7 trips that put families in close contact with local wildlife

Snorkel with Whale Sharks in Cancun

Fulfill your family’s ultimate once-in-a-lifetime bucket list adventure by taking a dip with whale sharks – the biggest (and most friendly) fish in the world! From May to September, families staying at sister properties CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort and JW Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa can embark by boat to snorkel alongside these magnificent gentle giants where the Caribbean Sea meets the Gulf of Mexico. Though they measure up to 40 feet long and weigh in at 15 tons, whale sharks feed exclusively on plankton and are totally harmless to humans. Added perk: guests at the Cancun Marriott Resorts can check out a GoPro HER04 for the day to capture unbelievable underwater family photo ops.

Book your stay now with TripAdvisor
JWCM_Cancun_WhaleSharks

Explore the Costa Rican rainforest

For an unforgettable nature-filled vacation, families should head to Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort, spread across 900 acres of natural rainforest reserve in Costa Rica’s northern region — an area responsible for 6% of the entire world’s biodiversity. With more than 500 species of local plant and wildlife on property, kiddos just might spot a coatimundis, toucans or howler monkeys. Families can have nearby animal encounters with activities like horseback riding, ziplining through the trees, rainforest tours and more. As an added bonus, the carbon neutral resort offers an eco-friendly environment that teaches kids about sustainability and how to protect the area’s natural resources.

Book your stay now with TripAdvisor
Tabacon_wildlife

Swim with sea turtles in Barbados

SUP dude? For an unforgettable animal encounter, families will love Colony Club‘s stand-up paddle board (SUP) and turtle swim excursion. Starting out on the white, warm sands of Barbados’ renowned beach, families will paddle out to The Lone Star Restaurant, one of the local, turtle hangouts, and dive into the crystal blue waters to get up-close-and-personal with the island’s friendliest marine animals – the once-endangered population of hawksbill and leatherback turtles.

 

Hangout with reptiles in Curacao

Situated on a 27 acre plantation of rare natural preserve, the Santa Barbara Beach & Golf Resort in Curacao offers an island-within-an-island feel with some of the most varied and exotic flora and fauna in the Caribbean. Through the resort’s eco-friendly, locally inspired Camp Arawak program, kids will love the chance to feed the resort’s resident iguanas. Plus, in between watersport adventures like snorkeling and paddleboarding, families can observe hawksbill turtles nesting along the resort’s private beach every July through September.

Book your stay now through
TripAdvisor

SBBGR_Beach

Paddleboard with Dolphins in Jupiter, Florida

Hotel guests staying at the oceanfront resort can head to the nearby Blueline Surf & Paddle Co., and work up a sweat navigating the mangroves of the Intracoastal Waterways on a 90-minute paddleboard eco tour, where you might see manatees, dolphins and sea turtles. Complimentary beach cruisers are also available for resort guests to get the heart pumping as they explore the charming, seaside town’s iconic landmarks, including the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and the Loggerhead Marine Life Center.  

Encounter sea lions, blue footed boobies and penguins galore in The Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are home to some of the most unique species in the world, and Ecoventura’s fleet of eco-friendly cruises brings families face to face with daily excursions through the archipelago’s diverse islands. From swimming alongside sea lions (and plenty of curious sea lion pups) to watching the Blue Footed Boobies shake their feet in a mating dance, snorkeling with penguins off the islands of Santa Cruz and Isabella. In a destination as pristine and protected as the Galapagos, wildlife wanders freely and fearlessly in the islands, meaning parents and kids are in for the trip of a lifetime.

Ecoventura_Galapagos

Kayak through a bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico

A kayaking tour through the mangrove forrest of the Laguna Grande takes families to a secret hideaway — Fajardo’s bioluminescent bay. A short drive from San Juan, the magical waters are filled with millions of prehistoric organisms that when touched, leave a breathtaking glow in the moonlight. The excursion, organized by the family friendly San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, invites families to learn the history and science behind the twinkling trail in the bio bay while enjoying a ride under the stars.

