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BALIS MONSTROUS OGOH-OGOH FESTIVAL pg 26
Best Places to
Go Back in Time
pg 38
NEXT NEW PLACES
6 PERFECTDAYSIN
AMERICAS PARADISE
Kayaking the
Libyan Sea
pg45
Bahamas
Aquatic Carnival
pg 64
Get Plootered in
the Hebrides
pg84
WWW. G O O U T I S L A N D S . C O M
Escape
your everyday life...
THE ABACOS
Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbour
www.abacoresort.com
Bluff House Beach Hotel & Yacht Club
www.bluffhouse.com
GreenTurtle Club Hotel Resort & Marina
www.greenturtleclub.com
ANDROS ISLAND
Tiamo Resorts
www.tiamoresorts.com
THE EXUMAS
Palm Bay Beach Club
www.palmbaybeachclub.com
Staniel CayYacht Club
www.stanielcay.com
Four Seasons Great Exuma
at Emerald Bay
www.fourseasons.com/greatexuma
Escape to the nearby Out Islands of The Bahamas
the perfect way to totally relax and unwind in a
spectacular island setting! The world's best fishing,
diving, snorkeling and sailing are just a stone's throw
away so plan your island getaway today by
contacting any one of these fine resorts and hotels.
Call us at 1-800-OUT ISLANDS or visit our website
for vacation specials and more information.
www.GoOutIslands.com
LONG ISLAND
Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort
www.capesantamaria.com
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 9
ISLANDS
VOLUME 26/ NUMBER 2 COVER: NA PALI COAST, KAUAI , BY GREG VAUGHN I SLANDS. COM
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Looking for a good
mystery? Easter Island
has moai, the Birdman
competition and scenes
like this (page 74).
FEATURES
52 Big Hawaiian Days and Nights Heres the inside scoop on the best beaches, restaurants and scenic drives and hikes on
the Hawaiian islands. Tear out this section and use it to mine the secrets of Hawaii six islands, six authentic days in paradise.
BY RITA ARIYOSHI
64 Aquatic Carnival Ready, set, bang: On Great Exuma, reserve a good seaside spot for the Family Island Regatta. Youll enjoy
a little friendly competition between locals, some icy Kaliks and world-renowned, crystal-clear Bahamian waters.
BY STEVE BLOUNT PHOTOGRAPHS BY GEORGE H.H. HUEY
74 Ironman Island Hike, bike and ride horses around Easter Island with Explora. At the end of a rough day of moai gazing and
cave crawling, the luxury resort will ensure that you get a gourmet meal, a comfortable bed and even a night out on the town.
BY AMANDA JONES
84 Hopscotching the Inner Hebrides Follow in the footsteps of bootleggers and explore these western Scottish isles.
There are plenty of distilleries, castles and Dark Ages relics: Its an evocative history lesson brought to life with a fine single-malt.
BY DAVID LANSING PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT WALLIS

Antigua, pg 30
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DISCOVER
26 Calling All Spirits Watch as a melee
of fiendish ogoh-ogohs parades through
Bali to banish the demons.
29 The Art of Escape Travel back to the
days of roaming minstrels and flowing wine.
30 By the Numbers Stay in Pembas luxe
tents, a New Zealand beach house or
Antiguas Gauguin cottages.
32 How Do I Get Here? Find your way to
a scenic spot in Newfoundlands Gros
Morne National Park.
33 Cruises for Thrill-Seekers Heli-ski in
B.C. and surf a ships wave pool.
34 The Soufrire Special Take a multi-
adventure tour of St. Lucia.
36 Going Off the Grid Pack this cool gear
when heading to island outposts.
38 The Best Discover six fascinating
island cultures untouched by time.
40 Armchair Traveler Read about
Hawaii and the mythical land of Thule, and
listen to rembtika from Greece.
ADVENTURES
45 An Olympian Paddle
Kayak off Cretes spectacularly rippled
southern coast, spending your nights in
family-owned inns.
BY ROLF POTTS
ISLAND LIFE
49 Illustrated Man
In French Polynesia, sacred symbols
inked into the skin protect from evil,
ward off sharks and tell tales of impor-
tant moments in the wearers life.
BY MARGIE GOLDSMITH
DEPARTMENTS
14 From the Editor Aloha and
a Dram of Superstition
20 Explorers Our contributors
22 Mailboat Your letters and comments
118 Whats Next? Swimming With Sharks
ISLANDS
T HE CARI BBE AN
Lanai, pg 60
Molokai, pg 61
Newfoundland, pg 32
Crete, pg 45
Great Exuma, pg 64
Pemba, pg 30
Bonaire, pg 14
Easter Island, pg 74
Maui, pg 42, 58
Bali, pg 26

St. Lucia, pg 34

Tahaa, pg 49
Big Island, pg 54
Inner Hebrides, pg 84

New Zealand, pg 30

Kauai, pg 62
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 11
Oahu, pg 56

Cozumel, pg 37

Cancn, pg 37

Paros, pg 42

Malaysian
Borneo, pg 38

Pentecost
Island, pg 39

Trobriand Islands, pg 39

Isle-aux-Grues, pg 39

Sea Islands, pg 39

Malta, pg 29

Yap, pg 29, 39

Luzon, pg 29
Isla Mujeres, pg 37
pg 52

Fakarava, pg 43
14 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
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F ROM T HE E DI TOR
PART OF OUR MISSION HERE AT ISLANDS IS TO DELIVER THE
island dream, and if theres one group of islands the world
dreams of the most, its Hawaii. It seems we cant get enough of
the aloha spirit. For me, traveling to the globes most remote
islands has become a yearly pilgrimage. I love the unique and
authentic appeal of each island, and it doesnt take much
sleuthing to realize just how complex and remarkable these
islands are. I uncover a new gem each time I visit.
Hawaiis Big Island, home to the volcano goddess Pele, is a minor miracle. Twelve of
the worlds 16 climate zones exist in this amazing tropical enclave. In one day, you can
go from snowboarding the frozen peak of Mauna Kea to walking along the fiery lava-
spewing coast in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The road encircling the island winds
through miles of desiccated black lava fields along the Kohala Coast (famous for the
grueling Ironman competition), meanders through hills inhabited by Hawaiian cowboys
called paniolos and then heads into the wet, waterfall-riven rainforest.
Oahu has become the surfing and shopping paradise of the Pacific. North Shore,
Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head and Waikiki are almost synonymous with Hawaii itself. But it doesnt take long to get to
places such as Waianae on the west coast and the Valley of the Temples along the east coast, where visitors can discover
empty beaches and scenic hikes.
The feral beauty of Kauai, home to the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon, always leaves me breathless. Maui with
bamboo forests, wineries, waterfalls, luaus, rolling hills, sunrises on the summit of Haleakala, beautiful beaches and the
biggest Buddha statue outside of China seems almost too perfect to be true.
Thats the reason I return to Hawaii every year. For me, its an island mecca, a perfect blend of laid-back, elemental and
archetypal. (Plus, I get to wear my aloha shirts and not have my staff make fun of me.) To find the real pulse of Hawaii, we
mined the expertise of contributing editor Rita Ariyoshi, who has called Oahu home for nearly 40 years. She divulges her
secrets, insider experiences and adventures in Big Hawaiian Days and Nights (page 52).
And because rollicking island adventures dont have to take place in the shade of a palm tree, we sent writer
David Lansing on a malt whisky cruise (page 84) through Scotlands Inner Hebrides. He substituted a squall
jacket for his aloha shirt and sampled his way through Glaswegian speech, drams of Superstition and those magi-
cal moments of brine-scented stillness called the gloaming, found only on Scottish islands.
JUST BACK FROM
Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean
FOLLOW in the fins of Jacques Cousteau
and learn to dive at Buddy Dive Resort.
The entire island is a protected marine
park, and the Town Pier dive is world-
famous. PADDLE a sea
kayak through acres of
mangroves chock-full of juvenile fish
and birds. WATCH for the elusive green
flash aboard the Samur, an authentic
Chinese junk. HIKE through Washington-
Slagbaai National Park, a wildlife
sanctuary. INDULDGE your inner gour-
mand. Try Cactus Blue for mouthwater-
ing Caribbean-fusion meals. VISIT
infobonaire.com. TY SAWYER
OUR PICKS
editor@islands.com
pg 52 pg 84 pg 64 pg 74
Aloha and a Dram of Superstition
16 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
Ty Sawyer Editorial Director
Christine Richard Executive Editor
Megan Padilla Features Editor
Kelly Lack Associate Editor
Kathleen M. Kiely Senior Copy Editor
Samantha Weaver Copy Editor
Nancy Maul Editorial Assistant
Contributing Editors Rita Ariyoshi,
Tony Gibbs, Carl Hoffman, Amanda Jones,
Lawrence Millman, Peter Muilenburg,
Bob Payne, Tony Perrottet,
Henry Shukman, Ned Sublette,
Joan Tapper, Joe Yogerst
Eric Powell Art Director
Kara Church Assistant Art Director
Viju Mathew Photography Editor
Janelle Thompson Photography Assistant
Contributing Photographers Art Brewer,
Linny Morris Cunningham, Macduff Everton,
Robert Holmes, Darrell Jones,
Bob Krist, Andrea Pistolesi,
Theo Westenberger, Nik Wheeler
Amanda Irwin Production Manager
Travel & Water Sports Group
Dave Freygang Group Publisher
407-571-4702, dave.freygang@worldpub.net
Barbara Lanning Executive Assistant
407-571-4850, barbara.lanning@worldpub.net
ISLANDS IS A DIVISION OF
Terry Snow President
Jo Rosler Chief Operating Officer
Russ Cherami Director of Corporate Sales
Martin S. Walker Advertising Consultant
Bruce Miller Vice President, Circulation
Peter Winn Director of Circulation Planning and Development
Dean Psarakis Circulation Business Director
Leigh Bingham Consumer Marketing Director
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Lisa Earlywine Director of Production Operations
Jay Evans Director of New Media Technologies
Mike Stea Director of Network and Computer Operations
Nancy Coalter Controller
Dinah Peterson Credit Manager
Sheri Bass Director of Human Resources
Leslie Brecken Marketing Director
Heather Idema Research Director
Dean Turcol Director of Communications
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18 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
When David Lansing traversed a trail of whisky distill-
eries on his trip to Scotlands west coast islands
(Hopscotching the Hebrides, page 84), he found that
this heady spirit seeps into everyday life: Here on the
islands, the first signposts you see getting off the ferry
point you to the distilleries. Lansing, who also writes
for Bon Appetit, the L.A. Times and Sunset, was sur-
prised to find himself craving a rather unusual meal
during his trip. One of the most popular dishes is
curry and chips with tomato sauce. It has a most unnat-
ural yellow color and the chips are horribly soggy. But
I found myself quite addicted to them, he says.
ISLANDS contributing editor Rita Ariyoshi was eager to
write Big Hawaiian Days and Nights (page 52) because
she knows the secrets of the Hawaiian islands, having lived
on Oahu for almost 40 years. Ariyoshi also divulges a hid-
den gem: The beach closest to my home, Kahala Beach,
is one of my favorite spots to swim. There, I am reminded
of my good health and I feel very prayerful. Not surpris-
ingly, I learned a few years ago that in ancient times this
was a place of healing. Ariyoshi also studies hula and is
currently working on a novel set in Ireland and Hawaii.
Though he spent years in Arizona, photographer
George H.H. Huey was surprisingly at home on Great
Exuma, shooting Aquatic Carnival (page 64). The
sweeping landscape of the Bahamas and the way cumu-
lus clouds reflect turquoise waters felt very familiar, he
says, comparing it to the desert, which can make its
own clouds glow pink. While capturing the grace and
power of competing sloops from aboard the race com-
mittee chase boats, Huey was also privy to some very
choice language between skippers. Quite the sailor
himself, Huey and his wife have recently taken up resi-
dence aboard their 39-foot sailboat, Sophie. He is the
photographer for several books, including three for the National Geographic Society.
On a kayaking trip around southern Crete (An Olympian
Paddle, page 45), Rolf Potts and fellow kayakers stum-
bled upon a traditional Greek pre-wedding party. It was
somewhat like an American wedding rehearsal party
food, booze, dancing. The only difference was that every-
one showed up with a dead goat. We, obviously, didnt
have any goats to offer, but the hosts seemed to enjoy the
fact that a group of Americans was there to honor the
bride, he says. Follow Potts, who is based in Kansas (Its
about as far from islands as you can get), around the
world on his blog, vagablogging.net. His work has
appeared in Cond Nast Traveler and Outside.
E X P LORE RS
20 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
22 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
MAI L BOAT
Shared Secrets
I loved 25 Best-Kept Island Secrets
(January/February 2006). The article had
something for everyone, no matter what
their interests eco-travel on Saba, the
sugar-cane industry on Marie-Galante
and the mysteries of the Isle of Arran. I
truly found myself drawn in by each little
piece. ISLANDS always has the most
transporting articles. The photos also take
me away from a cold gray afternoon in
January to the soul-warming splendor of
the ocean. Thank you.
Gail Hamilton
Sherwood, Arkansas
The Country Club
I read the article about Graydon Gwin (An
Island Gig) in the December issue with
great interest but wondered how he arrived
at a total of 317 countries visited. By most
counts, the number of independent, self-
governing states is somewhere between
192 and 195, depending on how one treats
Taiwan, East Timor and Palestine.
Joel Wechsler
via e-mail
Answer: The Travelers Century Clubs
official list of countries is 315. Although
some are not actually countries in their
own right, states Chairman Klaus Billep,
They have been included because they are
removed from parent countries, either geo-
graphically, politically or ethnologically.

ISLANDS
islands.com
January/February 2006
GO TO TAHITI ON US! WRITE YOUR WAY TO PARADISE p.23
History, Myth & Legends
ESCAPE TORHODES
+
Vietnams
Nha Trang
p.26
Discover Australias
Whitsunday Islands
p.68
Secret Islands
25
WHATS NEXT
Get There Before
The Guidebooks
Are Written
Give them something to remember you by.
There is no legacy more lasting than nature itself.
Help us save the Last Great Places close to your heart
and home and around the world. Visit nature.org or
call 1-888-2 JOIN TNC.
nat ure. or g
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 23
MAI L BOAT
Dont Feed the Birds
As a fellow traveler to the wonderful
world of Oz, I was captivated reading
Cindy Sawyers article about the
Whitsundays, Transformation: The Grip
of Oz (January/February 2006). The
article about this magical archipelago
brings back many vivid memories of sun-
soaked days, looking out from my bal-
cony on Hamilton Island itself a great
jumping-off point to the less-inhabited
isles of the Whitsundays. One of my
most memorable experiences was a mid-
day snack on the hotel patio when, much
to my surprise, wild cockatoos and
vibrantly colored lorikeets swarmed me
to join in the feast. A word to the wise:
Do not feed them, and be careful not to
leave your doors open. They are attract-
ed to shiny things and have been known
to take off with jewelry!
Jonathan Solorzano
New York, New York
Less Than 30 Days Left
We want to send you to Moorea. Go to
islands.com/sendmetotahiti to enter. You
just need to wow us with your writing.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROMYOU! Tell us what you like, dont
like or want to see more of. Send your comments by e-mail
to editor@islands.com or write us at MailBoat, ISLANDS,
460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789.
Include your mailing address, name and daytime telephone
number. Selected letters may be edited and excerpted.
T H E G R I P O F O Z
BY CINDY SAWYER PHOTOGRAPHS BY TY SAWYER
TRANSFORMATION
Shhhh ... After
midnight, the
beginning of Nyepi,
theres no noise
allowed throughout
Balinese villages,
and lights every-
where are dimmed.
The best way to get rid of evil spirits in Bali, it seems, is to
encourage them to visit your idyllic island, and then summarily
hide from them. But my hiding skills could use some work: At
the moment Ive got a hairy beast with flaming-red
skin, bulging eyes and fangs looming over me. Ive
been in Bali for a week, bouncing between beach-induced apa-
thy and complete immersion in the islands wildly exotic core.
Im surrounded by these malevolent-looking papier-mch and
bamboo effigies (called ogoh-ogohs) in the town of Ubud, Balis
spiritual and cultural heart.
If you envision an idealized Bali, your fantasy will manifest
itself in Ubud, with its terraced rice fields and lush river-hewn and
vine-choked landscapes. The intricate architecture of the village
buildings, ancient temples and expansive palaces seems carved
from the ether of imagination.
The people are devout Hindus and are always preoccupied
by an endless procession of odalan, or holy days, such as the rit-
ual purification of the island, which helps prepare for the New
Year. Required tasks include cleansing sacred statues and sym-
bols with water and, of course, the expulsion of demons, like the
one currently looming over my head. I glare up at its fang-filled
mouth. Im here to do my bit for my fellow man.
At sunset on the day of Tawur Kesanga, which is the day
before the Balinese New Year (Nyepi), these ogoh-ogohs are
paraded through towns throughout Bali to a main square or cross-
roads. In case youre not up on your evil-spirit lore, these places
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DISCOVER
30 By the Numbers New Zealand, Pemba, Antigua | 32 How Do I Get Here? Newfoundland
38 The Best Cultural Time Warps | 40 Armchair Traveler
Calling All Spirits
Bali exorcises its demons.
28 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
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DI SCOVER
Why Here? Balis unique intact Hindu culture, with its seemingly endless pag-
eant of sacred ceremonies and rituals, plays out right before your eyes.
Why Now? Ring in the Hindu New Year and do your global citizen good deed
to help rid the island of demons and evil spirits. This year the Ogoh-Ogoh
Festival will occur on March 30, followed at midnight by Nyepi, the day of
silence and stillness that begins the New Year.
Where to Go? Kuta and Denpasar have the greatest number of ogohs, and
every village across the island will have some kind of ogoh carnival, but the
town of Ubud offers the best cultural experience both before and after the
event. Stay at the world-renowned Amandari resort (amandari.com) or Ubud
Hanging Gardens hotel (pansea.com/eng/ubud_infor.html).
PLAN YOUR TRIP! islands.com/bali
Ubud Hanging Gardens
are where the wicked minions gather. The ogohs are kept under wraps until
sunset, when the men and boys of the town, who built these symbolic beasts,
carry them through the streets.
We hear them long before we see them. The ogohs are heralded with wild
torrents of raucous timpani-centered music coming from traditional gong
bands, pots and pans whatever can be found to frighten away resident
demons and to attract passing ones (this ceremony is a flytrap of sorts for pass-
ing demons). The sound seems a living thing, its cacophonous tendrils reach-
ing down alleyways and swirling around temples as it precedes the ogohs. I
feel a carnival-mob mentality begin to take root, rippling down the sidewalk
from person to person. We start to bang on things and shout the demons out.
The ogohs emerge straight from the badlands of human imagination.
Eyes protrude threateningly; saber-like fangs jut out from intimidating
mouths; creepy hair, feathers and wildly colored skin give the figures a
fierce and daunting aspect. I watch as several fiendish-looking ogohs pass,
held aloft on bamboo platforms and surrounded by torches. Its as if
theyve been carved from the nether regions of the Balinese religion. As I
get swept up in this cavalcade, I imagine myself high above the island see-
ing similar fiery, torch-lit streaks winding serpent-like across the land-
scape, chased by gangs with gongs.
The ceremony ends when the ogohs are set on fire with the torches.
The dizzying, madcap mix of noise, flames and music is supposed to exor-
cise the demons. At midnight, Nyepi begins and the island closes down. Its
a welcome relief. Breezes and crickets replace the music. No one is allowed
to shout. Driving is prohibited. Locals must stay in their homes, tourists in
their hotels. Lights are dimmed and no one works. You cant fly in or out of
Bali. Lovemaking is banned as well. This is, in part, to hide from any evil
spirits that might be tempted to come back or from those attracted to
clamor. If spirits do come by on this day of enforced silence, theyll see that
nothing is going on, that theres no havoc to wreak. Theyll get bored and go
off to Java or Lombok or Detroit. Let them deal with the ogohs. I plan to
lounge around my silent hotel and read a book so I can avoid all temptation.
Thirty hours after the midnight start of Nyepi, Bali gets back to its usual idyl-
lic state, thankfully free of demons. TY SAWYER
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 29
Get Away in March
>>Watch a Micronesian Dance-Off
Look, but dont photograph the
swooping headdresses and twirling
spears on Yap Day (March 1),
because the locals (who are also
known for their mammoth stone
monies) are somewhat wary of
having their pictures taken.
Celebrating Yapese traditions, this
festival, which continues through
March 2 this year, centers around
three types of dance performed by
rival villages in competition with
one another. visit-fsm.org
>>Keep a Culture Kickin
Arya Abra (March 713) is a festi-
val with a conscience, created to
bolster the Abreos pride in their
Philippine province of Abra.
Browse for local handicrafts at
the trade fair the region is
known for its natural dyeing,
loom weaving and embroidery
and cheer the locals as they race
bamboo rafts down the nearby
Abra River. abra.gov.ph
>>Indulge in a Bacchanalian Feast
Sample dozens of Mediterranean
specialties, from velvety cheeses to
Maltese wines, while being sere-
naded tableside
by musicians at
Maltas annual
Mediterranean
Food Festival
(March 25 and
1012). Held in
the fishing
town of St.
Julians in a re-
created tradi-
tional Maltese village, the event
definitely earns its reputation for
indulgence. maltafestivals.com
KELLY LACK
THE ART OF ESCAPE
$
360
$
520
$
725
NEW ZEALAND Mkoha reminds us that good things
come in small packages. Affectionately called the
beach house, Mkoha is just that: a two-story house
that sits on the southwestern coast of New Zealands
North Island. Each level is a separate apartment and
both have been decorated in modern simplicity with
touches of Kiwi flavor, such as hart rimu hardwood
floors and Pacific-themed artwork. You can opt to have
fresh meals delivered to your door, like a marinated leg
of lamb, seasoned and stuffed with spinach and goat
cheese. Five minutes away is the ferry to nearby Kapiti
Island Nature Reserve, a haven for many rare birds.
Rent the whole house for $360, which includes break-
fast on the first day. makoha.com KL
PEMBA Off the coast of northern Zanzibar lies a little-
known beauty called Pemba. This African island is home
to Fundu Lagoon, a resort that looks like a mirage
imagine the sudden sighting of luxury tents in the midst
of brilliant blue waters. These accommodations are nes-
tled in the thick forest that creeps down to meet the
beach. Pemba is not only a divers paradise, with plunging
coral-covered walls; its also full of verdant jungle and live-
ly fishing villages Kutukuu is the closest. Go visiting with a guide from the
hotel. Rates start at $520 and include all meals, alcohol, use of canoes and a sun-
set sail on a traditional dhow. fundulagoon.com KL
ANTIGUA It wont take long for you to relax at Galley Bay Resort. The check-
in process goes something like this: A member of the staff hands you the
resorts famous rum punch, and once your thirst is properly quenched, you are
whisked off to your cottage in a golf cart.
Beachfront rooms overlook Antiguas signa-
ture white sands, and the Gauguin cottages
(yes, Gauguin) have Tahiti-inspired thatched
roofs and plunge pools. Keep it low-key by
hanging at the Tee Pee Bar, enjoying the
sunset or watching pelicans dive for fish
Galley Bay is tucked away on the west coast
of the island next to a bird sanctuary. Work
off the included gourmet meals on the jog-
ging trails or the tennis courts. Rooms start at $725, all-inclusive.
galleybayresort.com CHRISTINE RICHARD
30 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
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Natures Retreats
Unwind at Antiguas Galley Bay.
Mkoha is a Kiwi beach house.
BY THE NUMBERS
At Galley Bay, keep it
low-key by hanging at
the Tee Pee Bar or
watching pelicans dive
for fish at sunset.
Your playground at Galley Bay
For reservations call your travel consultant or 800.943.3210 212.972.0880
www.CuisinArtResort.com
05-127
SIFT THROUGH THE CRYSTAL WHITE SANDS OF RENDEZVOUS BAY. TICKLE YOUR TOES IN OUR TURQUOISE WAVES.
ENVISION A TAPESTRY OF OUR PRISTINE GARDENS AND THE DELIGHT OF GOURMET DINING WRAPPED AROUND THE SANCTUARY
OF CUISINART THE VENUS SPA.

