Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa in Victoria

Save on two-night packages at Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa

Sure, Valentine’s Day is coming up, but we’re up for a romantic island getaway anytime! Especially when Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa is offering a special two-night Spa Lovers’ Bed & Breakfast Package.

Winter rates for a luxurious OceanSuite start at just $498 for a two-night stay, including gourmet breakfast for two each morning, plus a $100 certificate for the Spa — Essence of Life.

The romantic OceanSuite offers gorgeous water views

For added romance, you can even enjoy your relaxing choice of treatments with your sweetie in the spa’s tranquil couples room.

Victoria’s only five-star oceanfront resort, Brentwood Bay Resort & Spa was recently named one of TripAdvisor’s Top 25 Hotels in Canada and Top 25 Relaxation Spas in Canada in the 2012 Traveler’s Choice Awards.

Book your package online or call 1-888-544-2079.

Picture a bay fringed by forested hills, a place where gentle waves lap against the beach and casitas nestle in haphazard symmetry between the trees. There are no high-rise hotels jostling for space on the beachfront and no sea-dos zooming noisily in the surf. By day there are surfboards, kayaks and sunshine while at night visitors dine beneath palapas at local restaurants, the sweet sound of salsa music filling the air. This is Sayulita, a small town of 3,000 just 45 minutes from Mexico’s Puerto Vallarta. It’s not widely recognized on the honeymoon map, but it’s a little alcove of paradise for those who want a getaway that personifies peace and quiet, simple beauty and the authenticity of Mexico—without travelling too far from a major airport.

We checked into Villa Amor, a boutique hotel perched on the north side of the beach, just metres from the ocean. The 42 villas are rustic, airy and distinctly Mexican in their architecture. Mexican earthenware and art adorn the walls, a private splash pool is a great spot to cool off on a hot day and from the large terrace, the ocean view is simply
mesmerizing.

The beach curves before us in an elegant arc of white sand licked by foamy waves. Pelicans dive for fish, surfers sit patiently on their boards waiting for the perfect wave and giant frigate birds glide on the thermals. From the moment we arrived the whoosh of waves filled our ears with a soothing melody. Inside, the villas feature large bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows and mosquito nets elegantly draping the beds in a soft canopy. Devoid of telephones, televisions and in-room wi-fi, we’re free from the digital world and decadently disconnected.

Tempting as it was to curl up on the patio furniture with a good book, the surf was calling. Our first morning we booked surfing lessons with a local instructor, Israel Preciado, heading out into the water after a quick lesson on the beach. The waves were small and gentle that day, and within ten minutes we were standing cautiously on our surfboards, riding a wave toward the beach. It was invigorating being immersed in the waves, even with frequent tumbles off the board. By the time we sank onto towels in the blissful sunshine, we’d truly earned our repose.

Later, we sauntered around this eclectic, bohemian town, peeking into the shops and galleries. We walked by the Iguana Tree, a favourite hangout of the protected species, and looking up we saw four iguanas munching lazily on leaves, their legs clasped tightly around the branches. It was the first of a diverse array of wildlife we witnessed in the Riviera Nayarit, the coastal strip on which Sayulita is one of several small towns.

A few days later, on a boat ride to the Marietas Islands, a nature reserve a halfhour from Sayulita, we passed humpback whales, spyhopping and bellowing soft breaths of spray into the air. We snorkelled around the island caves beneath the watchful gaze of blue-footed boobies, an unfortunately named bird that’s found in only two other remote places in the world. And on a long walk on Sayulita’s soft sand, we observed several newly hatched turtles making their first journeys toward the ocean.

There’s a laid-back, friendly atmosphere in Sayulita that you just don’t find in Mexico’s major tourist destinations. We felt that camaraderie acutely when we dined at Antonia’s, a local restaurant on the patio of Antonia Venejas’ house. The menu was composed of Mexico’s traditional dishes, all of them whipped together with pride in the kitchen, just steps from our table.