Book your stay now through TripAdvisor

Feed alpacas and llamas in Cusco

The colorful city of Cusco and the surrounding Sacred Valley of the Incas is the perfect destination for adventurous families looking for a rich dose of culture. A short drive from the city center, Awana Kancha – a llama, alpaca and vicuña farm — brings families face to face with the region’s most loved furry animals in all shapes and colors. Upon arrival, guests are greeted by the resident animals eagerly awaiting to be fed giant handfuls of grass. The interactive feedings are followed by textile weaving demonstrations by the local women keeping the tradition alive. After a day long day of adventure, families can relax in  the historic JW Marriott El Convento Cusco, a 16th century convent turned hotel whose lobby is frequented by alpacas and llamas.
AwanaKancha_Cusco
~ Contributed by Julia Cavalieri, account coordinator at Diamond PR. Follow Julia on Twitter @diamondpr

Adding Charity to the Vacation Packing List

Our mission at Go Eat Give is to tie travel with giving back to the community. While volunteering is one of the ways to do so, here is another great opportunity to make a small difference wherever you go. Posada Amazonas Lodge, one of three accommodations under the directive of Peru’s visionary leader in sustainable tourism, Rainforest Expeditions, has partnered with Pack for a Purpose that encourages travelers to carry with them five pounds of school or medical supplies that can make a difference to communities they’re visiting. Continue reading “Adding Charity to the Vacation Packing List”

From fine dining to eating like a local in Lima, Peru



On the Costa Verde coastline of Lima, Peru, residents of the city stroll along the boardwalk, enjoying the view of the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Couples stop to kiss at the Parke del Amor, while joggers and skateboarders take advantage of the last light of day. And diners settle down for fresh seafood and strong cocktails in the finest restaurants in the city.

Here are 3 excellent Lima restaurants that will introduce you to Peruvian cuisine at its most indulgent. There are also tips on how to eat like a local at the ubiquitous cevicheria shops, and how to shop in the open-air markets, where you can find everything from aortas to aphrodisiacs. 

Fine Restaurants

Situated on a lone wharf jutting out from the cliffside in the neighborhood of Miraflores, La Rosa Nautica is easily one of Lima’s most romantic restaurants. Here, the Pacific Ocean gently swells underfoot as diners enjoy the perennial mild breezes. The cupola-shaped restaurant is the only establishment on the wharf, located just past the Larcomar shopping center.

Try any seafood dish, or go during happy hour and sit at the lounge, where you can relax in comfy window-side couches. If you are unfamiliar with Peruvian cuisine, start with an appetizer plate and try a little of each seafood surprise: ceviche is the most famous of Peruvian seafood, but octopus, camarones, and scallops are also popular. Peruvian seafood rice, sea bass, and arroz con mariscos make good entrées. Finish the meal with a chocolate soufflé or simply a cortado espresso.

Here an insider’s tip: to enjoy Peruvian ceviche to the fullest extent, assemble the “perfect bite” on your fork: a slice of white halibut, marinated in lime; a slice of cold sweet potato; and a sliver or two of purple onions. This combines the main elements of ceviche into one fantastic bite.

A bit further inland is the Huaca Pucllana Restaurant. Also in the Miraflores district of Lima, this restaurant boasts an unusual setting: its open-air patio lies adjacent to a pre-Inca adobe temple. The Huaca Pucllana was built over a thousand years ago, and its layers of vertically-aligned adobe bricks are a stark contrast from the suburban neighborhood that now surrounds the temple. The restaurant opens in the evenings, just as the sunsets and the lights around the temple turn on, providing an impressive backdrop for this 5 star restaurant.

Choose from Peruvian favorites such as aji de gallina or ceviche. The gallina is a tenderly-cooked hen draped in a flavorful, creamy sauce, and in general, it is the best chicken dish you’ll find in Peru.

Eating Like a Local

Once you’ve had your fill of Lima’s 5 star restaurants (and there are plenty more, such as Astrid y Gaston, or any in the Larcomar shopping center), you may want to branch out and try eating like a local Limeño.

Cevicherias (also called Cebicherias) are found around the city, and vary from small shacks to major establishments. The majority of the best cevicherias are found in Miraflores, the priciest of which is El Kapallaq. Located in an old mansion at Avenida Petit Thouars 488, this cevicheria is run by a surfer-turned-chef, and the menu favors generous sauces and oils.

Make sure to also stop and shop at the Mercado Surquillo, one of the best open-air markets in Lima. Located within walking distance of the Ovalo Miraflores, the Mercado Surquillo was recently renovated to encompass food festivals, held each weekend. Locals come to the Mercado to load up on fresh veggies, meats, nuts, and herbs, and then also grab a bite to eat for lunch. Enjoy a platano smoothie along with an empanada or two. Then stroll through the Mercado, admiring the various animal parts hanging in the sun.

Watch this video to learn more about the Mercado Surquillo.

