Tag Archives: Jamaica

best horseback riding in the caribbean
Bahamas, Bahamas-Grand Bahama Island, Barbados, Bermuda, Caribbean, Jamaica, Nevis, Play, Puerto Rico, Trip Ideas

Horseback Riding in the Caribbean

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It’s one of those images that come easily when you daydream: galloping along a palm- fringed tropical beach astride a spirited horse, and perhaps plunging into the surf to wash away any hint of the worldly cares you left behind. A number of locations throughout the Caribbean can turn this dream into reality. You’ll find a range of adventures suitable for riders of all skill levels, from first-timer to equine expert. We have selected six rides that provide not only the best scenery and most magnificent beaches, but also the best overall vacation experience.

Bahamas

No crowds and more beach time. That’s the promise at Trikk Pony Stables on Grand Bahama Island. This family-owned business is located on the island’s south-central coast, where unspoiled and unsettled beaches stretch for miles. Tours follow a short trail that leads through pine forest and scrub right onto a powder-sand beach. The next hour is spent along the shoreline either dry, splashing or soaking wet, according to the rider’s preference, as the horses are up for anything. As an option, a beachfront picnic can be added at the end of the ride, and the company also offers sunset excursions that are limited to four riders or less. The stables provide pickup service from a number of hotels in the Freeport area. Two of our favorites are the Pelican Bay at Lucaya and the Grand Lucayan.

Grand Bahama Island Horseback Riding, Horseback riding in the caribbean

Grand Bahama has miles of undeveloped white beaches to explore. Operators such as Trikk Pony allow riders to splash in the shallows or guide their mounts deeper for a swim. Photo: Grand Bahama Island

Bermuda

For a break from taxi and moped, head to Spicelands Equestrian Centre in Bermuda’s Warwick Parish. Rides begin along the Railway Trail, which follows the right of way of the short-lived rail line that once ran from Somerset to St. George’s. The route then moves to the south shore and across a series of scenic beaches, dunes and coves en route to serendipitously named Horseshoe Bay. Bermuda law allows horses to splash and swim on the beaches at any time during the months from November to March, but only before 8:30 a.m. the other months of the year, so those wanting a summertime swim will need to book the earliest ride of the day. Spicelands is a full-service equestrian center, offering lessons and additional trail riding options. The most convenient hotel to the stables is The Fairmont Southampton, which is less than two miles away.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is horse county and home to the genteel-gated Paso Fino breed. Numerous trail rides are offered in the forests and fields across the island. The one that best brings surf and sand into the equation takes place on the beaches near the town of Isabela, on the island’s northwest coast. Tropical Trail Rides provides a two-hour circuit that begins with a visit to Shacks Beach, allows a bit of time to dismount and swim or explore by foot while horses and backsides take a break. The route then moves inland, climbing the bluffs and passing through an almond tree forest on the way home. Both morning and afternoon rides are offered, and the latter often takes in a sunset view. There are a handful of modest beachfront hotels near Isabela, but most vacationers staying in this part of the coast will look towards nearby Rincon, and more charming properties such as the Dos Angeles del Mar Guesthouse.

Puerto Rico Horseback Riding

In addition to the beach rides staged on Puerto Rico’s west coast, a number of operators offer rainforest and mountain trail rides at points across the island. Photo: Carabali Rainforest Park

Barbados

Location is everything, and this certainly holds true for Ocean Echo Stables, which is located in the small town of Newcastle, on Barbados’ wilder eastern coast. Far removed from the resort zones to the west, riders have miles of wooded trails, fields and surf- washed beaches to explore, with trade winds sweeping in from the east to provide refreshment. A range of rides for all levels is offered, starting with an hour-long excursion to Bath Beach that is suitable for novices. Experienced riders can also opt for two- and three-hour trail rides that venture farther up the coast along trails, beaches and cart roads, with vistas that include the looming backdrop of a thousand-foot-tall sea cliff. For those looking to stay nearby, The Atlantis Hotel offers a unique alternative to the island’s typical west coast beachfront lodging.

Jamaica

Horses and seawater mix at several locations along Jamaica’s northern shore, and a number of rides begin within an easy drive from resorts in the Ocho Rios, Falmouth, Montego Bay and Negril areas. One of the island’s favorite and original ride-and-swims takes place about 20 miles east of Montego Bay. The adventure starts on backcountry trails that lead through the farming village of Pumpkin Bottom and the remains of an 18th century sugar plantation, then emerge on to Sandy Bay, where riders who are up for getting wet can swim their mounts out into the clear waters. This swimming tradition actually began when trainers at the nearby Chukka Blue Polo Club would take the ponies for a cool down in the water following a workout session. The club also provided the inspiration for the outfitter, Chukka Caribbean Adventures, which hosts the rides. If you want to stay fairly close to the ponies, but away from the crowds, an excellent option is the Round Hill Hotel and Villas.

Jamaica Horseback Riding

Riders cross a remote beach on Jamaica’s north coast. The island’s landscape provides routes that follow wooded paths, open meadow and, of course, the shore. Photo: Julian Love/Jamaica Tourist Board

Nevis

Nevis is an ideal island for escaping the crowds and discovering the simpler, friendlier side of the Caribbean. And so it’s fitting that the island’s premier stables is equally accommodating, providing horseback adventures for everyone. Children as young as six are welcome to join the beachfront rides organized by Nevis Equestrian Center, with routes that can be tailored to the capabilities and interests of the group. The most popular tour takes riders past historic sites that include forts, churches, sugar mills and once- grand estates, then to a quiet beach, followed by a climb to the highlands to admire the view. Sunset beach rides and more extensive cross-island rides are also offered. The stables are located on the west coast, quite near to Nevis’ premier resort property, the Four Seasons Nevis.

Cayo Espanto Belize
Belize, Caribbean, Central America, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Stay, Trip Ideas, Turks & Caicos

The Caribbean’s Most Romantic Hotels

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The list of Caribbean hotels that make the pulse pound and your significant other look even more significant is a long one. Like beauty, romance is in the heart of the beholder. There are beach bungalows far from the madding crowd where it’s just you two and a couple of tiki torches and hotels in the middle of lively and historic cities; resorts with staff awaiting your every command and boutiques that let you be. Whatever your romantic style, here are our choice properties for your consideration.

Casa Brisa Belize

Your private sundeck awaits at Belize’s Cayo Espanto resort. This private island is just a few minutes by boat from the town of San Pedro, but a world apart from other resorts. Photo: Cayo Espanto

Isolated Splendor: Cayo Espanto, Belize

Even though it’s only three miles from bustling San Pedro, Cayo Espanto is a Caribbean cocoon, a private island with no access from the outside world save its own guest ferry. Seven villas are strategically spaced around the four-acre island to create maximum individual privacy. And each is unique: Casa Ventanas is built over the water and reached via a dock; Casa Olita has a private plunge pool, private beach and outdoor shower; Casa Estrella is two stories, with an elevated ocean view that goes on forever. On your way to the island, forego the ferry and arrive by helicopter to soak in spectacular vistas of sea and sky.

Once there, you’ll be greeted by the staff and your housemen who will take care of your every whim. The chef will drop by daily to discuss your dinner desires; your houseman will coordinate lunch and take you to a nearby deserted islet, where he’ll rake the sand to perfection and set you up with a cell phone to call him when you’re ready to return. After a delicious day of snorkeling, swimming, bonefishing or sunbathing you can return to your villa at Casa Brisa to take in the breezes or savor the sunsets from the west-facing Casa Solana, either villa is guaranteed to make your heart grow fonder. 

