The Travel Snob

A New Resource Devoted to Diving the Red Sea's "Corridor of Marvels" - TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

Recent years have seen the discovery of new shipwrecks, reefs and animal gatherings along what Jacques Cousteau called 'the corridor of marvels' in the Red Sea, the number one destination for divers in Europe and the UK. The newly published Dive Red Sea: The Ultimate Guide (Ultimate Sports) brings to life over 100 of the Red Sea's top dive locations, combining the snappy writing, images by award-winning photographers Alex Mustard, Charles Hood, Jane Morgan & JP Trenque, and high quality mapping, and specially commissioned graphic illustrations of the region's most important shipwrecks.

In addition to covering the popular dive sites of Egypt, the authors explore all eight nations with Red Sea coastlines, including the wilder zones of the sea in countries such as Sudan and Djibouti, Saudi Arabia's "forbidden zone", newly discovered wreck dives in Egypt, new dive sites in Jordan's Gulf of Aqaba, whale shark aggregation in Djibouti, and the first major account of Sudan's manta ray site. There are also special sections on the formation, history and natural history of the Red Sea, marine life identification, advice about photography and videography and getting the best from the Red Sea including how to stay safe in the water, even on the most demanding dives. Essential advice on travel, diving etiquette and local culture is included, along with details of marine conservation organisations. For non-diving days, there is coverage of land-based attractions such as Petra and Wadi Rum in Jordan and The Valley of the Kings and Mount Sinai and St Catherine's in Egypt.

For more information, visit ArtOfDiving.com.

- The Travel Snob

Aloha! Jet Off to Maui for a Girlfriends Getaway. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

    

One of Hawaii's most "Hawaiian" hotels is offering a new two- night Girlfriends Getaway Package for $700 (a $200 savings - additional nights are $265 & include a car.) “We have seen an increase in female travelers to Kaanapali Beach Hotel in recent months,” says the hotel's General Manager, Mike White. “We wanted to create a unique girlfriends getaway package that is flexible and affordable that reflects the hotel’s commitment to Hawaiian culture.”

The 430-room oceanfront hotel is set on a three-mile stretch of sandy beach on Maui’s western coast, and boasts spacious guestrooms, two restaurants and an award winning Hawaii-born Chef, a beach activities center equipped with snorkel gear, boogie boards and access to a sailing catamaran, and the Beauty of Aloha Spa Salon. The hotel’s Hawaiian cultural arts program includes daily complimentary activities, a nightly hula show, and features its singing staff at their guest welcome breakfast and farewell lei ceremony.

The Girlfriends Getaway is available to book through June 30, and for travel through December 2007, and includes:

• Two nights in a partial ocean view room
• Compact rental car with unlimited mileage
• Lunch at the Tiki Grill
• One facial and massage for each person
• Chocolate dipped strawberries and sparkling cider
• Plumeria scented spa amenity

For more info, visit KBHMaui.com.

- The Travel Snob

(photo: lodging4vacations.com)

Saddle up, Pilgrim, for "Ten Decades of the Duke: the Official John Wayne Celebration" in Newport Beach, California. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

(photo: Newscom.com)

Considering his last film was released in 1976, it's incredible that Hollywood legend John Wayne was voted #3 in the 2007 annual Harris Poll of America's favorite film stars. In fact,Wayne has never been out of the top ten since the poll began in 1994 and has placed in the top three slots eight times. On average, his films are shown 3-4 times daily on national broadcast/cable outlets.

May 26 marks the 100th anniversary of John Wayne's birth and in salute to his life and impressive 50-year film career - which spanned half a century, more than 175 films (including a record-breaking 142 leading roles), a Best Actor Academy Award (1969), three Golden Globe Awards, four People's Choice Awards and both the Congressional Gold Medal (1979) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1980) - the city of Newport Beach (Wayne's longtime home town in Southern California) is commemorating Ten Decades of 'The Duke': The Official John Wayne Centennial Celebration from April 21 - 28.    "There has never been a bigger internationally recognized movie icon than John Wayne and the fact that he called Newport Beach home for nearly two decades is a cherished part of our city's history," notes Gary C. Sherwin, president and CEO, Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau. "It's appropriate that Newport Beach be the host city for this extraordinary celebration -- this is where John Wayne came to relax, recharge, enjoy good times, and not play a role other than  friend, husband, and father."

