Tag Archives: Nassau

Bahamas-New Providence, Cancun, Caribbean, Mexico, Plan, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Best Caribbean Islands for Singles

September 15, 2014

New Providence/Nassau

In part because it’s so close to the U.S. mainland, Nassau attracts a lot of short-stay visitors and guys/girls road trip traffic, flying in on short notice with little more than a carry-on and an urge to play. Plenty of singles also come off the cruise ships almost every night. Downtown Nassau has an active club scene; you’ll want to check out Club Waterloo, a high-energy dance club that occupies a former lakeside mansion. A mile to the west, the sprawling Club Luna complex offers multiple bars, dance floors and an open “street party.” Across the bridge on Paradaise Island, the mega-resort Atlantis is home to the upscale Aura, while a far more local and informal vibe permeates the beachside digs at Nirvana, located on the island’s northwest coast overlooking Love Beach.

St. Thomas

Like Nassau, St. Thomas gets a lot of overnight cruise ship traffic, and plenty of singles party in Charlotte Amalie. Just ducking into one of the rum shops or bars along the waterfront strip is a good place to start. You never know who will be sitting on the bar stool next to you. If serendipity isn’t working, you can hit up Starz in the Havensight Mall next to the cruise docks for some DJ-driven dancing. If you’re looking for something a bit more low key to start or taper off the evening, try the wine and chamagne bar at Epernay in Frenchtown. Hop a taxi for a ride to Iggies at Bolongo Bay. This beachfront bar puts your toes right in the sand and is always a good time with occasional live music, weekly beach barbecues and karaoke. More than one evening here has ended in an impromptu midnight swim.

Cancun

It’s hot in Mexico, and Cancun is the king of Caribbean party towns. If you missed Spring Break, this is your makeup exam, because Cancun is pretty much Spring Break year-round. The downtown area does have some clubs, but most of the action is on the long arm of land that embraces the Nichupté Lagoon in front of the city. This place was custom-built by the Mexican government for partying, and it doesn’t disappoint. You’ll find young singles from all over the southern and western U.S. thronging clubs along the strip. If you have a desperate desire to dance in soapsuds, you’re in luck. Foaming is one of Cancun’s signatures. The big names are Coco Bongo and The City—which can host up to 5,000 revelers simultaneously—or you can head over to the original Señor Frogs.

Jost Van Dyke Foxys, biggest parties in the caribbean

Bahamas, Bahamas-New Providence, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Central America, Honduras, Play, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Biggest Parties in the Caribbean

May 19, 2014

New Year’s Eve at Foxy’s Bar on Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

It’s the Caribbean’s biggest New Year’s Eve celebration. Jost Van Dyke is a ferry ride away from Tortola, St. Thomas or St. John—sorry, there’s no airport or helipad, and no large hotels. The rest of the year, the island is sleepy, but for what Foxy’s calls Old Year’s Night. The limited supply of villas and beachfront campsites start to book up the preceding summer, and the anchorages fill up days in advance. For many, the play is to stay up and greet the dawn, then catch a morning ferry out. As for the party itself, it’s an all-night rager, fueled by painkiller cocktails and live reggae.

Carnival on Trinidad

Locals start hand-sewing their feathered and beaded costumes a year in advance. The two-day event takes place on the Monday and Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday and is preceded by days of elaborate pre-parties known as fetes. The energy is infectious thanks to nonstop soca music (think calypso, but faster). Anyone willing to flaunt their stuff can join the parade by signing up with a band and purchasing a costume, which can run from $250 on up. In a nod to the digital age, fete tickets, costume orders and band registration can even be made online.

Sunjam on Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras

It’s one night only of all-night dancing, light shows and electronica music, held the first weekend of August. Started in 1996 as a free party organized by former island resident and house DJ Alun Gordon, the festival now draws around 1,500 die-hard fans, who must first make their way to the Honduran island of Utila by plane or ferry. The party is actually on the satellite island of Water Cay (uninhabited and ideal for camping the rest of the year), and local fishermen provide transport. The crowd is mainly twenty-somethings and the vibe backpacker, but all are welcome.

St. Patrick’s Day on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Seven flags have flown over St. Croix—none Irish—but that doesn’t mean the St. Patrick’s Day festivities in downtown Christiansted are anything short of epic. Most locals take the day off work; quite a few start the morning with Irish car bomb shooters. Pacing matters. The streets are shut for the parade that starts midday, followed by an outdoor after-party with live music sponsored by the Fort Christian Brew Pub.

St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

Four days, four nights and more than 200 boats from 32 countries. It adds up to the Caribbean’s largest regatta, held annually in early March since 1980. Bring your own boat, charter one or grab a slot on a pick-up crew. Otherwise, watch from a beach or spectator vessel. The finish line is just the beginning, as Apres Sail parties become warm- ups for nightly concerts that feature big-name artists and draw huge crowds to match. Past performers include Wyclef Jean, Shaggy and The Black Eyed Peas.

Junkanoo on Nassau, Bahamas

Junkanoo, a loud and lively street parade, happens throughout the Bahamas—and beyond in places like Key West, Florida—on Boxing Day (December 26) and again on New Year’s Day. The biggest celebration is on Nassau, where troops costumed in intricate crepe-paper creations compete for top honors as they move down Bay Street to the incessant rhythm of cowbells, goat-skinned goombay drums, whistles and brass. The action, known as a rush-out, gets started around 2 a.m. and continues on into midmorning. The crowd gets in on the action, and spectators soon become revelers.

