Island-Sity

In June, tarpon over 100 pounds roll a boat-length away. Tripletail, a fine fighting and dinner table fish, lie inches below the surface, and a kingdom of critters, from snowy egrets to wild boar, join in the feed. “It’s the last East Coast outback,’’ says Steve Holley, a tournament sportsman who manages a fishing camp here.

My family and I loaded up the car and headed to Holley’s neighborhood, the Bluffs: Shellman, Contentment, Pleasure, and Dallas bluffs, to name a few. On a coast known for fishing, the unincorporated speck north of Brunswick is one of three hot spots. Although resorts and mega-yacht marinas have yet to find the Bluffs, Georgians have fished here for over a century. At Contentment Bluff run by Holley, they rent the circa 1930s cabins or spend weekends in trailers with gleaming center-consoles in tow.

In Shellman Bluff Lin Rogers poured a Jim Beam and soda and handed us the keys to Moonpie Cottage. Rogers, who drives a 1998 Cadillac DeVille with 81,000 miles on it and a golf cart with twice that, manages the area’s best portfolio of vacation rentals, ranging from Airstreams to designer homes.

On the water, the Bluffs rise out of the spartina grass on the Julienton and Broro rivers. While my family slept in, I took my first tidewater turn, sight-fishing for reds, with Captain Scott Dykes and his friend Ronnie Chambers. A lemon sun rose as we pulled away from “downtown’’ Shellman’s waterfront of boat lifts and the Shellman Fish Camp store, where a Coke costs 60 cents. Due east, Sapelo Sound stretched emptily. A hard current dragged the buoys, and brown, detritus-rich creeks snaked in dizzying array.

“Let’s try 153,’’ said Dykes, referring to an Intracoastal Waterway marker. A good 60 hungry redfish schooled alongside the bank, too big for keepers but great sport. Next we nudged against a mud flat Dykes had recently discovered and cast to the fish moving toward us, their tails flashing above the shallow water's surface as they grubbed the bottom for food.

On the west side of Sapelo Island, we poled into a beauty spot like an enchanted glen. Locally known as “the Chocolate House,’’ its name comes from a remnant visible from the water of the 18th-century Chocolate Plantation, whose main house, commissary, barn, and slave huts are among the largest examples on the Georgia coast of tabby construction (a centuries-old material made from equal parts lime, water, sand, oyster shells, and ash). Close by were 4,000-year-old shell rings left by Paleo-Indians who used Sapelo to fish and hunt. A ferry service in nearby Meridian takes visitors to Sapelo, where Georgia State Parks guides and members of the historic Hog Hammock community offer tours.

It's the third-largest island in Thailand but takes only a couple of hours to circumnavigate. It has a population estimated at just 40,000 but attracts more than 1 million visitors a year.

Tourists are likely to be lured by the beautiful beaches, the Ang Thong Marine Park, water sports and off-the-beaten track resorts such as luxurious Baan Taling Ngam on the little-visited Virgin Coast, which is the perfect spot to get away from it all.

Sitting atop a cliff and surrounded by coconut plantations, the hotel has infinity and beachfront pools and just 70 guest rooms featuring private balconies with sea or garden views, wooden furnishings and traditional Thai decor. All rooms have satellite TVs along with DVD/CD players and the service is friendly, slick and unobtrusive.

There is still solitude to be found here; the beaches are all but deserted outside of high season and the lounge is the perfect spot to relax with a cocktail while taking in the magnificent sunsets overlooking the unspoiled and uninhabited Five Islands. Later, sample dishes such as local rock shrimp tempura and five-spice duck breast at the beachfront Sea Chi at The Promenade restaurant.

Just a short drive away is the Five Islands restaurant, casually chic right on the waterfront and specialising in local seafood (think baked crab meat and herb curry served in the shell). Long-tail boats leave from here to explore the surrounding waters. Nikki Beach Club, a haunt of the jetset with its daybeds and spa pools, is another great place for a leisurely drink.

In contrast to all this luxury, Samui is home to not one, but two, mummified monks displayed in glass cases in full view of the public.

