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Kindred Coast This Mediterranean beach sits on the southern tip
of Mallorca, far from the hustle of capital city Palma. But once here, you won’t
be lonely. In fact, you’ll be surrounded by kindred spirits. After all, everyone on
the 100-foot cove has at least one thing in common: They’ve made
get here
the trek here, to remote Caló des Moro. Start by flying on Iberia Air-
lines from Barcelona to Palma de Mallorca. Then drive down MA-19
Mallorca about 35 miles past olive trees and 19th-century windmills. When
you reach the town of Santanyí, roll the windows down. You might hear the
sounds of legendary maestro Jordi Bosch’s 1762 organ, now housed in a local
church. Stop by a cafe to try the famous Mallorcan Grimalt cheese, but don’t
linger too long; new friends are waiting. Park for free next to the traditional
Mallorcan houses of Sa Comuna village, and follow the steep path. Climb down
the pine- and lentisc-clad cliffs to the beach — and start mingling. Your beach-
loving soulmates are basking next to you. www.illesbalears.es — ashley fraxedas

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N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om
 discover

also this month

» Book Your Trip

Find a new favorite
Caribbean book at
the Antigua & Barbuda
Literary Festival (Nov.
6-8), which promotes
literacy and recon-
nects islanders with
their literary history.
antiguaandbarbuda
literaryfestival.com

» Sail Tahiti
Keep ­Polynesia’s va’a
(canoe racing) tradi-
tion alive by attending
the Hawaiki Nui Va’a
race (Nov. 4-6), where
sailors paddle in
100-plus canoes from
Huahine to Raiatea to
Taha‘a to Bora Bora.
www.hawaikinuivaa.pf

» Celebrate Freedom
Help transform a
tranquil island envi-
ronment into a party
scene on ­Maldives
Republic Day (Nov. 11),
which celebrates the
nation’s second (and
successful) attempt
at winning indepen-
dence from Britain.
visitmaldives.com

» Go Conch Crazy

Whale of a Season Conch lovers can

unite at the Turks &
Caicos Conch Festival
from 1,000 feet up, it’s easy to spot “smoke.” on the placid, azure waters of the ‘au‘au (Nov. 28). Set in the
Channel, the stream of whale-watching cruises sets out from Lahaina Harbor on Maui’s ­western Blue Hills section on
Providenciales, the
edge. About 6,000 north Pacific humpback whales migrate to these waters each winter from Alaska,

f r o m t o p : pac i f i c s t o c k / s u p e r s t o c k ; s t. p h i l l i p s / i s t o c kp h o t o
festival includes a
announcing their arrival in November with breaches, spins and 40-ton falumps. The conch recipe contest,
brief season begins in November and kicks into high gear in mid-­December. Lahaina, cooking competition,
go now conch treasure hunt,
once a wild whaling town, now becomes the ultimate protectorate for these massive
Maui creatures. For three decades, the nonprofit Pacific Whale Foundation has led doz- live music and
even boat races.
ens of tours here, bringing visitors as close as possible to the gray calves splashing about and the ­conchfestival.com
mothers poking their knobby heads up for a closer look. For a more adventurous — albeit more » Hula to
removed — view, book an aerial tour with Maui Aviators. Early in the day, before the temperature Heaven
tops out in the low 80s and a rain shower sweeps through, hop into a Cessna 172 and track the Dance your
heart out at
“smoky” whale spouts between the islands of Maui County, across the channel to the lush, green ­Oahu’s World
slopes of Lanai, and north to the waterfalls that tumble from Molokai’s sea cliffs. The scenery ­Invitational Hula
from above is almost enough to distract you from the whales playing below. — davin coburn ­Festival (Nov.
12-14). Hula
artists from 16
when the crowds are thinner for Pacific Whale Foundation’s sunrise tour.
� r i s e e a r ly countries will
Rates from $18. pacificwhale.org � ta k e the throttle on your tour with Maui Aviators, be judged by
21 hula experts in
based at Kahului Airport. Familiarization flights combining instruction and whale the Waikiki Shell.
watching start at about $230. ­mauiaviators.com � L e a r n m o r e at whalewatchmaui.com gohawaii.com

