Surf Locations to Check Out While You’re Traveling

From Blue Crush to The Endless Summer, many of us have only experienced surfing through movies, often leaving us wishing we could be surfing somewhere ourselves. Do you know some of the most popular spots in the world for surfers to flock to?

Kauai, Hawaii

If you were wanting to see where the heart of surfing began and to see what Hawaii has to offer, check out Kauai during the summer months. However, if you're more experienced, visit South Shore from November to February where you can see ocean swells that are as large as 30 – 40 feet.

• Kalapaki Beach – This beach is great for those who are just learning to surf because of the protective break walls that help create gentle conditions to surf in.
• Kahili Beach – If you’re a beginner and are traveling in the summer months, this will be a good beach for you because the waves are consistent and small. In the winter, the waves become longer and more powerful, making this spot more dangerous. Nevertheless, this would be a great spot for intermediate surfers.
• Hanalei Bay – Similar to Kahili Beach, Hanalei Bay, located on the North Shore of Kauai is going to be calmer in the summer months and more powerful in the winter. So, if you’re a beginner, try coming to this spot during the summer months.
• Kealia Beach – This beach is more open and exposed, so if you’re a beginner this will still be a good spot, you’ll just want to be a little more aware! The surf can get dangerous, so be careful!
• Kekaha Beach – With the strong currents and rough ocean conditions, this beach might not be the best for beginners. For those who are intermediate to advanced, though, the rougher conditions make this location less crowded.

Southern California

Maybe you want to stay on the mainland and see the sunny state of California; don’t worry, there are plenty of places to surf here!

Mauritius

If you're looking to travel somewhere with fantastic beaches and views, put Mauritius at the top of your list. This Island Country is located just east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.

Île aux Cerfs, on the eastern side of Mauritius, is a private island known as a water sports paradise. You'll have plenty of fun snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming. Not only is this location great for water sports, but it's also said to have the most attractive beaches in Mauritius! Be sure to plan for a whole day here as it's only accessible by boat.

Bras d'Eau, on the northeastern side of Mauritius, is a smaller bay that resides in the lagoon of Poste Lafayette. Because of its unique position offering southern views, visitors to this spot can catch both sunrises and sunsets. If spectacular sunsets and sunrises aren’t enough, Bras d'Eau is also known as the best place to view the Milky Way on the island, so be sure to stick around after that sunset. Soaking up the island's culture is made easy here as locals frequent this spot on the weekends and during holidays.

While in Bras d'Eau, check out Bras d'Eau National Park. Take a bike or hike your way through this exotic forest that leads to the Roches Noires Caves. Here, you can view the remains of volcanic activity, which is what formed the island, and see lava tubes that connect to the sea. These are now freshwater springs that you can swim and snorkel in among the fish.

If you travel to the northeast of Mauritius, you'll find one of its territories, Rodrigues Island. Called "the jewel in the crown of the Mascarene Islands," it's 42 square miles surrounded by coral reefs, offering stunning views for diving and snorkeling. Visitors can also partake in kite-surfing, ziplining, and birdwatching.

Not only is this island nation filled with stunning views and nature, but it's also rich with history. You'll be able to visit many museums and structures to learn more about this island, such as Fort Adelaide, which overlooks Port Louis and the harbor. It was built between 1834 and 1840 to guard the city against riots during the abolition of slavery. However, it is used now for performance art and houses concerts and other events.

Another incredible stop to add to your list if you want to learn more about the history of Mauritius is the Beekrumsing Ramlallah Interpretation Centre (BRIC). Also located in Port Louis, this exhibition showcases the experiences of indentured laborers in Mauritius and the roles the island played in the history of indenture. Featuring objects recovered during archaeological excavations and multiple touch screen displays with information about this period, this is a great educational stop for all!

There are many other museums you may want to check out while you're visiting the island. From the small Natural History Museum which has 35,000 species on display including the extinct dodo bird, to the Mauritius Postal Museum, which displays commemorative stamps and other postal artifacts from around the world.

Though this island may be far for most, it is worth traveling the distance! With the beautiful beaches and views, to the multitude of activities, and all the educational experiences, it's a great location to learn, explore, and most importantly, relax and experience!

