Are you traveling this year? -- As we’ve been sharing this month, as of January 26th, 2021, ALL passengers (2 years and older) ENTERING the U.S. by air will need to:
Present a negative NAAT or Antigen COVID-19 test taken within 3 calendar days of departure, or they must present proof of recovery from the virus within the past 90 days.
If you’re planning to travel international, make sure you start looking into arranging a test before you return. Some resorts are including it as part of your package, and some may help you arrange the testing; but be prepared to make accommodations if you test positive, or travel to a place where you may not be able to receive your results back in just a few days. If you would like to read more information about these regulations, please enter here. As always, we hope you’re staying safe during these unprecedented times, and are always well informed before your travel. We’re always here to help you achieve that! Safe Travels, Dan.
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Solo traveling is not as easy as some make it sound, or look. If you find yourself scrolling through your friend’s solo trip pictures and thinking “why would they go alone?” or “How did they get the courage to do that?” I’m here to bring an answer to your questions.
There are many reasons why someone may travel alone- whether it is to see family abroad, they must go on a business trip, or now if now during the COVID era, is their only safe option. But the real question is not why they do it, it’s why YOU should! Here are five reasons why some may say they have and continue to go alone on trips, and why we definitely think you should go on a solo vacation at least once in your life: 1. You Are Capable You may hear dozens of excuses from your friends and family you so dearly want going with you-- But deciding to go in your own solitude and experience an amazing destination alone can be empowering. And let’s be honest, most of the time we’re stronger than we think we are! 2. To Challenge Yourself Going on vacation by yourself will be challenging, but it will also bring you many benefits. Solo traveling will bring balance to your life whether you have someone to travel with or not. It will be more about choosing to experience something alone rather than waiting for your friends to cancel. 3. More “ME” Time We all have those days when we’re ready to be on our own. We just want to enjoy our solitude and do most of our favorite things without any responsibility for any other routine things in our days. Traveling solo is the perfect solution for this predicament! You will be inspired to enjoy your favorite book, dance freely on the most colorful streets of your destination, write every detail of your encounters in a journal, or even sleep in with the sound of the beach waves. You will for sure, love your own company. 4. Independence As a solo traveler, you won't have to attend excursions you’re not interested in, you can try any place you want without compromising anyone, or worrying about what they believe will be fun-- You will be full of relief making all of the decisions for the entire trip, and we will for sure be ready to help you make those decisions. 5. To Find Yourself Traveling on your own can be one of the most thrilling experiences in your life, and you may meet some great people on the way, but every single time you go on a solo trip, you will also meet yourself once again. There are many things we’re often still figuring out about ourselves, such as which foods we like, or why a certain movie makes us upset. Spending time alone experiencing a different culture will set you free without the expectations around you that define you on a daily basis. Once abroad alone, you can be whatever version of yourself you want to be! Once you start solo trips, you’ll look forward to every trip being a solo one! Many travelers I’ve met over time consider themselves lucky to be able to have such an amazing experience. Consider yourself fortunate as you can also receive all the help you need when making the decision; call or send us an email today and let’s Get Busy Livin’! Safe Travels as Always, Dan While travel will likely continue to look different in 2021, we are optimistic that we will see a revival of personal travel in the coming months. Are you prepared to plan your trip? Worry not- we’re ready to guide you on your path to re-discover the astonishing travel opportunities that await you.
With a new year, comes new hope. However, we must remain mindful of the risks and do our best to plan and travel safely and responsibly. As COVID-19 cases skyrocket once again in the winter months, there is a chance your trip will face abnormal pandemic-era screening, as well as the complicated travel experiences of masks, face shields, seat blocking, testing requirements, and different lockdown rules depending on your destination; whether it’s to a different state, or overseas. This past year, travel peaked during the big holidays: Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. As COVID-19 cases continue to increase, it’s important that we begin to plan our next adventures with safety and flexibility in mind. As a new administration takes power next week, we want to remain mindful of potential changes to travel restrictions, however, that doesn’t mean we can’t start planning the vacations we all deserve after this past year. While many are receiving the vaccine this year -- we haven’t received any concrete information on how this will affect the ability to travel freely. It is important to keep in mind that many other nations won’t be receiving the vaccine as quickly as others -- Although, that doesn’t mean they won’t be letting you in. We are confident that with advances in testing and treatment we will see a relaxation in travel restrictions and a return of tourism in late 2021 and with that in mind we’re already planning our first big trip in almost a year! The important piece here is planning. With a well planned vacation, we can take almost all the uncertainty out of the trip, and most importantly ensure that refunds are available if the situation changes down the line. increase in widespread tourism in late 2021, and with a wide range of destinations. For us, the Dominican Republic is the perfect mix of tropical leisure, incredible food, and stunning sights for a socially distanced destination. place. On the other hand, there are some advantages to responsible travel right now. Big resorts have been losing out on conferences and their loss could be your gain with some of the discounts and package deals we have available. Finding availability for your dream destinations once things cool down and case numbers decrease will be tricky, there will be a new desire for travel from both new, and long-term travelers. But if you’re ready and comfortable, there are ways to safely travel and do so at lower costs than we’ve ever seen before! The key is planning, and if you want to start planning your next big trip give us a call or send us an email today and let’s Get Busy Livin’! Update: As of January 12, 2021, the CDC director signed an order that requires ALL Air passengers to get a viral test (a test for current infection) within the 3 days before their flight to the U.S. departs, and provide written documentation of their laboratory test result (paper or electronic copy) to the airline or provide documentation of having recovered from COVID-19. Starting January 26, 2021, all airlines will be required to confirm passenger’s documentation before boarding. This new CDC requirement, along with recommendations to get tested again 3-5 days after arrival and stay home for 7 days post-travel, is designed to help slow the spread of COVID-19 within US communities from travel-related infection, and will for sure put us one step forward to be able to have many more destinations available. Safe Travels, Dan We’ve been cooped up all of 2020, and we’re itching for a new adventure, a new activity, something that will make up for how slow the past year has been. Our solution? Surfing!
