The dots on the left are whale sharks in the ocean.

I never thought I’d be one of those crazies cuddling up to blood thirsty creatures all in the name of a good story but there I was, in a boat floating next to a cluster of whale sharks.  As I glimpsed their huge spotted heads bobbing in the turquoise waves, I felt like I was in a bad disaster movie . Only I wasn’t, I was cruising off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Contoy Island, preparing to snorkel with the biggest fish on Earth. Read More »

The shore of Rosemary Beach

The pristine, white sand beaches of Rosemary Beach will hypnotize anyone whose ever gazed at their beauty up close. Despite their loveliness, the beaches are rarely crowded and it’s easy to get a sense of your own private paradise. I was tempted to just luxuriate on the beach, gazing at the turquoise waves but  one of the best ways to enjoy the natural beauty is to rent a kayak and glide along the Gulf Coast. Read More »

A view from the mountain tubing tour

I love mountains and I love being in the water so mountain tubing sounded like an ideal, if slightly scary experience to try.  I had witnessed Kauai’s looming mountains during trips around the island and I figured tubing would be a much easier way to see them up close than hiking them.  Kauai Backcountry features the only mountain tubing excursion on the gorgeous grounds of the former Lihue Plantation. I not only gained upfront views of Kaua’i's sweeping mountains, I witnessed the expertise of the complex  irrigation system of tunnels and flumes hand-dug over a century ago.  That’s what I call an adventure. Read More »

Waimea Canyon

Kaua’i, with its uninterpreted stretches of  beaches and vegetation, wild orchids growing everywhere and stunning coastline, is considered one of the most beautiful places on Earth for good reason. But what throws most people is that the island doesn’t simply offer tropical beauty, but a diverse landscape of  valleys, cliffs, mountains and sea caves.  The centerpiece for all these natural wonders is the jaw-dropping Waimea Canyon. Read More »