TRANQUILITY SETS IN WHILE YOU EXPERIENCE ONE OF OUR EXOTIC SPA TREATMENTS.
SAPPHIRE SKIES, EMERALD LANDSCAPES ARE YOUR BACKDROP WHILE YOU ESCAPE INTO A ZEN-LIKE STATE OF RELAXATION.
CAPTIVATE YOUR SPIRIT WITH ENDLESS OPTIONS TO INDULGE WHILE SURROUNDING YOURSELF IN OUR TROPICAL OASIS.
YOUR INVITATION TO EXHALE CUISINART RESORT &SPA.
OUR WAVES
whis
p
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,
OUR LUXURY
roars.

32 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
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Theres only one way to reach this plateau in the Long Range Mountains, high above the
glacier-carved Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park. Drive 17 miles north of
Rocky Harbour, park in the marked lot, hike 45 minutes to the shore, then board Bon Tours
boat and ride 10 miles up the fjord. Along the way, enjoy the dra-
matic scenery: 2,000-foot waterfalls that evaporate into mist, an
up-close look at billion-year-old cliffs unique geographic features that merit this parks des-
ignation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an unusual colony of cliff-nesting gulls. Now
comes the challenge: Climbing to this plateau requires a heart-pumping four- to five-hour
hike and at least one night of camping due to the ferry schedule. Once there you can con-
tinue on for the Long Range Traverse, the backpacking trip of a lifetime. MEGAN PADILLA
HOW DO I GET HERE?
NEWFOUNDLAND
DI SCOVER
RESERVATIONS ESSENTIAL for the boat tour of
Western Brook Pond. bontours.ca/thetours
BACKCOUNTRY PERMIT REQUIRED to disembark
from the boat at the eastern end of the lake
if you plan to camp or hike. pc.gc.ca/pn-np/
nl/grosmorne/activ/activ2e_e.asp
BACKPACK THE LONG RANGE TRAVERSE, navigating
by map and compass. If your enthusiasm
eclipses your skill, join a guided trip with an
experienced outfitter. A six-day trip is $1,395
Cdn (grosmorneadventures.com), and an
eight-day trip is $1,599 Cdn (bikehike.com).
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 33
Heli-ski in British Columbias untracked mountain terrain;
helicopter pickup is directly from the ships helipad.
Book its 40-foot sport-fishing boat, Sea-Doo PWCs,
wakeboards or mountain bikes. Or get fitted for your
K2 heli-skis.
A 201-foot floating boutique ski lodge with nine state-
rooms, sundecks with hydro-jet Jacuzzis, two chefs and
massage service
British Columbia in the spring; Alaskas Inside Passage and
Queen Charlotte Islands late spring and summer
Late March through April (for heli-skiing); May through
Sept. (for heli-hiking excursions)
From $28,000 for week-long heli-ski trips; 866-935-3228;
motoryachtabsinthe.com
Surf on decks 12 and 13; the FlowRider generates a thin
sheet of water that creates a wavelike shape.
Shop the sports boutique for surf wear, pole joust
in the sports pool, skate on the ice rink or tackle
the rock-climbing wall, soon to be the largest at sea.
A world at sea with cantilevered whirlpools that extend
12 feet out from the ships sides, and, among the 1,800
staterooms, a 1,215-square-foot suite
Miami, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, Labadee (the
cruise lines private island, a part of Hispaniola)
Year-round beginning in May
From $999 per week; 800-327-6700;
royalcaribbean.com
FREEDOM OF THE SEAS M/Y ABSINTHE
ADVENTURE
BORED?
AMBIENCE
PORTS
OF CALL
WHEN
CONTACT
The Newest Adventures in Cruising
There was a time when it was enough to have a treadmill on a cruise ship. Nowadays there is a much more impressive selection of
fitness equipment for you to enjoy. You can learn to heli-ski and even surf while at sea. CR
Go heli-skiing on untrodden terrain:
The Absinthe has its own helipad.
Surf on the two-level FlowRider
on the Freedom of the Seas.
Sailing on the 201-foot Absinthe is like
being on your own private yacht.
34 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
DI SCOVER
What is the Soufrire Special? In a nutshell, it is St. Lucia 101, an all-encompassing
island tour that Windjammer Landing, a 60-acre hillside resort on the northwest side
of the island, offers its guests. Start the day in an open-air four-wheel drive, zig-
zagging through fishing villages, driving into a volcano and hiking
through a tropical forest of vanilla vines and heliconia. Midmorning,
plunge into waterfalls and stop for a creole lunch. End the day at sea in a catamaran,
sailing past Marigot Bay. In case you think youve seen all the island has to offer,
Windjammer Landing will show you more: Theres a secret beach on the property,
and its just a 20-minute hike from the lobby. Room rates start at $175; the Soufrire
Special is $99 per person. windjammer-landing.com CR
ST. LUCI A
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THE SOUFRIERE SPECIAL
DI SCOVER
Satellite Phone Just in case you want to be in touch, the Globalstar
GSP 1600 works with existing fixed and cellular phone networks as
well as satellites to get your call through. $749; globalstar.com
Digital Media Reader Dont lug your laptop to Vanuatu. Instead, pack
the index-card-sized Wolverine FlashPac 7100. It stores up to 100 GB
and is battery-powered. $330; wolverinedata.com
Picnicker So you found a romantic beach; now you need to open that
bottle of wine. The Swiss Army Picnicker packs a corkscrew, serrated
blade and can opener, plus other essentials. $32; swissarmy.com
Head Lamp Smart travelers pack a hands-free light perfect for dig-
ging through your luggage or camera bag at night. Petzls Tikka Plus
will burn up to 150 hours on three AAA batteries. $38; petzl.com
Watch With a GPS, compass, chronograph, altimeter and barometer,
theres almost nothing the Suunto X9i watch cant measure or
locate (and yes, it even tells time). $499; suunto.com
Binoculars Nikon Travelite 10x25s deliver compact viewing power in a
tough carbon-fiber body. They have multi-coated optics and aspheri-
cal lenses for sharp viewing. $135, nikonusa.com
DARYL CARSON
Gear Up to Go Off the Grid
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M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 37
DI SCOVER
Struck by Hurricane Wilma this past fall, the Mexican islands are
quickly recovering. Discover whats new, chic and hip on the
islands, but call ahead of time some of the hotels public areas,
like restaurants, pool bars and water-sports rental shops, may still
be under repair. >>CHECK INTO Le Blanc
Spa Resort (from $369; leblancspa
resort.com) in Cancn and head to the pool or to the spa for a
Bamboo Leaf massage. Request a lavender pillow from the pillow
menu. >>CHECK INTO Hotel Secreto (from $185; hotelsecreto.com)
on Isla Mujeres. This boutique hotel is tucked into a secluded
cove and offers easy access to Half Moon Beach. >>CHECK
INTO Casa Mexicana Cozumel (from $115; casamexicana
cozumel.com), a fashionable Mexican hotel located in the heart of
downtown Cozumel with a second-floor outdoor swimming pool.
Scuba dive the famous Palancar Reef, where the shifting of sand
from the hurricane has actually revealed new underwater caves.
Many of the once-populated areas along the eastern coast of the
Yucatn Peninsula are still recovering. As of press time, however,
nearly half the hotel rooms in Cancn are open, as are about 80
percent of Cozumels hotel rooms. LORIN GAUDIN
QUI NTANA ROO
Mexicos Sunny Islas
38 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
DI SCOVER
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Mi-Carmers on Isle-aux-Grues An Iban man in a longhouse
6
The Best: Cultural Time Warps
>> Sarawak, Borneo (South China Sea)
Ive traveled to Borneo to see orangutans. Not in a preserve, but
while on a five-day trek through the mountainous jungle of
Sarawak, the Malaysian region of northwest Borneo. It is home to
the Iban people and some of the 20,000 endangered orangutans
(the word is Malay for jungle man) that remain on Earth.
I have no map or any comparable backcountry experience to
prepare me for this difficult terrain. Without my Iban guide and
porters, there is no jungle journey. Every moment is a challenge
for me, but not for the porters. I watch them, with towering loads
strapped into woven rattan backpacks, practically skip across a
fallen tree that bridges a deep ravine. By the time we reach camp,
they are already preparing dinner: chicken and vegetables cooked
inside a length of bamboo over an open fire.
Around the same fire, we hear stories of the Iban tribes now-
extinct headhunting heyday and a legend that explains why
orangutans are sacred to the Iban. There was once an elder who
always wore a tobacco pouch around his neck. After he died,
many villagers sighted an orangutan in the jungle wearing the
same pouch. For this reason, orangutans are not hunted.
As the days unfold, our Iban porters clear paths, gather food,
build camps and eventually lead us from the jungle to civilization
first to one of the few remaining traditional longhouses, where
we spend the night, and finally to the banks of the Batang Ai,
where our journey began.
We never do see an orangutan. Instead, we discover the Iban
people and learn about a culture that is very much alive though
it is more endangered than the orangutans themselves.
Thanksgiving Feast Visit a longhouse for Gawai Dayak (June
1-2), when the Iban give thanks for their harvest with a day of
feasting, rice-wine drinking, storytelling and rituals. MP
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 39
>> Pentecost Island, Vanuatu
(South Pacific)
Leap of Faith The roots of
bungee jumping arent on New
Zealand; rather, theyre on
Pentecost Island, where the
activity began in a ritual called
Ngol. Men and boys called
land divers leap from
specially constructed plat-
forms, which are as high as
100 feet, with vines tied to
their ankles. This is a fertility
ritual as well as a show of
bravery: The land is blessed if
divers can touch the earth
with their shoulders (without
harming themselves). Ngol is
celebrated during the height
of the yam harvest in April
and May, when the vines reach
their maximum strength.
>> Trobriand Islands
(Solomon Sea)
Islands of Love Romantic
freedom, magic and sensuali-
ty are the hallmarks of a
group of islands just north of
Milne Bay in Papua New
Guinea, where islanders
believe that making love
increases the fertility of the
soil. When the harvest
begins (July or August,
depending on weather), so
does the month-long Yam
Festival, during which women
have permission to capture
and have their way with men.
Visitors are welcome to visit,
but taboo excludes them
from participating in this
particular practice.
>> Sea Islands
(U.S. Atlantic)
February Barbecue On the
coastal islands of South
Carolina and Georgia, native
islanders, known as Gullah,
speak their own language
and preserve and honor the
memory of their ancestors,
West Africans who were
brought to North America in
bondage. Come for an
old-fashioned Gullah barbe-
cue on Hilton Head during
the Native Islander Gullah
Celebration. The entire
month of February is filled
with street parties, gospel
celebrations, art exhibits and
a cultural exposition.
>> Yap, Micronesia
(South Pacific)
Dancing Days Yaps culture is
considered the best-preserved
in Micronesia. For instance,
women are commonly bare-
breasted (though exposing
their thighs is forbidden), and
stone money centuries-old
disks carved from stone in
nearby Palau is valuable.
Dance is considered the high-
est art form in Yap, and vil-
lages compete by performing
their own choreography at the
annual Yap Day festival on
March 1.
>> Isle-aux-Grues, Quebec
(St. Lawrence River)
Masquerade Costumes and
masks are de riguer when vil-
lagers of this ice-locked
(winter only) island downriver
from Quebec City celebrate
Mi-Carme literally, the
middle of Lent. This custom
from the Middle Ages survives
in few places on Earth, but
locals have kept the party
going since their Acadian
ancestors arrived 400 years
ago. What started as a days
respite from fasting has
turned into a weeklong move-
able feast as participants
parade from house to house
demanding and accepting
hospitality. Anyone is welcome
to join in just knock. MP
DI SCOVER
Ngol on Pentecost Island
6
CULTURAL
TIME WARPS
40 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
DI SCOVER
Ice Museum: In Search of the Lost Land
of Thule (Viking, $24.95), author Joanna
Kavenna packs her Gortex and sets out to
visit all the blustery far-north possibili-
ties: the Shetlands, Iceland,
Greenland and Spitsbergen,
among others. She documents her travels
to these icy lands, interspersing descrip-
tions of her journeys with his-
torical accounts of adventurers
who came before her.
Norwegian explorer Fridtjof
Nansen, for example, set out to
cross the North Pole but
jumped ship and got stranded
on Franz Josef Land, where he
slept in a reindeer-skin double
sleeping bag with another crew
member until they were res-
cued nearly a year later.
The Ice Museum is full of
interesting accounts of past
explorations, but the book goes
beyond travelogue to tackle a
deeper question: Are places
more intriguing the less we
know about them? As Kavenna
states, Everything unknown is
given an inflated worth.
To support this hypothesis, Kavenna
introduces us to many characters and
brings us on distant journeys. Kavenna
takes us on Richard Burtons Iceland
trip in the late 1800s by excerpting
parts of his writings. When confronted
with his Thule, Burton is seemingly
unimpressed, claiming the landscape is
not as fantastical as people had written.
Perhaps, then, we live in a real-life
version of Where the Wild Things Are:
It is our knowledge of the world that
prevents us from seeing how wild, how
fantastical, it really is. CR
KIANA DAVENPORTS LATEST NOVEL, HOUSE
of Many Gods (Ballantine, $24.95), is
based on several unlikely juxtapositions:
the Hawaiian islands with arctic Russia;
the fluidity of nature with the waste left
behind by nuclear testing; the wisdom of
elders, particularly men, with the wild
wiles of women. It is to a line of such
women, who are prone to
indiscretion, that the hero-
ine, Ana, is born.
When Ana is a small
child, her independent
mother leaves her to be
raised in a house of eccen-
tric relatives.
Her youth and
a significant portion of her
adulthood are shaped by
the loss and then reemer-
gence of her mother, as
well as by the mistakes
made by those around her.
Ana finds herself unable to
love that is, until she
meets Nikolai, a Russian
filmmaker with a past even
more twisted than her
own. Together, they form a
connection wrought with passion and an
unspoken understanding that expands
Anas view of the world and forces her to
make a choice.
Davenport shifts locations and genera-
tions chapter by chapter, but she twists the
many threads together into a satisfying
culmination. KL
LIKE A SNOWY VERSION OF ATLANTIS, THE
lost land of Thule has been romanticized
in ancient texts, explorers journals and
contemporary fiction and poetry. Where is
Thule? No one knows for sure, but in The
A World of Possibilities
ARMCHAIR TRAVELER
HAWAI I
THULE
DI SCOVER
REMBTIKA SPRANG UP IN THE TEKES
(hashish dens) of Piraeus, Greece, a port
city adjacent to Athens. Flourishing by
the early 1900s, the music
underwent a major
transformation in 1922, after
World War I and the collapse of
the Ottoman Empire. To avoid a
massacre, close to a million
Orthodox Greeks fled Turkey
where they had lived since long
before the borders of contempo-
rary nation-states were estab-
lished while Muslims were
expelled from Greece. As
refugees poured into Piraeus and
Athens, many of them speaking
only Turkish, their music collided
with local styles. (Note: Spellings
for this Greek style of music differ
from CD to CD).
Rembetica: Historic Urban
Folk Songs from Greece
(Rounder, $15.98) offers echoes of
some of civilizations most ancient
musical traditions from the Aegean
and the greater Mediterranean, from Asia
Minor and the Balkans, from India,
Persia and Egypt, from Byzantium and
the Jewish Diaspora which merged in
the early 20
th
-century Greek urban
underworld. The instrumentation favors
plucked and bowed strings usually the
bouzouki along with occasional accor-
dion and minor percussion. The Thraco-
Phrygian tough-guy dance known as
zembkiko bumps up against tsifte-telli
(the belly dance) and aman, which in
classic Arabic style spins out miles of
melodic ornaments along four lines of
passionate text.
This disk is best enjoyed with liner
notes in hand so you can follow the song
texts. Most of the tracks are from before
1936, the year censorship was imposed
and authorities cracked down on smoking
hashish. Rembtika lyrics are literally
pipe dreams, celebrat-
ing in fetishistic detail
the world of the
dervish (smoker) and
the alanira (party
girl). Bring the loulas
(bowl) to me / So I can
smoke the narghile
(pipe) is a typical
lyric; another contem-
plates being trans-
formed into a flea.
Among the 13
females featured on
Women of Rembetica
(Rounder, $15.98) are
Roza Eskenazi, a hard-
living naughty girl
from Constantinople
(who appears on all
three of the CDs
reviewed here); her stiffest competition,
Smyrnas own Rita Abadzi; and, from the
island of Kos, Marika Papagika, who
intones, Ill get drunk and smash the
glasses for what you said to me. The
translations and notes are thorough.
Finally, The Rough Guide to
Rebtika (World Music Network,
$14.98) combines a selection of classic
tracks with the work of modern rembti-
ka artists, to mixed effect. It offers a
Bulgarian rachenitsa, a haspiko (dance
of the Constantinople butchers guild)
and a karsilams (an erotic lovers dance
from Asia Minor). The notes are good,
but you need a magnifying glass to read
them, and a translation of the lyrics is,
sadly, not included. NED SUBLETTE
Pipe Dreams
ARMCHAIR TRAVELER
GREECE
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DI SCOVER
Press your own olive oil in November and December on the Greek
island of Paros, during harvest season and after the Mediterranean
sun has cooled. Michael and Karin Shepherd, owners of
comfy Aliki Pension, have an arrangement with local
farmers: Guests can make and take home their own personally
labeled bottle of olive oil. Room rates start around $50; rates for
bottling your own oil vary. parosparadise.com KL
PAROS
The locals on Maui have a secret
to their healthy glow: goats-milk
soap. Denise Fleetham, who lives
in the hills near Pukalani, pro-
duces her wares right from the
land. Its been said that goats-milk soap has a pH level close to
that of the human skin, and the soaps produced at Denises
Rainbow Ridge Farm contain more than 50 essential nutrients
to help revitalize skin. Our favorites are the AliI
Warrior: A Manly Maui Scent, which blends sandal-
wood, coconut and Maui fragrances; and the Ulupalakua
Pikake, which has kukui and macadamia-nut oils. Theres even
a soap for your dog: Maui Mutt. rainbowridgesoap.com TS
2: GOATS-MILK SOAP
1: OLIVE OIL
MAUI
3
Authentic Finds: Oil, Soap, Pearls
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 43
A Tahitian black pearl, like Tahiti itself, has an aura of mystery and
magic that reaches deep into the culture of French Polynesia.
There are secret corners of French Polynesia
where you can actually go to the pearl farm,
swim out with the manager and pick your own jewel-bearing
Pinctada margaritifera oyster. One of our favorites is Havaiki
Pearl Farm on Fakarava in the Tuamotu Islands. Here, for about
$25, Joachim Dariel will pluck your oyster from the lagoon and
open it right in front of you. You get to keep both the shell and
the pearl inside. pearlsofhavaiki.pf TS
FAKARAVA
DI SCOVER
3: TAHITIAN BLACK PEARLS
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 45
I soon spot a shepherd and his flock
negotiating the steep slopes of the
shore, and then recognize the sound
Id heard as the tinkling of goat bells.
Though unremarkable, their progress
is strangely bewitching in this barren
landscape. I bob on the waves and
watch the pastoral spectacle for sev-
eral minutes before dipping my paddle
into the water and moving on.
Such empty ruggedness, a world
away from the tourists that populate
the north coast of the island, is what
brought me to this part of Crete,
known as Sfakia that and the
chance to sharpen my kayaking skills
in a region where goats outnumber
people, and where rounding each
new headland promises a dramatic
vista of cliffs, caves and brilliant blue
waters. To mainland Greeks, it is
said, Crete feels far-flung and isolated; to the Cretans them-
selves, Sfakia feels far-flung and isolated.
For the past couple of days, 10 other Americans and I
have been paddling our way along the Cretan coast. Our
guide is Rick Sweitzer, a fit, silver-haired Chicagoan whose
outfitting company, Northwest Passage, has been leading
kayaking and bicycling adventures on Crete for 25 years.
After two initial days of kayak training at the 1960s hippie
haunt of Matala, where ancient Roman cave-mausoleums
honeycomb the cliffs, my companions and I took a shuttle
van west into the White Mountains of Sfakia and hiked 15
miles through the forested national park in Samaria Gorge
down to the deep turquoise waters of the Libyan Sea.
Rick met us nearby with a support van and a trailer full of
