Eterno Dia PhotographyDoing Disney On Dime
Posted on November 26, 2017
What can I say; I love Disney. I love how everything seems so magical. When I’m at a Disney park I forget all my troubles. I’m overcome with a feeling that magic is real and even just for a day, I forget about my worries and problems. Even though I know it’s a beautifully orchestrated illusion, Disney makes me feel like everything is right with the world.
Cinderella’s Castle
I’ve been to Disneyland 3 times; Once as a child with my family, once on a high school band trip and for my honeymoon 9 years ago (my husband is also a fan). I’d been itching to finally see Disney World in Florida, to compare parks, but also to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios, so last year I put my foot down and we booked the trip. We had a pretty small budget and my husband was skeptical that we could make it work, but we did. And here’s how:
We started out by looking at flight and hotel packages. We found a good deal through Westjet that included a motel (the Clarion Inn in Vista). The motel itself actually included free shuttles to and from the various parks. Score! It’s often cheaper to fly with transfers but we opted for a direct flight this time. We booked a red eye flight because we only had five vacation days to do six parks (which is actually madness, but we’ll return to that). We decided that we could sleep on the plane and hit our first park on the morning we landed. I always forget I can’t sleep on planes and due to the lack of sleep and food, I had a brief moment where I nearly tarnished Disney’s magic and had to will myself not to throw up in an Epcot garbage can (I was fine after I finally got something to eat). Red eye flights are often cheaper than daytime flights during business hours, so even with the lack of sleep, it was a good choice to keep the vacation in our budget.
Mexican Pavilion in Epcot
Epcot at night
Market in Morocco at Epcot
Mission: Space at Epcot. I highly recommend this insane ride.
While we were booking flights and hotel, Westjet offered an add-on to purchase Disney park passes through them for approximately $80 Canadian dollars. A quick check online showed us that if we bought park passes at the Disney gates they would have cost us $100 USD. At that time (2016) the Canadian dollar was nothing to brag about, so we snapped those up right away. You can also save money by buying Disney passes in bulk. The more consecutive days you buy, the cheaper they are.
Why’s the rum all gone?!
I got to be a ride timer a few times throughout the trip
One of my favorites- Pirates of the Caribbean
The motel we booked wasn’t close enough to walk to any parks and we certainly didn’t want to spend extra money on taxi’s or ubers, so having a motel that provided free shuttles was a huge perk. Many of the nearby motels also had complimentary shuttles. Not all shuttles were equal though, some departed later in the day than we were hoping to get to the park by or came back much earlier than we wanted to leave, so it did required a bit of mapping on our part of which park to go to on which day based on shuttle times. We got a bit creative and would take a shuttle to one park and then hop on another shuttle to get to the one we were actually trying to go to. A bit of extra work, but still worth it to save some coin. Shuttle times change seasonally as well, depending on peak and non-peak seasons so be sure to check with the hotel how it works.
As much as I’d love to stay in a Disney Parks resort, I can’t afford it. A motel was a great choice, as believe me, you won’t be spending much time in your room. We try to book motels with kitchenettes, or at least mini-fridges. This ends up saving us a ton of money on food. I have a few food intolerances, and while Disney has done a great job recently of catering to allergies and intolerances, it’s still a risk, not to mention pricey. The Clarion we booked had a mini-fridge, tea and coffee station and a microwave. For this vacation, (and our honeymoon trip to California) in my luggage I brought granola bars, instant oatmeal packages and mini cereal boxes (make sure you check your customs regulations for what type for dry food goods you can take into the U.S. if you’re coming from another country). We then hit a nearby convenience store where I bought some fruit, yogurt and milk to keep in the fridge. Pack along a few plastic or disposable bowls and some cutlery. The oatmeal packets are lightweight and don’t take a ton of room in your luggage and all you need is the hot water from your tea or coffee maker. Having a quick breakfast in the room will save you a ton of money compared to eating out, and time saved waiting in the restaurant (that’s valuable park time!). Bringing along a few granola bars and snacks in your bag for the day will tide you over until you want an actual meal. Walking around the parks and riding roller coasters burns a lot of calories, so you’ll likely need some snacks. *Disclaimer- Disney and most theme parks have a “No Outside Food Or Drink” policy, so do so at your own risk. However, I never got any trouble munching on a granola bar or piece of fruit while waiting in line for a ride. Just dispose of your garbage properly. You weren’t born in a barn…
A rainy start at Animal Kingdom
Heading to Nepal: Expedition Everest
African market in Animal Kindom
Souvenirs are always a big expense; Something by which to remember your epic vacation, something to thank the house sitter or a gift for a co-worker. Of course the mark up at the parks is pretty high. I try not to think about the cost of my Harry Potter wand with the value of the Canadian dollar at the time. I did discover after a few days of checking prices at the parks, that our gift shop had merchandise that was a bit cheaper. A lot of shops in the Disney Springs district in Florida or Downtown Disney district in California have slightly cheaper merchandise than what’s available at the parks. If you go too far from the resort to other gift shops around Orlando or Anaheim, you may be getting knock-offs, so just be aware of what you’re buying. We bought chocolate frogs in the hotel gift shop that were still official licensed Harry Potter merchandise, just a different brand than sold at the park. They were significantly cheaper than at the park, and the same is true for shirts, mugs and sunglasses. Check around and compare prices to save money any way you can.
