Summer is on the horizon & if you haven’t yet decided where to spend your vacation, you’re not alone. For those seeking secluded, pristine beaches, tropical get-aways, outrageous dive spots & locales where swim suits are the attire of the day, our Swim Suit edition may hold the answer!
From Thailand to Barbados, Sri Lanka to Bali, we have international teaching colleagues living & teaching in vacation havens around the globe. We all know that when we live abroad–as opposed to just passing through on the way to the next tourist stop–we become intimate with wonderful spots that lie well below the radar of commercial travel guides. These are the spots we’d all like to know about for the summer months ahead.
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I learned about Ko (island) Phi Phi from a classroom aide. Another colleague told me about Carbarete of the Dominican Republic where we rented a beach house & spent the summer luxuriating in the warm tropical atmosphere. Sharm el Sheik on the Red Sea & Candidasa, Sri Lanka were two more super Swim Suit vacations I learned about from colleagues & otherwise would have missed.
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Do you have a vacation spot where the water’s perfect, the sand shimmers, the locals welcome families & the overall ambiance envelopes you in a soothing, rejuvenating sea of relaxation that makes the rigors of teaching seem like a distant past? If so, please join us here at the ISR Swim Suit Edition 2012 to share your tantalizing locales & learn about other favorite discoveries.
If you’d like a photo to accompany your blog post, please send as an email attachment along with some text to help us match the photo to your post. internationalschoolsreview@gmail.com
ISR Discussion Boards 
azores for me … muito obrigado …
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Spanish Wells in St. George’s Cay, Eleuthra, Bahamas is absolutely perfect for a quiet romantic get-away or for a family holiday. The waters around the island are shallow and wonderful for snorkelling. Crime is almost non-existent, very few cars, the locals are kind and helpful and you can arrange day trips with local guides to neighbouring islands. There are loads of affordable vacation rentals there too. After the hectic run-up to the end of the school year, it is a great place to breeeeaaathe, relax in a hammock and forget about the rest of the world. There are direct flights to Eleuthra from Miami Int’l. Check out Spanish Wells in St. George’s Cay on VRBO http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/caribbean/bahamas#a5067
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I thoroughly enjoyed the Caribbean coast of Guatemala. It’s called Livingston. You need to get there by boat. I hoped a ride on the mail boat. It takes a couple of hours going up the river to arrive. The beaches are outrages, food is cheap. It’s just a great place. There’s a hotel there called the Tucan Dugu (not sure of the spelling) Sitting in the restaurant looking out over the ocean and the river leading to it reminds me of an adventure movie. It’s worth checking out.
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Being based at the International American School of Cancun…I would say the Carribean Sea is where it’s at.
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Why would you spend your vacation learning to spell? I also enjoy Cabarete in DR and agree that Dahhab is better than Sharm El Sheikh. Or check out Saba, Netherlands Antilles, if you can imagine a Caribbean Island without the stress and like diving.
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Hi everyone!
Malaysia is a great place for holidays as well. If you enjoy scuba diving or swimming or just relaxing, TERENGANU offers you that!
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I’ve heard it’s best in spring/summer, and a place to avoid in winter (rough seas, etc). Is that true?
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Great idea for a post! Would love to hear about good, off-the-beaten-path spots in Indonesia or SE Asia in general!
This is hardly a secret, but check out Dahab if you’re heading to the Red Sea/Sinai. Much cheaper than Sharm, some good dives, and a nice place to just hang.
Also, Fethiye or Olympos in Turkey. Personally, I would avoid Bodrum or Side, especially in summer, as they are heaving with package tourists and loud, obnoxious discos. But if you like that sort of thing, they’re lovely.
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I agree with the comment by trav45. I lived in Egypt and went to both Sharm El Sheik and Dahab. I had a much better experience in Dahab although the water was great in both places. I was able to rent a yacht and take a full day, excellent lunch included, snorkeling on the Bay of Aquaba for only $45US. My husband and I loved it as we had the boat practically all to ourselves with only one couple in the afternoon and three people in the morning who opted for half day trips. Our awsome lunch was all by ourselves and it seemed as though the yacht was our alone. The hotels were much more expensive in Sharm than the all inclusive we got while in Dahab. The town of Dahab is a typical Egyptian fishing town and has a lot of expats there, more the “hippie” grunge types. There are major hotels there if you want upscale but there are all levels of accommodations to get. http://www.timelessegypt.com was a favorite travel agency of mine while I was there and Hany can get what ever trip you want in place for a GREAT local price. We used him to go on a Nile river cruise and also to Hurghada, another great Red Sea location on the mainland of Egypt. check out Egypt…great place to travel or live.
I also like the coast of Kenya anywhere between Malindi and south of Mombasa. My favorite is probably Watamu at the Turtle Bay Resort. Great diving, swimming and all kinds of day trips including a butterfly farm and snake farm.
There a lot of great destinations to travel to so how can we choose? I currently live in Trinidad and Tobago… you can’t go wrong with them either.
Enjoy your summer, everyone!
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Great idea for a summer article. I’ve been looking for someplace new that comes recommended. I’ll share a favorite place with everyone. This place is in San Diego so I hope that counts. Cabrillo monument is the name of the location. As soon as you pass the entrance (the rangers station) take a right hand turn down the long hill that leads to the old light house and the ocean. Follow the road to the end and park. It doesn’t get any more beautiful than this. There is also the pristine beaches of Torrey Pines and La Jolla.
I’m not sure how San Diego fits into other travelers’ idea of a summer get away as San Diego is crowded and rather pricey. I have the feeling your article is referring to someplace more exotic and far away. Still, I would check out Cabrillo Monument and Torrey Pines.
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