Our own travel guru Amy Ochoa just returned from an epic dive trip to Belize. Here she chronicles her trip in a three-week blog installment. Check out her third blog on how to successfully cross the Belize-Guatemala boarder to visit the largest Maya ruin in the world in just one day.
Visiting Tikal in one day? No problemo.
One of the coolest things Dan and I did while in Belize was cross the border into Guatemala and tour the largest Maya ruin in the world, Tikal. We needed a special permit to cross the border with our vehicle, which we requested a few days before our arrival through our car company, Crystal Car Rental. We were told they were the only car rental agency that could get this permit, which costs about $20 USD. We headed out from Santa Elaina around 9AM and drove the 20-25 minutes to the border from our hotel.
We were hounded by men offering to exchange the Belize dollar into the Guatemalan dollar as soon as we stopped the car. Unsure of whether or not we needed to exchange money we held them off and headed into the office. We went through customs and immigration and paid the $30 USD per person fee and were on our way. We chose to exchange about $200 USD before crossing the border just in case, but I am still unsure of whether or not it was necessary. In Belize the US dollar is widely accepted, but we never had the need to find out in Guatemala.
Once across the border we drove through a large car wash looking structure, which sprayed vehicles with pesticides and our windows were down. WHOOPS! We parked the truck near the office buildings and a man came up to the vehicle and offered to take us through the immigration process on the Guatemala side of the border. (And what a process it is…)
Ground beef and potato tostada with salsa and avocado – surprisingly delicious!
We had to stand in line at 5 different areas and pay fees at each. The man took us from line to line and told us what paperwork and fees we needed to pay at each. We tipped him about $6 USD and it was worth every penny.
It took us about 45 minutes to get through the entire border process from start to finish. Once we were on our way we stopped at the first border town we came across and stopped for a bite to eat at one of the food carts along the main road. This is where I had the best tostada of my life. Note to self: ground beef and potatoes with salsa and avocado. Yummy.
We were rushed on time so we ate quickly and hit the road again. We had about an hour and half drive to Tikal from the border. The drive was beautiful and the landscape was very different from its bordering country, Belize. Once we arrived at the entrance to Tikal we were stopped and required to pay the entrance fee of 140Q or $20USD per person. We were also talked into using a guide named Able who accompanied us on our visit through the Maya site.
Our guide jumped in the truck with us and we drove the 20 mile road to the entrance of the ruins. Able had a slight drinking problem and required more beer than the information he provided was worth, but he did get us from the entrance to the main temples and back in 2 hours, so I’ll consider the $25 USD fee a tip. Tikal is only 7% unearthed and we saw about 50% during out 2 hour visit. The temples and landscape were amazing. We saw monkeys, birds and other ant eater looking animals just walking the trails.
Sitting atop a Maya temple is a surreal experience.
After a few hours we needed to head back so we could get back to Santa Elaina before nightfall. Once back at the border we handed in a few pieces of paperwork and were back on the Belize side of the border much quicker than on the arrival end of things. Tikal was worth the long journey. If I go back I would spend the night in the nearby city, Flores, so I could spend more time in Guatemala and Tikal without feeling so rushed. I’ve also heard the sunrise over Tikal is AMAZING!
- Amy Ochoa, Marketing Team
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Cliff Jumping, Caves and 4-Wheeling in Belize
Our own travel guru Amy Ochoa just returned from an epic dive trip to Belize. Here she chronicles her trip in a three-week blog installment. Check out her second blog on how to pack in a day’s worth of site seeing even with some bumps (literally) and detours along the way.
Our adventure begins in our somewhat trusty 2-wheel drive truck.
Dan and I are not the best at waking up early while on vacation, or at least we started out that way. So, when we wandered into the common area of the lodge we met the owner, Bart, who had to laugh when we told him we were headed to Tikal. He advised us that the trip would take about 8 hours and we were leaving too late and would be on the roads at night outside of town, which is not recommended. So, instead he told us to try for Tikal the following day and for the day we should travel near the lodge up in the jungle to some of his favorite sites: Barton Waterfall, Rio Frio Pools and Rio Frio Cave. He drew us a map and we were on our way.