We practiced the salsa at Don Pedro’s, a palapa-covered restaurant on the beachfront, and we mingled in the town plaza at night, watching street vendors fry pretzels into a delicious crisp. The street lights cast a romantic glow around the little town, and as we walked along the ocean back to our villa, the world felt
a wonderfully peaceful place.

For general information on Sayulita, visit www.sayulita.com and www.sayulitalife.com

Rates at Villa Amor start at $55 and up per night. For reservations visit www.villaamor.com or call 619 819-5407

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When you arrive at a resort, you don’t usually expect a sacred welcome blessing. But at the Ubud Hanging Gardens in Bali, this gesture of honour and warmth is our introduction into a mystical, sensual, and tranquil place. Hadi, the head of staff, gracefully places his palms together as two young Balinese girls in golden-threaded sarongs present us with ceremonial weavings. I breathe in the cleansing rainforest air and am instantly relaxed.
A five-star resort, Ubud Hanging Gardens sits snugly on a hillside amongst coconut trees and dense tropical foliage. The 38 air-conditioned villas blend into the landscape and hang over the Ayung River in three levels: Valley View, Riverside, and Panoramic. The villas are connected to the resort’s amenities by an ornate gliding tram that travels smooth as silk up and down the cliffside.

Our villa is Riverside with the gentle sounds of the Ayung rising up from below. Fresh papaya juice, snake fruit, and cool, lavender-scented towels greet us. Later, we snuggle into our king-sized bed, silken mosquito netting drapes around us, lending an exotic ambience to our evening. Nary a mosquito in sight, it seems the draping is more for romance than for keeping the bugs away.

Beyond a sliding door is the balé, an outdoor covered living space with lounging and seating areas. To our delight, a private, 29° infinity pool awaits and we waste no time plunging in, sans-suits. After our dip, we lay back and dry off on lounge chairs, absorbing the warm sun and peacefulness.

If, for some reason, you want to spend some time away from your villa, the resort has much to offer. Pluck a book off the shelf and spend a few hours in the well-stocked open-air reading room. For an invigorating swim, two large infinity pools perch over the hillside. I hug the side of the pool after a lap and feel like I’m floating above the valley, above steeply-terraced rice paddies and the river below. The daily activities roster includes yoga, botanical walks, Balinese cooking and painting lessons. You can also book daytrips to Ubud’s town centre and other destinations around the island. One activity you cannot miss is the “Secret Adventure” for couples. It’s a private, spiritual and culturally rich outing that is only revealed as you experience it.

The Ayung Spa is a place to fill your senses and relax. We chose traditional Balinese massages, which incorporate swedish, shiatsu, and acupressure-style techniques and is centuries old. All treatments use south east asian ingredients such as lemongrass oil, sandalwood, ginger and chocolate.

During the afternoon, we dine at the Diatas Pohon Café which serves light fare exploring Indonesian flavours like lemongrass, chili, and ginger. It also serves up a taste of Bali’s traditional handicrafts; as we eat, three young men deftly weave green-yellow coconut leaves into lovely creations as they chat and joke with each other. One boy presents me with his creation, a woven purse.

Under a dusky sky, our senses enjoy locally farmed haute cuisine while our spirits are stirred by the dramatically lit Pura Penataran Dalem Segara temple across the valley. French executive Chef Renaud LeRasle accentuates his French fare with the spice-filled, multilayered flavours of Bali. Our meal begins with a silky Kabocha squash soup finished with Balinese long pepper and a refreshing salmon mousse served like mini ice-cream cones. So fun to eat! Tender, Balinese beer-marinated beef cheeks and local king prawns excite our palates.

The next day, our itinerary takes us to the coast for a stay at Ubud Hanging Garden’s sister resort Jimbaran Puri Bali. With a casual beach feel, the Jimbaran Puri Bali resort exchanges the greenness of Ubud Hanging Gardens for white sand and turquoise ocean.

Located in subdued Jimbaran Bay, it is a luxurious sanctuary from the party and surf areas of nearby Kuta. Each of the 41 air-conditioned, Balinese-style cottages features indoor and outdoor sitting areas and a walled garden.

