All posts tagged: resorts

BALI, INDONESIA | FIRST STOP: UBUD

Published by Nicole Isaacs

I am breaking up my Bali posts because there is just so much to write about! I am going to write a post for each resort I stayed at in Bali along with all the activities I did at each. I’m also going to share some information about Ubud in this post. My first stop in Bali was the Ritz Carlton Mandapa Reserve. UBUD The town of Ubud is an hour and a half drive from Bali’s international airport, Denpasar. Ubud represents traditional Bali, you can really feel the authentic Balinese culture. It’s in the uplands and surrounded by rainforest, rice terraces, Hindu temples and shrines– Bali’s most iconic landscapes. Ubud is also known for the center of Balinese crafts and dance. It feels very far removed from the hustle and bustle of the populated town of Kuta and Bali’s beach party scene in Seminyak. It is the ultimate place for serenity and relaxation, and the perfect place to practice yoga and mediation. If visiting a spiritual healer interests you (like the healer Ketut in …

VICEROY, RIVIERA MAYA

Published by Nicole Isaacs

A 45 minute drive from Cancun, at the end of a few hidden roads, lies the Viceroy Riviera Maya—a beautiful lush sanctuary in paradise. The resort has an open-air lobby and their beautiful villas are surrounded by the lush jungle of the Riviera Maya. Just a moments walk away from the beach, The Viceroy property gives you the best of both worlds. The resort is set on the beautiful sand beaches of Playa Del Carmen. The poolside beach bar is where I spent most of my day soaking up the sun with a pina colada in hand. The resort is located just a quick 10-15 minute drive from the heart of Playa Del Carmen, but I felt no need to leave the property throughout my stay. The food at the Viceroy was excellent. Every morning I enjoyed fresh fruit juices and an authentic Mexican breakfast—the huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and carne asada were amazing. For dinner I indulged in mojacuete, tacos and fresh guacamole. I kept lunch light with appetizers like seafood ceviche, shrimp quesadillas and …

BEST OF BELIZE

Published by Nicole Isaacs

Belize was on the top of my travel bucket list for a while. I heard so many great things so I finally booked a trip to see the best the country has to offer. I usually squeeze in so many activities on a trip that it’s rarely relaxing, but this trip was different. I spent eight days there and took my time to explore the country, soak in the sun, and relax at its finest resorts. Needless to say, I came back to Los Angeles feeling refreshed and with a beautiful Belizean tan. I started off my trip inland in the small rustic town of Saint Ignacio. A lot of travelers don’t visit the mainland, but I would recommend it– you get an entirely different feel of the country. I arrived in Belize City and took a private shuttle (only $45!) to Saint Ignacio, which is 2 hours away from the airport. There’s a ton to do in Saint Ignacio including visiting the Mayan ruin sites of Xunantunich and Cahal Pech, and jungle adventures like …

GUIDE TO TURKS & CAICOS

Published by Nicole Isaacs

Hi!!! I’ve been away in Turks and Caicos and finally settled back in Los Angeles and catching up on the blog. I have so much content to share so it’s taking me some time to get organized. I wanted to share my experience, give you some recommendations when traveling to T&C, and share with you some of my favorite pictures. I’m also doing a Turks & Caicos Top Three feature for Haute Living, so be sure to check that out once it’s live on their site to see exclusive pictures and adventures from my trip! Turks & Caicos VLOG coming soon too… http://hauteliving.com/2015/04/travel-blogger-miss-jetsetter-explores-the-best-of-turks-and-caicos/561552/ Known for it’s pristine beaches with beautiful turquoise water and white sand, Providenciales Island in Turks & Caicos is the ultimate beach lover’s vacation destination. I stayed for nine days which is a pretty long time to be on the island, but it gave me ample time to really discover the best the island has to offer. From visiting all the luxurious resorts, dining at the top recommended restaurants, and looking into all the excursions …

CEBU, PHILIPPINES

Published by Nicole Isaacs

My trip to the Philippines was absolutely amazing. It was so beautiful there and the people were extremely nice and friendly. I started in Manila and island hopped from Cebu to Boracay to El Nido. I did everything from swimming with whale sharks to dancing with fire in the rain, being a mermaid and zip lining over the ocean. I already shared with you a couple clips being a mermaid and swimming with whale sharks, but here are a couple of my favorite pictures from Cebu (including Kawasan Falls). Next blog post will be on an amazing hole in the wall where they serve the best “Lechon” in Cebu. Stay tuned! To see more photos of my trip and me dancing with fire check out my Instagram @NicoleIsaacs.  

ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA

Published by Nicole Isaacs

I finished up my Tanzania trip in Zanzibar. It was the perfect end to our incredible experience in Africa. Many people don’t know that the Eastern Coast of Africa lies on the Indian Ocean and has beautiful beaches. Zanzibar is an island right off the coast of Tanzania. We explored the main island of Zanzibar first. We went to a slave site where they used to auction and sell Africans as slaves and transported them by boat to the United States on slave ships in the 1800’s. It was really intense to see the slave quarters where they held them and the areas where they auctioned them off.  They used to keep around 60 slaves underground in a tiny holding quarter with barely any light. There were no toilets and they were chained by their hands and feet. It felt very eery to be standing in the slave chambers where people were being enslaved and treated like animals because of the color of their skin. As hard as it was to be there, it was important to learn more …

SERENGETI, TANZANIA | FOUR SEASONS HOTEL

Published by Nicole Isaacs

I’ve been meaning to post the 2nd half of my Africa trip and I’m finally getting around to it.  Our second leg of the trip we spent in the Serengeti and Zanzibar. I wanted to share some of my favorite pictures from the Serengeti. It was an unforgettable experience. We stayed at the Four Seasons Safari lodge which is located in the middle of the Serengeti. We saw every animal from the view of our hotel room balcony. It felt like we were in the middle of a zoo, but we were the animals and the animals were the onlookers looking at us…we were in their home. We spent most of the day relaxing on our hotel balcony looking at elephants, zebras, giraffes walk by. It was unreal. The Four Seasons resort was beautiful and I highly recommend staying there if you ever take a trip to the Serengeti. We saw so many animals driving from the air strip to the Four Seasons. We didn’t even need to do an actual safari. We also did …