Tag Archives: Caribbean

BVI Sandy Spit
Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Dominican Republic

The Caribbean’s Best Deserted Beaches

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When it’s peak season and the cruise ships are in port, it can be a challenge to find a place to park your towel at some of the Caribbean’s most popular beaches. But if you are willing to travel a bit off the beaten path, the crowd scene thins and there are even some stretches of unvisited sand to discover. We can’t guarantee these five choice sites will be completely deserted, but there’s a good chance you and any fellow beachcombers you encounter will be outnumbered by seabirds, iguanas and crabs.

Barbuda

Antigua’s little sister is all about the beach. This low-lying Caribbean outpost is essentially a huge sand spit surrounded by coral reefs. The island’s 17-mile ring of sandy shores remains pristine, due to a lack of development, and the residents’ desires to keep it that way. There are actually pair of modest hotels on the island that cater to off-grid travelers wishing to disappear for a few days and enjoy a low-key vacation. More common are the day-trippers who made the 40-mile hop from Antigua to snorkel, explore the caves and lagoons or head into the mangroves to watch the frigate birds. The island’s longest strand is a 10-mile stretch of pink sand on the southwest shore that is protected by a barrier reef. It’s a great place for a long walk.

Barbuda Beach

The remote and sparsely settled island of Barbuda is ringed in white sand beaches where one can walk for miles and rarely see another human. It can be reached from the sister island of Antiqua. Photo: Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority

Uvero Alto, Dominican Republic

An escape from the crowds that frequent the white sands of Punta Cana is closer than one might think. Just 45 minutes from the Dominican Republic’s busiest resort area is the town of Uvero Alto, where the beach offers an entirely different vibe. Here, the crowds are non-existent, the sands are coffee colored and the seas are azure. Much of the wide stretch of beach is backed by coconut palms, and is favored for walking and horseback rides. Swimming and wading are best done close to shore or in reef- protected areas, as the seas farther offshore tend to get wild, because Uvero Alto faces the Atlantic. With far more sand that people; this is a great place to enjoy nature at its best.

Dominican Republic Uvero Alto Beach

A short drive away from the bustling beaches of the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana resort area, the coast of Uvero Alto provides a far less crowded scene. Photo: Debbie Snow

Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

Virgin Gorda is home to one of the most sought after beaches in the Caribbean. To find solitude, skip the world-famous boulders of The Baths and head north from Spanish Town to the sheltered waters of Savannah Bay. Here, a soft sand beach is flanked by green shrubs, with just a few inconspicuous villas peaking through the foliage at the north end. The bay is a local favorite for swimming and snorkeling, but most days you will share the sand with only a handful of people. Sea kayakers are often seen exploring the coastline, and it’s an ideal spot for a snorkel trip or a beach picnic. Just remember to bring your own provisions, because there isn’t a gift shop or restaurant in sight.

Savannah Bay BVI

On the island of Virgin Gorda, the quiet beach at Savannah Bay sees few visitors, even on days when the far more famous boulder fields of The Baths is packed. Photo: Christian Wheatley/iStock

Rendezvous Bay, Montserrat

Beaches are few and far between on this island, where much of the coastline meets the sea in low rock bluffs. But those willing to make the effort can enjoy some truly remote bits of sand. The island itself is a study in greens and grays. Rolling hills and forested mountains dominate interior, but to the south, fields of ash and lava serve as reminders of the last eruption by the Soufrière Hills Volcano. Grass and trees are now reclaiming this landscape, and hiking trails unveil the green isle it was once known as. Meanwhile, the island’s handful of remote beaches is left for the birds and the adventurous. All but Rendezvous Bay Beach are made of grey or black volcanic sand. Rendezvous, on the northwest coast, offers white sand and solitude, as it can be reached only by boat or a hike from Little Bay.

Montserrat Rendezvous Bay

It will require a hike or a boat ride to reach Montserrat’s only white sand beach, but the reward is often having the shores of Rendezvous Bay all to yourself. Photo: David Mac Gillivary/ Montserrat Tourism Board

Gelliceaux Bay, Mustique

With only 800 residents and even fewer visitors, there’s a good chance you can find a stretch of sand on Mustique that you won’t have to share. The island’s irregular coastline is indented with numerous bays and coves that harbor stretches of white sand. A favorite is Macaroni Beach, which receives the majority of the island’s modest influx of visitors, but even this site never becomes anything close to packed. For a true taste of solitude, head to the southeastern coast and Gelliceaux Bay, where the calm waters of the cove are ideal for swimming, snorkeling or paddle boarding. Save for the occasional beach walker staying in a nearby villa, you are likely to have it all to yourself.

Mustique Beach

Gelliceaux Bay is the most secluded beach on the island of Mustique. Its calm waters are sheltered by tall headlands that create ideal conditions for swimming and snorkeling. Photo: Paul Joynson/The Mustique Company

Trinidad & Tobago
Caribbean, Plan, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas

Trinidad & Tobago: 10 Reasons to Go

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Nature and culture coexist in lively fashion on these sister islands in the southern Caribbean. There are golden beaches to walk, colorful coral reefs to discover and lush, mysterious rain forests laced with hiking paths to explore. The tempo increases as you move downtown to dance to the hypnotic calypso rhythms of steel drums and sample a rich and savory cuisine filled with zesty spices.

1  Best Party on Earth

Trinidad’s Carnival isn’t just a celebration; it is a national rite of passage. Locals and visitors from around the world come together to immerse themselves in the oldest island-wide celebration in the Caribbean. Weeks of grand fetes lead up to a culturally mixed explosion of dance, costumes, food and music that take to the streets for an all-out two-day celebration that attracts visitors from around the world.

Trinidad Tobago Carnival

Revelers take to the street for Trinidad’s two-day celebration of Carnival, which takes place on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Photo: iStock

2  Steel Pans

The birthplace of soca and limbo is also the home of steel pan music, which has become the island’s venerated national sound, now heard around the world from Cuba to Sweden. These iconic instruments have their humble beginnings in the 1930s, when drumming traditions brought from Africa became the inspiration to transform discarded fuel drums into a new form of musical expression.

