Getting a trip at a third off the regular price is always welcome news, and when it’s to an exotic location and you can ring in the new year there, it’s even more appealing. Adventure Life is offering just that with its eight-day/seven-night river cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia. The Dec. 28 departure, usually priced at $3,099 per person double occupancy, is being discounted to $2,099. The cruise starts in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and ends at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In between, there will be explorations of wetlands, visits to workshops of coppersmiths, silversmiths and silk-makers, and an exploration of Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh, including the haunting Genocide Museum. Once in Vietnam, there will be cruising on the Mekong River, including a tour by boat of the fascinating floating market in Cai Be. In addition to the usual cruise amenities, the price includes complimentary wine, beer and spirits. Info: 800-344-6118, http://tinyurl.com/poje7ae
Pilates fit for James Bond
Another option for welcoming 2016 is the New Year’s Revolution Retreat offered by GoldenEye, a resort near Ocho Rios, Jamaica, that’s based on the villa that was built by James Bond creator Ian Fleming. The all-inclusive retreat, Jan. 5-10, is aimed at getting the new year off to a healthy start. Guests will participate in Reggaelates, a workout that combines Pilates, yoga and reggae music. There will also be paddleboard yoga, sunset stretches, spa treatments and a cleanse-focused menu. Cleansing doesn’t come cheap. The package is priced from $6,000 per person based on single occupancy or $7,000 per couple. International airfare to Ian Fleming International Airport is extra. Info: http://tinyurl.com/n9zwmgp
Lists that travelers love
Lists of best this and best that surface almost daily and can be fun to read or infuriating if your personal favorite was slighted. For travelers, the lists can be a worthwhile read just because they might turn you on to a destination or attraction that’s never crossed your radar. Sunset magazine ventured into the travel awards field this year, surprisingly its first foray given that the magazine that covers 13 Western states has been around since the late 1800s, begun as a promotional magazine for the Southern Pacific Railroad. An example of an attraction you probably haven’t heard of is the mag’s top pick for best hotel pool in the West: Glenwood Hot Springs and Spa of the Rockies in Glenwood Springs, Colo. The pool measures an impressive 100 feet by 405 feet and holds more than a million gallons of mineral water cooled to 90-93 degrees. Another surprise comes along in the best arts town, headed by, of all places, Pasadena, Calif., and beating out such artsy places as Aspen, Colo., and Taos, N.M. The city “has made an extraordinary commitment to the arts,” according to one judge. Who’d-a-thunk? Check out all of the winners and finalists at http://tinyurl.com/pvx3hy4.
Phil Marty is a freelance writer.
