Only the finest will do for my Clients - this is why Luxury Hideaways has been affiliated with Park Avenue Travel for the past 3 years.  Park Avenue Travel is one of the top Virtuoso Agencies in the world. This means my Clients will receive upgrades, benefits and amenities not offered to the general public.

Park Avenue Travel is also one of the select Virtuoso Agencies associated with Virgin Galactic - Sir Richard Bransons brainchild - offering outer space travel - if interested in more information, do give us a call as I will eventually be certified to offer trips to outer space too!

This also includes our sister websites:

* www.OnlyCruisesTravel.com

* www.FijiResorts.co

* www.LuxuryHideaways.net

For more information - please call 800 644-6659 or email Teresa@LuxuryHideaways.net

My Mother, girlfriend and I ventured over to the island of Molokai to visit Kaulapapa Settlement where St. Damien preformed his lifesaving work with the Lepers and to experience the island of laidback island of Molokai.

We rented a room at Hotel Molokai, its not a 5 star resort but it has all of the amenities, including a beachfront pool, wifi, cell phone service, bar & restaurant and is styled after a Polynesian Village.

Hotel Molokai is full of character, reminiscent of a slower time, is quaint, as well as reeks of the aloha spirit.  Our room included a small kitchen, bedroom, a loft and a large lanai with table and chairs.  It is a genuine luxuryhideaway located oceanfront on Kamiloloa beach. By the way, it’s the only place to get draft beer on the island!  The hotel is “community minded” as they offer a Polynesian show every Friday night as well as host a community party once a year.

From the moment we arrived at Hotel Molokai we were treated like family (ohana). Mind you, we arrived at about 9pm exhausted and very hungry. The cafe had stopped serving food but in the aloha spirit, they saw how hungry we were and just happened to have a pot of soup and home made bread still warm for us.

The activity at the hotel was fantastic - if you’re going to Molokai you cannot miss the Friday night Kanikapila show where the locals get together to serenade, play ukulele and take turns dancing the hula.  I believe they would gather every Friday night whether there were guests at the hotel or not.  It is an ideal situation where the haoles (mainlanders) can get a glimpse of the authentic island culture.

I will recommend this resort to all of my Clients coming to Hawaii - you must make time to visit Molokai!

Room Tip: Pay the extra to reserve an oceanfront room to fully enjoy the view

Oi aku ka ikaika o na wahine ma mua o na kane.  Women are stronger than men.

Cultural Note:  In old Hawaiian society there was a great deal of egality and women were respected and revered for their strength.
Mahalo Lahaina Canoe Club!

Bula,

I can’t express to you how perfect our honeymoon was. Everything was PERFECT!

Our flight on Air New Zealand from LAX left on time and besides plenty of excellent food and beverages, the movies were actually pretty good, too. Once in Nadi, we were greeted at the airport by a Rosie agent and from there, totally taken care of to what was to be the best week of our lives!

Once we stepped off the helicopter, landing at Matamanoa and given fruity drinks [we] didn’t have to lift a finger to do anything! Our bure was clean, spacious and the view was beyond our expectations! We had the Kabote bure (we found out that all the bures are named after Fijian birds) which was #21… I tell you this because it was the last bure on that side of the island and we got the sunset and moon view every night.

We both also bought massages and a trip to a traditional fijian village for Christmas services. While there we also formed several fulfilling relationships with other guests and many of the staff, which made our vacation all the more enjoyable. (You were right about the mainly adult guest population - there were very few children or families - majority of the guests were couples.)

I can honestly say that we made the most of our time at Matamanoa and took nothing for granted! We gave as generously as we could to the Christmas fund, but would have liked to given more. I would recommend (and already have) Matamanoa to anyone going on a vacation and hope you do, too.

Vinaka for doing such a fantastic job and spending the time and energy answering all my questions and calming my nerves.