18
 discover

Have Your Cake Seaside Secret

The best way to spend the day on on the list of secret “who told you?!” caribbean getaways, add little
Croatia’s Rab Island? Clamber- Good Harbour. Making the most of its tucked-away location, both the suites and the
ing up and down cobbled streets, seafood are Old Barbados at its best. Nestled in Shermans, a small fishing commu-
ducking into medieval churches, nity on the island’s quiet northwest coast, Little Good Harbour is a
climbing bell towers — then stay
21-room villa. Fishing boats replace cruise ships, frigate birds soar
savoring the island’s namesake free from parasailors and empty beaches abound. Ask for an ocean-
cake, the rabska torta, with a
Barbados front suite, and you’ll stay in a refurbished 17th-century fort. If the
cappuccino beside the Adriatic ocean isn’t your calling, enjoy residential-style cottages (with full kitchens) amid
harbor. This dense, chewy cake lush gardens and pools. But the resort’s biggest draw is its award-winning beachside
is rich with ground almonds, restaurant, the Fish Pot. Watch fishermen haul the day’s catch. Savor grilled ahi with
spiced with lemon and orange tomato-mango salsa and lemon greens. Smile. Old Barbados never tasted so fresh.
zest, and finished with a healthy Rates start at $293. littlegoodharbourbarbados.com — eddy patricelli
dash of maraschino-
food cherry liqueur that’s
distilled along the
Rab Island Croatian coast in
Zadar. Some bakeries enfold their
mini loaves in sugary pastry; oth-
ers encase the edges with whole
almonds. Outsiders may never
know all the secret ingredients
of this delicacy, which also goes
by “rapska torta,” and dates to
1177 when Pope Alexander III
arrived to bless the Cathedral
of the Assumption. Find rabska
torta in bake shops such as Vilma
Bakery. Once reserved for the
aristocracy and now available to
all, it will still make you feel upper
crust. Mini loaves are about $5.
en.rabskatorta.com — betsa marsh

f r o m l e f t: a l e x a nd r a g r a b l e w s k i / g e t t y i m ag e s ; c o u r t e s y t h e f i s h p o t
more Caribbean secrets � Stay in a 374-year-old relic of the BVI’s past at the
Sugar Mill Hotel & Restaurant onTortola. sugarmillhotel.com � Sleep in a restored
French plantation house at Coco Palm on St. Lucia. coco-resorts.com

pineapple past  It may have been the

b­ argain of the century: In 1922, James D. Dole
purchased the ­Hawaiian island of Lanai for
$1.1 million. Dole put the island to
did you know
work producing (what else?) pine-
Lanai
apples. At its peak, Lanai produced
75 percent of the world’s pineapples, earning the
title Pineapple Isle. Now less than one of its 140
square miles grows the fruit. gohawaii.com

20 N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om
 discover

Stuff of Legends In Homer’s Odyssey, Ulysses’ sailors were

seduced by the Island of the Lotus-Eaters. Could Jerba Island, a gorgeous, palm-
tree-studded oasis off the eastern coast of present-day Tunisia in north Africa,
be that island as some claim? Let yourself be tempted and find out: Walk about
five miles from the mainland along a Roman-built causeway,
secret island
or board a ferry at Jorf. Friendly Jerbans will welcome you to
their world of whitewashed buildings, lush foliage and pristine
Jerba Island beaches. Wander among minarets, where muezzin call the faith-
ful to prayer, pay respects to Islamic holy men at the white-domed marabouts
and visit one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world at the ancient El
Ghriba synagogue. Stay in one of the luxurious Moorish-style hotels with grace-
ful arches and intricately carved plaster, and try a soothing thalassotherapy spa
treatment, which uses water from the Mediterranean. Then hone your bargain-
ing skills at the souks, or markets, in the capital of Houmt Souq. The gleaming
gold and silver jewelry, hand-woven carpets and dangerously hot hamissa spice
beckon from street-side stalls. The story of the Lotus-Eaters and the fruit that
persuaded sailors to abandon their journey home may only be a myth. Still,
prepare to be seduced. tourismtunisia.com — judith fein

Higher Faith Gaze up and up at the world’s largest outdoor seated

­ uddha. Then, get closer. Catch the Ngong Ping 360 cable car at Tung
B Paradise preserved motu about a mile from the mainland of Taha’a,
Chung town center on Hong Kong’s Lantau Island. Look down at the Taha’a is the kind of island you feel protective of and you’ll feel closer to the island than ever. Le

c h a r l e s c r u s t / da n i ta d e l i m o n t;
f r o m l e f t: h e m i s . f r / s u p e r s t o c k ;
grasslands and out to the South China Sea as you go up. About the minute you arrive. The coral-decorated water Taha’a’s water- and energy-conservation policies
activity
25 minutes later, encounter the 111-foot-tall Buddha. Sitting on a is clear; the vanilla-scented landscape is lush; earned it Green Globe Benchmarked status in
lotus-shaped pedestal, he has his right hand raised in a gesture the friendly locals offer a smiling ia orana (hello) travel tip 2008. And since no existing landscapes were re-
Lantau for the removal of affliction. Join the Walking with B
c o u r t e s y l e ta h a ’ a
­ uddha tour every time you pass. In short, this gem in the Taha’a moved and no materials were imported to build
to learn how a man named Siddhartha became the enlightened B ­ uddha Society Islands of French Polynesia is paradise. the resort, everything from the tamanu wood fur-
after his lifelong quest for inner peace. Drop a coin in an electric slot, Fortunately, Le Taha’a Island Resort & Spa is working to niture to the pandanus-leaf roofs blends in with the island.
and your wish will be carried to a glass Buddha while you’re carried back preserve the things that make it so special. Stay in one of You’ll appreciate your view even more knowing it’s being
down the mountain. Cable-car rides from $20. discoverhongkong.com — jf the resort’s 60 bungalows, which are located on a private cared for. Rates start at about $1,400. letahaa.com — ae

