The drink itself is nutritious, my group’s guide averred, because of the minerals in the corn and minerals picked up by grinding the grain on volcanic rock. He also said the new brew may have a 3% alcoholic content, but the alcohol level could be a lot higher with more fermentation.

Our guide stoking the fire before adding ground corn and flour to boiling water in the early phase of converting corn into the alcoholic drink, chicha de jora.

I wanted to see this demonstration and participate as well because the story of the beer is fascinating and it is a traditional part of Peru’s culture. Besides, fortunately, the beer we tasted at the conclusion did not have a high alcohol content!!

Peru’s appeal

You like archaeology? The country is rich with Inca and pre-Inca ruins, literally piles of ruins in addition to the best known of the lot, Machu Picchu. Plus there is a lot of nicely preserved colonial architecture.

One of numerous Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. These giant terraces, known collectively as the Fortress or Temple Hill, sit below the Inca Temple of the Sun, in the town of Ollantaytambo. (2011 photo)

You like scenery? Peru geography includes parts of the Amazon River system, Andean mountains galore punctuated with gorgeous deep valleys and the altiplano (basically a very high plateau), plus a capital, Lima,  that sits on a cliff overlooking the Pacific.

The Sacred Valley of the Incas. The valley floor where I took this photo is 9,776 feet above sea level.

You want an active vacation? Peru offers adventure sports such as trekking, horseback riding, mountain biking and rafting. Or, you can get out and about in search of the wildlife. For the truly Peru-specific thing, walk the Inca Trail (two-day or four-day version) to the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Except for those who walk, the only Machu Picchu access is via train to the village of Machu Picchu Pueblo, which sits below the ruins.

PeruRail cars readied for the journey from Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu Pueblo, the village that sits below the famed Machu Picchu site.

You want to shop? Souvenir hunting, involving lots of brightly colored woven goods, is cost effective and rewarding at any popular tourist site and market town. Besides, there are multiple options to buy high-end goods, especially woven tapestries that could easily, and sometimes do, hang in art galleries.

You like food? The country, home to multiple species of several New World foods — Brazil nuts, chocolate, corn, potatoes, quinoa — is a foodie destination, most notably Lima. Specialties also include alpaca, guinea pig (cuy, locally) and the really delectable ceviche. UNESCO in 2023 placed Peruvian ceviche on its list of intangible cultural heritages of humanity.

Alpacas, a source of wool and food.

Inkaterra

So naturally, my trip was too short. In Peru, trips always are. For this outing, I joined a press trip hosted by Peru’s Inkaterra hotels. A pioneer in sustainable tourism, Inkaterra is the winner of several sustainability prizes; it was recognized by the UN in 2021 as the world’s first climate positive hotel brand.

Chicha making is one of several cultural activities that, along with other more active options, is included in room rates at the Inkaterra properties. The Inkaterra properties offer their adventure/nature/eco-focused experiences to customers at any of five (soon to be six) mostly five-star hotels, located in forested and mountainous landscapes and at altitudes ranging from 600 feet above sea level in the Amazon River basin to 11,152 feet in Cusco. Our group stayed at three Inkaterra hotels, and also lunched at the super high-end La Casona, a protected 16th century manor house in Cusco.

The central square at the heart of historic Cusco, a city rich in colonial heritage.

Our group hiked or floated on oxbow lakes and the Madre de Dios River to see or look for flora (the walking tree was the best) and fauna, such as tiny long-nosed bats, caimans, red howlers and even butterflies camping on turtles’ heads.

Above, tiny long-nosed bats positioned head down on a tree trunk. Below, butterflies drink the tears of turtles, for the sodium. Both were seen on the oxbow lake on the grounds of Hacienda Concepcion, which abuts the Madre de Dios River in the Amazon basin.

Beer, nuts, tea, stargazing, chocolate

However, we didn’t do any serious trekking, mountain biking, or the like, so I am emphasizing the cultural side of things below. Further to the cultural theme, sessions included:

• Making beer, as mentioned, while a guest at Hacienda Urubamba in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. As our guide showed us how to grind the corn, he advised that the entire process takes a couple of weeks. The ingredient list is short: yellow corn, flour, herbs, water — and a bit of chicha to kick-start fermentation. Chicha traditions, which predate European contact, call for saving some of each newly made brew for rituals and sharing the rest with the neighbors the minute it’s ready, usually with salsa on the side.

• Harvesting the arguably misnamed Brazil nuts, at Hacienda Concepcion in the rainforest outside Puerto Maldonado. Most often found in Bolivia and Peru as well as in Brazil, these trees cannot be domesticated so the nuts are harvested in the wild. Peru’s trees, protected on government land, drop shells — about 300 annually from a mature tree — each containing up to 22 seeds that must be hulled. Licensed harvesters use machetes to open the hard shells. Then, it is mostly women (“they’re more patient,” our guide said) who remove the husks from the seeds, using a vise. We tried our hands at removing husks without smashing the nuts. It does take patience.

An opened Brazil nut shell and its 10-plus nuts. In the next step, nuts are shelled in a vise.

• Making tea, at Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel. This Inkaterra property sits on 12.3 acres, which accommodate a tiny tea plantation — as well as 372 native orchid species, BTW. As to tea, the plants, originally from Japan, are 75 years old. Hotel staffers harvest and make tea, black and green, year round. For our part, we “harvested” a tiny number of leaves, rolled tea leaves and, skipping steps, made and filled teabags for use later the same evening. Machu Picchu Pueblo, which gives this hotel its name, is a small (6,000 people) village that was founded after discovery of the Machu Picchu archaeological site.

Above, sweeping view of the Machu Picchu archaeological site. Below, llamas hanging out on the terraces at Machu Picchu. (2011 photos)

• Twilight stargazing, at Hacienda Urubamba, to gain insights into how Andean groups have relied on the stars for things like marking the seasons. Our outing involved a short tutorial on constellations seen in the Southern Hemisphere.

• Chocolate making, at Hacienda Concepcion. Although not on our itinerary, we watched a guest grinding cacao nuts as part of a chocolate making endeavor. This is worth mentioning because 60% of the world’s cacao species are indigenous to Peru. In fact, given Peru and its neighbors were key to bringing chocolate to the world, I am wondering why I didn’t eat more of it while so close to the source.

Above and below, more scenery, seen in this case while traveling the high-altitude roads outside of Cusco. The photo above was taken through a van window.