You’ll hear from us again when we decide to book our next trip to Fiji. If my wife, Jessica, has her way, you’ll be getting a call from us next week!

Sincerely,
Peter & Jessica

Hi Teresa
Yes yes yes! Our trip was all fabulous and even more than we expected! Auckland was great. Our tours were terrific! When we arrived we took a ferry to Devinport. It was such a lovely quaint town. In Rotorua the Springs was beautiful. We went to the Polanesia Spa and were pampered all day

Our cruise was wonderful. New Zealand is absolutely beautiful. We took so many pictures and had some enlarged and framed.

We saw our friends in Melbourne and had an Australian Barbie.

Sydney was really my dream. I had to touch the walls of the Opera House, to realize that I was truly there.  Our stop in Tasmania completed the dream of kangaroos and koalas.

We did so much and the time went so fast that we hardly believed it was time to come home.

You did such a wonderful job and made our trip worry free.  Absolutely everyone and everything was on time and perfectly planned.  You are terrrrrrrific!

Love ya
Mary Ann and Armand

Travel Gal Note: Mary Ann and Armand just returned from a month in the South Pacific.  Their vacation started in Auckland, New Zealand where they spent a few nights touring the area, including visiting Waiheke Island.
They then sailed aboard a Holland America cruise ship, spending 2 weeks exploring both the North and South Islands of New Zealand, stopping in Tasmania and ending in Sydney, Australia.

They enjoyed a week at the Four Seasons Sydney - located in the Rocks area with views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Bridge.  We organized day tours for them to the Blue Mountains and surrounding areas.

If you too would like to set up an amazing trip thru the South Pacific,

give us a call at 800 644-6659 or email Teresa@LuxuryHideaways.net

One of the most picturesque and geographically diverse islands in the Society Group, enclosed in a single lagoon, it covers 75 square miles. Huahine (who-wah-hee-nay) is located 109 miles northwest of Papeete. The highest point on the island, Mt. Turi, reaches 2,200 feet and is located on Huahine Nui. Mt. Tavaiura in the Fitii Peninsula looks like a women’s face, leading to her chest and her round belly, hence one of the interpretation for Huahine’s original name (pregnant woman).

A deep, crystal-clear lagoon surrounds the two islands while magnificent bays and white-sand beaches add drama and solitude to their virtues. Relatively unchanged by the modern world, Huahine offers a slower taste of old Polynesia.

Probably one of Polynesia’s best-kept secrets…Huahine is a “Garden of Eden” with lush forests, an untamed landscape and quaint villages. It is relatively unchanged by the modern world. The island’s fertile soil provides bountiful harvests of a variety of melons as well as other fruits and vegetables. It is located approximately 105 miles northwest of the island of Tahiti.

Another unique thing about this island is the wooden boxes alongside the road that look like a newspaper delivery box. Very French in culture, these islanders have delicious-looking French baguettes delivered twice daily to residents and put in this box.

The small, luxury cruise ship m/s Paul Gauguin offers 7 night cruises around the islands of Tahiti. Below is a sample itinerary. One of the benefits of cruising is that when you spend 1 day on an island, you will know if you’ll want to come back for a week.

Day 1: Embark m/s Paul Gauguin in Papeete, Tahiti - mid afternoon - set sail in the evening

Begin your journey to a paradise in the capital of Tahiti, the largest and most populated of the French Polynesian islands. Here you’ll embark Paul Gauguin. This luxurious yet casual, ultra-deluxe vessel will be your home for the next week. With an endless choice of things to do, from relaxing poolside with a book to playing the slots in the casino, you will never be bored.

Day 2: Raiatea 11:00am - 6:00pm

You will have the day to explore the island that was once the cultural, religious, royal and political heart of Polynesia, and, according to legend, and lore, as well as Tahiti’s most significant archeological sites.