kayaks. From the coastal village of Agia Roumeli, our goal is
to paddle the coast of Sfakia, sleeping in the village of Loutro
ADVE NT URE S
An Olympian Paddle
Exploring the remote Sfakia coast one stroke at a time
BY ROLF POTTS
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Whether skimming the crystalline Mediterranean Sea or paddling into the sunset, kayaking is
the ideal way to explore villages along Cretes remote Sfakia coast.
A
S I PADDLE MY KAYAK ALONG THE MOUNTAINOUS EDGE OF CRETES SOUTHWEST COAST, I HEAR
a strange sound and slow to a glide. Resting my paddle across my lap, I try to place the sound.
Is it a wind chime? The clank of a cooking pot? For a moment I hear nothing as I carefully scan
the sheer, pale-tan cliffs of the shore. Normally, a lone sound wouldnt be so fascinating to me,
but along this empty edge of Crete, any sign of onshore life comes as a novelty. Yesterday, for
example, I was entranced by a group of Greek women dressed in black, lined up outside a shrine to St. Paul.
46 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
and exploring the regions capital, the town of Sfakia.
Beyond Sfakia, we plan to paddle to the more-traveled
beach communities of Plakias and Agia Galini before nego-
tiating an open-water crossing back to Matala a sum total
of 75 miles by sea. Though kayaking this far in a little under
a week seems like a challenging task, in practice it has
proven quite pleasant and manageable, as the bulk of our
gear is shipped ahead of us by van and ferry.
Each morning, we wake up early and paddle for five or
six hours, stopping en route for coffee, lunch, a swim and
the occasional cliff-dive. At night, we stop in coastal villages
to sleep in local inns and dine on grilled fish, Greek salad
and honey-baked Sfakiot cheese-pie all washed down
with house wine and raki, a local Cretan firewater distilled
from grape skins.
Most of my companions are here to savor this sublime
combination of physical challenge, natural beauty and fine
dining, but I find my biggest thrill in the small details that
underscore our novel isolation in this well-visited corner of
the Mediterranean.
On our third day of paddling, we come ashore and notice
a ruined 14th-century Venetian fortress sporting a makeshift
weightlifting set fashioned out of iron bars and cement
blocks. Curious, I hike back down the ridge into the small
village of Loutro in an attempt to find the bodybuilder.
Midway down the coast of Sfakia, Loutro is a lovely,
palm-lined fishing town that rims the only natural harbor on
the south coast of Crete. According to the Bibles Book of
Acts, before a storm sent his ship careening toward Malta
this harbor was intended to be St. Pauls winter haven in
Crete. My arrival proves much more pleasant and, with
Ricks help, Im eventually able to find
the man who built the improvised gym
in the Venetian ruins. Tall and broad-
shouldered, with sandy hair and a
low-buttoned white shirt, he looks like
the kind of guy who might find pleasure
in smashing plates over his head or
picking up tables with his teeth. His
name is Pavlo Kantounatakis.
I dont lift weights that much any-
more, he says as he prepares a table for us at Sifis, his tav-
erna and inn. I was in much better shape when I was living
in Cleveland.
Cleveland?
There was a time when the only jobs for young men in
Loutro were with international shipping companies. A gen-
eration of men from Loutro saw the whole world this way.
Pavlo proceeds to tell me how, after many years at sea, he
settled in Cleveland and made a small fortune painting
bridges. Eventually, he took the money back to Loutro and
opened the whitewashed, blue-shuttered Sifis Inn. We
have a reputation for being provincial in
this part of Crete, but Loutro isnt that
way anymore. Were the most cosmopoli-
tan town in Sfakia.
Pavlo is right: Though technically a
fishing village, nearly every building
along the Loutro waterfront has been
transformed into an inn or restaurant. Small groups of
French, Norwegians and Canadians most of whom ar-
rive by ferry from the town of Plakias lounge in the
restaurants at night. With clear blue-green water, pebbly
beaches and no motor traffic, the village has a wonderfully
sleepy atmosphere.
The following day my fellow kayakers and I load up and
continue our progress along the Cretan coast. Morning is
my favorite time for kayaking in Crete. The weather is still
cool, and the light bathes the cliffs in brilliant colors. I
veer off from my companions and paddle slowly, enjoying
the calm water and the morning silence, watching tiny
seedpods skitter along the waters surface while schools of
small fish dart beneath me.
Eventually I catch up to the others, and we stop in the com-
paratively urban town of Sfakia, which is connected to the rest
of the island by road. Over lunch, a charismatic, mustachioed
gentleman named Stavros Magelakis tells me about the time
in 2004 when the president of Greece came to visit Sfakia.
He gave a speech against the use of guns, Stavros says.
Cretan Solitude
OPA! Kayak with Northwest Passage, a U.S.-based outfitter that runs trips along Cretes
rugged south. Fly into the Heraklion airport, where you will be met by English-speaking
guides who will transfer you to Matala. There, youll learn and practice some paddling skills
to prepare for your adventure. After two nights in Matala, hike to Agia Roumeli, the start-
ing point for the kayaking. From there the group will paddle southeast, stopping at seclud-
ed villages like charming Loutro and staying at family-owned inns. Trips in 2006 begin May
20; rates start at $2,595 for eight days and seven nights. nwpassage.com
PLAN YOUR TRIP! islands.com/crete
Morning is my favorite time for kayaking in
Crete. The weather is still cool, and the light
bathes the cliffs in brilliant colors.
ADVE NT URE S
This is a big problem in Sfakia: People are always getting
hurt shooting off guns at weddings, or turning them against
each other in family vendettas. The presidents speech was
very convincing, and the people of Sfakia gave him a huge
ovation. Then we declared him an honorary citizen and pre-
sented him with a gun.
A gun? I ask.
Stavros smiles and shrugs. They didnt mean to contra-
dict the president; its just that a gun is such an appropriate
Sfakian gift. We have always been hunters here, resistance
fighters, men of strength and honor. Nobody considered
the irony.
After lunch, we leave town and paddle for the rest of the
day. We churn past 23 miles of gorgeous coastline our
longest day of kayaking and finally arrive in the town of
Plakias before dusk. Here, I notice that the random indi-
cators of coastal sol i tude have gi ven way to more
conventional tourist landmarks: sandy beaches lined with
umbrellas, speedboats and water taxis, waterfront tavernas
full of Brits blasting techno music.
A check of my map confirms my suspicion: We have
crossed out of Sfakia and into a less mountainous, more
accessible stretch of Crete. Paved roads head inland to-
ward the major cities of the island, and my sense of
isolation is momentarily shattered.
Fortunately, I have two more days of kayaking to in-
dulge my craving for solitude. The following morning, I
wake up, pull my kayak down the beach and paddle out
into the deep blue waters. o
Crete
Libyan Sea
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 47
Crete
Agia Roumeli
Sfakia
Plakias
Matala
Loutro
Agia Galini
Samaria Gorge
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M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 49
I S L AND L I F E
Illustrated Man
In French Polynesia, tattoo artists mesh past with present.
BY MARGIE GOLDSMITH
T
AVITA MONEA NOTICES ME STARING AT HIS EARLOBE, WHICH IS PIERCED WITH A WOODEN DOWEL
the diameter of a large cigar. With an impish smile, he sticks out his tongue, revealing three
silver studs. His body is a walking billboard of tattoos, but thats not unusual for a tattoo artist
on Tahaa, a remote island about twice the size of Manhattan in the Society Islands of French
Polynesia. Im on a small cruise ship anchored in the lagoon and can see the lush greenery of
Tahaa and its 1,962-foot-high Mount Ohiri. But what I mainly see at the moment are the black swirling pat-
terns of circles, arches and triangles tattoos that start at Tavitas forehead and continue down his torso to his
In earlier centuries in Polynesia, the custom of tattooing differed from island to island. Tattoos were used to express personality, to show
tribal affiliation and in rites of passage. On Tahaa and other nearby islands, modern-day artists are rediscovering the ancient tradition. T
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pareo, then re-emerge on
his shins, ankles and feet.
He is sitting on a chair,
hunched over, drawing a de-
sign on a tourists wrist.
Poi nti ng hi s fel t-ti pped
marker at me, he grins and
says, You want one?
I am too chicken for the
real thing, but I can live with
the idea of a temporary tat-
t oo. He hands me hi s
sketchbook so I can choose a
pattern. I decide on a turtle
considered tapu, or sa-
cred, by the Polynesians
which represents strength.
Tapu is not to be con-
fused with a Polynesian
word from which the word
tattoo originates: tatau,
which means to strike re-
peatedly. The word derives from tat tat, the sound a
traditional tattooing comb made as a wooden stick was
tapped against its needle to puncture the skin. There are
still a few traditional tattoo artists who create one-of-a-kind
freehand tattoos using the same techniques as their ances-
tors, though now the needles of the comb are electrified. It
takes two tattoo artists to create a traditional Tahitian tat-
too: one to stretch the skin and the other to create the
tattoo and tap the comb with the wooden stick. These days,
most tattoo artists do it the modern way: one tattoo artist
using electric needles.
Thousands of years ago, tattooing was an integral part of
Tahitian culture. The tattoos indicated genealogy and
rank, as well as wealth, strength and the ability to bear
pain. Twelve-year-old boys were tattooed to prove they
were men, and girls were tattooed to indicate sexual matu-
rity. Tattoo artists had an honored place in society. They
would create a row of points around fishermens ankles to
protect them from shark bites, or ocean swells on the
shoulders of paddlers for strength. Tattooing also indi-
cated lineage; chiefs and warriors had the most elaborate
desi gns. When Capt ai n Cook ret urned f rom t he
Marquesas, he introduced tattooing to the Western world.
When missionaries came to Polynesia, they forbade tattoo-
ing, considering it a sin. In spite of the ban, tattoo artists
secretly continued the ancient practice.
In the last 15 years, tattooing has become popular again,
and it is estimated that 30 to 40 percent of all Tahitians
have tattoos. Many choose designs to represent their ances-
tors or to depict the sea, land
or animals a dolphin, for
example, represents wisdom.
But young Polynesians choose
tattoos for the same reason
Westerners do: because
theyre cool.
Tavita paints a small turtle
on my ankle. He smells of
Monoi oil a combination
of vanilla, gardenia and co-
conut oil which is slathered
on his body and hair. He lives
in Patio, the main village on a
mot u of f Tahaa. Once a
week, 34-year-old Tavita
leaves his home cum-tattoo
parlor and inks temporary
t at t oos on peopl e at Le
Tahaa Private Island & Spa
and on the ships of Bora-
Bora Cruises, where I am
now. The rest of the time he picks coconuts and vanilla,
which isnt surprising considering that Tahaa, known as the
Vanilla Island, is where 80 percent of Tahitis vanilla
comes from. When I ask him if he can smell the vanilla in
the air, he tells me, Only during October when its laid
outside to dry. Tavita finishes my turtle, and I like it so
much I wish it wouldnt wash off.
Id like to come back to Tahaa in October, when the fra-
grance of vanilla wafts through the air, and really explore.
Id drive to Tavitas house and have him create a real tattoo
on my ankle a tiki or gecko or another turtle so that I
could bring back a part of Tahaa. o
50 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
I S L AND L I F E
Tattoo artists would create a
row of points around fishermens
ankles to protect them
from shark bites.
Permanent Souvenir
Tattoo You Traditional tattoos in Tahiti start at $80 and average $100-
200, depending on their design and size. In Moorea, James Samuela
(mobile: 689-76-42-60) works by appointment at the Moorea
InterContinental Resort and Spa (moorea.intercontinental.com). In
Bora-Bora, Marama Olson (mobile: 689-72-03-75) works out of his
shop, Marama Tattoo, on Matira Point.
Tattoonesia The first week of November, Moorea will host Tattoonesia,
a tattoo festival with 60 Polynesian, Maohi and other international tat-
too artists in addition to a traditional Polynesian show, live concerts,
films, food and more. tattoonesia.org
Temporary and Real Tattoos Tavita Monea arrives once a week at Le
Tahaa Private Island & Spa (letahaa.com) and visits the ships of Bora-
Bora Cruises (boraboracruises.com) to draw temporary tattoos. He
also creates one-of-a-kind Tahitian tattoos by appointment in his
home on a motu off Tahaa.
PLAN YOUR TRIP! islands.com/tahiti
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Big Hawaiian
Days and Nights
RITA ARIYOSHI SHARES A LIFETIMES CACHE OF HAWAIIAN SECRETS AND HER DREAM
OF THE PERFECT ISLAND DAY. YOU WONT FIND THESE INSIDER TIPS ON GOOGLE.
Have boards, will travel.
After a morning of
pounding the surf, ski
the powdery slopes of
13,796-foot Mauna Kea
(Hawaiian for white
mountain).
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Renew yourself on
the Big Island, with
a solo dip in a
secluded cove or a
plumeria-scented
sea salt bath.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 55
A
FEW MONTHS AGO, MY SISTER DEE, WHO LIVES ON THE
Big Island, packed a picnic supper with chilled pinot
grigio. We drove to the end of Chain of Craters Road
in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, then hiked to an ocean
promontory at sunset to join the crowds waiting for dark.
Once the sun went down, the lava cascading down Kilauea
the worlds most active volcano became more visible. The
rivers of fire plunged into the sea, burning fiercely in incan-
descent shades of orange, red and molten gold. Dee and I
congratulated ourselves on having seats on Creations 50-yard
line, and we toasted Pele, ruler of flames and volcanoes, as she
orchestrated a most incendiary evening.
Island of fire and ice is how promoters flog this mid-ocean
giant, and with good reason: It has everything, even snow.
Theres a little cove on the Kohala Coast on the north end of
Hapuna Beach where the water is calm and giant sea turtles
bask. If I swim out and turn around, I can see snow-crowned
Mauna Kea rising above swaying coconut palms. Some people
come to ski volcanic slaloms, but as I float on the oceans blue
breast, I am as close to cold as I care to be.
Once, however, I shivered through a spiritual experience
when an astronomer took a few of us high up the slopes of
Mauna Kea where the temperature plummets below freez-
ing. Our star guy served hot chocolate and set up a
telescope. We saw Mars, an opalescent pink jewel glowing
in space. I will never forget it as long as I live.
There are many ways to see the heavens. Jon Lomberg, who
illustrated most of Carl Sagans books and who served as as-
tronomy consultant for the film Contact, is resident
astronomer at Kona Village Resort. While staying there in a
thatched-roof bungalow, beside a lagoon, guests can plumb the
night skies through Lombergs amazing stargazing programs.
Rob Pacheco and his Hawaii Forest and Trail outfit offer a
Mauna Kea summit experience. He takes visitors to a ranch
outpost on Mauna Keas slopes for a bento supper before
pushing on to the volcanos summit to peer into space.
Rob was responsible for another of my all-time Hawaiian
highs: He introduced me to Danny Almonte, his naturalist
guide, who took me on one of the most photogenic hikes in
the islands. The trek skirted the green lip of Pololu Valley. We
walked right up to waterfalls, and then, most magical of all, we
walked behind the silver ribbon of Kapoloa Falls.
I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AT HOW WILD AND PRISTINE THE BIG
Island remains its a landscape the kings and queens of
old would still recognize. The Hawaiian royals once saw the
Kohala Coast as a place of refreshment, and I go for the
same reason. In keeping with noble traditions, the resort
spas offer treatments fit for royalty. Ive been slathered in
black clay and left to bake in the natural lava sauna at Mauna
Lani Resort, and I ve been scrubbed wi th Warren
Botanicals Kona Coffee Exfoliant at the Fairmont Orchid.
My husband even joined me to savor a romantic moonlit
couples massage by the sea at the Four Seasons Hualalai.
Its my sister I like to butter up with treats, however. Dee is
a gourmet cook, and we go to Hilo Farmers Market, the best
in the state, to sample homemade jams, salsas, salad dressings
and marinades. Sometimes theres fresh poi, which has a clean
coconutty flavor nothing like the standard luau paste.
We go holo-holo (gallivanting) in Dees truck to Volcano
Island Honey and pick up jars of ginger-infused white
honey. Then we might go to Hirabara Farm in Waimea for
fresh greens. If we do make that trip, we have to stop at
Texs Drive-In in Honokaa for hot malasadas (Portuguese-
style donuts) stuffed with guava or chocolate cream.
Dining in Waimea is an uncommon treat. Daniel
Thiebaut Restaurant and Merrimans are practically shrines
for gourmands. At Hilos Seaside Restaurant, dinner hap-
pens at sundown, when the egrets fly in over the fish ponds.
Like his father before him, Chef Colin Nakagawa will net
our dinner as soon as we order.
I wish my busy life allowed me more time to connect with
the Big Islands character. I wish I had more time to go
holo-holo with my sister and to hike among the steaming
vents and galactic lava formations of Peles domain.
Secondhand smoke, when its on a cosmic scale, is grand. w
THE REAL HAWAII | BIG ISLAND
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TIP: Plan your perfect day at islands.com/bigisland/perfect.
56 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
THE REAL HAWAII | OAHU
MORNING Wake up in a canopy bed in a room beside the
dolphin lagoon at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental. Walk on
Kahala Beach with the sun rising over Koko Head and white
doves cruising the coconut palms. w Breakfast on eggs
Florentine on the old Hau Terrace of the New Otani
Kaimana Beach Hotel, and watch Waikiki wake up with a
rosy yawn. w Drive to the Nuuanu Pali Lookout. Golden
rays of the early sun ignite the Koolau palisades, and all of
windward Oahu basks beneath them. w Kayak from Kailua
Beach to the Mokuluas, two islets bracing the surf just off
Lanikai Beach.
AFTERNOON Treat yourself to a teriyaki steak on the rickety
deck of Buzzs Steak House in Lanikai. w Drive along the
windward coast. wStop at Byodo-In, an exquisite vermilion
temple nestled at the feet of the sheer green Koolau moun-
tains. w Take in Kaaawa, the most beautiful valley on
Oahu, which can be seen from Kamehameha Highway, a
two-lane road snaking along the coast. wAt Kahana Bay,
theres an ancient aquaculture pond, and roadside stands
sell plates of shrimp scampi. (Hint: Try the Blue Water
shrimp truck parked just beyond Kahuku.)
EVENING Dine at Komokata in suburban Aina Haina. Opt
for a modest teishoku (all-inclusive dinner), which includes
pumpkin tempura. w Take in a play at one of the excellent
community theaters, a concert by the Honolulu Symphony,
a provocative film at the Honolulu Academy of Arts or
Hawaiian music at the restored Hawaii Theatre Center.
TIP: Plan your perfect day at islands.com/oahu/perfect.
A Perfect Day
Take a romantic
walk along Oahus
iconic Waikiki
Beach. Its nearly
1.5 miles of soft
sand, some of it lit
by tiki torches.
T
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r
Spend a few days on
Maui and youll soon
be saying Maui no ka
ol (Maui is the best),
just like the locals.
MORNING Swim at Kaihalulu Beach, a 10-minute hike from
Hotel Hana Maui. The sand at this isolated Hana cove is the
color of rubies and the water is a translucent teal. wAttend
mass at the Holy Ghost Octagonal Church in Kula. This small
1897 jewel cradles a magnificent German baroque altar, a gift
from Portugals royal family. Being here is like being cupped
inside a Faberg egg. w Eat Belgian waffles at the Kula
Lodge with its panoramic views of the island. wTrek with
Ken Schmitt and his Hike Maui outfit. Walk deep into the
Kipahulu section of Haleakala National Park, swim upstream,
tiptoe above one waterfall and plunge into the icy pool of an-
other. wDrive to Nakalele Point and walk through the lava
landscape locals call Hobbit Land a terrain of strange,
ragged formations and geysers that hiss and roar.
AFTERNOON Eat mahi-mahi and sweet-as-an-apple Maui
onion rings with buttermilk dressing at the Beach House