I meant to discuss shopping here, too, but this blog grew too fast. I discuss the shopping separately here: https://besttripchoices.com/peru-textiles-as-language/

For more information about Peru, we offer at BestTripChoices.com the following, under the headline, Land of Machu Picchu at https://besttripchoices.com/peru/

This blog and its photos are by Nadine Godwin, BestTripChoices.com editorial director and contributor to the trade newspaper, Travel Weekly. She also is the author of “Travia: The Ultimate Book of Travel Trivia.”

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• Borobudur is the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
• The Indonesian population encompasses some 365 ethnic and tribal groups.
• Bahasa Indonesia is the official language but the people also speak 583 dialects.
• More than 25% of the world’s fish species (4,000) are in Indonesian waters.
• There are 61 volcanoes on Java, of which more than a dozen are active.

Of Bali and rijstafel

For North Americans, Indonesia is an exotic destination. Even names and words associated with it evoke exotica: the Spice Islands, Bali, Borneo, Java, rijstafel, sarongs, monsoons.

The country forms a bridge between Southeast Asia and Australia. Its tropical climate and surrounding seas ensure visitors will find scenery that is lush, fragrant and conducive to relaxation. Lush scenery can be found closer to home, but the history, culture and people make a longer journey worthwhile.

In reality, Indonesia is an island archipelago of major proportions, extending 3,200 miles, from end to end in a roughly east-to-west direction. The country contains some of the world’s largest islands (Java, Sumatra and parts of Borneo and New Guinea).

The romance of Indonesia for North Americans has to do with its distance from home; its exotic mix of cultures (Dutch, Indian and indigenous, in a predominantly Moslem environment), and its tropical and varied natural beauty.

Monsoon rains control Indonesia’s weather. Temperatures are warm and constant year-round, so the real scheduling issue for travelers is avoiding the times of heavy rainfall, and those times vary from one end of the country to the other. Also, mostly in late summer/early fall, the skies in parts of Indonesia, such as Borneo and Sumatra, can suffer from moderate or even dense smoke haze produced by the seasonal land and forest burnings (for maintenance of rice fields and palm oil plantations).

Each of Indonesia’s more than 300 ethnic groups has its own cultural and religious identity. Most notably, there is a distinct Chinese minority (Buddhist), and Bali is largely Hindu.
For more than 300 years, the Netherlands controled the islands, and the Dutch influence is still apparent. For example, rijstafel is an Indonesian meal of rice with numerous spicy side dishes, but the word is Dutch for rice table.

It is not surprising that Indonesia appeals mostly to the most venturesome. Others will enjoy the more populated islands of Java and Madura, where there is more of a tourist infrastructure and where they can shop for outstanding arts and crafts. And all visitors appreciate the music and dance performances, good prices and friendly people.

Things to do for Venturers

• Let Balikpapan on Borneo be the starting point for a cruise up the Mahakam River. Travel by houseboat to Tanjung Isau to visit a Dayak longhouse.
• Spend the time and money to travel from Bali to Menjangan Island and Labuan Lalang for snorkeling and diving.
• Go to Nias for surfing (best April to October), but you’ll also want to take the opportunity to learn something of the local culture. Watch the Nias people perform their war dance noted for its acrobatic jumps; also, watch demonstrations of a local skill called stone jumping.
• Visit the Meru Betiri reserve on Java and take your chances on seeing the rafflesia flower, the world’s largest but with short-lived blooms, and the nearly extinct Java tiger. Permits are required to visit most Indonesian nature reserves. Facilities are rustic and transport often is by horseback or on your feet.
• Eat durian, the world’s smelliest fruit.
• See if you can get to the island of Komodo for a sighting of the legendary Komodo dragon in its own habitat.

Things to do for Centrics

• Allow time for a thorough tour of Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist temple. You will gain an understanding of the huge project undertaken in the 20th century to restore a valuable cultural site that had been ignored for centuries.
• Visit the Mount Leuser National Park on Sumatra to see and learn about the orangutans.
• Visit the Taman Fatahillah Museum, which comprises three main buildings on a single square in Jakarta. Exhibits cover Indonesia’s colonial and precolonial periods, fine art, ceramics and puppets.
• Visit Torajaland (Tana Toraja) in Sulawesi, and if you are lucky, your visit will coincide with some part of a traditional, weeklong Toraja funeral at which sacred water buffalo are slaughtered and lots of food is shared among the many who’ve traveled far for the event. Torajans are Christian but have not shed all animist beliefs.
• Dive on Bali’s north coast and “tour” a World War II shipwreck while viewing the sea life that gathers there.
• Buy souvenirs that bespeak Indonesia, such as wooden masks or silver goods. Better yet, sign up to make your own silver souvenirs in Kotagede. Located a few miles from Yogyakarta, it is called the Silver City because of the number of working silversmiths in town.

Things to do for Authentics

• Attend a shadow puppet show. Then buy a shadow puppet or two for display at home.
• Buy batik fabrics from which you can fashion gorgeous clothes you could not buy at home. Yogyakarta in central Java is famed for its vibrant batiks, as well as distinct court music and dance.
• Sample rijstafel. It’s a rice dish and, essentially, an Indonesian-style comfort food.
• Take in performances of music and classical or folk dance, which will bring you closer to the people who inhabit these islands.
• On Bali, in particular, there are several notable types of traditional dances, sometimes accompanied by bizarre music, sometimes involving dozens or hundreds of dancers. They are a must-see.
• If you are in Indonesia on its Aug. 17 Independence Day, watch the parade nearest you. These parades can include participants in brightly colored traditional ethnic dress.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the Ministry of Tourism at www.indonesia.travel

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• German cities and towns stage about 2,500 Christmas markets.
• Although noted as beer lovers, Germans now spend more on wine than beer each year.
• The Baedeker guidebooks were created in Koblenz in 1827 to end the need for tour guides.
• Bratwurst, frankfurters, sauerbraten and sauerkraut were created to prevent food spoilage.
• Friedrich Froebel founded the first kindergarten in Bad Blankenburg (1840).

From Hamburg to Munich

From the harbor town Hamburg and sophisticated Berlin in the north to Munich and the Black Forest in the south, Germany presents many faces to the ambitious sightseer — mountains and forests, small towns and quaint villages, bustling cities and lively night scenes, beer halls and wine festivals, lakes and river ways, ancient castles, churches, concert halls and museums. In addition, many sites bespeak the country’s long and complex history, most recently reunification of a land split by war.