We drove on a bumpy dirt road for about an hour through 3-4 small villages. We made a wrong turn in the town of San Antonio, which led us to some off road fun, for Dan. However, once we made it about 20 minutes into the jungle we (I) decided to turn around since we had not seen another soul and the road was much more than our rented 2-wheel drive truck could handle.
Barton Waterfall; Dan scopes out the cliff jumping options.
Once we made it back to town and re-read the signs we switched and headed the other direction on a dirt road that seemed slightly less bumpy (slightly). Soon we came to signage for the waterfall and parked next to a few other cars in an open field. We headed on foot to what looked like a small path leading into the wilderness. We passed a few people on the way to the waterfalls, which were only about 8 minutes from where our truck was parked. There was an area off the trail that had a steep incline, but very manageable. We found 3 boys playing in the water and 2 women relaxing in the sun. We quickly stripped down to our swimming suits and waded into the water towards the falls. The area felt safe and secluded. We climbed up the slick rocks to a cliff about 20 ft high and dived into the pool below. I’ve always wanted to say I’ve been cliff jumping in the jungles of Central America. Check!
Due to the rain we left and headed to our next destination, which was the Rio Frio Cave. We had not seen pictures of any of these destinations, so we were unsure of what to expect. The cave was about 20 more minutes into the mountain. The dirt road led us to a small and almost ghost town like village with about 40 deserted homes that were falling apart. We followed a sign that led us into the jungle and off the main road towards the cave. We stopped at a sign that showed us we had reached the trail head that would take us to the Rio Frio cave – hike is an hour long round trip. We were a little nervous about the length of the hike so we chose to continue in our truck to what looked like a small parking lot and second entrance to the cave. This lot, which included an outhouse, led us about 100 yards to the entrance of the cave. The cave was unbelievable. We expected a small cave and instead discovered a cave that was almost 300 ft high and 400 ft across with a large entrance from our opening and a small entrance at the back, which the previous trail leads visitors to. The cave was dark once you left the main entrance and without flashlights it was difficult to navigate even with the small opening. We could not believe that no one else was there. We had a huge cave all to ourselves.
Dan looks dwarfed by the Rio Frio cave (translation: Cold River cave).
The cave was about an hour from the largest Mayan Ruin in Belize called Caracol. We didn’t think we had enough time to make it before sundown and had seen signs that suggested the need for military escort to see the ruin, so once we finished exploring the Rio Frio Cave we started our trek back to the Maya Mountain Lodge. As we were driving I began looking through the Lonely Planet guidebook I had been referencing during the trip. I discovered a hotel in San Ignacio called Cahal Pech, with an incredible view and so Dan and I raced back to try and catch the sunset. We made it just in time. The views of the valley from the restaurant were fabulous and the food was great. I had a perfect mudslide to drink and after a day of cliff jumping and cave exploration it was the perfect view with the perfect dessert.
- Amy Ochoa, Marketing Team
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Belize: The Beginning
Our own travel guru Amy Ochoa just returned from an epic dive trip to Belize. Here she chronicles her trip in a three-week blog installment. Check out the biggest surprise from her first night spent in Belize.
After 4 months of planning and 6 weeks of scuba certification my boyfriend, Dan, and I finally arrived at Belize International Airport. Once we made it through immigration we headed across a small parking lot to pick up our car at Crystal Car Rental. Crystal was the only car company we could find that allowed us to take our vehicle over the Guatemala border where we hoped to visit the largest Mayan Ruin in the world, Tekal.
Welcome to Belize!
We picked up our 2-wheel drive ford truck and headed to San Ignacio where we would be spending the next 3 nights. San Ignacio is located about 2 hours from Belize City and about 20 minutes from the Guatemala border. There are only a few highways in Belize and locating the Western Highway was easy. We stopped at a grocery store on our way out of the city. I had to laugh when Dad attempted to talk to the cashier in Spanish and found out that the young woman did not speak Spanish, only English. We realized that every sign was in English. Later we found that Belize citizens speak many languages, but English is their first language and they are part of the British Commonwealth. The Queen of England was even on the Belizean dollar.
As we headed on the Western highway towards San Ignacio we did not see many cars along the way. However, we did almost crush a turtle that was slowly making its way across the road. We also passed the Belize Zoo, which famously houses many rare jungle animals found in Belize. We chose to pass up the small Zoo so that we could make it to San Ignacio before it was dark.
