Grace Oda's Splash

Around this time every year I start to get an itch for the sun. If you're one of the lucky ones heading on a tropical vacation {such as my friend Sara who heads to the Maldives in a few days}, I'm envious! But for those of you who, like me, are going to be landlocked for the foreseeable future, photographer Grace Oda's collection of partially submerged ocean shots is almost as good as the real thing. I particularly love the photos shot during that magical time before sunset. After a day in the heat, nothing feels better than jumping into the crystal clear sea, glistening with the golden glow of late afternoon, and floating on your back while staring up at the sky. Pure serenity.

La Banane, St. Barth

It happens every year like clockwork - about halfway through February I start dreaming about going on a tropical escape. Since we are saving our vacation time for our destination wedding and honeymoon this summer, it looks like the closest I'm going to get to palm trees is my computer screen, and thanks to the vibrant, modern-island decor of Villa Banane in St. Barths, I can almost feel the Vitamin D!

Travel :: Railay Beach, Thailand

Better late than never...I wanted to share the last bit of photos from our trip to Thailand. We spent the last three days at the beautiful Rayavadee Resort in Krabi. Accessed only by boat and situated on the stunning Phranang Peninsular on the edge of Krabi Marine National Park, the resort is nestled amidst pristine tropical gardens and coconut groves against a backdrop of breathtaking cliffs. 

Travel :: Koh Rok, Thailand

While staying at the Pimalai we decided to take a day trip through the hotel to the island of Koh Rok. The island is a natural marine park, meaning there is zero development allowed on or around the island. In fact, the only inhabitants of the island are a pack of roosters that we shared the beach with for the afternoon. The ombre waters were crystal clear, making for some of the best snorkeling I have ever experienced. 

Travel :: Koh Phangan, Thailand

Today I wanted to share with you photos from my happy place - Koh Phangan. This idyllic island is located in the Gulf of Thailand and can only be accessed by ferry or speedboat. Upon arrival into Koh Samui we were were greeted by our resort and after being given fresh water and lemongrass infused cold towels we were driven to the pier. A quick speedboat ride later we arrived to the beautiful Santhiya Koh Phangan.

Travel :: Sailing St. Maarten

Today marks the last batch of my St. Maarten photos.  On the second to last day of our trip we rented a catamaran and sailed around the island.  From our early morning start to our golden hour finish, the day was absolutely perfect.  The trip started off with pastries, fresh fruit, coffee, and juice on board our boat.  From there we sailed to Île Tintamarre and went snorkeling with sea turtles!  There was one little guy in particular who I just loved and must have swam next to for five to ten minutes.  He would swim peacefully under the water and every so often stick his little head out for air...it was so cute!

Travel :: Pinel Island

One day while in St. Maarten we took a ferry to the nearby Pinel Island, a natural reserve accessible only by boat.  The beautiful island was filled with white sandy beaches, swaying coconut palms, and iguanas!  Two small restaurants with beach chairs were set-up on the south eastern side of the island - the rest of it remaining untouched.  We swam in the crystal clear water, hiked in our swimsuits to a deserted beach, and ate lunch by the sea {the mussels and frites were phenomenal!}  It was a picture-perfect tropical island and if you're ever in the St. Maarten area I couldn't recommend it enough!

Travel :: The Beaches of St. Maarten

The great thing about our vacation to St. Maarten was that since we rented two cars we were able to explore the island to our heart's content.  The island is quite small meaning that nearly ever beach can be reached within a 45 minute drive.  Two beaches we explored were Baie Rouge and Great Bay Beach.  

Travel :: Our St. Maarten Villa

It's safe to say that our family vacation to St. Maarten was absolutely perfect.  So perfect in fact, that I'm suffering from a serious case of post-vacation blues.  One of the best parts of our trip was the gorgeous villa we rented for the week - La Croisette.  The open-air villa featured a huge pool overlooking the ocean and the island of St. Bart's in the distance.  I loved the coastal chic decor and framed antique prints scattered across the house.  Our king-sized four poster bed with it's silky French Linens was one of the more comfortable I have ever slept in, and waking up to a view of the Caribbean from our French Doors wasn't bad either.

Travel :: Five Dream Beach Vacations

Anse Source d’Argent, Seychelles

Happy Friday!  We leave for St. Maarten on Sunday and I absolutely cannot wait.  A week of relaxing in the warm sunshine with family is just what I need.  Inspired by our trip, here are five dream beach vacations I'd love to go on someday.  Have a great weekend!

Algarve, Portugal

Calanque d'En-Vau, France

Phra Nang Beach, Thailand

Matira Beach, Bora Bora

Images via {1} {2} {3} {4} {5} 

Travel :: Rayavadee Krabi, Thailand

I have shared our hotels in Bangkok, Koh Phangan, and Koh Lanta...and for the last leg of our Thailand trip we will be staying at the beautiful Rayavadee on Railay Beach.  The Rayavdee is located on a peninsula that is only accessible by speedboat.  Surrounded by three beaches, Rayavadee sits on the edge of Krabi's National Marine Park amidst lush gardens, coconut groves, and the Andaman Sea.  We will be staying in two-story villa nestled in the jungle {read: monkeys everywhere!} that resembles a little mushroom house.  The resort houses four different restaurants including The Grotto, a bar and grill located inside a limestone cave with a postcard view of Phra Nang Beach.  Pinch me!

Images via Rayavadee

Art :: Surf's Up!

It's July 1st which means summer is officially in full-swing!  This month is jam-packed with weddings, out-of-town visitors, and weekend getaways...but what I'm most excited about is our upcoming family vacation to St. Maarten at the end of the month.  It will be so nice to lay in the sun, read by our pool, and swim in the sea.  And these paintings by John Holm are just what I need to get me into that tropical mentality.  Surf's up!

Images via Honestly WTF

Travel :: Pimalai Resort & Spa, Thailand

When Bri of DesignLoveFest posted about her Thailand trip, I eagerly read through her posts and comments time and time again.  The major takeaway I had from doing this was that we need to visit Koh Lanta.  Many explain the island to be what Ko Samui was 20 years ago...before it became covered with hotels, American chains {McDonalds!!}, and tourists galore.  We were looking for something quiet, tropical, and peaceful with just the right amount of seclusion.  After doing some research we decided that the Pimalai Resort & Spa fit the bill to perfection.  It is on what many say is the most beautiful beach in Koh Lanta.  It is set in 100 acres of lush tropical gardens and while it has four different restaurants on the property it also is within walking distance of several beach bars & restaurants to allow us easy access to cheap and authentic Thai food.

On days we want to be active, the hotel has it's own Dive Shop on property if we want to visit some of neighboring Koh Rok's famous dive sites.  It offers complimentary sail boats and kayaks.  We can rent a car or hire a driver through the hotel and spend the day exploring the island of Koh Lanta.  We can go on a sunset cruise with canapés and wine.  Or, if we want to do nothing we can relax on the golden beach or in one of the hotel's infinity pools.  The beautiful spa is personally high on my list, and I definitely think we are going to take a cooking class.  All in all it looks like five days in heaven and I can't wait to visit!