One of our new lodges, the Tswalu Kalahari Lodge in South Africa recently sent through this video of the new pups from one of their smaller meerkat colonies.  Our office all loved watching them explore their new kingdom & had to share it.

Baby Meerkats from Tswalu Kalahari Lodge – South Africa

Meerkat Pups from Field Guides on Vimeo.

What wildlife video would you like to see in real life?

Chocolate Pudding at Tides Resort Riviera Maya

Chocolate – once known only as a treat with a couple of rows after dinner for those with a sweet tooth, has now become the theme for holidays & more:

• Chocolate Destinations – We have seen lots of chocolate shop visits & tasting tours, especially in the traditional homes of chocolate – Belgium & Switzerland.  But now, South America is showing its heritage for chocolate with Venezuela and Colombia – home to cocoa beans, establishing tours where you can see the entire refining process, from harvesting the beans through to production of the end product.

• Chocolate Spa Treatments – Forget a massage with oil, many of the world’s top spas now feature treatments with chocolate at the core, as the antioxidants & cocoa butter do wonders for the skin.  One such experience, the Chocolate Massage is offered at The Tides Resort & Spa in Mexico, where you can experience a massage & chocolate masque.  I think I would struggle not to just eat the masque with a spoon!

Chocolate Massage at Tides Resort & Spa, Riviera Maya

• & finally – for over-indulgence, there are now complete chocolate hotels.  In February 2011, the brand new Hotel Chocolat opened its doors in Saint Lucia and is one such example of a chocoholics dream come true.  Set on a cocoa estate, guests can follow the entire chocolate experience as much or as little as they want whilst relaxing in this paradise. Guests can take part in the cocoa harvest, view the cocoa plantation to enjoying classes in chocolate making, savoury chocolate recipes and chocolate cocktails. This is one holiday resort that will get your taste buds tingling.

Hotel Chocolat's Cocoa Plantation in Saint Lucia

So, until I get to experience this Latin Chocolate experience, I’m off to the supermarket to satisfy my cravings with a block of Galaxy!

What is your favourite chocolate?

However, today there is more than just a honeymoon to consider, we have seen, whether it is from the media or hotels looking to create dedicated packages for romance:

Banyan Tree Al Wadi, UAE

Mini-Moons – if you don’t have time for a honeymoon – this is the trimmed down version, a luxury 3 night exhilarating holiday in Dubai, or long weekend in a country cottage.  You may have blown the budget on the wedding, or simply can’t get time off.  You may also take this option if you are saving up for your main honeymoon.

Mega-Moon – not content with a week or two on the beach, adventurous couples are celebrating with a mega-moon of 4 weeks or more to explore an entire continent like Latin America or Africa – with a touch of luxury, adventure & glamour, all thrown in to one.

Makanyana Safari Lodge, South Africa

Baby-Moons – For couples about to completely change their lifestyle to add a third person to their family, one last retreat for themselves as a couple has become known as the baby-moon – a few days away to enjoy time together before a new bundle of joy is welcomed in to your lives.

But why stop there, who knows where the moon trend will take us?:

Money-Moon – the honeymoon you go on after you get divorced – indulge yourself with your divorce settlement and take a luxury spa holiday.

Study-Moon – the week you take after you finish your university exams – escape with a group of friends to Brazil for Carnivale, have a week in a luxury resort in the Greek islands etc.

Brazil Carnival

New-Moon – the holiday you take between jobs to relax after the last one before you start something new.

What other honeymoon types can you think of?