railway Journey from St. Petersburg to Yalta.
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Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal

February 8, 2015, 4:29 am
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Lukla to Everest Base Camp

By Peter Potterfield, Executive summary by darmansjah

Round-Trip: 70 miles, 16 days

When to Go: Pre-monsoon (March or April) gives you the rhododendrons in bloom and lots of climber action, but post-monsoon (November) gives you drier weather. Go with guide services that use local Sherpa guides, cooks, and porters—it’s part of the experience.

Arguably the greatest of all high-mountain journeys, this stroll through Nepal’s Khumbu district lets you see three of the highest peaks on Earth (Everest, Lhotse, and Lhotse Sar) in one glance—and dozens more Himalayan giants along the way. A favorite is the view from Thyangboche, called by renowned mountain explorer W.H. Tillman the “greatest view in the world.” But it’s the deep immersion in the Sherpas’ Buddhist culture that will bring you back for the friendly villages, the monasteries, and the polyglot scene of world travelers who come for the high-octane pilgrimage to Everest.

Insider Tip: Go slow on the way up. Healthy hikers could cover 35 miles in two days, but the need to acclimatize means you’ll take ten days on the trek in to Everest, but only three on the trek out. The enforced downtime allows you to savor the experience—and the culture of people who live there.
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Everest Base Camp Trek, Nepal

February 9, 2015, 4:35 am
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Hiker: Jim Whittaker, mountaineer

Executive summary by darmansjah

In His Words 

I would recommend the trek to Everest Base Camp to anybody. The people are incredible, the scenery can't be beat, and you get to take a look at Everest or Chomolungma, meaning the "Goddess Mother of the World." It's spectacular just to see the highest point on planet Earth. In 1963, it was a 185-mile trip. These days you can start by flying into to Lukla, a village at 9,000 feet with a slanted airstrip that makes for a hell of a takeoff and landing. In May, the rhododendrons are in bloom with orchids growing in them. There are guest houses on the way up. You can get a beer. There are waste baskets on the trail. They have done a nice job of cleaning it up. I made the trek to Everest Base Camp last year but had to turn back near the camp due to intestinal difficulties. I went ten years ago for the 40th anniversary of the climb with Gombu [Nawang Gombu Sherpa who summited with Whittaker in 1963] and our families. That is when my son Leif decided he wanted to climb it. Who knows, I might wander up there again. —Jim Whittaker

Length: About 40 miles

The Details: The two-week trek to Everest Base Camp and back has become increasingly popular—REI even runs a trip—but no less spectacular, if you don't mind how much the route and the now-bottlenecked climb to the summit have changed since 1963. And why not? It's a bucket list trip available to people who don't have the ability (or money, a guided trip to the top of the world runs around $50,000) to actually climb Everest. Simply viewing the peak is a must. And while so many books and films have focused on the trip from Base Camp to the summit, the journey to Base Camp is no less miraculous.

Beyond the chance to come face to face with the mountain from the spot where climbers begin their ascent, the route passes through the heart of the Khumbu region and wanders into its bustling, little capital, Namche Bazaar. Perched at 11,286 feet, this is where most trekkers spend a few days getting acclimatized and immersing themselves in the local culture—as well as returning to their own by checking email at an Internet cafe. From here, the trek heads up past smaller villages, like at 13,074-foot Pangboche, with its famed Buddhist monastery, before topping out at 17,650 feet at base camp, with the summit towering over 11,000 feet above.

Don't feel bad if climbers who are acclimatizing at Everest Base Camp seem to keep at a distance from you—they don't want to be exposed to germs from trekkers before making an attempt at the highest spot on planet Earth. And while many trekkers are quite content just looking at that summit, some others, like Leif Whittaker, feel the urge to return.

When to Go: Spring from March until the monsoons move in in May is best but September–November after the monsoon season can be beautiful as well, and a bit less crowded.

About Whittaker: Jim Whittaker became the first American to stand on the summit of Mount Everest on May 1, 1963, for which he and the members of his team were awarded National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal and invited to the White House by President John F. Kennedy. Before he climbed to the top of the world, Whittaker was already a proficient mountaineer in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, and like many climbing bums he worked in outdoor retail—he was the first full-time employee at Seattle's Recreation Equipment, Inc. (REI), and later its CEO. He also led the first successful American summit of 18,151-foot K2—the world's second highest mountain and a more difficult climb than Everest—in 1978 and the 1990 Everest Peace Climb, which included American, Soviet, and Chinese mountaineers and helped remove two tons of trash from the mountain. His son Leif followed in his father's footsteps, reaching the top of the world in 2010 and again in 2012 when Jim set out on the Base Camp trek with him.