Along the way we passed through many small villages with only a speed bump to slow us down. Soon we arrived in Santa Elena the town bordering San Ignacio and separated by a small river running through the two towns. Our hotel, Maya Mountain Lodge was located on the jungle side of Santa Elena about a block from the main road that ran through the small town.
Our cottage at the Maya Mountain Lodge. Hammocks are essential for any Central America vacation.
We arrived at our lodge just as guests were eating dinner, which is provided by the lodge for a fee of about $30 USD per person. We were escorted to our cottage by a young man also named Dan who became a great tour guide during our stay. The lodge consisted of 8 small studio style cottages and a lodge containing 10 rooms. The accommodations were moderate, but exactly what Dan and I were looking for.
After unloading our bags we grabbed the truck and headed into town for dinner. We quickly realized that Santa Elaina and San Ignacio were much smaller than we had thought with a much quieter nightlife than we expected. We stopped at the largest restaurant we could find called Hode’s Place. We ate fish and chips and drank a few “Panty Rippers”, which would soon become our favorite drink in Belize. The food was good and eating outdoors on the patio was the perfect way to end our first night in Central America!
- Amy Ochoa, Marketing Team
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Boston Marathon Runners Discouraged Because of Warm Weather – Does this Mean its Lobstah Roll Time?
When the Boston Athletic Association adopted the slogan “THIS IS NOT A RACE, it is an experience” for this year’s Boston Marathon people knew something was up. Those actually in Boston knew exactly what was up – extreme warm temperatures hit Boston this past weekend and most of New England. Hot enough that the Boston Athletic Association, the organization that puts on the marathon, discouraged anyone without marathon running experience from participating in the marathon.
The warm weather was not the best news for runners, but for travelers and people looking forward to days by the pool this is wonderful news. With an early spring and possibly earlier summer arrival, New England is a great place to vacation in the upcoming months (also known as “mud season”) if even just for a quick weekend getaway. Flowers are blooming, there is a slight chill in the air that wards off humidity, and days are longer. Another great thing about most New England destinations is coastal location. Water might not be warm enough for an ocean swim, but sailing does not discriminate against water temperature this time of year.
Favorite destinations during summer are favorites during late spring as well. Newport, Rhode Island, Nantucket, Massachusetts, Hartford, Connecticut, and Stowe, Vermont are a few popular destinations that come to mind for the quintessential New England vacation. Do not forget about Boston. It is great starting point for any New England trip and this time of year is fun, because the city is buzzing with baseball fever.
Next time you think of heading south this spring remember that springtime in New England has a little bit of something for everyone.
Safe Travels,
VacationRoost Traveler
Beautiful Vacation to Puerto Vallarta
My wife, myself and 2 other couples recently traveled to Puerto Vallarta where we stayed at the Marea Baja villa. We booked the reservation through Mexican Destinations powered by VacationRoost and they took care of everything! Noe was our driver and picked us up right on time after arriving and took us straight to the villa about 20 minutes away. He gave us some information about Mexico and Puerto Vallarta on the way and helped us get excited about our trip. Our first impression upon arriving at the villa was that this place is amazing! It was open and airy and beautifully decorated. Jesus the house man and Toni, the Mexican Destinations concierge, greeted us at the door and led us down the steps to the house. The entrance to the villa is very inviting with flowers and foliage all around. As we walked in the house and took a quick tour, my wife’s first comments were “this is my new happy place!”
The house has three beautifully decorated bedrooms on the second floor with large tile bathrooms and balconies to enjoy the ocean and warm breeze. There is authentic Mexican artwork on every wall and interesting sculptures throughout the house. The first floor has a large, modern kitchen, dining area that looks over the pool to the ocean, entertainment room with HD TV, DVD, internet and the outdoor patio and pool. The outdoor patio has plenty of lounge chairs for enjoying the sun and a beautiful infinity edge pool for cooling off with spectacular views. And if you’re feeling more adventurous, you can head out the side door, down a few stairs and you’re right on the beach, just a few steps from jumping into the ocean.
