There are so many gorgeous beaches in the the Southeast of the United States. I was lucky enough to appear on WSB Radio in April on “Belinda Skelton’s Atlanta Lifestyles” show and our topic was beaches so I compiled a list of some of my favorites as well as a few I hope to visit soon. For that list plus some great specials and packages, please click here.

— By Jan Schroder

When I first read about Phu Quoc Island in a guidebook, it stirred up images of a wild tropical landscape virtually untouched by tourism.

I pictured rustic beach huts scattered along miles of deserted white, sandy beaches swamped with palm trees. The warm turquoise water is calm and clear, providing endless hours of snorkeling adventures.

Lex makes a stop on her scooter along one of the few roads on the southern part of the island.

Phu Quoc Island was the final stop of a three-week backpacking adventure through Vietnam with my best friend Lex. After constantly being on the move, it seemed like the perfect place to unwind before we made the long journey back to Canada.

Located in the Gulf of Thailand 15 km south of the coast of Cambodia, Phu Quoc is Vietnam¹s largest island and less than an hour flight from Ho Chi Minh City.

The author stops to ask tourists for directions outside of a wedding ceremony on the northern part of the island.

The majority of the land is dedicated to a national park and protected marine environment, so the island is relatively undeveloped, providing a good place for those who want to get away from it all and connect with the local people.

But it won’t be this way much longer.

The Vietnamese government has visions of turning Phu Quoc into the Phuket of Vietnam, and has formed a master plan to develop the island into an eco-tourism destination.

A new international airport recently opened in December, but the island still needs to overcome infrastructure problems such as paved roads, limited accommodation and a better power system in order to attract more international tourists. Aside from a string of restaurants and hotels along Long Beach, there is little when it comes to tourist services, which is both good and bad.

When I arrived on the island, I was pleased to see it had nearly everything I had imagined. Lex and I wasted no time renting a scooter to explore the 1320 square kilometres that are home to approximately 90,000 people.

Sitting on the back of the scooter, we headed south, determined to find the pristine and secluded Sau Beach that was recommended by the locals at our resort.

It was smooth sailing until the paved road ended within minutes of us leaving the hotel strip. We were forced to take on the “unsealed” road, which was basically red dirt and sand, combined with stretches of gravel, giant potholes, and large, sharp rocks.

The stretches of road that were “sealed” meant one lane of pavement. So when a large truck came along  — and there were a few of them ‹— it took up the entire road, leaving a sliver of room for a scooter to pass by.

The road followed the shoreline for much of the way, showcasing stretches of deserted beaches, fields of palm trees and decrepit homes put together with sheets of metal.

Vung Bau Beach, located on the northern part of the island.

I held on tight as we dodged the massive holes and slid across patches of sand. It was a nail-biter of a ride at times, making it difficult to relax and enjoy the scenery. Thankfully, there was little traffic to contend with.

It took about 45 minutes to find the beach and I was relieved to see it was well worth the journey. The white sand felt like silk on my feet. The turquoise water was warm and clear with plenty of palm trees offering an escape from the scorching sun.

The next day we were back on the scooter, this time heading north to Vung Bau Beach, where the roads were slightly better.

On this part of the island, pepper farms dot the landscape and there’s the odd place to get fish sauce (pearls, pepper and fish sauce are what the island is known for).

My trusty map led us astray at times, and there are few signs along the road, so I had no choice but to stop and ask the friendly locals lounging in their hammocks for directions. This was always entertaining given the language barrier.

We stopped in one of the handful of fishing villages to ask a couple of tourists for directions. They were standing outside a lively wedding reception where merry locals were dressed up and singing karaoke, a favourite past time in Vietnam.

As I approached the noisy festivities, still wearing my giant yellow helmet, a couple of cheerful men handed me a beer, inviting me inside.

“Today is the happiest day,” said one of the men with a permanent grin plastered on his face.

You never know what you¹ll find around the next turn.

Pamela Roth is a crime reporter and travel writer for the Edmonton Sun in Alberta, Canada.