Surfing is an incredibly fun, active, and accessible activity that can be enjoyed at all levels of interest. We know, everyone looks at surfing as catching the biggest waves out there, but in reality you can have an absolute blast just catching a few small waves that break much closer to the shore. No need to worry about deep waters unless you’re looking for a serious adventure, and in that case we highly recommend finding a teacher before venturing out by yourself. In either cause, surfing can be an absolute blast whether you’re a beginner or have been paddling out for years. Check out a few iconic locations we’re scouting for our 2021 vacations! Kauai, Hawaii If you were wanting to see where the heart of surfing began and to see what Hawaii has to offer, check out Kauai during the summer months. However, if you're more experienced, visit South Shore from November to February where you can see ocean swells that are as large as 30 – 40 feet. Kalapaki Beach – This beach is great for those who are just learning to surf because of the protective break walls that help create gentle conditions to surf in. Kahili Beach – If you’re a beginner and are traveling in the summer months, this will be a good beach for you because the waves are consistent and small. In the winter, the waves become longer and more powerful, making this spot more dangerous. Nevertheless, this would be a great spot for intermediate surfers. Hanalei Bay – Similar to Kahili Beach, Hanalei Bay, located on the North Shore of Kauai is going to be calmer in the summer months and more powerful in the winter. So, if you’re a beginner, try coming to this spot during the summer months. Kealia Beach – This beach is more open and exposed, so if you’re a beginner this will still be a good spot, you’ll just want to be a little more aware! The surf can get dangerous, so be careful! Kekaha Beach – With the strong currents and rough ocean conditions, this beach might not be the best for beginners. For those who are intermediate to advanced, though, the rougher conditions make this location less crowded. Southern California Maybe you want to stay on the mainland and see the sunny state of California; don’t worry, there are plenty of places to surf here! Huntington Beach – You might know this beach by its nickname: “Surf City USA.” This is a very popular location because of its consistent surf and is also known because it hosts the Annual Vans US Open of Surfing every year. Surfrider Beach – This popular location is best surfed during the summer months. What’s great about this beach is that it accommodates all surfing levels. If you’re a beginner, you can surf closer to the shore where the waves are gentler; the further out you go, the bigger the surf will get which is best for intermediate to advanced surfers. San Onofre State Beach, San Clemente – If you’re looking for a beach to spend the day with your family and friends, this is the place to go! With multiple beach areas and parking lots to play games and tailgate, everyone can have fun. If you’re coming to San Onofre to surf, there are two areas you can head to. The first is the Lower Trestles, which is located on the south side. It's known for consistently having the best waves and, because of that, you may spot a pro–surfer hanging out there. Another beach at San Onofre is Old Man’s. This easily accessible location is a great surf spot with gentle waves which is perfect for beginners. Puerto Escondido, Mexico Playa Zicatela – This famous surf spot has big, powerful, and bone–breaking tubular waves. If you’re a beginner, you definitely won’t want to practice out here. Only the advanced surfers should be playing here since this surf spot has been known to break surfboards into pieces, and in some cases, caused some deaths. However, because of these tubular waves, Playa Zicatela has been considered one of the most important surf destinations in Mexico and Central America. However, if you are heading to this area and still want to surf as a beginner or an intermediate surfer, head over to La Punta, Carrizalillo, and Playa Marinero for some tamer waves. Biarritz, France When you think of France, do you immediately think of Paris and the Eiffel tower? Did you know that there are places in France recognized for their beaches and surf spots? Fun fact: Biarritz was the birthplace of surfing in Europe and the surf is so good, many well–known surfers visit just to surf there. Biarritz, France is located in the southwest Aquitaine region where you will find some of the most iconic beaches: La Cote des Basques and Grand Plage. La Cote de Basques – This beach is great for beginners, especially from April to October and June and July. If you’re a bit on the intermediate level, you can surf all year, but from May to March and September and November the crowds are quieter and the surf is bigger. Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa A town known for how welcoming they are to their guests from all around the world, people love the balance of the small–town feel yet a big city for bringing people together. Jeffrey’s Bay, also known as J–Bay, has multiple beaches that have great surfing conditions for all levels of experience, especially during the months of March through October. Point and Kitchen Windows – These are two beaches that will be great for beginners. They offer smaller waves that are still powerful enough to give you a longer ride. Subertubes – This beach is best for intermediate to expert levels, in which you will see 12–foot waves to surf. Uluwato, Indonesia This is a unique place to visit especially if you’re an experienced surfer. This popular location can get a bit crowded, so it tends to be more competitive. Uluwatu – Uluwatu is right under a cliff, which makes for some amazing views and an interesting way to get out to the water. If you are surfing, you have to work your way down to the ocean by climbing down a set of stairs in the Uluwatu cliff, which is essentially a cave. Once you get to the bottom, if the tide is high, you will be welcomed by the ocean within the cave. To get out of the cave into the open cove of the beach, you have to get on your surfboard and paddle out of the cave. When the tide is low and you’ve reached the bottom of the staircase, you’ll be able to just walk out of the cave to the coved beach area where you can start surfing. No matter if you are a surfer or not, if you want to learn, or are just fascinated by the sport, you can find some neat surf spots while traveling that are worth checking out! If you want to start planning your next vacation, call or message us today! We’re always happy to help you Get Busy Livin’! Safe Travels, Dan |
AuthorDan Laiosa, Archives
August 2021
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