The Germans are welcoming, many speak English and the country is viewed as “clean and well-kept,” and safe. Americans are generally comfortable here.

Visitors can race from town to town on the autobahn or cruise leisurely along the Rhine, with nearly every bend exposing a view of charming villages or medieval castles. In the cultural centers of Munich and Berlin, travelers enjoy the music from German composers, as well as the art and architecture that still are very impressive despite the destruction from two world wars. In fact, cultural treats of the same sort abound in cities across the country.

Having seen Germany heal the post-World War II split in its land makes travel here even more compelling to those interested in military and political history. Tourist travel remains more focused on the west, but there are many worthwhile attractions in the eastern sector.

German food gets a bad rap as being heavy and bland, but German cuisine in its native land is delicious and innovative. The Rhine and Moselle valleys produce white wines that compare favorably with those of any country. And any aficionado will tell you that nothing compares to German draft beer in a biergarten (beer garden), especially during Oktoberfest.

The hotels are good, and — for those not on a packaged tour — an excellent train system makes it easy to get around the country without a car. Also, more than one company organizes bicycle tours with a theme (wine country or historical castles, for example). This is a great way to see the sights from a new perspective. The country offers a great deal of variety for a visitor.

Things to do for Venturers

• Celebrate Oktoberfest in Bavaria (late September through October). It’s a lot more fun than the pale imitations in the U.S., and you’ll taste your fill of German food and beer.
• Run a marathon in Germany. Berlin’s may be the best known, but there are others.
• If supersonic jets interest you, Germany has the only museum with two. The Auto & Technik Museum in Sinsheim has an Air France Concorde plus a Soviet TU-144. The Soviets built 17 SSTs but operated only 102 scheduled flights.
• Join a class at the Meissen porcelain factory in Meissen where you can try painting porcelain yourself. Also, dine on Meissen pieces in the Cafe and Restaurant Meissen.
• Ride in the Erzgebirgs Bike Marathon, held each August in Saxony. Or participate in any of a number of other mountain biking events in the region, or do some biking on your own. There are signposted trails, and for assistance, you can rely on guides available at most hotels.
• If you like hot cars, drive to Stuttgart to see Mercedes-Benz-World and the Porsche Museum. Munich isn’t that far away; drive on down to see BMW World there.

Things to do for Centrics

• Plan a driving trip based on a suggested itinerary created by the German National Tourist Board focused on historic half-timbered houses and the villages where they are found. The route, the Half-Timbered House Road, offers a choice of almost 100 medieval towns that show off the architecture.
• Eat bratwurst, frankfurters, sauerbraten and sauerkraut in the land where they originated.
• Research your German roots, at home and in Germany. Follow where that and your family records lead, but also consider visiting the German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven, Europe’s largest museum with the emigration  theme.
• Time your trip right and attend a wine festival.
• Depending on your inclinations, make a pilgrimage to Trier, home to the Holy Tunic, a garment supposedly worn by Christ. Or make the trip because this is Germany’s oldest city (16 B.C.), once a capital of the Western Roman Empire and loaded with Roman ruins — and festivals that recall the history.
• Try out the Benedict Biking Trail, created to connect the points in Pope Benedict XVI’s early years in Bavaria. The 139-mile trail extends through Upper Bavaria and on to the Chiemgau region and its Lake Chiem. You can plan other (driving) itineraries, as well, built around Jewish history or the Lutheran church.

Things to do for Authentics

• Attend a Christmas market in Germany, or visit several. Every town has at least one market, and the big cities have several, all usually operational for the last month before Dec. 25, selling gift items, scads of Christmas decorations — and toys, toys, toys. Also, mulled wine and warm food.
• Go to Munich for the opera, but allow time for sightseeing and a beer garden.
• Admire the exquisite art and architecture in Dresden, then arrange to tour Meissen, Europe’s oldest porcelain factory.
• Rothenburg is a picture-perfect, much-photographed town with cobbled streets, town walls and towers. It is only one of the many sights aptly identified with a route now called the Romantic Road. The route originated as a trade and transport link between fortresses in the Middle Ages.
• Buy cologne in Cologne.
• Recapture the past: See Charlemagne’s throne and other artifacts at the cathedral in Aachen.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the German National Tourist Office at www.germany.travel

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• Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent country (108.7 acres).
• Most of St. Peter’s Basilica, Europe’s largest church, was designed by Michelangelo.
• The Swiss Guards have protected the pope at the Vatican since 1506.
• Vatican City has the world’s lowest birth rate (zero) whereas literacy is 100%.
• Nudity in Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgment” (Sistine Chapel) was painted over in the 16th century.

The world’s smallest country

Visitors to the Vatican tend to consider the destination a city within a city, the latter being Rome. It isn’t much of a city though. Consider its size (smaller than the grounds of the U.S. Capitol) and its population (less than 1,000).

Those statistics belie the Vatican’s importance as the ecclesiastical home of Roman Catholicism and its true status: It is an independent city-state. It maintains diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries and issues coins (these days, euros), passports and stamps.

For the tourist in Rome, Vatican City is a de rigueur portion of the typical itinerary, based on its architectural appeal, rich art collections and historical significance for the Western world. It’s a phenomenon that must be seen.

But the Vatican has its own market, religious pilgrims, who in their turn make room in their schedules to see Rome for all the same reasons of architecture, art and history. Besides, Rome is where the hotels and restaurants are.

In Vatican City, the centerpiece is St. Peter’s Basilica and the square it sits on. Although no longer the world’s largest church, it is awesome. It is not merely a huge dome-topped hall, after all, but a lovingly designed house of worship with art and design details too numerous to absorb quickly. These include, most notably, Michelangelo’s “Pieta” and several works by Bernini, including his striking bronze canopy over the altar.

And, there are the museums. Their best-known treasure is Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel, and judging from the crowds, everyone with a museum ticket spends considerable time there.

The museums, like the basilica, require a generous allotment of time because there is much to absorb. Even then, it’s wise to concentrate on areas of special interest — which may range from ancient art to rooms of Raphael’s frescoes or modern religious art.

Vatican City can be very crowded, especially in summer, and it imposes a dress code requiring that shoulders, midriffs and knees be covered to enter buildings, gardens or excavations. Finally, like Rome, it has a problem with petty crime, such as purse snatching and pickpocketing.