The body of Samui's most famous mummified monk, Loung Pordaeng, is on display in a specially constructed case at Wat Khunaram. He's wearing orange robes and much of his face is shaded by his sunglasses. When he died 30 years ago, he was sitting in a meditation position - and he remains in that position today with his body still remarkably preserved. Another mummified monk, Luang Por Ruam, who died in 1966, is at Wat Kiri Wongkaram, near Baan Taling Ngam.

There are also reminders of Samui's agricultural past if you visit the coconut plantations, where monkeys are trained to climb the trees and dislodge coconuts, which are then chopped up and sold to tourists. There are plenty of diversions here, too: from elephant trekking to an extremely large Big Buddha and three impressive waterfalls deep in the jungle. However, the major attractions are rapidly becoming the international-class restaurants, spas, cocktail bars and wine lounges that now dot the island.

Chaweng and Lamai, two bustling beach strips, are home to most of the bars and restaurants. The shining new star is The Page restaurant at the funky, casually elegant, The Library resort. The Page serves contemporary dishes such as stir-fried soft shell crab with yellow curry powder and golden fried sea bass topped with chilli and hot basil.

Choose from a range of cocktails, a Californian cabernet or Chilean sauvignon blanc as you take in the jet skis on the beach and the confronting, red pool.

Nearby is long-time fusion cuisine favourite betel nut, now on the beachfront at the boutique Buri Rasa resort. American chef/owner Jeffrey Lord and his team cook up dishes such as roast snowfish with crispy rice salad and mild Thai chilli, with accompanying wines from France and Italy.

Other Samui standouts for wining and dining in style include long-time favourite Poppies, the Melati Beach resort, the tapas and cocktails at Beach Republic, 26th Degree at the spectacular Kala Samui and Bandara Resort and Spa, where a fusion dish of red snapper with mashed potato/jasmine rice, braised artichoke, fresh carrot and a green curry jus is outstanding.

There are several independently owned resorts offering impressive value for money across Samui, none more so than the dramatic Kala Samui, on a hilltop overlooking the ocean beach. Its spa, the Agarin, is superb value. My back had not felt this good in years after staffer Khun Pim gave me an exquisite pummelling. Silavadee Pool Spa Resort, down a remote track and high above the ocean, and Pavilion Samui Boutique Resort, in the heart of action on Lamai Beach, are other affordable resorts worth checking out.

Ample free parking is available in the adjoining garage. Appetizers and beverages will be hosted, and over 50 door prizes will be awarded to the attendees. The show is hosted by the Victoria Clipper and Clipper Vacations.

For California, the event provides over 40 suppliers from Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver Island, San Juan Islands, Oregon, Alberta, Vancouver, and the Canadian Rockies at five venues in California.

The Cook Islands consist of 15 islands of which Rarotonga and Aitutaki are the most visited. Rarotonga is the vibrant capital and is only 32km in circumference; it is dominated by high mountain peaks which rise to 653 metres from which lush rainforests cascade and provide a dramatic backdrop to a palm-fringed shore.

Aitutaki, one of the world’s most romantic destinations, is only an hour from Rarotonga by internal flight and is considered one of the world’s most beautiful, unspoilt places, surrounded by a crystal turquoise lagoon with endless blue skies most of the year.

The 13 outer islands spread like a string of pearls, offering everything one could desire in a Pacific holiday — swimming, fishing, snorkelling, culture, history, community and adventure.

Each has its own character — whether travellers are seeking the world’s best fishing in Manuae, the rare birdlife of Atiu or the beautiful pearls of the Penrhyns ­— but without the cost or the crowds of anywhere else in the Pacific.
The Cook Islands have so much to offer, from lying on a pristine beach doing absolutely nothing, to meeting with the locals down at Trader Vic’s at the marina, watching the local fishing vessels bring in their catch of the day in scenes reminiscent of the country’s colourful colonial past.

While the wonderful character of the Cook Islands has not changed over the years, the standard of accommodation has, with the new range of apartments and villas offering so much more to visitors, some of whom like the option of preparing their own meals as well as dining out. There are many shops which offer gourmet products, wine and outstanding coffee, one the region’s export products.