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo Ovando House

The architecture of the Hostal Nicolas de Ovando incorporates a trio of 500-year-old homes that are the oldest European-built stone structures in the Americas. Photo: Serge Detalle/Ovando House

Hot in the City: Hostal Nicolas de Ovando, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Nicolas de Ovando arrived in the Dominican Republic in 1502 at the head of some 2,000 colonists, leading the first organized European settlement in the New World. The hotel, Hostal Nicolas de Ovando isn’t just named for him, it’s literally in his house. Actually it’s three houses and the first European-built stone dwellings in the Americas. They were erected in 1502 along Las Damas, the first street in what would become the headquarters of Spain’s American enterprises, Santo Domingo. Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, this hotel oozes historic charm: In fact, it would be accurate to say there is no more historic hotel in the western hemisphere. The stone-walled structures enclose a central courtyard graced by a fountain and surrounded on four sides by a two-story gallery, it’s arched openings and columns a rhythmic counterpoint to the brick and stone.

Inside, the owners have done a masterful job of blending modern decor with the structure, highlighting the eccentricities of the half-millennium-old buildings rather than hiding them. The 74 rooms aren’t cookie-cutter, as they’ve been designed to work with the building. There’s a pool in a walled garden with plenty of room for lounging and just outside the door all of the charms of the colonial city. Wandering the narrow, cobblestone streets past the home of the conquistador Hernán Cortés leads you to the Alcazár de Colón, the family home built by Diego Columbus, Christopher’s son, which is now a museum. Nearby there are quaint restaurants, small shops filled with art and keepsakes and the Cathedral of Santa María la Menor, the first Catholic church in the Americas. Buy a freshly rolled cigar at the shop across the street and check out menus at the nearby restaurants until you find one with a paella and an atmosphere that suits your mood. Afterwards, head back to the Ovando house and listen to the live jazz echoing off centuries-old bricks. 

Jamaica Half Moon Resort Entrance Montego Bay

Jamaica’s Half Moon resort is a diverse and expansive property that commands a significant swath of coastline and offers private villas and cottages with direct water views. Photo: Half Moon Resort

Traditional Luxe: Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica

If you suspect that the uber wealthy know something the rest of us don’t, you need no further proof than Half Moon, near Montego Bay, Jamaica. In the mid-1950s, a group of industrialists and heirs to some of America’s largest fortunes began to build winter cottages on a picturesque private beach. The cluster of cottages evolved into the full-size resort Half Moon, which attracted the rich and famous to luxuriate in the naughty atmosphere of the North Shore. Far from prying eyes in London, New York and Hollywood, celebrities could let down their hair for some serious fun. Errol Flynn spent years on the North Shore as did James Bond author Ian Fleming. JFK and Jackie stayed at Half Moon; so did Audrey Hepburn, Clark Gable, Joan Crawford and most of the current generations of British royals.

Half Moon now sprawls over 400 seaside acres, encompassing a Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course, several dozen (that’s right, dozen) pools and a shoreline embroidered with small palm- shaded coves. There’s an equestrian center, multiple fine dining restaurants and a 68,000-square-foot spa. While you can be perfectly happy in one of the luxury rooms, if romance is what you’re reaching for, one of the original West End cottages or a Royal Villa offer the ultimate in pleasurable pampering. The residences are staffed and you’ll have a butler, cook and housekeeper making sure you want for nothing. You can loll by a private pool and just keep telling each other how lucky you are. 

Parrot Cay COMO Turks and Caicos tiki hut

It will take a boat ride from Providenciales to reach the secluded grounds of Parrot Cay. Once there, guests have coral reefs and miles of secluded beaches to enjoy in solitude. Photo: Parrot Cay

Hip Hangout: Parrot Cay by COMO, Turks and Caicos

Owned by the stylish Como organization, Parrot Cay is a 1,000- acre private island just east of Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos. For such a secluded resort, it’s remarkably easy to get to: It’s a half-hour boat ride from the well-served airport in Provo, just south of the Bahamas. The name and location attract celebrity A-listers like Ben Affleck and Christy Turlington with simplicity and superior service. The design is understated: modern but with a clear nod to the regional plantation style. If you’re looking for acres of hand-carved mahogany paneling, this isn’t your jam. But if you’re looking for acres of deserted beach, this is the place. There are three miles of powder-white sand lapped by calm, laser-green water, the Atlantic swell tamed by the offshore reefs.

Grab a lounger and soak up the ambience at the infinity-edge pool overlooking the ocean; when you feel ambitious, take a ramble down the beach and remember to look down, there are beautiful shells underfoot, including partridge tuns, turban tops, sand dollars and queen conch. Turks and Caicos is one of the few places where you can reliably see live queen conch underwater, and the empty shells wash up on beaches and can be found in shell piles left behind by local fishermen. There are water toys on the beach or you can arrange a private boat excursion to Iguana Cay or fish on the enormous flats behind the islands. The resort rooms are clustered around the main pool, but for enhanced privacy oceanfront villas have their own pools—some are heated, ensuring year-round 24/7 skinny dipping. If you’re not coupled out by then, head for a his and her massage in the very private treatment cottage at the highly rated Shambhala Retreat. 

Canouan Resort St Vincent and the Grenadines

The Canouan Resort sprawls over expansive and meticulously landscaped grounds that rise from the beach to high bluffs that provide expansive views of the central Grenadines and the Caribbean Sea. Photo: Canouan Resort

The Jet Set: Canouan Resort, Canouan Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Canouan is not a place you get to instantly. It does have an airport, but the closest international service is in St. Vincent or Barbados, so you have to want to go there. And you definitely want to go. Canouan Resort at Carenage Bay occupies about a third of a 1,200-acre former plantation, complete with a 17th- century Anglican church. Down here south of St. Vincent, the islands are lumpy leftovers from a series of volcanic explosions. The resort fronts the beach and spills up onto the hill. Most of the rooms and villas are beachfront, though a few very private dwellings are perched on a 900-foot bluff with views that reach all the way to the Tobago Cays.

The property owners are Italian and there’s a sense of style throughout, especially in the restaurants and Bellini’s bar, so pack your killer heels and some sparkly accessories. You’ll get to dinner without breaking a sweat, too. You’ll be given a golf cart on arrival so you never have to walk unless you want to. The property received major upgrades just last year and a new ultra-exclusive boutique, Pink Sands Club, opened next door so expect to see private jets lined up on the runway. When you’re not relaxing over a fine wine just drinking in the ambience, stroll Shell Beach or take a charter to snorkel with turtles in the Tobago Cays. 

 

Jamaica Food
Caribbean, Jamaica, Plan, Trip Ideas

Jamaica: 10 Reasons to Go

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Bob Marley’s plea for unity, “One Love,” was doubtless inspired by his own homeland. Because of its size-150 miles long by 50 wide-Jamaica is almost continental in its diversity. It has sinuous beaches that wind along the base of its North Shore hills, a mountain range that soars above 7,000 feet, a broad plain pocked with caves, waterfalls, dense cities and nearly uninhabited rural districts. This landscape forged a multicultural national identity that embraces everyone from international entrepreneurs and musical artists who perform worldwide to Rastafarians who seldom interact with outsiders. For travelers, this Jamaica is no one-trick pony.

1  Musical Airs

Jamaica may be the Caribbean’s most musical island. It gave birth to ska, rocksteady and reggae, at least putting it on par with Cuba, the birthplace of salsa, son and cha-cha. Music is everywhere in Jamaica, and while the performers work in many styles, there’s a Jamaican way of making music that’s instantly identifiable. It’s the trademark of internationally appreciated artists, ranging from the various members of the Marley clan to Beenie Man, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Jimmy Cliff… it’s a long list. Whether it’s a Rasta with a guitar down by the beach or tuning up in a Montego Bay nightclub with a dancehall deejay, this is the fountainhead of a sound that has found fans around the world.

2  Historic Proportions

The Arawak Amerindians named the island Xaymaca, the land of wood and water. The towering trees, rivers and waterfalls must have been a revelation to these first arrivals from the low-lying sandy Windward Islands. Other than displacing the Arawaks, the Spanish did little to develop the island, and the British took it from them in 1655. The British established plantations and pirate havens—Port Royal was called the “Babylon of the West”—and the wealth generated by these enterprises built fine houses in Kingston and on plantations scattered along the coasts. Catch a glimpse of the grandeur at the 19th-century Devon House or the Institute of Jamaica in Kingston. See the grit at the museums of Port Royal, also in Kingston. Harmony Hall near Ocho Rios is a proper snapshot of the genteel country life and boasts an art museum to boot.