Mexican Destinations offered their driver, Noe, to take us on a private tour of Puerto Vallarta where we were able to see all of the famous sites: the downtown boardwalk and beach, the old town church with the bells ringing, the flea market, a yummy ice cream shop, a drive through the “Beverly Hills” area of PV with large multi-million dollar homes owned by celebrities, and then to the Mismaloya beach where the famous Elizabeth Taylor movie “Night of the Iguana” was filmed.
We spent about 4 hours with Noe and he spoke perfect English the whole way while explaining all about the history of PV, upcoming developments and some of the exciting things that are happening there right now. It was a wonderful tour and we really enjoyed seeing and experiencing all of Puerto Vallarta.
When we arrived back at the house, Jesus and Julia (the villa chef) had prepared quesadillas with chips and freshly prepared guacamole and pico de gallo salsa along with Mexican horchata. We spent a few hours just lounging on the patio enjoying the snacks, the pool and the gorgeous Puerto Vallarta weather. The views from the patio are unbelievable and that’s when you really start to feel like you’re on vacation! The men in our group ventured down into the ocean for some swimming while the ladies got some sun on the patio chairs. The private beach is secluded and empty, which is nice for relaxing. We saw a few other couples come out and wander around, but mostly it was just us.
At about 6 PM, Jesus set the dining table and called us in for dinner. The table was lit with candlelight and there was a warm ocean breeze blowing in the open air dining room. First on the menu was a delicious avocado salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. Second was the main course of chicken fajitas with rice, guacamole and refried beans. Third was a light and fluffy caramel flan that provided a perfect finish to the meal. This was by far the best meal of our trip and we are grateful for Mexican Destinations for helping set this all up for us. The atmosphere was romantic and inviting and as I write about this vacation, I’m reminded of how much I wish I was there instead of back here in my office. The staff was wonderful and Toni even brought in flowers for our wives to make it extra special! It was truly the perfect vacation spot for our group and certainly the highlight of our trip to Mexico. If we ever travel back to Puerto Vallarta, my first thought will be to stay at Marea Baja!
- Jeremy Griggs, VacationRoost Controller
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Mud Season Tricks of the Trade
Mountain town locals are ever familiar with the term mud season – snow melts, ground starts to thaw, and rain alternates between sleet, hail or snow at any given moment. The big decision of the day is whether or not to put on a pair of snow boots or rain boots when heading outside knowing full well that with either option you can expect caked mud on the bottom of your shoes and mud spots up the legs of your pants.
Due to weather, outdoor enthusiasts don’t really know what to do with themselves during this season interlude. Ski lifts are closing if not already closed; hiking trails are less than ideal, and everything is quite brown. So what do mountain town locals do during the mud season? Travel.
Long weekends, a couple weeks, or even months – the average mountain town local takes off when the ground can no longer be used to his or her recreationalist benefit. Best option for travel during the months of April and May is south.
South can mean the deserts of Moab for Utahans and Mesa Verde for Coloradoans, but for those looking to go all the way Mexico is in its prime weather season. Guarantee no mud, because the rainy season tends to hit closer to fall. Come June, temperatures rise and humidity is sweltering so April and May are ideal for travel to Mexico.
Endless ocean views is a great alternative to the seemingly endless amount of mud when the snow starts to melt and the rain starts to fall.
Another plus to traveling to Mexico in May are the rates. After Easter, the spring break hoopla dies down and prices can drop between 20 – 50 % off. You can also skip out on the spring break craze completely by visiting cities less traditional for the spring breaker like Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Maya, and San Miguel; all tourist friendly.
So if you are new to the term mud season you might want to adopt it and take a cue from mountain town locals: head south.
Safe Travels,
VacationRoost Traveler
America’s First Ski Destination – Still Classy as Ever
I drove from Salt Lake City to Sun Valley Idaho, the drive was relaxing with lots of wide open spaces and only took about 4 ½ hours. I drove past Lava fields – yes lava fields in the middle of farm country!
Hailey (a town right outside of Ketchum) was beautiful. There were lots of trees and ranches – I thought to myself that it wouldn’t be hard to live in Hailey.
As I arrived in Ketchum, I turned the corner off the main highway, and Ketchum looked like a village out of a fairy tale – so warm and inviting. Just down the road was the Sun Valley Lodge, my first thoughts when I saw the Lodge was how peaceful and beautiful this place is.