3  Adopt a Turtle

Several beachfront hotels are working with marine biologists and researchers to ensure that the 12,000 nesting turtles that come to the shores of Trinidad and Tobago each year remain protected. Turtle season runs from March to September and visitors can join researchers and conservation workers to participate in educational and conservation programs and witness mother turtles nesting, and later watch hatchlings return to the sea.

Pigeon Point Trinidad Tobago

The pier and iconic thatch-roofed cabana at Tobago’s Pigeon Point Heritage Park is a well-known landmark on what is widely considered the island’s most beautiful beach. Photo: Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development

4  Tobago’s Festivals

While the sister island of Trinidad gets all the attention during Carnival, Tobago also hosts some memorable festivals that showcase both the whimsical and historic aspects of the culture. The Heritage Festival celebrates the historic period of French influences. During two weeks of parades, dancing, singing, performances and feasts the island comes alive with spirits as costumed jumbies take to the streets. Tobago also hosts an annual Jazz Festival and Blue Food Festival honoring the root staple known as dasheen.

Trinidad Tobago Folk Fiesta Heritage

Interpretive dancers compete in the Folk Fiesta, which is part of the annual Tobago Heritage Festival. The event is one of several that showcase the artistry of folk music, dance and drums. Photo: Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development Company

5  Culinary Melting Pot

Trinidad is the United Nations of flavors. Culinary traditions from France, England, Portugal and Spain mix with African and Middle Eastern flavors. Elements of Chinese and Indonesian cooking add to the mix, and most prominent of all are the tastes of East Indian, which take center stage on an island where 40 percent of the population has roots in Indian. Settlers from around the world brought with them seeds and cuttings from their homelands, all of which have been added to the mix.

6  Underwater World

Tobago’s coral reefs lure divers from around the world, who come to ride the nutrient-rich currents that attract manta rays and nurture multi-colored arrays of soft corals and sponges. Drifts along the island’s Atlantic shores are exhilarating, while the calmer waters of the Caribbean shore are home to shallow reefs and gardens of hard coral with swarms of bright-hued tropical fish.

Trinidad Tobago Diving

The coral reefs on Tobago’s Atlantic coast are washed by the nutrient-rich waters of the Guyana Current, which encourage sponges and soft corals to grow to enormous sizes. Photo: Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development

7  Great Hikes

The wooded highlands of both islands offer rewarding hiking trails. On Trinidad, hikers follow the Paria River along the Northern Range to reach waterfalls at the river’s mouth. On Tobago, Argyle Waterfall is the island’s highest falls, and it can be reached by an easy 15-minute hike through the Caribbean’s oldest forest reserve.

Trinidad Tobago Maracas Bay

On Trinidad’s mountainous and wooded northern coast, a pair of tall headlands shelters the waters of Maracas Bay. The scenic drive to this site is a favorite day trip from the city of Port of Spain. Photo: iStock

8  Bird Lover’s Haven

With more than 425 recorded species, Trinidad and Tobago keep birders busy. On Trinidad a large swamp and mangrove at the Caroni Bird Sanctuary is the place to see the island’s national bird, the scarlet ibis. Also popular is the 270-acre Asa Wright Nature Center, and the Pointe-a-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, which is a nature conservatory, dedicated to the breeding and reintroduction of various bird and waterfowl species to the wild. On Tobago the Grafton Caledonia Sanctuary, Main Forest Ridge Rainforest and Little Tobago Island all offer sightings of rare bird species.

9  On the Radar

Little sister Tobago remains a world apart from Trinidad, but it is now becoming one of the favorite new destinations in the Caribbean. Yet despite this growing popularity, the vibe is still laid-back, with long stretches of golden sands dotted by small fishing villages rather than resorts, and small farming towns where everyone knows their neighbor. A forest reserve runs two- thirds of the island’s length, protecting some of the Caribbean’s largest stands of old-growth rainforest.

Trinidad & Tobago Waterfall Argyle

Tobago’s Argyle Falls flows from the mountains of the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, dropping 175 feet in a three-tiered cascade. An easy 15-minute walk brings hikers to the base of the falls. Photo: Daren des Vignes/ Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development Company

10  Meals on Wheels

Immigrants arriving from the East fashioned iron griddles to bake traditional Indian roti bread, which has since evolved into the West Indian dish that is a complete meal, found throughout the Caribbean. In a West Indian roti, the bread is folded and stuffed with savory curry filling seasoned with garlic and onions. The curry can include goat, shrimp, chicken or mixed vegetables, and it is served at take-out food stands across the islands.

Cuba Havana Classic Cars
Caribbean, Cuba, Plan, Trip Ideas

Cuba’s World Heritage Sites

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It takes something pretty special for a place to earn UNESCO’s designation as a World Heritage Site. Some islands have one or two, but Cuba leads the Caribbean with a total of nine. From historic districts and Spanish forts to lush forests, these are the places that belong on every visitor’s bucket list.

Camaguey City Center

The oldest inland city in Cuba dates back to 1528, when Spanish colonists established the island’s first farms. For centuries, the settlement remained a center of the region’s livestock and sugarcane industries. The historic city center is a maze of serpentine streets and narrow alleys, originally laid out to confound would-be invaders. Today, the district rewards walkers with hidden plazas, baroque churches, and an eclectic mix of galleries, cafes and neighborhood taverns.

Camaguey Cuba

The Camaguey region is a center of agriculture and cattle farming. The namesake city, which is one of the oldest in Cuba, dates back to the days of the original Spanish colonists. Photo: Marika Bortolami/Compflight

Old Havana

Havana is one of the oldest European cities in the Western Hemisphere. Founded by the Spanish in 1519, it soon grew into one of the Caribbean’s major trading ports, and a center for shipbuilding. The narrow streets of the city center are lined with buildings in both Baroque and neoclassical styles, while the shore is lined with an extensive network of defensive installations dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries. These defenses include some of the oldest and largest stone fortifications still standing in the Americas.

