Top Skin-Showing Destinations Where You Can Dare to Go Bare Winter 2011
It’s that time of year to plan the ultimate winter escape to paradise. The discerning traveler knows that great beaches, luxury accommodations, nightlife, and shopping are all important in planning the perfect getaway. We have scoured the globe to find just the right destinations for your globerati winter escape where showing off your sexy body is encouraged. Check out these hot places with a cool vibe. To delve into the Top Skin-Showing Destinations in the summer, look here.
Buzios, Brazil
Ever wonder where Brazilians go on holiday? When they’re looking for a nearby escape, they choose Buzios, cherished for its beaches, nightclubs, restaurants, and shopping. Buzios was settled by the Portuguese and is surrounded by islands with 23 beaches to choose from. Located a mere 100 miles from Rio de Janeiro, Buzios couldn’t seem farther away.
Bombshell Brigitte Bardot popularized Buzios after a visit in 1964, and a statue honoring her, the Orla Bardot, gazes out to sea. Rua das Pedras is the street where it all happens…socializing, romancing, dining, dancing, shopping, people-watching and strutting your stuff. It is a friendly and eclectic street, where running into famous people and hearing foreign languages is commonplace. Though restrained, Buzios oozes glamour. Read the rest of Karla’s article on Buzios, Brazil.
Little Cayman Island, Caribbean
Little Cayman Island, Caribbean is a magical place with more than a dozen secluded beaches on a mostly undiscovered coastline, and lagoons, mangrove forests, salt ponds and pristine wetlands strewn with orchids. This is a diver’s paradise, with 81-degree water and more than 57 dive sites, including Bloody Bay Wall – one of the world’s best – Jackson Bay Wall and Reef for shallow and deep diving, and Sarah’s Set for views of lobsters, channel clinging crabs, sting rays, and octopus. Scuba Diving Magazine awarded first place for ‘Overall Rating of the Destination’ and ‘Wall Diving’ in the 2011 Readers Choice Awards to the Cayman Islands. Read the rest of Karla’s article on Little Cayman Island, Caribbean.
Mauritius, Indian Ocean
Mauritius, Indian Ocean is one of the most exotic locations you may ever visit. This small island, entirely ringed by coral reefs, has a lot to offer, including nightlife, beaches, and an abundance of outdoor activities. There are many spots on the island to choose from, but the Jetset crowd heads straight to Grand Baie for its wide variety of activities, dining and nightlife. Spend your days lounging on the beach or at your resort’s pool and bar. And yes, those really are the celebrities you think they are lounging next to you. Although the law requires modesty at public beaches, topless sunbathing reigns at the resorts. Take a champagne helicopter tour of the island and have lunch in the mountains on the Southwest Coast at Chamarel or Le Morne. For great views, visit 20 Degrees South, located in Pointe aux Cannoniers at the end of the bay where you can board the Lady Lisbeth, a 1920s restored yacht, for dinner. Read the rest of Karla’s article on Mauritius, Indian Ocean.
Saint-Barthélemy, French West Indies
Saint-Barthélemy, French West Indies offers a taste of the French Riviera in the Caribbean. St. Barths is popular with supermodels, rock stars, oligarchs, athletes, and celebrities for its 20 beautiful white-sand beaches, fine dining, shopping, and boating culture. Resorts are nestled in breathtakingly beautiful white-sand coves. The best-known beach is St. Jean Beach, a sun-splashed crescent divided by the Eden Rock promontory. The strand at Anse du Gouverneur, on the southern coast, is gorgeous, ringed by steep cliffs overlooking St. Kitts, Saba, and Statia (St. Eustatius). Equally fine is Grande Saline Beach, to the east, where lack of shade doesn’t deter the nude sunbathers. For a day at the beach, grab an umbrella from the hotel or beach club, since shade is hard to find. Add towels, a book, and delicious-smelling Ligne St. Barth coconut oil, and prepare for a day of luxuriating on some of the world’s finest beaches. Read the rest of Karla’s article on Saint-Barthelemy, French West Indies.
Curacao, Caribbean: Curacao is one of the Caribbean’s best-kept secrets. The island has a culture of hospitality and residents with roots from around the world where you will be greeted with Bon Bini (welcome) wherever you go. This former Dutch territory has a distinctly European vibe as well as island color and striking architecture. The scuba diving is among the world’s best; and long sandy beaches await – you choose from secluded or inhabited. The vibrant art scene, colonial architecture, and friendly people are just a few reasons to come here. Carnival is a lively time of year where parades, dancing, music and food dominate the entertainment. Read the rest of Karla’s article on Curacao, Caribbean.
