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Florida Keys Holiday Walk
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Plan, Trip Ideas

Key West’s Favorite Holiday Traditions

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If sleigh bells and snow shovels aren’t your thing, travel south for the holidays. Head all the way south to the nation’s southernmost city, Key West. Here, holiday traditions take on a tropical flair, but lights, music and seasonal cheer are still very much in evidence. Here are some of the ways you can celebrate the season, southernmost style.

Holly Jolly Trolley

A fun way to take in holiday lights all across Key West is aboard the Old Town Trolley. The seasonal Holly Jolly Holiday Tour operates through the month of December, with cookies, cider and a special 60-minute route through the southernmost city that showcases seasonal decorations and displays.

Hospitality and Noshes

On the evenings of December 7 and 14, the small inns and guesthouses of Key West hang the decorations, turn on the lights and open their doors for the Holiday Historic Inn Tour. Participants who purchase a ticket can sample savory cuisines from Key West restaurants, sip vintage wines and enjoy other holiday refreshments while touring some of the town’s most historic and architecturally significant properties.

Avalon Inn Key West Holiday

The Avalon Inn is showcased on the Holiday Historic Inn Tour. For convenience, organizers provide free transportation between properties. Photo: Florida Keys News Bureau

The Southernmost Tree

On December 16th, everyone is invited to enjoy a free bowl of conch chowder and board the iconic Conch Train for a ride to the southernmost point in the continental United States. There, a Christmas tree overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is waiting to be illuminated as the sun sinks below the horizon.

Open Houses

For more than 50 years, the Key West House & Garden Tour has provided visitors with a peek at some of Key West’s most historic homes and luxuriant gardens. The annual self-guided tours showcase festively dressed homes and gardens, with proceeds benefiting the Old Island Restoration Foundation’s museums and education programs.

Water Colors

Rowboats, tall ships and everything in between will show their holiday colors as they cruise the waters of Key West Bight on the evening of December 10. The floating light show can be viewed from points all along the Historic Seaport and harbor areas. The evening is also marked by steel band music and live singing performances.

Harbor Lights

Through the holiday season, the Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is lit from rooftop to waterline with thousands of festive lights and unique seasonal displays that incorporate nautical themes. The displays stretch from Greene Street to Grinnell Street, giving pedestrians a chance to enjoy the show as they browse unique island shops and galleries, or relax at waterfront restaurants and watering holes.

Crab Trap Harbor Walk Key West

At Key West Bight, lighted crab traps are transformed into holiday decorations as part of the annual Harbor Lights display. Photo: Rob O’Neal/Florida Keys News Bureau

A Conch Classic

The Southernmost City puts a fresh spin on a holiday classic with performances of Nutcracker Key West. This island flavored version of the holiday classic features costumes and sets depicting Key West’s history and coral reef environment. Evening and matinee performances are scheduled for December 19 to 22 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre.

Sloppy Joes New Years
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Plan

Key West’s Best New Year’s Celebrations

 

This New Year’s Eve, don’t drop the ball. Instead, head for the nation’s southernmost city, Key West, where the final seconds of December 31st are also measured by dropping objects of a much more colorful nature than a lighted globe. Here are three of the islands’s most famous traditions.

Winching Down the Wench

In the heart of Key West’s historic waterfront, celebrants can welcome the New Year like a sailor on shore leave. The center of the action is the Schooner Wharf Bar, which is located a few blocks from Duval Street. The revelry gets underway mid afternoon with live music and street dancing on the shores of the Key West Bight. As midnight approaches, all eyes are drawn to the topmast of the tall ship America 2.0, which is moored alongside the bar. Perched 75 feet high atop the ship’s main mast is a costumed pirate wench, who is lowered from the ship’s rigging as cannon blasts welcome the New Year. Then, in the best traditions of rowdy seafarers, the music and revelry continue until four in the morning.

Wrench Key West New Years

The midnight lowering of the pirate wench at Key West Bight provides a colorful and family-friendly alternative to Duval Street revelry. Photo: Rob O’Neal

The Big Conch

On an island often referred to as the Conch Republic, it should come as no surprise that for the past 24 years revelers gather at the corner of Duval and Greene Street on the night of December 31st to watch a giant sea shell descend from the roof of Sloppy Joe’s Bar. The party gets started around 10 p.m., when a DJ spinning from the rooftop of this landmark watering hole kicks off a dance party on the closed off streets below. The countdown to midnight is displayed on a giant clock, and then the outsized conch descends in an eruption of confetti and streamers. The party continues into the wee hours of the morning both in the street and with live music on the bar’s indoor stage.