overlooking the ocean at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Go to
Kitadas Kau Kau Korner in Makawao and order a big
steaming bowl of saimin, Hawaiis unique, ubiquitous noo-
dle soup. Or enjoy a salad on Kimos waterfront deck in
Lahaina. With any luck at all, humpback whales will be act-
ing up in the offshore waters. w Shop in Makawao try
Holiday and Company, Hurricane, or Cuckoo for Coconuts.
EVENING Listen to authentic Hawaiian music and see hula
at the Old Lahaina Luau. Dining is outdoors beside the sea.
Meet artists demonstrating woodcarving, the crafting of shell
jewelry and lei making. wFor fine dining, head to Haliimaile
General Store. Chef Bev Gannon focuses on fresh seafood
and intensely flavored Maui produce prepared with Asian
nuances. Or sip red wine at Ferraros at the Four Seasons
Wailea and watch the moon pour its silver upon the ocean
while a violinist plays absolutely tragic airs.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 59
THE REAL HAWAII | MAUI
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TIP: Plan your perfect day at islands.com/maui/perfect.
A Perfect Day
60 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
Sunlight paints each
scene unique. Top: the
Lodge at Koele; bottom:
morning is the best
time to view the myste-
rious rock formations at
the Garden of the Gods;
opposite, top: a few
lucky souls final resting
place at Kalaupapa;
opposite, bottom: the
Halawa Valley.
MORNING Greet the dawn in the eerie Garden of the Gods.
When the sun is low and the shadows are long, the lava forma-
tions in this desolate landscape loom more dramatically, look
stranger and almost seem to hum. Rocks are piled upon rocks
to form stone totems, some done in fun by visitors, others per-
haps by a capricious deity. wNear the Garden of the Gods you
can walk in the last remaining lowland native Hawaiian forest.
The plants and birds in the Kanepuu Preserve are among the
rarest on the planet. w For breakfast, eat fried saimin (soup
noodles) at the Blue Ginger Caf in Lanai City. Sit on the front
porch in the piney upland coolness. wIf youre feeling a little
radical, load a shotgun and shoot fake rabbits and ducks at
Lanai Sporting Clays. The shoot sites are in the wilderness,
making the experience more rustic.
AFTERNOON Have lunch alfresco at the clubhouse of the
Challenge at Manele Golf Course. Munch calamari and fried
sea greens while looking out on a panorama of islands that
other people have labored to the top of Lanaihale Mountain
to see. wBoard a Trilogy catamaran to see dolphins and go
snorkeling. Lanai has Hawaiis top snorkel and dive sites.
EVENING Dine in the smug clubbiness of the Lodge at
Koele, or go for the clamor and camaraderie at Henry Clays
Rotisserie in the small old Hotel Lanai, where venison and
game birds from real hunters are roasted on spits. w
Afterward, its back to the Lodge to curl up by a roaring fire
in the Great Hall, where there will sometimes be a poet
reading or a visiting artist.
THE REAL HAWAII | LANAI
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TIP: Plan your perfect day at islands.com/lanai/perfect.
A Perfect Day
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 61
MORNING Wake up under a plaid blanket, breathing crisp
salt air in a tentalow, a canvas-sided cottage, on the beach
at Molokai Ranch. Rush into the ocean for the exaltation of
a morning swim. wEat breakfast at Kanemitsus Bakery in
Kaunakakai, where the menu includes at least three differ-
ent kinds of French toast: guava, coconut and cheese.
AFTERNOON Youll have to toss a coin to choose your after-
noon activity: Take a mule ride down the sheer green cliffs to
Kalaupapa. With the tallest sea cliffs in the world parading
away from it, Kalaupapa is one of the most beautiful places
in the world. Or hire native guide Pelipo Solatorio to take
you into Halawa Valley. Its private land, but Pelipo lives
there, so he can take small groups hiking in the valley and
he knows all the tales that go with the trails. Youll hike
through streambeds and end up at Moaula Falls, where
Pelipo will float a ti leaf in the plunge pool. If it sinks, the
lizard goddess is waiting to wrap her cold fingers around you;
if it floats, its safe to jump in. wStop at the Molokai Fish and
Dive Shop. Its T-shirts could be read aloud at a comedy club.
EVENING Have dinner in the Maunaloa Room at the Molokai
Ranch Lodge. Fine dining has finally come to this island, albeit
in a rustic setting. The menu will almost always include fish
Molokai has the best fishing grounds in the state. wBefore
tucking in under that plaid blanket again, indulge in a little
Molokai nightlife by spreading out a beach mat beside the
sea and gazing up at the skys starry brilliance. Get your
wishes ready a shooting star is almost guaranteed.
THE REAL HAWAII | MOLOKAI
TIP: Plan your perfect day at islands.com/molokai/perfect.
A Perfect Day
Explore the Garden Isle, one of
the most beautiful islands on
Earth and the wettest.
Whether youre a vacation
hiker or a backcountry packer,
the perfect trail awaits.
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MORNING Have breakfast at the Caf Hanalei at the
Princeville Resort. The view: jagged volcanic peaks streaming
with waterfalls, all perfectly mirrored in Hanalei Bay. wDrive
to the end of the road at Haena, then snorkel along the inside
of the reef at Kee Beach. Scout around for the sleek gray hu-
muhumunukunukuapuaa, the state fish, with its black and
white racing stripes. wIn the jungle above Kee, theres an an-
cient temple dedicated to Laka, goddess of hula. This is
where Pele fell in love with Lohiau, a handsome Kauai chief,
in one of the greatest love stories of Hawaiian literature. w
Take an abbreviated hike along the Na Pali cliffs; you can
head back after the first mile, which has some of the best
scenery along this rugged 11-mile trail.
AFTERNOON Splurge at the Kong Lung Store in Kilauea. Its
fashions have the island look that locals love, conservative and
dramatic at the same time. The home furnishings have a
mod-Asian flair. w Lunch at the jungly Caffe Coco where
fruit from the mango, tangerine and lychee trees ends up in
juice glasses and in chutneys to accompany the fish wraps.
Meander along the garden path to the highly eccentric shop
next door, Bambulei, which carries everything from vintage
aloha shirts and muumuus to old garden statuary and antique
Japanese tea bowls. wRent a kayak and paddle up the Wailua
River; skip the left fork that goes to Fern Grotto thats
where all the tour boats head. Instead, go right, and youll
find yourself on a quiet run, deep in the green heart of Kauai,
where hau trees form a tunnel over the water and drop their
golden blossoms upon the current. Rare birds sing unseen in
the canopy. w Squeeze in a late-afternoon swim at Poipu
Beach, where you might catch sight of extremely rare
Hawaiian monk seals. Or go to Polihale Beach, where the
sand is so white it dazzles.
EVENING A perfect Kauai day ends at Gaylords at Kilohana, a
gracious old mansion at the heart of a sugar plantation. Snag a
table on the lanai in the softness of evening, and order baby-
back ribs and a slab of coconut pie.
THE REAL HAWAII | KAUAI
TIP: Plan your perfect day at islands.com/kauai/perfect.
A Perfect Day
CARN
A Q U AT I C
Bahamians converge on Great Exuma to celebrate a half-century of national tradition.
BY STEVE BLOUNT PHOTOGRAPHS BY GEORGE H.H. HUEY
The rules are simple:
The boat and crew
must be Bahamian,
and if a man falls over-
board, the boat must
pick him up or be dis-
qualified. This Class
A sloop relies on pure
Bahamian ballast to
avoid capsizing.
I VAL
T
HE GRENADE-LIKE THUDS OF THE BIG BASS DRUM WERE STILL RINGING
in my ears as the broad backs of the Royal Bahamas Police Band
drummers receded, marching off past the Club Peace & Plenty
Hotel in George-Town on Great Exuma. Nattily overdressed in
black pants, pith helmets and leopard-skin tunics, the band wore
white shirts that reflected the unrelenting torrent of sunlight.
Everyone was in full party mode, awaiting the finals of the
biggest sporting event in the Bahamas: the National Family Island
Regatta. Cricket may be the archipelagos national sport, but the
regatta is its premier spectacle. Every April since 1954, Bahamians
have come to Great Exuma to race homebuilt craft around a trian-
gular course laid on the laser-blue surface of Elizabeth Harbour.
Up to 70 boats compete in three classes. Competitors come to
prove who has the fastest boat and the fittest crew, and for the
most part they come to party.
Hastily erected stalls spew out conch salad and icy Kalik beer
for the crowd on Great Exuma, which swells from its usual popu-
lation of 1,000 to more than 5,000. For this event part
Superbowl, part homecoming and part Kentucky Derby family
and friends converge from far-flung corners of the country to
stretch five days of racing into a spirited seven-day party. Every
66 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
EACH APRIL SLEEPY
THAT MAKES
Caribbean Sea
Great Exuma
Little Exuma
George-Town
Elizabeth Harbour
Stocking Island
Cuba
Florida
GEORGE-TOWN WAKES UP TO AN EVENT
REPUTATIONS AND HEROES.
Founded in 1954, this
annual event is the
Bahamas only national
regatta. Its named for a
term once used to refer
to the Out Islands: the
Family Islands.
A slew of onshore
events Cultural
Night, a beauty pag-
eant and performances
by the Royal Bahamas
Police Band keep the
party rolling.
THE RACES IN ELIZABETH HARBOUR ARE
PART HOMECOMING
For Bahamians in the Out
Islands, sailing is in the
blood, spawning rivalries
that are passed from
generation to generation.
PART SUPERBOWL,
AND PART KENTUCKY DERBY.
SPECTATORS JOCKEY FOR THE BEST
The waters are
turquoise bliss, perfect
for cooling off between
bouts of sunbathing and
spectating, or for just
splashing around.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 71
resort suite, hotel room and friendly couch on Exuma is at max
capacity. Elizabeth Harbour is carpeted with cruisers who come
to race, bet and party hard.
Today, shoulder to shoulder in the conch line or vying for a spot in
the prime viewing areas, everyones in a good mood. The air is fat with
the seasons first wave of humidity and thick with staccato patois and
plenty of laughter.
Like most Bahamian towns, George-Town is deeply religious, and the
Police Band and Rokers Point Primary School Boys Choir lend a
wholesome veneer to the proceedings. Still, I find that a cappella singing
even really good a cappella singing does little to complement a
hangover. The epidemic of betting adds fuel to competitive passions.
For the crews, its serious business: This race spawns rivalries that
are passed from father to son to grandson. The Knowles clan from
Mangrove Bush on Long Island is into its third generation. At 83,
Rolly Gray of nearby Staniel Cay is the events grand old man. He
won the first Regatta in the Harriet S. and has missed only two races
since, winning a record 12 times. Hes so revered that the Bahamas
minister of sports arrived at the Regatta with a plan to rename
Elizabeth Harbour Rolly Gray Harbour.
Out on the water, the boats are ready for the race, waiting for the
cannon blast that will signal the start. On its report the crews will si-
multaneously hoist sails, weigh anchors and sprint for the first buoy,
hoping to steal the breeze from the next guy.
These are the Class A vessels: ludicrously over-canvassed sloop-
rigged workboats. They can be no more than 28 feet long and are
10 feet in the beam. A towering 60-foot mast is stepped well for-
ward, rigged with a 30-foot boom that extends way past the
transom. A huge triangular main and a bare sliver of a jib are the
maritime equivalent of dropping a full-race 454 engine into a
Pinto. It takes quite a crew to handle one of these rocket sleds. The
captain steers, two crew members work the sails and the other nine
are, in effect, self-handling ballast. With this much canvas, a Class
A sloop will capsize in even a moderate breeze. When the boat
tacks, the crewmembers bolt to the windward rail, jump on a
wooden pry board and scramble out as far as courage (bolstered
by pre-race Kaliks) will allow, using their weight to counteract the
winds effects. If someone falls off, the boat has to come about and
pick him up or be disqualified.
Unlike international yacht racing, which has a rulebook that reads
like the tax code, Regatta rules are short. In addition to the length
limit and man-overboard rule, the boats have to be built and sailed
by Bahamians. The race was founded by a former member of
Parliament, Bobby Symonette, to help preserve the wooden fishing
smacks that stitched together the fabric of these islands, boats that VIEWING POSITION.
FLY to George-Town on
American Airlines, US
Airways or a charter.
SKIPPER your own craft.
Starfish Adventures will
take you on a four-hour
guided kayak tour for
$85. exuma-bahamas
.com/starfish
LOOK for the Regatta
magazine, published
annually and available
only at the event.
SPEND your dollars:
$1 Bahamian = US$1.
LISTEN UP when
Bahamian bands take
center stage on
Cultural Night.
GO TO myoutislands.com
for more info about
the Exumas.
72 I S L A N D S D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 5
A sandy slice of solitude, such as that
found at the Peace & Plenty Bonefish
Lodge (below) or on a beach off
Stocking Island (bottom right), and
freshly prepared conch salad (bottom)
are staples of a Great Exuma vacation.
Ready, Set, Sail
A Private Grandstand Club Peace & Plenty has
rooms with balconies overlooking the action in
Elizabeth Harbour, but book a year in advance of the
Regatta. The hotels eight waterfront rooms start at
$205. peaceandplenty.com
No Shoes, No Problem Grab a seat on a seaplane,
boat or ferry for the short jump over Elizabeth
Harbour to Stocking Island where you can catch a
lime at the Chat n Chill. Sunday nights feature local
music and a pig roast ($17). chatnchill.com
Majestic Sailing Sloops The success of the National
Family Island Regatta inspired other islands to mount
their own races: Andros, the Berry Islands, Acklins,
Bimini, Cat Island, Freeport and Long Island as well as
the Valentines Day Massacre mini-regatta in
Montagu Bay, New Providence. bahamas.com
PLAN YOUR TRIP! islands.com/greatexuma
Paddling through
the protected waters
of Moriah Harbour
Cay National Park
is a great way to
explore the regions
pristine ecosystems.
were disappearing in the wake of fiberglass hulls and out-
board engines. The workboats share DNA with shoal
watercraft used by English colonists in the broad bays of the
U.S. east coast. Built with Abaco pine a dense, resinous
wood nearly impervious to insects and rot these boats did
the heavy lifting, pulling conch or lugging Out Island pro-
duce to market in Nassau and returning with import goods.
Underneath its sleek hull, the bones of a Class A racer make
up the same graceful skeleton of articulated wooden
stringers that has borne the weight of Bahamian commerce
for two centuries.
The cannon goes off almost exactly one hour late pre-
cisely on schedule by island time and the boats bob as the
crews swarm the decks, pulling, hoisting, lifting and then
ducking to make sure they dont get a boom in the midsec-
tion. The sheets snap in the mild breeze and the sleek hulls
spurt out onto the course.
What happens next is more like a NASCAR scramble than
a carefully choreographed Americas Cup competition, and
Regatta lore runs deep with collisions and calamity.
A couple of years back the Running Tide from Long Island
was holed in a collision during the first round of racing. The
crew stayed on the course, bailed furiously and managed to
finish fourth. Afterward, Running Tide was lifted aboard a
freighter and patched up, and it went on to win the series.
But the final race is hardly the end of the event; the
crowd descends from the stands along the docks to settle up
their wagers, and the partys on. By dinnertime, Eddies
Edgewater restaurant and club is well into an evening of
rake n scrape music. In the dark, Elizabeth Harbour is
calm but hardly quiet. A galaxy of lights reflects off the sur-
face, and the jovial murmur of fantail parties echoes across
the waterfront. The racing may be over, but the Regatta will
go on into the wee hours plenty of time for the winners
to gloat. And for the losers, the Long Island Regatta and
a shot at redemption isnt far. o
IRONMAN ISLAND
Beneath the critical eyes of Easter Islands 250-plus moai, writer AMANDA JONES
hikes a crater, crawls through caves and discovers mana she never knew she had.
Shell beg off from the Birdman competition, though ...
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Rud dolenissi tis am
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et alissequate dunt
lutpat, quisl ero
delessed ero odit
digna consecte vele
Two visions of the
eternal contemplation
of Easter Island: A mod-
ern-day adventurer
meditates in a cave, and
a moai gazes out to sea
for eternity. Little is
known about who carved
the basalt moai and
when, or how, they
were moved into place.
76 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
heads; swim to the mainland; and scale
back up the lethal cliff. Whats more, the
entire time its acceptable for these men
to sabotage fellow competitors by, say, as-
sisting them in plunging off the cliff,
clobbering them over the head with a
rock or slicing them in the water so they
leave a tidy trail of blood for sharks.
Although it reads like something TV
executives might consider for a reality
show, this display of superhuman grit was
actually Easter Islands Birdman compe-
tition, circa A.D. 1300 to 1867. I had
seen a reenactment of i t i n Kevi n
Costners movie Rapa Nui, and it was
chilling. But when I stood on the edge of
the cliff at Orongo, the sacred starting
line for the ruthless contest, I had a better appreciation for
the insane bravery of the Birdman contenders.
Until that moment I had fancied myself an adventurer,
having spent the previous four days traversing Easter Island
on foot and by bike. But staring down at the heaving sea 400
feet below, it struck me that Im a mere lightweight.
A 5.5-HOUR FLIGHT OFF THE COAST OF CHILE, AT THE NORTH-
ern end of the Polynesian triangle in the Pacific Ocean,
Easter Island is literally as the natives perceptively called it,
out of ethnocentrism rather than geographical knowledge
the navel of the world. Although it is only 63 square miles,
this cartographical pinprick has one of the most mysterious
and intriguing cultures on the face of the planet. And much of
it involves great feats of human physicality.
Although most visitors travel here to witness the engineer-
ing marvel of the moai the huge stone heads the island is
renowned for Id heard that the island is also a sports
utopia. The locals (about 3,500) surf, hike, mountain bike,
ride horses, climb, sea kayak and dance regularly. They are a
nation of uber-athletes. When I learned that Chilean adven-
ture company Explora had opened a hotel on Easter Island, I
knew the time was ripe to embark on an athletic extravaganza
for sybarites namely, myself and a couple of friends.
Explora currently has nine elegant, airy rooms in two con-
verted wooden houses, called the Casas Rapa Nui. Theyre
near the small airport, 10 minutes outside the islands only
town, Hanga Roa, with its pot-holed roads and one-story
corrugated-tin-roof buildings.
The night of our arrival, Tito, our handsome 31-year-old
Explora guide, met with us over pisco sours to discuss what
wed do during our stay. Pisco sour, the beverage du le, is
made from pisco, a South American grape brandy, mixed with
sugar, lemon juice and egg white. The result is sweet, quaffa-
ble and ultimately deadly. F
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MAGINE AN IRONMAN COMPETITION IN WHICH NEARLY NAKED MEN SCRAMBLE
down a sheer volcanic cliff (several competitors immediately plunge to their
deaths); swim a mile in rough, shark-infested seas (where more competitors are re-
moved from circulation); run barefoot across the volcanic rock of an uninhabited
island; steal an egg from beneath an enraged bird; strap the fragile egg to their fore-
Ancient tests of manhood
and a history of storytelling
find a modern expression
during Easter Islands many
festivals. Blazing torches
ignite the night dance festi-
vals, and one leg of a unique
triathlon has competitors
running around a lake with
bunches of bananas. But
the most thrilling and dan-
gerous test of manhood is
a 60-mph ride on the trunk
of a banana tree down the
slope of Maunga Pui vol-
cano. The one who com-
pletes the longest ride wins.
Each moai on Easter Island
is unique. All across the
island they stand as silent
witnesses to a mysterious
past. Opposite: The face of
a warrior ready for the
Tapati Festival.
At the top of the volcanic moai
factory, the stark beauty of the
island stretched before us.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 79
Tito, who has toffee-colored hands, shoulder-length hair
and tattooed arms, immediately set us straight on a gross mis-
understanding. The people of Easter Island, he told us,
actually live on Rapa Nui. They are Rapa Nuians. They speak