For a stroll along an unspoiled beach, visit St. Andrews Park in Panama City, Florida and take the pontoon boat to Shell Island. To read more on where to stay, what to eat and what to do in Panama City, click here and go to www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.

A Caribbean vacation may just what you need

Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home,” however, wouldn’t you rather be on vacation? Even if you have the most glamorous house or apartment, there really is nothing like visiting a fascinating and wondrous new city or town. It’s time to take the things you love about life and see the world. Here is my guide to matching your interests and personality to a destination, for the perfect vacation.

For the girl who is obsessed with pop culture

I recommend a cruise to the Caribbean. Islands like Barbados, the Bahamas and St. Martin are hot spots for celebrities who vacation and own property in the Caribbean. For instance, Simon Cowell and Mariah Carey both vacation in Barbados, and Rihanna often visits as it’s where she was born. If celebrity sightings are what you’re after, the Caribbean is hard to beat.

For the fashionista

I suggest taking a trip to Tokyo, the newest fashion center of the world. Tokyo and other parts of Asia are on the cutting edge of style. Take a trip there and you will certainly return home as a trendsetter. From Harajuku girls to Uniqlo, there are a lot of big things happening in Japan’s fashion world. If you are looking for a more upscale scene, hit up Hong Kong where all the big names in fashion have boutiques.

For the girl who loves to cook and eat
France, Italy and Greece are filled with delicious dishes and interesting ingredients. Cruise to the Mediterranean where you will have one great meal after the other. Oceania Cruises takes travelers to visit with local farmers and chefs, and will even teach you how to make the dishes that you will be served on your cruise.

For the girl with her nose in a book

The dining room at Blu, the healthy eating restaurant on Celebrity Cruises

History and literature are alive and well in Russia. Venture to St. Petersburg and experience the rich Russian culture with all of its unique charm. While on your visit, it might be a good time to revisit the great Russian masterworks like “War and Peace” “Crime and Punishment” or “The Cherry Orchard.” And make sure to visit The Hermitage Museum to be dazzled by the largest single art collection in the world.
For the girl who is focused on clean living
Sure, you can break the rules of your diet a little bit on vacation, but you can also treat your body to a break by relaxing on a beautiful cruise and treating yourself to the spa experience. Celebrity Cruises even has special accommodations for travelers looking to give their bodies the ultimate in relaxation. They call it the AquaClass and not only do you get a fabulous suite0sized room, but you will have access to the ships’ famous Persian Garden and Relaxation Room, along with admittance to Blu, the healthy restaurant that has revolutionized healthy eating.

In 2013, don’t let the opportunity to see the world pass you by. Now is your time to be inspired and to find a kindred destination.

Karolina Shenton is a cruise consultant at The Cruise Web. The Cruise Web is a travel agency that specializes in cruising. The expert cruise consultants focus on providing travelers with the best value for their time and money in finding and booking a cruise vacation!

I read through the list of the 31 Best Airport Restaurants Around the World, and was dismayed to see I had not been to one. Not even the one in my own hometown airport — One Flew South in Atlanta — touted as the first upscale dining experience at the world’s busiest airport.

But then I remembered that I pretty much work hard to limit eating in airports, given the general dismal selection, although the app Gate Guru has helped steer me to some fairly yummy selections recently.

You can find some decent food and some airports. I hope this list from The Daily Meal, helps you find that next great meal when you’re traveling. 

