3/31/2018 0 Comments ArubaI am so excited to be writing this blog, mostly because I wish I could experience this trip all over again but also because I truly want people to know about this amazing island. Although Aruba was a bit longer of a flight than I had expected it was completely worth the almost 9 hours in the sky. This trip was a bit different for Christopher and I because it was our first time using Airbnb (which I highly recommend)! Our cute lime green studio was perfect as it was only a 7-10 minute walk from downtown Oranjestad and the famous Renaissance hotel. We did not have a car on this trip so walking was an everyday thing for us. If you’re going to Aruba it’s a must to go to Flamingo Beach and there really was no better way I could have spent my 24th birthday. Getting to flamingo beach cost a fee (free for Renaissance hotel guests) and was somewhat of a process but completely worth it. Early in the morning we took a 7 minute boat from the Renaissance hotel to the private island which was truly the best way to watch the sunrise. When we arrived to the island I was simply in Heaven, it was everything I pictured and more. The island consisted of two sides, Flamingo beach (adult only) and Iguana beach (for all). The first stop was clearly flamingo beach! These flamingos were so beautiful, so friendly and so elegant; they even ate straight from your hand but if that wasn’t enough the turquoise waters literally made the views. Iguana beach was just as beautiful as flamingo beach but with the added benefit of a beach front restaurant serving amazing food and a tiki bar with to die for pina coladas. I will say the tourquoise waters are a sight to see in Aruba but the sunsets are just as incredible. Every night the sun set around 6:30 and no matter where you’re at you’ll have a great view. Most of the nights we would watch the sunset from the Renaissance’s beach. This is where we were able to capture these great pictures. This trip was full of necessary vitamin sea so we decided to go to De Palm island, another private island that required a short boat ride. This island had a bit more of a tourist vibe but came with tons of included activities. Our day consisted of sun, snorkeling pina coladas and balashi, the islands local beer. Our last full day was more of a relaxed day, we ate breakfast at a local beach side restaurant called The West Deck, I would highly recommend their Johnny cakes! Afterwards we walked the coast moving further away from downtown Oranjestad and the tourist areas. We were able to find a spot under the trees to lay out and swim in for the day. I completely fell in love with Aruba and it’s beauty, it truly is “One Happy Island.” To do: Renaissance private island, De Palm Island
To see: Downtown Oranjestad Where to stay: Airbnb, Renaissance hotel
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3/24/2018 5 Comments Roatan, HondurasThis was the first time Christopher and I both have been to Central America and lucky for us we were able to spend our time on one of Honduras’s beautiful Caribbean Bay islands, that being Roatan! We took a cruise to this beautiful island which means we literally woke up in paradise, however it also meant that we only had one full day to explore. We docked fairly early which allowed us to watch the sun rise and of course get some amazing breakfast, both of which included views over turquoise waters. Afterwards we ended up finding our way into a hidden local bar, "The Crusty Crab," (yes, that was really the name!) After a big breakfast and a few drinks we were definitely ready to start our day and our first stop was to play with the monkeys. Fortunately were able to find out about Gumbalimba Park in West Bay, Roatan which included an animal preserve, a botanical walk-through and of course a beach. The scenery was such a nice change from our usual brown Arizona desert, the area was completely lush and full of greens, pinks and oranges and to our surprise included a ton of iguanas. This was the first that we had seen iguanas of this size so we were extremely fascinated with these guys. Moving on we came to an area with towering trees, and within a few seconds we heard noises and with the blink of an eye the most precious Capuchin monkeys appeared. I was seriously like a kid in a candy store at this point but to make it even better one of the monkeys decided to jump on my shoulder, now I'm sure you could only imagine my excitement at this point so I wont get into too much detail but it truly was one of the most unforgettable experiences I've had. These monkeys were so amazing up close and I encourage everyone to try out a park like this where the monkeys get to explore on their own. The Gumbalimba Park also included an exotic bird experience, which definitely made for a cute picture! By this time we were ready for the beach and we were lucky enough to find our own private spot behind the palms. The water was the most beautiful shade of blue, like something you only see in the movies. Our day was coming to an end and when we were about to head back to the ship we saw a sign for zip lining, so it only made sense that we end our day with an adrenaline rush! I do regret being too chicken to take tons of pictures while up in the trees however I was able to get a glimpse from our last line. Roatan is truly a magical place, I do hope to come back one day to get the full experience of staying on the island but until then I'm off to see new sights! To do: Gumbalimba Park |