We have some more exciting news to share! 

Thirsty for Travel Designs is affiliated with Gifted Travel Network (GTN) and they have recently been endorsed by Forbes Travel Guide. And GTN is one of the first host travel agencies in the world to receive this prestigious recognition. 

What is the Forbes Travel Guide?

Forbes Travel Guide is the only independent global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and ocean cruises. The coveted Five-Star, Four-Star, and Recommended awards are earned through incognito inspections on FTG’s hundreds of exacting quality and service standards. 

We are honored to be recognized by the global authority on luxury hospitality for our commitment to providing our clients with exceptional experiences.

Click here to see this year’s Star Award Winners.

What does this mean for you?

When we book a reservation for you at a Forbes Travel Guide Award Winning Property/Cruise/Spa/Restaurant, it provides yet another level of security that you will have the best experience possible. Your reservation will be taken care of by the highest of management to ensure everything is up to the Forbes Travel Guide luxury standards.

We love to know that our clients are in the BEST hands while enjoying their precious vacations 💗

KAUAI

A NATURE LOVER’S DREAM

Nature has had some 6 million years to transform Kauai into Hawaii’s Garden Isle…a lush oasis of vibrant-green mountains and valleys, surrounded by golden-sand beaches and the sparkling blue Pacific. 

As Hawaii’s unplugged outpost, Kauai has always appealed to nature lovers, but the recent debut of the sustainability-focused, 252-room 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay on the North Shore – one of two Virtuoso resorts on the island – is giving travelers even more reason to visit. 

Kauai’s most popular activities take place outdoors, amid the island’s gorgeous landscape and coastline, much of which is inaccessible by car. To best experience that beauty, we recommend  to see it from above. Take a private helicopter adventure that whisks travelers over the bold pinnacles of Waimea Canyon, striped in shades of red and dotted with silvery green kukui trees; the waterfalls cascading down Mount Waialeale; and the fluted green and gray ridges and pristine beaches and sea caves along the 17-mile-long Na Pali Coast.

For something a little closer to sea level but just as exhilarating, go zip-lining through Kauai’s lush rain forest near the rugged Haupu Mountains. This all-day adventure starts with an easy, two-mile kayak on the Huleia River past an ingeniously designed ancient fishpond and the backdrop for Indiana Jones’ rope swing escape in Raiders of the Lost Ark. After a hike, wagon ride, and lunch at the privately owned Kipu Ranch (also featured in Jurassic Park), the zipping starts with an 800-foot-long whiz over the forest canopy. 

The best refresher after kayaking on the Wailua or Hanalei rivers, stand-up paddleboarding on Hanalei Bay, or hiking one of several trails across Sleeping Giant (Nounou Mountain) is a tropical-flavored treat from one of the island’s many shaved ice outlets – we love Wishing Well Shave Ice in Hanalei and Aloha N Kai‘ea Island Treats in Kapaa. The island’s wide-ranging dining scene includes a wide variety from food trucks, humble diners and burger joints to beachfront restaurants specializing in Hawaii Regional Cuisine, a chef-driven, multicultural, farm-to-table movement that started in 1991. 

💮 Say Aloha to KAUAI 💮