Old Town Havana Cuba

Havana’s Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso was built by donations from Galacian immigrants to Havana, and originally served as a social center. It is now home to the Cuban National Ballet. Photo: Rostislav Ageev/iStock

San Pedro de la Roca Castle

Construction of the intricate complex of forts, bastions and batteries that overlook the entrance to Santiago de Cuba Bay took more than six decades. Commissioned in 1637 as a defense against raiding pirates, this massive series of multi-level stone fortifications was based on Italian and Renaissance designs. Over the centuries, the fortress was captured by pirates, repelled French forces, and exchanged fire with US warships during the Spanish American war. After falling into disrepair, it was restored in the 1960s and named a World Heritage Sites in 1997.

Cuba Roca del Morro Castle

The cannons atop the stonewalls of San Pedro de la Roca Castle overlook the entrance to Santiago de Cuba Bay, and once defended the port from English and French privateers. Photo: Aldo van Zeelando/Compflight

Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios

Founded as one of Cuba’s first Spanish Colonial outposts, Trinidad rose to wealth and prominence with the sugar trade. The city overlooks the Valley de los Ingenious (Valley of the Sugar Mills), which at its peak was home to hundreds of sugar plantations worked by more than 10,000 slaves. Today the area is a living museum of the sugar era, with more than 75 former cane mills dotting the landscape. The oldest section of the city dates back 500 years, and is known for its narrow cobblestone streets and historic architecture.

Trinidad Cuba

The colorful historic buildings of Trinidad have become a favorite destination for history buffs. One of Cuba’s oldest settlements, the city recently marked its 500th year. Photo: Marianna Smolina /iStock

Santiago del Cuba’s Coffee Plantations

In the eastern province of Santiago del Cuba, the historic remains of the island’s first coffee plantations cover the rugged foothills of the Sierra Maestra Mountains. In Turquino National Park, hikers can follow a network of mountain roads and bridges that connected plantations to coastal ports. The story of Cuba’s coffee culture is told at the Cafetal La Isabélica, a museum housed in a restored stone manor house built in the early 19th century by French growers, who escaped from Haiti to establish Cuba’s coffee industry.

Cuba Coffee

Coffee plants thrive in the foothills of Cuba’s Sierra Maestra Mountains. First brought to the island in 1748 by planters fleeting from Haiti, the crop soon became the island’s most lucrative export. Photo: Compflight

City Center, Cienfuegos

In contrast to the twisting streets and alleys of earlier Spanish cities, the center of Cienfuegos is arranged in a 25-block geometric grid based on the new-urbanism movement. The architecture represents the influences of French immigrants, who arrived from Bordeaux to settle this fertile agricultural region, which prospered with crops of sugar, cane, mango, tobacco and coffee. By the 1860’s Cienfuegos was one of Cuba’s most affluent cities.

Cienfuegos Cuba

The historic district of Cienfuegos is laid out in the Spanish Enlightenment style. It contains the largest cluster of neoclassical structures in the Caribbean. Photo: Tony Zellenoff/iStock

Viñales Valley

In Cuba’s western Pinar del Rio province, the Sierra de los Organos mountain range encircles the fertile Viñales Valley. Cigar aficionados know this region as the source of the world’s finest tobacco, but it is also recognized for it’s unique geography and culture. The valley floor is punctuated with dome-like limestone outcroppings known as mogotes, which rise abruptly to heights of 1,000 feet. Traditional agricultural methods are still practiced in a unique culture that is a blend of indigenous peoples, Spanish conquerors and former African slaves. The village of Viñales is filled with well-preserved examples of Colonial architecture.

Valle de Vinales Cuba

The rich soils of the Viñales Valley are famous for producing some of the finest cigar tobaccos in the world. The region is also known for its unique geological formations and indigenous culture. Photo: Flavio Valinari/iStock

Alejandro de Humboldt National Park

The uplands of Cuba’s eastern mountain harbor some of the most bio-diverse ecosystems of any island on earth, and the greatest in the Caribbean. This diversity is the result of adaptations forced by a hostile environment, in which underlying rocks are toxic to many plants. In all, more than 1,300 varietals of plants and 145 species of ferns have been identified in the Alejandro de Humboldt National Park. This includes more than 900 endemic to Cuba, and more that 300 found nowhere else.

Yunque De Baracoa Cuba

Clouds cover the summit of el Yunque de Baracoa. This 1,880-foot peak has been named a national monument. The upper slopes are home to the Caribbean’s most bio-diverse ecosystem. Photo: Tito Alfredo/Compflight

Desembarco del Granma National Park

The western edge of Cuba’s Granma province is a pristine landscape of giant sinkholes, canyons and caves, formed by uplifting geological forces that created the world’s largest coastal limestone terrace system. At Desembarco del Granma, the cliffs of Cabo Cruz form a singular coastal landscape that is not only geologically unique, but also of historic interest, as this was the site where Castro’s troops landed to begin their revolution.

Cabo Cruz Cuba

Cabo Cruz was sculpted by millenniums of geological uplift and sea level fluctuations. It is the world’s largest and best-preserved coastal limestone terrace system. Photo: Jose Batista/Flikr

 

Bonaire Buddy Dive
Bahamas, Bahamas-Out Islands, Bonaire, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Central America, Curacao, Honduras, Stay, Trip Ideas

Best Caribbean Resorts to Learn to Dive

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Forget your hometown pool or lake. Where better to learn to scuba dive than in a Caribbean resort where the waters are warm and clear, and colorful coral reefs are just a fin kick away. We’ve picked five top resorts that combine first class instruction and comfortable amenities with immediate access to world-class reefs.

Sunset House, Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman Island is the Caribbean’s number one dive destination, and Sunset House remains a favorite with scuba divers. Just steps from oceanfront rooms are shallow reefs where calm, warm waters are ideal for learning the basics of scuba, then venturing out to discover sights such as wrecks and the island’s iconic underwater mermaid sculpture. Rooms are reasonably priced and well equipped, and the open-air bar and sea view restaurant are a favorite with the local dive crowd.