The truly romantic atmosphere, with stunning vistas, is complimented by the exquisite cuisine. Having a prime location on the beautiful Yas Island, with magnificent views of the sea, the 397 rooms and suites have truly been created with comfort in mind and epitomise the height of modern elegance.

The fully-trained personal wedding coordinator will assist with everything - from table plans and wedding etiquette to food and drinks options. In short, he will ensure that the wedding reception will be perfect and that the couple, as well as their guests, will have an unforgettable day. The beauty of the property and its stunning views ensure that wedding photographers will be able to provide the most beautiful and dramatic wedding pictures, offering memories to last a lifetime.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi Yas Island provides this exclusive setting at a highly affordable price: Starting from AED 150 per person, the packages include food, ballroom rental and basic set-up, whilst soft drinks and water are charged additionally at AED 20 per person.

Kauai offers a more secluded, slower-paced island vacation on its splendid, lush Napali Coast, sunny South Shore beaches, and the sleepy quaint town of Hanalei.

The Big Island is a good choice for families, as there are tons of active adventures with a scientific spin, including visiting Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and taking a trip to the top of Mauna Kea to see some of the world's largest telescopes at the Keck Observatory.

Molokai and Lanai are your best bets are for those truly looking to get away from it all.

2. What's the weather like?
There isn't a bad time to visit Hawaii when it comes to warm weather, as temperatures hover around 80 degrees Fahrenheit year-round on all the islands. However, the change in seasons can bring more or less rain; in winter, some beaches become unsafe for swimming due to currents and tides, and hiking trails tend to become flooded. Also, each island has its own unique weather patterns based on elevation and other factors, meaning that you may find rain in one spot and brilliant sunshine just a short distance away—something to consider if you plan to rent a convertible.

3. What are some special Hawaiian activities for kids?
Aside from water activities—snorkeling and body-boarding being two popular choices—and outdoor adventures such as zip-lining and mountain tubing that are available around the islands, most of the larger Hawaiian resorts have cultural programs for kids. Everything from storytelling about Hawaiian mythology to native craft-making is often part of the experience. There are also luaus to attend on every island, some more authentic and others more of a show, but most are very kid-friendly.

4. What are some of the best one-day itineraries I can take on each island?

On Oahu: You'll be up at dawn due to the time change and dead on your feet by afternoon due to jet lag. Have a sunrise swim, change into walking gear, and head to Diamond Head for a hike. The climb is fairly strenuous—think lots of stairs—but it affords spectacular views of Honolulu, Waikiki, and the ocean. After lunch, nap in the shade, do some shopping, or visit the nearby East Honolulu neighborhoods of Mo'ili'ili and Kaimuki, rife with small shops and good, little restaurants. End the day with an early, interesting, and inexpensive dinner at one of these neighborhood spots.

On Maui: If you don't plan to spend an entire day hiking in the volcanic crater at Haleakala National Park, this itinerary will at least allow you to take a peek at it. Get up early and head straight for the summit of Haleakala (if you're jet-lagged and waking up in the middle of the night, you may want to get there in time for sunrise). Bring water, sunscreen, and warm clothing; it's freezing at sunrise. Plan to spend a couple of hours exploring the various lookout points in the park. On your way down the mountain, turn right on Makawao Avenue, and head into the little town of Makawao. You can have lunch here, or make a left on Baldwin Avenue and head downhill to the North Shore town of Paia, which has a number of great lunch spots and shops to explore. Spend the rest of your afternoon at Pa'ia's main strip of sand, Ho'okipa Beach.

On the Big Island: Take a day to enjoy the splendors of the Hamakua Coast, or any gorge you see on the road is an indication of a waterfall waiting to be explored. For a sure bet, head to beautiful Waipi'o Valley. Book a horseback, hiking, or 4WD tour or walk on in by yourself (just keep in mind that it's an arduous hike back up, with a 25 percent grade for a little over a mile). Once in the valley, take your first right to get to the black-sand beach. Take a moment to sit here: The ancient Hawaiians believed this was where souls crossed over to the afterlife. Whether you believe that or not, there's something unmistakably special about this place. Waterfalls abound in the valley, depending on the amount of recent rainfall. Your best bet is to follow the river from the beach to the back of the valley, where a waterfall and its lovely pool await.