After a light lunch of seared tuna nicoise and huahine salads, we kick off our sandals and stop at our lounge chairs just long enough to abandon our towels. Then we run full speed to play in the waves. In the distance, silhouetted fishing boats slowly make their way inland after a day’s work.

The resort’s Beach Spa offers Ayurvedic treatments to centre the spirit and pamper the body. During our outdoor, side-by-side Balinese massages, the soft ocean soundscape lulls us into another world.

Sunset in Jimbaran Bay is a surreal display of neon pinks and oranges. We sit at our beach table, savouring our seafood caught just metres away, enjoying each other. Ever so faintly, we can hear a ceremony from a nearby temple and the soothing slip-slap of waves. But at this moment here in Bali, we are all that exist in the world.

If You Go:

• Jimbaran Puri and Ubud Hanging Gardens offer several honeymoon packages including one that allows you to experience both resorts back to back. Both are part of the Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises collection of experiences. Jimbaran Puri is conveniently located 20 minutes from the Denpasar airport.
• Rates at Ubud Hanging Gardens start at $207 USD/night in low season and $305 USD/night in high season for a Riverside villa. www.ubudhanginggardens.com
• Rates at Jimbaran Puri start at $200 USD/night in low season and $408 USD/night in high season. www.jimbaranpuribali.com
• Flights from Vancouver to Bali are offered through Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines.
• You may require tourist visas. Check with the Indonesian Consulate in Vancouver. 1630 Alberni Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 1A6; 604 682-8855, www.indonesiavancouver.com It is possible to acquire your visa at the Bali airport when you arrive but it is often a lengthy wait in line.
• High season is generally August-December. Low (rainy) season is typically January-April.

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Thumbnail Photo By: Jennifer Kirk
Article Photo By: Stefano Nunnucci

Destination weddings in Europe are all about love, romance, charm, sophistication, elegance, stunning landscapes, incredible architecture and art. Imagine your dream wedding with the historical background of a city in Tuscany, Italy or the marvellous famous blue domes in Santorini, Greece.

Many couples believe that it is an impossible dream to get married in Europe, but in fact, it is simpler than it seems. All you need is to give yourself plenty of time to plan all the fine details – at least eight months to one year. Generous lead time also allows plenty of time for your family, bridal party and other guests to plan their travels as well. But, before all that, it is important to know exactly who you will be inviting. Usually, couples decide to get married abroad because they want to invite only closest family and friends, making the celebration even more special for themselves and their guests.

Steps for Planning a European Destination Wedding:

1. Decide on which which country you would like to wed.
2. Contact a destination wedding planner to discuss your details (large group, small more intimate group, country of preference, services required, etc).
3. Get informed about your chosen country. Your wedding planner will provide you with information about paperwork and legalities, the wedding license, and will recommend specific cities in your chosen country and the type of services they each offer.

Location Suggestions for A European Destination Wedding:
Italy
Florence, Rome, Sienna, San Gimignano, Venice, Verona

Greece
Santorini, Athens, Mykonos

Spain
Barcelona, Costa del Sol

France
Paris, Loire Valley, French Riviera

Austria
Salzburg

Type of Ceremonies in Each Country:
Italy: Civil and religious (Catholic, Protestant, Jewish)

Greece: Civil and symbolic blessing

Spain, France, and Austria: Symbolic blessing

Imagine a small intimate wedding with a close group of family and friends at a hot destination; it has a wonderful allure and is becoming an increasingly popular option for couples. Ask yourself, is a smaller, more intimate wedding with perhaps fewer friends and family attending what you envisage for your special day? If yes, then you may be destination bound.

Here are a few things to consider:
Proximity: Think about which destination would work for you and your respective families. If you live in Western Canada, you might want to think of destinations that are closer and more affordable; Maui and Mexico are popular choices. If you are on the East Coast, then Florida, Jamaica and the Bahamas might be better options.

