Round the World!
Posted: April 7th, 2009 | Author: Carter Rabasa | Filed under: Wedding | 7 Comments »
We’ve updated our wedding registry with some information on our honeymoon and travel plans following the wedding. We will be flying around the world (literally) over the course of 6 to 8 weeks. Check it out and let us know what you think!
UPDATE: See what people are suggesting on FriendFeed! Some really great ideas so far!
You should go to French Polynesia. We stayed at an island called Moorea at the Moorea Pearl Resort and had a bungalow with a private pool. We flew into Tahiti and took a ferry to Moorea. It was amazing. I have TONS of honeymoon pictuers and our itinerary if you’d like to check it out…..
I highly recommend Negril, Jamaica. Best beaches in the world, hands down.
If you want somewhere a little further out from traditional tourist areas, check out Sandals Whitehouse http://www.sandals.com/main/whitehouse/wh-home.cfm
I think bali is worth a trip. Kuta is the main city, but I’d suggest that you find a little place in Seminyak, which is the city just north of Kuta… its a bit smaller, but you can actually walk into Kuta along the beaches. There are a ton of smaller local dutch run places in Seminyak – can’t remember where i stayed but Iloved it… down this winding vine covered road and the beach was a 3 minute walk. Also, if I could wish you one place, I would say go to Istanbul… you can wander the streets for days, Topkaki place is stunning as is the Hague Sofia. The Grand Bazaar is something out of Aladdin’s lamp and you can get lost inside. My favorite small detail was that vodka tonics are serveed with pomegranete seed floating within for flavor instead of a lime. The people were so kind. Then travel to Ankara or any coastal town and take a day sail up the Bosphorus — even better get yourself on a small sailboat and sail the aegean form Turkey into Crete. Get off in Crete, rent some scooters and travel up into the mountains. I thought Greece was overrated except for Crete. If you think you might want to try and trek into Nepal, let me know.. I have a friend who lived in Kathmandu for two years as a scholar on tibetan monk scrolls — he knows all sorts of fun little places.
I know you guys have been just about everywhere, but have you been to Paris? It’s a great time to go and it’s one of my favorite cities. I found it friendly, easy to navigate, and the food and wine were fantastic! Recommend many of the standard tourist stops including Versailles, Louvre, Notre Dame. Make sure to also visit the Musée d’Orsay, take an evening boat ride on the Seine, and picnic on the grass in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower.
Okay, since I am going to live vicariously through you two, high on my list would be Spain, Italy, Turkey, Argentina, Chile, Peru, China, Tibet, Mongolia…but shoots. So many OPTIONS! Sadly, I can’t give you pointers at any of those but maybe others will.
However, since you guys are going to Southeast Asia, I am gonna have to suggest you go to the Philippines so Carrie can finally eat all those Filipino foods she keeps watching (and torturing herself with). Manila is a zoo, but I’d suggest Cebu for a smaller city feel with easy access to beaches (it’s a small island). Or, you can go to Palawan … it’s also more scuba diving, more gorgeous beaches, but it’s also one of the most untouched parts of the country. Check out: http://www.tourspalawan.com/ and for a US-based travel agency to help out, you can try http://www.mangotours.com. Go eat some lechon and balut…
Definitely Paris, and if you’re feeling up to it, Provence. It is beautiful there, has amazing farmers’ markets and excellent food! Not to mention tons of pretty lavender fields. (Best time to see these would be late summer.)
Mr and Mrs Carter Rabasa,
Melanie and I will be heading to the US for two weeks either starting the last week of June or the first week of July, so depending on your travel schedule we might just miss you.
When in China, Beijing is a must. Honestly, I’d either skip Shanghai altogether or spend minimal time here. It’s just a city and doesn’t really have as much cool stuff from a tourism perspective as Beijing or some of the other cool cities around the country.
When visiting the Great Wall, don’t go to the Badaling section (30 min from city). It’s overly renovated to the point where it looks fake. Head over to the Mutianyu section, which is the next one over. If you’re feeling particularly bold, take a sleeping bag and crash in one of the guard houses. Sunset over the Wall is beautiful. Of course you’re not supposed to do this, so be subtle.
If you’re passing through Shanghai, better to spend your time in a nearby “water town”. Someone was recommending to us one called Zhujiajiao that’s an hour from Shanghai. The most famous is Zhuozhuang, but that’s hella commercial now.
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is regarded as a must.
Also, a lot of people recommend Yangshuo (near Guilin) to chill for nice scenery and clean air. Melanie and I went there back in … 2001? It was great, but apparently is more touristy now.
Do a Google on “Jiuzhaiguo”. That’s our dream trip when we have time. It is said to have the most beautiful scenery in all of China, regardless of which season. I’ve seen pictures people have taken with shitty, crappy cameras, and they’re still gorgeous.
People have also suggested Chengdu as a location with some cool historical architecture.
Chris