Things to do for Venturers

• In the Sistine Chapel, study “The Last Judgment,” not only to admire the work of Michelangelo but also to amuse yourself. Some of Michelangelo’s figures exposed too much skin to suit contemporaries and thus were painted over. Look for likely examples.
• When it is near sunset, climb to the roof of St. Peter’s for a fantastic view of the Vatican and beyond.
• Apply for a tour of the Scavi, meaning the excavations of the necropolis below St. Peter’s.
• Not all the art here is medieval: Take a whirl through the Museum of Modern Religious Art which has 19th and 20th century works by Gauguin, Kandinsky, Matisse, Rodin, Van Gogh and others.
• Fan out into the neighborhood and shop for packaged spices you can take home — for the creation of piquant pasta sauces.
• Drive a few miles southeast of Rome to the town of Castel Gandolfo, known as the pope’s summer residence. The Holy See owns the pontiff’s 17th century villa there, which is not open to the public, but visitors enjoy a pleasant lakeside town with appealing craft workshops and dining establishments.

Things to do for Centrics

• Get a ticket that allows you to attend an outdoor papal audience, a regular event on Wednesdays when the pope is in town.
• Send postcards to your friends — using the Vatican’s stamps, of course — from the Vatican Post Office.
• Remind yourself of the 16th century world view. Visit the Gallery of Tapestries and Maps, which shows how people perceived our planet about 500 years ago.
• Stand in awe (along with the other thousands) admiring the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
• Book a guided walk in order to gain entry to the Vatican Gardens.
• While at St. Peter’s, eye the treasures in the Treasury Museum and visit the underground grotto where numerous popes are interred.

Things to do for Authentics

• Buy Vatican City postage stamps for your collection.
• Attend Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica.
• Join a guided tour of the Vatican Museums.
• Shop for religious products appropriate to you and your memories of visiting the Holy See.
• Photograph the Swiss Guards.
• Rub the foot of the statue of St. Peter in St. Peter’s Basilica. The foot has been worn smooth by the pilgrims who preceded you.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult Vatican City’s official site at www.vaticanstate.va and choose your language if necessary.

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• About a quarter of the people in Wales speak the Welsh language.
• Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.com is the world’s longest Internet domain name.
• All early references to King Arthur were written in Welsh, or in Latin by Welshmen.
• T.E. Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, was born in Porthmadog, Wales.
• Britain’s Tudor dynasty (think Henry VIII, for one) originated in Wales.

Land of King Arthur

Ancient Celtic traditions live on in Wales. They survive and thrive in the country’s art, poetry, song, storytelling and its lilting language. Welsh traditions are also bound up in magic, myth and legend. Wales lays a strong claim to the King Arthur story and to the legends that surround the tribal leader.

The land is mountainous, a key factor in saving the Celtic culture from too much interference — and a key reason Wales is Great Britain’s center for adventure tourism.

It’s been more than 700 years — since 1284 — that Wales has been part of Great Britain, but it remains quite distinct from neighboring England. As of 1999, Wales has its own National Assembly. In rural areas of the north and west, Welsh remains the everyday language. Nevertheless, English is spoken everywhere while Celtic culture informs the visitor’s experience in all sorts of delightful ways.

The country is noted for its men’s choirs. Visitors can drop in on rehearsals as well as attend shows. Hay-on-Wye celebrates books and new authors each year, and Swansea honors a native son with the annual Dylan Thomas Festival. Traditional designs appear on souvenirs, whether a brooch, a lovespoon or the iconic Celtic cross.

Annual festivals, called the eisteddfodau, encapsulate aspects of Wales past and Wales present. These folk events celebrate Welsh art, heritage and language.

Welsh myths and legends provide a rich source of themes for storytellers — and for tourists. Visitors can plot itineraries to sites associated with the fabled King Arthur; the Romans, or the Normans who dotted the landscape with their castles.  Caerleon’s Roman amphitheater is said to have served as Arthur’s Round Table.

Deep valleys, rivers, dramatic seashores and Britain’s tallest mountains make for beautiful landscapes (no longer scarred by coal mines). Active tourists head to the mountains for climbing, biking and the like, or head to the coast for windsurfing, scuba diving and other water-based fun. Or try a Welsh original: a daring adventure sport called coasteering.

Yes, it rains, which makes the landscape green, but Wales boasts some of Britain’s sunniest spots, too. And, a final note — tourists find open and welcoming hosts.

Things to do for Venturers

• Take courses in rock climbing, mountain walking and other mountain skills in the Snowdonia National Park in northern Wales. Or, abseil your way down any of many Welsh cliffsides.
• Go scuba diving at the Isle of Anglesey, Gower Peninsula, Lleyn Peninsula or the Pembrokeshire coast. Take instructions if necessary.
• Cover the country by bicycle.
• Sample some uniquely Welsh foods: bara brith (a traditional cake), cawl (a hearty broth), laverbread (a seaweed dish) and pice ar y maen (Welsh cakes).
• Walk one of Wales’ long walking routes: Glyndwr Way (120 miles of “wild Wales”); Offa’s Dyke Path (177 miles) roughly following the border with England, or the Pembrokeshire Coast Path (186 miles), around the tip of far southwest Wales.
• Tempt fate by spending a night at the summit of Cader Idris, considered the domain of a mythical giant and warrior named Idris. Legend says that anyone who spends the night on the mountain summit will end up a corpse, madman or poet.

Things to do for Centrics

• Attend the Dylan Thomas Festival, Festival, held each autumn in Swansea. Also, visit the Dylan Thomas Centre there.
• Sign on for a ghost-hunting event at Ty Newydd Country Hotel, a former country house on the outskirts of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Or look for ghosts at the Maesmawr Hall Hotel, a 1600 half-timbered house in Severn Valley near Newtown. Both are said to be haunted.
• Go 300 feet below ground into a defunct coal mine at the Big Pit Mining Museum in Blaenavon. Your guide will be a former miner. Visitors leave all battery-powered items above ground because Big Pit is as vulnerable as ever to anything that is flammable or might cause a spark.
• Ride the Snowdon Mountain Railway up to about 2,500 feet on Snowdon, Wales’ tallest mountain (it is 3,560 feet at its highest point). Or ride one of the country’s narrow-gauge steam railways, which market themselves as the Great Little Trains of Wales.
• Visit an eisteddfod, a gathering or competition in Welsh arts of poetry, song and storytelling. The events are held across the country in the summer; the most important is the National Eisteddfod held in August. Another choice is the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in July.
• For anglers, the choices are so numerous as to be dizzying. Fish the rivers and lakes for trout, or head to the sandy estuaries of Dyfi, Loughor and Tywi for salmon. Go for the bass and mullet at storm beaches like Freshwater West, Llangennith or Porth Neigwl (Hell’s Mouth). Or, charter a boat to fish in Cardigan Bay.