Timing: If you can time your wedding event to take place during a low- or shoulder-season period, you and your guests might reap the benefits of lower fares and better land-based deals.

Enlist Wedding Planning Professionals
Book a travel agent and look into a hiring a reputable wedding planner to plan your wedding. Ensure that your wedding planner has a wedding director at the destination who will also make sure all the details go as planned.

Legalities
Ensure you have all the requirements to legally marry in your destination of choice. Cancellation insurance is always a good option just in case.

Traditions
In case you are concerned about having to sacrifice the usual trimmings, destination weddings do not necessarily mean you have to forget about special traditions. “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” can still be done with an island flavour. Remember, it’s your wedding and even though it will be far away from home, it truly is your special day. You can still incorporate what’s important to you but perhaps with a unique twist or in a simpler way.

Invitations & The Guest List
Decide at the outset if you want an intimate wedding for just immediate family or a larger event with family and friends before sending out your invitations. Don’t forget to provide plenty of advance notice to your guests. Save-the-Date Cards, destination postcards, and sand-in-a-bottle invites provide excitement for the destination event while giving family and friends enough notice so they can hopefully attend.

Keep Everyone Informed
A customized wedding website or blog is a great way for you to post details about accommodation suggestions and activities. It is also a fun platform for posting engagement party and stag/stagette pictures along with details like where you are registered and if you are donating to a charity in lieu of guest favours.

Savour the Experience
Relax and enjoy each moment, that is what a destination wedding is all about.

Real Weddings Destination Wedding Stories
Check out these tropical destinations featured in couples’ real wedding stories published in Real Weddings magazine:

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – Playa Fiesta Resort

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – Talofa Tall Ship

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – One&Only Palmilla Resort

Lucea, Jamaica – Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton Resort & Spa

Maui, Hawaii – Old Lahaina Luau Resort

Kathryn Basso was working in the Kelowna restaurant she co-owned when she first met Steve Johnson, and the chemistry between the two was immediate. “I mentioned to a co-worker at the restaurant that I thought he was attractive, and that he seemed interesting to me,” she recalls of that moment in 2005. She didn’t know it at the time, but Steve, 51, was thinking the same thing about her. “She was really beautiful, interesting and funny, with a quick, sharp wit,” he says of the Kelowna realtor. “It didn’t take me long to realize she was really special.”
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Steve, a dentist who moved from Shevington, England to Kelowna more than 20 years ago, called Kathryn to ask her out. He planned to take her out on his boat to a restaurant for a nice dinner, but the plan almost backfired. “My boat engine literally blew up while we were in the boat, in the water,” he says with a laugh. “We had to put it back on the trailer, park it at my house and take the car to the restaurant instead.”
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On that first date, the couple learned they had lots in common. Both had been previously married, each of them had two sons, and the boys were all similar ages. “I found him charming, and I loved his accent,” says Kathryn.

