Jetsettersblog

CELESTUN, Mexico—Every year, the Hawksbill turtles reach the coast of Celestún to lay their eggs. 2010 was not an exception.

About 900 turtles have deposited their eggs in this secluded northern Gulf of Mexico shore.

One of the favorite places is the beach of Hotel Eco Paraíso, where nature guide, Alexander Dzib Chay, has spotted 70 nests of endangered Hawksbill Turtles.

Many arrive two or three times during their lifetime laying about 140 eggs every time.

Of these eggs, only an average of 0.7% of the hatchlings survives, that means, that perhaps only one of these hatchlings might make it to adulthood.

Hotel Eco Paraiso Xixim, which features 24 individual cabanas all with private terraces overlooking expansive views of the Gulf of Mexico, was created within the ecologically sensitive area on the beautiful, 3-mile shell-filled, sandy beach.

The property includes the newly constructed Restaurant Xixim and bar El Santuario plus a fresh water pool overlooking the Gulf. A wellness center includes a juice-therapy feature, massages and a gym.

The resort offers multiple choices of local tours which allow guests to explore the archaeological wealth including the Mayan ruins at Uxmal as well as the unique ecosystem of the Yucatan.

Hotel Eco Paraiso is best accessed through the international airport in Merida, which has flights direct from the U.S. as well as through Mexico City with arranged transfers.

www.ecoparaiso.com

Harrah’s Entertainment resorts in Las Vegas have launched a new way for guests to experience more of the best of Las Vegas’ diverse selection of shows with the All Stage Pass.

The program allows guests to purchase a pass for a one-time fee and see as many shows as they like in a 48-hour period.

Participating in the program are entertainment offerings at Bally’s, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, O’Sheas, Paris and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Harrah’s is offering the following roster of shows participating in All Stage Pass: Jubilee! (7:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.), Human Nature (7:30 p.m.), Rita Rudner (8:30 p.m.), Matt Goss (10:00 p.m.). Mac King (1:00 & 3:00 p.m.). The Improv (8:30 p.m. & 10:30 p.m.), Legends in Concert (7:30 & 10:00 p.m.), Chippendales (8:00 p.m.), Divas Las Vegas (10:00 p.m.), Nathan Burton (4:00 p.m.), Matsuri (4:00 p.m.), Anthony Cools (9:00 p.m.), George Wallace (10:00 p.m.), X Burlesque (10:00 p.m.), Vinnie Favorito (8:00 p.m.), The Price is Right (2:30 & 7:30 p.m.), Dirk Arthur (7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.).

The All Stage Pass allows guests to see as many of the 17 shows offered within 48 hours of purchase and is priced at $99 (plus tax and fees) for Harrah’s Total Rewards members, $119 (plus tax and fees) for non-members.

All Stage Pass holders receive preferred pricing of just $40 (plus tax) per ticket for premium shows including Cher, Donny & Marie, Barry Manilow and Penn & Teller.

All Stage Pass can be purchased at the Planet Hollywood box office located on the casino floor across from the Heart Bar.

After purchasing an All Stage Pass, guests visit the box office at the property of the show they would like to see and present their pass for one ticket.

Tickets to shows are based on availability and can be picked up no more than two hours in advance of showtime.

For more information on the All Stage Pass and current show dates and times, visit www.lventertainment.com

Entertainment Benefits Group (EBG) unveiled a new experience with Cirque du Soleil that will include exclusive backstage experiences at The Beatles “LOVE” at The Mirage and “O” at Bellagio.

The packages will include a premium ticket and a special backstage tour for one of these Las Vegas production shows, creating an intimate experience for a select number of guests.

The “Cirque Insider Access” package will be available for select performances starting Oct. 29 and will be exclusively sold through BestOfVegas.com and select retail partners of Entertainment Benefits Group.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Cirque du Soleil to allow fans to experience something so special and that has never been available before now,” said Brett Reizen, president and CEO for Entertainment Benefits Group. “Cirque du Soleil is known throughout the world for creating some of the most beautiful and amazing experiences for their audiences.

Now, with BestOfVegas.com, we can take the audience even further into the creative world of Cirque du Soleil by giving customers an upfront and exclusive behind-the-scenes look at two of the most spectacular shows in the world.”