Day 3: Taha’a (Motu Mahana) 9:00am - 5:00pm

Motu Mahana, an islet adjacent to Taha’a, is our very own South Seas paradise featuring white sand beaches with swaying palms, crystal-clear waters and gentle breezes. As an exclusive Paul Gauguin event, guests will spend a full day exploring this idyllic, isolated island, and relaxing with a delicious barbecue lunch and Polynesian entertainment featuring strolling musicians and singers.

Day 4: Bora Bora 8:00am overnight

Immediately recognizable by the basalt tombstone of Mount Otemanu rising from the ocean, this half-atoll, half-mountain is surrounded by a spectacular lagoon and a series of smaller islands. Ancient Polynesians called it Parapora, or “firstborn,” because they thought it was the first island created after Raiatea.

Day 5: Bora Bora Depart 5:00pm

Explore more of this magical isle on your own or on a choice of optional shore excursions. Choose from several, like a jitney tour on “Le Truck,” or a 4-wheel-drive safari, or a glass-bottom boat ride. We will set sail before dinner, enjoying a relaxing evening on board.

Day 6: Moorea 8:00am - overnight

Covered in an abundance of fresh fruits and flowers, spectacular mountain peaks, peaceful multi-hued lagoons and palm-fringed beaches - Moorea’s awesome beauty is unsurpassed. During your visit, you might wish to shop for local crafts, embark on a dolphin-watching expedition with a marine biologist and witness these fascinating animals in their amazing natural habitat, or try out some of the local pineapples - said to be the most delicious in all of French Polynesia. An overnight here affords us two full days on Bora Bora’s gorgeous sister island.

Day 7: Moorea depart 7:30pm

Explore more of this peaceful oasis. Perhaps you will choose to trek on the “Trails of the Ancients” or snorkel one of the world’s most beautiful lagoons. At the end of the afternoon, we cruise to our home port in Papeete, docking for the night.

Day 8: Disembark Papeete 8:00am - Maururu - thank you for visiting these beautiful islands!

Life aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin:

Watersports Marina - Watersports are a highlight of the Paul Gauguin Cruises’ experience. The ships’ small size allow for them to navigate in shallow lagoons and narrow channels where larger ships may not sail. On the m/s Paul Gauguin,with the specially designed retractable watersports platform, guests may descend to sea level where they can conveniently hop aboard a windsurfer, launch a kayak, or set out for a SCUBA diving expedition. A SCUBA certification program is offered on The Gauguin.

Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program: Explorer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau is committed to the belief that the survival of the world’s oceans depends on capturing the imagination at a young age. In order to ensure that conservation remains a priority among future generations, he created the Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program under the auspices of the Ocean Futures Society.

Some of the benefits and features of this luxury cruise:

• Spacious, all-oceanview suites and staterooms
• Complimentary beverages incl. select wines
• All onboard gratuities included
• Complimentary select spirits & soft drinks
• Complimentary 24-hour room service
• Refrigerator replenished daily with soft drinks, beer and bottled water
• Watersports Marina
• Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment Youth Program

Over the years I have received many calls looking for the 110 passenger luxury small ship Clipper Odyssey i.e. where is it sailing, what is it doing and which company is it attached to these days.  Great news - the Clipper Odyssey is with Zeagrahm Expeditions sailing amazing itineraries to remote islands around the world.

Zeagrahm Expedition trips are both educational and environmentally-focused, and are led by top experts in their respective fields. Zeagrahm strives assemble the “ultimate dream team” for the destination: marine biologists, ornithologists, geologists, botanists, historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and dive masters. Zegrahm field leaders are well-known throughout the world; many of them are published writers, authors, and photographers.

Clipper Odyssey is one of the finest adventure ships afloat, carrying a maximum of 110-passengers, this luxury expedition vessel is ideally suited for cruising in off-the-beaten-path locales.