On Kauai: Start your day before sunrise and head west to Port Allen Marina. Check in with one of the tour-boat operators—who will provide you with plenty of coffee to jump-start your day—and cruise the iconic Napali Coast. Slather up with sunscreen and be prepared for a long—and sometimes big—day on the water; you can enjoy a couple of mai tais on the return trip. Something about the sun and the salt air conspires to induce a powerful sense of fatigue—so don't plan anything in the evening. The trip also helps build a huge appetite, so stop at Grinds in Hanapepe on the way home.

5. What are some Hawaiian "street foods" I must try?
For something easy, inexpensive, and very local, try a "plate lunch," which usually consists of a main entrée (often meat-based), a scoop of macaroni salad, and two scoops of rice. Also cheap and filling is Spam musubi, a Hawaii-only version with the canned ham topping the traditional Japanese rectangular seaweed-wrapped rice snack. Everyone will love "shave ice" (note: not "shaved ice," which if uttered will immediately let people know you're a tourist), a plastic cone filled with extremely finely-shaven ice, sweetened with food coloring and often topped with a scoop of ice cream plus a dusting of tart li hing power, made from dried plum. Also don't miss the great fresh fruits, baked goods, at roadside stands and weekly farmers markets.

The interior, volcanic mountains named Otemanu (727m high) and Pahia (661m) dominate the skyline. At Bora Bora’s airport, located on Motu Mote, a fleet of boats waits to transport incoming tourists to their resort hotels, many of which offer “over the-water” bungalows with glass panels in the floors providing mesmerizing views of the fish swimming below.

The five-star resorts on tropical Bora Bora are exclusive and expensive, popular with celebrities – Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban honeymooned at the St Regis where they occupied the palatial 1,208sq-m “royal estate” for four nights priced at $US15,000 ($A16,374) a night.

But the island also has “pensions” (French for guest-houses), and other cheaper accommodation. Among activities for tourists are sailing in the lagoon where Polynesian guides introduce them to feeding (small, reef, friendly) sharks and playing with stingrays, also diving, snorkeling and boating of all kinds.

On land there are 4WD safaris into the interior for some splendid ocean views and to visit some of the 50 ancient “maraes,” holy places where Polynesians once prayed and made sacrifices to their gods. Or try helicopter flights around the mountains, reefs and beaches.

The airport and tourism in French Polynesia generally, owe much to the events of World War II. On many inland tours on this peaceful and laid-back tropical island, you come across a reminder of war: Two deactivated seven-inch (17.8cm) cannons, still aimed at possible invaders by sea, remain on a hillside where eight of them were installed after Bora Bora became an American base early in 1942, just weeks after the US was propelled into World War II by the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor in Honolulu.

Having sustained grave losses to its Pacific fleet, Washington needed a South Pacific military and refueling base – and the French agreed with their new war ally that it should be Bora Bora. One significant reason was that there is only one opening in the reef allowing ships through to the main island, making it easy to detect any Japanese submarine raiders (who never came).

A US armada arrived on February 17 1942 with 4,450 men and 178 officers in two troop carriers plus two cruisers, two destroyers, two cargo boats and one tanker – greeted enthusiastically by the Polynesian population in outrigger canoes, who suddenly found themselves outnumbered by five-to-one.

The Americans found a lovely but primitive island with no roads, no airstrip and an inadequate water supply.They installed a water system, built a sealed road around the island and constructed and filled 30 fuel tanks.
As well, they completed French Polynesia’s first airstrip, with a 2km-long runway, in April 1943.

(Papeete’s Faa’a international airport did not open until 1962.) The two most visible remaining cannons, their barrels nearly 7m long, are a favorite target for tourists’ cameras along with Mount Otemanu, which seems to appear as background in almost every snapshot taken on Bora Bora, be they on or away from the beaches.
Something else the GIs reportedly left behind when they left early in 1946: at least 68 children babies born to local girls.

