Melinda Coleman
Travel Agent

MicMac Mall
Unit 111 Level 1, MicMac Mall, 21 MicMac Blvd., Dartmouth, B3A 4N3

Melinda Coleman

An Interview With Melinda Coleman

How many years have you been selling travel?
I worked in the Travel Industry from 2 years in New Zealand where I loved opening up my clients eyes to different places in the world and planning their trip with them. It was always a bonus if they came back after their holiday and told me about their trip.

What are your hobbies?
I love to travel, we moved from New Zealand to the United States early 2024, lived in Virginia, and then moved down to Florida 2025, now we live in Nova Scotia, and are exploring as much of Canada as we can while still exploring the world. I have a young Son who is very active, so local hikes and sports have become a saviour for all of us, especially spotting Nova Scotia's wildlife, and bush. I love going to the gym, and running. I also have a passion for photography, taking my camera with me everywhere.

What type of resort activities do you favor? ie water sports, lounging by the pool, etc?
There is nothing better than lazing by a pool on a hot sunny day with a good book in hand on some days, however I do love exploring local places, scenery, eateries, food, and culture more.

What are your favorite destinations?
I have family in Melbourne, Australia, and one of my favourite places to visit when I am there is Wilsons Promontory which is the southern tip of VIC state. If I am in downtown Melbourne city, getting a good cup of coffee and explore the city nature walks, Hosier Lane is a must see spot opposite Federation Square, I love seeing the different street art and how it changes each time I visit, and taking the train to St Kilda to spend time at the beach is a nice day trip. Lots of great hikes, beach exploring, camping, and seeing native animals in their natural habitats. Having lived in the United States from 2024 - 2026 I have loved exploring various parts there with one of my all time favourite destinations being Las Vegas, NV there's always plenty to do with a wide variety of activities within and outside of the strip. Singapore has always been an excellent hub destination if you are flying from this side of the world to Oceania - note chewing gum is banned here, it is an incredibly clean and well thought out country, the people are lovely, gardens by the bay and marina bay sands are spectacles, even if you're just spending time in Changi Airport there is plenty to see and do within there. My favourite 'Singapore Tradition' is grabbing a Singapore Sling at Raffles hotel, and then watching the Singapore River bumboats sail from around Clarke Quay. Being from New Zealand, the country will always have my heart, and the beautiful South Island has plenty to see and explore no matter how long or short you want to spend there.

What languages do you speak?
English

My Escorted Tours

PLACES I’VE BEEN

Asia
Thailand, Singapore

Canada
Atlantic Canada

Great Britain
England

South Pacific
New Zealand, Australia, Fiji Islands, Tonga, Cook Islands

Sun (Mexico, Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii)
Florida, Hawaii, Disney

United States
New York, San Francisco, San Diego, North Carolina, Las Vegas, California, Florida

Australia

Disney

New Zealand

Travel History

New Zealand - South Island (Queenstown, Christchurch, Milford Sound, Fox Glacier, Akaroa, Te Anau, West Coast, Tekapo) - 2010

Incredible scenery and hikes/walks to explore. Lots of Beautiful lakes to take in. Queenstown is very touristy and busy, has a good downtown hub with luxury high end stores, with easier department stores on the outer suburbs. We picked up a camper van in Christchurch and drove around the South Island for around 10 days. Easy to find camp sites and set up base. Favourite spot was Milford Sound where we boarded a boat through the sounds and saw a lot of waterfalls as it had rained the week prior. There were also Dolphins swimming alongside the boat.

We did a guided walk on Fox Glacier, which was an incredible experience, our guide was very knowledgeable and knew where some safe ice caverns were. We headed back up the West Coast to the Nelson Lakes district which is another great stop especially if you're into Kayaking or other watersports. You can catch the Ferry from nearby Picton to Wellington, you do need to book in advance for ferry crossings especially if you're wanting to take a rental vehicle across, but sailing within Queen Charlotte Sound is beautiful.

Other optional destination stays in the South Island are Marlborough Sounds - a great wine destination, and the stays are quite isolated and private with most properties being accessed by boat. Christchurch is a vibrant city that has recovered and thrived from a major earthquake in 2011 where most of the city has been rebuilt and a good portion of the older buildings have been preserved.