3  Live Like the Other Half

For British artists and aristocrats the North Coast was a hedonistic playground where they could cavort, uninhibited by London’s moralizing majority. The playwright, Noel Coward, built his vacation home, Firefly, on a cliff once used by the pirate Capt. Henry Morgan as a lookout. Swashbuckling actor Errol Flynn, who earned himself the nickname Tasmanian Devil, bought Navy Island in Port Antonio and spent years there dodging a statutory rape charge pending in Hollywood. You can tour Firefly and James Bond author Ian Fleming’s Goldeneye estate in Orcabessa, which is now a luxury resort.

4  Rum Running

Sugarcane was one of the main crops of the big plantations. What do you do with a ton of sugarcane? Obviously, you crush and ferment it, then cook up some rum. Jamaica was the official supplier of the spirit to the Royal Navy until the service’s daily rum rations were discontinued in 1970. You’ll find the island’s best at any bar or restaurant, or you can go to the source and visit the distilleries. Myers’s and Appleton Estate are the leading export brands, producing superbly blended spirits aged up to 30 years.

5  Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo

They may be younger and their antics more outrageous, but the rock ’n’ roll generation has also found Jamaica the perfect foil for their wild side. There’s a pervasive hipness at places like the Rockhouse hotel in Negril and Jakes resort in Treasure Beach; whether those vibes are left behind by Mick Jagger and Bob Marley or just an innate sense of boho chic, you can feel fabulous without even bothering to put on a shirt and shoes.

6  You’ll Love the Jerks

Jerk cooking has spread almost as widely as reggae. Meat seasoned with allspice, Scotch bonnet peppers, cloves, cinnamon and a few other spices, was originally smoked in a pit to preserve it. These days, jerk is generally grilled over a wood fire, often in an oil drum. As good as jerk pork, chicken or goat is, that’s only a part of the story. Jamaican cuisine has many other ingredients: peas ’n’ rice (pigeon peas and rice), bammy (cassava bread), patties (meat turnovers), curry goat and the national dish, salt cod and ackee.

7  Land Lovers

Jamaica has a bit of everything iconic about the Caribbean: mountain peaks, broad sandy beaches, rocky seaside cliffs, rolling coastal plains, lazy rivers, waterfalls, mangrove coasts, vast swamps and lush valleys. Much of it is cloaked in visually searing highway-sign-green foliage punctuated by bursts of bougainvillea, fuchsia, ginger and orchids. On the shoulders of Blue Mountain Peak sits a cloud forest thick with towering palm tree-size ferns richly furred with bromeliads. That gives way to an elfin forest of miniature, wizened plants as you climb. On a clear day you can see Cuba, 90 miles away, from the 7,400-foot peak; at night, the lights of Kingston twinkle just below.

8  Adrenalized

With all of that landscape to play in, there’s no lack of ways to get an activity buzz. Without leaving most resorts you can try windsurfing or any number of water toys. You can cross the forest canopy on a zip line, hunt for saltwater crocs, dive, hike, bike, climb and ride ATVs, horses or camels. Sports operators are everywhere; just ask at your hotel tour desk.

9  Beached

If you just want some sand to lie on, there are plenty of stretches from which to choose. You’ll have no difficulty finding the spots popular with visitors, but if you’re a little adventurous, there are many less obvious choices to be discovered. Boston Beach near Port Antonio is famous for its jerk stands; nearby Winnifred Beach is popular with locals; Cosmos Beach is near Negril’s Seven Mile Beach but gets far less traffic; same with Cornwall Beach near Montego Bay which is often nearly deserted when the adjacent (and popular) Doctor’s Cave Beach is packed. Farther along the North Shore in Orcabessa is small but scenic James Bond Beach, where scenes from the 1962 Bond flick Dr. No were filmed.

10  Dollar Wise

While it’s possible to spend as much in Jamaica as anywhere else in the Caribbean, it’s also possible to spend far less. The island has the full range of guest houses, hotels and resorts. You can rent a basic beach cabin in Negril for less than $50 a night and work your way up to a room with a butler at a beachfront resort or on to a million-dollar private villa. In the middle, scores of resorts and budget-stretching all-inclusive properties let you go Jamaican your way.

Jamaica Trident Hotel
Caribbean, Jamaica, Stay, Trip Ideas

Sexy Jamaica Retreats for the Ultimate Escape

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A sizable island chockablock with alluring resort areas, Jamaica is ever-ready to delight sand-and-sea-loving vacationers. But what about those seeking a bit more style and a bit of quirk in their choice of lodgings? They too are covered, thanks to a collection of unique resorts that both blend and bend tradition in consort with modish design and funky, one-of-a-kind statements of individuality. On an island already noted for original styles, these five properties stand out, delivering ambiance and amenities rolled into an extra helping of style.

Trident, Port Antonio

Trident Hotel, Jamaica Retreats

Trident’s modernist design and sculptures complement the luxurious rooms’ contemporary style. Photo: Trident Hotel

Ceramic sheep on an electric-green lawn? Bright orange pillows as a dash of color in a minimalist, all-white villa? Welcome to Trident: an always-whimsical collection of villas that’s part retro-trendy, part contemporary chic. There’s an antique billiards table and an uber-sleek infinity pool. There’s Mike’s Supper Club, modeled after a 1920s-style speakeasy, and a private beach with its own bar—so very 2014. The hotel’s modish style is that much more inimitable on account of its location: the sleepy parish of Portland, known more for rustic cottages than this sort of SoHo-style fabulosity. 

Goldeneye, Oracabessa Bay

Golden Eye, Bizot Bar, Jamaica

Begin each evening with cocktails at the Bizot Bar overlooking the pool. Photo: Goldeneye

In Oracabessa, on Jamaica’s northeast coast, the one-time home of James Bond creator Ian Fleming is now a sublime Goldeneye beachfront resort owned by former Island Records impresario Chris Blackwell—aka the man who introduced Bob Marley. It would certainly be excellent enough for 007 himself. By day, the place abounds in barefoot-friendly funkiness: album-art walls, a soundtrack that veers from Bob Marley to U2, a lazy seaside lagoon adorned by flying fish and electric-bright butterflies. By night, elegance takes over: the swinging footbridge over the lagoon is torch-lit, guiding you to some of the best locally-sourced fine dining in Jamaica. Later, just try to drag yourself from the massive outdoor bathroom in your beachfront cottage: That tree really is a shower, and that bathtub looks even better under the moonlight. 

Jakes, Treasure Beach

Jakes, Jamaica

Book this tropical ocean-view room and drift off to the sounds of lapping waves. Photo: Jakes

It’s tough to nail down the coolest thing about Jakes. The location, Treasure Beach? It’s a rural, delightfully sleepy slice of Jamaica’s south coast, where tourism doesn’t consist of all-inclusive resorts and fruity drinks. Or maybe it’s the hotel’s cultural history: Jake’s is owned by the family of Perry Henzell, director of the classic Jamaican film The Harder They Come; it was designed by Perry’s wife Sally, set director on that film. Ah, no—it’s probably that design: the whimsical cottages—with names like “Cockles” and “Octopussy”—are individually crafted, incorporating the unexpected: sticks and stones, old bottles, seashells embedded in the walls. It’s wonderfully unpretentious, yet supremely luxurious. 

