By Georgina Cruz, Special Correspondent From Orlando Sentinel

For a while, hotels and resorts touted such perks as iPod docks, free Wi-Fi, and even use of free iPads. But some guests, weary of hours sitting in front of a computer/cell phone screen and being bombarded by texts, and emails, tweets and instagrams, seem to be longing for digital detox getaways.

So a number of hotels and resorts are touting unplugged alternatives with such activities as hikes, reading, water sports, traditional board games and other non-electronic-device pursuits are the order of the day. Here are some options for resorts and trips to consider if you want to escape technology, if only for a little while:

De-tech in St. Vincent & The Grenadines – Want to unplug in a Caribbean paradise? St. Vincent & The Grenadines in the Southern Caribbean may be the ticket. Visitors have the opportunity to experience a Digital Detox, an unplugging from the world designed to wean guests from technology. Guests are asked to de-tech and hand over their cell phones and gadgets to surrender themselves to a technology-free break. A number of hotels on the islands, including Palm Island Resort, have no televisions in the rooms and technology is discouraged on beaches. Info: www.discoversvg.com/index.php/fr/home/latest-news/565-digital-detox-in-svg

Get away from it all at Little Palm Island in the Florida Keys – This island with its South Seas ambiance can only be reached by boat or seaplane. Thirty suites, with décor themed to the islands of Indonesia and Polynesia, spell rest and relaxation. There are no phones, radios or televisions in the suites to distract from the beauty of nature. Swimming and water sports are the order of the day and some of the suites are equipped with an outdoor shower surrounded by tropical vegetation. Little Palm Island’s reception center is at 28500 Overseas Highway on Little Torch Key. After registering, the resort’s private launch whisks guests to the lovely, peaceful, island. Info: www.littlepalmisland.com

It may be better in the Bahamas – Tiamo Resort in South Andros Island in the Out Islands of the Bahamas is a tropical hideaway accessible only by seaplane or boat. Ten thatched-roofed villas on stilts welcome guests who wish to revel in pristine beaches, palm forests, fishing and watersports –there are no telephones or televisions in the accommodations. Info: www.tiamoresorts.com

Surrender to the beauty of Costa Rica at Four Seasons Resort at Peninsula Papagayo – This eco-adventure resort in Central America, located between sandy beaches and the Costa Rican jungle, has a “Disconnect to Reconnect” program whereby guests surrender their mobile phones for 24 hours. Guests are given a list of 24 things they can do in Costa Rica without technology –perhaps spotting capuchin and howler monkeys in the forest, enjoying a coffee scrub in the resort’s spa, looking for blue morphos in the butterfly garden, or going surfing. After a day, the cell phone is returned to them with a choice of one of four Costa Rica-themed iPhone cases. Info: www.fourseasons.com

— Reveling in nature at the Jade Mountain Resort in Soufriere, St. Lucia – Deliberately techno-free, there are no telephones, televisions, DVD players or other gadgets in the accommodations to distract from the spectacular beauty of St. Lucia’s twin seaside Pitons peaks that this resort in the Southern Caribbean overlooks. Jade Mountain is built into a mountainside and boasts a 600-acre volcanic sand beach at the beach resort of Anse Castanet.

Private infinity pools, a spa, and water sports are among the amenities. Info: jademountain.com.

Detox From Technology Trips To Various Destinations – Jacada Travel reports that locations where guests can disconnect from all technology are popular at destinations like Costa Rica and Mexico for those wanting to unplug. Jacada’s tours offer opportunities to personalize itineraries to these destinations, which can all be tailored to the traveler’s desires. Hotels featured are typically in natural settings to help guests reconnect with the natural world and feature spas and such activities as yoga. An example is a trip to Costa Rica that can include a stay at El Silencio (The Silence) with cottages suspended in the cloud forest. Info: www.JacadaTravel.com

For more on this story go to: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/os-digital-detox-getaways-in-florida-and-the-caribbean-20140725,0,1297730.story

IMAGE: www.discoversvg.com/index.php/fr/home/latest-news/565-digital-detox-in-svg