Grand Cayman Sunset House

Grand Cayman’s Sunset House Resort is a favorite with the scuba crowd. A short swim from shore leads to a maze of coral-covered ledges and a submerged mermaid sculpture. Photo: Cathy Church/Sunset House

Buddy Dive, Bonaire

In addition to being one of Bonaire’s premier waterfront resorts, Buddy Dive is home to the only PADI 5-star Career Development Center in the southern Caribbean. The same facility that turns out dive instructors and specialists is ideal for learning the basics, which can be practiced right off the resort docks, where Bonaire’s famously colorful reefs are just yards offshore.

Buddy Dive Resort Bonaire

The waterfront scuba center at Buddy Dive resort is the starting point for boat trips to area dive sites. Divers can also enter right from the dock to discover a pristine reef just offshore. Photo: Buddy Dive

Lions Dive, Curacao

Sitting right on the edge of the National Curacao Underwater Park, the lushly landscaped Lions Dive Beach Resort houses the island’s number one dive shop and scuba training facility: Ocean Encounters. With the help of attentive instructors, newbies can master the basics in the 50-meter pool, and on shallow reefs just offshore of the Sea Aquarium Beach, and then catch the daily dive boats for visits to nearby coral gardens.

Curacao Lions Dive Beach Resort

Daily boat trips from Lions Dive Resort carry divers to sites within the Curacao Underwater Marine Park, where submerged slopes are covered in colorful growths of corals and sponges. Photo: Lions Dive Resort

Bimini Big Game Club, Bahamas

Though best known as a fishing lodge, the Big Game Club is also a great place to learn to dive, thanks to an affiliation with Neal Watson’s Bimini Scuba Center. The calm shallows around the island are ideal for practicing basic skills, and a bonus for newly-minted “bubble blowers” is the chance to dive some of the region’s most famous underwater attractions, such as the mysterious Atlantis Road and the playful pods of dolphins that gather nearby.

Bimini Big Game Club Bahamas

The docks of the Bimini Big Game Club are just a short boat ride away from prime dive sites such as the Mysterious Bimini Road, which is said to be the remains of the lost city of Atlantis. Photo: Bimini Big Game Club

Utila Lodge, Bay Islands

The Bay Islands of Honduras are famous for their lush coral reefs and thriving fish populations. Perched in the heart of the island diving scene is Utila Bay Lodge. This charming family owned lodge offers both dorm-style lodging and private ocean view rooms, and it is also home to the Bay Islands College of Diving. Snorkeling and introductory dive sites are right off the dock, and as skills are mastered, new divers can discover Utila’s many famous underwater attractions.

Honduras Bay Islands Utila Lodge

With warm, calm waters right off the docks, and pristine coral reefs just a short swim or boat ride away, the Utila Bay Lodge is an ideal location to learn to scuba dive. Photo: Utila Bay Lodge

Virgin Gorda BVI
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

British Virgin Islands: 10 Reasons to Go

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The British Virgins embody all that is best about the Caribbean. Trade winds carry sailors across blue waters to secluded coves and colorful anchorages ringed by lively beach bars. Resorts perched on private islands provide comforts without crowds, snorkelers dive in waters to discover Technicolor reefs, and those seeking to shed all semblance of ambition can recline in a beachside hammock as they are lulled by the sound of lapping water.

1  Sail Away

Now more than ever, chartering a sailboat in the British Virgin Islands is an achievable reality. Options range from casual bareboat charters where you do all the sailing and cook the meals to full-crewed voyages where you sit back and relax while the crew takes care of everything. Tortola is headquarters for the fleet, and your only challenge will be choosing from the dozens of quiet coves and lively harbors scattered through the island chain.

Sailboats BVI Tortola

A fleet of boats for hire sits ready at a Tortola marina. The British Virgins are the charter boat capital of the Caribbean, offering everything from self-service sailboats to luxury yachts. Photo: iStock

2  Private Island Resorts

For the ultimate getaway, the British Virgins offer a range of resorts set on private islands. Quiet Cooper Island has just a handful of rooms tucked into a beachside coconut grove. At the other end of the scale, there’s 1,300-acre Peter Island, with rolling hills crisscrossed by nature trails, five beaches, four restaurants, a marina, recreation center and all the amenities of a world-class resort. At Necker Island, flamingos outnumber humans, and there are two staff members for each guest, Guana Island offers luxurious living in secluded natural surroundings.

3  Underwater World

Divers and snorkelers can explore an underwater landscape that includes colorful coral reefs, historic shipwrecks and underwater rock spires swarming with fish. Among the favorites are the coral gardens near Ginger Island, the treasure caves at Norman’s Island and the wreck of the RMS Rhone, made famous by the movie The Deep. A fleet of comfortable charter boats gives access to more than 80 sites, with something for everyone from first-time snorkelers to seasoned divers.

Underwater BVI

A flight of delicate blue chromis fish glides over a coral formation at a site known as the Indians. The waters of the British Virgins lie within a protected marine park. Photo: iStock

4  Gilligan’s Island

The more than 60 islands that make up the British Virgins include a number of small, uninhabited specks of land that are perfect for playing castaway for a day. Some are covered in palm groves fringing white sand beaches; others wrap lagoons in sheltering walls of rock. A number of excursion companies can arrange for day trips aboard speedboats or sailboats.

5  Gorgeous Beaches

Tucked between the rocky headlands of these volcanic islands are a number of excellent white sand beaches. Tortola favorites include Smugglers Cove Beach, Apple Bay Beach and Cane Garden Bay Beach. On Virgin Gorda, house-sized boulders are piled atop the sands, and low-lying Anegada offers miles of deserted beaches and the longest barrier reef in the eastern Caribbean.

BVI Snorkeling Boulders

A snorkeler in the clear shallow waters of The Baths on Virgin Gorda. The giant boulders that cover this beach are remnants of an ancient volcano. Photo: Christian Wheatley/iStock

6  Away From the Crowds

The British Virgins are not a land of mega resorts and big crowds. Resorts are smaller and separated by distance to create a more intimate and private atmosphere. Tortola’s Road Town does see its share of cruise ships and shore leave visitors, but nothing like the crowds that swarm nearby St. Thomas on a daily basis. Hop to one of the smaller islands and you might find a beach that is yours alone.