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After that, Steve and Kathryn saw each other frequently. They introduced their sons to each other and were thrilled when the boys bonded and became good friends. Within months of their first meeting, Steve says he knew Kathryn was the one. “She’s well grounded, smart, worldly and a great organizer,” he says. “And we’re both very active people who love to travel, exercise, go camping and scuba diving.”
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Kathryn recalls Steve mentioning marriage three months after they started dating. “I thought, ‘Oh my goodness!’” she says. “But it always felt like we fit as a couple, and even if we had disagreements, I knew we had to work through them because I knew that he was supposed to be with me.”
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It would be two years before Steve’s official proposal to Kathryn. He waited until they were at a resort in Thailand and hired a boat to take them across to a private, secluded island.  “They prepared a picnic for us on the beach with sangria and Thai food, and Steve brought along a bouquet of orchids,” Kathryn recalls fondly. “When he went down on one knee and proposed, I was in shock. I kept saying, ‘Are you serious?’”
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The couple purchased an engagement ring in Thailand and returned to Kelowna to plan a destination wedding in Mexico for April 2010. “Cabo San Lucas is such a convenient  destination to reach from Kelowna,” reflects Steve. “We went there in September 2009 to scout various sites, and that’s when we saw the boat we’d be married on.”
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The 100-year-old tall ship Talofa had been crafted to retrieve treasure in the coral reefs of the South Pacific, and was in impeccable condition. When Kathryn and Steve walked passed it in the Cabo San Lucas harbour, they were taken with it immediately. The captain happened to walk by as hey wondered out loud who it belonged to. “Right there and then we decided we would let him sail us away on our wedding with his crew,” says Kathryn.
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Over the next few months, with the help of Mexico-based wedding planner Sarai Flores of Signature Weddings Mexico, the wedding plans came together. Kathryn traveled to Toronto with her mother to shop for a bridal gown, saw one in a window and loved it. “When the store owner heard my wedding day was six weeks away he told me he’d never be able to do the alterations in that time,” Kathryn recalls. “I tried it on anyway and it fit perfectly. All he had to do was hem it. Two days later, I walked out of the store with my wedding dress over my arm.”
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The day of the wedding, 30 guests joined Kathryn and Steve in Cabo San Lucas for Champagne and orange juice. “I walked down the dock towards the Talofa with my boys, to the sounds of a string quartet playing,” Kathryn says.
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Steve was waiting for her on board, and in the bay of Cabo San Lucas, the minister performed a ceremony in two parts. “The first part married our family,” says Kathryn. “He expressed so beautifully to the kids that this was a blending of two families, and that no matter where we were in life, we would always be together. It brought tears to our eyes, yet still made us laugh and smile,” she says.
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In the second part of the ceremony the minister married Steve and Kathryn. Then the wedding party spent the day sailing over Cabo San Lucas’ turquoise waters beneath brilliantly sunny skies. Whales breached across the bow of the boat, eagle rays swam by and guests drank Champagne and ate wedding cake.

“It was such a special day,” Steve reflects. “I loved the movement of the boat on the water, the wind in the sails and the magic feeling that our wedding was really, truly happening.”

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Wedding Planner:
Sarai Flores – Signature Weddings Mexico
www.signatureweddingsmexico.com

Photographer:
Glen Durrell Photography
www.glendurrell.com

Venue – Ceremony:
Talofa Tall Ship
www.talofatallship.com

Venue – Reception:
Sheraton Hacienda del Mar
www.sheratonhaciendadelmar.com

Bridal Gown:
Reva Mivasagar, The RM Salon – Toronto
www.revadesigns.com

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Only 20 minutes from Phoenix Airport by limousine, InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa in Scottsdale is a world class luxury resort nestled at the foot of picturesque Camelback Mountain. Inspired by the rich history, white-washed villages and sun-drenched hills of Spain’s southern Andalusia region, InterContinental Montelucia is reminiscent of a Spanish town square. Fountains and walkways, 18th Century doors imported from Spain, tiled courtyards and luxurious touches all combine with the modern feel of a world class spa, pools and fabulous cuisine. The resort boasts six tempting dining options including the critically-acclaimed Italian restaurant, Prado and the poolside bistro, ROQ plus a myriad of radiant pools. Guest rooms are spacious and offer a beautifully appointed cool oasis in the middle of the desert heat.

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The Ceremony Venue

Wedding ceremonies can take place on-site under an 18-foot-high cathedral ceiling in the Castillo Lucena wedding venue or at sunset outside on the sprawling wedding courtyard garden with Camelback Mountain as the backdrop. Brides and their bridal parties prepare in their own intimate wedding suite offering secluded privacy and direct access to the Resort’s ceremony venues.

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A Stress Free Wedding

Award-winning, Moroccan-inspired Joya Spa is the jewel of Montelucia and Spa Director Sabrina Cormack has brought all her passion to the spa since its inception. Borrowing heavily from the romantic history of Morocco, the Spa exudes other-worldy luxury and beckons visitors to indulge. Treatment rooms are named after Moroccan folk dances, while door knockers are inspired by the Hand of Fatima. The array of spa products take their names from tales of romance, beautiful genies and legendary heroes.

