Tag: "beach holidays"

Salsa dancing in the Caribbean paradise of Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico has a lot more to offer than just stunning beaches. Its music – and in particular salsa – is enough to make even the least rhythmic get on their feet. Flamboyant, fun and easy for beginners, it’s no wonder salsa dancing is so popular. The upbeat music can be heard across the island, giving the perfect soundtrack to your holiday setting of rolling mountains and white, sandy beaches.

It’s so popular that Puerto Rico even has a National Salsa Day, filling the streets with singing, trumpet playing and – of course – lots of salsa! So why should you try salsa? The music is infectious, and the steps are relatively simple. The social side is brilliant as you’re bound to meet new people, swap partners or even turn up without a partner! It’s considered rude to refuse a dance without good reason – which can be a good or bad thing!

To make the most out of salsa dancing in the original – and the best – setting, book a place on Western & Oriental’s ultimate salsa dancing holiday, including  salsa lessons, sightseeing and a momentous gala dinner where you can show off your moves. Best of all, guests will have a chance to meet Sir Bruce Forsyth and his wife Wilnelia Forsyth, long-time Puerto Rico fans, part-time residents and salsa experts! For more information click here or call 020 7666 1203.

Nice you see you, but to see Puerto Rico, VERY nice

British favourite Bruce Forsyth chats to the Daily Mail about his wonderful wife Wilnelia and her home country, the beautiful paradise island of Puerto Rico. He writes the article from Puerto Rico itself where he has been for the past six weeks relaxing and playing golf. Married since 1983 and with one son, Wilnelia was once crowned Miss World and it was while they were both judging the Miss World event in 1980 that they met.

Bruce talks about his passion for golf and the invigorating feeling that Puerto Rico gives him whenever he spends time on the island. His house on the north side of the island is set by magnificent beaches and in his opinion the best golf clubs in the Caribbean. He recommends one of Western & Oriental’s most popular resorts, “the luxurious St. Regis Bahia Beach, which is the most beautiful property and would be the perfect setting for a honeymoon.”

With a “gorgeous climate” Bruce can’t understand “why the British aren’t queuing up to get in” to this beautiful island. Perfect weather in winter make the island a great getaway from the Christmas period.

Bruce mentions how Puerto Rico is not only excellent for golf, but “Wilnelia is in raptures about the shopping. It’s marvellous because you have all the big American stores but also fabulous local designers. It’s a very fashionable place.”

Knowing the island so well, Bruce recommends El Meson Gallego in San Juan to eat, Playa Sucia to soak up the sun and with “mysterious mists creeping down hillsides” there are plenty of walks and hikes to embark on.

Bruce concludes, “I couldn’t write about Puerto Rico without mentioning the dancing. Wilnelia loves the nightlife in Old San Juan, where you can find live music and bars with big salsa bands. In Puerto Rico, most social events end with a dance.” However he laments that while he has been known to strut his stuff on our Saturday night favourite, Strictly Come Dancing, his merengue is still to be perfected with his wife Wilnelia telling him that they “need to do a little more practice on the turns.”

When will you be going on your Puerto Rico Holiday?

Top 8 Intimate Encounters This Valentine’s Day

We have put together our favourite heart related destinations to get you in the Valentine’s day mood. Let us know if you have found any other heart related places on your travels.

Have a heart to heart dancing on ice 

Snuggle up to your partner on the deck of one of our Antarctic cruises and spot heart shaped icebergs among the abundant wildlife in the region. Antarctica’s dramatic landscape plays host to hundreds of different species.  Watch dolphins frolic in the water and whales and seals feed on the schools of fish. Pack your snow boots and hold on tight to your loved one as you go on daily excursions on the ice. Look out for the emperor penguin. Is there a fledgling underneath the feathers?

Penguin in Antarctica

Heart shaped rock on Palm Beach – Crete

Discover this heart shaped rock in the shallows of Palm Beach on the Greek island of Crete. Gorge on figs, the aphrodisiacal local delicacy and sip cocktails under the palm trees to return home a healthy sun-kissed colour. Explore the many caves by snorkel or boat to pack some adventure into your romantic escape or honeymoon and relax in the spa with a joint massage and mud bath after a difficult day swinging from hammocks in the breeze.