Things to do for Authentics

• Go to the spring book festival in Hay-on-Wye, the town that claims to be the secondhand book capital of the world.
• Find historical, religious and architectural significance at the romantic ruins of Tintern Abbey, in Wales near the English border. This 12th century church and home of monks inspired Wordsworth, who wrote “Lines Composed a Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey,” and Turner, who painted it.
• See a few of Wales’ 400-plus castles. One example is Caernarfon, a medieval fortress that was the 1969 location for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales. Also, overnight in a castle hotel.
• Hear a Welsh male choir. Attend a rehearsal (most choirs welcome visitors at rehearsals) for the behind-the-scenes vantage point as well as for the music.
• Shop for Celtic jewelry, handmade craft items and woolen sweaters. And look for that traditional Welsh gift, the lovespoon.
• Have your photo taken next to the name sign at the railroad station in Gwynedd county. The sign is longer than the wooden shelter it identifies. It belongs to the Fairbourne & Barmouth Steam Railway, which has one track extending only two miles.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult Visit Wales at www.visitwales.com and VisitBritain at www.visitbritain.com  and, to find a travel agent who is a Wales Specialist, go to www.americas.visitwales.com/planning-your-trip/travel-agents/index.html

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• The Kinh (Viet) account for close to 90% of citizens, but Vietnam has another 53 ethnic groups.
• The country’s paper currency is really plastic.
• Vietnam is only 31 miles across at its narrowest east-to-west point.
• For Americans, it was the Vietnamese War, but for the Vietnamese, it was the American War.
• Rice is food in every sense; the Vietnamese word for rice and food is the same: com.

Memories of ’Nam

Mention of Vietnam evokes, for many Americans of a certain age, images of a costly war that failed to keep South Vietnam from succumbing to the communist north. After the south fell in 1975, the united country was grimly communist. Today, the comrades are still at the helm, but they have long since unleashed the livelier ways of capitalism, and the Vietnamese have taken to it like fish to water.

Visitors find a country and population on the move. They also find a friendly and welcoming people, whether dealing with hotel staff or sampling the soup at an outdoor food stall.

These fortunate circumstances complement the country’s unquestionable natural beauty, as well as some beauty of the manmade kind. Speaking of natural wonders, about three-fourths of the country is mountains and hills, with rugged mountains in the far north and, traveling south, a long run of forested highlands. Vietnam’s minority hill tribes live in these mountains and highlands, providing much color and interest for the tourist.

Most Vietnamese, however, live at the lower altitudes — along the coast and in the deltas of the Red and Mekong rivers. Those lands support lush and watery rice fields, as well as orchards and fishing villages. The east coast is about 2,000 miles of sandy beach.

As for manmade beauty, look for that in the temples and tombs of old, plus the more recent French colonial buildings. France came here in 1802 and was pushed out in 1954. The French left behind some fine examples of French architecture — plus some ideas about fine foods, too. Temples and pagodas reflect the influence of long associations with China, especially in the north, as well as the influences of ancient Indian-Hindu and Khmer (Cambodian) empires that, at various times, held sway in the south. The Chinese and Indian influences are apparent in the food, too.

The south is tropical, and the north has a hot and rainy season, May to September, and occasional monsoons.

Vietnam’s tourist industry does a good business with returning American veterans, but it has a compelling story for the broader North American market, too.

Things to do for Venturers

• Sign on at a cooking school. There are options in Hoi An and in the big cities.
• Travel by train. Use the Victoria Express to get from Hanoi to a good location to visit several hill tribes. Or, you might use the overnight sleeper from Hanoi and Hue.
• Overnight in bungalows in the Cuc Phuong National Park, and visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Center there. Also, hike in the park’s rain forests and visit the Cave of Early Man, so named because 7,000-year-old bones and tools were found there.
• Sign on for a three-day trek to climb to the top of Vietnam’s tallest mountain, Fansipan, which is 10,312 feet above sea level.
• Come to Vietnam as a volunteer. The work could involve teaching, construction, medical assistance or wildlife conservation.
• Sign on for a multiday trekking adventure out of Mai Chau in northern Vietnam. Your itinerary would involve homestays in traditional villages.

Things to do for Centrics

• At the Chuong village in northern Vietnam, meet the people best known for making conical hats. See how it is done, and try your hand at the craft, too.
• Join a guided tour to the underground network of tunnels — the Cu Chi Tunnels — outside Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). They were used by the Viet Cong while fighting U.S. and South Vietnamese armies, and by the Vietnamese when they fought against the French colonial power.  Vietnam veterans can take in this and other points of special interest by joining a tour custom designed for them.
• In Hue, the Imperial Citadel is a must-see; it was modeled on the Forbidden City in Beijing.
• Visit one or several hill tribe villages in northern Vietnam. Shop for local handicrafts and enhance your collection of travel photos.
• Take a sunset cocktail cruise off the coast of the country’s premier beach town, Nha Trang. Or make that a daytime outing to islands off the coast, and snorkel or dive.
• Sample Vietnam’s national dish, a noodle soup called pho. The soup is served with long rice noodles, fresh vegetables and meat or seafood in a broth.

Things to do for Authentics

• Walk through local food markets in any town or city on your itinerary. The photos will be colorful.
• See a traditional dance performance by one or more of the country’s minority tribal groups. Shows are offered in several places.
• Eat in a French restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi.
• See a tailor in any of several cities to have clothes custom-made, or buy silk to take home.
• Practice your yoga or tai chi, and use the spa at your resort in the coastal Quy Nhon. Or, set aside serious time for sun and sand at Mui Ne, another beach resort on the coast in the southern part of the country.
• Play golf on the Ocean Dunes Resort Golf Course in the coastal resort of Phan Thiet. There are other courses available to you, as well.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at www.vietnamtourism.com and select your language.

