NOVEMBER 2016 ;e Costco Connection 19
TRAVELCONNECTION
PETER GREENBERG
Peter Greenberg is the
multiple–Emmy Award–
winning travel editor
for CBS News and host
of The Travel Detective
on public television
( petergreenberg.com).
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costcoconnection.com,
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BEACH DESTINATIONS are where you go for—
what else?—the beach. But many beach destinations have hidden treasures once you walk away
from the sand and surf. Here are my picks for
places and experiences off the brochure and just
down the road from some of the world’s great
beach and resort destinations.
Los Cabos
There’s more to Los Cabos than its beautiful
beaches. The real secret lies in its desert hills. Cañon
de la Zorra (Fox Canyon), about an hour’s drive
north of San José del Cabo, contains a hidden
waterfall and is a perfect site for secluded cliff jumping and swimming. Along with the beautiful water
flowing over granite rocks, the canyon offers a
unique combination of fauna, cacti, flowering trees
and palm trees. Not into swimming? You can go
horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking.
Costa Rica
Once you land in Costa Rica, before heading
out to the coast, turn south and journey to Cerro
Chirripó National Park, home to the highest peak in
Costa Rica: Cerro Chirripó Grande. This 10,000-
foot-tall and 9-mile-long mountain is the park’s
No. 1 attraction, and for good reason. On a clear
day, you can look west and see the Pacific Ocean
and turn east to see the Caribbean Sea. It’s a challenging hike (there are shelters along the way), but
well worth it, not only for the view at the top, but for
the high pastures, tropical evergreen forests, giant
oak trees, crystal-clear, trout-filled streams and
more that you will encounter along the way.
Fiji
Most international flights land in the early morning hours in Nadi. When I go, my final flight destination is Suva, where I board a small cruise ship for the
trip out to the Lau archipelago, 50-plus atolls just east
of the Koro Sea. This is where you’ll find the most
spectacular sunsets, as well as magnificent sunrises.
Try to schedule your arrival in Nadi on a Sunday,
so you’re in time for a double treat. First, head to the
nearest church for Sunday services. Why? No matter
which church you choose, you’ll be serenaded by a
choir singing the most incredible a cappella harmo-nies imaginable. Truly inspiring. Then it’s time for
breakfast. Go directly to Martinar, a small town outside Nadi, where you’ll find Tu’s Place (tusplace.webs.
com). Tu’s serves Thai Asian fusion food; order the
local lolo fish cooked in coconut milk and the famous
fish and chips. Consider splitting whatever dish you
order, because the portions are enormous.
Maui and Lanai
Maui is just a 25-minute flight from Honolulu,
but it’s my jumping-off spot for a real adventure
that includes Lanai and Molokai—from the air.
Take a break from the beach one day and check out
Maui Flight Academy (
mauiflightacademy.com),
located at the Maui airport. This isn’t just any plane
ride, because you will be piloting it: They put you in
the left pilot seat of a Cirrus-SR22! The actual pilot
sits on the co-pilot side.
The next thing you know, you’re roaring down
the runway and you’re at the controls. You’ll make
a short flight and then land on the 141-square-mile
island of Lanai for lunch. On the return trip you’ll
pilot the plane around and over the cliffs of Molokai
before returning to Maui. The price: $700, which
includes up to three passenger/pilots.
Puerto Rico
The locals know about it, but it might take you
a little time to find La Placita, a fresh food market
on the northeast side of the island where Puerto
Ricans come to buy fresh produce and handmade
items. Before leaving, make sure to purchase some
pique (hot sauce).
And what is a market during the day becomes a
huge street party at night, with many restaurants
and bars to enjoy. Enjoy wallet-friendly cocktails
and live salsa music throughout the square. C
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Beyond the beach
Finding great adventure inland
THE
COSTCOCONNECTION
Costco Travel offers packages
to these destinations and
more. To learn more, click
“Travel” at Costco.com or call
1-877-849-2730.
Morrenas Valley from Chirripó Peak,
Chirripó National Park, Costa Rica.
The desert and mountains
of Los Cabos, Mexico.