Clipper Odyssey Upcoming Expeditions:

• May 4, 2012:Azores with Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco, Canary Islands, and Madeira
• May 22, 2012:Ireland & the British Isles
• June 23, 2012:Norwegian Fjords & Scottish Isles
• July 4, 2012:Baltic Odyssey: Scotland, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Lithuania, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia & Russia
• August 29, 2012:Sicily with Montenegro, Croatia, Albania & Greece
• September 10, 2012:Circumnavigation of the Black Sea
• September 22, 2012:Circumnavigation of the Black Sea
• October 15, 2012:Legendary Empires: Giza, Baalbek, Byblos, Petra, Luxor
• November 6, 2012:Sands of Time: Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar & Oman
• November 18, 2012:Splendors of India with Sri Lanka and the Maldives
• December 1, 2012:India & the Maldives with Sri Lanka & Lakshadweeps
• December 14, 2012:Bay of Bengal & the Andaman Sea: India, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore
• January 2, 2013:Circumnavigation of Sumatra
• January 27, 2013:Vietnam & Cambodia by Sea with Angkor Wat
• February 11, 2013:Brunei to Bali
• February 23, 2013:Best of Indonesia
• March 8, 2013:Best of Indonesia
• March 23, 2013:Faces of Melanesia: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu
• April 16, 2013:Papua New Guinea, Yap & Palau
• May 5, 2013:Treasures of Japan with South Korea

Its time to broaden your horizons, lose the laptop, turn off the cell phone, embrace your inner explorer and set sail for the remote islands of the South Pacific.  Cruise aboard Zegrahm Expeditions Explorer Ship, the Clipper Odyssey April 16-May 2, 2013.

Visit this far frontier of the western South Pacific-including the outer islands of Papua New Guinea, Yap and Palau where you will embrace authentic, traditional cultures on exotic tropical islands.

This 17-day South Pacific tour will astonish you with diverse landscapes, from soaring volcanic peaks to submerged craters teeming with kaleidoscopic fish, and offers unique encounters with native Melanesian and Micronesian people and their exuberant ritualistic hospitality.

During your South Pacific adventure, one of the highlights will be touring the island of Yap where you will experience everything from a war canoe greeting to energetic native dances to rhythmic drumming and curious schoolchildren - a photographers heaven!

Throughout your South Pacific expedition, you will have the opportunity to hike through tropical foliage in search of endemic birds, enjoy leisurely strolls along warm sandy beaches, and snorkel and scuba dive nearly every day among fringing coral reefs populated by more than 1,400 fish species.

South Pacific expedition highlights:

• Watch energetic dance performances by the Trobriand and Yap islanders, as well as the Baining tribe’s dramatic fire-dance during the Yap tour and other island visits.
• Hike lush jungles, stroll beaches brushed by palm fronds, view smoking volcanoes, and cruise by Zodiac along remote shorelines as part of your South Pacific adventure travels.
• View spinner dolphins and sea turtles at sea and monitor lizards and flying foxes ashore.
• Snorkel or dive amongst neon damsels, parrotfish, wrasses, and giant tridacna clams.
• Look for magnificent frigate birds, white-bellied sea eagles, and sulphur-crested cockatoos.

Zegrahm Expeditions is an all inclusive South Pacific Expedition, including:

• All gratuities, from porters and ship’s crew to tour guides
• All accommodations, including pre-voyage hotel nights
• Welcome dinner and orientation briefing to get to know one another and get a good sense of what’s to come during your South Pacific adventure travels
• Daily activity options, from snorkeling and diving among vibrantly hued marine life to exploring remote islands and visiting with local schoolchildren
• World-class lecture and South Pacific expedition team
• All meals onboard and with the group ashore
• All entrance fees, taxes, and landing and port charges
• All transfers on the group arrival and departure days
• Gift certificates for recommended South Pacific expedition gear and reading materials
• Comprehensive pre-departure packet to prepare you for your South Pacific and Yap expedition, with everything from currency information and weather to shipboard amenities and a packing list
• Medical and emergency evacuation insurance