People's Choice Award Contest Entries
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1. Tuning Your Senses to Island Nightlife in Jacmel, Haiti
Bad reputation aside, there are pockets within the western end of Hispaniola worth braving a few potholes in the road to journey to. Jacmel, a port town, is one of them. Once night has…
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2. Yurtin' for Certain in Hana, Maui
The road to Hana is long and winding, but patient travelers who want to experience a quiet, secluded locale will be rewarded. Luana Spa Retreat, located in Hana town, features a gorgeous yurt with…
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3. Curling your toes in the sand in Waianae, Hawaii
Powdery sand envelops your toes as the vast expanse of sapphire blue takes your breath away. As the lightest breeze brushes your shoulders, look out and see a team of canoe paddlers making their…
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4. Walking on Water Where Surfing Was Born in Lanai City, Hawaii
Pumping your fists in to the salty water off the coast of Lanai will be one step of many when experiencing your first time surfing on this pristine Hawaiian Island. A land mass known…
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5. Realizing the best things in life ARE free in Maui, HI
Leaving the white sand beaches in our rear-view mirror, we venture off to Iao Valley State Park to enjoy Hawaii’s dense foliage and natural springs. Stepping carefully across the slippery rocks, I quietly walk…
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6. Watching the Sun Set Over a Ghostly Ship in Crater Lake, Oregon
The fading afternoon light is the perfect time to observe the visual charades of Crater Lake's oldest geological formation. Perched from atop the overlook at Kerr Notch, the Phantom Ship appears diminutive against the…
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7. Relaxing Right off the Shore in the Vineyard
Trade in your metro card for a bike or maybe even a Sunfish. Leave your microwavable lunch at home for a blue fish caught off the Menemsha shore. Need something to tweet about? Try…
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8. Worshipping Nature in Okinawa, Japan
Grab a backpack, tent and get into the spirit of Okinawa;mingle with the locals. Hike the mountain trails, dive or kayak in the emerald oceans. Pitch-in and help a farmer cut sugarcane or harvest…
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9. Flirting With Fish (and Fate) in Bora Bora, French Polynesia
On an idling boat, miles offshore, green jungle peaks descended into electric blue lagoons around me. Our French, Speedo-clad, Nemo dive master was detailing the day’s site when a fin sliced through the crystalline…
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10. Spinning Under an Endless Sky in Beachcomber Island, Fiji
Arms flung wide, head thrown back, eyes squeezed shut, I spun as fast as I could in the warm sand. Uncontrollable giggles erupted from me as I gained momentum, increasing my speed, until, finally,…
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11. Riding With Paniolos 4,000 Feet Above the Pacific in Hawaii
Hawaii may not be the first place you expect to find cowboys, but here on the Big Island's northern coast, just a few miles from Waimea, the paniolos (Hawaiian cowboys) look after the cattle…
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12. Navigating Choppy Water Over Sunken Ships in Door County, Wisconsin
Miles away from far-flung exotic lands of coconut palms and coral reefs lies Washington Island. This anti-tropical coniferous islet whispers woeful tales of shipwrecks and scrappy stories of early Scandinavian settlers. The best part…
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13. Witnessing a Nesting Sea Turtle in Bald Head Island, NC
Down the beach I see two bobbing red lights partially hidden by the swell of the dune. Jessica, our intern from the Bald Head Island Conservancy, is leading us to a nesting Loggerhead Turtle.…
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14. Snorkeling with the Giant Manta Rays in Kona, Hawaii
One of the most unique, in fact almost mystical ocean encounters one can have is night-diving or snorkeling with the giant manta rays of Hawaii. They are gentle and non-territorial, with no barbs or…
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15. Ordering Two More Boat Drinks in Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas
Grab a cheeseburger in paradise before stopping in at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar in New Plymouth, the only town on Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos. The bar’s namesake is a local legend…
