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30 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday January 19, 2008 www.oakvillebeaver.com Guaranteed sun, where? T hink guaranteed sunshine and hot weather and then book a vacation to Huatulco. "Where is it, never heard of it?" you ask. If you haven't, you're not alone. The 10 per cent who do know and have been there, beg me not to tell you about it. Why? Simply because it is wonderful. It is a planned Mexican resort area in the southern state of Oaxaca; look way below Acapulco on the map. Sometimes even governments get it right. Mexico's planners started from scratch 22 years ago, and the resort area they've built is busy making holiday dreams come true -- clear water, unspoiled beaches, a rich cultural past, and the country's first eco-tourism resort area. It is a 35-km stretch of bays, coves and inlets, of which more than 40,000 acres of the 52,000 acres are to be kept as ecological preserves. The locals are proud of the fact each bay has its own purifying system, and all the water is re-used after it is treated. Today the nine bays, with 36 beaches, which were home to a few fishermen and their families, are still unspoiled. In fact, many of these lovely golden sand beaches are still primitive, accessible only by boat. Tangolunda Bay is the bay most developed and it isn't crowded; with just six resorts none taller than six storeys, occupying the area. There is also an 18-hole golf course, two shopping centres and a number of restaurants. A five minute, $3 cab ride away is the little port of Santa Cruz with more hotels and one of my very favourites, the all-inclusive Castillo Huatulco. Sunwing Vacations rates BEAVER TRAILS TO FLORIDA: The D'Andreis family took The Oakville Beaver to Disney World. Pictured here with the paper inside the Epcot Centre are (l-r) Megan, Frank (dad) and Brandon D'Andreis. Take along a copy of The Oakville Beaver on your next vacation and send it in for publication to Beaver Trails, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4 or e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. CRYSTAL OFFERS MEDITERRANEAN SAVINGS Crystal Cruises has introduced a variety of savings opportunities for its 2008 Mediterranean cruises. For new bookings made by 29FEB08, the line is offering 10 per cent off all verandah and non-verandah staterooms and five per cent off Penthouse accommodations for virtually all of Crystal Serenity's European cruises departing 19MAY08 through 05SEP08. The promotion offers savings of up to US$1,650 per couple on 10 cruises leaving from Rome, Venice, Athens, Barcelona and Monte Carlo. Crystal's 2008 Mediterranean season features more overnight calls, including Venice, Sorrento, Monte Carlo, Istanbul and Athens, and extended time in port, as well as a maiden call in Albania. On 7 to 12-day itineraries, guests can explore the Mediterranean's most sought after destinations in the Italian Riviera, French Riviera, Greek Isles and the Dalmatian and Turkish coasts. As many as nine different port cities in five countries are featured on a single voyage. Crystal Serenity's Mediterranean voyages are priced from US$2,995 p.p., double occupancy. www.crystalcruises.com SEABOURN OFFERS 2 FREE NIGHTS IN LISBON Seabourn Cruise Line is offering special 45 per cent "Sail & Stay Savings," as well as a free two-night extension at Lisbon's Four Seasons Ritz hotel, to travellers booking 13-day Portugal Passage transatlantic cruises from Ft. Lauderdale to Lisbon this spring. The Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend cruises include a port call at Funchal, Madeira, where all passengers will enjoy a complimentary Exclusively Seabourn soirée at Reid's Palace hotel. On arrival at Lisbon, Seabourn guests will be met and treated to a guided orientation of the city's cultural and historical highlights, before checking into the Four Seasons Ritz for an additional full day and another night to explore the many attractions of Lisbon and its surrounds. With special Sail & Stay Savings, fares start from US$3,297 p.p., double occupancy, for an ocean-view suite. Seabourn Pride departs Ft. Lauderdale on 17MAR08 and Seabourn Legend departs 06APR08. www.seabourn.com Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com it a bronze, but I don't agree nor do the guests staying there. The food is outstanding, and those of you who complain you don't get real Mexican food will find it here, along with Canadian fare for those who prefer a taste from home. Leopoldo Ayon, the general manager, has just been declared one of the top 10 hotel managers in Mexico, and the resort shows his efforts. Randy and Barb Marcotte from Sudbury have been four times and rave about it. They say the staff is fantastic, the location across from the marina, and shopping and restaurants are great, the Scotia Bank is just a block away, and they love the beach club. The Canadians at the allinclusive silver-rated Crown Pacific were happy too. Dave and Cathy Lelkbridge from Stonewall, Manitoba said they liked it and would return, noting the food is good, and the walking good for you. The Crown Pacific is built on the hillside so everyone has a view, with huge rooms and balconies. The entertainment shows were great, and for those who didn't want to walk up and down the hillside to the beach club, there was a shuttle. The seventh floor pool was a big hit, too. Those who made the gold-rated, all-inclusive Las Brisas their home for a week liked their digs as well. One couple who had visited to attend a wedding said they like the large resort, its food and its three separate beaches. The Camino Real Zaashila Huatulco is not an all-inclusive, although a buffet breakfast is included, as well as a daily cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres. It is perfect for those who want a quiet laid back holiday, on a lovely secluded cove. There is a lot to do besides staying in your hotel, and a must is a boat cruise. We saw whales, schools of flying fish, and so many huge sea turtles we stopped counting. We also saw manta rays jumping out of the water...for me a first. The shoreline reminds me a bit of Muskoka with rocks protecting the cliffs. The snorkeling was excellent, and so was the cold beer on the boat. Just six kilometers from your hotel and a $3.50 cab ride is the town of La Crucesita which was born in the late 1980s. It has a shady main square surrounded by shops, artisans' market, bars and restaurants, and is known for its black pottery and embroidery. Good weather is a given. An employee with the tourist board had to think when I asked if it ever rained all day during the rainy season. "Yes, it did fourteen years ago in May," he said. Huatulco now has two stoplights, something so unusual that the week before they were installed, the local radio station gave instructions on how they worked. The passengers on Sunwing Airlines on the way home all could pronounce the name (wah-Tool-co), but whether they told anyone else about it, or kept it a secret, remains to be seen. Sam Ion can be reached at sion10@cogeco.ca. Voted Best Travel Agency Best Cruise Company Best Travel Agent Thanks Oakville! Hopedale Shopping Centre 1515 Rebecca Street, Oakville Relax... you're with us 221 Lakeshore Road E. (905) 827-1100 fax: (905) 827-4982 e-mail: travel@mctavish.com 905-337-2228 www.hookedoncruising.com To advertise in this section call 905-845-3824