Round Hill Hotel & Villas, Montego Bay

Round-Hill-Jamaica-Double-Edge-Infinity-Pool

Originally opened in 1953, Round Hill is steeped in tradition, yet contemporary in design.   Photo: Round Hill Hotel & Villas

61 never looked so good. As one of Jamaica’s oldest hotels, Round Hill—just outside of Montego Bay—has more than an air of sophistication about it; it’s old-world elegance personified, complete with rooms designed by Ralph Lauren and a hyper-professional staff who treat guests like old friends—which many are. Repeat visitors have claimed Round Hill as their ultra-classy home-away-from home for decades. The oceanfront spa boasts some of most experienced masseuses on the island; many of the restaurant’s spices are sourced from the new onsite garden. And for a dose of the contemporary, there’s a modish infinity pool—though dragging yourself away from that lavish beach is a chore. 

Strawberry Hill, Irish Town

Jamaica Strawberry Hill Bird's Hill

Strawberry Hill feels like a magical village full of luxurious details. Photo: Island Outpost

Location, location, location. Strawberry Hill has it, in spades: gloriously perched 3100 feet above sea level, boasting surreally beautiful panoramas of the Blue Mountains. The hotel also gets points for its colonial elegance and illustrious history: an 18th-century-coffee-plantation-turned-vacation-home-turned-hotel, once frequented by the likes of Bob Marley and Mick Jagger. Handcrafted, uniquely appointed Georgian-style cottages feel like tree houses ensconced in the Blue Mountains; the restaurant menu showcases “New Jamaican Cuisine,” made from locally sourced, organic meats and produce and fusing international recipes with Jamaican classics like conch fritters and callalloo soup. And the Living Spa focuses on organic healing, customized treatments and Ayurvedic practices. Try the Blue Mountain Body Elixir, which
combines massage, hydrotherapy and exfoliation using a natural Blue Mountain Coffee scrub. 

 

Rebel Salute, St. Ann, Jamaica music festivals
Caribbean, Jamaica, Play, Trip Ideas

Jamaica Music Festivals

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Anywhere you go in Jamaica- from urban-jungle Kingston to laid-back Negril, from sumptuous resort to humble roadside rum shack-one thing is a constant: that beat. It’s reggae, of course, on the island that invented it, making it blissfully impossible to enjoy a non-musical Jamaican holiday. To really up the reggae ante, though, visit the island during one of its annual music festivals and get lost in the glorious riddim.

Jamaica Jazz & Blues (January, Trelawny)

This blockbuster festival has a bit of blues, a decent dose of jazz and a good measure of contemporary and classic R&B—all courtesy of international artists. But it also delivers plenty of local talent: reggae artists performing extra-smooth sets, jazzing up their style and kicking it up with extra flair for an audience that’s come from as far as Japan and as near as the tony suburbs of Kingston. In past years this fest has hosted big- name acts, ranging from Harry Belafonte, Diana Ross and Celine Dion to the Jamaican pop star Shaggy and the reggae crooner Maxi Priest.

Rebel Salute (January, St. Ann)

Do you like to praise Jah with your music? Drink in conscious lyrics? Sway to classic reggae rhythms? Then this is the festival for you. It was launched by local artist Tony Rebel as a one-day homage to roots reggae—a subgenre of reggae and the direct descendent of Marley and co.—and is now a two-day affair, with a lineup showcasing the best of today’s and yesterday’s Jamaican music scene. No alcohol or meat is served, but there are plenty of vendors selling ital—read: Rastafarian-friendly delicacies, such as vegetarian food and wine made from roots and spices.

Bacchanal Jamaica (April, Kingston)

Carnival time in Jamaica is all about being TrinJamaican—a lively fusion of Trinidad-style soca music events and uber- Jamaican reggae ones. Fetes and a grand street parade are held across Kingston, just as one would find in Trinidad’s famous bacchanal. There are even “socacise” events, which turn working out into a fabulous shindig. But the birthplace of reggae music serves up plenty of hometown rhythms along with the soca jams, concerts, all-inclusive fetes and more.

Reggae Sumfest (July, Montego Bay)

If you’re a diehard reggae fan, this is the be-all-and-end-all of Jamaican music shows, and it’s held right in the heart of the music’s mecca. If you’re a casual listener, Sumfest will convert you into that diehard fan. Since 1992 this festival has attracted tens of thousands to a colossal field for performances by all the relevant names in reggae and its younger, hip-hop-flavored offspring, dancehall; at least a couple of big-deal hip-hop and R&B acts are also thrown in for good measure. Get your stamina up beforehand. For three nights the shows wrap up well after sunrise, so devote an extra week on the beach to recovery time.

The Reggae Marathon and Half Marathon (December, Negril)

Talk about an inspiring fitness soundtrack: This certified running event—set on the glorious white-sand beaches and rugged cliffs that make up tourist-friendly Negril—has reggae at the heart of it. The whole event is, really, a grand reggae party, with roadside DJs spinning the latest tunes and the classic oldies. At a Victory Party and Village Bash, runners can celebrate themselves by dancing the night away.

tropical getaways
Bahamas, Bahamas-New Providence, Barbados, Bermuda, Caribbean, Jamaica, Plan, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Martin/St. Maarten, U.S. Virgin Islands

Easy Caribbean Getaways

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You’ve had it with the day-to-day. It’s time to fly to St. Somewhere and wiggle your toes in the sand. But what if your time is in short supply? Relax, with a bit of planning, you can still reach the beach for a long weekend without spending the majority of your getaway in transit lounges or taxi cabs. It’s all about picking a destination that’s a reasonable nonstop away, and a resort that’s not too far from where you land. To inspire you, we’ve created some sample arrivals, based on currently available nonstop flights and average transit times from arrival gateway to resort. Each of these properties was chosen not only for convenience to the airport, but also because they provide the Caribbean vacation experience you crave.

Atlanta to St. Lucia (ATL-UVF)

St Lucia Coconut Bay waterslide, caribbean getaways

St. Lucia’s Coconut Bay Resort has an adults-only wing, but grownups are free to cut loose as well. Photo: Richard Hallman/Coconut Bay Resort

 Depart at 9:51 a.m. / 4 hr. 24 min. flight time / 5 min. shuttle to Coconut Bay Resort / Check in at 3:25 p.m.

Travel Notes: After four hours on the plane, you’ll be ready to hit the beach, not spend another hour-plus on winding roads to reach one of the resorts on St. Lucia’s west-central coast. Coconut Bay is a well liked and reasonably-priced all-inclusive on the island’s southeastern corner, with separate wings for adults and families. It sits beachfront on the Atlantic, with a dedicated adult pool and spa, five restaurants, six bars, plenty of on-property water sports and short drive times to many of the island’s best day-trip adventures.

Boston to St. Thomas (BOS-STT)

St Thomas Ritz Carlton, Sailing Catamaran

The sailing catamaran Lady Lynsey cruises near the Ritz-Carlton on Great Bay, St. Thomas. Photo: Don Riddle/Ritz-Carlton

Depart at 8:57 a.m. / 4 hr. 2 min. flight time / 25-30 min. van ride to the Ritz-Carlton / Check in at 3:30 p.m.

Travel Notes: Getting to the majority of St. Thomas’ beachfront properties requires a run through downtown Charlotte Amalie. And once you are free of the traffic on Veteran’s Drive, it’s worth investing a few extra minutes of taxi time to go all the way to the island’s east end. The Ritz-Carlton sits on a quiet strand of beach known as Turtle Cove, overlooking Great Bay and St. John to the east. You’ll have plenty of time for a refreshing dip and a relaxing libation at the Coconut Cove bar before showering up for dinner. 

Charlotte to Barbados (CTL-BGI)

Coral reef club Barbados

The elegant Coral Reef Club commands prime beachfront real estate on Barbados’ calmer west coast. Photo: Mike Toy/Coral Reef Club

Depart at 10 a.m. / 4 hr. 32 min. flight time / 15 min. taxi ride to Ocean Two / Check in at 4:30 p.m.

Travel Notes: Located on calm Dover Beach, on the island’s south coast, Ocean Two offers easier access to the airport than resorts north of Bridgetown. Those willing to invest an additional 20 minutes of cab time to the west-central coast should consider the Coral Reef Club for a taste of gentile West Indies elegance.