Whether you’re visiting Disneyland or Disney World, it would be a shame to miss Universal Studios. Universal was actually our primary reason for this trip, specifically, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! We’d been to Universal Studios on previous trips to California. It was do-able in a day (for two young adults with no kids). Universal in Florida is split into two parks; Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. They are attached to each other (via the Hogwarts Express ride) and require a “park hopper pass” in order to go to both parks in the same day. With only five days in Florida, this was our itinerary: Day 1: Epcot, day 2: Magic Kingdom, day 3: Hollywood Studios, Day 4: Both Universal parks, day 5: Animal Kingdom. We decided we had to condense Universal into one day. Crazy, but it was all time allowed for. We decided that we would make The Wizarding World of Harry Potter the priority, and if we managed that in the day, we would then see anything extra, or the “repeats” from California’s Universal Studios. Ideally, a day per park (or more) would have been great, but we were trying to save money and had very limited time. We started at the Wizarding World at about 9:30 am and by about 2 pm I was satisfied I’d seen everything I needed to see, which left us with time to explore other parts of both parks. Most people I spoke to before heading to Florida suggested that we would need 10-12 days to see everything we wanted to. That would have made for a very expensive trip. While I wouldn’t recommend five days for anyone with children (or anyone sane for that matter) it is do-able in a week or less. Five days, in hindsight, was a whirlwind. On our last day at Animal Kingdom, towards the end of the day, my husband mentioned that I looked “a bit off”. I explained that I felt weird because the floor we were standing on was bouncy and it was making me dizzy. He looked at me, mouth agape, and explained that we were standing on a concrete floor.
The Hogwarts Express engineer!
Hogwarts Castle
The Owlry in Diagon Alley
For all your Firebolt needs
Beware of Dragons!
So maybe five solid days of extreme roller coasters and hundreds of kilometers of walking after a red eye flight with no sleep was a bit much (I’m sure I scrambled my brain a bit), but at the end of the day we kept the trip affordable. And I have no regrets. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal was one of the best days of my life. We both had so much fun. Disney World is a magical, joyous place. Epcot and Animal Kingdom was like a going on a mini world tour. It was a phenomenal trip and I’m counting down for the next Disney trip to California after Star Wars land is up and running. Go be a kid again, but save your grown-up money doing it.
Seriously?!
A quick drink at Moe’s Tavern
#Truth
Don’t we make a cute couple?
As usual, feel free to contact me with comments or questions. What are your money saving tips? What was your favorite ride (Mission: SPACE at Epcot is EPIC!)? Happy traveling!
When you wish upon a star…
Staycation Alberta: A Vacation Close To Home
Posted on September 17, 2017
I’m going to be adding a series to my blogs called “Staycation Alberta”. As an avid traveler, the thing that keeps me from going on more big trips is time and and money. There never seems to be enough of either. However, that doesn’t keep me from traveling entirely.
Hike to the Plains of the Six Glaciers Teahouse near Lake Louise
“Staycations” or vacations near home are a great way to save some money and support your local economy but feel like you’ve been on a bit of a much needed getaway. Even a day trip or a long weekend can provide a respite from the day to day grind. They can give a you a bit more appreciation for your local history, environment and community.