The “Cirque Insider Access” package will include an exclusive and intimate backstage tour of either show.

A limited number of guests each night will hear the history of the show’s production, get a peek behind the scenes, receive a special Insider Access VIP lanyard, plus a special limited edition bag with Cirque du Soleil merchandise items.

Most important, guests will enjoy the show from special reserved seating from the best seats in the theaters and enjoy front of line concession passes.

After the performances, guests who enjoyed The Beatles LOVE will receive special access with a Front-of-Line VIP Pass for Jet Nightclub at Mirage, while the guests that enjoyed “O” will be given a Front-of-Line VIP Pass for Bank Nightclub at Bellagio.

Special offers will also be included for The Beatles REVOLUTION Lounge at Mirage and Caramel at Bellagio.

The “Cirque Insider Access” package will be available for purchase exclusively through BestOfVegas.com and went on sale Oct. 13 for select performances starting on Oct. 29. The price per person for this experience is $260, plus service fees, all inclusive for the package. There will be a limited number of “Cirque Insider Access” packages available for certain performances.

For more information, visit the ad above.

Special Needs Group is providing a complimentary “Cruise Line Accessibility Checklist” for travel agents to use when inspecting ships. The checklist was designed to help agents pinpoint accessibility levels for slow walkers and travelers with disabilities.

The downloadable and printable checklist is available on the Special Needs Group website.

Andrew Garnett, founder and CEO of Special Needs Group, said the checklist contains questions regarding a cruise line’s accessibility features, policies and services.

“Taking an ‘At a Glance’ approach, our checklist is designed as a quick reference guide to ensure that travel professionals understand and can evaluate what each cruise line provides for the dynamic special needs travel marketplace,” he said. “The checklist helps ensure that the key features important to cruise passengers with special needs will not be overlooked during cruise ship inspections.”

The special needs travel market represents a significant potential cruise market for travel professionals.

An estimated 54 million to 60 million Americans, or about 20 percent of the total population, have some type of disability. It is estimated that between 12 million and 15 million people with disabilities travel regularly, spending $13.6 billion annually. Based on surveys, 24 million more individuals with special needs would travel if they knew their needs were being met.

“It’s up to the travel community to keep consumers informed of what the cruise industry is doing to make a cruise vacation accessible to everyone who might be interested in taking a cruise,” Garnett said. “Special Needs Group is dedicated to helping travel professionals meet the needs of the ever-expanding special needs and slow walker traveler.”

For more information, call 800- 513-4515 or visit www.specialneedsgroup.com

for Eco-Minded Travel Planning

In keeping with their mission of “Conservation through Tourism”, wildlife-focused travel planning firm Reefs to Rockies is compiling and publishing a series of destination-specific “Green Guides” that showcase lodges that are committed to sustainable tourism and resource conservation.

Reefs to Rockies’ Green Guide Costa Rica, was recently published and marks the first in this series of freely available green travel planning resources that will eventually include destinations like Peru, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Trinidad, Mexico, Mozambique, Tanzania, Botswana and beyond.

Reefs to Rockies’ co-owners Sheridan Samano and Lynda Gregory realize that official sustainability certification programs are not the be-all and end-all for determining which lodges are ‘green’ or sustainable and which aren’t.

They have learned from years of firsthand experience that many of the most sustainable, low impact eco-lodges in the world just don’t have the resources that would enable them to attain an official certification.

In creating their Green Guides, Reefs to Rockies has not only included hotels and lodges with official certifications, but also those that are in the process of obtaining certification and even those that will probably never have the resources to get certified.

Reefs to Rockies has personally interviewed representatives from every lodge and hotel on the list to ensure that they hold a true commitment to sustainable practices, resource conservation and minimization of negative social, economic and environmental impacts.

Reefs to Rockies’ Green Guides is a free travel planning resources available at

http://reefstorockies.com/green-guide

Southern Explorations, a tour company that specializes in ecotours to Latin America, recently announced eleven brand new tours to Brazil that include some of the country’s top sights including Brazil’s fascinating natural wonders, spectacular beaches, surfing and adventure sports, and dazzling cuisine and nightlife.