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Fernie, British Columbia, Canada

February 10, 2015, 4:41 am
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Best For: Adventurous skiers with a hunger for the steep and deep

Executive summary by darmansjah

Though it serves up some of the most spectacular terrain and best snow in all of Canada, this historic mining hamlet of 4,217 people tucked into the far southeastern corner of British Columbia still somehow flies below the greater ski-scene radar. Which isn’t a bad thing—its wide-open alpine bowls, knife ridges, and daredevil chutes are rarely crowded, and fresh tracks can still be found in afternoons on powder days. For many skiers and snowboarders it hits the Canadian sweet spot, with more consistent powder than Whistler and warmer temperatures than Banff.

Similar to its American cousin, Whitefish, a hundred miles to the south, Fernie is a small, funky town with a tiny yet charming downtown. Restaurants are eclectic and unpretentious, the old train station has been converted to an arts center, and ski bums abound. It’s the kind of town where old skis are turned into fences, benches, and coat racks. Thanks to new developments at the base of the hill and in town, lodging options at all price points abound, from hostels to luxury lodges.

Fernie Alpine Resort overlooks the Elk River Valley from 4.5 miles outside town, clinging to the sculpted faces of the Lizard Range. Its five distinct bowls will keep advanced skiers and snowboarders drunk on adrenaline all day, while the new chairlift to the summit of Polar Peak opens up hundred-mile mountain views and 3,497 feet of vertical drop. Diehard powder addicts can head up to the Bear Lodge of Island Lake Catskiing, a few miles past the ski area, for world-class cat skiing.

Ask a Local

Brian Bell came to Fernie in 1993, living in his van, to ski for a winter and never left. He’s been running the Mountain Adventure Skills Training Program at the Fernie Campus of the College of the Rockies for 15 years. Here are his recommendations.

Best Digs
Budget: The Raging Elk Hostel in downtown Fernie
Swank: The Lizard Creek Lodge on the mountain is ski-in, ski-out.

Best Eats
Cheap: Big Bang Bagels—get the “Mr. Fernie” on a whole wheat salty top.
Gourmet: Picnic Restaurant + Social has beautiful ambience and the slow-braised buffalo ribs are fantastic.

Best After-Ski Party Spot
The Griz Bar right at the hill has the best nachos in town and great acoustic après-ski bands. Be sure to ask about the naked table sliding.

Best Rest-Day Activity
Hang out sipping espressos at Bean Pod, the best coffee (and handmade artisan chocolates) most likely in the Western Hemisphere. Then go fondle all the beautiful skis at the local ski shops in historic downtown Fernie.

Fernie’s Classic Ski Run
“Sky Dive nonstop, top to bottom. By far the best fall line on the hill,” says Bell.

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Fitz Roy Trek, Patagonia, Argentina

February 11, 2015, 4:45 am
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El Chaltén to Laguna Torre to Poincenot Camp to Laguna Eléctrico

By Peter Potterfield, Executive summary by darmansjah

Round-Trip: 36 miles, 4 to 7 days

When to Go: February to March to avoid the crowds of midsummer and enjoy stable fall weather when the infamous Patagonian winds abate

Hike among Argentina’s fabled Fitz Roy Massif, the iconic ridge where the peaks of Poincenot, St. Exupery, and 11,073-foot Fitz Roy itself rise out of the steppes of Patagonia like a vision. This grand tour gives you three views of Fitz at sunrise, with Cerro Torre and Marconi Pass thrown in for good measure. This ramble through Delaware-size Los Glaciares National Park takes you from gnarled, spooky beech forests and open plains to glaciers, roaring waterfalls, and granite monoliths afire with orange dawn light.

Insider Tip: From Camp Poincenot, hike up in the predawn hours to Laguna de los Tres by headlamp for the full impact of sunrise on the Fitz Roy Massif.

