BY MICCA VANVIELD
When you think vacation you generally think sun, sand, unlimited meals and cocktails. Many think rest and relaxation because all they really want to do is get away from their day to day and unwind. You also think that well, maybe I want to see a bit more than just sun and sand. I actually just want to explore. The best way to do that is with excursions. You’ll have an opportunity to see your destination beyond the walls of your resort and in most cases through the eyes of a local guide.
There are many ways you could book your excursions, however I recommend you plan ahead. Figure out what’s available before heading to the destination as well as what days you are doing them. This will often times save you money and the frustration of not getting on the particular tour you would prefer.
When travelling as a couple or for a romantic getaway you may want to do things like visit the spa of your hotel, go for a nice romantic dinner or even doing a night tour together. However if you are more of an adventurous duo you may want to do things like couples snorkeling/diving, ATV riding, zip lining or even swimming with the sharks. You always have activities that are not as daring however still fun to do as a couple like horseback riding, catamaran cruising (especially to watch the sunset), bird watching and much more.
Though some excursions that are offered will be very similar depending on where you choose your vacation, you will always have ones that are staples and will be very unique to that particular location. I would recommend you look at booking the staple excursions first as those ones tend to get booked the fastest. Planning your vacation excursions ahead of time helps to ensure that you are budgeted correctly to enjoy the trip you envisioned having. You’ll know what the costs are upfront and in most cases they would even be paid for ahead of time. This way you can really focus on having a worry free vacation.
Below are a few excursions to consider while planning that couples trip away. These can really help to enhance and put focus on spending time together and tapping into the two of you.
Jamaica – Dunns River Falls, Mystic Mountain, Glistening Waters, Swimming with the Dolphins, Ricks Cafe (at sunset), Blue Hole and Secret Falls, and these are just to name a few.
Trinidad and Tobago – Nature tours, Undersea Diving, Off Road Jeep Safari, Argyle Waterfalls, Gilpin Trail for a rainforest treat.
Punta Cana – Jungle Safari and ATV riding, Saona day visit, Santo Domingo historical tour, Catamaran Cruise and Underwater Museum.
St. Lucia – Pitons, Full day tour of St. Lucia, visit to Soufriere, Champagne Sunset Catamaran Cruise, Hotel Chocolat Boucan, Sulphur Springs.
These are only a few destinations and tours to consider while planning your couples trip. Remember that it’s not always about where you go and the excursion that you’re doing together. The most important thing is that you major the time to spend quality time together and reconnect as a couple and what better way to do that than with a vacation.
