Travel Logs
Destination guides, tips, resort reviews and inspiration — from Lisa.
eSIM Guides
How does an eSIM actually work, and how does it get you online in another country? Here's the plain-English explanation — no tech background needed.
There's no single best travel eSIM for Canadians — there's the best one for your trip. Honest picks by use case and destination, plus the simplest option.
Using a travel eSIM is simple once you see the whole flow. Here's how it works from the moment you buy it to the day you get home — or how to skip the setup entirely.
An honest Nomad eSIM review for Canadians — strong per-GB value and uncapped hotspot, weighed against reliability reports, support and a top-up quirk.
An honest Holafly review for Canadians — unlimited data and strong support, weighed against the price, hotspot caps and fair-use throttling. Who should buy it?
An honest Airalo review for Canadian travellers — what it does well, where it frustrates people, and who should look at a simpler, advisor-set-up option.
An honest comparison of the big four travel eSIMs — Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and Saily — who each one suits, and the simplest option if you'd rather skip the research.
Activating an eSIM on iPhone takes about five minutes. Here's the step-by-step — scan the QR code, label the line, and the one setting most people miss.
Roaming from Canada can quietly add $150+ to a trip. Here's exactly how to avoid roaming charges abroad — the five options, the math, and the steps to take before you fly.
An eSIM is a digital SIM card built into your phone — no plastic to swap. Here's how it works, whether your phone has one, and why travellers use them to skip roaming fees.
Destination Guides
Calm swimmable beaches and ruins, or dramatic scenery and no sargassum? A side-by-side comparison of Mexico's Caribbean and Pacific coasts to help you choose.
Resort Reviews
What 'adults-only' really means, lively versus serene, the brands couples ask about, the rooms worth the upgrade, and how to match the right adults-only resort to you.
An honest Hotel Riu Montego Bay review — now adults-only (18+), the 24-hour all-inclusive, the short beach and plane noise, which of the three Mahoe Bay RIUs to book, and who should skip it.
AAA Five Diamond, reservation-free dining, and one of the Dominican Republic’s most beautiful beaches — but is Cap Cana’s gated calm worth the luxury price? Our honest, no-spin Secrets Cap Cana review: who should book and who should skip it.
One of Varadero’s finest beaches, food that actually beats Cuban norms, and an adults-only Level worth booking — but Cuba’s cash-and-connectivity quirks catch travellers out. Our honest review: who should book and how to do Cuba right.
An honest Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres review — a calmer Costa Mujeres beach and a do-everything family resort, the Family Selection vs TRS Coral tiers, the resort's size, and which tier to book.
An honest Hotel Xcaret México review — the All-Fun Inclusive access to 10+ Grupo Xcaret parks, the 2025 expansion, the rocky beach, the best Casa to book, and who should book elsewhere.
An honest Royalton Splash Riviera Cancún review — a family water-park resort in Puerto Morelos (not Cancún), with a sargassum-prone beach. The rooms, food, Diamond Club, who should book and who shouldn't.
A free six-slide water park, one of Punta Cana’s best beaches, and the run of a five-hotel complex — but is the food (and the missing on-site spa) a dealbreaker? Our honest, no-spin Riu Palace Punta Cana review: who should book and who should skip it.
Families AND couples at one resort? An honest, no-spin Hyatt Ziva Cancún review: the best location in Cancún, the adults-only Turquoize tower, the teen club nobody mentions, real pros and cons — and whether it's worth the premium.
Travel Planning
Passport validity, when you actually need a visa, eTAs, Europe's new EES and ETIAS, and arrival forms — how to know exactly what you need before you fly.
The three winter-sun favourites for Quebec travellers compared — beaches, food, excursions, value and entry rules — so you can pick the right one for your trip.
Travel Insurance
What your provincial health plan really covers abroad, the types of coverage decoded, pre-existing-condition traps, credit-card limits, and how FICAV differs — a plain-language guide for Quebec travellers.
Is Grand Riviera Princess worth it? After a 7-night stay in the renovated Family Club with three generations of our family, here’s our honest review of the rooms, food, beach, pools, restaurants, wildlife, and everything we loved (and didn’t).