Chicago to Jamaica (ORD-MBJ)

Jamaica Sandals Resort

Jamaica resorts such as Sandals at Montego Bay give couples a chance to enjoy private time together. Photo: Sandals Resort Montego Bay

Depart at 7:40 a.m. / 3 hr. 50 min. flight time / 10 min. shuttle to Sandals Royal Caribbean / Check in at 1:30 p.m.

Travel Notes: Arrival in Montego Bay couldn’t be easier. Once you clear customs, go right to a dedicated check-in desk for Sandals, then chill out in the on-site lounge while their staff takes care of your luggage transfers. From there, it’s a quick ride to the property, where a welcome drink awaits. To get the most out of a short stay, book a mid-afternoon return and enjoy a couple extra hours of morning beach time at the resort. The front desk will hold your bags after checkout, and there are facilities for a rinse and change before the flight. 

Cleveland to Puerto Rico (CLE-SJU)

La Concha Resort, Puerto Rico

The spectacular infinity pool at Puerto Rico’s La Concha resort overlooks blue ocean waters. Photo: La Concha

Depart at 8:45 a.m. / 4 hr. 15 min. flight time / 15 min. taxi to La Concha Resort / Check in at 2:30 p.m.

Travel Notes: There are no customs or immigration stops when flying to Puerto Rico, and once bags are in hand, you’ll have no problem flagging a taxi. Mid-day traffic should be reasonable, and the location of the La Concha couldn’t be better. The hotel sits smack in the middle of the upscale Condado district, overlooking an excellent stretch of beach that is right next door to the green spaces and lively activities of the Ventana del Mar square. Avenida Ashford is ideal for strolling and people watching, and just a mile away are the scenic streets of Old San Juan. 

New York to Bermuda (JFK-BDA)

Bermuda Hamilton Harbor

An intra-island ferry runs from Hamilton Harbour to destinations around the island nation of Bermuda. Photo: Verena Mathew/iStock

Depart at 7:30 a.m. / 2 hr. 10 min. flight / 25 min. taxi to Coco Reef Resort / Check in at 11:45 a.m.

Travel Notes: Bermuda is an easy hop from New York, but with the airport at the far north of the connected group of islands that comprise the nation of Bermuda, it can take an hour to reach the most distant resorts on the island’s southwest point. Split the distance by staying at Coco Reef Resort. It’s not the island’s fanciest or priciest, but it does sit on one of the most spectacular beaches, with direct ocean views from many rooms. 

Philadelphia to St. Martin (PHL-SXM)

St Maarten Philipsburg

St. Maarten’s capital, Philipsburg, sits beachside on a spit of land between a salt pond and Great Bay. Photo: iStock

Depart at 9:40 a.m. / 4 hr. flight time / 5 min. taxi to Azure Hotel / Check in at 3:15 p.m.

Travel Notes: You can reach most any part of the half-Dutch, half-French island of Sint Maarten/St. Marten in less than a half hour from the airport, so selecting a hotel is really about preferences: Dutch or French, leeward or windward, upscale or value-priced. One popular option that puts you within a few paces of the clear waters of Simpson Beach is the Azure Hotel. The decor is attractive, and kitchenettes allow you to dine in when you feel like it. You’ll be reminded of your proximity to the airport each time a plane takes off, but the immediate beach access can’t be beat. 

Washington, D.C. to Nassau (DCA-NAS)

Compass Point Resort, New Providence, Bahamas

Admiring the view of Love Beach from a balcony at Compass Point Resort, New Providence Island, Bahamas. Photo: Julian Bajzert/Bahamas Tourist Office

Depart at 8:40 a.m. / 2 hr. 50 min. flight time / 10 min. taxi to Compass Point Resort / Check in at 12:30 p.m.

Travel Notes: When you arrive at Lynden Pindling International Airport, you have choices. It’s about 15 minutes to the resorts on Cable Beach, which one day soon will include the ambitious Bahama Mar development, or a half hour ride through Nassau to Paradise Island. As an alternative, you could take a left on West Bay Street and arrive at one of the island’s favorite and most colorful getaways: Compass Point Beach Resort, where brightly-painted huts perch on the seawall overlooking turquoise waters. You may need to book well in advance, because this place has become one of the Bahama’s worst-kept secrets, but remains one of its best experiences. 

Caribbean beach chairs for families
Bahamas, Bahamas-New Providence, Cabo San Lucas, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Hawaii-Big Island, Jamaica, Kauai, Maui, Mexico, Oahu, Plan, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Trip Ideas, Turks & Caicos

10 Top Beach Destinations for Family Vacations

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You want to get away, but not from your family. Instead, you’d like to find a place in the sun that provides both relaxing moments and exciting memories. A place where you can temper togetherness with some alone time while the younger generation pursues their passions would be ideal. This destination should also be safe, relatively easy to reach and offer a diverse range of sights and activities—just in case you want to take a break from that beach chair and have some adventures. Here are 10 tropical destinations within easy reach of North America, each ideal for a family getaway.

St. Lucia

Coconut Bay, St. Lucia Kayaking

Located near the airport, St Lucia’s Coconut Bay Resort offers a wide range of activities for adults and children. Photo: Richard Hallman/Coconut Bay

The Caribbean’s Windward Islands are green and mountainous, with surf-washed beaches to the east and calmer waters to the west. In between are waterfalls, jungles and scenic overlooks worthy of a hike, a canopy zip-line tour or a horseback ride. One of the easiest to reach from North America is St. Lucia. Currently, there are seven U.S. and Canadian cities offering non-stop flights into Vieux Fort airport on the island’s southern coast. Luxe resorts are hidden away in St. Lucia’s wooded hills and sheltered bays, but not all are suited to the lively sounds of active children. One property where children are not only accepted, but catered to, is the Coconut Bay Resort. This mid-range but highly rated property is close to the airport and departure points for island adventures such as rainforest tram rides and four-wheeler tours. The adults-only Harmony wing is separated from the lively Splash wing, which is home to a water park, paintball court and beach shack; it’s the center for a variety of supervised land and water sports. Meanwhile, parents can enjoy all the grown-up perks expected of an all-inclusive. 

Dominican Republic

With direct air service into Punta Cana, the island’s most popular resort area, getting the family to a beach in the Dominican Republic is easy. The crime rate in this region of the DR is almost non-existent, and vacation action centers around the numerous all-inclusive resorts lining the coast. Most waiters, clerks and cab drivers have at least basic English comprehension, and within the resort complexes, you may find yourself having to seek out opportunities to practice your high school Spanish. One of the best places for families, toddlers to teens, is the Club Med Punta Cana, which is just minutes from the airport and directly fronting one of the region’s finest palm-fringed beaches. From the on-site children’s buffet, complete with baby food, to the skate park, hangout lounge and teen spa, the youth programs and recreational opportunities go well beyond the usual kids’ club routine. 

Jamaica

Negril Jamaica, Beaches Resort

Negril’s Beaches Resort offers a wide range of kid-centric amenities, including a water park and lazy river. Photo: Steve Sanacore/Beaches Resort

Jamaica is ground zero for the all-inclusive lifestyle, and the resorts that focus on families go all out to deliver a complete vacation experience for the younger generation. Parents aren’t forgotten however, and thanks to a wide assortment of infant programs, kids’ camps, and all-age water-sports activities, it’s easy for a family to play together— or pursue their own passions. Montego Bay is the default arrival point for the majority of all-inclusives, and resort shuttles whisk your group directly to a beachfront complex. High on any family’s list—especially those with younger children—is the Beaches property in Negril, which is about an hour away from the airport by shuttle bus. The little ones will be rewarded for their in-transit patience when they are greeted by Elmo and other Sesame Street characters. Older children can lose themselves in a smorgasbord of age-appropriate diversions that include water sports and everything from an Xbox Play Lounge to an under-21 nightclub (relax, there’s no alcohol). Parents can join in the fun or opt for a round of golf, a spa treatment and a private candlelight dinner. For those looking to stay closer to Montego Bay, two of the best family-friendly properties are the Half Moon resort and Iberostar Rose Hall Suites. 