~ By guest blogger,  Kaitlin McMichael, travel writer at South America Travel News

Heart of lightness

Plaza Mayor in Lima
Plaza Mayor in Lima

I own it. I’m a shallow traveler. When choosing a destination my top criteria are visual drama and cultural civility. In other words, a beautiful place with a relative absence of war, crime, despots, or other forms of antisocial behavior. Delicious cuisine and interesting culture or wildlife are also high on the list. So when I had the opportunity to travel toPeru, it seemed like a great fit on all those dimensions. Plus there was another exciting aspect – I was also going as a Cross Cultural Solutions (CCS) volunteer. But more on that later.

City of Cusco
City of Cusco

Cusco is a breathtaking little city, both metaphorically and literally. Situated at an altitude of over 11,000 feet, the air is thin. One is advised to hydrate and rest upon arrival in order to acclimate to the altitude – advice I promptly ignored in favor of taking photos of the quaint cobblestone streets and surrounding mountains. For this I was punished with a blazing headache. This did not stop me from touring the nearby Incan complex Sacsayhuaman, a UNESCO World Heritage designated site with a spectacular view of the valley below. But as the evening of the first day wore on a merchant took pity on me and gave me an aromatic herb called muna (pronounced “mun-ya). Her advice was to inhale the aroma of the foliage to alleviate symptoms. Along with a good night’s sleep, it did the trick. The next day I was as good as new.

Local musicians
Local musicians

My friends and I ate several times at the same restaurant in Cusco. We’d randomly picked it out for lunch while walking around the lovely Plaza de Armas our first day out. It was so good that we went back. The name is Papillion and it has a great view of the Plaza from the balcony. What a find! The quinoa soup was mouthwatering and I spent the rest of the trip stalking the recipe. Quinoa is a nutritious staple of the Peruvian diet and was considered sacred by pre-Columbian civilizations. At one point one of my travelling friends also shared a bite of her alpaca. Tender, mild and nicely prepared. Our last night there a local band played traditional music as we sipped Pisco sours. It may have been the effect of the notoriously lethal Pisco, the altitude, or the good company, but it felt pretty magical.

Machu Pichu
Machu Pichu

The legendary Machu Picchu embodies the cliché “pictures do not do it justice.” The scenery along the way to Aguas Calientes is just a prelude. It is a lengthy trip (early morning bus ride to the train station) but the time flies with so much see. Since at all times we were treading the well-worn “Gringo Trail.”, there was of course evidence of this – merchants selling their wares. But it was not obtrusive.

I found the people of Peruto be approachable and warm. How many major cities could you ask a police officer in a foreign language to help you flag a cab, and have him drop everything to help? This happened our last day in downtown Lima.

This leads me to less shallow criteria for choosing a travel destination – historical and cultural significance. I’m embarrassed to say these criteria are not always high on my list when choosing a destination. Witnessing the location where someone did something important or where something significant happened are not in and of themselves what are compelling to me – it’s the ‘whys’ and the implications that are the interesting bits. And since travel is logistics-heavy by its very nature, more often than not there isn’t the opportunity for deeper reflection. Which leads to an experience many travelers have shared – the dull, 10 minute guidebook spiel, and then it’s off the next thing.

So I was caught off guard by the sheer poignancy of the historical elements that I experienced in Peru.

Volunteering with CCS

First, there is the small matter of Machu Picchuitself. The fact that it represents a human feat of such awesome magnitude rendered in such beautiful form that one cannot help but be humbled in its presence and ponder the exceptional characteristics of the civilization that created it, cannot be overstated.

Next was Villa El Salvador. This is where I volunteered with CCS while inLima. Travelling as part of CCS was not new to me. The previous year I’d travelled to Morocco with Sucheta, spending time at a local orphanage in Rabat. It did not prepare me for what I was about to experience in Peru. Villa ElSalvadoris a marvel of the human spirit’s drive for self-organization and democracy. The origins of this community as a suburb of Lima are as compelling asAmerica’s fight for independence, and it has gained notoriety internationally for its unique origins and successes. The abuelos, or elders, that I worked with there are as sweet as they are heart breakingly vulnerable. I was deeply moved by their circumstances.

And finally, an exhibit at the Lima Museum of the Nation has left its mark on my soul. On the upper floor, isolated from the rest of the museum, is a chilling black and white photography exhibit on the history of The Shining Path. I wonder how many Americans know about this dark and recent period in Peru’s history – a political insurgency that turned citizen against citizen, government against citizen, and led to the tragic death or disappearance of nearly 70,000 people between 1980 and 2000.

As a destination Peru has it all. You don’t have to be a “shallow traveler” like me to appreciate its beauty and culture. And having visited, I’ve come away a bit deeper for the experience.

~ By guest blogger, Cheryl Garin, who traveled with me to Morocco and has become a dear friend and supporter.