Father’s Day at the Reynolds Alberta Museum
I live in Alberta, a province in Canada. Alberta is a lovely, diverse place with so much to offer. We have a wide variety of terrain ranging from boreal forests in the north where you can likely see stunning northern lights, to lakes and grasslands, farmland and prairies, badlands, foothills and even the majestic ranges of the rocky mountains.
The butterfly house at the University of Alberta (Formerly Devonian) Botanical Gardens
In Alberta we have everything ranging from small country towns to large metropolitan cities. We have a lot of history as well, including that of the First Nations and Inuit peoples and the first settlers to this area from Europe. This history makes us a really culturally dynamic area with a lot to learn about the past and other cultures.
The hike to Siffleur Falls near David Thompson
I have always felt lucky to be a Canadian, but also to be an Albertan. We can be a little bit conservative, and dare I say “redneck” in certain things (driving back from Red Deer to Edmonton the other day I saw a bumper sticker that read “Redneck Pride”) but we also have a great appreciation for history, nature and the arts. And because of that, there are a great many things to do in Alberta.
Full Moon canoe tour at Elk Island National Park
There is no lack of choice of day trip, vacation spot, historical landmark or nature preserve. I hope that by including some of my local travel adventures in my travel blog, I can inspire you to find some of the special areas near where you live and do some exploring. Maybe it’ll even inspire you to come visit my lovely province. Enjoy this series as they come and please feel free to comment or share some of your adventures with me. Happy travelling!
Day Trip to Ram Falls
Barbuda: The Uncut Jewel Of The Caribbean
Posted on September 7, 2017
View from the Two Foot Bay caves.
Most of you probably never heard of Barbuda before this week. Thanks to Hurricane Irma, many of you probably have now. I have known of Barbuda for a few years now and had the privilege of visiting Barbuda and sister Island Antigua in 2015. My husband and I love the Caribbean; white sand beaches, palm trees and a laid back atmosphere. We’d been to Jamaica for our honeymoon, Cuba, and Mexico a handful of times (though it’s not actually the Caribbean). For this trip we were looking for something more special; a place not a lot of people we knew had already been to. In the end we chose Antigua and Barbuda (pronounced An-TEE-ga and bar-BEW-da). Some of you have heard of Antigua, the larger and more populated of the two sister islands. They’re located in the Leeward islands, part of the lesser Antilles and nearly as far east as you can go before you hit Africa. Antigua has a population of about 80,000 but it’s sister, about 40 miles north-ish only has about 1650 residents.
Antigua- Jolly beach
Antigua is stunning. White sand beaches (365: one for each day of the year), calm, turquoise water that’s nearly fluorescent, rolling hills, thick forests, and an abundance of flora and fauna that knocked my socks off. Anyone who knows me personally is sick to death of the stories of the amazing hummingbirds, scuba diving and steel drums bands playing during dinner that made me cry because everything was “just so perfect”.
We had so many amazing adventures in Antigua that I’ll definitely get into in future blogs (the lookout at Shirley Heights, Stingray City, A circumnavigation of the entire island – all of which I HIGHLY recommend) and one that I’ll never forget is the trip to the sister isle of Barbuda. We found it in the list of available tours and myself, my husband and another couple wanted to go. The resort tour rep gave us a few options on how to get to the tiny island, and we all unanimously agreed to take the ferry that the locals take. He implored us to take the luxurious catamaran or sailboat instead, warning us that it may not be the best option, but we all wanted to take the journey authentically, and see things from a local perspective.
The ferry to Barbuda.
The ferry ride was 1.5 hours each way, and admittedly not the smoothest ride. I was glad to have anti-nausea medication (of which I always bring a lot to share) because even some of the locals were seasick. I loved every minute of it. The ferry was loaded up with boxes and care packages for friends and family members on Barbuda that were simply labeled with first names, because everyone on Barbuda knows everyone. Passengers included a group of Antiguan school children and their teachers going for a field trip, some Barbudans going back after a visit to the main island and some Antiguans going to see relatives who live on Barbuda. There was even the most small town scene of someone trying to get a package of something “illegal” to Barbuda that was nearly comical in its casualness.
Once on Barbuda, six of us (we were nearly the only tourists on the island with it being off season) were whisked around to see the sand mine (yes, they send sand to places that don’t have any), the village of Codrington, and then to the Codrington Lagoon to see the largest frigate bird sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere.