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Sedona: Home of Red Rocks and Vortex

A scenic 90-minute drive from Phoenix, Sedona is located in some of the most picturesque and striking red rock canyons in the world. Sedona is where American cowboy-movies had their birth, where artists, actors and cognoscenti from around the world have come in search of beauty and truth. The area is also known among new age thinkers as an area steeped in the mysterious energy fields known as vortex.

A popular wedding destination, the area caters to intimate, casual weddings. Couples come here for the cooler temperatures, the breathtaking setting and the river—one of the few in Arizona to run year-round. Ceremonies can be held in a variety of spectacular outdoor locations or at stunning Tlaquepaque Chapel located in the Tlaquepaque Arts and Crafts Village.

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Enchantment Resort

Enchantment Resort, at the northern end of Red Rock Canyon, offers a private sanctuary nestled against the canyon walls. With its family-friendly atmosphere, Enchantment is a good choice for a smaller family reunion style wedding. Wedding planners on staff can assist in making connections with local vendors and the resort itself fosters a casual, laid back feel. The resort is also home to Mii amo Spa.

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Rated the #1 Destination Spa by Travel & Leisure Magazine, this smaller spa lacks nothing in luxury and has some wonderful spaces, including the Crystal Grotto. Mii amo Café’s contemporary, eclectic cuisine combines regional flavours with healthy cooking techniques using a variety of grains, legumes, seasonal produce, fresh meats, seafood and poultry.

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If You Go:

• For general travel and destination information on Arizona visit the state’s official site at www.arizonaguide.com

• For a Canadian travel operator, contact Rick Buecking at TLC Travel: rick-tlc@shaw.ca

• Rates at the InterContinental Montelucia start at $299 per night. For wedding information contact Catering at (480) 627-3127 or visit their site at www.icmontelucia.com

• For more information on Joya Spa, including rates and packages, visit them online at www.joyaspa.com

• Rates at Enchantment Resort start at $349 per night. For wedding information contact Molly Anderson at manderson@enchantmentresort.com

• For more information on Mii amo Spa, including rates and packages, visit them online at www.miiamo.com

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Vancouverites Ann Choi, a graphic designer, and David Penfold, a user interface designer, met online. It was serendipitous really, as sometime after meeting, they realized they had crossed paths several years earlier.
David proposed in 2008 and shortly after that, in April 2009, Ann found herself at the Vancouver Wedding Show with a girlfriend. At one point, her friend pulled her over to a booth and said, “You have to see this place!” The exhibit was for wedding destination resort InterContinental Montelucia located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Montelucia seemed to offer Ann everything she was looking for in a destination venue–sun, sun and sun! Her list of ‘other must haves’ included an outdoor locale with a beautiful view, a spectacular resort that would not impose minimum night stays on guests, and a destination that was easy and affordable to access.
Ann says the experience of Montelucia was exceptional. “They were wonderful. The communication was great, we had a dedicated wedding coordinator who was right on the ball.” Initially Ann was concerned about the food, as she and David did not have a chance to taste the meals prior to the wedding. She was pleasantly surprised. “The food was fantastic.  Montelucia has a reputation for great food and the meals were perfect. Everyone commented on how awesome it was.”

Ann and David exchanged vows on the Valencia Lawn. The reception was inside the Castillo Lucena featuring magnificent 18th Century doors imported from Spain.

Although Montelucia has a wedding package that includes all the details, Ann sourced some Arizona vendors herself. Her photographers Anna and Faithie of Scottsdale-based Classic Digital Photography matched Ann’s personal style in photography. “Being a designer, I knew the style I was most interested in. And Faithie was amazing and treated us so well.” Ann also located her own florist from Montelucia’s recommended vendor list. Ann says that Jill Murphy from Avant Garde Florists was “wonderful to work with.” Ann’s cake was created by Montelucia’s onsite boutique cake genius, Julia Baker Confections.