After eating at every restaurant during our 7-night stay, here’s our honest Grand Riviera Princess restaurants and buffet guide—including the best restaurants, buffet, coffee, desserts, drinks, and what we’d skip.
What 'all-inclusive' really means, the resort tiers decoded, what's included versus extra, and the upgrade that's usually worth it — so you know exactly what you're buying.
Family Travel
Walt Disney World or Disneyland, when to go, tickets and Lightning Lane decoded, where to stay, and the Canadian details — a plain-language planning guide for Quebec families.
Wedding Guides
How to choose and plan your honeymoon — the best destinations, when to go, the perks worth claiming, the passport detail couples miss, and how to make it effortless.
Where to start, when to go, how to get around, and the entry essentials (passport, EES, ETIAS and the new UK ETA) — a plain-language guide to planning your first European trip from Canada.
Packing Guides
Your carry-on essentials, what to pack, what the resort already provides, and what to leave home — a practical, senior-friendly packing checklist for a week in the sun.
Weather, high vs low season, hurricane and sargassum timing, and the cheapest months — a month-by-month guide to picking the right week for your sun vacation.
Pacing, the easiest kinds of trips, accessibility, airport assistance, and insurance with pre-existing conditions — how older travellers can travel comfortably and with confidence.
Room blocks, group rates and perks, fair payments, and one point of contact — how to plan a reunion, friends' trip or wedding party abroad without herding everyone yourself.
Skip roaming fees and stay connected the moment you land — here's how eSIMs work.
Travel Tips
Cards and cash, avoiding hidden fees, the local-currency rule, common scams, staying safe, and what to do if you lose your passport — a practical playbook for Canadians abroad.
What actually makes an all-inclusive great for families, the five things that matter most, and standout resorts by age and travel style — a Montreal advisor's guide.
When to book, how to be flexible, the catch with cheap fares, charter vs scheduled baggage, and why an advisor still beats booking alone — a practical flight guide for Canadians.
The classic Rome–Florence–Venice route, when to go, how long you need, getting around by train, eating like a local, and the entry basics — a first-timer's guide to Italy from Canada.
The regions at a glance, what a week really looks like, the best excursions, when to go, and how to choose your resort — a first-timer's guide to Punta Cana from a Montreal advisor.
Athens plus the right islands, when to go, how ferries and flights work, what not to miss, and the entry basics — a first-timer's guide to Greece from Canada.
Cruise Guides
What a river cruise actually is, how it differs from ocean cruising, the classic European rivers, what's included, and who it suits — a clear guide from a Montreal advisor.
How to match the right resort to your family, budget and travel style — from a Montreal expert.
The best trip types for going solo, how to beat the single supplement, staying safe and connected, and meeting people — a confidence-building guide for first-time solo travellers.
The regions decoded, a classic volcano-and-beach route, dry vs green season, getting around, and the entry basics — a first-timer's guide to Costa Rica from a Montreal advisor.
A Disney Cruise or the Walt Disney World parks? How they compare on pace, planning, cost and what's included — and which suits your family, from a Montreal advisor.
The best warm-weather escapes from Quebec by budget, distance, traveller type and month — a round-up to help you pick the perfect winter getaway, from a Montreal advisor.
Oahu, Maui, Kauai or the Big Island? When to go, getting there from Canada, island-hopping and the entry basics — a first-timer's guide to Hawaii from a Montreal advisor.
Varadero and beyond, the cash and connectivity realities, the e-visa and mandatory insurance, and how to choose your resort — an honest guide to Cuba from a Montreal advisor.
Legal vs symbolic ceremonies, choosing a resort and package, managing your guest room block, the timeline and costs — the practical mechanics of marrying abroad.
Everything Quebec couples should know before planning a wedding abroad.
Lively Nassau and Paradise Island or the quiet Out Islands? Cruise or stay, when to go, getting there and the entry basics — a first-timer's guide to the Bahamas from Canada.
The cabins to book, the cruise lines to consider and how to choose your first sailing — a beginner's guide to picking the right ship, itinerary, cabin and budget.
Join Lisa's newsletter.
Request a free quote or start your travel profile. No obligation, ever.