Q&A

TRAVEL

Question:  How are you able to travel so often?  Is it part of your job?

Answer:  I hold a full-time job that is completely unrelated to travel.  I live in an area with many non-stop flights to the Caribbean (3-4 hours flight time), so this makes it easy to spend long weekends in the sunny islands.

Question:  I want to visit the Caribbean, but it’s hurricane season.  Should I take the risk?

Answer:  A vacation with perfect weather can never be guaranteed (sadly), but for those who don’t want to risk experiencing a hurricane, the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao lie outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt. You can read more about my personal thoughts on this here.

Question:  I want to visit an island or beach for my honeymoon.  Where should I go?

Answer:  My answer will depend on what you want to do on your honeymoon (aside from the obvious). Do you like water sports?  Are you looking for nightlife or romantic solitude or both?  I went to French Polynesia on my honeymoon and visited the islands of Moorea, Fakarava and Rangiroa.  I highly recommend French Polynesia as a honeymoon destination if you are a diver, snorkeler or an ocean lover who seeks peace and tranquility.  And don’t forget to consider the weather patterns for the time of year you plan to visit.

Question:  What is your favorite Caribbean island to visit?

Answer:  I love so many of them!  It’s a difficult choice.  But my heart belongs to St. John, USVI.

Question:  What’s next on your travel list?

Answer:  My list grows by the day.  Next on my list is Grand Cayman (second trip) & Fiji. Other high ranking locales are Easter Island, Galapagos, Marquesas, Micronesia, Grenada, Dominica and Borneo.  I also want to explore the Grenadines via sailboat.

DIVING AND SNORKELING

Question:  You often blog about snorkeling.  Are you a diver or a snorkeler?

Answer:  I’m both!  I am a certified open water diver, who also loves to snorkel.  These days, I’ve been focusing mainly on snorkeling.  My husband (Mr. Reeftraveler) is a diver with over 300 dives under his belt, so most of our vacations are dive and snorkel oriented.

Question:  When were you first certified as a SCUBA diver, and where did you get certified?

Answer:  I received my SCUBA certification in 1997 in a murky lake in West Virginia.  The dive operators sunk an old pontoon boat in the lake to provide underwater scenery.  But with visibility of about a foot (0.3m), I couldn’t wait to get to the surface.  The good news is, I passed the test.

Question:  Who takes your photos?

Answer:  I shoot all of the photos on Reeftraveler, unless they are otherwise credited.  Mr. Reeftraveler, my brother (who I refer to as Brother Reeftraveler) and my father-in-law have also shot a good amount of the photos on the site.

Question:  What camera do you use for your underwater photos?

Answer:  Most of my underwater photos are taken while snorkeling, and I currently use (and love) the Canon D10.  I also shoot with a Canon G12 with Fisheye Fix underwater housing and a Canon EOS 60D.

Question:  Which resort has the best house reef for snorkeling?

Answer:  Mirihi Island in South Ari Atoll, Maldives has the best house reef of all of the resorts I’ve visited. Other resorts I’ve found to have spectacular house reefs are the Hilton Moorea and Caneel Bay on St. John.

MISCELLANEOUS

Question:  Where was your beach wedding?

Answer:  I was married in Playa Langosta, Costa Rica.  Pura Vida.

Question:  What is your favorite tropical drink?

Answer:  This is a tough one, but my pick is the Painkiller from the Soggy Dollar Bar, Jost Van Dyke.  I also love a great margarita (on the rocks) and a fresh mojito.

Question:  Can I use one of your images on my blog?

Answer:  Images on this site are copyright of Reeftraveler, unless otherwise specified.  If you would like to use one of my images on your blog or non-commercial site, please feel free to do so.  All I ask is that you link back to Reeftraveler and provide a photo credit.  And you will score lots of karma points for sending me a link to your post at reeftraveleronline@gmail.com.

Question:  What is your affiliation with Tripadvisor?

Answer:  I am a Destination Expert for its Beach Vacations Forum.  I am not employed by Tripadvisor, nor do I receive compensation for my activity on the site.  I am an independent traveler, volunteering my time on the site to give travel advice that (hopefully) helps other users.

Question:  Where do you find your bathing suits and beachwear?

Answer:  My favorite bathing suits are by Trina Turk, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Bahama.  I live in my rashguards by Athleta, and this cover-up skirt by Body Glove.  I love to find handmade tunics on my travels, like the beautifully handcrafted Sri Lankan pieces I just found in the Maldives.  I prefer to go barefoot, but if I must wear “shoes” they would be Havaianas – silver, gold or white.

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