1.       Porta Gaig (El Prat del Llobregat, Barcelona)

2.       Salt Lick BBQ (Austin-Bergstrom International Airport)

3.       Tortas Frontera (Chicago O’Hare International Airport) 

4.       Bubbles Seafood & Wine Bar (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol)

5.       Obrycki’s (Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport)

6.       Crust (LaGuardia Airport, New York City) 

7.       Five Guys (Dulles International Airport, Washington, DC)

8.       Custom Burgers by Pat LaFrieda (LaGuardia Airport, New York City)

9.       Encounter (Los Angeles International Airport)

10.   Legal Sea Foods (Boston Logan International Airport)

11.   Pink’s Hot Dogs (Los Angeles International Airport)

12.   Brasserie Flo (Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport)

13.   Plane Food (Heathrow Airport, London)

14.   Tagliare (LaGuardia Airport, New York City)

15.   Versailles Restaurant (Miami International Airport)

16.   Piquillo (John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City)

17.   Icebox Café (Miami International Airport)

18.   Union Jacks Bar (Gatwick Airport, London)

19.   Kim Choo’s Nonja Kitchen (Changi Airport Singapore)

20.   Airbräu Brauhaus (Munich Airport)

21.   Globe@YVR (Vancouver International Airport)

22.   La Moraga (Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport, Costa del Sol, Spain) 

23.   Cat Cora’s Kitchen (San Francisco International Airport)

24.   Altitude (Genève Aéroport, Geneva)

25.   Columbia Restaurant Café (Tampa International Airport)

26.   One Flew South (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport)

27.   Anthony’s Fish Bar (Seattle Tacoma International Airport)

28.   Tacañon (Benito Juarez, Mexico City)

29.   Dutch Kitchen Bar & Cocktails (Amsterdam Airport Schiphol)

30.   La Pausa (Ministro Pistarini International Airport, Buenos Aires)

31.   Tadında Anadolu (Istanbul Atatürk Airport)

For more highlights of the New Fantasyland, visit the Girl on the Go blog.

Gingerbread Chex® Mix, just one of dozens or recipes available on the Chex® Mix site.

I rarely have visions of sugarplums dancing in my head. But I do love the special snacks available around the holidays and my favorites tend to include a mixture of savory and sweet.

Chex Party Mix is always one of my favorites and this year, Chex has introduced even more ways to enjoy the yummy, crunchy cereal. I never knew there are dozens of recipes on their site — everything from Chai Crunch to Chex® Cajun Kick to Chili-Lime Chex® Mix.

Here are just two holiday-themed ones that are perfect for that office party or to make and share with the neighbors. Just be sure to make extra for your family.

Be sure to see the other recipes for Peppermint and Chocolate Chex® Mix, White Fantasy Clusters and Snickerdoodle Chex® Mix, just to name a few.

Gingerbread Chex® Mix

Makes 8 cups

3 cups Apple Cinnamon Chex® cereal

3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal

1 cup fancy mixed nuts

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup light molasses

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup chewy cinnamon candy

1. In large microwaveable bowl, mix cereals and nuts; set aside. Line cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.
2. In 2-cup microwaveable measuring cup, microwave butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar, molasses and spices uncovered on High about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until mixture is boiling; stir. Pour over cereals and nuts until evenly coated.
3. Microwave uncovered on High 3 to 4 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl every minute, or until cereal just begins to brown. Spread on waxed paper to cool, about 5 minutes. Stir in cinnamon candies. Store in airtight container.

A mixture of sugar cookies and Chex® Mix – what could be better?

Sugar Cookie Chex® Party Mix

6 cups Rice Chex® cereal

1.4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 ounce white baking chocolate or 1.4 cup vanilla milk chips

1-2 teaspoons colored edible glitter or sugar sprinkles

1. Measure cereal in large microwaveable bowl. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper or foil.

2. In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter uncovered on High 30 seconds or until melted. Add sugar and corn syrup; microwave uncovered on High 30 seconds until mixture is heated and can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

3. Microwave uncovered on High 2 minutes, stirring after1 minute. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; mix well.

4. Spread on waxed paper or foil. Microwave white chocolate on High 30 seconds or until it can be stirred smooth; drizzle over top; sprinkle with edible glitter or colored candies.

— Jan Schroder

The Belgrade boat carnival.
Photo courtesy of the Tourist Organization of Belgrade.

As night buses go, the number 73 in Belgrade was one to remember. The passengers were chic and the atmosphere was buzzing. It was 2am on a Monday morning and life was good.

In Republic Square, spotlights threw the statue of Prince Mihailo into high relief. The bronze finger of the man who expelled the Turks from Belgrade pointed toward Istanbul and below his feet, the white light blazed flowerbeds to confetti. This red-carpet entrance to the Terazije, the city’s central square, couldn’t have been more appropriate. The cafe at the Moskva, the grande dame of Belgrade’s hotels, was open and waiters were serving slices of the establishment’s namesake cake to sweet-toothed crowds. Music pumped from somewhere and I was the only one nodding off. Even the grannies on the bus were chirpy. An espresso and a cigarette is the breakfast pick-me-up for most Belgraders. Was it too early for one of those?

