Winter is coming.
The Drive reached out to independent travel advisor Wendy Hart for some expert advice on what exactly to do about that. Registered with the Travel Industry Council of Ontario and affiliated with the Canadian-owned and -operated agency Onvigo, the Windsor-Essex resident is a vacationer par excellence.
Where are we going this winter? We asked Hart for her top five travel choices.
Cancun, Mexico
Let’s start with a familiar one. Located on the southern tip of the northeast coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun is one of the highest profile vacation destinations in the Americas.
Hart recently returned from a trip to several of the Hyatt Inclusive Collection resorts in the region. According to her, Cancun boasts a great many five-star resorts, including some of her personal picks. There’s the extra-secure adults-only enclave Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, or the brand-new, lagoon-facing Hyatt Vivid Grand Island, which promises a luxurious two-for-one experience with the under-construction Dreams Playa Mujeres. Hart is also partial to Breathless Cancun Soul, another adults-only spot that segregates its amenities into high, medium, and low “energy” levels. Depending on their ideal vacation preferences or just their mood on a given day, guests can access everything from raucous pool parties to “very Zen” rooftop infinity pools and yoga classes. Truly, there is something for everyone.
Some readers will understandably have concerns about Cancun’s safety, but Hart is quick to dismiss them. “My recent trip to Cancun was my first time ever travelling alone,” says Hart, who was vacationing alongside a group of fellow advisers she hadn’t previously met. “I was initially a bit worried, but I was amazed at how safe I felt there. I would definitely go back.”
Direct flights are available from Detroit, London, and Toronto.
Cartagena, Colombia
Located on the Caribbean coast about 400 kilometres beyond the Panama Canal, Cartagena (pronounce the g like an h) is a South American destination closer and more charming than you may expect.
One of South America’s oldest colonial cities, Cartagena rose to prominence in the 1500s as a major port linking Spain to its empire in the New World. Today, its enduring walled city and fortress are recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Still a significant seaport for cruise ships and commercial vessels alike, Cartagena is now a major urban centre home to around a million people, which means regular direct flights are available from Toronto and elsewhere.
Hart has fallen in love with the city’s history and thriving contemporary culture. “Cartagena is very historical,” she notes. “It has lots of charming neighbourhoods, the locals are super friendly, and there is live music everywhere.”
Swimmers, snorkelers, fishers, and general nature lovers might advocate for a quick catamaran ride to the Rosario Islands, an archipelago about 20 kilometres off the coast harbouring one of the most significant coral reefs of the Colombian Caribbean coast.
“For me,” says Hart, “to have access to an island getaway so close to a very cultural, historic location represents the best of both worlds.”
An average temperature in the mid-80s Fahrenheit doesn’t hurt, either.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
A relatively short hop southeast from Florida, the DR is becoming increasingly prized for its accessibility and affordability. Hart loves Air Transat’s economical travel packages, noting direct flights are available even from London, Ontario. According to Hart, you can find a bit of anything you might want here. “It’s perfect for family getaways, but there are also many luxurious adults-only resorts.”
Whatever your personal preferences and proclivities, the DR offers attractive all-inclusive packages at less expensive price points than alternative, otherwise similar locales in Mexico and elsewhere in the Caribbean. “There are tonnes of diverse excursions and activities,” promises Hart. “Beaches, waterparks, so many dining options. It’s becoming very popular because it is so affordable.”
Dominica
For the more adventurous: Although it shares the first eight letters of its name, the island nation of Dominica has nothing to do with the Dominican Republic. Closer to South America than it is to the Punta Cana, Dominica is an English-speaking nation in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, between Guadeloupe and Martinique. “It’s a hidden gem,” Hart shares.
Known in the travel industry as “nature’s island,” Dominica is a less crowded, more exciting alternative to some of the other options on this list. “It’s not really a place to just sit and chill,” says Hart, who likens the island to Costa Rica. “Dominica is known for its rainforests, mountains, waterfalls, and untouched landscapes. There are beaches, but there are hot springs, hiking trails, and world-class diving and snorkeling too!”
Consider the World Heritage Site Morne Trois Pitons National Park, home to the Boiling Lake. Accessible via a three-hour, 13-kilometre hike beginning just outside the island nation’s capital city of Roseau, the Boiling Lake is a 200-foot bubbling, vapour-spewing water feature fueled by a dormant volcano. It’s the second largest geothermal site of its kind in the world—and you’d have to go all the way to New Zealand for number one.
Saint Martin/Sint Maarten
Our final destination is a single landmass divided more or less in half by France and the Netherlands: Saint Martin, the northern part, is an overseas French collectivity, while Saint Maarten, to the south, belongs to the Dutch.
About 300 kilometres due east of Puerto Rico, this tiny island nation packs a double dose of European flavour. According to Hart, although the 87-square-kilometre island has a somewhat smaller footprint than Tecumseh, it boasts more than 500 restaurants—many of them excellent—making it the “culinary capital of the Caribbean.”
By any name, the easily traversable, borderless island is well positioned as a jumping-off point for further Caribbean exploration. While you may be otherwise priced out of the ultra-exclusive resort island Saint-Barthélemy (aka, St. Barts), a daytrip by ferry offers realistic access to the celebrity hotspot. Hart, who reckons she’s been to SM at least ten times, recommends also considering a short boat ride to Anguilla or Saba.
Alternatively, you could stay put and enjoy luxurious duty-free shopping or world-class beaches featuring sheltered bays and “secret” coves. Maho Beach, on the Dutch side of the island, is frequented for its proximity to Princess Juliana International Airport; per Hart, tourists flock to its sandy shores to watch large aircraft execute impossible-looking landings on a small strip right at the very edge of the Caribbean.
Interested in booking your own winter getaway? You can reach Wendy Hart at 1–866–341–5475, ext. 7875 or [email protected]. For more information, consult wendy.hart.onvigo.com.
