A Finding Bliss - Honeymoon en Nicaragua
By ALYSSA SHELASKY
February 15, 2005 -- CONGRATS, you're getting married. Soon, you'll be menu-sampling and china-picking, and wondering when you'll find the time to figure out the honeymoon
Relax. We know exactly where you should go. Here, 10 places for 10 types - from escapists and trust-fund babies to those with mere days to get away - sure to give you memories worth savoring.
You want: OFF-BEAT CARIBBEAN
You need: Vieques, PR
Though not exactly a deserted island, Vieques, a former home to the U.S. military, has fewer than 10,000 inhabitants and a minimum of visitors. This means its pristine beaches - many of which are dotted with coconut palm and sea-grape trees - are both sorely underused and drop-dead gorgeous.
Vieques, located off the island of Puerto Rico, also has wild horses, rugged back roads, Mosquito Bay - a glittering bioluminescent body of water - and the extra-pretty, tucked-away Wyndham Martineau Bay Resort & Spa, the island's first full-service hotel.
Scuba, snorkel or indulge in nothing but naps, cocktails and lounge time. Don't expect much in the way of food (though the Wyndham has just hired a new chef charged with turning this around), nor from the nightlife, minus some jazz and the occasional steel band.
Info: Wyndham Martineau Bay, oceanfront rooms from $495/night, (800) 996-3426; wyndham.com.
You want: ALL-INCLUSIVE, BUT CLASSY
You need: Westmoreland, Jamaica
If you love the idea of not touching your wallet - whether for a tip or tipple - during your special week, but are worried that an all-inclusive might not be for you, check out the Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa.
Located an hour from Montego Bay on Jamaica's relatively undeveloped southwest coast, this all-inclusive offers a beautiful stretch of beach, English butler service, a poolside patisserie and three "authentic" European villages - and that's just for starters. Water sports include kayaking, windsurfing, scuba diving, hydrobiking and sailing.
Need a massage after all that exercise? Hit the spa. (Note: Spa services are additional.)
Info: Sandals WhiteHouse, from $335, minimum of two nights (800) 726-3257; sandals.com.
You want: THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
You need: Patagonia, Chile
There are few places on earth as isolated and astonishing as Patagonia thanks to its vast and varied landscape, and fantastic, ends-of-the-earth vibe.
We love the Hotel Salta Chico in Torres Del Paine Park, a nearly 600,000-acre region of rugged mountains, glaciers, lakes and waterfalls - meaning it's in a spot that's as remote and romantic as it gets.
Just how remote? After flying into Santiago, you'll board a 4 1/2-hour flight to Punta Arenas and then, from there, take a six-hour car ride to the hotel.
It's worth it. Salta Chico is perched next to a waterfall among majestic mountains and the views, needless to say, are jaw-droppingly beautiful.
The hotel's warm-toned rooms are modern, each has a telephone, and the hotel has a satellite dish, Internet access, an indoor heated pool, bar, open-air Jacuzzis - and more.
Info: Hotel Salto Chico, package deals from $4,000/pp, (56-2) 395-2533; www.explora.com.
You want: ECO-TOURISM
You need: Nicaragua
Morgan's Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge in Playa Ocotal, Nicaragua - about a 45-minute drive from the Costa Rican border - is where vacationers revel in Pacific sunsets and tropical wildlife.
The hotel manages to look both humble and luxurious. Its 15 stunning bungalows are made from tropical woods, and have private garden showers and bay views. The hacienda also has a private, white-sand beach (visited by egg-laying sea turtles) and hosts its own primary tropical dry forest ecosystem.
Info: Morgan's Rock, from $150/night; morgansrock.com.
You want: DADDY TO FOOT THE BILL
You need: Paradise Island, Bahamas
Money can't buy love, but it can kick things off in style - not to mention a villa at the One & Only Ocean Club, which is style to the nth (yes, nth) degree.
With its lovely beach, luscious, fragrant gardens and sunset views over Nassau Harbor, the intimate Ocean Club is a decadent paradise. Throw in a luxurious villa - each is over 4,000 square feet - with its own infinity-edge pool (complete with a treadmill), complimentary bottle of Dom Perignon, personal chef, butler, and water views even from the tub, and you'll know what it's like to live like royalty (especially if Daddy is indeed paying).
Info: One & Only Ocean Club, villas from $4,500/night; oneandonlyresorts.com.
You want: AN AFFORDABLE LOVE NEST
You need: A villa in Croatia
Pay a pittance for privacy by booking yourselves into a cottage in rural Istria - a Croatian province just minutes from Slovenia and Italy on the lovely Adriatic Sea.