7  Bar Hop by Boat

The British Virgins are home to some of the most iconic waterfront bars in the Caribbean. Music and good times roll at dockside taverns from Bitter End to Soper’s Hole. At Norman’s Bight, the Willie T is a ship turned bar that sits at permanent anchor. Boaters can wade ashore on Jost van Dyke to savor a painkiller punch at the Soggy Dollar Bar or create their own libations at Ivan’s.

Jost Van Dyke Beach Bars BVI

Beach goers cavort on the sand at Jost van Dyke’s White Sound, home of the famous Soggy Dollar Bar and the inhibition-robbing Painkiller cocktail. Photo: Sherry Talbot/iStock

8  Spa Lovers

It’s easy to relax and get pampered, because several of the Caribbean’s top spas are located in the British Virgins. The spa at Peter Island nurtures both body and soul with Ayurveda treatments administered against the backdrop of a pristine beach. Scrub Island’s Ixora Spa offers an aloe and milk bath wrap and after-sun treatments. Amara’s harbormaster setting at the Moorings caters to sailors and landlubbers alike. When it reopens in 2017, the Sense Spa at Rosewood Little Dix will once more provide signature treatments based on nature’s healing power.

9  Move Right In

The British Virgins are home to an amazing collection of beachside cottages and hilltop villas, any of which could be yours for the week or the season. Choices range from modest one-bedroom town homes on Tortola to a sprawling 15-bedroom beachfront on Virgin Gorda. If budget permits, you could even invite 33 of your friends and rent the entire Necker Island resort, and have the whole island to yourselves.

Tortola Hills BVI

Villas with sweeping seaside views line the green hills of Tortola. The largest of the British Virgins, this island is home to the port of Road Town. Photo: Lidian Neeleman/iStock

10  Catch of the Day

While winter is the favorite sailing season, spring and summer are prime times to hook up. Fishing is big around the islands. Inshore catches include snapper and grouper while out in the ocean, an area known as the North Drop is the best place in the eastern Caribbean to do battle with big game species such as marlin, tuna and swordfish.

USVI St John Little Hawksnest Beach
Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

St. John’s Off The Beaten Path Beaches

 

Hawksnest? Seen it. Trunk Bay? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. Once you’ve hit the most popular beaches on the island of St. John, it’s time to head off the beaten path to some of the lesser known, yet equally stunning, stretches of shoreline. Let us take you to our top five secluded St. John beaches, but shh…don’t tell your friends.

Little Cinnamon

The seclusion of a private beach and the renowned beauty of St. John’s north shore come together at Little Cinnamon. Located west of much larger Cinnamon Bay, this private paradise is a short walk through a wooded trail and a quick scramble over a rocky point away from the main beach. Little Cinnamon boasts the same pristine waters and soft white sand as the more popular north shore beaches, along with a curious added bonus: a plane wreck. The wreck of a Cessna that crashed and sank just off the shoreline is still visible, its propeller, engine, and one of the wings peeking out from the sandy ocean floor.

USVI St John Little Cinnamon Beach

Little Cinnamon Bay is just a short walk from the main beach, but far away from the crowds. The remains of a small airplane make for interesting snorkeling. Photo: Andrea Milam

Brown Bay

Sometimes hard work offers the best rewards. Case in point: Brown Bay. This gorgeous, secluded, never crowded beach on the eastern end of St. John’s north shore is your prize at the end of a moderately difficult 30-minute hike through one of the dryer, hotter areas of the island. Soft white sand begs you to plop down for an afternoon nap, but first, take a dip in the bay’s warm waters. The combination sandy and grassy bottom is home to a huge population of conch. Snorkel out toward the point on the east side of the bay and you’ll see a wide variety of corals along with larger fish.

USVI St John Brown Bay

The half-hour hike required to reach Brown’s Bay keeps the crowds away. Those who do make the trip are rewarded with soft white and clear water. Photo: Andrea Milam

Denis Bay

There’s a sweet little spot on St. John’s north shore called Peace Hill. It’s got a sugar mill ruin with sweeping ocean views, and is a short, easy walk from a small parking lot. Make the quick trip up the hill to take in the view, but on the way back down the hill, duck left into the bush about 20 yards before the parking lot. About a 10-minute walk down an infrequently maintained but generally quite passable spur trail, Denis Bay is a little slice of often-private heaven. This small strip of pristine white sand boasts excellent snorkeling along with shade if you want it, and plenty of sun if you don’t.

USVI St John Denis Bay

An unmarked by easily passable trail from Peace Hill leads to Denis Bay. Those who make the ten-minute walk will discover good snorkeling and an uncrowded swatch of sand. Photo: Andrea Milam

Little Hawksnest

Hawksnest is arguably one of St. John’s most popular beaches. Go there early and grab a parking spot, then hit the beach and head west. Walk right on past the beach-goers tucked into the shade of the sea grape trees; you know better than them. A short hike through a wooded beachfront trail followed by an easy scramble over a rocky outcropping later, and you’re at your own private beach: Little Hawksnest. This small stretch of soft coral sand is as beautiful as any of the island’s other north shore beaches, without the crowds. Entry into the water is a soft, sandy, gentle slope. Don’t bother on high surf days, however, as the beach all but disappears beneath the waves.

USVI St John Little Hawksnest Beach

Next door to St. John’s popular Hawksnest Beach, the smaller beach known as Little Hawksnest provides a quiet refuge from the crowds. Photo: Andrea Milam

Hansen Bay

This beach is so far off the beaten path it doesn’t even have a name. On St. John’s East End, past the popular Vie’s Snack Shack and the sign advertising “Hansen Bay,” you’ll see a small dirt pull-off to your left and a large tree shading a small sandy and rocky beach to your right. This modest little patch shares Hansen Bay with Vie’s Beach while maintaining an ends-of-the-earth feel. You may share this beach with a local from time to time, and you’ll most definitely encounter a chicken or two, but for the most part, it’s all yours.

