Jetsettersblog

SOUTHWEST Idaho- As the air cools and leaves begin to change from green to golden and ruby red Southwest Idaho prepares for fall.

At the Idaho Botanical Gardens local artists, families, and corporations create the residents for the annual Scarecrow Stroll.

September 25-October 21, visitors can tour the displays and vote on their favorite scarecrows. In addition to the Scarecrow Stroll, early October brings great food, fresh ciders, local brews, and family activities to the Gardens during Harvest Festival.

Enjoy the crisp mountain air and explore the great outdoors. In Boise, the Greenbelt traverses 25 miles, following the Boise River and connecting many city parks.

This is a great way to tour the parks by bike or on foot.

Get a bird’s eye view of the Treasure Valley on a hot air balloon tour. Weather permitting, tours begin at numerous locations including Meridian and Boise.

Add a bit of wildlife to your visit at the World Center for Birds of Prey. Here visitors can learn about raptors, including peregrine falcons, osprey, and a variety of owls and eagles.

Many national airlines offer quick, cheap flights to Boise and there are many options for accommodations from quiet B&Bs to trendy hotels.

There’s no chance to go hungry here either with more delicious food and local brews to try than time to taste them. This autumn take in crisp breezes and fall colors while exploring beautiful southwest Idaho with the family.

www.visitsouthwestidaho.org

www.boise.org

Tumon, Guam – Flight changes announced on Friday by Continental Airlines will enhance its current schedule between Guam and Yap, increasing the number of seats available between the two destinations.

The revised schedule entails one weekly flight operating Guam-Yap-Palau and Palau-Yap-Guam, as well as a new dedicated flight from Guam-Yap-Guam.

According to a press release by Continental, service between Yap and Palau will be maintained once per week in conjunction with Palau’s live-aboard boat schedules.

“When airlines add flights that better connect the islands of Micronesia, we’re always hopeful that will bring more visitors to our region, or allow local residents to explore their neighboring islands,” said PATA Micronesia Chapter Chairman Darin De Leon.

“New flights with added seat capacity are always a plus for the region of Micronesia.”

, contact Darin De Leon at

ddeleon.pva@visit-palau.com

 or at plaguana@visitguam.org

The Desert Nectar Honey Wrap at JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa locks in moisture and leaves skin glowing, using a blend of pure Arizona honey, fresh buttermilk and natural oats.

As the creamy, rich ingredients of the wrap soak in, enjoy a scalp massage with a natural, fragrant blend of essential oils. After the wrap is complete, a milk-enriched cream is applied for further hydration, and to lock in moisture, a conditioner of aloe vera and chamomile is applied.

Following the treatment is a facial using orange blossom water, honey almond exfoliation and a massage with lavender oil. For media information, contact Terri Worthington at terri.worthington@marriott.com  or 480-596-7021.

Give your skin a touch of decadence at the Golden Door Spa at The Boulders Resort.

Caviar lovers can bathe their skin in the luxurious treat with the spa’s Caviar Ageless Facial, which uses Sevruga caviar, Chinese botanicals, caffeine, and co-enzyme A to increase moisture, improve elasticity, promote skin regeneration, and provide antioxidant protection.

For rich, creamy skin, head to Eurasia Spa at the Scottsdale Resort & Athletic Club for the Chocolate Mint Indulgence Massage .

Relax, renew and revitalize your skin with chocolate and mint’s natural antioxidants. Chocolate mint oil is massaged into the skin to protect against free radicals, pollution, and sun damage and gives the illusion of firmer, smoother skin. The treatment also provides relief for ailments such as insomnia, headaches, fatigue and poor circulation.

Biosphere Expeditions is an organization that offers hands-on conservation volunteer expeditions that provide travelers with an adventure with a purpose.

In recent years, the organization has taken note of the trend of women travelers making up a significant part of their volunteer population, showing that women travelers are ready to pitch in and lend a hand to help the planet.

Biosphere Expeditions unique volunteer programs bridge the gap between scientists at the forefront of conservation programs that are in need of funds and helpers, and enthusiastic travelers who during their vacation time and through their hands-on assistance and expedition contributions, want to support them. These volunteer expeditions provide a fun, life-changing adventure and real hands-on experiences of working on wildlife conservation volunteering projects in destinations around the world.

