As the last shades of green begin to fade, jewel tones emerge, giving way to one of the best seasons for worldwide travel. Find out where to go for a taste of adventure across the globe with CSL’s guide.
1/ HOT AIR BALLOON | Phoenix, Arizona
Clear skies, consistently warm weather ideal for flying and a wide open landscape make Arizona one of the foremost spots for hot air balloon rides. The sky slowly turns from pitch black to an earthly pastel orange and pink and from beginning to end the ride is seamless, a once-in-a- lifetime feeling of soaring through and amongst the clouds.
2/ CAMEL RIDES | Los Cabos, Mexico
No, this isn’t Morocco, although it is a climate and terrain similar to camels’ native habitat. Surprisingly, this personalized tour takes guests from desert scrub, cactus, and sand to the Sea of Cortez at Tierra Sagrada. Caravans of tourists bedecked in traditional scarves and tunics, sit atop these creatures, lead by guides who give a history of the place and insight into camels. It’s an unusual sun-filled trip.
Cabo Adventures Outback and Camel Ride Safari includes lunch, tequila tasting and tortilla making class and takes approximately 3 hours; cabo-adventures.com
3/ HELICOPTER | St. Kitts, St. Kitts and Nevis
Although waves of people, beginning with the Caribs and Arawaks, first encountered Caribbean shores by boat, aerial views bring into startling relief the islands’ volcanic past, remnants of sugar cane plantations and its lush tropical topography. Nowhere is this truer than on quiet St Kitts. From above, some of the most recognized sites take on a different, more immediate tenor: a dramatic landscape of white capped waves crashing into black sand beaches, of the serpentine Brimstone Hill Fortress and protected coves.
4/ KAYAKING | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA
Part of the thrill of kayaking along the calm salt marshes of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge is the wildlife spotting: oyster beds, waterfowl, shorebirds, and fish galore. If you’re lucky you may even get a glimpse of an American bald eagle. If you’re daring you may plunge into the plough mud (just make sure to wash it off thoroughly).
5/ WHALE WATCHING | Maui, Hawaii, USA
From mid-October through June, migrating humpback whales come to the islands to mate, give birth and nurse their young in the channel between Maui, Moloka`i, Lana`i and Kaho’olawe that locals affectionately call “whale soup”. At first we see only blows (water spraying up in the air), air bubbles and fluke up dives (where the tail of the whale protrudes from the water). Suddenly, a whale swims under the boat— its steely body visible beneath the water.
6/ ZODIAC | Pico, Azores, Portugal
Aboard Futurismo’s fourteen-seat zodiac, expect to get a personalized, up close with nature perspective of Pico’s sealife. The craft eagerly floats across the cool water with the cloud skirt around Mount Pico that lends an elegant backdrop to pods of friendly Risso’s dolphins playfully performing acrobatics. Veering into deeper water, a pair of grey sperm whales is spotted elegantly wading in the deep blue ocean.
7/ VAKA BOAT | Aitutaki, Cook Islands
It is overcast when daytrippers and a few resident guests board the double hulled vessel, Titi-ai-Tonga, with the Vaka Cruise. A crew of locals entertains – alternating between coconut grating, pareu tying and ukulele playing, accompanied by song. A delightful lunch with fish, root vegetables and uto (cleverly called Polynesian marshmallow, sprouted in the coconut meat) is served on board. Finally, as the boat anchors near One Foot Island (Tapuaetai) allowing guests into the water to snorkel, a giant trevallie and electric blue clams can be seen.
This original travel article first appeared in the Fall 2019 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
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