Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 - (Page 64)

DESTINATIONS CARIBBEAN & BAHAMAS PUERTO RICO’S Other Rainforest WHEN THE PUERTO RICO TOURISM BOARD started pushing its “Explore Beyond the Shore” theme a year ago, it must have had activities such as the Toro Negro Rainforest Adventure in mind. I’ve just gone “beyond the shore” on this excursion, offered by tour operator Acampa. Considered the “other” rainforest in Puerto Rico, after the more famous El Yunque, Toro Negro is much less traveled and about 1,000 feet higher than El Yunque. It might be Puerto Rico’s best-kept secret. Book this for ecotourists and soft-adventure seekers. They are 100 percent guaranteed to get soaked from head to toe and will at times get nearly as muddy as a fan at Woodstock, so tell clients to wear clothes they don’t care about: old sneakers with good traction, a T-shirt and a pair of running shorts. Some people told me I was crazy for wearing shorts in a rainforest where mosquitoes are plentiful. But wet pants restrict leg movement and flexibility when climbing rocks, which requires you to stretch your limbs to the max. Plus, Toro Negro is humid, and shorts are more convenient for taking a refreshing dip in the waterfalls. Good to Know Request Ray Sepulveda, the co-owner of Acampa, or Roberto “Rocqui” (pronounced “Rocky”) Bello as the guide for your clients, who will need one guide for every six people. Note: Clients return to the van for lunch; they should leave a bottle of insect repellent there and put some on before the second half of the hike, when mosquitoes are more likely to be hungry. It is not recommended that they bring a digital camera, or anything for that matter that they have to carry and try to keep dry. Hands need to be free the whole time. I am in pretty fair shape (Acampa actually has final say over whether you are fit enough based on a medical survey you fill out) and was more than ready to play Tarzan for a full day. The morning hike was challenging, as we scrambled over boulders, along the water’s edge, across pools and through the current. 64 | TravelAgent November 26, 2007 http://stkittsmarriott.com http://stkittsmarriott.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: InterContinental Geneva Puts Forth a New Look and a New Way to Get to Know the Swiss City London’s Soho Hotel Pacific/Asia: Taichung: Taiwan’s Third Largest City Pacific/Asia Briefs and Packages Tanzania Travel Specialist Mexico: A Roundup of Premier Hotels in Mexico City Q&A with U.S. Director of the Mexico Tourism Board Mexico Deals Las Vegas: A Three-Day Itinerary for Gen-X couples Creating a Kid-Friendly Vacation for Gen-X Clients that Still Includes Alone Time for Parents Richard Harper of Mandalay Bay Caribbean & Bahamas: What’s Happening in St. Kitts Puerto Rico’s Other Rainforest, Toro Negro Hawaii: The Big Island: First-Class Resorts and Native Culture Hotels: The Sky Lodge in Park City; The Lodge at Vail Tours: American Safari Cruises in Alaska’s Inside Passage Pacific Northwest: Suncadia, Eco-Friendly Resort Near Seattle Cruise: The Added Lure of Sailing with a Celebrity Onboard Small Ships Offer Up-Close Experience Cover Story: Hip Hotelier, Social Scientist Supplier Profile - Maximilian Brockmann: The New Face of Auto Europe Agent Profile: Sigrid Carter of Envoyé Travel The Orient-Express: Fabled Train Remains an Elite Product Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Europe Bookings as Dollar Falls Freestyle Cruising Casinos On the Rise in the Caribbean Maui’s Grand Wailea Resort Prepares for Major Renovation Visit Europe Media Exchange In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - November 26, 2007

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