Costa Rica

Xandari Resort, Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Xandara Resort is centrally located, providing convenient access to San Jose and area attractions. Photo: Xandara Resort

 Once the kids reach bike-riding age and beyond, Costa Rica becomes a fantastic vacation destination for eco adventures and active water sports. By far the safest country in Central America, Costa Rica has long been a haven for U.S. expats. The country’s mountainous central regions mitigate the tropical heat and provide a magnificent backdrop for rainforest hikes, volcano tours, jungle river rafting, and high-flying zip-line tours. Equally popular are the numerous beachside resorts nestled into the green jungles of the Pacific Coast. Though the distances between regions may not seem great as the crow files, twisting mountain roads can mean drive times of several hours. Rather than try to see and do it all in one trip, it’s best to settle into a base camp resort and sample some of the more exciting adventures that are within easy range of that locale. The beautiful landscaped grounds of Xandari Resort & Spa provide commanding views and easy proximity to the capital of San José, while an hour to the north guests of the Peace Lodge can wander through the adjacent La Paz Waterfall Gardens and relax in eco-lodge luxury. A coastal destination that combines the best of jungle and beach is the Manuel Antonio National Park. The Sí Como No Resort, Spa & Wildlife Refuge is the region’s premier property, while Hotel Costa Verde, with its airplane suite and resident monkeys, is certainly one of the most fun places to stay.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico El Conquistador Resort

Puerto Rico’s El Conquistador resort offers a water park and daily boat trips to a private island. Photo: El Conquistador

If you are stuck in San Juan freeway traffic, with the kids asking “are we there yet,” it might seem like you never left Miami or Manhattan. But once you steer clear of the capital’s urban sprawl, a better side of the island is revealed. Puerto Rico’s green highlands provide miles of back-road exploration and rainforest adventures, while the ocean beckons. Surfers prefer the waves of Rincón to the west, but the island’s clearest waters and sunniest skies are found to the east. Forty minutes from Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, the coastal town of Fajardo is an epicenter for fishing, sailing and diving excursions, and a jumping off point for the out islands of Culebra and Vieques. Just north of town, the Waldorf Astoria El Conquistador overlooks the eastern water, with an on-site marina, seven outdoor pools and a water park complete with flumes and a lazy river. Families can book into the Las Casitas Village to enjoy the extra elbow room of one- and two-bedroom suites and still be within easy walking distance of all amenities, including the spa and golf course. The waterfront is lacking in sandy beaches, but a catamaran ride from the docks will deliver you to private Palomino Island for a day of beachfront relaxation. 

Turks and Caicos

The Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Village

The Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Village sits on the midpoint of Providenciales’ magnificent Grace Bay. Photo: Beaches Resorts

 In their natural state the dry, low-lying islands of the Turks and Caicos aren’t much to look at—until you reach the shore. There, soft white sand meets water that shimmers in shades of emerald and turquoise. Thanks to direct air service and ample supplies of desalinated water, this sun-swept British Crown Colony has evolved into a world-class resort destination. If you arrive on Providenciales accompanied by children, you are most likely headed for Grace Bay and the expansive grounds of Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa. This property takes the all-inclusive family resort concept to a whole new level, delivering activities and indulgences for all ages—including parents. There’s a dedicated nursery facility and toddlers are watched over by certified nannies and entertained by costumed Sesame Street characters. Older children can frolic in the Caribbean’s largest water park or join guided snorkel tours, beach games and reggae jams. If the teens managed to get tired of the beach, they can move to an age-themed game room, hangout lounge or dance club. Mom and dad aren’t slighted either, with everything from scuba diving to spa treatments, plus 19 restaurants and a dozen bars to sample. 

Cabo San Lucas

Melia Cabo Real, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

The Melia Cabo Real is a family-friendly resort located north of Cabo San Lucas on Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Photo: Victor Elias/Melia Cabo Real

Cabo San Lucas can be a party town, but there’s more to Baja’s southernmost settlement than the nightly reveries of the marina district. The same sunny skies, blue waters and warm sands that draw spring breakers and incognito A-listers can also provide the backdrop for a memorable family vacation. A number of resorts are tucked along the coast between the airport at San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas itself, offering a base for self-contained recreation on-property, plus reasonable drive times to the cape’s other attractions. One favorite family option is the Melia Cabo Real All-inclusive Beach & Golf Resort, which is kid-friendly both in terms of pricing and amenities. Children under 12 stay free with parents and can enjoy a range of youth-centric activities. A good near-town option is the Playa Grande Resort & Grand Spa, which sits just over the hills from downtown and at the far end of the beach near Land’s End and the Cape’s signature arch. Guests find a range of youth activities, but the real attraction is the chance for some private beach time in one of the world’s most spectacular settings, combined with five-minute access to town. 

Paradise Island

Atlantis resort, Bahamas, Tubing

The Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas features a mile-long tube river with rapids and tunnels. Photo: Jeffrey Brown/Atlantis Resorts

Flying into New Providence Island, home to the capital city of Nassau, is easy from points all across the eastern United States. There are several vintage and a couple of newer resorts along the western and southern coasts worth consideration, but once the kids hear “Bahamas” they will probably be thinking “Atlantis.” The marketing machine behind this mega-resort gets the word out on the children’s channels, so there’s a pretty good chance they’ll already know what to expect. You won’t have the property’s beaches, pools or water park to yourself, but everything runs with theme park-like precision. A family of four can book into the more cost-effective Beach Tower and still enjoy all the diversions the resort complex has to offer. 

Curacao

If Curacao isn’t on your family’s vacation radar, it should be. The island tempers the practical stability of the Netherlands with a hint of Caribbean spice, providing an experience that is slightly exotic, but ultimately comfortable and safe. You may hear strains of Papiamento or Dutch when strolling through the historic districts of Willemstad, but if you need to ask directions, you’ll probably get an answer in English. Water sports are the primary draw, but the capital city has also made a name for itself in recent years as a regional center for art and culture. You’ll mingle with a mixed bag of Europeans at the cafes or on the beach. A top choice for family groups with mixed-age children is the Sunscape Curacao Resort. Close to both the airport and downtown, this all-inclusive is very kid-friendly, not only because of the various youth-central amenities and activities, but also because of its location. The sheltered beach is perfect for swimming and first-time snorkelers, and the Curacao Sea Aquarium complex is within easy walking distance. 

Hawaii

Napali Kai Beach Resort, Lahaina, Maui

Napili Kai Beach Resort, Lahaina, Maui. Photo: Jim York / Napili Kai Beach Resort

Hawaii’s resort infrastructure is second to none, and it’s a tropical destination that’s also part of the United States, so you can skip the passport and count on all the comforts of home, and then some. Each of the four major destinations has its own vibe. Oahu offers urban amenities or an escape to the north shore; Kauai is a bit wilder and ideal for outdoor adventures and relaxing natural surroundings; Hawaii (aka the big island) tourism focuses around Kona and golf and big game fishing are prime. It is the island of Maui that offers the greatest diversity of activities for children of all ages, and quite a few resorts cater to families with water parks, youth camps, game rooms, social activities and so forth. Sometimes, less is more, and if you want to focus on together time and relax at a resort where you don’t have to ride a tram to get to the dining room, consider the Napili Kai Beach Resort. Its low-rise condominium accommodations are set on ten acres of landscaped grounds fronting a quiet beach and snorkel-worthy Napili Bay.

