Food & Wine

This Winter’s Hottest Travel Destination

Nova Scotians are warming up to all-inclusive holidays at popular Caribbean resorts


It’s that time of year when Nova Scotians start gazing south, far south, to warmer climes for a respite from Old Man Winter. This year, there is a wide range of all-inclusive holidays available directly from Halifax. Some offer concierge service and some don’t allow tipping. Some are family-friendly, while others are singles-only.You may be a tourist that likes to try new destinations each year, or you may have fallen in love with one special place and keep going back.

Kay and David Sercerchi, of Lower Sackville, have been returning to Cuba for the last six winters. They love the sun, sand and warmth of the Cuban people and the memories they create on vacation are very dear to them.

“Even when the holiday is over, time is spent going over the photos and sharing our experiences with family and friends. Then we look forward to the next visit and on it goes,” says Kay Sercerchi.

When Canadian winters are bitter cold, these kinds of thoughts and plans keep the Sercerchis and many other Nova Scotians warm on the inside.

Nova Scotians love to see the sun during the winter season, but where they go depends on several factors. The top two are destinations that offer non-stop flight options from Halifax International Airport and those that offer value for money.

Blair Jerrett, director of marketing for Maritime Travel, says, “Most people are looking for a non-stop flight to a destination they can reach in about four hours. They want to avoid connections and overnights because that means more time travelling and less time on vacation.”

He says there are lots of direct destinations being offered this winter. New ones include exciting locations like Cayo Santa Maria in Cuba and La Romana in the Dominican Republic.

Cayo Santa Maria, near the town of Santa Clara, is a pristine resort area. Known for its superior beach, Canadians enjoy it as a relaxing, less commercial destination. Together with Cayo Coco, Varadero and Holguin there are now four direct destinations to Cuba.

The Dominican Republic’s La Romana is a new destination area that’s smaller than some of the country’s traditional ones.

“It has a beautiful beach, but in a quieter environment than Puerto Plata, which is a small city, and Punta Cana, which has several upscale resorts.” Jerrett says Nova Scotians traditionally look for an all-inclusive resort.

“Once they’ve made their booking, everything’s included: flight, transfers, drinks, food, and even certain activities and water sports. That’s become the expectation for most people. It’s certainly proven that Nova Scotians love their all-inclusive destinations where they don’t need to worry about money.”

In terms of sheer volume, he says, most southern-bound travellers head to the Dominican Republic because of the great deals and value for money. But, it’s neck and neck with Cuba. Third in the running is Mexico.

“When you fly into Cancun International Airport you can stay in Cancun or the Mayan Riviera. The two areas are very different: Cancun is fast-paced, glitzy and cosmopolitan. It has a really raucous nightlife and fancy over-the-top shopping malls featuring every type of thing you can shop for. They have Gucci stores and Louis Vuitton; it’s very fashionable.”

The Mayan Riviera, on the other hand, is a much quieter, more natural environment to relax in.

Jerrett says everything in Mexico is in perfect condition again after Hurricane Wilma last fall. And there hasn’t been any backlash from customers after the horrific Canadian murder case in Cancun in 2005.

Jerrett lived in Cancun for three years and says, “I know the area really well and it’s very safe. There are no more safety issues or unfortunate incidences there than there are here. Some just get more press than others.”

Another destination that’s really growing in popularity from Halifax is Jamaica.

“Jamaica is really hot right now,” says Jerrett. “Two years ago we had one flight a week to Jamaica offered by Air Canada Vacations. Last year, we had two when Sunquest offered one. This year, there are three now that Transat Holidays is also going.”

If you’re going to Jamaica, you’ll fly into Montego Bay Airport. From there you’ll go to Montego Bay, Negril or Ocho Rios.

“Those are very popular areas,” says Jerrett. “It’s a completely different experience from Cuba or the Dominican Republic. You don’t have Latin culture, but you have Jamaican culture which is equally as colourful. You have the reggae music, delicious food and all that sort of thing.”

Jamaica is known for having very high quality hotels with quite a number of five-star-plus properties. More upscale resorts like Super Clubs Gran Lido and Sandals will cost a little more, but get you all the bells and whistles. “At Sandals in Jamaica you can continually upgrade depending on how you want to treat yourself. Sandals even offers your own personal butler service,” says Jerrett.

If you can’t afford a southern getaway, or simply like staying close to home, you can still get a “paradise” feeling at one of Nova Scotia’s hundreds of inns, bed and breakfasts and resorts. Look for ones that are open year-round and offer options like saunas, hot tubs, fireplaces, outdoor activities and multi-course dinners. Pair an overnight or weekend getaway with a visit to one of the province’s many new spas and indulge yourself in a full day’s treatment.


Originally published in the Winter 2007 issue of Lifestyle Nova Scotia Magazine.