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• Each year, Uruguayans consume more than 200 pounds of meat, more than Argentinians.
• The country is, officially, the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
• Uruguay is a Guarani Indian name that means river of the painted birds.
• Uruguay’s national anthem is the world’s longest (11 verses lasting about five minutes).
• Roughly 18% of Uruguayans live abroad.

Of beaches and pampas

Uruguay is an often-overlooked South American destination although it has what it takes to satisfy tourists attracted to Latin American cities and colonial architecture or those interested in beach and resort activities during North America’s winter.

Uruguay, about the size of Washington state and the second-smallest South American country, is a buffer zone tucked in between Argentina and Brazil on the continent’s Atlantic coast.

It has sandy beaches on the ocean, but also on the Rio de la Plata, the broad river that provides part of the country’s border with Argentina. The resort towns offer the de rigueur activities ranging from fishing and sunbathing to diving and surfing. The Riviera region provides some sightseeing opportunities, often to view colonial relics, and access to a low-rise mountain for climbing or skiing, depending on season.

Reminders of the colonial era appear in several places in Uruguay, including the historic heart of Montevideo, but the top destination for that is Colonia, which overlooks the Rio de la Plata and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Beyond the coastal areas, Uruguay is generally flat or has rolling hills. That terrain and a temperate climate combine to foster Uruguayan agriculture and especially cattle ranching. As a result, beef is a central menu item in restaurants and some ranches are on the tourist circuit where visitors can see something of the pampas (the Uruguayan version) and the fabled gaucho way of life while overnighting in accommodations that vary from rustic to deluxe.

As for city life, in Uruguay, that means Montevideo, the capital, where about half the population lives. This city, also overlooking the Rio de la Plata, is a bureaucratic center but offers the country’s richest choices for museums, theater, dining experiences and nightlife.

Uruguay is a stable nation, where political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent. However, it does have problems with crime, particularly in Montevideo and, seasonally, in resort areas when tourists are there in large numbers. Keep security in mind when planning a trip to Uruguay.

Things to do for Venturers

• Try ways with meat that you won’t find at home. Uruguayan specialties include carbonade (a mixture of meat, rice, peaches and raisins) and morcilla dulce (a blood sausage made with walnuts and raisins).
• Fish on the Uruguay River for the golden dorado, considered one of the most ferocious freshwater game fish in South America.
• Dance in the parade at Montevideo’s Carnival. The festival welcomes all comers.
• Choose your watery fun — diving, surfing or windsurfing — at Maldonado on the Uruguayan Riviera.
• Uruguay is not a mountainous place, but for eager climbers, there is the country’s tallest mountain, Mount Catedral (1,683 feet) near Rocha in southeastern Uruguay, not far inland from the Uruguayan Riviera.
• Visit one or more of the small candombe clubs in Montevideo’s largely black Barrio Sur neighborhoods to hear the African-based music.

Things to do for Centrics

• Sip Clerico, a national favorite made with white wine and fruit juice. Sample Uruguayan wines, too. A specialty is the deep red Tannat of Basque origin.
• Comb the beach at Punta del Diablo in Rocha. You might stumble across a fur seal here.
• Soak in the Dayman Hot Springs, mineral-rich and clear thermal springs near Salto in northwestern Uruguay. It is one of several thermal springs in Uruguay’s northwestern states of Artigas, Salto and Payandu.
• Learn to tango. Uruguay makes claims, in competition with Argentina, for the origins of the dance.
• Sip mate, a slightly bitter herbal tea generally served in a carved gourd and sipped through a silver straw. It’s an acquired taste. Buy mate paraphernalia as souvenirs.
• Visit a ranch and watch the gauchos at work. Stay for several days if you can.

Things to do for Authentics

• Go to the beach at Punta de Este while the snow is blowing up north.
• Shop for leather goods. Uruguay’s prices are hard to beat.
• Order a chivito, which is Uruguay’s steak sandwich.
• Walk the streets and imagine 17^th century Uruguay in Colonia, a historic fortress and contraband port founded by the Portuguese in 1680 that is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• See the historic fortresses of Santa Teresa and San Miguel during a tour of the inland areas around Uruguay’s Riviera. Also, devote some time to the colonial relics in the beach town of Maldonado, which was founded in 1755.
• From Punta del Este, arrange a visit to the nature reserve on Isla de Lobos, six miles offshore, to see southern sea lions.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the Uruguay Ministry of Tourism at www.uruguaynatural.com and choose your language if necessary.

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• Evidence at Sharjah suggests human occupation of the UAE dates back to 85,000 B.C.
• The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, at 1,716.5 feet, became the world’s tallest structure when inaugurated in 2010.
• Dubai boasts the world’s largest gold market with around 11 tons of gold on site at any time.
• UAE has the highest life expectancy in the Arab world (72.2 years for men, 75.6 for women).
• Foreigners account for 80% of the UAE’s population.

A study in contrasts

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a single country on the northeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, formed by the union of seven sheikhdoms. Each sheikh governs autonomously, but the seven cooperate on economics, defense and foreign affairs.

The desert country has a coastline on both the Persian Gulf (aka Arabian Gulf) and the Gulf of Oman. The Hajar Mountains are a backbone running through the country and providing variety to a landscape that otherwise features quite a lot of sand.

Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital, and Dubai are the best known of the sheikhdoms. The other five are Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. Four have oil: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah.

The country is rich from oil production, but looking ahead, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, in particular, have undertaken development to support an economy that doesn’t depend on finite oil supplies. They are focused on commerce and tourism.

The society, meanwhile, is consistently Islamic, keeping to traditions for food, drink, dress styles and religious observances, while accommodating a huge diversity in its population — four of five residents are foreigners. Western tourists, especially women traveling alone, will be more comfortable in the UAE than in most countries of the region.

As may already be clear, the UAE is a land of contrasts. Visitors can ascend the world’s tallest building or shop in some of the world’s largest shopping malls.

Available recreational activities include all sorts of water sports — from diving to whitewater rafting — and fun on the sand, which includes sand skiing and driving up and down some steep dunes.

For those who want to capture more of Arabic and desert traditions, choices include a camel trek, visiting one of a handful of heritage villages or strolling among the remaining houses in Dubai that have wind towers.  In addition, shopping may include bargaining for gold jewelry and carpets. Relaxation may mean watching a belly dance program or smoking a hubble-bubble pipe (shisha) in a shisha cafe.

The country offers something for each personality type, but it still appeals most to the more venturesome.