USVI St John Hansen Bay

The small, no-name beach that sits at the end of the road to Hansen’s Bay almost guarantees privacy and good snorkeling for those who find it. Photo: Andrea Milam

St Martin Ocean 82
Caribbean, Plan, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Trip Ideas

Best French Restaurants on St. Martin

 

St. Martin is as much about food as sun and sand. In fact, the town Grand Case holds the undisputed title of “Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.” We’ve done the difficult work of sampling French delicacy after French delicacy to narrow down the best places to treat your taste buds right. Surprisingly, not all of them are in Grand Case. Bon appetit!

L’Auberge Gourmande

Competition is fierce on Grand Case’s restaurant row, where eateries seemingly crop up then disappear overnight. L’Auberge Gourmande’s longevity in the heart of the Caribbean’s culinary capital is a testament to how incredible the food is here. The restaurant’s atmosphere and decor take you back to historic France. Cheery yellows dominate the dining room, accented by charming white stone arches.

L’Auberge’s classic French menu is extensive and mouthwatering. Service is on par with the quality of the cuisine. The wait staff is attentive yet non-intrusive, and highly skilled at ensuring your evening at L’Auberge Gourmande is everything you would expect. Be sure to make reservations well in advance.

Favorite bites: Be a little adventurous; this is no place to shy away from French delicacies. The foie gras, frog legs, and escargot are simultaneously delicate and full of flavor. If you somehow manage to save room for dessert, there are several choices bridging a wide range of flavors, but the trio of white chocolate mousse, hot baked fondant, and iced dark chocolate drizzled with hibiscus coulis sauce is unimaginably exquisite.

St Martin Lauberge Gourmande Dessert

At L’Auberge Gourmande the emphasis is on traditional French favorites and attentive service, with culinary presentations designed to please both the eye and the palate. Photo: L’Auberge Gourmande

La Croissanterie

You haven’t lived until you’ve started your day off with the truly French breakfast of a warm, flaky, buttery croissant. On St. Martin, you’ll find the best of the best at La Croissanterie, located on the waterfront in Marigot.

This unpretentious little establishment is tucked into a corner at the Marina Port La Royale. The lovely marina view merely improves on a dining experience that’s already close to perfect. Your only problem will be selecting from the many tempting and delicious offerings.

Favorite bites: A croissant is the obvious choice. Step it up a notch and order the pan au chocolat, with the delightful treat of warm, sweet chocolate hidden inside. Prefer something savory? Try the seafood crepes, with shrimp, scallops, and fresh cream. Pair your meal with one of La Croissanterie’s rich, dark espressos.

St Martin La Croissanterie Croissant

La Croissanterie’s namesake pastry delivers an overload of buttery, melt in your mouth flavors. This waterfront cafe also serves a tempting assortment of crepes and espressos. Photo: La Croissanterie

L’Estaminet

Another major contender on Grand Case’s competitive restaurant row is L’Estaminet. Situated in a quaint Creole cottage on the southern end of the strip, the food here is French, modern, and inventive. Presentations are masterfully constructed, so artful in fact that you hesitate to take a bite in fear of ruining the sculpture on your plate. And then your taste buds win the battle, and you’re oh so happy they did.

The food is as flavorful as it is beautiful. Chef Ina’s culinary skill is evident in her pairings of flavors. Stick around for the after-dinner shot that is a hallmark of the Grand Case dining scene. L’Estaminet’s tiramisu shot with Bailey’s, Kahlua, and cocoa-dusted cream is the hands-down winner of restaurant row.

Favorite bites: The asparagus soup, a customer favorite, melds perfectly with its bacon crème brulee and goat cheese ice cream accents. No matter how full you are by the end of your meal, you must top the night off with L’Estaminet’s chocolate cigar dessert. A unique combination of chocolate variations meant to resemble a cigar and its ashtray; this confection is equal parts luscious and fun.

St Martin L Estaminet Dining

A favorite on Grand Case’s restaurant row, L’Estaminet delivers a modern take on French cuisines, with artfully selected flavor pairings and lavish attention to presentation. Photo: L’Estaminet

Le Ti Bouchon

This cul-de-sac restaurant brings French traditions to the Caribbean. It is modeled after the bouchons in Lyon, where settings are small and intimate, the plates are generous and flavorful, and the atmosphere is festive. The only indication you aren’t actually in France is the restaurant’s colorful Creole cottage setting.

Owner Momo is always on hand, and by the end of the night; his charming nature and colorful storytelling skills will have you wanting to come back for more. The quality of the food is as respectable as the atmosphere is fun. Momo can help explore menu choices, though his lyrical, detailed descriptions of each dish might make it harder to choose, and you’ll want to taste them all.

Favorite bites: If you want to go French, the confit de canard is incredibly tender. Experience Momo’s creativity with his take on the traditional shepherd’s pie, which features lobster and sweet potatoes.

St Martin Ti Bouchon

At Le Ti Bouchon, the emphasis is on savory meats and the French comfort foods associated with Lyon’s bouchon tradition. Equally authentic is the personal rapport chef Momo creates. Photo: Le Ti Bouchon

Ocean 82

A tank full of lobsters entices you to come inside. Amazing ocean views captivate as you anticipate one of the best meals on the island. A relative newcomer on the scene, Ocean 82 is among the more modern restaurants in the heart of Grand Case.

Portion sizes are reasonable, allowing you to save room for dessert. The house-made banana vanilla-spiced rum is the perfect way to end your meal. For a truly romantic evening, reserve a seat along the rail in time for sunset.

Favorite bites: Enjoy some of the most tender meat you’ll ever eat in your life with the beef cheeks and veal stew with porcini mushroom risotto. Lobster is an obvious choice. Choose yours from the tank at the restaurant’s entrance and decide whether you’d like it grilled or served thermidor style.

St martin Ocean 82 Lobster Langouste

Lobster is always on the menu at Ocean 82. Patrons can choose their favorite crustacean from the restaurant’s glass display tank, then have it prepared to their liking. Photo: Ocean 52

Gibbs Lighthouse Bermuda
Bermuda, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Snapshots: Gibbs Lighthouse, Bermuda

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There’s no better view of an island than from a lighthouse. On Bermuda the best views are from the balcony of Gibbs Lighthouse. Sitting atop a hill in Southampton Parish, the light provides sweeping 360-degree seascape views that include the south shore and the Royal Naval Dockyard to the west.