You are pampered from the moment that you arrive at the Sun Valley Lodge, the parking attendants are so friendly and they make you feel like you are royalty. The staff at Sun Valley Lodge is kind, helpful and polished; they know how to take care of people. My room was spotless and comfortable, every day the maids made my room look as clean and inviting as the day that I arrived.
In the morning I would go to the lobby and drink coffee (with my lap top- of course) in the quiet elegance of the lobby. I couldn’t get enough of it. I would spend at least an hour in the morning everyday in the lobby just taking it all in.
If you’re stressed from our busy world the Sun Valley Lodge will melt away that stress, you can sit outside and just admire the beauty of the landscape that surrounds the lodge.
The outdoor pool is in a round glass enclosed area (my daughter spent every spare minute in it). There is an ice skating rink and in front of the lodge there is pond with swans peacefully gliding in the water.
There is also a hallway filled with pictures of all of the famous people that have stayed there – you don’t want to miss this! As the first ski destination in the country there is a lot of history to check out. Just writing this makes me want to go back.
- Shauna Kapteyn, Destination Expert
Sun Valley is a classic year round! Visit click here or call to talk to one of our Destination Experts at 1.888.337.6678 to book your vacation today!
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Mele Mei: A Month-Long Celebration of Hawaii Music
Too Good To Miss…
If you’re looking for a GREAT reason to go to Oahu (yeah…….right……like you need a great reason), Mele Mei is it!!!
Don’t miss out; VacationRoost and the Hawaii Tourism Authority team up to present Mele Mei!!!
Mele Mei is a celebration of Hawaiian music, and is meant to capitalize on Hawaiian music’s global appeal. The inaugural events took place in May 2011 and in its second year events will take place throughout Waikiki at various hotels, venues and the beach. Starting April 27th and continuing through May 29th there are workshops, live concert performances, awards ceremonies, hula competitions, and the 35th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards held by the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts.
See below for a full schedule of events:
|
Date |
Event Name |
Location |
| April 27 | Mele Mei Media Luncheon | Willows |
| April 27 | Hilton Hawaiian Village Presents: | Hilton Hawaiian Village |
| Na Hoku Hanohano All-Stars | ||
| Featuring: Robi Kahakalau, Napua Makua, and Amy Hanaialii | ||
| April 28 | GoForDaRecord | Neal S. Blaisdell Arena |
| May 1 | Lei of Stars (dinner concert) | Royal Hawaiian Hotel |
| May 5 | Lifetime Achievement Awards Luncheon | Ala Moana Hotel |
| May 6 | Legends of Steel Luncheon Concert | Pacific Beach Hotel |
| May 5 – 6 | Hawaii Book & Music Festival | Frank Fasi Civic Grounds |
| May 8 | Halekulani Presents: The Next Generation | Halekulani |
| Featuring: Waipuna | ||
| May 11 – 13 | International Hula Conference | Hawaii Convention Center |
| May 15 | Halekulani Presents: The Next Generation | Halekulani |
| Featuring: Mailani Makainai | ||
| May 18 | Hilton Hawaiian Village Presents: | Hilton Hawaiian Village |
| Na Hoku Hanohano All-Stars | ||
| Featuring: Maunalua, Cyril Pahinui, and John Cruz | ||
| May 19 | O ka hula ke ola (Hula is Life) World Hula Competition | Aina Laiku |
| May 20 | Hula I Ke Kai hula performances | Waikiki Hula Mound |
| May 20 | Slack Key All-Stars | Royal Hawaiian Center |
| May 22 | Halekulani Presents: The Next Generation | Halekulani |
| Featuring: Kupaoa | ||
| May 24 | Royal Hawaiian Hotel Presents: Na Wahine Hanohano | Royal Hawaiian Hotel |
| Featuring: Teresa Bright, and Natalie Ai Kamauu | ||
| May 24 – 26 | Waikiki Beachwalk Music Events | Beachwalk |
| May 25 | Moana Surfrider Presents: Sounds of Waikiki | Moana Surfrider |
| Featuring: TBD | ||
| May 26 | The Modern Honolulu Presents: Island Rock | The Modern Honolulu |
| Featuring: The Throwdowns, and Pimpbot | ||
| May 25 – 26 | Na Hoku Hanohano Music Festival Workshops | Hawaii Convention Center |
| May 25 – 26 | Hula I Ke Kai hula performances | Waikiki Hula Mound |
| May 27 | Na Hoku Hanohano Awards | Hawaii Convention Center |
| May 29 | Halekulani Presents: The Next Generation | Halekulani |
| Featuring: Mark Yamanaka |
To participate check out www.vacationroost.com or call one of our Hawaii Destination Experts (888 395-8062) TODAY for further details, HURRY while there is still space!!!