Rapa Nui, which sounds similar to New Zealand Maori. They
are not fond of the name Easter Island. The only reason it is
called such is that a Dutch explorer was the first white man to
set foot on the island. He did so on Easter Sunday 1722 and
named it after that day without bothering to ask the locals
what they had called their home since the first inhabitants
sailed here from an unknown eastern Polynesian island in a
double outrigger canoe in A.D. 400.
Tito is fiercely proud of being Rapa Nuian, a bloodline that
has been mixed with those of Europe and South America
(Rapa Nui has been a territory of Chile since 1888). The peo-
ple look distinctly Polynesian, although leaner than natives on
other islands. Many of the young women would make
Gauguin weep with their latte skin, long, wavy hair and vel-
vety brown doe eyes. Six-pack stomachs and wedge-o-cheese
torsos are standard among men.
Tomorrow, Tito informed us, we will drive to the east
side of the island and see the moai factory on the volcano
Rano Raraku. This is where the moai were carved. We will
hike up to the crater near the quarry. Then we will return for
lunch and head out on another hike for sunset.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, AT THE TOP OF THE VOLCANIC
moai factory, the stark beauty of the island stretched out be-
fore us. Once blanketed by conifers and palm trees, Rapa Nui
is now barren and dramatically wild. Open fields are sparsely
covered with scrub and spiked grasses. From where I stood I
could see savage waves smashed against a pitted shoreline of
volcanic rock and filmy clouds streaking the pale blue sky. We
hiked across a plain near the coast and up the side of the ex-
tinct volcano, and all the while Tito clad head to toe in
Mountain Hardwear clothing explained the islands history.
The moai, he told us, were carved while still embedded in
the mountainside quarry, then sheared off and moved great
distances. A few incomplete heads are still enshrined in stony
graves, staring skyward after a hasty and unexplained aban-
donment. Greg Melville, a lanky, highly amusing Vermonter,
asked Tito if it were true that the island was denuded of trees
in order to use the trunks to roll the behemoth statues into
place, some many miles from the quarry.
The ancestors mana made the moai fly to their locations,
Tito replied with no apparent irony. I dared mutter the word
myth and was cut down with a withering glare. There are
no myths or legends on Rapa Nui, Tito lectured, You must
understand the power of Makemake and our mana.
Makemake is the Rapa Nui supreme god, and he is invinci-
ble thats easy to understand. Mana is more ineffable. Its
sort of spiritual machismo or charisma, and its the Rapa Nui
key to success in life. The best athletes have mana, social
leaders have mana, good dancers have mana, the town
Cassanova has mana. If you are a weakling, a nerd or an intro-
vert, your mana is in serious trouble. Tito, I guessed, felt
himself to be awash in mana.
A large dose of mana is required to compete in the islands
contemporary version of the Birdman competition: the
Tapati Festival, a two-week celebration held at the height of
summer (winter in North America). Work comes to a
screeching halt while the islanders party and compete in a va-
riety of artistic and athletic contests. Sporting events include
canoeing, spearfishing, horse racing, surfing, swimming and a
lunatic extreme-sport type of scree-sledding. Contestants are
required to dress in a loincloth and wear body paint; run
around a crater lake with a pole across their shoulders from
which a giant cluster of bananas dangles at each end; paddle
across the lake in a small, leaky reed raft; then swim back.
The Haka Pei is the most suicidal activity of all: It involves
hurtling down the scree flanks of a volcano inside the hol-
lowed-out trunk of a banana tree, still wearing the loincloth,
and reaching speeds of 60 miles an hour.
Happily, our guides seemed to accept that foreigners are
challenged in the mana department, so our activities were re-
stricted to exploits for the mana-less. And wherever we went,
whatever we did, there were always more moai. Some 250
moai stand on ahu sacred platforms around the perime-
ter of the island. They vary in height, but the average moai is
14.5 feet tall. It is thought that the culture of the moai first
arose in A.D. 700 and reached its apex between 1000 and B
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With dramatically painted
bodies, modern-day Rapa
Nuians invoke ancient
mana while competing in
the islands Tapati Festival.
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M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 81
1650. By 1864, however, every single moai had been toppled
in tribal wars, and not all have been re-erected. There are 250
now standing, and another 600 are either unfinished or ir-
reparably destroyed.
The obsession with moai was the ruin of the great Rapa
Nui civilization, or so say the archaeologists. They have deter-
mined that, contrary to Titos belief in the levitation powers of
mana, the moai were rolled into place using logs. The decline
of Rapa Nui reads like an apocalyptic TV advertisement pro-
duced by the Sierra Club. Once deforested, the islands soil
washed away, taking crops with it. Springs dried up, birds
stopped roosting, and there was no wood for fuel or from
which to carve canoes to fish. Famine and cannibalism set in,
and the population dwindled to the hundreds, the tenacious
ancestors of todays population. These days, the presence of
the once all-powerful moai is anachronistically eerie, a re-
minder of mans excesses as well as his accomplishments.
After the moais religious and political hold over the popula-
tion declined, the Birdman cult rose to power. Not only was
the competition the mother of all sporting contests, it was the
determiner of an annual shift in political structure. The winner
was crowned, and he determined the leadership of the island
for the following year, by nominating either himself or his pa-
tron. He was worshipped and his decrees were held sacred.
In the following days, I and a group of Explora guests would
rise, have a hearty breakfast and then head out on some ad-
venture. Yoyo, another Explora guide, happened to be one of
the islands preeminent surfers, which, as big-wave guru Laird
Hamilton would tell you, is no mean feat on Rapa Nuis mon-
ster barrels. Yoyo took us mountain biking through the
new-growth forests the islanders are planting. He showed us
cracks in the ground and demonstrated how to shove our bod-
ies through them. Contorting my shoulders, I crawled on my
knees through a pitch-dark, impossibly narrow tunnel that
abruptly widened into lofty caves, terminating in open wid-
ows that dropped hundreds of feet to the ocean below. Lore
has it that young girls were kept in these caves for months so
their skin would grow pale for festivals and weddings.
The lot of us hiked on unmarked trails to see ancient pic-
tographs of Makemake, the big-eyed creator of man, and we
circumambulated the Rano Kau crater lake at sunset. We
walked across isolated cow pastures and picnicked at the
shack of a few feral-looking gauchos, some of the last ranch-
ers left on the island. And always, at the end of each trail, the
Explora van awaited, with icy cervezas and a jug of pisco sour.
One hike took us for six hours along a rocky, remote north-
ern trail, past the seven equinox-gazing moai of Ahu Akivi and
through the ruins of the ancient and abandoned stone village
around Ahu Tepeu. We continued along the jagged, rocky
coastline toward Anakena, the most popular beach on the is-
land. There the van met us and drove us on dirt roads to
With little runoff from
the island, the surrounding
waters shimmer with a
clear, electric blue. Youll
have the beaches, like this
one at Ovahe, all to your-
self. If youd rather take a
dip in a volcanic lake, you
can head to the Rano
Raraku volcano.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 83
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Ovahe, a small cove protected from the swells of the open
ocean. The scene was more South Pacific paradise than any-
thing else Id seen on Rapa Nui. And on the white sand,
beside the peacock-blue waters, we discovered a seafood buf-
fet and bottles of Chilean vino tinto (red wine) set up for us.
After a hedonistic picnic, we swam and snorkeled before be-
ing driven back to the lodge for a siesta. My kind of triathlon.
Post-siesta, we hiked to Orongo, the Birdman center, along
unfenced cliffs. We sat among the ruins of this early Ironman
headquarters and watched the sun collapse into the empty
horizon. I stared down the sheer cliff the race competitors
scaled before plunging into the sea and wondered how many
of them died within minutes of beginning.
One evening, a group of us went to see the Kari-Kari
troupe perform traditional Rapa Nui dances at the Hotel
Hanga Roa. I imagined jaded locals flinging fire dressed in
grass skirts and coconut bras. Wrong. Arriving, I was immedi-
ately seduced by the thumping power and athleticism of the
dances and drumming. It didnt hurt that the dancers, war-
rior men and lithe women, were all in magnificent shape,
sparsely clad in feathers, flowers, shells and woven skirts or
loincloths, and were tattooed handsomely.
Afterward, Uri, a lovely Amazonian Explora guide,
brought us to Topatangi, a popular bar located in Hanga Roa.
Nightly, Topatangi has a live Rapa Nuian band best de-
s cr i bed as a cr os s bet ween Bob Mar l ey, Is r ael
Kamakawiwoole (a famous Hawaiian singer) and the Rolling
Stones. I sat timidly watching as the dance floor undulated
with the sensual moves of the locals.
Finally, after several pisco sours, the Vermonter, Greg,
stood up, offered me his hand and said, Right, lets show
these people what mana is all about, shall we?
Hey buddy, he yelled, pushing onto the dance floor
alongside Tito, ever seen this one? He put one hand on his
head, the other extended straight in front, and jerked around
in a semi-circle. Its called the sprinkler. And how about this
one one hand rested out in front and another plucked
things off imaginary shelves, This is the shopping cart dance.
Cool, huh? Real chick magnet. You should try it.
Our mana rating based on temerity alone rocketed. o
Chile
Easter
Island
Pacific Ocean
Easter Island
Anakena
Ovahe
Rano Raraku
Hanga Roa
Orongo
Motu Nui
Casas
Rapa Nui
(Explora
Lodge)
Rano Kau
FLY LAN Airlines to
Easter Island via
Santiago.
READ Kon-Tiki by Thor
Heyerdahl, or A Land
of Rocky Dreams by
Carlos Huber Schulz.
BRING cash. The ATMs
rarely work. U.S. dol-
lars are accepted, but
local currency is the
Chilean peso.
US$1 = 523 CLP
TAKE your passport to
the local post office for
a cool moai stamp.
TRY empanadas at
Playa Pea on Avenue
Policarpo.
GO TO
islandheritage.org
Happy Easter
Explora Easter Island Explora strives to bring out the traveler, not the
tourist, in you. Its tours range in length, but the focus is simple: walking
and observing, learning from a guide who is familiar with the terrain and
the moai, and eating picnic-style on the coastline. Programs start at
$1,230 per person for three nights of lodging, all meals, transfers and
tours. explora.com
Seaside for Less The Taha Tai Hotel is simply decorated and very clean with a pool for lounging and astonishing
ocean views. Book early, because its a popular pick and is often full. Rates start at $165. hotel-tahatai.co.cl
A Moveable Feast After watching islanders slide down a hillside riding the trunk of a banana tree wearing only a
loincloth, you would never believe that Easter Islands Tapati Festival held over two weeks each summer, begin-
ning in late January or early February was originally organized in 1975 as a tourist draw that only focused on
song and poetry. Now the event includes a parade, an island-style triathlon (substitute paddling across a lake for
bike riding) and competitions like tool-carving based on ancient methods. islandheritage.org
PLAN YOUR TRIP! islands.com/easterisland
Casas Rapa Nui
hopScotching
Hebrides
Inner
the
DAVID LANSING EMBARKS ON A WEE JOURNEY THROUGH SCOTTISH ISLANDS. ALONG THE WAY,
HE QUENCHES HIS THIRST WITH A DRAM OR TWO AND LOOKS TO HAIRY COOS FOR THE MEANING OF LIFE.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ROBERT WALLIS
Sign on for the Classic
Malts Cruise and sail
through the Inner
Hebrides. Youll see
breathtaking scenery
like the spectacular Paps
of Jura and stop for
tastings along the way.
F
86 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
INGERNAILS DIGGING INTO THE ASH-GRAY LEATHER SEAT IN
the back of a new-smelling Mercedes, I try hard very hard
to focus on the words spewing forth from my Glaswegian
taxi driver, Michael, and not on the horror I feel as we nar-
rowly miss an old man and his dog teetering on the edge of a
country road. Because Michael speaks as fast as he drives
(which is very fast), and because Im not breathing as blood
courses through my head from an unwelcome jolt of adrena-
line, I cant be certain of what he is saying, but it sounds
something like this: Thatcakeygrandadsgaunydohis
bunnitifthepolisticketimfordaunerindoontheroad.
We are hurtling along a curvaceous road in a fine gray
mist, following the rumpled shoreline of Loch Lomond, and
I am doing what I always do when I am scared witless: pho-
netically repeating, in my head, whatever it is I am hearing,
which, in this particular case, is Michaels blathering.
And then it suddenly hits me: I know exactly what he is say-
ing. Sort of. Hes saying, That foolish old man is going to be
hopping mad when a policeman tickets him for strolling down
the road. (What hes actually saying is, That cakey granddads
gauny do his bunnit if the polis ticket im for daunerin doon
the road, but never mind that; lets just go with my transla-
tion.) From that moment on, I understand Michael perfectly,
though there is just the slightest lag time between his seeming
gibberish and the translation that occurs in my brain.
Youllmizyourboatifbiggo-bi-the-wawdisnygetajildyon.
Ill miss my boat if that slacker doesnt get a move on. A
reference to the old crofter puttering along in a
wee car ahead of us.
Aye, wouldnt bubble even if Ah did, I say.
And by the surprised look in Michaels eyes re-
flected in the rearview mirror, I can see that hes
quite impressed that I can speak his language.
Well, well, well.
I have been in this Gaelic country for only a few
hours and already Im fluent in the local patois.
Itsnaeusegaunsailininthisweather, init no?
Michael babbles.
Translation: Its no use going sailing in this
weather, is it?
Aye, better to find a pub and get plootered,
I tell him.
Set your own program
and navigate the wind-
ing roads of Islay to its
seven distilleries, or
learn onboard as part
of Classic Malts. Below:
Ian Cockburn leads
a whisky tasting
on the Chantilly.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 87
Michael laughs heartily, both at the sentiment and at my
no doubt expert Glaswegian delivery. Then, as the
Mercedes side-view mirror rips through an overhang of wet
bracken, scattering tendrils of shredded green fern across
our windshield and over the cars boot, he tells me a story
that, now that I can understand him, is really quite amusing.
Its about how he and his pals were at a pub in Glasgow the
other night when someone nicked his beer.
Ah said, Dont act it, arse heid. Ah left a full pint standin
oan the bar when Ah went tae the lavvy. That brought im up,
init no? Hes no a bad guy really, jist bit of a bear.
I dont need to translate arse heid for you, do I? Or
lavvy? Thought not. You see, youre starting to understand
Glaswegian as well. Brilliant! Our story will move along much
more quickly if I dont have to translate everything.
I dont want you to get the wrong impression about
Michael. First of all, he is a most excellent driver. Already Ive
watched him nip in between several caravans (thats what
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 89
they call trailers over here), skillfully avoid oncoming lorries
(thats what they call trucks) and miraculously dart around a
suicidal deer that jumped in front of us out of nowhere in the
Argyll Forest. Secondly, its my fault, I fear, that were going
excessively fast. I missed my connection out of New York and
arrived in Glasgow a half-day late; at the airport, almost the
first words out of my mouth to Michael were, Ill miss my
boat if you dont get me to Oban in four hours.
Michael, to his credit, took this unexpected news with per-
fect aplomb. Shoving me into the back of the Mercedes as if I
were a kidnap victim, he grabbed my luggage and tossed it in
the cars boot, and off we went down the highway like a cou-
ple of bank robbers. Fine chap, Michael.
IVE COME TO SCOTLAND FOR A WHISKY CRUISE. EVERY YEAR IN
mid-July, a hundred boats of every size and shape gather in
the sheltered harbor of Oban, the gateway to the Inner
Hebrides off Scotlands western coast, for a weeklong tour of
three distilleries the Classic Malts Cruise. It sounds like
something for the rich and famous, I know, but its not. All you
need is a boat any sort of boat, really, as long as it can han-
dle the churlish Atlantic. After that, the entry fee is about the
equivalent of a bottle of a good single-malt Scotch whisky, and
with that you get about a hundred free whisky tastings, or
nosings as theyre called here. Sometimes you get to taste
single-malts you cant even buy. Or, if you could buy, couldnt
afford. Which is reason enough to be here.
Michael gets me to Oban just in time to throw my bags
aboard the Chantilly, my oceangoing home for the next week.
Oban is a popular resort town with what Id call a somewhat
pimply complexion of fish-and-chips shops and tartan kitsch,
but the biggest draw in town is the distillery, which sits
scrunched up against a steep hill just a block away from the
Chantillys moorings. Maybe Im just imagining things, but as
I walk along the docks to the distillery, past the dreary War and
Peace Museum (which, thankfully, isnt open) and Nevis
Bakery (which displays the awards it has won for its bridie and
Scotch pies) and smell the air full of brine and seaweed,
smoke and tarry rope its the same pungent flavors I inhale
minutes later when I stick my nose into a glass of a 14-year-old
Oban single-malt at the ceilidh held at the distillery to cele-
brate the start of the cruise.
Its a lovely dram. I take another sniff and, once again,
theres very much a smell of seaweed, as if you had put your
hand in wet tidal sand and then smelled it. Thats what Oban
both the town and the whisky smells like.
The ceilidh (pronounced KAY-lee) is a marvelous affair,
full of food and music and whisky. Its a bit like a large family-
reunion picnic in the Deep South on a hot summer day with
your uncles Clarence and Billy Bob standing off to the side
smoking joints and drinking Southern Comfort out of paper
bags while a boom box blares Sweet Home Alabama.
Except its cold and rainy here and Uncles Clarence and Billy
Bob are a couple of bearded Scots in kilts and the music
comes from a bunch of bagpipers and everyone is getting
plootered on a briny 14-year-old single-malt whisky. Other
than that, its the same thing.
HIS NAME IS GRAHAMMOSS, ANDHES THE CHANTILLYS CAPTAIN.
Hes one of those inscrutable outdoorsy types, the kind who
isnt married and doesnt hold on to girlfriends for long be-
cause hes always sailing single-handedly to the other side of
What better way to taste
Talisker whisky than
anchored off Skye near
the distillery, with the
Cuillin Mountains as back-
drop? Opposite, at right:
Author David Lansing
ponders the intricacies of
a fine single-malt.
Atlantic
Ocean
Skye
Rhum
Eigg
Mull
Iona
Oban
Islay
Jura
Arran
Kinloch Castle
Barnhill
Baile Mor
Port Charlotte Hotel
Lagavulin
Ardberg
Craighouse
Caol Ila
Kennacraig
Scotland
Kintyre
Peninsula
Glasgow
Talisker
B
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Lord John Macleod, the
29th chief of the Macleod
clan, oars his way toward
Skyes Dunvegan Castle,
where his family has lived
for 800 years.
For a taste of the Inner
Hebrides, drink whisky,
nibble cheeses, visit dis-
tilleries like Bruichladdich
on Islay and listen to
Scottish pipe bands when
they take to the streets.
92 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
the world or leading a small group of explorers up some
mountain peak in South America. Hes pleasant enough, in a
Scottish Humphrey Bogart sort of way, but doesnt talk much,
and when he does, its usually only in response to a question.
On the first day of our cruise, as we sail down the Sound of
Jura in gloomy seas, I naively ask Graham why the winds have
changed direction in the afternoon. With great exasperation
he says, Do you know nuthin about how the weather works?
Well, no, Graham. Im sorry, but I dont.
So with a huff he breaks out an isobaric chart, spreads it
across a table and goes over such things as low-pressure
systems and high-pressure systems and clockwise winds
and counterclockwise winds.
Now do you understand? he says gruffly.