Young frigate birds
We spent part of the morning boating around the quiet lagoon with a tour guide, taking photos of the birds and marveling at the upside down jellyfish. We were then driven up to Barbuda’s “highlands”, the caves at Two Foot Bay, a very short drive from Codrington. We had time to explore these magnificent limestone caves, and climb to Barbuda’s highest point (which is only 38 meters, as Barbuda is very flat) and see the stunning lookout views. This is also where you can find the remains of Codrington House, the ruins of a family estate dating to the 1700’s. The Codgrinton brothers who leased land from the UK ran sugar plantations, had ties to piracy and the slave trade.
From there we were taken to the pink sand beach (again only a short drive away) for an amazing lunch at a beach side restaurant and then time on a basically deserted beach. We sunbathed, swam and explored. We didn’t see the pink sand that you may have heard Barbuda is famous for (it’s seasonal) but that didn’t matter at all. It was stunning.
We explored the nearby River Martello Tower, an old military fort built in 1745, one of many of these types of fort around the islands. We met a local there who was walking around the area while waiting to catch the ferry back to Antigua. He gave us his take on the history of the area and showed us “sea grapes”, a small, edible fruit that grows on vines right on the beach.
The River Fort Martello tower dating to 1745
We finally had to drag ourselves from the beach to catch the ferry for the choppy ride back to Antigua. More seasickness, some people slept, others chatted and gossiped, I stuck my head out the window to catch the breeze and splashes of the sea in my face while 80’s pop hits played on the speakers (including Don’t Rock The Boat, which I found cute and ironic).
Heading back to Antigua
I really didn’t know quite what to expect on our day trip to Barbuda, but I was hoping for an adventure and boy did it deliver, especially based on it’s size and population. Barbuda isn’t shiny and sparkly like the larger island of Antigua and some of the other more well known Caribbean islands. It’s largely undeveloped and has a very small town feel. It’s definitely not modern. Everyone knows everyone and life seems relatively quiet. Barbuda has very little tourism development and hardly any large resorts. That’s what’s so unique and charming about it. It’s unspoiled and pure. Innocent. That’s also what makes me so sad when I think about the devastation Irma has caused her.
The stunning beach and clear waters
The island was without any contact from the outside world for nearly 24 hours after being hit directly by category 5 Irma dozens of times larger than the island. How frightening it must have been for those poor souls to be hunkered down in the dead of night with their homes coming apart around them? To be stranded for so long, not knowing how long until help arrived? Who will come to her aid with 90% or more of her infrastructure obliterated? Barbuda is not comprised of wealthy people. Most houses are simple. Most of the ways of life are simple. It won’t be simple for them any longer. I can only hope that Barbuda (and St. Maarten and many other Caribbean nations affected by this hurricane) will get the help that they desperately need to rebuild and maintain their way of life in the wake of this devastation. If you have even $10 to spare, I hope you will donate to a relief organization who can help them. No amount is too small. And I hope that you will be lucky enough to visit the unassuming little jem that is Barbuda, at least once in your life.
To All Inclusive Or To Not All Inclusive: Part 3, The Finale
Posted on July 25, 2017
Sunset in Nuevo Vallarta
Welcome back avid reader and travel enthusiast to my final thoughts on all inclusive vacations. Excursions, day trips, adventures; whatever you choose to call them, there is no reason to feel trapped because you’re staying at a resort. You will likely have so many choices to get out and see the country you’re visiting, experience the culture and history and still have a guaranteed place to go back to rest your weary head at later.
Excursions:
While excursions are not typically included in the price of an all inclusive, they are easy to access. I highly recommend booking your trips through the tour companies at the resorts for a few reasons. Firstly, it’s safe. Yes, you may be able to find someone in town to take you on that fishing trip for way cheaper than the resort trip, but what if it’s a scam? Will he really give you what he promises and not rob you blind out at sea?
Secondly, what if something unexpected happens? He’s likely not insured, he may not know what to do in case of emergency, he might not have life vests, etc. If you take a tour with a local who isn’t insured and you get hurt or robbed, your travel insurance may not cover the cost – just something to think about. A third thing to consider is that while the government as a whole is kind of exhausting, sometimes they hold tour companies to environmental standards that are important for protecting natural resources.
