Embrace Your Wild Side at the Ritz

The Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, Maui is proud to bring you a brand new program that gets you out there and in the wilderness. The Jean-Michel Coustea’s Ambassadors of the Environment programs allow you to hike through the Hawaiian rainforest, snorkel among Maui’s most beautiful coral reefs, and participate in underwater photography sessions. The program features new environmental and cultural education center with excursions led by experts! It is designed for you to learn about Hawaii’s unique ecosystems while you demonstrate your connection to the larger global scale.

All of the adventurous programs include an educational orientation, transportation, and a gourmet picnic lunch in the field!

Some sample packages include:

Whale Wonders—Join expert naturalists on board the Trilogy’s comfortable catamaran as you unite with Maui’s Humpback Whale. These gentile giants make mammoth journeys each year between the feeding and breeding sites. You will explore an underwater world beyond your imaginations filled with discovery and mystery!

Cities Under the Sea, Underwater Photography—Explore life beneath the waves as experts guide you on an interpretive snorkel over one of Maui’s most pristine coral reefs. You will examine the living communities of fish, coral, and algae, and witness the interdependencies of one species to the next. You will be able to share your experience with all your loved ones with the underwater digital cameras.

Maunalei Magic—Venture into the Maunalei Arboretum for a first-hand wonder at Maui’s forested uplands above Kapalua Resort. Trained hike leaders share their knowledge of Hawaii’s natural and cultural history while they interpret the geological formation and biological speciation along the way! You will also learn about old Hawaii and how the native people learned to thrive in harmony with nature.

If these packages sound exciting and tempting, you must try at least one! There is something for everyone and enough beautiful Hawaiian scenery to enjoy it more than once!

Check out our Ritz-Carlton Kapalua page or home page for more great honeymoon ideas!

Romantic Escapes with a Beautiful Touch of Green

This month we decided to GO GREEN! We know you are constantly checking your wallet to see how much green is left, but we want you to think about sustainability this issue. The environment and keeping it healthy and beautiful are hot topics of the past few years. So for all you ecological couples out there, we have great hotels and resorts at which you can enjoy some fun in the sun!

A few issues ago we told you about the wonderful Mfuwe Lodge in Zambawi. Mfuwe was located in South Luangwa Notional Park, and in late November, elephants could be spotted walking by the front desk! For the first hotel I’d like to take you back to Aftirca, but this time South Africa.

Addo Elephant National Park is another great retreat to take if you’re looking for a personal African adventure. As you visit the sight you get the feeling that you’re in for an exotic honeymoon… “Deep within the shadows of the dense valley bushveld of the Sundays River region of the Eastern Cape lies the Addo Elephant National Park. Here, the evenings are punctuated by the strident howl of the black-backed jackal, and the francolin's call heralds each new dawn” All the lodges are ecofriendly and submerge you in an atmosphere you can’t get in Cancun, Itatly, or on a Cruise ship. This is truly a honeymoon for you nature lovers. The mission statement of the national park shows the dedication to natural preservation and commitment to sustainability: “…seeks to be fully integrated into the regional landscape, conserves and enhances the characteristic terrestrial and marine biodiversity, ecological processes and cultural, historical and scenic resources representative of the Eastern Cape region for the appreciation, and benefit of present and future generations.” You may choose lodging in the middle of the park, by the dam, or in more secluded areas of the park where you can be tucked away in your romance.

If you like birds, are a bird watcher, or like to be high in the sky, eye-level with birds, we have just what you are looking for. Why play Barry Manilow on your honeymoon when you have live music from the birds? “Yes, parrots are in great number here, along with hundreds of other types of birds, making this an ideal location for bird watching.” Parrot Nest Lodge is exactly the unique tropical experience you’ve been searching for. You will enjoy things you never thought possible, like sleeping the night away under a 100’ guanacaste tree in a thatched tree house. You will have the Mopan River on three sides of the grounds, which means you can take a refreshing swim in clear, natural waters. This unique 5-Acre tropical experience can be found just outside of San Ignacio in Belize.

If you are really into sustainability and cold weather, and I mean really, you have to visit Sadie Cove Wilderness Lodge in Alaska at least once in your life! You will being staying somewhere unique, elegant, and comfortable, but also with something no where else has to offer: stunning views of Sadie Cove and far off Mt. Augustine. This self-sustaining lodge is almost completely off the "grid". You will be staying in one of 5 handcrafted private cabins. We wouldn’t have you roughing it too much though—all have running water, toilets, 110 volt electricity, automatic heat, fresh air-dried high thread count linens and blankets, bathrobes, and gracious housekeeping services. You must request one of the two cabins that have wood fires to add a little extra romantic for you and your partner! Delicious meals served in the dining room or outer deck are cooked by Randi, a former executive chef. A cozy, spacious lounge is available to guests for reading, gaming, visiting, or just relaxing and enjoying the sunset. This is perfect to snuggle up and enjoy each other’s company as you escape, doing good for your newly started marriage and for your planet!

Please check out more hotels, resorts, and honeymoon options at our site!

Still Going Strong, Still Going Green

Like I mentioned on the previous blog, I found some great online material on sustainability and traveling. After the Article on the Mayakoba and Hacienda, the next article I found was on The Mexico Premiere's site.

This article is especially poignant in that it addresses the issues while encouraging everyone to do there part. It gives a brief history of the recognition of the sustainability of our planet. I was getting excited as I read on!

The way I look at it, when you go on vacation, you want to go to the most beautiful places on Earth, right? Well what makes that stop beautiful? If you really think about what you want in your vacation, you will surely feel the serenity of that exact spot! Try it now! Sit back and hear the waves, trees blowing in wind, or birds calling…

Mexico is a gorgeous place to visit! It’s nice to know that your resort isn’t destroying the natural environment, but helping keep it alive and beautiful. This article highlights the beauty of Mexico and the efforts that are being taken to keep it magnificent for you and your loved ones. I also suggest you send a link to this Mexican Tourism Board article to a friend and family member with whom you plan on traveling!

Check out all of our Mexican Locations at our AskAboutHoneymoons page!