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Fjord Norway

February 12, 2015, 4:52 am
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Executive summary by darmansjah

Western Norway, known as Fjord Norway, is home to the world’s largest concentration of the saltwater-filled, glaciated valleys. The iconic destination encompasses 1,646 miles (2,650 kilometers) of pristine coastline, glaciers, mountains, and cascading waterfalls, including the 2,148-foot (655-meter) Mardalsfossen, the world’s fourth highest. The region’s six National Tourist Routes offer easy driving access to bouldering, ice climbing, glacier walking, base jumping, caving, and year-round skiing.

Four UNESCO World Heritage sites are located here, including the deep-blue Geirangerfjord, considered one of the world’s most unspoiled fjords. Fjords are best experienced from water level, so hop a ferry, book a cruise, or rent a kayak for unobstructed views of the surrounding snow-covered peaks, steep mountainsides, and abundant wildlife. The midnight sun in June and July brings near round-the-clock daylight and the most visitors. Days are shorter in May and September, but the lighter tourist traffic makes for easy meandering from Kristiansand to Trondheim along the Fjord Coast Route.
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Franconia Ridge Loop

February 13, 2015, 4:54 am
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Franconia Ridge Loop/Traverse, New Hampshire

Hiker: Jonathan Waterman, author, photographer, adventurer, and activist

Executive summary by darmansjah

In His Words 

The Franconia Ridge knife edge in New Hampshire is not technical—and I can think of many steeper knife-edge trails where a slip equals a quick ride to eternity. But once on top, if you catch the trail in isolation early or late in the year, its miniaturized flowers and intricately placed stone steps (to keep you from trampling the fragile flowers) offer a glimpse of alpine worlds otherwise found far away from the well-trammeled White Mountains. As a boy, I knew of no headier experience than this trail. —Jonathan Waterman

Length: About 9 miles

The Details: Yes, the trail is popular but, as Waterman points out, it also offers a chance to hike high in alpine tundra just a few hours from Fenway Park. Don’t be fooled by its close proximity to civilization, though—this walk in the sky gains elevation fast, climbing 3,480 feet in four miles.

Once on the famed knife ridge between 5,260-foot Mount Lafayette, 5,089-foot Mount Lincoln, and 4,760-foot Little Haystack, it serves up 1.7 miles of exposed hiking, which can be a radiant stroll in sunshine among alpine wildflowers or a harrowing retreat from lightning and whipping winds—all depending on the quickly shifting mood of the White Mountain weather.

There is some civilization on the route in the form of the Greenleaf Hut, which was built in 1930 by the still quite active Appalachian Mountain Club. All in all, the trail is a rite of passage for adventurers as well as one of the most iconic hikes in the Eastern U.S.

When to Go: Midweek in the fall, when the crowds have abated and the autumn foliage is peaking

About Waterman: Jonathan Waterman launched his adventure career as a ranger in Alaska's Denali National Park, writing about a climb of the peak in the dead of winter and a circumnavigation hike around the park. From there, he embarked on even larger adventures, such as paddling the Northwest Passage, which was recorded in the book Arctic Crossing(Lyons Press, 2002), and following the Colorado River from source to sea to document the sad state of the waterway along with photographer Pete McBride. That trip became two books (Running Dry and The Colorado River), a film, and a National Geographic wall map. Waterman's latest book is Northern Exposures: An Adventuring Career in Stories and Images (University of Alaska Press, 2013).

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From Sea to Shining Sylt

February 14, 2015, 4:57 am
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Off-the-ship excursions on Germany’s charming Frisian sale, by Jeanine Barone, Executive summary by darmansjah

THE RICH AND FAMOUShave long engaged in holiday merrymaking on this narrow strip of land-just 7 miles wide and 21 miles long-battered by the North Sea along Germany’s coast. Beyond the designer boutiques and pulsing nightclubs in Kampen and the throngs swarming the beaches and souvenir shops in Westerland, you’ll find a terrain of unspoiled beauty on this North Frisian island.