Produced in collaboration with the Wayne family and the Newport Beach Conference and Visitors Bureau, the celebration will be a featured part of the 2007 Newport Beach Film Festival (April 19 - 29) which is expected to attract more than 35,000 people. The event will launch with the first-ever presentation of the newly established John Wayne Courage Award, created specifically to honor noted individuals who have blazed their own trails in the field of motion pictures and the arts. "Though my dad's movie projects took him to many different locations around the world, he always loved returning home to his family and friends in Newport Beach," says Ethan Wayne, Wayne's youngest son and president of Wayne Enterprises. "We are thrilled to be celebrating his 100th birthday in connection with this year's Newport Beach Film Festival. It is a fitting and appropriate venue to honor and remember his legacy." 

The celebration will be highlighted by screenings of many of Wayne's most memorable films, along with rarely seen footage, photos and personal appearances by notable co-stars, filmmakers & contemporaries. Other festivities include an art unveiling, original prop and costume displays, a scholarly film symposium, and a fundraiser  in support of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation at The Balboa Club & Resort, themed around the Wayne comedy Donovan's Reef. "We are truly proud to honor two things John Wayne loved: Cinematic excellence and the community of Newport Beach," comments Gregg Schwenk, executive director, Newport Beach Film Festival. "The festival is excited to host the many special screenings and events during the Centennial Celebration. The 2007 Festival line-up will offer a unique view of classic and contemporary filmmaking at its finest."

Ten Decades of 'The Duke': The Official John Wayne Centennial Celebration - April 21-28, 2007

• Saturday, April 21 Opening night presentation of the John Wayne Courage Award at a gala at The Island Hotel Newport Beach.

• Wayne movies to be shown: True Grit (1969; his Academy Award-winning performance); Rio Bravo (1959; a Howard Hawks classic Western); Stagecoach (1939); The Sands of Iwo Jima (1949); The Quiet Man (1952); The Searchers (1956), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962); The Shootist (1976)

• 350 other films: As part of the 8th annual Newport Beach Film Festival, an ambitious and international selection will be on offer, including features, shorts, documentaries, and animation that will compete for both jury and audience awards.

• More info: VisitNewportBeach.com; NewportBeachFilmFest.com; JohnWayne.com

• Saturday, April 28 An elegantly casual fund raiser for The John Wayne Foundation at The Balboa Club & Resort will close the celebrations.

Find a Travel Needle in a Haystack with Lonely Planet's Newest Accommodation Booking Website. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

If you're the adventurous sort who enjoys your travel off the beaten path, but still digs excellent accomodation, Lonely Planet's Haystack is serving up a unique 'invitation only' booking service that features only properties that have been chosen, visited, reviewed and recommended by a Lonely Planet author.

"Whenever you go checking places out grumpy hotel owners say "Why do you guys come at such difficult times?" and that's exactly why we do it. We want to see places at their best and worst," explains one of Lonely Planet's intrepid authors. "First thing in the morning when people are checking out is always a good time to see how people handle being busy, plus there's always a helpful cleaner who might let you see a room that you might not otherwise have caught on the grand tour. The most important thing is to avoid the "official tour," where the people at the desk get the manager and you get shown how light switches work or invited for a cup of tea. Sometimes this can mean sneaking around the front desk or talking to people who are staying there or even just breaking up that tour by saying "What about these rooms?" You have to review against what you're being shown, which often means being pretty annoying to hotel staff." Adds another of their authors: "I don't really jump on beds, but I do look closely to see that the bedspreads are clean (I hate gunky-looking patterned bedspreads), suss out the bathrooms for water pressure and mould, test the windows to see if they can be opened and open wardrobes to look for wire coat hangers (yuck!). I often check minibar prices to see if they're extortionate, and I like to look at communal areas to see how guests and guests of guests are treated. I like to say hello to the people who clean the rooms to, you can tell a lot about a place by the greeting that's returned - and I think everyone in a hotel/motel or wherever should be happy to be there, even if it's for work."