Taking in the view will require a climb up 185 steps, but there are eight floors in the light tower that double as rest stations, each filled with small exhibits that show the history of the tower and Bermuda. Dating from 1846, the 117-foot tower is the oldest surviving cast iron lighthouse in the world. After the climb down, have lunch at The Dining Room restaurant located in the former signaling station of the British Army.

St Lucia Jade Mountain
Cancun, Caribbean, Grenada, Mexico, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Rico, St. Barts, St. Lucia, Stay, Trip Ideas

Best Private Pools in the Caribbean

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Resort pools can be spectacular. Unique designs, water features like fountains, waterfalls and cascades are all designed to wow, and infinity edges that meld into the ocean are breathtaking. But there’s nothing like your own private pool to jump in whenever you have the desire. The private pools at these Caribbean resorts offer up a bit more space than the typical plunge pool allowing you room to splash, kick and immerse in any way your heart desires.

Royal Isabela, Puerto Rico

At first glance, you might think you were in Scotland or Ireland when you survey the rolling green hills that cascade down to blue water. But you are in one of Puerto Rico’s finest resorts, where a collection of luxurious casitas sits terraced along the cliff tops overlooking the Atlantic. The hotel is set within a 1,800-acre golf course community, so there is plenty of open space to immerse yourself in the natural surroundings. Each of the 20 casitas has a private pool and terrace to take in the outdoors and view the starlight nights.

Puerto Rico Isabela Royal Pool

The casitas of Puerto Rico’s Royal Isabela resort sit on a wooded hillside overlooking a magnificent golf course and the Atlantic Ocean. Each includes a private deck and pool. Photo: Joann Dost/Royal Isabela

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St Lucia

This collection of British colonial-styled cottages and villas are tucked away in a glade of tropical foliage on slopes near the base of the Pitons. Over the years the property has changed names and received upgrades, but the villas still stair step up the hillside, each with its own pool hidden from the next, but with views of the Pitons. Here your private outdoor space has a covered area to retreat from the sun and take an afternoon nap between dips in your pool. Call for a ride or take a stroll down the hillside to the sugar white sand beach, experience the tasting menu at the Great House and succumb to a tropical treatment at the Rain Forest Spa.

St Lucia Sugar Beach Luxury Villa With Pool

Cottages at St. Lucia’s Sugar Beach resort open to expansive private terraces that include a pool, sun lounges, al fresco dining nook and a sheltered cabana ideal for afternoon naps. Photo: Sugar Beach/Viceroy

Banyan Tree Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Situated among the canals and cenotes of the Riviera Maya, the Banyan Tree is all about water. The resort’s front entrance is a giant lily pond. Dining and lobby areas open to additional waterways and ponds. Suites are either adjacent to the canals and channels or overlooking the waterway that carries guests to and from the beach via launches. Here you’ll find villas with complete privacy where you can float the afternoon away in your private pool while the fragrance of frangipani fills the air. When a need arises, attentive service is just a call a way.

Banyan Tree Mayakoba Private Pools

Water dominates at the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, where suites set in lush natural foliage offer private pools and terraces. Boats carry guests to the beach via a central canal. Photo: Debbie Snow

Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada

Much more than rooms, the Royal Collection Pool Suites at Spice Island are sanctuaries from the outside world. A private door leads to your walled terrace where day beds, an outdoor dining area and a private pool awaits. These pools are large enough to do some serious splashing about, and maybe swim a few strokes. The suites are also exceptionally large, covering up to 1,500 square feet including living room and private cedar saunas. Once you are ready to face the world, Grand Anse Beach, the longest stretch on the island, is just outside your door.

Grenada Spice Island Pool Villa

Spice Island Beach Resort offers three types of private pool suites. Shown here is the Royal Collection Pool Suite, which features the largest water feature. Photo: Spice Island Beach Resort

Le Toiny, St. Barts

Hotel Le Toiny is located on the uncrowded southeastern corner of St. Barts. This boutique property offers 14 villa suites tucked into a 42-acre hillside garden overlooking Anse de Toiny beach. Each villa provides dramatic and direct ocean views and has its own private pool, which is heated during winter months. Inside the one-bedroom villas the coastal theme continues with a décor in beige and white, accented with warm brown that brings in the palette of the hillside and the beaches below. Simplicity and sophistication blend easily, and guests are pampered accordingly. When it comes time to socialize, head to the oyster shell bar overlooking the half moon shaped pool to share an appetizer and sip champagne.

Le Toiny Hotel Pool Villa St Bart

The one-bedroom villas at Le Toiny open onto private terraces set high above one of the best beaches in St. Barts. The adjacent private pools can be heated for comfort. Photo: Le Toiny

Sandals LaSource, Grenada

When ensconced in your elevated private sanctuary, you may never want to leave. The one bedroom Skypool Villa not only offers private butler service but also a personal mobile phone to summon everything from meals and snacks, to floats for the pool and buckets of ice with cold champagne. Your pool offers up enough space to kick to the end and when you want to take relaxation to another level, there is a private Jacuzzi to slip into when the moment arises. Eventually, you may want to leave your retreat to head down to Gin Beach. This pink stretch of sand is one of the best in the Caribbean.

Grenada Sandals Private Pool

The Skypool Villas at Grenada’s Sandals LaSource include not only a large private pool, but also an adjacent hot tub. Guests have a direct number to a personal butler. Photo: Sandals

Jade Mountain Resort, St. Lucia

Your private pool becomes an extension of your suite, as the fourth wall of each room at Jade Mountain is omitted to provide cinematic-quality views of the Pitons and Caribbean. Right before your eyes the morning golden sky lights up the mountain range, and come sunset the pink and blue fill the sky and light bounces off the hillside and reflects in the sea. Small wonder many honeymooners start their life journey with a stay here. Each villa has a unique color scheme and design, but full living room, bedroom and pool open to the splendid scenery. With no phones, no television and absolute no distractions, this resort knows how to provide sanctuary to guests seeking ultimate seclusion.