The easy thing to do, of course, would be to lie. Instead, I
say, Look, Im from Los Angeles. We dont have weather.
Properly disgusted, he goes back on deck to stand stoically
at the helm, watching out for some big, nasty-looking seabird
called a great skua that Graham swears will swoop down on
us and pluck out our eyes if were not vigilant.
I stay below, avoiding the killer wildlife topside, and help
myself to a dram of Laphroaig, a smoky, peaty, medicinal
whisky from Islay (ISLE-la), the first stop on our wandering
adventure. But before we put in at Islay, Id like you to meet
Topi Morris. Topi is the cook on our cruise. Shes also a veg-
etarian, which worried me until our first meal at sea when
she whipped up a Cullen skink that was as fine as anything
youd get in a good Edinburgh restaurant. Most of you, Im
sure, are perfectly knowledgeable about Cullen skink, but
for the two or three of you out there who arent, Ill indulge
in a slight digression: Cullen skink is to the Hebrides what
clam chowder is to New England. In fact, its very similar to
clam chowder, the main difference being that instead of
clams, Cullen skink calls for smoked haddock. Topis Cullen
skink is brilliant, neither too thick nor too watery.
Anyway, early on in the cruise, Topi and I come to an un-
spoken understanding: She lets me sit below deck sampling
the plethora of single-malts cached in a cabinet in exchange
for me gushing about her culinary prowess. Its an arrange-
ment we both find suitable.
Topi, what was that fabulous concoction you served us for
breakfast this morning?
You mean the bacon butties?
Marvelous!
Oh, now, now. Wait till you try my haggis and neeps
tonight. Lovely with a wee bit of the Lagavulin. Have you
tried that one yet? Let me get it for you.
IF YOU WERE GOING TO VISIT JUST ONE HEBRIDEAN ISLAND TO
taste whisky, it would have to be Islay. The place is chock-
ablock with distilleries, all with distinctive,
individual flavors. Theyre tucked into hillsides
and hidden by small bays, as befits their former
status as illegal stills. Sailing up the Sound of
Islay near the ruins of Dunyvaig Castle, we spot
the pagodas of Lagavulin Distillery. Some people
say that just as St. Andrews is the spiritual home
of golf, Lagavulin is the spiritual home of scotch.
Just beyond that is Ardbeg, which, like all the
distilleries along the coast here, has whitewashed
walls, a black roof and its name in enormous let-
ters painted in black on a seaward wall.
But we are bound for Caol Ila (kull-EE-la), a
modern distillery with ancient roots that teeters
on the hilly shore like a colossal white rock on the
brink of spilling into the sea. Ashore, several of us
follow the manager, Billy Stitchell, into the distill-
ery, where four massive copper stills stand
bubbling away in front of ocean-facing windows
that look toward the Paps of Jura across the sound.
Islay has the most. To
see where Macbeth is
buried, go to Iona, which
also has an abbey that
was built in the early
13th century.
There are many treasures
hidden among these
Scottish islands. To look
for hairy coos, head to
Skye and Arran. If its
distilleries youre after,
94 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
Billy pours several of us a dram of crystal-clear New Make,
which is what whisky is called after its distilled but before
its aged in oak casks. At 70 percent alcohol by volume, it
shrivels my tongue and clears my sinuses but still shows off
that unmistakable toffee-caramel taste.
Our group of tasters includes several Brits who have been
sailing aboard a magnificent 56-foot gaff-rigged cutter named
Eda Frandsen. A tall chap with a walrus mustache, wearing a
cotton-candy-colored polo shirt with the collar turned up at
the neck, sniffs an 18-year-old whisky Billy has just poured us
and, in a very proper British accent, says, Im getting dried
prawn shells in the nose on this one, Billy.
Dried prawn shells? Its all Billy and I can do to keep from
snorting this fine whisky as we try and hold back our laughter.
Typical toff nonsense, Billy whispers to me.
Whats a toff? I whisper back.
Upper-class British arse heid, Billy says. (Now arent you
glad you can understand Scottish?)
The toff, who I later discover happens to be a rather well-
respected whisky writer from London, makes similarly
ridiculous comments about various expressions of Caol Ila
whisky. He finds the 12-year-old tastes of shellacked sandal-
wood and a rare cask-strength whisky to have a lot of
fruitcake taste, although now that I think about it, its more
the smell of the mix before you actually bake the cake.
What I want to know is this: How would anyone know what
shellacked sandalwood tastes like?
That evening I have my first shower in three days in the
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 95
workers locker room inside the distillery. I shave at a sink by
the window. The sea is calm, the sky a bruised purple, and just
below me, on rocks by the distillery pier, is an otter cracking
open mussels for his supper. Perhaps its just a wash and a
change of clothes, or maybe its the fine whisky Ive enjoyed all
afternoon, but I feel content for no particular reason. Happy
in the stillness of my moody surroundings. Perhaps I should
come back to this island at the end of my cruise and explore it
further with a car and driver. I wonder if Michael is available?
AS BEFITS MY RATHER SUDDEN SPIRITUAL AWAKENING, THE
next afternoon we anchor off Iona, a smallish, rocky island
near the ragged tip of the Ross of Mull. Iona has absolutely
nothing to do with whisky. It is, however, the cradle of Scottish
Christianity, the place where St. Columba established a
church in A.D. 563. Graham ferries me ashore in a tiny rub-
ber tender, dropping me off on a treacherous stretch of rocky
tide pools with instructions to hike through the green till you
find the road. The green turns out to be a steep, mushy
slope of cow pasture, full of all kinds of bovine souvenirs. Not
only does the grazing herd take offense at my sudden intru-
sion, so does their owner, who storms out of a stone farmhouse
yelling indecipherable Scottish epithets at me. Sneakers wet
and oozing, I scramble over a barbed-wire fence, cutting my
thumb in the process, certain that Graham is sitting comfort-
ably aboard the Chantilly, binoculars in hand, chuckling to
The main town on
Skye is Portree. It
got its name, which
is Gaelic for
Kings Port, after
King James V
visited in 1540.
FLY to Glasgow on
Continental from New
York, then take a taxi,
bus or train to Oban.
TOUR the red sandstone
Kinloch Castle, which
was built in 1901 on the
island of Rhum.
kcfa.org.uk
MUST EAT Cullen skink,
haggis and fried Mars
bars; or just try the lob-
ster.
MUST POUR David
Lansings top whisky
pick: Taliskers select
175th Anniversary.
SPEND pounds:
1=US$1.76.
FIND OUT MORE at
visitscotland.com.
Scotch Reel
Jump Aboard Sail in the Classic Malts Cruise (July 15-29, 2006). You
need your own boat and a palate ready to appreciate whiskys subtle
flavors. The entry fee ($168 per person, with a minimum two people)
covers stops at three distilleries where you can chow down on barbe-
cue, dance a jig and toss back the requisite dram of whisky. The sailing
starts at the Oban Distillery, on Scotlands west coast. From there youll
choose your own route to Talisker on the Isle of Skye and then to
Lagavulin on Islay. Feel free to venture over to other distilleries to
taste their goods. worldcruising.com/classicmaltscruise
Whisky Dreams Surround yourself in Victorian comfort at the Port
Charlotte Hotel. The hotels restaurant carries around 110 whiskies from
both Islay and Jura. Rooms start at $193, including breakfast.
portcharlottehotel.co.uk
Hopscotching The Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service is a convenient
way to travel among the Inner Hebrides. CalMac, as it is known by the
locals, ferries people to and from 22 islands and four peninsulas. You
can recreate the whisky trail trip by purchasing a Scottish Island Whisky
Hopscotch ticket for a preplanned route to islands with well-known dis-
tilleries. calmac.co.uk/whisky-hopscotch.html
1984 George Orwell wrote his career-defining tome at Barnhill on Jura.
Rent the five-bedroom farmhouse he stayed in for $791 per week and
you may find the solitude to start your own novel. lennieston@aol.com
PLAN YOUR TRIP! islands.com/scotland
Classic Malts Cruise
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96 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
himself as he watches me. Arse heid.
Its a wee walk down an unpaved
country lane into the village of Baile
Mor, a mecca for pilgrims from around
the world who come here to find sol-
ace in the restored medieval abbey
and the peaceful ruins of the nunnery.
Feeling soggy and wanting to get out
of the harsh winds, I step into garden-
shed-size St. Orans chapel, which was
built around the year 1200. At the
front is a simple stone altar and next to
it is a wooden cross. Scribbled notes,
on the backs of matchbook covers or
on torn slips of paper, are mounted on
the cross with pushpins.
I want to live here forever.
Ailigh, 6
If you cant find Inner Peace on
this island, youll find it nowhere.
Kam
Graham picks me up from the same
rocky shore several hours later and,
with a smirk, asks me how the hike to
Baile Mor was. I smile benevolently
and say, Lovely. Absolutely lovely.
He looks at my ruined shoes and no-
tices my bloody hand, but doesnt
comment. We motor back to the
Chantilly in silence. That night, after I
go to bed, he carefully washes my red
Converse sneakers; in the morning they
sit, good as new, drying in the sun on
the deck. Neither of us says a word
about the transformation.
We sail in high winds and 12- to 15-
foot seas past the Small Isles of Muck
and Eigg to Rhum, population 30, to
visit Kinloch Castle, sort of the Hearst
mansion of the Hebrides. Built in 1901
by a crazy industrialist named Sir
George Bullough, this wildly extrava-
gant turreted estate is open for a quirky
tour once a day in the summer. Having
arrived an hour or so before the tour, we
walk along the heavily forested coastal
road to the community hall/general
store where Lewis, who is 9, sits on a tall
stool behind the counter watching over
such items as canned chocolate sponge
pudding, Scrumpy Jack English cider
and, on the top shelf, three bottles of
whisky. On the counter, next to Lewis,
is something called an anti-midge hood,
which looks a lot like a beekeepers bon-
net. I ask Lewis how much it is.
You dont want that, he says.
Why not? I ask.
He shrugs. Doesnt work. Midgies
just fly right through it.
Thinking it will make a nice souvenir,
I tell him Ill take it anyway.
He refuses. Wouldnt do to sell you
something that doesnt work, he says.
Since he wont sell me the anti-midge
hood, I go next door to the community
hall, which also serves as a sort of ersatz
caf. Lewis follows me in and stands
silently at my table. When I ask him
whats on the menu today, he says, Tea
and Scottish pancakes.
Well everything sounds good, Lewis,
but I think Ill have the tea and Scottish
pancakes. He nods and slowly writes
the order down on a pad of paper. While
waiting for my tea, I take a look at the
bulletin board, which has a chart detail-
ing every islanders role for the week.
Bar staff: Fliss, Niall, Sean, Ed
Boat duty: Leslie, Karl
Butchering, mincing: Derek, Gordon
Store, caf: Lewis, Rhys, Porta
I guess today is Lewis day. I wonder
if Rhys or Porta would have sold me the
anti-midge hood.
The tour of Kinloch Castle is interest-
ing in a creepy sort of way. Sir George
obviously had some issues. The first
room is filled with dead animals. The
guide implores us not to step on the
lion. Or the leopard. Twenty or 30 deer
heads stare placidly at us from the walls.
There are also several glass cases filled
with dozens of dead stuffed birds.
Upstairs in the library are photo albums
full of sepia shots of Sir George at be-
headings in China or admiring torture
devices in the Far East. And a few
books of Vi ctori an pornography.
Hmmmm methinks Sir George was
a bit kinky, which, perhaps, explains
why he spent the equivalent of $27 mil-
lion in todays terms to build a castle far,
far away from civilization.
ITS BEEN A LONG, DIFFICULT DAY OF
sailing in extremely rough conditions, so
as we continue north, late in the day I
suggest to Graham that perhaps we
should just take up anchorage in one of
the many uninhabited bays we pass.
He looks at me as if I were a mad-
man. Only a fool would spend the
night where it is so peopled by ghosts,
he says. This has something to do with
The Highland Clearances in Scotland
(which are always capitalized, just like
The Great Famine in Ireland). The
Clearances happened 200 years ago,
but everyones still a bit tetchy about it,
so while Id like to tell Graham to bug-
ger the damn ghosts, I keep my mouth
shut. We finally putter in to Loch
Scavaig on the southern end of Skye,
where seals snooze on the rocks in the
Scottish gloaming as we dine on fish-
cakes and an assortment of Isle of Arran
cheeses, sipping a lovely 10-year-old
Talisker whisky that has a hint of chili
flavor and verily dances on my tongue.
(I know I sound like the British toff.)
I am in heaven.
In the morning, we slowly motor
through the fog past the shrouded
Cuillin Hills, with waterfalls spilling
down mossy cliffs into the sea, to Loch
Harport and the Talisker Distillery, the
end of my sea journey. That night, fol-
lowing an afternoon of touring and
nosings led by Charlie Smith, the distill-
ery manager, there is a final ceilidh up
A sip of Superstition speaks of
peat and a perfect moment in the
gloaming of a Scottish sunset.
Learn the difference between a
10-, a 16- and a 21-year-old whisky
at isleofjura.com/whiskyrange/
superstition.asp.
BRING BACK SCOTCH FROM JURA
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 97
on the hill. I sit outside, despite the
midges, and soak it all in.
Inexplicably, I feel melancholy. Sad
to be off the boat, I suppose. End of the
cruise and all that. I even feel like Im
going to miss Graham. In fact, I have
this sudden, almost panicky feeling that
I dont want to go home. That I should
stay here, in this little village, and do
something purposeful with my life like
be a shrimp fisherman or open a tapas
bar. Everything here is so peaceful.
And in its place.
Perhaps sensing my mood, Charlie,
who with his flashing blue eyes and firm
chin looks a bit like a kilt-wearing Paul
Newman, holds his glass of whisky out
in front of him and says, Sitting here,
its easy to forget what year it is. Its just
the way it was a hundred years ago. Its
not hard to imagine someone sitting
here, a very long time ago, looking at
this same view, taking warmth and sol-
ace from a wee dram of whisky, just as
were doing.
I gently stick an elbow in Charlies
side, ribbing him for being sentimental.
Nay, its true, says Graham. Theres
a kind of sacred notion in the drinking
of whisky in a place like this. Then he
pauses for a moment as the three of us
take in the magnificence of our sur-
roundings. I mean, here we are, he
continues in a low voice. Looking at the
ageless sea and the green hills, sipping
our whisky, and its all just heart-
breaking, isnt it?
Ever the wise guy, I tell Graham that
Im considering staying here and open-
ing a tapas bar.
You should think hard about it,
Graham says in all seriousness. Really.
And for just a fleeting moment, I do.
I HAVE A NEW DRIVER, CHARLES. HES
very different from Michael. For one
thing, he always wears a tie and a sports
coat. Hes also, shall we say, a more con-
servative driver. After a lunch of trout
washed down with a bracing Kelpie
seaweed ale, Charles suddenly drops
Charlotte Hotel, which Ive chosen be-
cause its just a short walk down the
road from one of my favorite distilleries,
Bruichladdich, and because the hotels
small but marvelous restaurant offers
up 110 whiskies from Islay and Jura (in-
off the main highway and onto a narrow
one-lane country road that follows the
contours of the Orchy River through
Glen Orchy. Its what Charles calls a
GWR Great Wee Road.
Our desti nati on i s Isl ays Port
98 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
cluding 22 from Bruichladdich alone!).
Charles knows I have my heart set on
dinner at the Port Charlotte Hotel, so
he calls ahead and puts in our order
for steamed mussels and a bottle of
French Viognier.
The next morning I have my first full
Scottish breakfast or FSB, as
Charles calls it. Every hotel, inn and
bed-and-breakfast I stay in for the next
week will offer an FSB. There are
small variances, of course, but basically
an FSB includes an offering of cereal,
yogurt and canned grapefruit slices as
a starter, followed by a plate of rashers
(bacon), sausage, eggs, black pudding,
grilled tomato, mushrooms and several
slices of toast. Along with juice and
coffee or tea. That is a standard FSB.
And that is why, in a week of traveling,
I stop for lunch only once.
The roads on Islay are narrow and
lined with bracken and wildflowers: del-
icate foxglove, creamy astilbe, frilly
Queen Anns lace, Monet-colored lilies
and arching penstemon, as well as wild
gooseberries, goldenrod, daisies, purple
thistle, fuchsias and the odd lilac. Its a
riotous border of color enclosing fields
of lime-green grazing pastures. This is
the landscape van Gogh would have
painted had he been Scottish.
THE FERRY FROM ISLAY TO JURA IS NO
more than five minutes, the sound so
narrow here that Jura deer will often try
to swim across to what looks like Islays
greener pastures. Which makes sense
when you realize that there are 175
people on Jura and more than 6,000
deer, leading Charles to wonder aloud
on the ferry why the deer havent
kicked the islanders off in a revolt.
Jura has only one road, but it is the ul-
timate GWR. The windy country road
from the ferry landing to Craighouse,
where the Isle of Jura distillery is lo-
cated, seems absolutely indulgent once
you see the road north from there. Youd
think anyplace that actually had a going
concern like a whisky distillery couldnt
really be called a village, but theres
nothing else to call Craighouse. As
Michael Heads, the distillery manager
says, Weve got one pub, one shop and
one wee hotel here. Thats about it. The
village is monochromatic, which is true
of most of the villages in the Hebrides.
Charles says that if you live here you can
paint your house any color you like as
long as its black and white.
Charles and I sit in Michaels office
nosi ng a new expressi on cal l ed
Superstition. To make it, the island peat
has to be cut at a particular time of year
when it has a certain amount of mois-
ture and oil in it; if its not cut at just the
right time, the whisky is off. Thats why
its called Superstition. The smoke in the
whisky is apparent, as is the brine. When
I mention this to Michael, he says, The
whisky toffs say theres no way the salt
can get into the whisky, but I dont be-
lieve it. You walk down the land and
youre licking salt off your lips. Tell me
how the whisky can not taste of brine?
FROMHERE ITS ANOTHER FIVE MILES OR
so down an impossibly wee road that
has even Charles holding his breath
from time to time. Finally we come to
the end of the paved road, and Mike
Richardson is waiting for us beside a
gate, beyond which is a rough, bumpy
single-track dirt road that eventually
leads to Barnhill, the isolated farm-
house where, in the late 1940s, George
Orwell lived and wrote 1984. Mike,
who turned 70 last September, has lived
on this beautiful but melancholy stretch
of Juras north coast for almost 30 years.
As we bounce along at five miles per
hour, Mike says, This road is exactly the
way it was when Orwell drove his BSA
motorbike over it 55 years ago. In fact, it
might have been better back then.
We sit on a wooden bench in front of
Orwells house looking out at the stone
field walls from the Bronze Age, the
cherry trees Orwell planted and the bay
from which he launched a 14-foot
dinghy in an attempt to circumnavigate
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100 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
the island, only to capsize just up the
coast at the treacherous Corryvreckan
whirlpool where he almost drowned. Or
at least thats the conventional version of
the story. Mike says its nonsense.
Bullocks. He wasnt anywhere near
the Corryvreckan, he says. He was
with his son and they were headed for a
small island along the west coast to col-
lect puffin eggs and when they stepped
out of the boat, it capsized and they
were stuck on the island for three hours
until a fisherman picked them up.
Thats the real tale.
Later, we have tea at Mikes house
near Barnhill with his wife, Joan, and
their parrot and donkey. Mike says the
parrot is 85 years old and was given to
his mother by a young sailor heading off
for the Great War. The donkey, at 37,
is the baby of the family. Its a two-hour
drive from here to the small store in
Craighouse, so the Richardsons are
mostly self-sufficient, as one would
need to be living in a 200-year-old
house with three-foot-thick stone walls
where water comes from a well and
electricity from a generator.