Things to do for Venturers

• In Abu Dhabi, practice your skills at the manmade whitewater rafting, kayaking and surf facility in the foothills of the Jebel Hafeet heights.
• Smoke a shisha (hubble-bubble pipe) at a shisha cafe.
• Wakeboarding and waterskiing are options in UAE waters. So are jet skiing, parasailing and scuba diving (to reefs or shipwrecks).
• Participate in a camel trek into the desert.
• Get a good look at Dubai from the world’s highest outdoor observation deck, 124 floors above the ground at Burj Khalifa. The elevator travels almost 100 feet per second. (You also can get the views from an inside space surrounded by glass walls.)
• Sign on for a desert safari and ride in a 4X4 up and down sand dunes. Take lessons in desert driving. Or, drive a dune buggy.

Things to do for Centrics

• At the Arabian Nights Village in Abu Dhabi’s interior, overnight in accommodations based on traditional styles, as follows: Beit Al Barr, mud houses of the desert; Beit Al Bahr, houses of Emirati sea dwellers, which are made from palm fronds, and Beit Shaar, woven tents.
• Watch horse racing in Sharjah or at several other tracks in the UAE.
• Visit the Arabian Wildlife Park on Sir Bani Yas Island. Kayak through the lagoons on the island, too. Or, check out the birds at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary in the city of Dubai.
• Go skiing on sand, a sport that is quite reasonably called sand skiing. Or, ski on snow at the indoor Ski Dubai.
• Take a speedboat tour of Abu Dhabi’s coastline.
• Take a day trip to Hatta village in Dubai to see restored traditional houses and other buildings. The associated Hatta Heritage Village is a reconstruction designed to provide more insights into older lifestyles. The village is in the mountains and hence cooler than Dubai at sea level.

Things to do for Authentics

• Shop for just about anything at any of several very very large malls in the United Arab Emirates. Shop at the Dubai airport, too.
• Also, shop — and bargain — for gold at the famed Gold Souk in Dubai, or for carpets in other souks.
• Cool off and learn a few things at the Dubai Museum, housed in the restored Al Fahidi Fort. Near the fort, visit the Bastakiya district, distinguished by narrow lanes and tall wind towers, typical of old Dubai.  The wind towers were a cooling system for houses.
• See a belly dancing show and demonstrations of henna painting.
• Cruise the waters off Abu Dhabi aboard a traditional pearling dhow, drink Arabic coffee and learn about the lives of Emirati forebears who made a living diving for pearls.
• Take to the water in the evening, too, for a dinner cruise on an Arabian dhow.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing at www.visitdubai.com and choose your language if necessary; consult Visit Abu Dhabi at https://visitabudhabi.ae and choose your language if necessary; and consult the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority at https://sharjahmydestination.ae/en-us

The post United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai) appeared first on Best Trip Choices.

• Christopher Columbus named these islands for St. Ursula and her 11,000 maidens.
• Taxes on exported rum yield more than $24 million annually for the government.
• Tourism accounts for 80% of GDP and employment.
• Seven flags have flown over the islands: Spanish, Dutch, English, French (twice), Knights of Malta, Danish and American.
• These islands are the only U.S. possession where motorists drive on the left.

Danish legacies

It’s easy to list the things that attract travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Their tropical beauty, a balmy climate, clean clear ocean waters and the fact they are a U.S. possession all combine to entice Americans to these tropical Caribbean isles for rest, relaxation and recreation at reasonable prices.

Speaking of prices, St. Thomas offers a duty-free port so there is a very appealing shopping opportunity but with no currency exchange issues for Americans.

Denmark owned the islands prior to 1917. As a result, there are many Danish legacies, notably place names and architecture.

Travelers to the U.S. Virgin Islands praise the friendly people, but are pleased that the islands are not too populated. Visitors find the islands romantic and like the combination of “seclusion plus civilization.”   The warm, translucent ocean waters make for great swimming, snorkeling and scuba diving. Most hotels offer tennis, and golfers can choose from several courses. Each island offers beautiful scenery and lovely soft-sand beaches.

There is plenty here for the venturesome among us, notably active sports and ecotouring, and others enjoy many of the active-traveler choices, too. However, it is those on the less adventurous side of the scale who give these islands the best ratings.

While tourists choose the Caribbean for a slower, more relaxed pace of life, they also appreciate that the U.S. Virgin Islands are not deadsville; there are nightlife options for many tastes, plus a number of outdoor festivals.

The area has three islands with many nearby islets. The three islands share some characteristics while also displaying their individuality. St. Thomas, the most developed of the island trio, not surprisingly, appeals heavily to those who like its good shopping and tourist amenities.

St. John draws a higher number of adventurous travelers, who appreciate its unspoiled, protected environment. St. Croix is mentioned the least often in surveys despite its interesting terrain (a combination of rain forest and desert) and appealing historical sites.

Things to do for Venturers

• Sportfishing is popular and easy to arrange. Also, for a chance to compete with world class anglers, enter one of the Virgin Islands’ fishing tournaments. Twenty-four sportfishing records have been set in these islands.
• Come to the islands for Carnival, which lights up the days and nights on all three islands. Events include parades, calypso, water sports and games as part of a full schedule covering several days.
• In Coral Bay, St. John, the original settlement, ask about hiking to Reef Bay Estate. You’ll have great scenery on the way and be rewarded by a bit of history when you finish at the remains of an old steam-driven sugar mill, now almost buried by jungle.
• Arrange a bareboat yacht charter and do some at-sea exploring on your own.
• If you like scuba diving, explore the islands’ reefs and old shipwrecks. Check out Buck Island Reef, the only U.S. national park that is under water. If you are not a diver, take a course and gain your PADI certification.
• Look for evening entertainment that is distinctive to the islands, such as steel-pan orchestras and broken-bottle dancing (dancing on broken glass).

Things to do for Centrics

• Explore any of the islands on horseback.
• Sample the lifestyle of an 18th century sugar plantation at Whim Greathouse on St. Croix. The beautifully restored site includes a small museum, a working sugar mill and the estate house filled with antiques and surrounded by a moat.
• St. John’s hiking trails lead to plantation ruins and ancient petroglyphs. Hike on your own or with a guide.
• Rent a villa for the duration of your stay. There are several choices on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
• Go snorkeling in Turtle Cove on St. Thomas, or snorkel at numerous other sites in the islands.
• Call on your concierge to arrange a cookout for your companions and you on Buck Island.