As I debated, the bus turned onto Požeška, south of the Old Town. As I stumbled through the lobby of the Balkan Hotel Garni, the desk clerk looked up, disappointed. I was home early. In my room, I closed the curtains against the laughter below and wondered if dawn would show Belgrade to be a more workaday place.

View from The Victor at the Kalemegdan Citadel. Photo courtesy of the Tourist Organization of Belgrade.

Before I flew in for her wedding, my Belgrader friend warned me not to expect a pretty city. Her exact words? “It’s ugly.” But Belgrade wears its past unapologetically. Coming into town from Nikola Tesla Airport a few days earlier, I was fascinated by the city’s Soviet-style apartment blocks. Stained with age, these concrete dominoes dwarfed the Austro-Hungarian and Art Nouveau buildings below. A stark reminder of conflict that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia, some city blocks still gape vacantly and a few façades are peppered with bullet holes. She might not be a beauty à la Paris or Vienna, but Belgrade’s disparate appearance speaks volumes about the city.

The bird’s-eye view from the Kalemegdan Citadel puts the White City into perspective. At the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, Belgrade was squeezed between the Ottoman Turkish and the Austro-Hungarian empires for much of its history. This was a border town, and as they conquered the city, countless invaders used this fortress as their base. When the Kalemegdan complex became a park in the 19^th century, the fortress and its surrounding plateau were given over to promenading Belgraders. Wandering the ramparts one afternoon, I heard the unmistakable clink of cutlery. Curious, I looked over a wall and down onto the white tables of Kalemegdanska Terasa, one of Belgrade’s swankiest eateries.

On the night of my friend’s wedding, I stood on a barge on the Danube, toasting the bride and groom with shots of Slivovitz, the potent plum brandy so loved by Serbs. I danced to traditional Serbian music and ate slices of the nut-laden Moskva cake that I’d glimpsed from the bus a few days earlier. On the opposite bank, the trees of Great War Island were black outlines in a navy sky. From there the Ottoman Turks had laid siege to the city in 1521; the bombardment ended with Belgrade’s entire population being deported to Istanbul. I was imagining the devastation when the woman across from me began to talk.

She was Croatian, she said, from Zagreb. I didn’t ask, but she began talking about life in the 1990s. As neighbors, Croats and Serbs, she believed, should never have fought. I wanted to know what it was like now. “We’re trying to be friends,” she said. She smiled and raised her glass.

Whether you’re browsing in the new Usce shopping mall or floating on one of the city’s pleasure barges, it seems good times are here again. Yet the past was never far from anyone’s mind. After the wedding, Saša the taxi driver took me back to my hotel. As we sped across the Sava, the lights of Branko’s bridge smeared to a blur. We drove into town and although it was past midnight, I wasn’t surprised to see crowds wandering Knez Mihailova, Belgrade’s pedestrianized shopping area.

We turned down Nemanjina Street and Saša’s mood darkened. We passed the shell of the Yugoslav Ministry of Defence building, destroyed in the 1999 NATO bombing. “Terrible times, terrible times. I don’t want to think about it,” Saša’s hands left the wheel and pushed something away. We were quiet for a while, but by the time we passed Ada Ciganliga – Belgrade’s pleasure island – he was chipper again. Saša, like his city, was resilient.

The next day I sat with Jelena, another Serbian friend, in Skadarlija, the city’s bohemian quarter. Over apple strudel at My Old Hat, we watched the crowds tripping down the cobblestones. Musicians moved from table to table at the traditional kafanas that lined the street: Dva Jelena (Two Deers), Tri Sešira (Three Hats) and Ima Dana (There Are Days). “There’s always a party in Belgrade,” she said. With clubs and bars for every night of the year and a great exchange rate (1 Euro = 114 Serbian Dinars, 1 Dollar = 88 Serbian Dinars), Belgrade’s nightlife is no secret on the Continent. National carrier JAT Airways puts the city within easy reach of Western Europe and city slickers from Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome and London pour into hotspots like The Tube and mark their calendars for the annual Beer Fest. And with atmospheric venues like the Wine Cellar, even the caves beneath the city are a draw for hedonists.