Tourism can be very hard on local flora and fauna and can cause devastating long term effects on plants and animals and the ocean. Mexico is actually fairly regulated and seems to be quite forward thinking in terms of protecting its natural resources. Booking through a tour agency is usually the responsible and safe thing to do. I’ve generally found most tours to be affordable and include a lot of bang for your buck. I’ve rarely been disappointed. Usually the tours are offered through the travel agency you booked with, right at the hotel. You can find out on your first morning after your resort orientation what types of tours you want to do and schedule them accordingly. Typically you’ll find things like snorkeling day trips, fishing, ATV or zip line adventures. You may find a historical or a city tour (which I highly recommend as your first tour so you know what you may want to do in town). You may find there is something you wanted to do that isn’t listed. It can be arranged. Maybe you want to go scuba diving or take a day trip not listed. The reps will help you find someone reputable and trustworthy to book a private tour with, or help to find a tour with another agencies group.
Budget:
All inclusive resorts are typically a great option if you need to budget. It can be stressful to think about how much you can spend per day on meals and drinks, souvenirs, tips and tours. I typically allot a certain amount of spending money for tipping (again, appreciated but usually not expected) I usually leave the equivalent of a few dollars for the room service staff. For breakfast or lunch buffets we leave a dollar or so if the service was really attentive. At the beach or the bars, I’ll tip once per day or night, especially if the bartender was quick and attentive and at the á la carte restaurants, which are usually quite nice and well presented, I may leave the equivalent of five or 10 dollars. Besides the money you’ll spend on souvenirs, tipping and excursions, you won’t have to spend a dime. Not having to think about money makes your vacation that much less stressful, which is kind of the point, yes? Your biggest worries will be gaining a few pounds or a experiencing a raging hangover in stifling heat.
The Experience:
As a whole, all inclusive resorts are easy, they’re safe, and everything is included so you won’t have to think too hard on your well earned vacation. If you’re a first timer with some travel anxiety, or if you literally want to just decompress and do nothing for a whole, glorious week, these resorts are a great option.
sunset palms
However, if you’re more like me and you like to get out there and see the world, a resort isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We always book tons of tours, we go into the nearest town, often more than once. We eat there, shop there and see what the locals do for fun. Even if you’ve paid for an all inclusive, if you can afford to eat out a few times, I don’t think you’ll feel like you’re “wasting” you money. These vacation packages are usually are a good deal for how much they include. If you do the math and determine how much a flight and hotel would be on their own to these locations, you’ll likely find food and beverage are way less than you’d need to budget on a DIY vacation. Sometimes after a full day trip in the hot sun in a foreign country, knowing you can just zombie into the buffet without a reservation or recommendations and refuel is a better option than having to hunt down food in town. Don’t feel that you need to limit your activities just because you’re at an all inclusive.
lights in the restaurant
In Antigua, we did a full circumnavigation day trip where we literally boated around the entire island. You can still get out there and experience other cultures and see the countryside while your home base is the resort. My husband and I usually “reserve” two “resort” days to lay around, relax, read, nap and swim in the pool, or the ocean, and then we usually book two or three trips to get out and see things. Don’t let a resort scare you into thinking you can’t be adventurous on a vacation, and don’t let the anxiety of a vacation stop you from going on a vacation. Consider a resort to make your vacation a more relaxing vacation. You really can have it all!
Happy traveling and please feel free to comment and let me know about your travel experiences? How do you make the best of your time? Thanks for reading. Until next time!
Sunset in Neuvo Vallarta
To All Inclusive Or Not To All Inclusive: Part 2
Posted on July 16, 2017
View from our room at the Barcelo Karmina Palace in Manzanillo, Mexico – 2010
Welcome back to part 2 of “To All Inclusive Or To Not All Inclusive”. While an all inclusive resort may make you worry that you’ll be restricted in what you can do or where you can go, I assure you, that’s just not the case. However, if you need to ease into international travel, this might be how you may feel most comfortable to start. Now, let’s talk about all you can eat and drink, shall we?
Food and Drink:
Everything you need is likely on the property. You’ll have a selection of restaurants; some buffet and some á la carte (which you may need to book in advance). Besides checking the time that the restaurants are open, you won’t need to do much thinking. Some resorts have more than one buffet, or a snack bar that are open at alternating times. The biggest complaint I hear about in reviews is the quality of food.