The organizations’ three key themes are safety, science, and satisfaction, because their core belief is that volunteers work best when they are safe, well looked after, well rested, and having fun.

Their volunteer holidays are open to all; there are no special skills (biological or otherwise) required in joining the projects as all necessary skills will be taught as part of the expedition, and there are no age limits whatsoever.

Participants are people from all walks of life, of all ages, looking for an adventure with a purpose. Teams are small and there is a dedicated expedition leader with the teams at all times.

 www.biosphere-expeditions.org

www.biosphere-expeditions.org

Costa Rica is well known for its excellent surfing conditions, with many spots with great waves, not to mention the warm water temperature all year around and Cabo Matapalo is a relatively uncrowded surfing area.

It offers waves for beginners as well as world-class breaks for the more advanced surfers.

The beaches of Cabo Matapalo are just a 10 minutes drive away from the secluded El Remanso Rainforest Wildlife Lodge, which offers a great home-base for surfing enthusiasts who want to ride the waves but stay at night in a secluded getaway.

Whether a beginner or an experienced surfer, the beaches in this area offer a variety of spots for all levels.

The view from the water is amazing including sightings of scarlet macaws flying overhead, monkeys in the nearby trees, and the occasional sea-turtle showing up while surfing.

A south or a west swell is what really makes surfing at Cabo Matapalo so sweet.

The season is from April and October, but flat spells do happen during the rest of the year occasionally.

Surfing classes can be organized for beginners and shuttle service is offered to the beach.

www.elremanso.com

OSA PENINSULA, Costa Rica; –This tiny patch of Costa Rica’s last remaining tropical humid rainforest holds nothing less than 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity. Travelers that fly into the Osa Peninsula are astonished at how small this piece of land is: cruising just below the clouds you can see the ocean on every side of the peninsula, including dense forests as well as lands that have been put to other uses by man.

The Osa Peninsula is home to more than 750 species of trees -with close to 80 being endemic to the Osa conservation area-, 117 species of reptiles and amphibians, 365 species of birds and over 120 species of mammals, all with various examples of endemism.

The area holds the largest population of Scarlet Macaws in the country, and is well known for being the home of iconic species like the tapir, the jaguar and the enormous humpback whales.

But the most special thing about the area is not only the diversity of plants, animals, and ecosystems that comprise the Osa Peninsula, but the fact that the thriving wildlife is so easy to spot.

El Remanso Rainforest Wildlife Lodge offers visitors to the Osa Peninsula to spend days in seclusion discovering the wonders of this small slice of land in Costa Rica’s wilderness.

For more information, visit www.elremanso.com

PORT HARDY, British Columbia – Leave behind the distractions of Tweets, Facebook updates and text messages.

Get back into nature and be entertained by the things Mother Nature still has to offer.

Great Bear Nature Tours guides grizzly bear viewing tours on the central coast of British Columbia, where an abundance of grizzlies still exists.

Take a sea plane from the nearest town, Port Hardy, 50 miles to the remote Great Bear Lodge, a cozy ecolodge you will call home for the next three to seven days.

Go on three guided viewing tours daily, watching the bears from a boat or viewing stands, depending on the time of year and where the bears’ are most active.

Imagine witnessing a grizzly bear caring for her young, munching on sedge or fishing for the protein rich salmon.

Watching a grizzly emerge from the forest for your first time is a truly remarkable experience and Great Bear Nature Tours offers the perfect opportunity for you to have the ultimate wildlife experience in a safe, comfortable environment.

www.greatbeartours.com

CODY, Wyo.- For many traditional images of the Holiday season are marred by scenes of overly stressed relatives, bored and whiny children, and perhaps the over-cooked holiday meal.

This year pack your bags and leave the work for someone else. Christmas and New Year’s at Colorado’s Vista Verde Ranch are special weeks, filled with families seeking a snowy vacation experience, without all the hassles of a big resort.

Imagine spending Christmas at an all-inclusive luxury resort, with time to enjoy your loved ones, rather than shopping, cooking, cleaning and doing dishes.

Christmas at the ranch is like being in the middle of a Norman Rockwell painting.