 

Mauna Kea Golf Course, Kohala Coast, Hawaii
Bermuda, Cabo San Lucas, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Hawaii, Hawaii-Big Island, Jamaica, Lanai, Mexico, Nevis, Play, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Rico, Trip Ideas

Tees by the Sea: 10 Spectacular Oceanfront Golf Courses

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If your idea of a great vacation includes not only sun, sand and blue water, but also sand traps and water hazards, you don’t have to choose one over the other. Seaside golf resorts give you the best of both: a relaxing tropical vacation with the chance to play some of the most fabled and scenic courses in the world. We’ve assembled a collection of first-class golf courses that not only sit beachside, but are also in prime vacation destinations. Some have fun, yet forgiving, fairways and accommodating greens, while others challenge with architecture that demands precision and incorporates natural hazards, from lava fields and mangrove swamps to precipitous, surf-washed cliffs. And as an added bonus, each of these courses is affiliated with a world-class beachfront resort, where spa time, poolside languor and fine dining can cap off a great round.

Port Royal Golf Course, Southampton, Bermuda

Port Royal Golf Course, Bermuda

Delivering dramatic oceanfront views and one of golf’s most famous holes, Port Royal is the current home of the PGA Grand Slam. As a public course, it is open to all. Photo: V Stephen Raynor

Bermuda has more golf courses per square mile than anywhere on earth. High on the island’s list of must-plays is the Port Royal Golf Course, home to one of the most memorable waterfront holes in golf: the 235-yard, par-3 16th hole, which perches on the edge of an oceanfront bluff, offering spectacularly distracting views of azure waters that lie in wait for the errant hook shot. Benefiting from multi-million dollar upgrades in recent years, this top-ranked public course has attracted its share of pros with events such as the annual PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

Where to Stay: Book an ocean-view room next door at the Pompano Beach Club and you will not only enjoy a world-class beach and memorable ocean views, but also 15-minute proximity to three additional courses: Riddell’s Bay Golf & Country Club, Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort and the ever-popular Turtle Hill Golf Club at the Fairmont Southampton, widely considered one of the sport’s more challenging and scenic par-3 courses. Pompano’s staff can arrange for transportation and tee times at many of the island’s courses, including space-available tee times at the renowned Mid Ocean Club on select days. Once the clubs are put away, guests enjoy amenities that includes water sports, tennis, spa services and one of the island’s top-ranked eateries—The Cedar Room. There are few better places to toast a successful day on the links than the Sunset Lounge, which, as the name promises, delivers amazing sunset views. 

Four Seasons, Nevis

Four Seasons Nevis Golf Course, Oceanfront Golf Courses

En route to a finish overlooking the beach, the Four Seasons Nevis course first plays uphill then provides some dramatic downhill tees with panoramic views. Photo: Four Seasons Resorts

Making par on this Robert Trent Jones II course at the Four Seasons Nevis is no day at the beach—though your reward after sinking the 18th hole could be a stroll right onto Pinney Beach. Only the final hole plays ocean-side, but there’s no shortage of scenery—or challenges. After hitting past the remains of an old sugar mill and into spectacular views of Nevis Peak, the back nine takes an uphill turn, requiring some strong carries, but worth it for the panoramic views of the beach below. At the par-5 15th hole, you’ll be looking at better than 650 yards from the back tee to the greens. Relax, the heady 175-foot fairway drop puts gravity on your side. Overall, the course’s many long, narrow fairways keep you honest, and you’ll discover why the golf gurus consistently rank these as 18 of the finest holes in the Caribbean.

Where to Stay: The Four Seasons resort is equally serious about tennis and has 10 well-maintained courts. Three pools provide varying levels of quiet-versus-fun, and a sheltered section of Pinney Beach is devoted to swimming and water sports. With rooms and suites set in free-standing cottages nestled into the lushly landscaped property, it’s possible to find a bit of privacy, but equally easy to join the fun. The resort is family-friendly, but not at the expense of adult-centric services and amenities. Beach lovers may want to secure one of the resort’s cabana-style beach verandas. These open-air day retreats are just steps from the water’s edge and deliver sweeping views of the Caribbean and Nevis’ sister island of St. Kitts.

White Witch, St. James, Jamaica

White Witch Golf Course, St. James, Jamaica

White Witch challenges with strategic bunkers and undulating greens, but ultimately rewards with spectacular water views. It is now managed jointly with nearby Cinnamon Hill. Photo: Rose Hill

Jamaica’s White Witch golf course offers spellbinding beautiful ocean views from most every hole, but it can also torment with narrow fairways leading to wickedly placed bunkers and fast, undulating greens. This long par 71, designed by Robert von Hagge and Rick Baril, is generally considered the best in Jamaica. Located within the historic grounds of the Rose Hill Plantation near Montego Bay, the course takes its name not from the beguilingly architecture, but from the former plantation owner and alleged voodoo mistress, Annie Palmer (no relation to the golfing great). Any magic now emanating from this 200-acre swath of golfing paradise is of a brighter nature and might involve the club’s renowned “golf concierges”—local caddies whose intimate knowledge of course strategy can help players shave a few strokes off their game.

Where to Stay: Be among the first to stay at the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall when it opens in 2014. A former Ritz-Carlton, the property will re-emerge as an adult-focused all-inclusive with an emphasis on active recreation supported by upscale amenities and the Hyatt branding. 

Punta Espada Golf Club, Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

Punta Espada Golf Club, Cap Cana, Dominican Republic

On Punta Espada’s scenic 2nd hole, the views can distract, and sea breezes often come into play. The immaculately-groomed course is one of the top ranked in the Caribbean. Photo: Punta Espada

The Dominican Republic rewards vacationing golfers with a wealth of challenging and scenic waterfront courses, and one of the latest additions to this roster is the Punta Espada Golf Club at Cap Cana. This lushly landscaped and immaculately groomed course has garnered top honors for the Caribbean two years running from Golfweek magazine. The scenery alone goes a long way towards justifying such a ranking, as there are ocean views from all holes and eight play right along the beach. But this Jack Nicklaus-signature course also offers a level of play equal to its beauty, incorporating natural features such as bluffs, beach, waterways and foliage into a design that can accommodate yet challenge golfers of all levels, including the pros. The fairways are relatively wide and provide forgiving bailout areas, but the course requires both accuracy and strategy to score well. Many consider the par-3 13th hole to be Punta Espada’s signature hole, and it is also one of the more challenging, with a stunningly distracting sliver of ocean between tee and green.

Where to Stay: There are several first-class beachfront properties near the club. For a vacation stay as memorable as your rounds of play, book a suite or villa at the adjacent Eden Roc at Cap Cana. All suites feature private outdoor pools and gazebos, and guests have access to the exclusive Caletón Beach Club.

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

After playing through mangrove lowlands that have been designated as a bird sanctuary, the Bahia Beach course breaks out of the forest at the 16th to play along a palm-lined beach. Photo: St Regis Bahia Beach

Long before you reach the namesake strand of sand, the Bahia Beach Golf Course brings water into play. In all, some 15 holes of this 7,000-yard course include water features. Designer Robert Trent Jones Jr. took full advantage of a network of existing saltwater lagoons to create a layout that in his words, “will challenge but also delight your soul and spirit.” Through much of the course, thick foliage and water features line the fairways, creating not only a buffer against coastal trade winds, but also preserving one of the island’s more pristine natural habitats. In fact, Bahia Beach is the first and only course in Puerto Rico to be named a Gold Audubon International Signature Sanctuary. Above the greenery and lagoons, the highlands of the El Yunque National Rain Forest loom in the distance. But the real reward comes when players break out to the ocean at the 16th hole and play their final three holes beachside. Here, sea breezes can become a factor, but overall this course provides not only natural attractions, but also a great round of resort golf that challenges without inciting frustration.

Where to Stay: The golf course is part of a planned residential and vacation complex that includes the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort. More than half of the property’s 480 acres were left wild and include two miles of sand beaches. Hiking trails wind around lakes and through a bird sanctuary, the grounds of a former coconut plantation and indigenous coastal forests. The resort’s focus on luxury and service is matched by its commitment to an ecologically responsible operation. So guests enjoy nature along with gastronomic and other pleasures one would expect from a world-class resort destination. 