22 23
 discover

Carved in Stone Good as gold Islands Apart

Walk your way to taksu — the ken mcalpine has a lot to love at his home.
The artistic hotbed of Waiheke Island
Balinese word for inspi- Why then would this islands contributor want to
is more than a shopping stop. At the
ration. And do it under a leave to look for solitude on California’s Channel
workshop of artist John Freeman,
­b eautiful sunrise. Islands? That’s the question at the heart of
you can actually carve
Just follow Agung McAlpine’s nonfiction book, Islands Apart:
learn out your own little
tour read
Rai, founder of ARMA A Year on the Edge of Civilization. Most tour-
New Sign piece of New Zealand. Bali resort, on the Golden ists, he notes, travel to Santa Rosa, Anacapa, San
Zealand courseupand for a half-day
learn to
Hour tour. From the moment Miguel, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz in quick
he ties a ceremonial golden bursts, only “stopping to admire various oceanic
carve native New Zealand Oamaru
sash around your waist, panoramas and holding up their cell phones to see
stone while surrounded by Freeman’s
you’ll be welcomed into Bal- if they get reception.” Not McAlpine. The author
own finished and in-progress works.
inese village life, not far from spends weeks at a time on these sparsely popu-
Sourced on the South Island, Oamaru
Ubud. In the apricot dawn, lated islands, looking for solitude at times just 60
is a soft stone made from crushed sea-
admire Mount Agung looming over intensely green terraces miles from Los Angeles. What he finds on these
shells that dates back some 40 million
protected by venerable temples and intimate shrines dedicated isles — the barking sea lions, endan-
years. The artist teaches the signifi-
to Dewi Sri, the rice goddess. Meanwhile, Agung Rai gently gered dudleya plant, treeless ter-
cance of cultural icons while demon-
interprets the Hindu-Buddhist worldview that informs Balinese rain, winding dirt trails — teaches
strating how to use a rasp, sandpaper
culture. You’ll encounter ancient rhythms: children singing on McAlpine that it’s OK to be bored,
and knife to form designs like the
their way to school as women harvest, men scythe and old ladies OK to get lost and OK to watch the
Maori koru, the unfurling fern frond

photo credit tk
herd ducks. After the tour, linger over a Balinese breakfast of sunset alone. Most importantly, he
that represents new life. Complete a
tropical fruits and nasi goreng in the delightful ­Water Garden realizes that “Everyone should have
hand-size piece in the shape of your
Restaurant while you absorb your newfound taksu. Tours start a place like this.” We couldn’t agree
choice — curved patterns like Free-
at about $40. armaresort.com — j. wyels and v. león more. Cover price is $14.95. — af
man’s Celtic designs work best — or
stay longer and complete something
more substantial. Freeman offers
accommodations both in his house C O M E B A C K TO N AT U R E
and in a sleepout (Kiwi speak for a
detached bedroom) for aspiring artists
— and hooked travelers — who want
to keep carving. Courses start at about
$80. 64-9-372-247 — terry ward

f r o m l e f t: j o h n f r e e m a n ; t y s aw y e r ; j o y c e g r e g o r y w y e l s ; j o n w h i t t l e
Preserved just for you – the sacred waters of three rivers
and ten cenotes, the spirit of the jungle and the warmth of
Phantom Photograph the Mexican people at the only Nature Park in the Riviera
I’d heard that los santos, the saints, come out at night in Old San Juan, Maya that features an Eco-Luxury Hotel.
W
Puerto Rico. So I’d been prowling with my camera during the witching NO er
OK m
hours to see if I could capture their presence in the narrow, cobbled
Embark on a first class Summer Escapade with this BO ur sum e
r o r a t
incredible rate that includes: fo ecial
streets of the 500-year-old walled settlement. I was sp p p pn
3
actually lying down to get this low-level composition. r
Endless Luxury All Inclusive Package – meals and $31
my shot with
The streets were virtually abandoned at 3 a.m., and I drinks in any of our restaurants and bars
Ty Sawyer hadn’t seen another soul for more than an hour. The r
Welcome bottle of wine and cheese platter
air was completely still. Almost eerie. But as usually happens, about r
Roundtrip airport transportation
20 seconds into this exposure a young man came teetering into the r
Adventure activities at Tres Ríos Nature Park
frame, a bit wobbly from carousing all night. He stood under the light
fall of the street lamp, realized I was there and then doddered away.
r
All taxes and services

Restrictions apply
When I reviewed the shots later that morning, I realized I had captured r
75 min Geothermal Massage for two
the spectral image I’d been after — by total accident.
1 800 992 8995 or visit www.haciendatresrios.com

24 N o v e m b e r 2 0 0 9 isl a n d s . c om T R E S R Í O S , R I V I E R A M A Y A , M É X I C O