The snow is falling, the jingle bells ringing and you can relax, share new experiences, and enjoy the holidays with new found friends. In addition to our regular winter ranch activities, our special holiday events include making homemade decorations for your family live tree, caroling on a sleigh to the Homestead cabin, and a fabulous Christmas Day feast.

Why hurry home after Christmas, New Years offers quite the celebration as well. Another Holiday tradition at Vista Verde is our Progressive Dinner.

Beginning in the late-afternoon on New Year’s Eve, we travel around the ranch either on skis or on the sleigh from one destination to the next with a different course served at each spot. After multiple courses at multiple destinations, we end up in the Great Room for a dessert extravaganza and the ranch’s very own Boot Drop.

Vista Verde Ranch is a member of the Dude Ranchers Association. This exclusive organization is comprised of over 100 ranches of the highest quality across the western U.S. and Canada.

www.duderanch.org

QUITO, Ecuador – Travel + Leisure readers have named the Galapagos the “Top Islands Overall” in the 15th annual World’s Best Awards.

For travelers looking for a rare encounter with wildlife, the Galapagos are the obvious choice for world’s best.

Latin Trails has been guiding tours in the Galapagos Islands for more than 20 years, offering travelers an eco-friendly option for touring the islands’ delicate ecosystems. Visit giant tortoises, from which the islands get their name, sea turtles, iguanas and gecko lizards.

Birdwatchers will revel in 140 species including three species of Boobies, Penguins, Finches, Flightless Cormorants, and Waved Albatross to name a few.

Walk past sea lions and fur seals living on the islands. Keep an eye out for breaching whales offshore.

Most of the creatures found on these unique volcanic islands are found nowhere else on Earth, making this an unparalleled wildlife adventure. Latin Trails represents the Galapagos Journey fleet (premium class catamarans) and a luxury yacht called Galapagos Odyssey.

www.latintrails.com

Sonnenalp Resort Recognized for its Sustainable Tourism Practices

Sonnenalp Resort of Vail Gets Eco-certified to the Luxury Eco Certification Standard

Sustainable Travel International (STI) has just announced that Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, has achieved its Luxury Eco Certification Standard (LECS), becoming the first hotel in the western United States to pass the intensive on-site inspection and receive this distinction.

Designed to educate, as well as help luxury hotels create and implement a sustainability management framework, LECS is the first and only voluntary, global certification program of its kind, focusing on the Triple Bottom Line (People, Planet and Profit).

In order to become LECS certified, hotels must undergo a preliminary desk audit, complimented by an on-site, third-party assessment handled by Leading Quality Assurance.

The five areas that are evaluated include: policy and documentation; energy conservation; water conservation; recycling; and community.

The fusion of these five components reduces long-term operating costs, and creates customer and employee good will.

The process of becoming LECS eco-certified is challenging and requires a serious commitment on behalf of the hotel applicant.

Sonnenalp Resort exemplifies this commitment on many levels.

In addition to making sustainability an important aspect of decision making throughout the hotel, Sonnenalp Resort has seen a annual decrease of 5% in gas usage, 18% in electricity usage, and a reduction in water usage by 4,640,000 gallons.

“The main focus of our ‘green initiatives’ is to use sustainable and responsible practices that show our respect and appreciation for our wonderful mountain environment, explains Johannes Faessler, General Manager of the Sonnenalp Resort.

“In order to make progress with the Sonnenalp’s ‘green initiatives’ it is essential to establish baseline data, measure and monitor disciplines, determine benchmarks, and establish systems to make our ‘green’ focus a part of our culture and our daily lives.”

LECS is setting a new precedent in the luxury accommodation sector with an increasing number of five-star hoteliers around the world applying for eco-certification..

The Sonnenalp Resort of Vail was recently listed as one of the Top 100 Hotels in the World by Travel and Leisure further supporting the fact that combining luxury hospitality and sustainable practices is not only possible, its popular with increasingly savvy travelers.

Hotels interested in pursuing LECS certification, can visit www.ecocertification.org  for more information.
Sustainable Travel International (www.sustainabletravelinternational.org)  is a globally recognized non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable development through responsible travel by providing programs that help travelers, businesses and destinations protect the environment, preserve cultural heritage and contribute to economic development.