Palm Beach in Crete, Greece

 Elephants sharing the love

Spot elephants in love embracing in the grasslands and fall asleep to the sound of hippos gurgling in the lake. With Honeymiles, watch the sunrise from one of our hot air balloon safaris over the Masai-Mara reserve. It is the best time to see the lions hunt their prey. Watch the animals from the sky, and land to a champagne breakfast, the perfect end to a romantic and peaceful honeymoon a million miles away from home.

Elephants in Love

Having a whale of a time

Visit the heart shaped island in the Vaza-Barris river of Brazil and spot the humpback whales’ heart-shaped tails close to the Abrolhos islands. Dance the intimate samba with your loved one and soak up the sun on Rio’s sexiest beaches. Catch a rainbow over the Iguazu falls on a helicopter tour, or feel the mist hit your face from Brazil’s walkway over the canyon. You will be on top of the world at Corcovado Peak.

Humpback Whale off the coast of Brazil

 Lovers Island in Croatia

Escape to Lovers Island in Croatia and explore this natural heart-shaped island in the Adriatic. Take a boat from the mainland with a bottle of champagne and delicious picnic and enjoy the peaceful surroundings of this privately-owned piece of land. Our resorts in Croatia are immersed in culture. Stroll hand in hand around the rustic town of Dubrovnik or hire a bicycle to get off the beaten track. Visit the castles and the cobbled streets of historic towns.

Love Island, Croatia

Rih Lake – Burma (meaning heart in Hindi) 

Burma’s Rih Lake may not be a perfect heart shape, but years of British colonisation altered this natural beauty to be the shape it is today. Originally believed to be a passage for souls to heaven, take your soul mate here and discover the rugged and untouched beauty that Burma has to offer. Visit via India, staying at one of our luxury hotels or take a tour of this magnificent and colourful country in absolute luxury. Make sure you visit the Taj Mahal and learn about the love story that inspired this fine piece of architecture. If you’re feeling daring, you can even spice up your love life by trying snake blood, a traditional Indian aphrodisiac.

Rih Dil Lake in Burma

Heart shaped island in Okavango Delta - Botswana

Escape to one of the last unspoiled corners of Africa for some intimate alone time. This heart shaped island in the heart of the Okavango Delta in Botswana is only visible between March and June when the swamp levels are at their highest. Take a romantic and authentic mokoro (a traditional canoe) and paddle to the island to see the Big Five in their natural habitat. Stargaze on a mobile safari or ride a quad bike through the salt pans during the dry season.

Okavango Delta, Bostwana

Trouvez l’amour en France – Find love in France

Fancy staying closer to home? Take a trip to France where you can immerse yourself in the peace and tranquillity of some of the country’s most exclusive holiday destinations. Famous for its cuisine, dine on oysters and red wine as the sun goes down over the Mediterranean. Dip your toes in the sea or climb some of France’s mountains for that extra thrill.

Corsica, France

 Image Source: Aforadio

Emirates – A Flying Experience Unlike Any Other

With a fleet of over 150 airplanes flying to more than 100 destinations in 66 countries all over the world, Emirates carried a staggering 31.4 million passengers between 2010/11 in its state-of-the-art fleet.

When flying with Emirates, you will be able to recline your seat and enter a world of your own. Every cabin takes millions of passengers every year to a higher level of luxury with Emirates’ award-winning service at every turn, making you feel less like a passenger and more like a guest. From a vast selection of in-flight entertainment to its very comfortable seats, Emirates’ professional and multilingual cabin crew try to anticipate your every need, whether you are flying alone, as a couple or as a family.

On Emirates, you will be able to indulge in some of the finest, most delicious meals and choose from a wide selection of fine wines. In Business Class, Emirates provide passengers the tools to be productive or kick back and relax in your comfortable lie-flat seats. In First Class, passengers can even close their own electronic doors to create their own private suite, or take advantage of the in-fight shower spas.

For a sneak peek of what you can expect when flying with Emirates, see below.

Relaxing on board Emirates in Business Class

Private individual seats in First Class

Freshen up in the Spa Shower onboard the luxurious A380 airliner

Emirates' stylish interior in Economy Class

Hours of fun and entertainment via the award wining in-flight entertainment system

A refreshing beverages during the flight

Taste the Flavours of Mauritius in Grandma’s Kitchen!