St Lucia Jade Mountain Private Pool

Hillside rooms at Jade Mountain Resort are left open to the elements, ushering in sea breezes and grand views of the coast and the iconic Piton peaks. Private pools perch on the edge to heighten the drama. Photo: Jade Mountain

St Lucia Pitons
Caribbean, Plan, St. Lucia, Trip Ideas

St. Lucia: 10 Reasons to Go

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When European explorers first glimpsed the lush green mountains of St. Lucia rising from the cerulean waters of the Caribbean, they nicknamed the island “Fair Helen of the West Indies,” making reference to the unrivaled beauty of legendary Helen of Troy. Today, this jewel of the Windward Islands epitomizes the Caribbean island escape, with warm palm-fringed beaches to relax, colorful coral reefs to discover, forests to explore, mountains to climb and waterfalls to admire.

1  Twin Peaks

The Pitons are St. Lucia best-known landmarks. This pair of iconic mountains, known as Gros Piton and Petite Piton, rises above Anse Chastanet Beach, and is the most photographed site on the island. The remnants of volcanic eruptions more than 30,000 years ago, the pitons are now covered in green vegetation. They provide ambience and a backdrop for weddings and honeymooners, and challenging routes for hikers.

2  Favorite Subjects

The forested mountains, seaside villages and sparkling bays of St. Lucia are postcard pretty, and have been highlighted in movies from Dr. Doolittle to Pirates of the Caribbean. Photographers from around the world also turn their focus to subjects such as the villages of Marigot Bay and Anse La Raye, where colorful fishing boats and anchored yachts add color and interest to the natural beauty of the scene.

Marigot Bay St Lucia

Encircling hills create a calm, perfectly protected anchorage at Marigot Bay, which attracts visiting sailors and gleaming mega yachts alike. Photo: Robert Rushton/iStock

3  Sight Seeing

The mountain roads that wind their way across St. Lucia unveil one spectacular view after the next. Along the coast, the scene includes bright beaches, tranquil coves and quaint seaside villages. Near Soufrière, the Pitons provide a magnificent backdrop against the cobalt sky, while inland roads lead to jungle- clad valleys and rivers. The views grace every hairpin turn and postcard-worthy shots pass by one after the next.

4  Beach Variety

From golden tan to volcanic dark grey, the beaches of St. Lucia come in a wide range in colors. For the typical white sand beaches head to the southern coast of Anse Des Sables. Warmer beige and gold tones are found in Rodney Bay at Reduit Beach and the connected peninsula of Pigeon Island, which is a 40-acre national park. The black and gray sands of Anse Cochon provide a dramatic contrast to the bright coral reefs just offshore.

St Lucia Reduit Beach

Reduit Beach is one of St. Lucia’s most popular places for swimming and sunning, with easy parking, public restrooms and beachside food and beverage vendors. Photo: iStock

5  Rooms with Views

Some of the world’s most amazing resorts cling to the hillsides of St. Lucia. Some are even built into the mountainside and hang over the beaches below. These venues exude seclusion and romance, with private pools, outdoor showers and rooms that open to nature. Suites at Jade Mountain provide private infinity- edge pools that seem to dissolve into the Caribbean below. Boucan sits in the middle of a cocoa plantation. Ladera has a quirky appeal and rooms with the fourth wall left open to nature, while Sugar Beach’s British Colonial-styled villas sit above a white sand beach. All provide the highest level of service and unrivaled views of the Pitons.

6  Amazing Waterscapes

St. Lucia’s rugged mountain landscapes continue underwater, providing divers with dramatic reefs and slopes carved by canyons, caves and deep drop offs. Near Anse Chastanet, the Soufrière Marine Park reveals underwater grottoes and fields of brain coral rich in tropical fish. Nearby, coral-encrusted pinnacles rise from the depths, and a subsea fumarole creates champagne- like gas bubbles that filter up through the reef.

St Lucia Diving Sponges

Divers examine a colorful sponge on a St. Lucia coral reef. The island’s western shore provides consistently clear, calm waters. Photo: Kevin Panizza/iStock

7  Friday Fries

The Friday evening fish fry is a celebrated island tradition, and there are two places to get your fill of golden-fried fillets served with a heady dose of local flavor. At the small fishing village of Anse La Raye, reggae music fills the air as crowds in a celebratory mood clutch brimming plates of snapper, lobster and conch. At Rodney Bay, the mood can get rowdy at Gros Islet’s Jump Up. Some come for the seafood, others come to party and dance in the streets until early morning. For a quieter local spot, Dennery fishing village sets up tents on the beach and vendors cook up an array of seafood for the neighborhood and whoever comes by.

8  Crafty Markets

Barter and bargain for authentic island flavors and handicrafts at one of two colorful market squares in the towns of Soufrière and Castries. Soufrière’s main square leads to the waterfront market where vendors sell root vegetables, an island staple, and offer visitors a taste of coconut water right from the husk. Castries market is the place to pick up spices, souvenirs, woodcarvings, and find a local spot for lunch.

St Lucia Castries

The lights of Castries Harbor sparkle in evening light. This lively harbor city is one of the region’s busiest nautical crossroads. Photo: Flavio Vallenari/iStock

9  For The Birds

While a number of new hotels and golf courses have come to the island in the past decade, much of St. Lucia remains in a natural state and many resorts promote nature tours, hiking and bird watching. The national bird, the St. Lucian parrot is making a comeback due to conservation efforts. Other noted finds include the St. Lucian oriole, warbler and white-breasted thrasher, along with the Antillean crested hummingbird.

10  Waterfalls

St. Lucia’s streams and rivers spill from the highlands to create sparkling cascades. The most visited waterfall is Diamond Falls at Diamond Botanical Gardens, which has been in the same family since 1713. Also near the Pitons and Soufrière is one of the islands largest falls, Toraille Waterfalls. For bathing in warm spring waters the shorter Piton Falls is a popular stop.