He holds his cup of tea on his lap
and tells us stories of the island: of
Orwell visiting his farm (He was a
wounded animal looking for some-
place to hide, so he came to Jura), of
his days as a fisherman and of the diffi-
culty of raising his three children here.
Its not until Charles clears his throat
and purposefully looks at his watch
that I realize if we dont hurry, well
miss the last ferry off the island.
TECHNICALLY, THE ISLE OF ARRAN ISNT
part of the Inner Hebrides; its sepa-
rated from Islay and Jura by the Kintyre
Peninsula, part of the mainland. But I
want to go there because Charles tells
me t hey have l ot s of hai ry coos.
Officially called Highland cattle, hairy
coos have shaggy reddish-brown hair
and dopey eyes, mostly hidden behind
their bangs, and look like they ought to
be characters in a Muppet movie.
Once off the ferry at Lochranza, we
drive a GWR along the western coast,
watching gannets dive-bomb for their
breakfast in Catacol Bay, stopping at a
cheese shop near Lamlash. Were the
only ones in the place, except for the
clerk, an elderly librarian-type who,
from the way she follows me around,
seems to think Im here to make off
with as much Hebridean herb cheddar
cheese as possible. Theres a mustard
cheese and a claret-flavored cheese and
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 101
a chili cheese, but best of all, there is a
whisky cheese called Islander.
I decide I must take a photo of the
cheeses stacked in colorful rows, but
when I take my camera out, the little
lady running the shop says, rather snap-
pily, What are you doing?
I tell her Im taking a picture. Of the
cheeses. She looks at me in disgust.
Is there a problem? I ask her.
I would have thought youd ask first,
she sniffs, arms crossed over her chest.
To photograph cheese?
Aye.
In the car, Charles smiles and tell
me to take no notice. Shes just an old
nippy sweetie, he says. Scotland is
full of them. Theyre the ones who
generally dont like whisky.
WE CONTINUE TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE
island, all the while looking for hairy
coos. We see caves where they say
Robert the Bruce hid and the Holy
Island, owned by Buddhist monks from
Samye Ling. But no hairy coos. To con-
s ol e me, Char l es t akes me t o a
fish-and-chips shop and we get deep-
fried battered Mars bars (cooked in the
same pot used for the fish and chips).
Eventually we end up at the Arran
Distillery, where the manager, Gordon
Mitchell, a wee chap who rocks back
and forth on the balls of his feet when
he talks, lifting up on his toes to empha-
size a point, seems only too happy to
spend the afternoon with us.
Were the second-smallest distillery
in Scotland, but were mighty, he says.
In a conspiratorial whisper, he tells me,
Ive got a whisky that I think is going to
get a gold medal next year. I really do.
With the excitement of a child stum-
bling toward the yuletide tree on
Christmas morning, Gordon takes us to
a corner of the cask warehouse. The first
two casks are single-malts from 1997
that are owned by Prince Harry and his
brother, Prince William, their names
stenciled in white. Next to those is a
cask owned by actor Ewan McGregor.
(Continued on page 105)
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nature above and below the water,
Bonaire is an ideal destination for couples
and families. See page 101
Central America
34. Belize Tourist Board - Mother Natures
Best Kept Secret. Choose your adventure!
On the Caribbean coast of Central
America 2 hrs from the U.S. See pages
41,48
35. Captain Morgans Retreat - Belize -
Every detail has been designed for your
exceptional vacation. See page 48
36. Ramons Village - Belize - Exotic
beachside island paradise, Palm Thatched
Cabanas, Fabulous restaurant, Scuba
Diving. See page 48
37. Roatan Charter - Honduras & Belize -
Tropical beach resorts, Mayan ruins, and
jungle and mountain adventure lodges.
Lowest airfare. 24 years experience. See
page 107
38. Sueno del Mar - Belize - Carefree
Caribbean Living. Worlds #1 dive spot.
Fish or sun on our white sand beach. See
page 48
39. SunBreeze Beach Hotel - Belize -
Great location, superb value, friendly
efficient service, a/c rooms, restaurant,
bar, gift shop, massage studio, dive shop.
See page 48
FREE Travel Information
F R E E b r o c h u r e s , c a t a l o g s a n d o t h e r a d v e r t i s e r i n f o r m a t i o n
ISLANDS
102 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
40. Victoria House - Belize - Is the clear
standard against which all resorts should
measure themselves. See page 48
Florida
41. Hawks Cay Resort - Duck Key - A
place to celebrate your love in the heart
of the Florida Keys. See page 100
42. Pier House Resort & Spa - Key West -
An attitude, an ambiance, an address like
no other. Join us at Key Wests premier
waterfront resort. See page 100
43. Sonesta Beach Resort Key Biscayne -
Key Biscayne - A tropical island paradise
minutes from Miami. Enjoy our beach, golf,
spa, 8 restaurants and bar. See page 97
44. Sunset Key Guest Cottages - Key
West - A romantic escape on 27-acre
secluded island paradise 10-minutes by
launch from Key West. See page 100
45. Florida Keys and Key West - No
Passport Required! A 120 mile chain of
beautiful islands that you can drive to just
off the coast of Southern Florida. See
page 100
46. Visit Florida USA - Florida - Lush green
palm trees, white sand beaches and gen-
tly lapping azure surf. See page 23
Hawaii
47. Brookfield Home Hawaii, Inc - Golf
course views and world-class resort
amenities. Renew your spirit and live the
difference with an island home. See
pages 6-7
48. Hanalei Colony Resort - Kauais only
north shore oceanfront resort - Unspoiled,
unplugged, unforgettable. Call today for
7th night free promotion. See page 18
49. Hawaii Visitors and Conventions
Bureau - In Hawaii, the crystal clear
ocean coaxes you to surf, snorkel and
dive. See insert
50. Kaanapali Beach Hotel - Maui -
Discover Mauis Hawaiian Hotel.
Kaanapali Beach Hotel is the ideal vaca-
tion experience for travelers worldwide.
See page 107
51. Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club -
Discover the beauty of this enchanting re-
sort on Kalapaki Beach. Experience cham-
pionship golf, ocean activities & Hawaiis
largest swimming pool. See page 20
52. Kauai Visitors Bureau - From endless
beaches to green valleys, discover Kauai.
Request a Free travel planner today. See
page 39
53. Prince Resorts Hawaii - Big Island,
Maui, Oahu - Four luxurious oceanfront
resorts on three Hawaiian Islands. Enjoy
the best beaches, championship golf &
exquisite cuisine. See page 33
54. Princeville Resort - Kauai - A place of
stunning beauty and romantic harmony.
Princeville, a spectacular setting for your
island vacation. See page 43
55. Turtle Bay Resort - Set on the leg-
endary North Shore, Turtle Bay Resort is
the only true luxury resort on Oahu. See
page 105
Mexico
56. Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Holistic
Retreat & Spa - Cabo San Lucas -
For a spiritual wellness experience
unlike any other, discover yourself at
Cabos only holistic resort for adults.
See pages 4-5
57. Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort
& Spa - Cabo San Lucas - The warmth
of a magnificent Mexican home awaits
in this oceanfront setting of relaxed luxury.
See pages 4-5
58. Viceroy Rivieria Maya - Mexico -
Relax and play in luxury at the newest
resorts and residences in the Riviera
Maya. See page 35
South Pacific
59. Down Under Answers Travel -
Cook Islands - Specializing exclusively
in Cook Islands and South Pacific
destinations. Knowledgeable, friendly,
competitve pricing, excellent service.
See page 107
60. Tahiti Tourisme - Vacation planning,
including current Special Offers, for Tahiti
and her Islands - Moorea, Bora Bora,
Rangiroa etc. See page 21
Vacation Rentals
61. Areana Villas - British Virgin Islands -
See page 111
62. Bluefields Bay Villas - Jamaica- See
page 111
63. Calypso Realty - USVI - See page 108
64. Caribbean Villas & Resort Mgmt. -
Caribbean - See page 108
65. Catered ToVacation Homes - USVI -
See page 108
66. Creative Leisure - Multiple Locations -
See page 112
67. Destination Resort Hawaii - Hawaii -
See page 111
68. Destination St. John - St. John, USVI -
See page 108
69. East Sister Rock Island - Florida Keys -
See page 111
70. Fort Recovery Estates - St. Thomas,
USVI - See page 111
71. Hideaway Beach Resort - Dominican
Republic - See page 111
72. ICI & LA St Barthelemy - St. Barts -
See page 110
73. Lacovia Condominiums - Grand
Cayman - See page 110
74. Ocean Point Villas - Turks & Caicos -
See page 110
75. Prestigious Properties - Turks &
Caicos - See page 112
76. ReMax Island Properties -
St. Maarten/St. Martin - See page 112
77. Slient Waters Villa - Jamaica - See
page 112
78. St. Barth Properties Inc. - St. Barts -
See page 110
79. St. John Properties Inc. - USVI - See
page 109
80. Suite St. John Inc. - St. John, USVI -
See page 108
81. Tierra Del Sol - Aruba - See page 112
82. Villa Rococo - Jamaica - See page 112
83. Villas By Linda Smith - Jamaica - See
page 110
84. Westin Resort St. John - St. John,
USVI - See page 109
85. WIMCO - Multiple Locations - See
page 109
86. Windspree - St. John, USVI - See
page 109
Simply fill out the attached reply card and mail for FREE brochures, catalogs and other advertiser info.
For faster service, fax toll-free to 888.847.6035 or visit www.islands.com/freeinfo and make your
request online.
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 103
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 105
Its as though the casks are newborn
triplets and Gordon the proud father. In
fact, this is a whisky nursery of sorts.
All around us are other peoples
whisky barrels, their signatures and
dates scribbled on them like autographs
in a baseball program. Each barrel,
which holds about 100 bottles of
whisky, is owned by an individual. Or a
couple. Or a group of friends. Its the
distillerys unique way of raising funds
to finance the enterprise, which started
up a decade ago. Own your own barrel
of whisky. It costs a thousand pounds,
plus 20 quid per bottle to the govern-
ment about $5,200. And you have to
wait three years for it to age. But at the
end, you get 100 bottles, each with your
own label on it. I consider the possibil-
ity: Lansing Single-Malt Whisky.
On my last night on the island,
Charles and I have what is, without a
doubt, my best dinner since getting
off the Chantilly. Its in Brodick at
Creelers seafood restaurant. We start
with smoked salmon followed by a
whole lobster from the north coast that
Sam, the chef, tells me came in kickin
just this morning.
For dessert we order a trio of Arran
cheese, including the whisky cheese,
along with a dram of 10-year-old single-
malt of Arran. I feel expansive. I feel
emotional. I feel as if I am exactly
where I should be at this moment in
time, and whether its the north-coast
lobster, the Arran cheese, the whisky or
just the good company, I couldnt tell
you. And it doesnt matter.
Driving back to our little bed-and-
breakfast, Charles senses my Scottish
euphoria and, without saying a word, ig-
nores the turnoff to our hotel and drives
along the coast. It is 10 on a late sum-
mer eve in Scotland, but its still light
out: the gloaming. The most glorious
time, in my mind, in all the day. The sky
is layers of orange, purple and pale
blue, particularly toward the mountains
behind us. The sea, beside us, is calm.
We drive and drive on a GWR out
through the country until suddenly
Charles slams on the brakes and we
come to a halt in the middle of nowhere.
Without saying a word, Charles gets
out of the car. I follow. He is staring off
toward the sea. There, just on the other
side of the fence, are two silent, magnif-
icent hairy coos, staring back at us.
Oh my god, I whisper.
Charles smiles but doesnt say a
word. Theyre stoic and serene and
wise-looking. Like bovine Buddhas.
BACK AT OUR BED-AND-BREAKFAST, I
cant stand it. I am so content. Charles
goes to his room, but I head off to the
lounge, which is little more than a
home bar, and ask the innkeeper to
pour me an Arran whisky with just a
wee touch of water. I take my whisky
out into the garden and sit in an old
rickety wooden garden chair facing the
hills that are known as Goat Fell.
Theres a lot that happens emotion-
ally while traveling. Its not really about
finding the perfect dram or hoping to
spot a hairy coo, though, of course,
thats part of it. Its more about what
happens inside you. Its about the
thoughts you have and the cinematic
dreams that come over you at night
when youre outside your comfort zone.
Its about the possibilities of your life.
Sitting in the gloaming, drinking my
whisky, I contemplate grounding myself
for a year in some small village such as
Port Ellen and maybe buying the pub,
now closed, where, years ago, an artist
painted a mural of Islay scenes depict-
ing the local people in exchange for a
dram or two or three of whisky. I
consider the possibility of living in
Barnhill, George Orwells old house on
Jura, and finishing the novel Ive toyed
with for five years. I sip my whisky and
think hard about all the possibilities.
Here on a small isle off the western
coast of Scotland.
And Im really thinking about it,
Graham. All of it.
Im thinking hard. o
SCOTLAND (Continued from page 101)
ISLAND MARKET
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Catered to offers a bit of paradise
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U.S. Virgin Islands
Welcome to Americas paradise, the
lush tropical delight of the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
Whether you seek an adventure filled
with snorkeling, hiking and horseback
riding, or a relaxing week of tennis,
golf and fishing, youll find what you
desire on these pristine islands.
Check out the following pages to
experience the beauty and culture of
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To advertise in Vacation Rentals, please contact
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DESTINATION
ST. JOHN
A unique & exclusive selection of private
vacation homes on the beautiful island
of St. John, U.S.V.I. Private waterfront &
hillside homes ranging from luxurious
villas to Caribbean cottages. All offer
lush landscaping, private decks and
glorious ocean views. Most with pools
or hot tubs. Personalized, experienced
service from the moment you arrive on
St. John. Discount airfare packages
available.
Call Destination St. John
Toll Free: 1-800-562-1901
or (340) 779-4647
www.destinationstjohn.com
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Hospi t al i t y Wi t hout Li mi t s
B O N A I R E
BELMAR OCEANFRONT APARTMENTS BELMAR OCEANFRONT APARTMENTS
Check out our room-only specials
and the Dive & Windsurf packages.
www.belmar-bonaire.com
belmar@belmar-bonaire.com
toll free 1-888-655-0605
Bonaires Most
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Bonaires Most
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T H E C O O K I S L A N D S
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Calypso Realty St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands
FOR A WEEK OR A LIFETIME! WE OFFER MAGNIFICENT
properties from beachside condos to luxurious pool villas. Beautifully
appointed, fully equipped, maid service, pools and/or beaches, all with
extraordinary views of turquoise waters, palm fringed islands & lush,
colorful landscaping. CALYPSO REALTY, P.O. Box 12178, St. Thomas, VI
00801-5178. (800) 747-4858 or (340)774-1620, Fax (340)774-1634,
Visit www.CalypsoRealty.com today!
St. John & Tortola www.caribbeanvilla.com
110 BEAUTIFUL BEACHFRONT &HILLSIDE VILLAS & CONDOS WITH
1-6 bedrooms from $110-$2200/night. Enjoy the best in privacy, comfort &
tranquility in many lovely & ultra romantic locations. All with pools, hottub,
magnificent views or tennis. Our friendly, attentive island staff meet you at the
ferry and serve as your island hosts. Since 1985 Caribbean Villas &
Resorts Management P.O. Box 458 St. John, Virgin Islands 00830
1-800-338-0987 (207) 871-1129 www.caribbeanvilla.com
Palm Terrace Villas
LARGE, LUXURY CONDOMINIUMS WITH PRETTY WATER VIEWS
in Cruz Bay! Beautifully furnished and conveniently located, these brand new
2, 3 and 4 bedroom units are a block from the Caribbean, and a short walk to
our bustling village of Cruz Bay. With only 6 units in a private and intimate
setting, Palm Terrace has the location, amenities and value to make your next
St. John vacation special! For more information or reservations, call 800-324- 5107/
800-562-1901 or on ST. JOHN 340-779-4647 www.palmterracevillas.com.
Suite St. John at Gallows Point St. John, USVI
WATERFRONT TROPICAL LUXURY! SUITE ST. JOHN IS THE
exclusive agent for only the most elegant loft and garden Gallows Point
suites. All suites offer Central A/C, Cable TV, Phones, the finest
furnishings, and most spectacular views! King size beds. Sleeps 4. Seaside
pool. Private snorkeling beach. VCR, CD-Tape Players. Suites: 1D, 2D,
8B, 8C, 8D, 9A, 9C, 12D, 14B, 15D. For information call Richard:
1-800-348-8444. Fax: (301) 977-4232 or visit http://www.gallowspoint.com
Destination St. John
A UNIQUE & EXCLUSIVE SELECTION OF PRIVATE VACATION
homes on the beautiful island of St. John, U.S.V.I. Private waterfront & hill-
side homes ranging from luxurious villas to Caribbean cottages. All offer lush
landscaping, private decks and glorious ocean views. Most with pools or hot
tubs. Personalized, experienced service from the moment you arrive on St.
John. Discount airfare packages available. Call Destination St. John Toll-free:
1-800-562-1901 or (340) 779-4647 www.destinationstjohn.com
Catered To St. John, US Virgin Islands
Catered to offers a bit of paradise for every taste from moderate to luxurious.
Our private homes are beautifully furnished and landscaped, all with
spectacular deck views and most with swimming pools or spas. Each has a
fully equipped kitchen, all linens, TV, VCR, CD, tape deck, gas grill, beach
chairs, beach towels and coolers. Join us and be...catered to! Call
1-800-424-6641 or 340-776-6641, Fax 340-693-8191. See our website
at www.cateredto.com
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Windspree
TROPICAL SELECTION OF VILLAS WITH MAGNIFICENT VIEWS
of turquoise water. All are fully equipped and have pool or spa. From
honeymooners to large groups our Island offers romantic beaches and
National Park adventures. With 20 plus years of personalized service and
dedicated staff we help you plan your Island retreat to ensure all your
needs are met. (888) 742-0357 Fax (340) 693-5623 info@windspree.com
www.windspree.com
Win A Villa Vacation
To St. Barts!
Visit us at www.Wimco.com/islands for
your chance to win a 7-night villa vacation
to St. Barts. Prize includes roundtrip airfare.
WIMCO, Exclusive Representative of
SIBARTH Villas on St. Barts for more
than 23 years, gives you access to the most
desirable villas on the island and
courteous, in-depth island knowledge.
Our agents have visited all of the 240
SIBARTH Villas we represent. Log on to
our website to view our unparalleled
selection of exclusive villas and check
availability for your vacation dates. Then
pick up the phone to speak to one of our
experienced agents to reserve your villa
and arrange everything including flights,
car rentals, provisioning as well as dinner
reservations at the islands best restaurants.
Call or click and see why we were awarded
The Best Villa Rental Agency on St. Barts
by the Insiders Guide.
877-698-4557 or 401-849-8012
www.Wimco.com/islands
Copyright: Nigel Lord
The Westin St. John Resort
SET ON ST. JOHNS GREAT CRUZ BAY WITH A PRIVATE 1,200-FT.
white sand beach and surrounded by the lush green hills of the emerald
isle, lies The Westin Resort, St. John. For extra space and total privacy the
resort offers 67 Hillside and Garden Villas. The Westin St John Resort Vil-
las are your home away fromamenities include full kitchens, washer and
dryer and separate living areas. Contact us at (340) 693-8000, or
www.westinresortsstjohn.com
St. John Properties
LARGE SELECTION OF VACATION VILLAS, FROM SIMPLE TO
DELUXE. Most with pool or spa; all with beautiful ocean views, lush land-
scaping, patios, and grills. Were one of the islands oldest real estate firms
we offer many years of experience in rentals and sales. Let us turn your
dream into a reality, for a week or a lifetime. www.stjohnproperties.com
(800) 283-1746
To advertise in ISLANDS
Vacation Rentals or
Classifieds, please contact:
Lauren Rogers
(407) 571-4528
lauren.rogers@worldpub.net
Ryan Fridley
(407) 571- 4712
ryan.fridley@worldpub.net
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VACAT I ON R ENTALS
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Lacovia Condominium Resort, Grand Cayman
LACOVIA IS A LUXURY CONDOMINIUM RESORT SITUATED ON 400
feet in the heart of fabulous Seven Mile Beach. Spacious 1, 2, and 3 bedroom
condominiums overlooking the ocean or large freshwater pool and Jacuzzi. All
units are fully equipped, AC, cable TV, kitchen and laundry facilities. Imagine
yourself sitting on a patio with a cool tropical drink watching the most amazing
