Destinations
Viking River sailing into France’s Bordeaux region
Viking River Cruises has introduced a new itinerary in France's Bordeaux region for 2014 that will celebrate the senses. The eight-day cruise -- Châteaux, Rivers & Wine -- allows guests to enjoy the beauty and history of Bordeaux and the Aquitaine region, while exploring some of the world's finest names in wine. Guests will sail on Viking Forseti, marking the first time an award-winning Viking Longship will be deployed in France. Châteaux, Rivers & Wine takes guests on a unique exploration of the Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers, through the region that has for centuries...
New snowshoe trails open at Powder King
This season, there's even more reason to revel in the white stuff at Powder King, a ski resort north of Prince George, BC. It has unveiled three new snowshoe trails, starting with The Wanderer, an easy .75-km stretch that winds through pines trees and is ideal for kids. More intrepid travellers can make tracks along The Explorer, a mid-level 2.1-km excursion with views of McMurray Mountain; and The Challenger, a 10- to 12-km journey through the meadows and forests of Northern BC's Pine Pass....
Major sporting events on Oahu calendar
With its ideal year-round climate and diverse environments, the Hawaiian Islands have become home to many world-class sporting events. Winter kicks off a season of high calibre participatory sports like the Xterra Trail Run World Championships and the Honolulu Marathon, plus spectator sports like the Sony Open and the Pro Bowl. These winter sports attract more than 59,000 visitors and resident attendees and generate about $100 million in expenditures. For instance, upcoming is the 2012 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, to Dec. 20 on the North Shore of Oahu; the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24 at...
Crystal unveils Northern Europe options
Shorter summer voyages with more overnight calls highlight Crystal Cruises' Baltic, Scandinavian and British Isles 2013 cruise collection. Beginning June 8 aboard the Crystal Serenity, three new seven-day itineraries and five 10-day luxury cruises will take guests to some of the region's most beautiful, culturally significant cities and landscapes in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Estonia, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Russia and the UK, including Ireland. Crystal's Northern Europe cruises also offer a more than 25% increase in local overnights, with double the nights in...
Pool rejuvenation finished at Hilton Hawaiian Village
The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort has just completed its seven-month, $4.3 million Tapa Pool rejuvenation project. The work includes the expansion of the swimming pool's deck space by more than 20%, retiling of the existing pool, the addition of water features in the pool, extensive tropical foliage and six private cabanas. The pool's open deck area now includes 127 chaise lounges and 280 square metres of natural stone surrounded by lush landscaping. The pool itself has been completely retiled with Oceanside Glasstile, a sustainable product that uses mostly recycled material...
Parksville Uncorked for best of wine, brew, cuisine
For a celebration of wine, brews and the best of local VancouverIsland cuisine, the fifth annual Parksville Uncorked Wine & Food Festival is on the horizon. From Feb. 21-24, the mid-winter fete pairs the province's fine wines and craft beers with tasty menus from the Island's restaurants, resorts and specialty food purveyors. For instance, Parksville Untapped at Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort kicks off the revelry by matching frothy craft beers and bold ciders with sweet and savoury morsels. The Swirl Gala at The Beach Club Resort is where 28 wineries will be represented alongside gourmet...
St. Kitts and Nevis host Sustainable tourism forum
In collaboration with Sustainable Travel International, the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Tourism and International Transport convened the island nation's first-ever Sustainable Tourism Awareness Forum in late November. The forum brought together nearly 50 representatives from government ministries, utility providers and the private sector to review the results of a country-wide sustainability assessment conducted earlier in the year, and take the first steps toward action to address the issues identified. After reviewing the business case for sustainability, and engaging in some spirited...
Ten ways to find misery on the Inca Trail
Andean trekking specialist Diane Valenti, owner and founder of Llama Expeditions (http://www.llamaexpeditions.com) looks at 10 ways to find misery on the Inca Trail. "People have their bucket lists, but they sometimes don't know what goes into achieving something on that list,"said Valenti, underscoring that homework and common sense are key. Following in her words are tried and true ways to be miserable, "if you don't properly prepare for the Inca Trail."!!! Be a porter instead of hiring a porter. Your quads will be screaming as you summit not one but two mountain passes at nearly 14,000...