81 woman this month | December 2011 | The low-down: Barbados is a beautiful, tropical island all year round, but it is an extra special place to visit during the holidays. Just because you are on white sandy beaches facing the warm Caribbean Sea, doesn’t mean that your Christmas comes without the traditional customs. You can choose between spending all your time relaxing on the beach or sitting down to a full festive dinner at one of the island’s grand hotels. BBQ on the beach or turkey in front of a great view, either way you are guaranteed a Christmas to remember! X-factor: A very popular and moving event attended by a lot of Barbadians and visitors alike is the “carols by candlelight” service. The school plays that are staged at this time of year are another great attraction. On Boxing Day, we suggest you attend the time-honoured horse race at the Garrison Savannah. The beauty of visiting Barbados is that you can do your entire gift shopping duty free, with a lot less queues! Best for: A tropical Christmas. If family celebrations really bring out the worst in you, then Barbados might be the perfect antidote. Leave the cold behind as the minimum temperature here is a more pleasant 28 degrees. It is a welcome alternative to the fabled white Christmas. The low-down: Salalah is steeped in myths and legends that date back to biblical times. In the surrounding countryside grows the Boswellia sacra, better known for the sap it produces — frankincense, which plays a great role in the nativity story. X-factor: For most of the year, the unspoiled beaches of Salalah are ideal for scuba diving, canoeing, sailing, jet skiing and diving. Along the coast line, there are a broad variety of migrating birds, turning it into a bird watcher’s paradise. Less than half an hour’s drive from Salalah is Ain Razat, a picnic spot with springs, hills, gardens and streams. Make a point to visit Bin Ali’s tomb and the fort at Taqah. Find the hanging valley of Wadi Dirbat. Further into the mountains is Tawi Attir, a natural sink hole and nestled in a hidden valley is the Baobab forest with huge bulbous trees. Best for: Those who don’t want a long flight. One of their most popular beaches is Mughsayl, where you can find unusual blow holes in the rocky shelf close to the shore. They display dramatic bursts of water and foam sometimes reaching 50 feet in the air. Barbados Salalah,Oman
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