CAPITAL AFFAIRS Rent a bicycle near Westerland’s train station and pedal along bike paths (Sylt is networked with 124 miles of them) to keitum, the capital in the 1800s. clustered here is the island’s best collection of Frisian houses, bearing their characteristic reed thatch roofs and pointed doorway gables. Kleine Teestube provides an extensive tea menu and decadent strawberry cream cakes, as well as a courtyard blooming with Sylt roses, tulips, and hydrangeas. Past the whale jawbone entrance, the Sylt Local History Museum, set in a former sea captain’s home, exhibits antiques such as an oak-curved mangle board used to press cloth and a hanging crown compass. The petite rooms in the Old Frisian Houses illustrate life during the 18th and 19th centuries with a five-foot-seven-inch bed, a double sided  fireplace or oven between the kitchen and living room, and an in-house horse stable. St.Steven church houses a 4,000 pipe organ and is adorned with whale shaped brass door handles, reflecting the community’s historic roots in the whaling industry

NATURAL WANDERINGList, the island’s northernmost region, offers secluded, alabaster sands that rim the Ellenbogen, an elbow-shaped peninsula. The wild landscape is perfect for sunning, picknicking, or walking, but fierce currents prohibit swimming. Wlak along the nearby coast of Konigshafen, a shallow bay with mudflats on the Wadden Sea that attract redshanks, red knots, and other shorebirds. Heather planted o all but two of the dunes prevents them from moving. The remaining sandy mounds that shift are termed ‘walking dunes’. The multimedia presentations at the Forces of Nature Center dramatically illustrate how crabs, birds, and other creatures survive and thrive despite the turbulent North Sea. At Bistro Austernmeyer, an informal eatery, you can inspect the oyster beds and devour their speciality: oyster gratin with Pernod butter, chili powder, and curry.

LIVING IN THE PASTIn Tinnum, a board walk veers over a marshy landscape to the Burg, a foliage-covered, doughnut-shaped rampart that was part of a 1,000-year-old Viking fortress. Near Wenningstedt, navigate a short, steep ladder down into Denghoog, a 5,200-year-old megalithic burial chamber constructed of massive pink granite boulders, one of which weighs some 40,000 pounds. Just nine miles away in Sylt’s most easterly community, Morsum, the gray – and rust-hued , 65-foot-high Morsum Cliff serves as a time capsule with diagonal rock layers from widely different geologic eras sandwich together by glacial forces and erosion.

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Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec

February 15, 2015, 5:01 am
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Executive summary by darmansjah

The 11,714-square-mile (30,340-square-kilometer) Gaspé (Gaspésie)Peninsula is Quebec’s wind-and-sea-sculpted continuation of the Appalachian range. Divided into five natural areas—the Coast, Land's End, the Bay of Chaleur, the Valley, and the Upper Gaspé—the peninsula contains six wildlife sanctuaries, 25 of Quebec’s highest peaks, and four national parks. Remote Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park are the summer nesting home of 250,000 birds and site of legendary Rocher-Percé, the haunting limestone arch rising from the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Summer (June-September) activities include kayaking, canyoning, hiking, sailing, and horseback riding. Winter on the Gaspé brings every imaginable cold weather adventure from downhill skiing and snowmobiling to ice climbing and dog sledding. Drive the 550-mile (885-kilometer) Grand Tour loop (north or south at the Route 132 split in Sainte-Flavie) for a coastal overview of the peninsula, or choose one of Gaspésie Tourism’scustom routes focused on specialty interests like gardens, lighthouses, or paleontology.



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Girdwood, Alaska

February 16, 2015, 5:05 am
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Best For: Off-the-beaten-path powder hounds with an aversion to glamour

Executive summary by darmansjah

A former gold-mining town carved out of the forest at the foot of the famed Chugach Mountains, Girdwood has refashioned itself into Alaska’s premier ski town. Hippies and ski bums flocked here in the 1970s and, a luxury hotel at the ski area’s base notwithstanding, its laid-back, frontier-style ambience remains intact. Many roads are unpaved and Carhartt clothing is a popular fashion choice. Situated about 40 miles south of Anchorage (and its international airport), life in this humble hamlet of 2,000 revolves around skiing and snowboarding.

Rising up from the edge of town, Alyeska Resort is the largest ski area in Alaska. It has six lifts, two magic carpets, and a 60-person tram that climbs the mountain’s steep north face with views to the ocean. Tree line is low this far north, so the upper half of the mountain is wide-open alpine, more like the open terrain of the Alps than a typical American resort. There are ample blue runs and a smattering of beginner runs near the base, but experts will get the most out of the mountain. If you’re not afraid of a little in-bounds hiking, the ridges near Alyeska peak harbor an array of vertiginous chutes.
As you would expect in Alaska, crowds are nonexistent. There is also real-deal Chugach heli- and cat-skiing available right from Alyeska’s base area. Best to visit in March, when there is an average of 12 hours of daylight, though lifts keep running through April and on weekends in May.