Vincent van Gogh - Where you can find his work

Vincent van Gogh was a talented artist known for his post-impressionist landscape paintings, still-life's, and self-portrait. Many of his pieces are distinguishable by intense brush strokes and colors.

During his 37 years, he struggled with his mental health: he dealt with depression, psychotic episodes and delusions. He started getting help, however, it just wasn’t enough; he wound up shooting himself and died just two days after from the injuries.

While he was still alive and creating his art, people looked at him like he was a failure, and thought he was crazy. It wasn’t until after he died that he became successful. His painting style became more popular and now you see his artwork everywhere; there is even a whole museum honored in his name, located in Amsterdam.

If you are interested in checking out Vincent van Gogh’s artwork, you can check out two museums that always have his artwork on display.

Van Gogh Museum

This is the museum that was named in honor of Vincent van Gogh. It is located in Amsterdam, and their whole mission is to be able to reach and help inspire people and make Vincent van Gogh’s art accessible no matter the time.

This museum even has an academy after van Gogh called, “The Van Gogh Museum Academy.” This is where scholarly research can be done, as well as other activities on van Gogh’s art and other art of his time.

This museum is also the leading center of Van Gogh research. Essentially, people will come and research Van Gogh – his life, his artwork (in extreme depth), and gather documentation on his paintings and drawings. There’s even a library just dedicated to all things van Gogh! Once the researchers have gathered information, they will share their results through exhibitions, publications, and lectures. If you’re interested in Vincent van Gogh, you’re certainly not the only one, and visiting this particular museum would be a treat!

Some popular pieces that you can find here are:

• “The Potato Eaters” - 1885
• “The Bedroom in Arles” - 1888
• “Sunflowers” - 1887
• “Almond Blossoms” - 1890
• “The Yellow House” - 1888
• “Wheatfield with Crows” - 1890

The Kröller-Müller Museum

Located in the Netherlands, this is the second largest of Vincent van Gogh collections. The Müller Museum has about 90 paintings and over 180 drawings by Vincent van Gogh. You’ll be able to find other artists’ work here, such as, Aristide Maillol, Pablo Picasso, Marta Pan, and Pierre Huyghe. Van Gogh has a special space here, though, as one of the owners of this museum, considered van Gogh to be “one of the great spirits of modern art.”

Pieces you’ll be able to find here:

• “Café Terrace at Night” - 1888
• “Sorrow Old Man (‘At Eternity’s Gate’)” - 1890
• “Road with Cypress and Star” - 1890

Other places that have showcased Vincent van Gogh’s artwork include:

• Musée D’Orsay in Paris:
• “Starry Night Over the Rhone” - 1888
• “Self-Portrait” - 1889

• Museum of Modern Art in New York City:
• “The Starry Night” - 1889

• J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles:
• “Irises” - 1889

Vincent van Gogh created a uniquely recognizable style that’s well worth a view in-person and is accessible through many museums across the world!

Pink Sand Beaches

When thinking of tropical locations or relaxation vacations, most people talk about the warm sun beating down on their skin, clear, blue ocean waters, and white sand between their toes.

That sounds nice, right?

But what about pink sand between your toes? Yes, there are places that actually have pink sand, and they’re beautiful! Pink sand gets its color from broken coral pieces, calcium carbonate materials from marine creatures, as well as seashells. Sometimes, the sand has the slightest highlight of pink, but the shoreline and the water’s edge is where the pink will be most vivid.
There are quite a few areas with pink sand beaches, but here are some that stand out to us!

1. Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda

This beautiful beach is located on Bermuda’s South Shore and is a great place to visit if you’re looking for some relaxation.
This beach is also family friendly, with many activities such as snorkeling, boogie boarding, and paddle boarding. Because this beach is shaped like a horseshoe (hence the name), it’s sheltered from larger waves.
Bars near the beach make it easy to grab some burgers and fish sandwiches, ice cream, and Bermuda’s national drink, the Rum Swizzle.