The resort’s world-class Joya Spa provided hair and makeup services. Ann sums up the day with a burst of enthusiasm, “We were just overwhelmed with everything we experienced; it was so incredible.”

Ann Choi & David Penfold. Married on April 4, 2010. InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona. Photographed by Anna & Faithie Ekbundit.

The Cook Islands are an idyllic honeymoon locale for relaxation and romance but once you have lounged on the beach and let the island breeze carry your tensions away, adventure and culture also await, along with the memorable Cook Islanders who guide the way.

Jungle Treks and Hidden Secrets

On Rarotonga, the largest of the islands, we are staying at a wonderful little boutique resort, The Little Polynesian. By our second day we’re ready to head out and explore the island. All of the Cooks are volcanic in origin and at the centre of Rarotonga, surrounded by dense jungle is Te Rua Manga, an ancient volcanic core and one of the highest peaks on the island. Our enigmatic guide, Pa, is a legendary figure of the Islands respected for his Polynesian prowess, wisdom and deep respect for his land and heritage. At 62 years old he has made this trek barefoot through the jungle over 3,000 times. His shoulder-length bleach blond dreadlocks and reputation for  amazing physical exploits, including epic sea voyages in Polynesian outriggers and swimming the 36-plus kilometres around his home island, make him a credible guide. Wrapped in a simple, patterned pareu, Pa and his sturdy bare feet guides our small group through the jungle.

The Summit Trail

Along the way, he keeps up a roaming dialogue that ranges from tales of island history and Polynesian lore to the medicinal properties of the jungle plants at our feet. And just to keep it fun, he shares a few “stupid tourist” tories from his deep well of tales. The trail up is winding and steep, with only occasional glimpses of our surroundings through the dense bush as we gain elevation. When we stop at a small clearing, the beauty of the view is breathtaking. The glittering turquoise ocean stretches vast to the horizon; lush palms and enormous jungle trees create a thick, rippling canopy over the island’s surface below, long tailed White Terns soar across the valley. The summit itself is considered inaccessible without ropes. We take group photos under the watchful gaze of an ancient god carved into the volcanic face. On the way down our trail ends at the base of a waterfall and we waste no time plunging into the shallow pool. The pure, cold water is refreshing and the intimate spot uniquely romantic.

Highland Paradise Cultural Centre

On another morning, we opt for a less active adventure, but one just as culturally stimulating. High on Mount Maungaroa is the Highland Paradise Cultural Centre. Here, we explore the land of the Tinomana tribe, who, at the beginning of Cook Island’s history, were the ruling tribe over Rarotonga. We are warmly greeted by Tutu Pirangi, a descendant of the tribe who, taking over from her father, has committed her time and energy to preserving the land and sharing the history of her ancestors. After introducing herself and sharing a brief multimedia video about the tribe’s history, Tutu excuses herself to help prepare what will be a hearty afternoon lunch. We follow our guide Danny, who, dressed in traditional woven grass garb, leads us over the meticulous grounds, landscaped with various fruit trees and a carpet of large-bladed island grass. At one stop, Danny melodically recites a prayer to the god Tangaroa, and we sit on a log with our eyes closed, almost entranced by the rhythmic baritone of his recital. We also stop at a reconstruction of the tribe leader’s ares, a simple structure with a thatched roof and woven walls that would have housed him and his family.  A four-foot tall wooden Tangaroa stands just inside the entrance to ward off harm. We learn that much warring occurred between tribes all over the island but when the Tinomana chief converted to Christianity during the arrival of the first Christian missionaries, warring significantly decreased and the tribe slowly migrated down into the coastal areas of the island.

Our stay in the Cooks was tropical bliss, but it was also richly coloured by the Islanders we met, their individual and collective stories, and their passion for preserving their history and culture through sharing it with visitors.

If You Go:

Both a hike up Te Rua Manga and a visit to Highland Paradise can be organized through your accommodations or through the Cook Islands Tourism board located in Avarau, Rarotonga’s main town.
www.cookislands.travel

Highland Paradise:
www.highlandparadise.co.ck