Ask a Local
Girdwood native Elyse Saugstad is a professional skier and the 2008 freeride world champion. Here are her recommendations.

Best Digs
Budget: The Alyeska Hostel is close to the resort. What it lacks in frills, it makes up for in flavor. It’s been around since 1980 and has a lot of history.
Swank: The Hotel Alyeska is the resort-owned hotel. It's really nice, has great dining, and they'll even do a wake-up call for the northern lights. Step right out your door and onto the tram.

Best Eats
Cheap: Coast Pizza, at the entrance of Girdwood, has quick slices of pie and one of the best grilled sandwiches around.
Gourmet: The Double Musky Inn is a Cajun-cuisine restaurant for people who like to eat meat. Not only are the fillets the size of your head, they are cooked perfectly. And the gumbo is to die for. Really.

Best After-Ski Party Spot
The Sitzmark, at the bottom of the mountain, is the classic ski bar that's survived all the changes of the resort through the years. It has the perfect mix of food, booze, live music, a constant rotation of ski movies playing on TV screens, and a killer sundeck for the springtime when it warms up.

Best Rest-Day Activity
Head into Anchorage—the “city” in Alaska—that has a plethora of options and is only 45 minutes away.

Girdwood’s Classic Ski Run
Try the north face from Christmas Chute to the bottom. It's the leg burner of the century when it's a deep powder day, which is quite often with the amount of snowfall Alyeska receives.

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Grand Canyon Hike, Arizona

February 17, 2015, 5:09 am
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Rim to Rim to Rim

By Peter Potterfield, Executive summary by darmansjah

Round-Trip: 44 miles, 4 to 6 days

When to Go: Everybody does this hike in September to October or April to May, so go in March or November for a more contemplative experience.

Any walk in the Grand Canyon is going to rate pretty high on the Richter scale of hikes, but this route shows you both rims and the river, offers different trails in and out, and gives you enough time within one of the greatest features on Earth to actually savor the majesty of the natural architecture. Time travel through the multicolored layer cake of the Colorado Plateau for two billion years' worth of geology, from the Kaibab limestone at the rim to the Vishnu complex at the river, all on good “corridor” trails with known water sources and pleasant camps.

Insider Tip: Bomb down from the South Rim via the uber-direct South Kaibab Trail to cross the Colorado River on the Black Bridge and camp at Bright Angel camp. Then ascend through the Box, the inner heart of the canyon, up to Cottonwood Camp and the remote North Rim. On the return trek, cross the Colorado on the Silver Bridge and ascend to the South Rim through Indian Garden via the Bright Angel Trail, better suited for uphill travel.

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Great Bear Rainforest

February 18, 2015, 5:18 am
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Canada’s fragile coastal wilderness

Executive summary by darmansjah

Sometimes you can see both the forest and the trees. The Great Bear Rainforest, the planet’s largest intact coastal temperate rain forest, is an untamed strip of land stretching 250 miles along British Columbia’s coast that harbors extensive tracts of giant hemlock, Sitka spruce, and red cedar. The mighty trees rise high above a moist and ferny forest floor patrolled by coastal wolves, minks, Canada’s largest grizzly bears, and rare white Kermode spirit bears.

This tranquillity has recently been rocked by a proposal to send tar sands crude oil from Alberta to a terminal at Kitimat in the Great Bear Rainforest. The project would entail two pipelines crossing some of the world’s largest salmon-producing watersheds and a steady procession of supertankers plying the narrow channels. The local First Nations and environmental groups are vehemently opposed, fearing the catastrophic effects of an Exxon Valdez–type spill. “This is a wilderness sanctuary, a very spiritual place,” says Ian McAllister, founding director of Pacific Wild. “The pipelines would fundamentally alter the coast forever.” A decision on the pipelines could come by the end of 2013. —Robert Earle Howells

Travel Tips

When to Go: May-September

Where to Stay: At luxurious King Pacific Lodge(accessible only by floatplane), all-inclusive amenities include gourmet meals, whale-watching, and guided kayaking tours. Spirit Bear Lodge, a tour/lodging outfitter in Klemtu, is owned and operated by the local Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation community.

How to Get Around: Sail through the rain forest on a guided, multiday tour with experienced outfitters like Maple Leaf Adventures or Bluewater Adventures.

Where to Eat or Drink: Reserve a table (and one of the day’s homemade desserts) at tiny Cow Bay Café, a funky, dockside lunch and dinner hotspot in Prince Rupert.