In fact, many of their properties were not previously bookable online through any other service. "We are inviting our favorite properties from around the globe to join the service -- whether it's a backpackers in Sydney, an eco-resort in Yap, or a boutique hotel in Rome," says Dan Christian, Lonely Planet's Haystack Product Manager. "Haystack is a unique service in that every property listed is recommended as a great place to stay. Every property review is 100% independent and written by an experienced travel writer." Currently, Haystack boasts over 1000 properties in more than 58 countries, and more are being added all the time. "Haystack will continue to grow daily as more destinations and properties are added to the site throughout 2007 and beyond."

For more info, visit Haystack.LonelyPlanet.com.

- The Travel Snob

Escape Winter on a Yoga Retreat in Tulum, Mexico April 14-21. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

Families tired of winter can make a break for sunny Tulum from April 14-21 for a fun and mythology-filled yoga retreat. While grownups practice yoga, kids are kept busy learning about Mayan mytholody, storytelling, Spanish & yoga. "This is a family-enrichment vacation where children and their parents can experience the culture first-hand as well as enjoy the area's natural beauty while bonding together through yoga and story," explains Christine McArdle-Oquendo, an Anusara-Inspired yoga instructor and co-founder of World Family Yoga.

This year, they have teamed up with kids' yoga specialist, storyteller and author Sydney Solis for an unforgettable family enrichment vacation which includes the Mayan Tulum ruins, some of the world's nicest beaches, scuba diving, snorkeling, horseback riding, and mucho hammock lounging.  More info at WorldFamilyYoga.com.

- The Travel Snob

(photo: wikipedia.org)

ShermansTravel.com Uncovers the Web's Best Deals for Winter Beach Getaways. TRAVEL SNOB TRAVEL BLOG

If the frigid weather is simply unbearable, ShermansTravel.com has what you seek: the best six beach deals of the season:

1. Bahamas for $499: Escape to the Bahamas' beachfront Paradise Island Harbour resort with this unbeatable deal from CheapCaribbean.com. The five-day package includes lodging, meals, drinks, and all non-motorized water sports.
2. Hawaii for $527: Experience world-famous Waikiki Beach for five nights at the family-friendly OHANA Waikiki Malia with this package through PandaOnline.
3. Belize for $880: If you can bear to wait until April, Tara Tours is offering a seven-night jaunt to the Banana Beach Resort on Amergris Caye, an island renowned for its stunning beach and first-rate snorkeling. Want to leaver earlier? Winter departures are just $200 more.
4. Florida Keys for $914: This Orbitz deal includes a three-night stay at the luxurious Hyatt Key West Resort & Marina and airfare from Atlanta to Miami. Winter rates at this hot spot usually go for at least $350/night.
5. Cancun for $1089: Balcony suites run up to a wallet-busting $800/night during peak-season, but this extraordinary deal from Expedia includes a four-night stay at the upscale Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach and airfare from Los Angeles. This offer is only valid for one departure date - March 1st.
6. St. Croix from $1143: Spoil yourself at The Buccaneer, St. Croix's top-rated, four-star resort for four-nights. This extraordinary deal represents a more than 50% savings since the average winter rate is a whopping $840/night

To find editor reviews of each of these winter beach getaways, including pricing and booking information, visit ShermansTravel.com. The site's Top Ten Easy Winter Weekends Abroad has other winter getaway ideas, including both warm and cold weather destinations such as Collingwood, Canada, Isla Mujeres, Mexico, and Isla Taboga, Panama. In addition, they also feature the top 25 deals each week in their free Top 25 e-newsletter, while their  The Luxe 15 covers the best smart luxury values.

- The Travel Snob