As summer comes to a close, and all go into fall and a new school year, minds wander wistfully back to vacation. For some, thoughts will be of metropolis cities with bustling streets and nightlife, and others will dream about somewhere tropical, with warm sand, exotic flora, and crystal clear turquoise waters. The following places in the tropics would be great to visit if the opportunity arises.
Cancun, Mexico
Located in the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun boasts famous white sand beaches bordering the second largest coral reef in the world. As a tourism hot-spot, visitors find many luxury hotels and shopping centers in Cancun as well. Of course, Mayan culture remains heavily prevalent, so make sure to visit the local towns and view the natural beauty of the cenotes and seas. With many unique experiences like swimming with whale sharks and touring old Mayan ruins, Cancun has attractions for everyone.
Barbados
An authentic country, with delicious, diverse cuisine and beautiful natural landscapes, Barbados will be a Caribbean island to remember. Barbados can be viewed as a tropical paradise, with seventy miles of beaches and different coasts to suit many preferences. Visit the western side of the island to discover the almost textbook soft white sands, with calm, sapphire blue waters. On the western side, Barbados boasts rolling waves and rocky shores to hike on. Most importantly, Barbados harbors rich culture , with trademarks of West Africa and the Caribbean mixed with traditional British pastimes like cricket and horse racing.
The Maldives
The Maldives, an archipelago of islands located in the Indian Ocean, has diverse, marine life and many tourist attractions. This unique location consists of many different islands, but visitors can always count on balmy weather and relaxing resorts. For those who love to go under the water, the Maldives, because of its diversity with marine life,could be considered to be a snorkeling paradise. Many of the resorts on the islands consist of individual villas dispersed among the sea itself, allowing visitors to wake up with a panoramic view of the crystal clear waters.
Bali, Indonesia
Bali, one of more than 17,000 Indonesian islands, stands out as a tropical and cultural paradise for many vacationers. Bali’s famous beaches have a unique mesh of soft, white sand, rocky limestone, and rolling waves. Tourists will be immersed in the many festivals and culinary wonders of this country, along with the majestic, religious temples, some overlooking mountains and some the oceans which aesthetically pleases the eye. With waterfalls and flower gardens seen all over the country, Bali remains a fascinating place to go.
Thailand
Located in Southeast Asia, this Buddhist country remains forever warm and sunny, no matter the season, making it a viable candidate to visit at any time of the year. Rich history contributes to Thailand’s makeup, so no matter what area, tourists will find ornate temples and pagodas, intrinsic to their 95% Buddhist population. Thailand’s festivals, loved by their people, revolve around the Lunar Year. One of the most famous might be the Light Festival or Loy Krathong, celebrated by releasing candle lotus shaped baskets into rivers on the full moon night in November annually. Another festival called Songkran, essentially consists of a national three day water fight to show renewal. Thailand has many natural wonders, all sights to behold, with vivid emerald-green, turquoise waters and dozens of natural waterfalls.
As AFHS heads into the fall semester and the “new” experience of an in-person school year, hopefully contemplating and dreaming of vacation, tropical or not, will help reduce stress. All of the locations listed above boast mesmerizing natural wonders and vibrant culture, with each having unique areas to explore. Any of these five locations would be perfect for someone seeking a tropical vacation.
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