Mahalo,
The VacationRoost Traveler
Girlfriend Getaway to Waikiki
My girlfriends and I have always said when we are all 25 we are going to plan a really nice girl’s trip. So we thought about different destinations and what we wanted to do and came to the conclusion that Waikiki, HI would be perfect. I have been there myself and knew this would be a great trip, because we wanted a place that offered great room rates, proximity to the beach, was within walking distance to shopping and had a great variety of restaurants nearby.
Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach; click image to get your 3rd night free!
When it was time to make a decision where to stay, we had so many choices. Waikiki offers private homes, condominiums and great hotels. Logically thinking the best for our needs was to stay at a hotel. We were able to stay at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Hotel. When you walked into this hotel, there was just a warm aloha welcome, energy and atmosphere that was so endearing. The hotel exhibited Hawaiian art that gave you a genuine sense of their culture. The rooms were spacious, comfortable and had wonderful oceanfront views. One of our favorite parts of the hotel was that it was home of the famous Dukes Waikiki bar and restaurant. It had great food, drinks and we loved the live music. We were able to enjoy a Mai Tai, watch the sunset and listen to great entertainment all right on the beach.
What was also great about staying at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach was it was centrally located to places to shop, many places to eat and a lot of nightlife. We loved shopping at the Royal Hawaiian shopping center, because we were able to taste a little bit of all that Waikiki has to offer at a one stop shop. They offer four levels of shopping options, a Hawaiian Heritage history center to learn more about Hawaiian culture and a variety of free entertainment including live concerts and local Polynesian dance recitals. After a full day of shopping we were ready to go out on the town and have some fun. We bar hopped and checked out some really fun bars/clubs.
My girlfriends and I were only able to stay for a long weekend, so we weren’t able to enjoy all that Waikiki has to offer. We had a great trip and made many memories together. We all decided the next trip to Waikiki we were going to try paddle boarding or maybe go on a catamaran sunset dinner cruise!
- Jessica McKinnon, Destination Expert
We decided it was the right time to take a mother daughter trip, so of course the perfect place to do that would be Maui, Hawaii. It was going to be my mother’s first experience in Hawaii so I wanted to make it special. I asked my mom what were the top three things she wanted to do in Maui and her response was go to a fabulous luau, go to some historical sites and explore different areas of Maui.
Pool at Outrigger's Aina Nalu Resort
We were lucky enough to have found the perfect condominium. We stayed in the heart of Maui’s historical Lahaina town at The Outrigger Aina Nalu Resort. This property was great for us, because it had all of the amenities we were looking for including a full kitchen, washer and dryer in unit and nice comfortable beds. The property had cozy garden gazebos, a sleek infinity pool and tranquil water features. It was located near Front Street, which offers great shopping such as Hilo Hattie’s; great restaurants including our favorite Cheeseburger in Paradise, which is right on the beach and multiple art galleries including a favorite: Kimi Werner Art.
Maui also offers great beaches and historical sites that have a lot to explore. We checked out some historical buildings including The Baldwin House, the Courthouse and our favorite The Wo Hing Museum. We also accomplished the famous Road to Hana. This curvy coastal drive with views of cliffs, beaches, waterfalls and miles of rainforest is a great way to explore Mother Nature. One of our best memories would be the Luau at the Royal Lahaina. We enjoyed the Polynesian drums & dancers, the traditional delicacies and the fun atmosphere.
Maui offers so many great activities and places to explore that we couldn’t fit it all in one trip. We had such a great time in Hawaii that we are hoping to revisit soon!
- Jessica McKinnon, Destination Expert