The recently-released Hollywood movie Couples Retreat, mostly filmed on Bora Bora, has been given a mixed reception by critics in Australia and America, but many of them agreed on one point: that the real star is the island of Bora Bora.

The island, called Earth’s most beautiful by the late author James Michener and scores of others, was never identified during the film, and was only given a mention at the foot of the final list of credits. Universal Studios booked the entire St Regis Resort for four weeks during the shoot, renaming it the Eden Resort for the occasion, then took 50 American journalists to Bora Bora shortly before the premiere.

(St Regis says it offers package holidays but none for people with marital problems like the four holidaying couples in the movie – and there’s no special hedonistic island for singles there, either.) A number of other movies have been shot in and around Bora Bora over the past 80 years, notably the three versions of the Mutiny on The Bounty story.

The star of the 1962 film, the late Marlon Brando, fell in love with Tahiti and her islands while here on location, married a Polynesian woman, bought his own small island and was a frequent visitor to Bora Bora. The Sofitel Resort’s bar is named after, and is decorated with photographs of, the 1969 film Hurricane starring Jason Robards and Mia Farrow.

Bora Bora’s tourism people are grateful for the publicity generated by Couples Retreat, having suffered along with the other holiday islands of the South Pacific due to the world economic meltdown which saw overseas visitor arrivals in French Polynesia slump by 22.7 per cent to 87,929 for the first seven months of this year; two resorts are closed.

Australian figures were down 39.8 per cent to 2,337 while New Zealanders were 28.2 per cent fewer at 1,074. The Australian figures may also have been affected by Air Tahiti Nui’s decision last April to suspend its direct Sydney-Papeete flights; Australians can now go to Auckland on a Qantas flight code-shared with Air Tahiti Nui, then change to the Tahiti airline’s New Zealand-Papeete service.

But there’s hope that the direct Sydney-Papeete flights will be resumed soon – Tourism Minister Jacqui Drollet made this one of the priorities in a recent statement outlining plans for 2010, along with promotions in countries such as Australia, the US and Brazil.

What's more, the great man would have had a job calming these waters, let alone parting them. There is no development old or new within several hundred yards of this stretch of uncluttered coast. Strict laws forbid any construction, leaving the fields of sugar cane to sway back and forth as they have since the 17th century.

In fact, moving from west to east Barbados is like visiting two entirely different islands — and it's an almighty pleasure. To the north, we stopped half way across at St Nicholas Abbey and, not unnaturally, expected to find a building with a religious past.

Instead, we discovered one of only three remaining Jacobean plantation houses in the world (the other two being Drax Hall, also in Barbados, and Bacon's Castle, in Virginia, USA), dating back to around 1650. It's been lovingly restored by its current owner, and even in peak season we pretty much had the place to ourselves, prompting the friendly staff to let us sample far too much of their home-made rum.

We stopped and lingered at Bathsheba, about the midpoint on the remote east coast. Here, experienced surfers get their kicks, although just up the shore there are signs warning against swimming 'because the currents can take you away'.

We arrived just as a rickety school bus drew up to deposit its cargo of children, their uniforms still immaculately pressed after a day of work and play, none of them sporting a packet of crisps and a menacing face. They put their British counterparts to shame.

The 'other' Barbados on the east coast is light on places to stay (although The Atlantis, a ten-room boutique hotel on Tent Bay, has just opened). But, back on the busy west side, if you can strike a deal with the Coral Reef Club or its sister hotel almost next door, The Sandpiper, you'll feel as if you've been transported back a couple of decades. Both institutions have pedigree and, crucially, both are of no interest to Simon Cowell, Michael Winner or the Rooney mob, who can be found moored from time to time at Sandy Lane, a couple of miles to the south.

It was in the Fifties that Budge (sadly, no longer with us) and Cynthia O'Hara came from England to manage the then fledgling Coral Reef Club — and never left. Today, their three children and their respective spouses are all involved with the business — and I suspect it is they who last year pushed for the building of a new spa within the lush 12-acre site. I had what's called a Muscle Melt massage and felt, appropriately, that my excess blubber had been temporarily liquidised.