Virtuoso Insights - December 2008 - (Page 70)

Òfiji offers all the exotic allure of Tahiti, but at a much better value.Ó Donna Evans fijiAn fAntASy As the old saying goes, all good things come in threes. So imagine how enchanting life is on the 333 tropical islands that comprise the Fiji archipelago. Turquoise waters, spectacular underwater caves and grottos, and kaleidoscopic coral reefs make for some of the world’s best diving and snorkeling; indeed, Fiji boasts one of the largest and most diverse collections of soft coral in the world. Other myriad marine life includes sharks, rays, and 1,000 different species of fish. Land adventurers find outstanding hiking in six national parks, as well as expeditions to the rugged Sigatoka Sand Dunes, an important archaeological site. Yet Fiji’s greatest attraction may just be its gracious, good-natured people, who claim a fascinating blend of Polynesian, Melanesian, Chinese, Indian, and European cultures. see: Find your own fantasy on Fiji with this 11-day Island Hospitality Experience from Southern World Fiji. Spend five nights each at the Outrigger Reef Fiji and Castaway Island, staying in charming bures and enjoying a Dolphin Safari Hop Tour, a spa treatment, and more. From FJD5,411 (approx. US$2,910) per person. Available April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2010. Island dream: Fiji’s picture-perfect Homestead Beach and (below) march of the penguins. ÒAntarctica boasts spectacular and rugged sights not seen on any other continent and close encounters with Nature that rival Africa . . . this truly is a trip of a lifetime.Ó Graham Wrigley AntArcticA’S icy emPire Welcome to a kingdom of floating ice castles, jaw-dropping cliffs, calving glaciers, and colorful, storybook creatures. Since the early 1800s, Antarctica has beckoned the world’s most intrepid explorers to what is perhaps Nature’s last stronghold. Luckily, modern-day explorers have an easier — albeit no less enthralling — time reaching her rocky realm. This truly is a magical place, where sky, sea, and ice merge in a mesmerizing display of light and hue. Aptly named “The Ice,” Antarctica contains nearly 7 million cubic miles of ice — 90 percent of all the ice on the planet. Wildlife abounds: 100 million seabirds — including albatross, cormorants, gulls, and terns — flock here during the summer months. Seal pups and six species of penguins play about, undisturbed by predators or human presence, while the entire region is an international whale sanctuary. see: Hold glamorous sway over Antarctica’s icy dominion as you venture aboard Prince Albert II, the elegant expedition ship from Silversea Cruises. Roundtrip Ushuaia; 11- and 17-day expeditions. Departs November 12, 29; and December 10, 21, 2009. Contact your Virtuoso travel advisor for up-tothe-minute pricing. 70 Virtuoso insights

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Virtuoso Insights - December 2008

Virtuoso Insights - December 2008 Contents The World of Virtuoso The Art of Travel Golden Anniversaries Grand Slam Tennis In the Flow Celluloid Travels Top Destinations for 2009 The Perfect Ending

Virtuoso Insights - December 2008

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