What to Watch Before You Go: Last Stand of the Great Bear, DVD, National Geographic (2004). Wilderness detectives embark on a 250-mile adventure through the Great Bear Rainforest in search of the rare white spirit bear.

Fun Fact: The rain forest’s most celebrated resident is the Kermode bear, or spirit bear. A recessive genetic mutation causes these black bears to be born with cream-colored fur. One in three black bears on Gribbell Island is white.


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Grindelwald, Switzerland

February 19, 2015, 5:29 am
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First to Lake Bachal to Faulhorn Hut

By Peter Potterfield; Executive summary by darmansjah

Round-Trip: 10 miles if you ride up and walk down, 2 to 3 days
When to Go: High summer is the season here, but hikable weather often extends into September, when the Europeans are back at work. The Faulhorn closes in October.

Perhaps the biggest payoff for effort applied in the Alps, this ridiculously beautiful walk takes in the scenic highlights of the Bernese Oberland—including the notorious Eiger and its more impressive sister peak, the fearsome Shreckhorn—looming across Grindelwald’s fairy tale valley. 

All this, and a night or two at the comfortable Faulhorn hut or berghotel, impossibly perched at 8,800 feet on its namesake peak, for just a day’s worth of hiking. And you can shave some time off that by taking a cable car up to First. Walk the whole way from Grindelwald and you’ll earn that beer you’re drinking on the terrace as the setting sun paints the Eiger’s north wall a blood red.

Insider Tip: Even if you ride the lift on the way up, be sure to walk down, and have lunch at Waldspitz, a classic Swiss mountain chalet where you’ll enjoy a tasty rösti watching snow plumes blow off the summit of the Shreckhorn so close it’s scary.

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Grenada

February 20, 2015, 5:25 am
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Caribbean with a smile

Executive summary by darmansjah

It’s one of the last truly Caribbeanislands, not yet overwhelmed by resorts and cruise ship crowds. The charm of this lush island lies beyond the white-sand beach of Grand Anse and its string of hotels.

Grenada’s capital, St. George’s, is one of the prettiest towns in the Caribbean, its jumble of orange roofs tumbling down to the harbor. There, the gray stones of Fort George evoke a history that runs from 1705 through the dark days of 1983, when a military coup by a Communist hard-liner prompted President Ronald Reagan’s invasion of the island.

That was an unhappy exception to a happy rule: Grenadian traditions are an amiable mix of African, Indian, and European—much of it coming together every April on the country’s little Carriacou island. The Maroon Festival features drums, string bands, dances, and the “Shakespeare Mas,” in which costumed contestants hurl island-accented recitations from Julius Caesar at each other. Really.

The weekly “Fish Friday” festival in Gouyave, Grenada’s seafood town, offers a marine taste of true Caribbean. Vendors fill the air with scents of fish cakes, shrimp, conch, and beer. Street music makes it a party, with visitors welcome. For most Grenadians, tourists are guests, not sales targets.

Nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and mace made Grenada the “Spice Island,” and culinary opportunity persists today. The Belmont Estate serves up such local fare as callaloo soup and bergamot ice cream. The dark slabs from the Grenada Chocolate Company are so determinedly organic that chocolate bars exported to Europe have been shipped by wind power on a square-rigged brigantine.

With mangrove-fringed coastlines and coral reefs just offshore, there’s plenty of nature. At Mount Hartman, with the right guide at the right time, you might see the national bird: the shy Grenada dove. Fewer than 150 remain on Earth. Indeed, Grenada is becoming a rare bird itself. —Jonathan B. Tourtellot

Travel Tips

When to Go: Dry season, January-May. (Hurricane/rainy season is June-December.)
Relevant Dates: The three-day Carriacou Maroon & String Band Music Festival is typically held in late April.

Where to Stay: All 12 rooms at La Sagesse Nature Centre, a 25-minute drive from St. George’s, are steps from the intimate resort’s palm-shaded beach. Stay in the former plantation’s original manor house or a duplex suite, cottage, or low-slung oceanfront guesthouse. The beachside restaurant (open to the public) serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and its signature chocolate mousse (prepared with local organic chocolate) seven days a week.

How to Get Around: For island-wide touring, rent a car at the airport. Public minivan routes connect St. George’s to Grand Anse Beach and the island’s other major cities. Taxi service is readily available from the airport. Several local tour operators offer group and private transportation and sightseeing options.

