Caribbean Escapes: Discounted Flights, Over-Water Spas, & Chic Yoga Retreats

This hot off the press from an independent island hopper who reps some hidden gems in the Caribbean.
Kamalame Cay, Bahamas - Outer Islands

BAHAMAS & JAMAICA
In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, Kamalame Cay, a 96-acre private island resort in the Bahamas, invites guests to FLY FOR FREE* THROUGH DECEMBER 14 and is also offering 20% OFF ALL SPA TREATMENTS for any Girls World* bookings. With the addition of new General Manager Peter Bauer, a new Spa Director, an onsite wedding planner, a new solar power system – and a new sister property in Jamaica – there are so many reasons this year is better than ever to seek out sunny serenity at two of the most authentic hideaways in the Caribbean. Perched on the edge of the ‘Tongue of the Ocean’ in The Bahamas, Kamalame Cay is a private island hideaway unlike any other. The secluded beachfront cottages combined with the three miles of white sand shores that run the length of the island are just what the body and soul need to re-center, relax and rejuvenate.
Kamalame Cay Private Island Resort Room

The new 'Best of Both Worlds' package encourages guests to extend their barefoot Bahamian getaway to Jamaica’s lesser known northeast coast – and the Hew family’s (who own Kamalame) – personal getaway. Using either Air Jamaica’s direct Nassau to Kingston service or flying private to maximize precious holiday minutes, the package includes three nights at Kamalame with choice of full day fishing or equivalent spa credit, 3 nights at Kanopi House, a VIP river rafting trip with quintessential Jamaican barbecue and another full or half-day excursion to one of the countless nearby waterfall wonderlands. Kamalame is also bringing back its ‘New Year, New You’ workshops in January at no extra charge. With (optional) daily yoga and motivational life coaching sessions with renowned Handel Group Life Coach Jo Sawalha to inspire and reinforce the “to thine own self be true” philosophy and encourage participants to exercise the power of body and mind to achieve the life of their dreams. The Kamalame Spa is also located over the turquoise waters of the lagoon and its five treatment rooms face out onto the surrounding sea with floor-to-ceiling windows that fully collapse. Hello?!?

Diving, snorkelling, tennis, sea kayaking into mangroves, as well as deep sea and bone fishing are all available right on property. So dine on the conch fritters at Hank's Place (242/368-2447; www.hanks-place.com) on the water at Fresh Creek and tell Kamalame we sent you.

Kanopi House, in Jamaica, is a low-impact resort featuring a relaxed club house and four individual eco-chic tree houses in a luscious rainforest with commanding views over Port Antonio, often referred to as the Jamaican Riviera. A stone’s throw from the world famous Blue Lagoon, all meals and activities are catered to individual tastes.


www.kamalame.com
www.kanopihouse.com

Rates for six nights as above including inter-island air start at $2500pp based on double occupancy.

Visit: www.kamalame.com/news/The_Kamalame_Summer09.html for complete details.

Reservations for both properties (and the Best of Both Worlds) can be made by calling +1.800.790.7971 and mentioning this deal and where you heard about it. Meanwhile, Jet Blue launches service from JFK to Saint Lucia (UVF) October 26 and to Kingston, Jamaica on October 30th making this offer even more tempting.

Lonely Planet's Travel with Children

They say that people have more children during a Depression. Hmmm... Well, judging from the amount of snappy strollers and bouncing Bugaboo's on the streets, I'd have to say that things must be looking up! Or down. Babies, I dare say, are simply everywhere that we turn. And, although some of them are damn cute, things start to go south when they're on the airplane getting colicky or in the back seat of the car asking (incessantly), "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" So, to better help our friends with family, here's a new Lonely Planet guide just for you. Lonely Planet, assembling a team of parent-authors, are offering their best ideas and advice about every aspect of traveling with kids - from planning to packing to getting along on the road (and what to do when things go wrong) in the fifth edition of Travel with Children published July 2009. Fully revised and redesigned, this new edition of Travel with Children features:

Tips on choosing the right kind of trip for your family
Details on all kinds of vacations, from Activity & Adventure Holidays to Package Holidays & Resorts

How to keep them happy
Games to make long trips easier, how to create a child-friendly itinerary, and dealing with your child’s ‘culture shock’

Info on living abroad and long-term travel for young families

How to stay healthy and keep safe by a medical expert
A run-down of common immunizations, what you should bring with you in a first-aid kit, and travel related health issues.

Special advice for solo parents and parents with teenagers
Each situation has its own set of challenges and their authors give practical advice on how to stay sane and create boundaries.

Traveler’s Tales
Authors describe their most memorable family trips – and tell you what worked and what didn’t.

So if you're knocked up, know someone who is, or you already have a growing brood of your own, this could be the perfect reference guide or gift for them (or you)!

Just don't say I told you to go out and get pregnant...

www.amazon.com

Family Travel: Mamapedia

Lately, we've been hanging out with a bunch of real babies.

And we don't mean the adult kind that are too afraid to climb mountains or repel into valleys. No, we're talking about the burping, crying, eating, and napping kind. It sure made us realize a few overwhelming things about life (which we'll save for another story). It also made us realize that even cool moms need travel advice. So, just as school is out, families everywhere are looking for great getaways, vacation ideas, and summer camps - and we found a website that makes it easier than ever.

Mamapedia is a one-stop-shop where moms can ask a question or pose a search on an array of topics - everything from local day camps to cheap vacation ideas, or how to entertain the kids on a long car ride - - and get fast and complete answers from the real experts- other moms!

There's no registration or fee required to search and find, with just a few clicks of the mouse, the right spot for your own crying, eating, burping, napping family. Every time a question or search is entered, a series of answers will come into play - and then moms can take the answers and insight that make sense for their family. More than a million answers are at their fingertips.

So, if you got knocked up and now need to figure out how to relax (or send your little darling away for the summer), we think you should check it out.

www.mamapedia.com