From opportunities to relax and recharge to heart-pumping adventure travel, this catalog of Brazil tours offers something for every traveler.

Here’s just a sampling of what travelers can experience in Brazil with Southern Explorations:

Brazil Surf & Yoga

This tour is a combination of yoga and surfing on the island paradise of Florianopolis off Brazil’s southern coast.

Surfing enthusiasts can enjoy two-hour surfing lessons at a popular Santa Catarina surfing locales: Campeche, Joaquina or Barra, on the east side of the island.

Guests can top off their days of surfing and sand with five, Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga classes taught by an English-speaking master instructor who has trained in various locations around the globe. Other highlights include excursions to the local restaurants, bars, and music venues with a local nightlife guide.

The Brazil Adventure

In this action-packed Brazil tour, adventurers enjoy a combination of hiking and white water rafting with plenty of time to enjoy the white-sand beaches in calm warm waters or big surf.

Highlights include world-class whitewater rafting, hiking along the scenic lakeshore depicted in Santa Catarina postcards, and a second hike that descends into the mountains with panoramic views on the way to the beach considered to be the island’s most beautiful.

Each evening, a professional guide helps travelers find the best restaurants, clubs, and hotspots to get a flavor of Brazil’s exotic nightlife.

Explore Rio & Iguazu

For the traveler with a tight schedule, Southern Explorations has paired two of the Brazil’s most dazzling experiences in an eight day tour. In three glorious days, travelers experience the grandeur and glitz that make Rio de Janeiro so fascinating.

Highlights include touring the city’s most famous landmarks while getting a taste of its cosmopolitan nightlife, and then taking in the Brazilian and Argentine views of Iguaçu Falls, one of the most breathtaking sights in all of South America.

The 275 extraordinary waterfalls of Iguazu, surrounded by lush subtropical rainforest, offers a magical place for photography buffs.

For more information about Southern Explorations’ Brazil tours, visit THIS LINK  or contact Justin Laycob at Justin@southernexplorations.com

MORMON LAKE- Ariz.- Located just outside of Flagstaff, the Coconino National Forest is a stunning alternative to a crowded national park with 4 seasons of adventures. In the winter snow wander the Juniper woodlands and Ponderosa pine groves on snow-shoe and cross country skiing trails.

As winter snows give way to spring hikers can watch for the emergence of area wildlife and birds.

If it’s still a bit cool, take a scenic drive around Plateau Lakes.

In the summer try a bit of horseback riding with the horses and guides at Mormon Lake Lodge.

On those hot sunny days take advantage of the areas many lakes with a bit of boating, swimming, fishing, or kite surfing. As the weather starts to cool grab a bike and ride the many area trails.

Mormon Mountain Trail #58 is a moderate option with beautiful views of Mormon Lake through the canopy.

During warmer months pack a picnic or take advantage of the cooking grills at various picnic spots.

These year round adventures are on the doorstep of Mormon Lake Lodge. The friendly staff can help plan daily activities and find delicious nightly meals.

In addition to lodge rooms and cabins, Mormon Lake Lodge has R.V. sites and campgrounds for a more rustic approach.

www.mormonlakelodge.com

Saigon-based Vina Properties has acquired Dalat Palace Golf Club, long an iconic presence on the Southeast Asian golf scene.

Dalat Palace GC was voted the country’s top course in the most recent rankings from both Vietnam Golf magazine and Golf Digest U.S., whose Planet Golf ratings are the international standard.

Vina Properties’ acquisition also includes two other hotels, the Dalat Palace Hotel and the Dalat du Parc. Vina’s diversified background in tourism-related development — including hotels, transportation, travel agencies and other disciplines — should prove pivotal in the project’s future success. The firm’s other hospitality holdings include the four-star Ramana Saigon Hotel, in HCMC, and the Royal Hotel, in Vung Tau.

While Vietnam has a sizeable and growing number of first-rate golf courses, Dalat Palace stands alone in its combination of history, terrain, climate and charm.

Founded in the late 19th century, Dalat was the preferred cool-weather retreat of French colonials and Vietnamese royals; the last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai, built his summer retreat here.

