View To a Thrill!
Ian Stalker
The travel industry is clearly of the viewpoint that our planet offers great views.
Travel Courier asked several in the industry which views they found particularly memorable and the choices were locations scattered far and wide.
Here are those choices:
Brigitte "Bri" Belanger-Warner
Virginia Tourism Corporation
Here comes the sun… and that daily development is certain to be particularly welcomed by Bri Belanger-Warner when the rising spectacle is taking place in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation employee finds sunrises in that oceanside community particularly remarkable.
“This destination features an array of hotels located right next to the beach, with most rooms offering a spectacular ocean view,” she says. “There is nothing better than to wake up in the morning and look out the window to see the skies transform over the ocean as the sun rises. It is the perfect way to start a day of surf and sand at the most northern warm-water beach on the East Coast.
“I do miss seeing this view very much. My family and I normally escape to the beach for a few days every summer, but we decided to postpone our trip this year. We cannot wait to return!”
Meanwhile, Belanger-Warner says there’s no shortage of sights in her jurisdiction that will dazzle visitors.
“As I discover more and more of the beautiful state of Virginia, I am amazed at the spectacular views one can enjoy throughout our destination,” she says. “The Shenandoah National Park, Primland Resort, wineries in Central and Northern Virginia to only name a few, all offer breathtaking views, which we are eager to share with our Canadian friends!”
Abdalah Castillo
Dominican Republic Tourism Board
Abdalah Castillo says towering Pico Duarte truly high-lights the variety found in Dominican Republic landscapes.
Castillo, with the Dominican Republic Tourism Board’s Toronto office, says the mountain provides dramatic views but is often often overlooked by beach-seeking tourists.
“A lot of Canadians cannot even imagine that besides the more conventional attractions — great hotels; white-sand, crystal-clear beaches; coconut palm trees; rum; and exquisite cigars — the DR is also home to deserts, rain forests, salt water lakes, mangroves, tall waterfalls, and the Cordillera Central, known as the Dominican Alps, a paradise for hikers,” Castillo says. “In this chain of mountains, found in Jose A Bermudez National Park, is nestled Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean at 3,175 meters. The top of this mountain is one of my favourite views. Especially in winter, when it gets frozen, YES… frozen and in very seldom circumstances sees a little snow. So imagine a sunny day with a view of the green Cibao Valley from a white, frozen setting.”
Castillo confesses he also finds the sunrises on Saona Island and in Punta Cana-Bavaro, located in the eastern part of the island, “amazing.”
Meanwhile, Castillo says great views are found in many other parts of the Dominican Republic.
“The whole area of Samaná is full of striking views,” he reports. “And one of my favourites is, after a dirt road, arriving at Playa Rincon, an uninhabited and wild beach. The other is seeing a humpback whale and her newborn calf playing in Samaná Bay.”
Dallyce Macas
explora
A weighty name in outdoor apparel joins Dallyce Macas in being dazzled by a peak near the southernmost reaches of South America.
Macas is the Canadian representative for Chile-based resort company explora, which has a Patagonian presence, and says Patagonia is deserving of its reputation for offering spectacular wilderness.
“I am not alone when I say that the view of Mount Fitz Roy from the village of El Chalten, on the Argentinian side of Patagonia, is spectacular! The outdoor clothing company, Patagonia, uses the mountain in its logo,” Macas says.
“The village of El Chalten has been used as a base by explorers of the mountains and the landscapes that have turned this area into a favourite destination among nature lovers and hikers.”
explora is set to open a lodge in November near El Chalten in the Los Huemules Nature Reserve.
“The reserve spans over 5,800 hectares and one of the main concerns is to protect its magical and unique surroundings. With less than 5,000 visitors to the reserve each year, explora will introduce a remarkable all-included lodge and outdoor activity experiences to the area,” Macas reports.
Those in the area don’t have to go far to find another setting that wowed Macas.
“Well, I may be showing my preference for mountain views, but just over the border in Chile is Torres del Paine National Park,” she states. “In the daytime, the light dances off the mountain peaks. The real views start at night, with incredibly clear skies and stars twinkling that are a treat for the eyes.”