Things to do for Authentics

• Play golf on any of the islands, but the Robert Trent Jones-designed course on St. Croix has star status.
• To see Danish architecture at its best on St. Croix, explore Fort Christiansvaern, the Scalehouse, Government House and, especially, the Danish Customs House. The best example on St. Thomas is Government House in Charlotte Amalie.
• Stroll through St. George Village Botanical Garden on St. Croix for a close-up look at the island’s astonishing flora. The past lingers in ruins of a great house and a garden featuring plants known to the earliest residents, the Arawaks.
• Try your luck at Divi Carina Bay Casino on St. Croix. Or, gamble in one of the casinos on St. Thomas.
• Tour the Cruzan Rum Distillery on St. Croix. Then, have a banana daiquiri; the real thing is made with Cruzan Rum.
• Treat yourself to a scenic ride on St. Thomas, starting with Skyline Drive for its great views of the harbor, then heading to Mountain Top, the highest point on the island, for stunning views of Magens Bay, described as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism at www.visitusvi.com

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• Public nudity is illegal on all the islands, many of which are uninhabited.
• After astronaut John Glenn ended man’s first orbital flight (1962), he first touched land on Grand Turk Island.
• There are an estimated 1,000-plus shipwrecks in TCI waters.
• Intermittently since 1917, Islanders and Canadians have considered making TCI a Canadian province.
• Within a generation of Christopher Columbus’s arrival, the TCI indigenous population was wiped out.

Small islands, big reefs

The Turks and the Caicos are two island groups southeast of the Bahamas in the North Atlantic (not the Caribbean despite the understandable tendency to consider them part of the Caribbean). Combined, the island groups form a British overseas colony, called Turks and Caicos Islands (aka TCI), where the language is English but the official currency is the U.S. dollar.

There are a total of 40 islands, Islets and cays, eight of which are inhabited. Providenciales, nearly the westernmost of the Caicos group, is the most developed of the lot. Grand Turk Island, in the Turks group and at the eastern end of the entire archipelago, is the capital.

This string of islands is dry and relatively barren by the standards of Caribbean, or almost-Caribbean, islands. The two groups also are vulnerable to hurricanes. In 2008, Hurricane Ike made a mess of Grand Turk.

Although there are luxury resorts with good on-site dining and there are entertainment options on Providenciales, the Turks and Caicos are not known for a very lively nightlife either.

Those are drawbacks for some vacationers, but not for those who are attracted by the archipelago’s really big asset, namely, the surrounding waters. This patch of the Atlantic harbors one of the world’s major reef systems and hosts not just the beautiful marine species that divers seek but the game fish sportsmen seek, as well.

TCI fans head onto or into the water for jetboating, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, snorkeling, whale watching plus fishing of all kinds, especially targeting bonefish.

Tourists also relish the beautiful white-sand beaches for some serious lazing around. Besides having the luxury accommodations and the nightlife, Providenciales is home to the famed 12-mile white-sand beach on Grace Bay.

There are a few attractions that fit the standard sightseeing category, including defunct cotton plantations, a couple of museums and a lighthouse. But traditional sightseeing doesn’t play much of a role here.

Things to do for Venturers

• Strap on the scuba gear and get into TCI waters. Experienced divers head for the area’s dramatic walls. Another choice is a night dive off the coast of Grand Turk. And, for all divers, the shallower waters offer numerous wrecks of Spanish galleons.
• Charter a boat for deep-sea fishing. Fly-fishing and night fishing are available, too. If it’s summer, compete in one of several fishing tournaments.
• For nightlife, head to Providenciales, where there are nightclubs and bars and where local bands often perform. The music may be a mix of calypso and reggae. Also, listen for ripsaw, the national music made using a saw among other inventive instruments.
• At Grace Bay on Providenciales, charter the retired 77-foot rum-running schooner, Atabeyra, for a half- or full-day jaunt into TCI waters. Practice sailing skills with the crew, and even take the helm for a spell. Or, get married on the schooner!
• At Long Bay on Providenciales, you can be lowered by rope 80 feet into a 40-foot hole, known formally as the Hole, then enjoy the swimming hole at the bottom.
• Consider a combination of activities. Some tour operators make offers that combine mountain biking with a selection of water-based sports.

Things to do for Centrics

• Do your bird-watching on Middle Caicos, North Caicos or Providenciales. The Turks and Caicos Islands host boobies, egrets, flamingos, frigates, great blue herons, osprey, pelicans and terns, among others.
• On Grand Turk, explore the coastline in a two-person glass-bottom kayak, the better to see nature’s wonders under water as well as those on the horizon.
• Join a snorkeling excursion to Gibbs Cay that also will allow you to pet a stingray.
• Liven up your beach time on Providenciales by swimming with a national treasure, meaning Jojo, the beloved resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphin.
• Take a whale watching cruise from Salt Cay, considered one of the best wildlife encounters in the area. For other wildlife encounters, look for the rock iguana on Little Water Cay.
• On a tour of Grand Turk, see the salt pans that recall the island’s past as a producer of salt for export.

Things to do for Authentics

• See trained conchs (trained to come out of their shells for visitors) at the Caicos Conch Farm on Providenciales, the world’s only conch farm. Learn how conchs are raised and see conch pearls, too.
• On Providenciales, see the ruins of a former cotton plantation, called Cheshire Hill. Similarly, visit the Wades Green plantation on North Caicos. The National Trust owns both.
• Attend a native dance and culture show. Also, learn a lot at the Turks and Caicos National Museum on Grand Turk Island.
• Sample the locally raised conch in salads, and sip a popular rum-and-fruit punch called porcupine spike. If it’s November, attend the Conch Festival on Providenciales.
• Buy handicrafts or high-end goods at the Grand Turk Cruise Center. Also, to the side of the center, see “Splashdown Grand Turk,” a 3,500-square-foot attraction, including a replica of John Glenn’s Friendship 7 capsule, celebrating the American human spaceflight program and TCI’s role in the program.
• Picnic on the grounds of the still-functioning Grand Turk Lighthouse. At this spot, in February and March, watch for whales.

Additional Resources

For more information, consult the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board at www.turksandcaicostourism.com and, to find a certified Turks and Caicos Islands Expert Agent, go to www.turksandcaicostourism.com/travelagents–show–USA.html

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