El Camaleón Golf Club, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

El Camaleón Golf Club, Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Mexico’s El Camaleon plays through lush coastal landscapes and visits the beach twice, first at the 7th (shown) and again at the 15th. Photo: Fairmont Hotels

Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula sits on a Swiss cheese of underground rivers. Just behind the beaches of the Riviera Maya, several of these caverns rise to the surface to guard the fairways of the El Camaleón Golf Club. Some might consider the fact that this course hosts Mexico’s only PGA TOUR stop reason enough to tee up. But well-maintained fairways and greens are far from the only reason to play this favorite vacation golf destination. The course’s architecture pays homage to its natural surroundings, beginning with a tee adjacent to a watering hole known as a cenote. A lush mangrove habitat flanks fairways with thick green foliage, and a series of canals attracts birds and local fauna. Twice during its play along the coastal forests, El Camaleón provides golfers with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and one of the world’s longest coral reefs. Both the 7th and 15th holes are beachside, where trade winds come into play. From the long tees, this course challenges the pros, but played a bit shorter, it can also accommodate those with a two-digit handicap. Adding to the appeal is a full-service clubhouse with adjoining practice facilities, with a double-ended, 350-yard driving range and an expansive short-game area with putting and chipping greens.

Where to Stay: Though accessible from a number of resorts in the Riviera Maya region, the smart play is to stay on-site at the Fairmont Mayakoba Resort. This AAA 5-Diamond oceanfront property is a low-rise collection of structures that pay homage to local tradition, along with a respect for the natural environment. A majority of the resort’s rooms, suites and casitas are cloistered in a coastal jungle overlooking lagoons, but pools, common areas and a select set of rooms overlook the bright waters of the Caribbean across a stunning strand of white sand.

Pacifico Golf Course at Punta Mita, Mexico

Pacifico Golf Course at Punta Mita, Mexico

Hole 3B at Punta Mita’s Pacifico course earned its nickname “Tail of the Whale” from the humpback whales that are sometimes sighted breaching just offshore. Photo: Four Seasons Resorts

Playing the Pacifico course at the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita may not be the most difficult round of golf in the tropics, but it is undoubtedly one of the most scenic. Taking full advantage of its waterfront real estate, the course meanders around the resort’s peninsula to provide eight holes directly fronting the Pacific Ocean or Banderas Bay. It’s complemented by palm-fringed and beautifully landscaped fairways overlooked by the distant Sierra Madre mountains. During winter months, players may face an added distraction as they approach the third tee: migrating whales passing just offshore. A highlight of any round—and a must-do photo op with or without the passing whales—is hole 3B, aka the Tail of the Whale. Presented as an optional par 3, this hole requires golfers to carry across beach and rocky shallows to a green embedded on a small island. It’s spectacular and possibly intimidating. But in reality, the Tail of the Whale is as accommodating as the majority of this course, which offers wide and relatively forgiving fairways that allow players to focus on the view without sweating the strategy. Players looking for a more challenging round can play the resort’s other course, the Nicklaus-designed Bahia, which is rated 10 strokes tougher than its seaside sibling and provides a variety of terrain challenges.

Where to Stay: Spectacular backdrops aren’t the only reward for playing a round at Pacifico. You have the option of settling in at one of Punta Mita’s luxurious resorts—including the course’s host property, the Four Seasons. The spa ranks as highly for its services as the golf course does for its scenery, and beaches, pools and activities please not only players, but their spouses and families as well. 

Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

The Cabo Del Sol Ocean Course offers nearly a mile of oceanfront play, including one of the premier tandem par-3s in the game, the dramatic 6th and 7th.. Photo: Jim Mandeville / Nicklaus Design

For more than two decades, the Ocean Course at Cabo del Sol has reigned as Baja’s premier beachside golf course. With seven direct oceanfront holes, it certainly commands more waterfront than any other course on the Baja Peninsula. In addition to a mile of scenic beach, the course serves up challenging topography with an ample helping of arroyos and sand traps, along with some demanding carries. As new courses sprouted up in recent years, the Cabo del Sol team upped their game with a reconfiguration of several signature holes. The green on the signature par-4 5th hole now perches precipitously close to crashing surf, creating additional drama for a hole that has been ranked among the best 500 in golf. Next, players tee off for the first of two redesigned back-to-back par 3s at 6th and 7th. Already being called two of the primer tandem 3s in the game, these holes skirt a tidal inlet flanked by craggy outcroppings, creating a test of accuracy to challenge the game’s best when hit from the blues. As you make your way towards the spectacular 17th, also a world-ranked hole, you may see why Nicklaus himself called this stretch “the three finest finishing holes in all of golf.”

Where to Stay: For easy access to the course, you can choose from three resorts within the Cabo del Sol development—the Fiesta Americana Grand, the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar and the Premier Resorts condominiums—or for access to even more of Baja’s best golfing action, move up the coast a few miles to the Hilton Los Cabos, which offers golf packages that includes playing the area’s other premier courses. 

The Challenge at Manele Bay, Lanai, Hawaii

The Challenge at Manele Bay, Lanai, Hawaii

Lanai’s Challenge At Manele Bay perches atop a high bluff overlooking the waters of the Hulopoe Marine Reserve. The 12th hole requires a 200-yard water carry. Photo: Hawaii Tourism Authority

Getting to the quiet island of Lanai requires a ferry ride or a connecting flight from a major Hawaiian gateway, but the reward for hauling your clubs along is a chance to play one of the world’s most scenic ocean-side courses: the Challenge at Manele Bay. Sitting on the island’s remote southern coast atop a 200-foot-high wall of red lava cliffs, the course provides spectacular ocean views and photo ops from start to finish. Don’t let your attention stray from the fairway, however, as nine doglegs and several carries across unforgiving black lava fields demand targeted play, especially when hitting from the long tees. The signature and much-photographed 12th hole will test your faith, as it requires a 200-yard carry across breaking surf. You have a chance to repeat your performance at the 17th hole, which calls for a dramatic cliff-side carry. Trade winds are usually a factor, but the course was created with the prevailing breezes in mind, and players usually finish with a sense of exhilaration rather than frustration.

Where to Stay: Book a room on-property at the Four Seasons Lanai at Manele Bay. The resort overlooks Hulopoe Bay, the best bathing spot on the island. The Four Season staff coordinates guests’ water-sports adventures, ranging from swims with spotted dolphins and snorkel tours of the protected reefs to scuba dives, ocean kayak tours and surfing lessons. The more sedentary find beach umbrellas and a sparkling pool, plus a full range of dining and pampering one would expect from a Four Seasons property. 

Mauna Kea Golf Course, Kohala Coast, Hawaii

Mauna Kea Golf Course, Kohala Coast, Hawaii

With its dramatic water carry, panoramic ocean views and lush landscaping, Mauna Kea’s 3rd hole is one of the most photographed holes in the sport of golf. Photo: Mauna Kea Beach Resort

It’s been 50 years since Robert Trent Jones, Sr. created this course atop the black volcanic ash of the Big Island’s western shores. It was christened by a round from the Big Three— Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player—and soon earned a reputation as Hawaii’s best. The course has held up well in the decades since and is still highly regarded in golfing circles as a must-play venue. In fact, Mauna Kea has been credited for defining the components that make an ideal resort course. The scenery rewards as the course rises from the ocean to heights of 300 feet to deliver panoramic views of the coast, but the architecture also delivers its share of challenges. Elevation and prevailing winds often come into play, and the pitched and well-guarded greens require accurate approach shots. The course’s par-3 third is one of the most photographed holes in all of golf. Hitting from a cliff-side tee, players must carry across a small bay to a green that is guarded by seven bunkers.

Where to Stay: The course is a 30-mile drive from resorts in the Kona area, but two premier properties are within walking distance of the fairways. The course’s host property, Mauna Kea Beach Resort, provides exclusive access to what many consider the Big Island’s best white-sand beach. Just to the south of the course, the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel overlooks its namesake bay and beach, delivering magnificent ocean views from every room.