Stay near the miniscule farming village of Jursici and bike to the store for fresh fruit, head down to the coast for a hike or simply stay put in your private paradise.
If a beach is what you're after, take an affordable apartment in Trogir, an ancient city with a center that's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (It's fun in the sun and it's educational!)
A typical, two-person cottage or apartment can be had in the region for under $1,000/week at most times during the year.
Info: For details on the locations listed above, plus an abundance of similar options priced under $1,000/week, visit cottagestocastles.com.
You want: A ROAD TRIP
You need: Route 2, Minneapolis to Seattle
Turn the radio up, put the top down and see America at eye level, from its ever-changing landscapes to its small, eclectic towns.
Fly into Minneapolis, rent a car, get on I-94 and head for Fargo, N.D., a town where you can hit the soda fountain or, more recently, a martini bar. From there, catch Route 2 for a stunning swoop through Dakota's vast landscape, rich in Native-American history.
Next up, Montana's rugged, rolling wonders. Be sure to stop in the astounding Glacier National Park (beware the mountain lions and bears) before heading across the Rocky Mountains to the top of Idaho's lush Panhandle.
A few suggested lodgings: In the western town of Medora, N.D., spend a night at the historic, nine-room Rough Riders Hotel (from $100; medora.com); near Glacier National Park try the bare-bones, economical Stanton Creek Lodge (cabins from $80 for a full bath; stantoncreeklodge. com); and, once you get to Seattle, finish up at the romantic The Inn at the Market in a waterfront room (from $200; innatthemarket.com).
Car rentals: The best price at the Minneapolis St. Paul Intl. Airport, as of press time, was via Budget, which has one-way rentals (drop-off in Seattle) for approximately $615/week, minus insurance costs; budget.com.
You want: TO RUN WITH THE "IN" CROWD
You need: Cabo, Mexico
According to theknot.com, Los Cabos is the destination du jour for honeymooners. With a 15 percent rise in hotel occupancy and high-end hotels like the ultra-fab Esperanza, it's no wonder.
Located on Baja's Sea of Cortez, the Esperanza, a 56-room luxury hotel - 50 suites and six private villas - has oceanfront rooms, a full-service spa, a private beach and gourmet dining in three different settings, one of which juts out toward the water in such a radical way you'll feel you're eating (comfortably) on a cliff.
Is there a swim-up bar and extra-fine linens, you ask? But of course.
Info: Esperanza, from approximately $650/night, (866) 311-2226; esperanzaresort.com.
You want: A LONG WEEKEND
You need: The Adirondacks
Too busy - or too broke - for a big-hoopla honeymoon? Look into a long weekend in a romantic Adirondacks lodge.
Five hours from the city you'll find fishing, hiking, swimming, lush park land, and jewel-in-the-rough villages for antiquing and cocktail stops.
Check out the Saranac Club and Inn in Saranac Lake and the Lake Placid Lodge. The intimate Saranac, an elegant inn with antique sleigh beds, working fireplaces and open-air porches, is an excellent place to be pampered.
The Lake Placid Lodge, just outside the bustling town that's a major winter sports center, sits on the woodsy shore of a peaceful lake. It's an elegant, rustic lodge run by a well-trained staff that coddles guests in its 17 guest rooms and 17 lakefront cabins. (Your best bet is a Studio cabin, where the gigantic picture windows give you a view from the bed of lake and forest.)
Info: Saranac Club and Inn, from $89/night, including breakfast, tea, wine-and-cheese reception, and bedtime snacks, (518) 891-7212; saranacclubandinn.com. The Lake Placid Lodge, from $400/night, including breakfast and afternoon tea, (877) 523-2700; lakeplacidlodge.com.
You want: THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME
You need: The mountains of India
For an out-of-body experience, a journey to Ladakh, India's "Little Tibet," is the way to go.
A place of extraordinary beauty, Ladakh is known for its many Buddhist monasteries, gorgeous mountain hikes and soulful locals. (It's much like Tibet, which, however, is being taken over by rampant development.)
Located on the eastern side of Jammu and Kashmir state, but a world away from the border conflict, Ladakh is bordered by the Karakoram mountain chain in the north and the Himalayas in the south. Its features include uplands, craggy, barren cliffs and plateaus.
Info: Travel is possible only during the summer.
Upscale operator Cox & Kings USA customizes trips to the region, usually as part of a longer India tour; for quotes, call (800) 999-1758, or visit coxandkingsusa.com.
For a guided group tour, heavy on the Brits, ask Cox & Kings about its scheduled departures from London. Or, consult with Bales Worldwide, which leads 10-day trips that depart the U.K., from $3,078/pp; balesworldwide.com.
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