Full Moon Parties at Bomba’s Shack on Tortola, British Virgin Islands

The mushroom tea isn’t as potent as it used to be, but that’s good—it’s easier to locate your dinghy come night’s end. The full moon parties at Bomba’s Shack, found on Cappoons Bay on Tortola, have a history dating back decades, explaining why sizable crowds appear every month for the live music. The place has a street-party feel thanks to a flow of revelers who spill from the beach and open-air bar to the grass on the other side of the dirt road where the stage stands. The average partygoer is mid-30s to 40s, and likely to come off a boat. These folks tend to party hard, and the rowdiness lasts well into the wee hours.

Paradise Island Condos, Nassau, Bahamas, New Providence

Bahamas, Bahamas-New Providence, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Nassau and Paradise Island: 10 Reasons to Go

May 9, 2014

The island of New Providence is home to Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas and the center of this island nation’s commercial and cultural activity. It’s also the most popular destination for visitors. And while those who come by cruise ship depart with souvenirs of the Straw Market and Bay Street, anyone who lingers a bit longer will discover a vibrant destination beyond the docks. A place where quiet back streets harbor bistros, galleries and artisanal craft shops, and where Technicolor beaches are overlooked by resorts ranging from glam to intimate.

1 Arawaks, Pirates and Freedmen

Nassau’s cultural heritage draws on the traditions of three continents. Once home to the Arawak people, the island became the haunt of European pirates and wreckers by the late 1600s, and a haven for British Loyalists a century later. The influence of the British Crown permeates Bahamian culture, but equally strong are its African roots. These influences come together in the food, language and music to create what is a distinctly Bahamian experience.

2 The Original Tourism Destination

New Providence Island and the city of Nassau are no strangers to tourism. Cunard ships brought visitors to the Royal Victorian Hotel in the 1860s, and by 1900, the first of many beachfront hotels was up and running. Fast forward a century and Nassau is still the No. 1 resort destination in the Bahamas, with the best-developed infrastructure and the widest variety of dining, lodging, shopping and leisure activities.

3 Fly Right

Nassau International Airport is not only the primary arrival and departure point for international flights; it is also the hub for air travel to numerous Out Island destinations. With more than 120 flights arriving each day, there are direct connections to North American destinations including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Toronto, along with numerous daily flights from Miami and other Florida cities.

4 The South Shore

Scene While Nassau occupies much of the island’s northeastern corner, a whole different scene unfolds along the quieter south shore. Here, a sandy plateau lies between deep blue water and the beach, creating an underwater playground that is a favorite with scuba divers and Hollywood filmmakers. When the studios need to shoot an underwater scene, this is where they send the crews, and actors from Thunderball’s Sean Connery to Into the Blue’s Jessica Alba.

5 From Pigs to Paradise

The internationally renowned resort destination known as Paradise Island once went by the unglamorous title of Hog Island. Its first transformation began in the 1940s, when a wealthy industrialist acquired the island to create his personal vacation paradise, which he called Shangri-La. Next came the elegant Ocean Club, which was an A-list destination through the 1960s. Today, the island is home to the Bahamas’ finest resorts, including the expansive Atlantis Resort complex, the One and Only Ocean Club and the quiet Sivananda Ashram.

6 Mail Boat’s a Coming

From Nassau, a fleet of inter-island freight and mail boats sails to the Out Islands, carrying everything from baby formula to auto parts for the remote settlements scattered through this 700-island archipelago. These same boats also accept passengers, and for around $50, you can book passage. Sailing times range from a few hours to an overnight trip, but this is no luxury cruise. You’ll find yourself sharing the decks with backpackers and locals, and cabin space is likely to be simple communal bunk beds.

7 Junkanoo Time

Though the holiday is celebrated throughout the Bahamas, the street parades of Junkanoo are best and biggest in Nassau. Elaborate floats share Bay Street with marching troupes such as the Music Makers and Prodigal Sons, who sport resplendent costumes as they compete for top honors. The processions move to the sounds of goatskin drums, cowbells and whistles, and onlookers soon find themselves keeping time with the infectious rhythms. The party begins on December 26, and repeats on New Year’s Day. If you can’t make it then, be sure to stop by the Junkanoo Museum near Prince George Wharf, where you can try on a costume and make some noise yourself.

8 Art Appreciation

It’s not surprising that Nassau is the cultural capital of the Bahamas, with an art community that is one of the most dynamic in the Caribbean. A walking tour of the city’s gallery scene should begin at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas on West Street. Another must-see is the nearby D’Aguilar Art Foundation, which features more than 75 Bahamian and international artists. For cutting edge creations, try Popstudios and Liquid Courage Gallery, and take time to seek out the street art that enlivens walls and buildings across the downtown.

9 Try the Fry

For an authentic taste of the islands, head to the waterfront of Arawak Cay, where a row of colorfully painted seafood shacks and bars fry up fresh fish and conch dishes, served up with sides like peas-n-rice or baked mac and plenty of cold Kalik beer. Among the perennial favorite eateries are Seafood Haven, Twin Brothers and Goldies. Music rolls from open doorways, and each June the Cay stages a summer Junkanoo festival.

10 Take A Chance

It’s been nearly 50 years since the first players tried their luck at Nassau’s casinos. Today, the island’s gaming scene is bigger than ever, with Cable Beach’s Crystal Palace, and the Paradise Island casino at Atlantis. Also on the horizon is the much-touted Bahama Mar Casino, which is slated to open in December of 2014 as part of a world-class development project between Cable Beach and downtown Nassau.