2. Pink Sands Beach, Harbour Island, Bahamas

This beach is located on a small island of the Bahamas (it’s so small you can travel the Harbour Island by foot!). Not only is the beach here stunning, there are soo many great activities to take part of.
One of the coolest activities you can do at Pink Sands Beach is to take a boat tour to go swim with pigs! Yes, pigs! You’ll boat over to a smaller island where you can swim alongside these porkers and even feed them. From there you’ll head over to another island where you can partake in a Bahamian food tasting!
If you’re not into swimming with pigs, that’s okay, you can always just set up a towel on the beach and enjoy the views and play in the crystal clear, blue waters!

3. Pink Beach of Barbuda, Caribbean Sea

This island is found in the northeastern Caribbean and consists of small village communities and is known for its natural beaches.
What’s cool about this island is that one side of Barbuda is touched by the Atlantic Ocean, with its dark blue color and beaches filled with driftwood, while the other side of the island is touched by the Caribbean sea, which is where you can find the pink sand beaches and bright blue waters.
Take in the natural beauty, relax and interact with locals. Barbuda isn’t known for its tourism, so you won’t see organized events and activities that you would in larger resort towns, nor will you find tourist attractions or nightlife on this island. Instead, expect blissful peace.

4. Elafonisi Beach, Crete, Greece

This is an island that is located on the southwest coast of Crete, Greece. It’s more of a sandbar, meaning it can be submerged under the water at certain times. If you’re hanging out in Crete, you can wade out to the island, but don’t expect to see any beach chairs there, though! If you’re up for this adventure you’ll be rewarded with sightings of rare plants and sea creatures, such as the loggerhead sea turtles. Take note – if you’re caught removing any plants or animals, you could be given a big fine!
Most of the time, you’ll see the stunning pink sand on the island and when the sand is pink, it is very pink. However, there can be times where you don’t see the pink sand: this is due to wind conditions, the season, and even the tide motions. But even if you don’t see the sand in its pink beauty, you’ll always be able to feel the softness of the sand on this island. It’s been described as “soft as dust.” The waters surrounding are warm and calm, so it’s a great spot to bring young ones to play.
This island can get busy, so if you’re looking for more of a relaxed environment, it’s recommended to go during the late spring and early summer.

Cruise Line Dress Codes

Everything about a cruise is meant to be relaxing, so don’t worry about figuring out what to wear on board; we have the information you need right here. Overall, cruise line dress codes have become more casual, but there are still opportunities to dress up for special evenings. Here’s a quick summary of current dress codes:

Resort Casual. Also known as Country Club Casual, this style calls for button-down shirts, nice slacks, dresses or skirts and coordinating tops. Don’t bring jeans, shorts, t-shirts, baseball caps or tennis shoes; if you do, don’t wear them onboard after 6 p.m. Cruise lines with this type of dress code include Azamara, Crystal, Cunard, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea, Windstar, and Viking.

Smart Casual. Smart Casual is a little more relaxed than Resort Casual; sport shirts, khaki pants, nice jeans, capri pants, and dressy shorts are acceptable. Less common are t-shirts, athletic wear, flip-flops and men’s sleeveless shirts; again, these items are particularly unwelcome after 6 p.m. Cruise lines with this type of dress code include Celebrity, Costa and Holland America.

Cruise Casual. The most casual dress code at sea includes jeans (they can be worn-in, but shouldn’t have rips or tears), shorts, t-shirts, and athletic wear, although you should change into a nice pair of pants and shirt or a casual dress for dinner. Cruise lines with this type of dress code include Disney, MSC, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean.

Formal Evenings. Whatever the dress code, most cruises include at least one formal night, when passengers are welcome, encouraged – and perhaps even required – to get dressed up for dinner. Trust us, it’s a lot of fun when everyone on board puts on their finest.

The exact level of formality varies; expected attire can range from a sport jacket and tie to a tuxedo for men; for women, a cocktail dress, or a ball gown, maybe just the thing. Your personal travel advisor can help you understand what to pack for your ship’s formal evenings.

If your ship has some required formal evenings but you’re just not comfortable getting dressed up for dinner, don’t worry. You’ll find the buffet on the lido deck or another casual venue will still be open for dinner. Room service is always an option, too.

One more tip: Keep in mind that on almost any cruise ship, swimsuits are appropriate only on pool decks and not in dining areas.

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