The beautiful Shanti Maurice in Mauritius is spread over 36 acres of tropical gardens with breathtaking views of the hills and the Indian Ocean. In addition to the rejuvenating  amenities of this fantastic five-star resort, Shanti Maurice is also known for the unique culinary experiences it offers. Ingredients come fresh from the ocean, the resort’s gardens or nearby farms, so fresh local produce and imaginative menu choices are the order of the day.

Always at the forefront of innovation in hospitality, Shanti Maurice has recently introduced a new eatery concept which combines home-cooked meals with the essence of a five-star dining palate. On November 2011, Shanti Maurice was also awarded with the prestigious ‘Best Initiative in Clients Experience’ Award by Worldwide Hospitality Awards 2011, for the ‘Grandma’s Kitchen’ experience.

This culinary option invites guest to dine with one of the resort’s favourite team members who prepares and serves her own individual creations of decadence. “Grandma”, is the grandmother of Rimala, the General Manager Paul Van Frank’s assistant, and the venue where Grandma cooks and receives the guest is at their family home.

As a lover of the art of food, Grandma handpicks fresh ingredients daily, guaranteeing that you will have the healthiest, but tastiest selection of options.

Grandma Purchasing Fruits & Vegetables

Her specialities encompass a wide variety of dishes including a fish curry, honey lamb with cinnamon, and a thick soy and ginger sauce. If guests are in the mood for a refreshing sweet treat, she will offer you a pineapple bomb consisting of locally grown fruit, sugar and eggs topped with cream.

Grandma Cooking Food

The importance of Grandma’s Kitchen as a culinary experience is not simply about the food, but also about creating an ‘at home’ atmosphere. During dinner, guests sit around a communal table as Grandma shares stories about her life and passion for cooking.

Grandma's Family & Guests

At the end of the meal, you will receive a mini cookbook that includes some of Grandma’s handwritten recipes and secret cooking tips.

Although your holiday in Mauritius will eventually end, this unique memory of dining in Grandma’s kitchen on your luxurious Mauritius holiday will without a doubt last a lifetime.

Buried Treasure! The Hidden Gem of the Maldives

Touching down at London Heathrow Airport, I took a moment to reflect on the incredible two weeks I had just spent on my luxurious Maldives holiday. We all know about the sapphire blue seas, white sand beaches and year round warm weather, but the Maldives has so much more to offer, it has undiscovered treasures, and that’s what I wanted to share with you on this blog article.

Diving is often thought to be the best way to see the true beauty of the Maldives, but as a fairly new diver, I was a little sceptical about going out to sea, for half an hour only reliant on an oxygen tank, a much more daunting task than splashing around the swimming pool, where fresh air was only a few centimetres away. I tried to escape the expedition by saying ‘the place is so beautiful anyway, I don’t need to see anymore’ and in my eyes there was plenty of wildlife to be seen on the land, such as the rare birds and the occasional turtle that ventured onto the beach. However, my husband, a keen diver, ignored my protests and chivvied me onto the boat. After reluctantly boarding, we set off out to sea, and eventually arrived at the spot where we were to plunge under water. Standing on the side of the boat with my back to the drop, I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. We rocked backwards and then crash, we hit the water.

After a few moments of only being able to see white water, I was suddenly astounded as my eyes opened up onto a wonderful plethora of colour, my eyes feasted on the sight. The abundance of tropical fish of every colour of the rainbow glided past my eyes and weaved through the ethereal coral reef as it swayed gently with the movement of the sea. All of my previous anxieties had disappeared; I was completely dumbfounded by the beauty that danced before my eyes. A tap on my shoulder by my husband, woke me from my reverie, he did a big ‘thumbs up’ and even behind the mask I could see his huge grin and I could feel my face as it involuntarily cracked into a huge smile, I couldn’t stop it!

Marine life in the Maldives

We swam amongst the reef, watching the fish as they swam almost entirely ignoring the fact that two humans had just entered their habitat. Then we were both tapped on the shoulder by our guide and asked to swim back to the top where we clambered back onto the boat. It took me a few moments to gather myself before I said to my husband, ‘thank you that was the most amazing experience I have ever had.’

Coral in the Maldives

The underwater world was something that I had never even imagined would be a part of my holiday to the Maldives. I was just there to lie on the beach, read a few books and eat and drink till my heart was content. Our Maldives holiday was a world away from what we expected and I hope you will go to the Maldives and scratch beneath the surface and discover the true beauty of these islands.