Where to Eat or Drink: The open-air restaurant at Belmont Estate serves a three-course lunch buffet spotlighting homegrown spices, fruits, and vegetables. Lunch is served Sunday-Friday beginning at noon.
What to Buy: Locally grown and produced ground spices and essential oils from the Market Square in St. George’s; The Grenada Chocolate Company organic dark chocolate bars at Belmont Estate.

What to Listen to Before You Go: Grenada: Creole and Yaruba Voices, Caribbean Voyage: 1962 Field Recordings, produced by Alan Lomax. Legendary folk music hunter Lomax recorded the rich linguistic and stylistic variety of the English-, French-, and Spanish-speaking eastern Caribbean on a six-month, 1962 field trip to the Lesser Antilles.

Fun Fact: According to legend, Grenada owes its Isle of Spice status to an East Indies doctor who brought the first nutmeg trees to the island in the 1830s. The tree produces the island’s principal export crops—nutmeg and mace.


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eco lodge

February 21, 2015, 5:32 am
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South Africa

executive summary bydarmansjah

Bulungula Lodge-A bumpy ride down a long dirt track ends atBulungulaon South Africa’s “Wild Coast,” where ten whitewashed roudavels (traditional rounded thatched huts), co-owned and managed by Xhosa villagers, use the sun, wind, and rain to provide daily energy needs. Shoestring traveler are welcomed like family to this rustic lodge that also provides economic opportunities for the rural community. Breakfast? Down a fresh fruit smoothie, then join villagers in activities like brickmaking, beer brewing, and maize stamping. Or set out for a walk across miles of empty beach, listening to the sound track of rolling waves,  10 hutss; from $39.

Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve-EachSeptember, the UNESCO-protected Cape Floral Region bursts into living color with some of the greatest consertrations of floral species in the world. Bushmans Kloof, a century old homestead turned nature reserve, cares for 18,532 acres of this rare habitat-home to endangered Cape mountain zebras and archaeological sites that include 10,000-year-old San rock paintings. “We are dedicated to Bushmans Kloof’senduring legacy, to help protect and preserve its precious heritage through ecotourism, conservation programs, and community benefit projects,” says South Africa-born Toni Tollman, who oversees the reserve on behalf of her family. Sixteen lavish rooms and a private family villa serve as the base camp for daily outings or unwinding with a glass of the Cape’s finest vintage. 16 rooms; from $420, including full board.

I n d ia

executive summary by darmansjah

Orange County, Kabini-Watching the sky radiate its sunset palette from the riverside tables of Kabini’s open-air restaurant brings a tranquil end to active days. Visitors exploreNagarhole National Park in search of the elusive Bengal tiger and India’s largest herds of Asian elephants, along with other flagship species (leopard and wild-dog). Simple-looking mud-and-thatch huts built in the traditional style of the indigenous Kuruba tribes belie more opulent interiors while also minimizing the environmental footprint ( a reserve osmosis system in each building eliminates the need for imported drinking water). The lodge supports the Kuruba heritage with interactive story telling sessions, dance performances, and river outings in a handmade coracle. 37 cottages; fro m$478, including full  board.

B r a z i l

executive summary by darmansjah

Cristalino Jungle Lodge- A 28,167 acre rain forest reserve in southern Mato Grossoenvelops Cristalino’s wood-and-tile bungalows, designed to take advantage of cooling breezes and natural light. The languid Cristalino River provides plenty of opportunities for canoeing, swimming, and wildlife viewing-from the rare giant otters playfully at home in the water to the endemic red-nosed bearded saki monkeystraversing the treetops. Climb one of the two 164-foot observation towers to get a look at some of the more than 550 birds that have been identified in this species-rich corner of the Amazon and be rewarded with a stunning above-the canopy view of the world’s largest jungle. 16 rooms; from $630, including full board and exploration trips.

C a n a d a

executive summary by darmansjah

Cree Village Eco Lodge-OVERLOOKINGthe subartic waterways of the tidal Moose River in NorthernOntario, the 20-room lodge is designed in the style of a Cree villageshabatwon-a traditional long tepee with doors at each end. The soaring structure of pine, cedar, and hickory lets in the nearly 20 hours of summer lights; stone fireplaces and warm guest rooms padded with thick carpets and blankets of natural wool keep winter’s chill at bay. Guests can hike in Tiderwater Provincial Park .take a boat to James Bay for seal – and whale – spotting led by local guides, or view the northern lights at night. The lodge restaurant serves fair-trade coffee as well as health-minded aboriginal cuisine, including free-range bison from Ontarioand caribou from Nunavut. 20 rooms; from $168.

