2022 - 2023 Far West Skier's Guide - 22

ABOVE: Although we were kept busy throughout our adventure along the Croatian journey,
there were many times when we could relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. photos
provided by George and Debbie Stewart
2022 Croatia Adventure Trip was a Huge Success
If you've been on one of our adventure trips, you know how fun they are. After a two-year delay due to COVID, we finally were able to
go on our trip to Croatia, originally planned for 2020. Far West Ski Association partnered with Alpine Adventures for this Balkan country adventure
trip. Croatia is known for its 3,625-mile-long Adriatic coastline with over 1,000 islands. Our 36 participants left the US on September
1 for our trip held from September 2-12. Our excellent itinerary included the most popular sites in Croatia: Zagreb, Split, Plitvice National Park,
Dubrovnik, and the beautiful Croatian islands along the Dalmatian Coast.
We started the trip in Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, with a delicious 3-course welcome dinner including wine, a very nice introduction
to Croatian cuisine. That night we stayed at the 4-star Zagreb Hotel Panorama. Next on our trip was Plitvice National Park. Our group enjoyed
the spectacular world-renowned scenery, especially the 16 natural terraced lakes and many waterfalls that extend into limestone canyons. This
area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We had guided tours of Split and Trogir, on the beautiful Adriatic coast. Split, as the second largest city
and located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, offered an attractive blend of modern and ancient charm.
We loved our nights on the luxury 5-star MS President yacht. We had this sleek, modern cruiser all to ourselves. We stayed in wellappointed
en suite cabins and enjoyed the large inside restaurant and bar, as well as the outdoor terrace, huge sun deck and plunge pool. We
had time for swimming, snorkeling and relaxing. The highlight was exploring the stunning Croatian islands and Dalmatian coast. We had
guided tours on the islands of Hvar, Korcula and Brac. We enjoyed wine tasting on Hvar, olive oil tasting on Brac, and a traditional peka meal
on the island of Vis, farthest from the mainland. What a fine gastronomical experience.
Our last stop in Croatia was the stunningly picturesque city of Dubrovnik, known as the " Pearl of the Adriatic " for good reason. It is known
for its culture, art and architecture, especially its popular 16th century stone-walled Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dubrovnik
was the filming location for The Game of Thrones. Join us on an upcoming trip to see and experience magnificent parts of the world.
2022 Dive Trip to Cozumel, Mexico
The FWSA's 11th Annual Dive Trip in 2022 to Cozumel, Mexico was excellent! If you've joined us for a dive trip, you know how great
they are. Far West Ski Association collaborated, once again, with the specialists at Roatan Charter Inc. for our fantastic dive and vacation adventure
to the Iberostar Resort in Cozumel October 8-15, 2022. The 5-star all-inclusive Iberostar Resort located right on the beach within the
Marine Park offered us three pools, including two lagoon-style pools plus a variety of entertainment. We appreciated the resort's shopping area,
spa, and pool hall. Every night there was something happening, from theatrical performances to live music. We also had our choice of tennis,
nonmotorized water sports, archery, rifle shooting, beach volleyball, table tennis, basketball, water aerobics and gym. We enjoyed all of this plus
dining at the specialty restaurants.
The real reason for the trip was the scuba diving. The Palancar and Santa Rosa Wall reefs surround the hotel and is a protective area
within the marine park. This impressive reef is part of the Great Barrier Reef of the Western Atlantic, also known as the Great Mayan Reef, a
diving area second only to the Great Barrier Reef. We were very pleased with the dive package that included five 2-tank dives, 2 Cenotes dives,
one night dive and complimentary nitrox. Their Dive Shop, a PADI CDC Center in business for 25 years, has an unstained historic safety
record with a 0% accident rate. Dressel Divers imparts training programs to its staff that directly result in higher safety for its guests. We liked
their convenient dive center right on the resort property, along with equipment storage and a drying room.
22 Far West Skier's Guide 2O22 - 2O23
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2022 - 2023 Far West Skier's Guide

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