sunset over beautiful white sand and crystal blue water. The perfect get-a-way.
(345) 949-7599, E-mail: lacovia@candw.ky www.lacovia.com
Ocean Point Villas
BEACHFRONT, PRIVATE POOLS, COLORFUL SUNSETS, LUSH
tropical landscaping, tasteful dcor, beamed ceilings, spectacular views,
privacy, etcare just a few of the reasons to stay in these private villas. The
villas each have 2 to 6 bedrooms, each with en-suite bathrooms, on
Providenciales, an island noted for its spectacular beaches, friendly people,
golf, great restaurants. Nonstop jets right to the island from several US cities.
Tel (404) 467-4858 HmoogCo@aol.com www.northshorevillas.com
St. Barts Live your Dream
DISCOVER TINY ST. BARTH AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY
it is the only island we represent. Offering the finest selection of private vaca-
tion villas and preferred hotels on the most beautiful island in the Caribbean.
Representing St. Barth since 1989, our expert staff personally inspects all
properties, ensuring superior service while helping you plan your dream
vacation. Call for a full color Dream Portfolio. Tel. (800) 421-3396 or (508)
528-7727; Fax: (508) 528-7789; E-mail: info@stbarth.com www.stbarth.com
ICI & LA ST BARTH: Rent the Best Selection of Villas
OVER 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN VILLA SALES AND RENTAL.
We will assist you in choosing your private villa among the best choice of select
villas. From beachfront cottages to hillside luxurious villas with pool overlooking
the ocean, many of our villas have been featured in decorator magazines. Car
rental, boat, Spa & restaurants reservations between other services can also be
provided. (011 590) 590 27 78 78, Fax (011 590) 590 27 78 28/(011
590) 590 27 72 72. villas@icietlavillas.com www.icietlavillas.com
Jamaica Villas by Linda Smith
Fifty exquisite private villas adorn Linda
Smiths remarkable collection in
the heart of the Jamaican Riviera.
The warmth and service from dedicated
staff in each home distinguish the villa
vacation. Large or small, each villa comes
with its own private pool and staff (chef,
butler, housekeeper, gardener and laun-
dress). Nannies, masseuses and drivers
available too. Golf and tennis on site or
nearby. Intimate honeymoon cottages to
breathtaking beachfront villas, a dramatic
18-acre mountaintop estate, and even
a magical 18th Century plantation on
2,000 acres renowned for its dreamlike
weddings. Wonderful for weddings,
honeymoons, anniversaries, special
birthdays, offshore meetings and
memorable family reunions (children
welcome!) Simply the best.
www.jamaicavillas.com
(301) 229-4300
linda@jamaicavillas.com
Copyright: Nigel Lord
M A R C H 2 0 0 6 I S L A N D S 111 View color brochures & request information at www.islands.com
VACAT I ON R ENTALS
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Areana Villas Villa Taino
PERCHED HIGH ON THE WESTERN HILLS OF TORTOLA,
Villa Taino is luxury comfort in Caribbean and Polynesian style. Mixed with
lush gardens around a unique pool and several terracing offering spectacu-
lar panoramic views, this home is truly exotic. With 3 bedrooms, Villa
Taino can accommodate 2 couples only. $2,500 to $3,500/week, summer
rates. $6,000/week, winter rates. 284-494-5864 www.areanavillas.com
Waterfront Villas on Bluefields Bay, Jamaica
VACATION IN TROPICAL LUXURY WITH SEAFRONT PRIVACY.
Pampered with full service in one of five all-inclusive waterfront homes.
Gourmet meals, private pools, four-poster canopy beds, fine furnishings. Beach
pavilion, sea kayaks, night-lit tennis, snorkeling. Airport transfers. Safe secure
area, no commercialism. Posh weddings/private parties for up to 42 guests.
Photo: San Michele, on 1+ seafront acres. www.bluefieldsvillas.com
Owners: 202-232-4010; or via E-mail: vacations@bluefieldsvillas.com
Hideaway Beach Resort
WELCOME TO HIDEAWAY BEACH RESORT, AN ELEGANT ESCAPE
combining action and Serenity. Right on the shores of a mile-long stretch of
beautiful and secluded white-sand beach, framed by tall palms whistling in the
breeze, Hideaway Beach Resort invites you to live the adventure of the tropics
in utmost luxury and privacy. Our villas are equipped with all the comforts you
deserve, a true home away from home! (888) 990-9955 or (212) 627-2878.
www.hideawaybeachresort.com
Wailea and Makena Resorts Maui, Hawaii
THE SUN-DRENCHED SOUTHERN COAST OF MAUI IS THE
home of Destination Resorts Hawaiis six luxury beachfront and golf course
condominium villages. Studios, 1, 2, 3 & 4 bdrm. units all feature A/C, fully
equipped kitchens, washers & dryers, private patios & more. All properties
have BBQs & swimming pools. Daily maid & concierge service included.
Car-condo pkgs. & special rates on 5 championship golf courses.
(800) 367-5246 or (808) 891-6249. Fax: (808) 874-3554. www.drhmaui.com
East Sister Rock Island Marathon, Florida Keys
VIEWS, VIEWS, VIEWS FROM YOUR OWN PRIVATE ISLAND
in the Florida Keys. 5,000 sq. ft., 3 bed/2bath home including veranda
surrounding the house. Finest snorkeling, diving & fishing at your door
step. Surrounded by beautiful coral reef. Completely self-sufficient,
pool table, swimming pool, TV w/ satellite. Sleeps 8. Boat for transportation
to & from mainland. $4,995-$5,500/wk. Call (305) 446-7377 or
(305) 796-8439. E-mail: island2@comcast.net www.floridaisland.com
Fort Recovery Tortola Villa Beach Resort, BVI
SUPERB 1-4 BDRM BEACHFRONT VILLAS ON BLUE CARIBBEANW/ COOL
breezes magnificent views, patio, living rm, kitchen, bdrm, bath, AC, TV, Maid,
Pool & Dock. Package includes: 7 nts Villa, Jeep, Bfast, 3 Dinners each, Boat trip,
Massage, Pedicure, Yoga & Tax. Featured Discoverys Ch., Fodors & AAA.
Complimentary Wedding Planner. From $1,995 per couple (800) 367-8455 (wait
ring) ftrhotel@surfbvi.com www.fortrecovery.com Also located Bequia
(Bek-way), St. Vincent & The Grenadines www.bequiabeachvillas.com
112 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6 View color brochures & request information at www.islands.com
VACAT I ON R ENTALS
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Silent Waters Villa, Montego Bay, Jamaica
EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE LUXURY ESTATE SURROUNDED BY A boun-
ty of tropical flora overlooking Montego Bay. Indulge in an atmosphere of
lush gardens and tranquil ponds, exquisite dcor, fine dining,
on-site tennis and helipad, Olympic size pool, nearby golf and beaches.
Suites include A/C, fans, phones, CD/stereo, king or queen beds, private
baths. Accommodates 2-20. Spectacular setting for special events!
16 staff/electronic security. (847) 304-4700 (U.S.A.), or www.jamaicavillas.net
Exotic Turks & Caicos
EXPERIENCE THE ULTIMATE IN ISLAND GETAWAYS AND SEE
why we are The Last of the True Exotics. Our selection of private luxury
villas and intimate beach cottages are designed to help create the memories
of a lifetime, Prestigious Properties, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.
Telephone (649) 946-4379 Fax (649) 946-4703 Member TCREA
sales@prestigiousproperties.com www.prestigiousproperties.com
Villas of Distinction
EXTRAORDINARY SELECTION OF PRIVATE VILLAS AND
townhouses throughout the Caribbean and Europe. Elegant but affordable.
Barbados, St. Martin, Caymans, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Tortola, Virgin
Gorda, Jamaica, Anguilla, St. John, St. Barth & Mexico; Portugal, Italy &
The South of France! Accommodations range from simple beach cottages to
grand mansions, suitable for captains of industry, and heads of state!
Call 1-800-289-0900 or Fax: (707) 781-2840. www.villasofdistinction.com
Tierra Del Sol Resort & Country Club, Aruba
ENJOY YOUR VACATION WITHIN THE SERENITY OF ARUBAS ONLY
master planned Villa Community, home to a spectacular 18-hole championship
golf course. Beautifully appointed 2 & 3 bdrm luxury Villa Homes & Condos
some with private pool - modern amenities. Tropical landscaped pool. Tennis
courts. Beach shuttle. 2 Restaurants & Bars. Body & Soul Spa and Fitness
Center w/ a variety of spa treatments & state-of-the-art fitness equipment.
Call (800) 992-2015; E-mail: info@icon-hotels.com; www.tierradelsol.com
Villa Rococo
SEIZE THE DAY IN THIS LUXURIOUS JAMAICAN VILLA ~
complete with private plunge pool and Jacuzzi. Bask in the royal treatment
you deserve and enjoy authentic vacation treatment. This prestigious villa
also serves as an intimate villa and is the ultimate choice for
weddings, romantic honeymoons, anniversaries or a relaxing escape.
Tele: 876-605-1686. Website: villarococojamaica.com.
Email: info@villarococojamaica.com
RE/MAX Island Properties St. Maarten/St. Martin
Your Caribbean Dreams can come truefor a week or twoat your own private
villa. For over 20 years, Island Properties has been villa rental specialists on St.
Maarten/St. Martin. We are renown for full product knowledge, ensuring the highest
quality villas and unsurpassed service for all our guests. We offer everything from a
romantic one bedroom cottage to breathtaking beachfront villas. Call the Rental
Specialists todayToll Free: (866) 978-5852 or (599) 543-6160 E-mail:
info@islandpropertiesonline.com Website: www.islandpropertiesonline.com
PROPERTY RENTAL PROGRAM
ADVERTISING ALL VACATION
ACCOMMODATIONS. LOW rates! 2000+
words, Unlimited pictures, Currency Auto-
Conversion Display, Tourist pays Owner
Directly (PayPal), NO Commissions, Agency
specials! www.bluewatervacationproperties.com
1-888-533-2538
REAL ESTATE
BAHAMAS OCEANFRONT LOTS Approximately
1 acre with 100 feet of beachfront available.
Over 50 lots to choose from. Starting at
$229,000. 772-528-3535
CARIBBEAN ISLAND PROPERTY ISLA
SOLARTE, Bocas del Toro, Panama1/4 - 3/4
acre lots with million dollar views, $36,000-$73,000.
Visit: www.tropicalproperties.com (800) 390-8818.
FIJI Stunning beachfront/lagoon view
property on famous Coral Coast. Large lots priced
from $70,000. Clubhouse, pool, nearby resorts.
Financing with 10% down. 1.888.FIJILAND or
415.662.9677.
ST. JOHN, USVI Town & Country Real
Estate, 2 offices covering all of beautiful
St. John. Cruz Bay (340) 693-7325, Coral Bay
(340) 774-7962. www.towncountryusvi.com
ST. JOHN, USVI. Outstanding selection of
properties for sale or rent. Now serving St.
Thomas and St. Croix. St. John Properties,
(800) 283-1746, www.stjohnproperties.com
ST. JOHN, US VIRGIN ISLANDS
www.islandiarealestate.com Islandia Real
Estate, Inc. Contact us for information on all
properties for sale on this National Park Island.
(340) 776-6666.
ST. MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN To sell
a fantastic ocean view house, overlooking
a nice sailboat lagoon, from private.
www.digi-post.com/hugo
CARIBBEAN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
INVESTORS, DEVELOPERS, USER 3 1/3
ACRES Front Atlantic 304 $700k terms.
Palm Laced Beach Stress Free Dominican
Republic NEAR Playa Grande, Resort/Golf + 3
Billion $ NEW RESORT, PUNTA CANA,
Build 6,000 sq. ft. Home (5 bed rm.) total $999k,
Package 800-548-3732
FUNDRAISER
ISLAND ART
BEACH DCOR AND ISLAND STYLE
GIFTS Your on-line source for tropical
metal drum wall art. Palms, Sea life, Geckos,
www.thefunkygecko.com
FINE ART OF PARADISE
www.IslandStudio.com Voted #1 online tropical
Art Gallery. Original paintings, Gicles, and More.
NATURISM
SAILNUDE.COM Private luxury yacht. Four
guests $10,500. Virgin Islands. 888-266-9183
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2006 RATES: All rates are net and include a free advertisement and photograph on ISLANDS.com. Links available for $25 per insertion. Visit ISLANDS
Classified advertisers and view color photos online at ISLANDS.com Classified Marketplace. Classified Display, one time ad $710 per column inch;
four consecutive ads $630 per column inch; eight consecutive ads $545 per column inch. E-mail digital materials for display ads to
Amanda.Jackson@worldpub.net. ISLANDS charges a minimum of $50 to typeset and prepare digital ad materials. Column width 21/4".
Word by word, one time ad $13.95 per word; four consecutive ads $12.00 per word; eight consecutive ads $10.10 per word. 20-word
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Send to ISLANDS Classified at World Publications LLC, 460 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 200, Winter Park, FL 32789, or Call Lauren Rogers
at (407) 571-4528, Fax (407) 571-4591, E-mail: Lauren.Rogers@worldpub.net or Ryan Fridley at (407) 571-4712, Fax (407) 571-4713,
E-mail: Ryan.Fridley@worldpub.net Closing for June 2006 issue is March 10, 2006.
I S L ANDS CL AS S I F I E D
Special Advertising Section
CLOTHING-OPTIONAL
& NUDE GETAWAYS
tanr.com/is
A Great Fundraiser
A MEDI C AL FI RST. . . SAVES LI VES. . .
Protection for You and Your Loved Ones
www.LifeLinkMDCenter.com
GREAT BEACH VACATIONS 1 DIS-
PLAYARTWORK FROM JEFF.
Unique one and two story, 1-bedroom full-equipped
suites on the ocean close to Cruz Bay yet worlds away!
www.GallowsPointResort.com
(800) 323-7229
ST. JOHN US VIRGIN ISLANDS
Homes and Villas for 2 to 10
Simple to sophisticated, very private. All with
spectacular views, large decks and lush
landscaping, most with pools.
Summer 2005: $1800 to $7300 Winter 2005: $3500 to $12,000
800-424-6641
340-776-6641
Fax 340-693-8191
Book on-line at cateredto.com
St. Maarten/St. Martin (Cont.)
ST. MAARTEN/MARTIN Fabulous Oceanfront
Villas; Beachfront Cottages, Apartments, Hotels.
(800) 338-4552, (718) 464-0769, www.villalady.com
VISTAROYALE Breathtaking panoramic
view. Private pool and Jacuzzi. For 1-4 guests.
(888) 844-4149, www.vistaroyale.com
St. Vincent & The Grenadines
BEQUIA SUGARAPPLE INN 8 spacious,
breezy apartments near Friendship Beach.
(784) 457-3148, sugarappleinn.com
Tobago
TRINIDAD * TOBAGO Villas, Cottages, Hotels,
Bed/Breakfast. Carnival! Tropical adventures,
diving, bird-watching. 24 years experience.
(800) 525-6896, www.pancaribetours.com
TOBAGO Spectacular 4-bedroom private villa.
Stunning views. Pool, cook, housekeeper. Golf.
(203) 221-1969.
Turks & Caicos
ABSOLUTE VIEW VILLA: PROVIDENCIALES
BEACHFRONT PRIVACY! 3 Bedrooms w/ AC,
pool, sandy beach, ADSL, Kayaks, honeymoon/
watersport packages. Ph: 649-232-1143
W W W. A B S O L U T E V I L L A . C O M
paola@absolutevilla.info
CALYPSO HOUSE ON PROVO Oceanfront
4-bedroom/bath villa. Pool, dock. (800) 643-2554,
www.calypsohouse.com Also for sale.
PRIVATE BEACHFRONT VILLA 3 bedrooms,
pool, discount airfare. (617) 499-7969,
www.provo.net/villarentals/
U.S. Virgin Islands
A BETTER CHOICE RENT DIRECT. St.
Croix/St. John/St. Thomas. Check availability,
book online, personalized villa choice assistance.
Rentavilladirect.com
BEACH CONDOS. St. Croixs Upscale
Condo Choice! As low as $53 night/person.
2-6 person accommodations. See them
Pelicancovecondos.com
LUXURIOUS PRIVATE VILLAS AND ESTATES
with pools. Free color catalog, info, virtual tours
+ calendars at www.mclaughlinanderson.com.
McLaughlin Anderson 1-800-537-6246 or fax
340-777-4737; excellent service!
ST. CROIX Professionally managed
vacation villas. Personalized service including
airline/car reservations. www.vacationstcroix.com
(877) 788-0361.
ST. JOHN PALLADIOS VIEW
3 bedrooms, pool, spa. (610) 544-8283,
www.palladiosview.com
ST. THOMAS Luxurious Seaside Villas,
Cowpet Bay, 2-4 bedrooms. Fantastic Location.
Pat (800) 788-4VIP, www.viprentals.com
VIVA! Vi l l as-Accommodati ons for
your taste, style and budget! 888-856-4601
(toll-free) www.vivacations.com
FLORIDA ACCOMMODATIONS
CAPTIVA / SANIBEL Unique 1-8 Bedroom
Cottages Condominiums Homes Estates.
Cottages-to-Castles.com (800) 472-5385
FLORIDA KEYS VACATION RENTALS!
Private islands, homes, condos; beachfront, poolside!
(888) 743-5635, www.rentalsfloridakeys.com
HAWAII ACCOMMODATIONS
Big Island
*****ALOHAHAWAIIVACATIONS.COM
Waikoloa, Mauna Lani Resorts. (800) 66-
ALOHA (2-5642), (808) 883-8300 Hawaiian
Time.
BigIslandVillas.com Beach/Golf Villas at
Four Seasons Mauna Kea Mauna Lani
Waikoloa. (808) 936-3870 Hawaii.
KONA BEACH AND POOL HOUSES 1 / 9
bedroom beach houses. Some with pools, kayaks,
bikes. 4 houses in row family reunions,
weddings! Kid friendly/cribs. Only 10% deposit.
Great cancel policy. 800-588-2800 7 days.
www.hawaiibeach.com
KONA COAST Condominium & Homes,
Property Network, Ltd. (800) 358-7977,
www.hawaii-kona.com
MAUNA LANI spacious, luxurious 3 & 2
bedroom golf course townhouses. Golf/resort
privileges. (415) 789-9623, www.HawaiiG4.com
Kauai
A LAKEFRONT ESTATE KAUAI. Secluded,
3 acres, private beach. Boat, swim, fish,
golf. New luxury home. (310) 379-7842,
http://kauaihoneymoon.com
AFFORDABLE TO ELEGANT vacation
homes/condos. Na Pali Properties, (800) 715-
7273, www.napaliprop.com
ANINIALOHA.COM Beachfront Homes,
Tropical Hideaways, Luxury Estates.
(800) 246-5382, (808) 828-0067
ANINI BEACH COTTAGES Idyllic Hawaiian
Hideaways. (800) 323-4450, (808) 828-0068,
www.aloha.net/~cottage
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GREAT BEACH VACATIONS 1
DISPLAYARTWORK FROM JEFF.
SOUTH PACIFIC ACCOMMODATIONS Kauai (Cont.)
ATTRACTIVE BEACHFRONT HOME,
Moloaa Bay, 3 bedrooms, $1,500/ week.
(800) 331-7626, www.kauaibeachhome.com
KAUAI 2-bedroom cedar home. Waterfalls,
rainbows. $165 nightly. (808) 822-5131,
www.makaleha.com
KAUAI Hanalei Beachfront Cottages, Homes,
Condominiums. Hanalei Vacations, Brochure
(800) 487-9833 or www.800hawaii.com
Maui
**********ANDREAS MAUI VACATIONS.
Breathtaking Oceanfront from low $100s. Rare 3
bedrooms. Luxury homes. Contact Mauis
Mother & Daughter team. We sincerely care.
www.mauicondos.com 800.289.1522
#1 AFFORDABLE LUXURY HAWAII
VILLAS, charming cottages, condos on the
beach with pools. (800) 711-6284, (808) 877-
7984, www.hawaiibound.com
BEACHFRONT MAUI Quality vacation resort
rental condos and homes. Free brochure: (800)
822-4409. Virtual tour: www.resortquestmaui.com
HANA, HAMOA BEACH OCEANFRONT
Spectacular views, $225+ nightly. (808) 248-
7558, www.hanaoceanfrontcottages.com
*KIHEI WAILEA. Oceanfront
condo endless beach. (415) 255-8989,
http://members.aol.com/ condo4maui
LAHAINA/PUAMANA TOWNHOUSE 3
bedrooms. Pool, ocean, tennis. (707) 865-2998,
www.alohapuamana.com
MILES OF SANDY BEACH Luxury condos.
Maalaea Bay Realty and Rentals, LLC. (800)
367-6084, www.maalaeabay.com
Oahu
BEACHFRONT HOMES NORTH AND
SOUTH SHORE- 2-8 BEDROOMS. $175-
$750/NIGHT. www.hawaii-beachhomes.com
(800) 442-6901
NORTH SHORE Affordable 1-3 bedroom
condos. Golf. Tennis. Beaches. Estates at Turtle
Bay (888) 200-4202, www.turtlebay-rentals.com
PALAU ACCOMMODATIONS
PANAMA ACCOMMODATIONS
PANAMA, CENTRAL AMERICA. Beautiful
house on Pacific Ocean. Very Secluded.
Pool, maid, cook. $125/ day. (713) 522-1484
www.panama-vacations.com
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View color brochures
and request information
DREAM ISLAND ESCAPE
Enjoy the best of both worlds, lush Rarotonga,
sublime Aitutaki, in the heart of the South Pacific
~ the delicious Cook Islands! Laze on the beach at
award-winning Rarotongan Beach Resort & Spa,
slip away to your own private island with overwater
bungalows at The Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa.
800-481-9026 paul.rec@therarotongan.com
www.therarotongan.com aitutakilagoonresort.com
118 I S L A N D S M A R C H 2 0 0 6
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WHAT S NE XT ?
Although this place is better-known for its sharks, it was the dolphins that greeted writer Christine Richard as her ship inched clos-
er to port. It was Christmas morning and I went to the anchor deck with the ships captain. I was so busy watching four dolphins
play in the wake that I missed our passage from the open ocean into one of the worlds largest lagoons. Its coral-island border frames
a natural aquarium 42 miles long by 16 miles wide, and swimmers come to see blacktip reef sharks. It was
but one port of call on this particular 11-day cruise through islands that once inspired a 19th-century
Frenchman who followed his dreams to a tropical paradise. On deck five of the ship, in a glass case, is this mans faded fingerprint.
If you can guess on which island photographer Philippe Bacchet took this shot, and the ship on which writer Christine Richard
cruised for the April/May 2006 issue, send your answers to editorial@islands.com by April 1, 2006. Readers who submit the cor-
rect answers will be entered to win an ISLANDS gift. December winner Sarah Birch from Denver, Colorado, was randomly
selected from among those who correctly guessed the Whitsundays, Australia.
ISLANDS (ISSN 0745-7847) is published eight times a year (Jan./Feb., March, April/May, June, July/Aug., Sept./Oct., Nov., Dec.) by World Publications, LLC, P.O. Box 8500, Winter Park, FL 32790; 407-628-4802. Vol. 26, No. 1, Jan./Feb. 2006.
One year (8 issues) $24 in the U.S. Copyright 2006 by World Publications. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the written consent of World Publications, LLC. Periodicals postage paid at Winter Park, FL, and at addition-
al offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ISLANDS, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Printed in USA. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NUMBER 40018707 CANADA RETURN MAIL: 4960-2 WALKER RD. WINDSOR, ONTARIO N9A 6J3
Swimming With Sharks
GUESS WHERE?