Concordia EcoTents, U.S. Virgin Islands 

Key Features: active adventures, family
Concordia's solar-powered tents are decidedly rustic (yup, composting toilets), but their location on St. John’s is five-star, set on a hillside next to Virgin Islands National Park. Snorkeling and scuba diving are de rigueur, as is a visit to Maho Bay's Trash to Treasures, where guests make art from recycled glass.
+ Doubles from $105; maho.org 

Kosrae Village Ecolodge & Dive Resort, Micronesia

Key Features: active adventures, local culture, family
Located east of Palau, the jumble of steep jade mountains known as Kosrae Island is farther than most tourists venture. That's why Kosrae Village, the island's one and only ecolodge, feels like such an authentic slice of South Pacific life. Dive for a coral-monitoring project, learn to weave at a local village, and dine on coconut-smoked wahoo.
+ Doubles from $149; kosraevillage.com 

Nihiwatu, Indonesia 

Key Features: luxury, active adventures, local culture
Nihiwatu has a consistent break right off its 1.5-mile beach, but this chilled-out surf nirvana attracts more than pro riders. Join the active devotees of this coconut-biodiesel-fueled resort for yoga in the thatch pavilion, find bliss in the spa, and mountain bike to remote villages. Thanks in part to the resort, thousands of villagers now have access to clean water and health clinics.
+ Doubles from $440; nihiwatu.com 

Ranweli Holiday Village, Sri Lanka

Key Features: local culture
Staying at Ranweli's tiled bungalows, modeled after a traditional village, is just short of complete Sri Lankan immersion. Locals demonstrate weaving and cooking techniques, an on-site fruit stall sells medicinal drinks, and an ayurvedic center offers herbal oil massages—all just a two-hour drive from the capital.
+ Doubles from $60; ranweli.com 

Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge, Dominica 

Key Features: active adventures, family
Instead of white sand and palms, the Caribbean isle of Dominica is covered in volcanoes and virgin jungle. A15-minute hike into the vines and heliconia, Rosalie's tree houses and cabins feature wind-powered lights and rainwater showers. After waterfall hikes, eat an organic dinner with Brit owner Jem Winston, a London taxi driver turned sustainable-living guru.
+ Doubles from $50; rosalieforest.com 

Soneva Fushi by Six Senses, Maldives

Key Features: luxury, active adventures
"No news, no shoes," is the resident philosophy at Soneva Fushi, which is to say: Kick back. Dive or windsurf the baby blue waters, take a wine-tasting tutorial with the sommelier, or dine on your own private beach. Behind its elegant facade, this 65-suite resort has committed to zero carbon emissions by 2010 with innovations like deep-ocean water cooling.
+ Doubles from $749; soneva.com 

Tiamo Resort, Bahamas 

Key Features: luxury, active adventures, family
While hoteliers have jostled for elbow room on Caribbean beaches since the 1950s, remote South Andros Island has remained blissfully development free. To preserve the pristine area, Tiamo’s owners hid their 11 airy wooden bungalows in the jungle and built a field of solar panels to power them. Cast for bonefish in world-renowned flats or snorkel one of the planet’s largest reefs.
+ Doubles from $630; tiamoresorts.com 

Vamizi Island, Mozambique

Key Features: luxury, wildlife, local culture
Vamizi Island, in the Quirimbas Archipelago, is the prototypical white-sand-and-palms paradise, but the real attraction at this ten-villa resort lies in the water: Explore some of the world’s most pristine coral reefs, sail on locally made dhows, then head offshore to search for migrating whales.
+ Doubles from $900; vamizi.com

North Island, Seychelles 

Key Features: luxury, active adventures, wildlife
While taking in uninterrupted views of the turquoise sea from a villa handcrafted by local Seychellois carpenters, it's easy to mistake this as one's own private island. It's even harder to believe that the isle was once ravaged by invasive species. African outfitter Wilderness Safaris rehabbed the land by reintroducing endemic tortoises, birds, and plants and building 11 no-expense-spared villas, a spa, and a dive center.
+ Doubles from $5,000; north-island.com









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