The golf club’s exact provenance remains tantalizingly uncertain, but design and construction began in the 1920s at the behest of Bao Dai, an avid golfer, and the first eight holes were opened for play in the early 1930s.

The routing of the original holes is attributed to Colt & Alison, the British golf course architecture firm, after which the layout endured several cycles of disuse and rejuvenation.

It was completely renovated, and expanded to 18 holes, in 1995, thanks to collaboration between U.S.-based Danao International Holdings Limited, the previous owners, and Lam Dong Province.

Plans to revitalize the course itself, according to General Manager Lan Duong, include bolstering drainage capacity, re-lining bunkers, regarding cart paths and upgrading the golf cart fleet.

The Le Tourquet-style clubhouse — first built as an estate villa during the 1920s, an era that saw construction of the opulent, hillside villas for which Dalat is famous — is now undergoing a renovation that retains its distinctive design vocabulary while modernizing locker rooms, restaurant and pro shop.

Ultimately, a new clubhouse will be built, said Lan Duong, but the existing clubhouse will remain; it is too rich an amenity to ever be excluded from the experience at Dalat Palace GC.

Of similar distinguished heritage is the grand Dalat Palace Hotel, a short drive from the golf course around Xuan Huong Lake. Set within a private five-hectare park overlooking the lake, the French colonial structure was built in 1922 and features 38 guestrooms and five suites, as well as fine dining, a spa, and numerous other amenities.

After a top-to-bottom restoration in 1995, augmented by another meticulous historical refurbishment in 2009, The Palace retains the period’s elegant style, most notably in its vaulted ceilings, rich wood paneling, and oversized-villa feel.

Even the five-star hotel’s restored vintage 1952 Citroen roadster evinces a particular sophistication and gentility and more upgrades (to meeting facilities and the pool) are planned.

The Palace’s sister hotel, the four-star Dalat du Parc, is a brief stroll away. Ideal for both the business and leisure traveler, it boasts 140 rooms, multiple dining options, and an ambience that melds small-hotel sensibilities with large-hotel efficiency and versatility.

For more information, visit www.dalatpalacegolf.vn

Paull Tickner and Associates is offering two itineraries that include visits to 14 of the homes chosen for awards from the U.K.’s Historic Houses Association and Christies, the fine art auctioneers.
The itineraries can be timed to include a day at the annual Chelsea Flower Show (late May) or the Hampton Court Flower Show (early July).

The eight-night/nine-day Bouquet of English Gardens brings together eight of the champions in the southeast of England and includes Pashley Manor, Borde Hill and Athelhampton House. Rose Tinted Gardens is a six-nighter that lines up six winners mostly concentrated in and around the Cotswolds, where Blenheim Palace, Kiftsgate Court and Bourton House are located.

For more information, email pjtickner@yahoo.co.uk  or visit www.greatdays.co.uk

South Africa’s Camp Jabulani luxury safari lodge in the Kapama Private Reserve is offering wedding and honeymoon packages through March 2011.

The new wedding packages offer couples a safari wedding experience, an interactive experience with a herd of trained elephants and an educational experience through the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC).

The wedding package consists of an exclusive photographic session with one of the Camp Jabulani elephants, overnight accommodation for the bride and groom in a luxury suite, honeymoon turndown, a bottle of sparkling wine and a fruit basket, a special signature honeymoon gift as well as a private dinner or breakfast at the cost of 35,000 South African rand. Other extras are not included.

The Deluxe Honeymoon package includes luxury accommodation, a welcome cocktail on arrival, game drives, guided walks, a visit to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC), a lavish full-body massage, a fruit basket as well as an exclusive private dinner, at the cost of 9,600 South African rand per room per night.

The Superior Honeymoon Package offers accommodation, an exclusive honeymoon gift courtesy of Camp Jabulani, local beverages, elephant-back safaris, game drives, guided bush walks, a visit to the HESC, a fruit basket, flowers, special turndown service, sparkling wine and chocolates at bedtime, private romantic candle-lit dinner and a personalized DVD of your elephant-back safari experience, at the cost of 15,000 South African rand per room per night until March 2011.

For more information, visit www.campjabulani.com