Tag: Denton Morris

Singapore

Jae-Ha Kim

As an international port of call, Singapore is the embarking point for many top-end cruise lines, such as the Regent Seven Seas voyage through Australasia. And savvy travelers looking to overcome jet lag before boarding their cruise ships are starting their trips off in Singapore, where they can get their bearings and enjoy a few days basking in a shopper’s paradise. Fashionistas in the know will tell you that Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive has nothing on Singapore’s tony Orchard Road.

Shopping in Melbourne

Jae-Ha Kim

Kylie Minogue has a home in Melbourne’s trendy South Yarra. So do a slew of other Australian celebrities. It’s not difficult to see why. The streets are lined with unique and immaculate homes. But while trendy and upscale, South Yarra is anything but snobby. Full of charming cafes and funky shops selling cutting edge fashion, South Yarra is one of Melbourne’s best-kept secrets.

Caribbean Destinations

Jae-Ha Kim

“Celebrities migrate toward the Caribbean because it’s one of the few places they can go where they’re left alone,” says Keija Minor, editor in chief of Travel Savvy magazine. “It’s the perfect place for them to get some relaxation, quiet time and seclusion.” What’s not to love? The fruit and fish are always fresh, and the weather usually cooperates. Besides the laid-back tranquility of the islands, celebs also enjoy a bit of welcome anonymity from fans and paparazzi when they’re tucked away in their own pockets of paradise.

Scotland

Jae-Ha Kim

Scotland has become almost a caricature of itself in the American media with comics imitating Sean Connery’s brogue and Mike Myers “If it’s not Scottish, it’s crap!” skits on “Saturday Night Live.” Often viewed as less cosmopolitan than England but not pastoral enough to be as pretty as Switzerland, Scotland actually is all that and more. With some fabulous gourmet restaurants, the gorgeous countryside and some of the most amazing castles and ruins — all within a few hours drive — Scotland is a wonderful destination for travelers who want it all without having to learn another language.

French Lick

Jae-Ha Kim

Sports fans know of French Lick as the hometown of basketball legend Larry Bird. But during a period that lasted from the late 1800s to the 1950s, the small Midwestern city was as famous for its swanky visitors as its natural spring water. Pluto Water, as it was dubbed, wasn’t like the mineral water we’re accustomed to today. The sulfur-rich drink was more of a diuretic than a refreshing thirst quencher. Hence, its slogan: “When nature won’t, Pluto will.” Guests were encouraged to carry canes during their morning walks. When nature called — and apparently it called quite often after a glassful of Pluto Water — it was considered the polite thing to place your cane on the outhouse door to indicate it was occupied. It was rude in those days to knock on a bathroom door.

Orkney Islands

Jae-Ha Kim

Refer to any of the 19,000 inhabitants of the Orkney Islands as a Scot, and he or she will politely inform you they are not Scots. They’re Orcadians. They may live just a few miles north of mainland Scotland, but these island dwellers are an entity unto themselves. Yes, they eat haggis and talk with accents as thick as the blood used in black pudding. But unlike residents of cosmopolitan Edinburgh and nouveau-chic Glasgow, Orcadians don’t revel in trendy nightlife or upscale boutiques catering to the rich and bored.

Bonaire

Jae-Ha Kim

Bonaire is gorgeous, tranquil and about as close to paradise as most of us will ever get. It’s the anti-Cancun. Whereas the Mexican city is full of rambunctious college kids on spring break, Bonaire is less crowded and, well, less American. And let’s face it — when you’re vacationing in another country, foreign is a good thing. Granted, Bonaire is the least well-known of the ABC islands –Aruba and Curacao make up the remainder of the alphabet triangle — but it’s a diver’s paradise and a vacationer’s dream.

Playa del Carmen

Jae-Ha Kim

Lying 41 miles south of Cancun, Playa del Carmen is a dream for Americans who don’t want to be surrounded by their countrymen (and women). Popular with Europeans, who account for 80 percent of the tourists who visit the lush locale, Playa del Carmen boasts pristine beaches, clear blue water and, yes, topless sunbathers. The crowd is older than the spring breakers who flock to Cancun every year, so the aura is relaxing, rather than frenetic.