Dinner at the Mexican Restaurant
I guess I’m just not that picky- I’ve never found the food to be all that bad (not even in Cuba, which has a notoriously bad reputation) and often found it to be excellent. If you’re a foodie and you have a very high bar, please remember that most resorts are large places and cook “work camp” style. They need to make large portions of everything, and nothing is overly spicy, but I’ve always found resort food fresh and flavorful. There are usually lots of options, meat, vegetables, seafood, fruits and vegetables, deserts and even a selection of “homesick food” like fries and hot dogs. Food sensitivities and allergies are being taken more seriously and usually if you let your waiter know directly, they will discuss with the chef what you can safely eat. I personally have sensitivities to dairy and wheat but I’ve often found the food at the resorts in smaller countries to be fresher and less processed with fewer preservatives and additives than in my food at home, especially if it’s locally sourced. I’ve generally had little trouble eating at resorts. Most resorts have one or more á la Carte restaurants. These are a bit fancier and usually themed; seafood, Korean, Mediterranean, etc. Usually reservations are required (and sometimes book very quickly) as is a dress code.
View of the sunset at dinner
Dress is still resort casual but typically a button up shirt and dress or skirt are acceptable for dinner. Usually the food here is a step above what you’ll get at the buffet but can be hit or miss on, for example, Cuba’s take on Italian food was pretty much penne and tomato sauce. While they are a nice romantic night, sometimes after a day in the hot tropical sun it can be a real effort to clean up and be on time for dinner. But there’s still the buffet where you can be a bit more casual for dinner. Liquor is a big plus of all inclusives if you drink, as it’s included. No need to watch the wallet. Most places have your standard domestic hard liquors, maybe two types of beer on tap and a house red and white wine. The higher end resort we stayed at in Jamaica and in Manzanillo had two beers on tap and three canned varieties (if memory serves) and a cheaper resort we stayed at in Puerto Vallarta only had one brand of beer. Usually higher end “non-domestic” alcohol is not included, but can be purchased for a reasonable price. The same is true with the wine. If you can’t stomach the house wine, you can usually buy a bottle of a different brand.
Wedding Night Dinner
A lot of online complaints about resorts mention drinks being “watered down”. I’ve honestly never experienced this. Most places I’ve visited have had quite strong drinks. There are usually a selection of drinks in the mini fridge in the room – also included in the cost but usually limited. Only one place we stayed at didn’t include liquor in the room fridge and only had soda and water. Most places will stock a variety of soda, 2-3 bottles of water and 2-4 beers. We’ve found that if that’s not quite enough, if you leave a small tip inside the fridge, they may leave a few extra beers for you. Most places will also leave a water or two on the bathroom counter for brushing your teeth. If you need more, they re-stock daily and they can always bring more if you call the front desk. Most resorts offer room service. Sometimes it’s included (but usually a limited snack menu) and sometimes it’s an extra, reasonably priced charge. We learned a secret on our trip to Playa Del Carmen; we had an extra early excursion scheduled to depart before the breakfast buffet opened in the morning. One of us had the idea to pre-book a very early room service breakfast. It worked great, as you never know when you might get to eat on an excursion.
Entertainment:
There is always something to keep you busy at an all inclusive. Daytime activities might include yoga, aquasize, or some kind of aerobics, sometimes they have a trivia type game by the pool. Some places have crafts, archery or a market of local vendors set up. If you’re planning on staying at a kid friendly resort, they usually have kids camps or activities specifically for them. In Huatulco on our most recent trip they had a morning guided bird walk to discover some of the wildlife around the resort. Most places include one hour per day of some kind of water sport activity like kayaking, wind surfing or stand up paddle boarding. At night you’ll be able to find small lounge acts in the main lobby, and of course, you’ll find “the show”. Every resort has some kind of variety/talent type show. It’s usually a different theme per night, sometimes dancers in traditional dress, a celebrity impersonation night or an 80’s night. These shows are typically not up my alley; if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all, but check one out and see if you like it. In Antigua, the resort we stayed at had a better (less predictable) variety of entertainment with a karaoke night and a beach bonfire with tradition fire dancing by the locals. Some places have movie nights, discotheques or evening vendor markets as well. There is no lack of activities at an all inclusive resort.
Tour of a nearby sea turtle and reptile rehab and rescue
I’ll leave you here for now and when I come back with part 3 of my thoughts on all inclusive resorts, I’ll tell you about the excursions that may not be included in the price but will let you get out and really see the place you’re visiting. You really can have it all! See you soon!
a baby sea turtle that will be released
Injured sea turtles being nursed back to health
Holding a baby sea turtle. Truly a magical experience
Eterno Dia Photography 