Beach Escape - St. Kitts

Few Caribbean islands are celebrated for their food, but tiny St. Kitts is one of the exceptions. An outpost of stately sugar plantations and white sands, the isle has landed on the culinary map. Thanks to the newly opened Beach House, a restaurant in a colonial mansion on Turtle Beach.

The oceanfront, Carambola Beach Club restaurant opens of South Friar's Bay. The place gets its name from the Averrhoa carambola, or star fruit, which is put to punchy use from the starters to the desserts. Nab one of the 12 beach cabanas - they have waiter service and prime sunset views.

Schools of yellowtail snapper, balahoo and angelfish surround the reef near Cockleshell Beach, a two-mile-long stretch on the southern coast that's often empty during the week. At the entrance, the new Reggae Beach Bar and Grill serve conch fritters and jumbo coconut shrimp.

St. Kitts has blessedly few hotels. A standout is the Ocean Terrace Inn, where each of the 71 rooms has a private balcony overlooking the Caribbean, The one-bedroom suites come with kitchenettes, but there's no need to do your own cooking. The hotel has a West Indian restaurant, a poolside bar and grill, and a oceanfront spot that specializes in lobster and mahimahi cooled over an open flame.

St. Kitts is such a nice escape!

Turks and Caicos

Apris Beach, hit conch world, a just-opened theme park on Grand Turk where the islands biggest export, the conch, takes center stage. After dark, don't miss the light show in the bays off Providenciales. It's courtesy of the glow worm, a firefly-like sea creature that flashes when the moon is full to attract mates.

And if you want to fully unwind, insiders and visitors both agree that Grace Bay on Providenciales is the loveliest. Moreover, Ocean Club West, a condo resort is the nice place for you to stay as well.

That's why, if you want total pleasure, Turk and Caicos top it all.

A Grand Old Time at the Grand Canyon

"When you're staring out from the rim, the Canyon looks like a movie set," says my friend Cheska. "It doesn't even look real."

Cheska and her husband, Rick, were'nt quite sure how to tackle the Grand Canyon on their road trip from Tucson to Las Vegas - the avid hikers were expecting their first child three months later. "I won't be as mobile as I'd like," she said to us. "But its their first time, so they'll want to see as much as we can, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters flew the couple over the gorge's widest and deepest part. Seeing it from above made them appreciate how vast, three-dimensional, and utterly spectacular it is.

That afternoon, Grand Canyon Old West Jeep Tours drove them along the more accessible South Rim, where they spotted a newly built bald eagle's nest. Their guide said it looked like a starter hone, where a mother would lay one of her first eggs. For Cheska, the nest held special resonance: "I wish we could find a home with a view like those eagles had."

Gingoog City, Philippines

This is my friends Edmund and Sheila. They are having a visit at Gingoog City. In fact, they are having a week of vacation of the place because they it is beautiful, abundant and the people are friendly. Part of their visit is that they made documentation and studies of its origin, beautiful destinations and barangays comprise this city.

I hope I can visit Gingoog City too. ZXCW6S9RPFJE