If everyone seemed to be living for the present, she acknowledged, it’s because they were. Her parents, however, missed the security of Tito’s era. I’d visited the grave of the president of the former Yugoslavia earlier in the day. Set in the manicured grounds of his house, the airy mausoleum was filled with gifts from foreign leaders and tributes from his own people. Among the Serbians I met he inspired respect and a deep nostalgia. His death in 1980 was the end of one way of life and the beginning of another.

But so much had happened since then. And while their city bears scars, Belgraders aren’t about to let mere appearances get in the way of their fun. The sense here is that life is for living and enjoying, and it takes only a few days in Belgrade to see that they can’t be wrong.

A native of Ohio, Jackie Reddy now lives in England. She was formerly the ethical travel columnist for St. Christopher’s Inns Hostels e-zine but mostly covers British culture, food and travel. She’s also rather partial to long train journeys across Eastern Europe and is always planning her next trip. Follow her on twitter @JackieReddy.

Your wallet is akin to a miniature directory of your identity. Think about it. Your driver´s license, credit card, debit card, medical insurance card and other numbers are all stored together. However, in the event of a lost wallet or stolen wallet, having all of this information in one place greatly increases your risk of identity theft. Here are some tips to help protect yourself.

1. Keep a record. If your wallet and everything in it were suddenly missing, you´d need to know what you had lost. In a personal notebook you keep in a secure place at home, write down all of the information from the front and back of your credit, debit, driver´s license, medical insurance and other important cards. Be sure to update the list as needed. This will help you make the appropriate calls following a theft.

2. Limit your cards. What you don´t carry in your wallet is just as important as what you do carry. For preemptive protection, only carry what you need on a daily basis. If you have multiple credit cards, only carry the one you use most often. Don´t write PINs or passwords on the back of your credit or debit cards or on pieces of paper you keep in your wallet.

3. Protect your SSN. Your Social Security number shouldn´t be on anything you regularly carry in your wallet. If any of your identification cards from a school, library or gym use your SSN as your member number, ask the organization for a randomly selected number and a new card. Be sure to shred the old one.

4. Make the calls. As soon as you´re certain that your wallet or important cards are missing, call the issuers of your credit, debit, medical and driver´s license cards. Notify them of the situation and ask for a new account or identification number. Verify that your old numbers are no longer active. Even if your wallet is returned, you can’t know for certain that someone hasn´t written down your card numbers to use at a later time.

5. File a police report. If identity theft does result from a lost wallet or stolen wallet, a police report filed at the time of theft will establish credibility. Even if you are traveling, file a report with local law enforcement. Always ask for a copy of the report for your personal records. If you later need to contest fraudulent charges or activity on your accounts, you´ll already have the report on hand.

6. Contact the credit bureaus. A thief may find enough information in your wallet to open new accounts or simply use your existing cards to commit fraud. By placing fraud alerts with the three national credit bureaus, you can help prevent new accounts from being opened in your name without your express permission.

7. Watch your account statements. Checking for the signs of identity theft is essential in the months following a lost wallet or stolen wallet. Carefully review each account statement, including your explanation of benefits (EOB) letters from your medical insurer. Look for purchases, transactions or services you didn’t authorize or receive. If you suspect fraud, call the number on your statement immediately.

8. Review your credit reports and with services such as Protect My ID. Reviewing your monthly statements will only identify fraud on your existing accounts. To identify new accounts fraudulently opened in your name, be sure to review your credit reports regularly — especially in the months following a lost wallet or stolen wallet. A new account that you didn’t open and don’t control is a serious threat to your credit and identity.

9. Learn from the experience. If you´ve already dealt with a lost wallet or stolen wallet, be sure you´re prepared to handle the same situation if it were to happen again. Use the tips on this page and consider signing up for identity theft protection that combines daily credit monitoring with advanced detection and support features.