Sloppy Joes New Years Eve Drop

Artist Tobias McGregor created the first Conch Drop at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, as a focal point for celebratory crowds on Duval Street.Photo: Rob O’Neal

A Fashionable Descent

While the shellfish theme dominates at Sloppy Joe’s, sushi is the main attraction a few blocks to the south. In the heart of Duval’s lively street scene, a giant red high heel shoe hangs from the balcony of the New Orleans House. Now in its 20th year, the shoe drop is the inspiration of drag queen Sushi, aka, Gary Marion, who created the original outsized wedge from paper mâché and chicken wire some 20 years ago. Today, the celebrity performer makes the midnight drop in a more durable piece of fiberglass footwear, which receives fresh coats of paint and glitter in preparation for the festivities. Thousands gather in anticipation of the drop, which is proceeded by performances by Sushi and other entertainers. News crews from national networks set up shop to broadcast the drop to audiences around the globe.

Drag Queen Shoe Drop New Years

Thousands gather to witness Key West’s annual New Year’s Eve shoe drop. A VIP party takes place on the balcony of the New Orleans House. Photo: Andy Newman

Bermuda St George New Years Eve Onion Drop
Bahamas-New Providence, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Plan, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Favorite Caribbean New Year’s Eve Parties

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Forget Times Square. The best place to celebrate, say goodbye to the old and ring in the new is in the Caribbean, where balmy trade winds and sandy beaches set the tone for a night of celebration like nowhere else. Each island has something going on, but some go bigger than others, and that’s where you want to be. Here are seven of our favorites.

Dropping the Onion in Bermuda

Bermuda is no longer a major exporter of onions, but the island still pays homage to its namesake vegetable on December 31. The celebration starts before dark as thousands gather at King’s Square in the city of St. George’s to enjoy street food and live music. The party builds towards midnight as everyone waits for a lighted papier-mâché replica of an onion to descend, then the fireworks light up the waters of the harbor.

The Ultimate Beach Party on Jost Van Dyke

In the British Virgin Islands, revelers converge on the small island of Jost Van Dyke to join local icon Foxy Calwood at his legendary Old Year’s Eve party. Staged on the shores of Great Bay at Foxy’s Tamarind Bar, the party draws boaters and celebrities alike for a night of dancing on the sand, lobster barbecues, Firewater Rum punches and, for the less inhibited, a plunge into the foam pit. Additional ferries are pressed into service from the islands of St. Thomas and Tortola to handle the arriving crowds.

Grand Cayman with No Resolutions

No need to keep the little ones up late to see the show at Grand Cayman’s Camana Bay complex. The center’s No Resolutions Party kicks off at 6 p.m. on The Crescent, with food, drink; music and early fireworks show at 7 p.m. Once the youngsters are tucked away the dancing and celebrations keep going past 1 a.m., with a second fireworks lighting up the harbor at midnight. Those who would rather get some sand between their toes wander over to Seven Mile Beach, where the Westin Grand Cayman hosts a beach party with bubbly, sand sculptures and island tunes.

Fire on the Water on St. Martin/Sint Maarten

If you love fireworks, the island of St. Martin is the place to be on December 31st. Several clubs along Orient Beach stage parties that spill onto the sand as revelers await a spectacular display of midnight pyrotechnics. Even more popular is the show that takes place above the waters of Great Bay in the Dutch capital of Philipsburg. As dusk falls, the Great Bay Beach Promenade takes on a festival atmosphere with music and food. The fireworks show that is unleashed to herald the New Year is said to be the largest in the Caribbean, and it is certainly the most spectacular.

Night of the Junkanoo in the Bahamas

Counting down and toasting in the New Year are just the beginning of the celebration on the Bahamian island of New Providence. At 2 a.m. on New Year’s Day, the capital of Nassau comes alive with the sounds of drums, bells and whistles as thousands of costumed revelers make their way down Bay Street. The Junkanoo parade continues through the night, ending in mid morning as everyone heads home to sleep it off.

Greeting the Dawn on St. Croix

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, residents of St. Croix turn the entire month of December and the first days of January into one big celebration. In the spirit of keeping the party going, many follow up a harbor side fireworks display in Christiansted on December 31 with a trip to the eastern end of the island, where Point Udall is recognized as the easternmost point of the United States. Here, a crowd of revelers greets the New Year with toasts and dancing that continues until first light.

Jump Up on Montserrat

On the Caribbean’s Emerald Isle, the end-of-the-year party starts on December 23 with the annual Festival, an island-wide celebration of the season that includes pageants, a Calypso King Competition, musical extravaganzas and costumed masqueraders parading in the streets. The Festival continues through New Year’s Eve and on to January 1st, which is known as Jump Up Day. This holiday commemorates island emancipation with parades, steel bands and street dancers.

Dominica Freshwater Lake MorneTrois
Caribbean, Dominica, Plan, Trip Ideas

Dominica: 10 Reasons to Go

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Dominica is a land of unspoiled rainforests, volcanic hot springs, wild rivers and waterfalls. More than 60 percent of the island is covered in lush tropical vegetation, and protected within three national parks, including the Morne Trois Piton National Park, a World Heritage Site.

1  Big Views

From any point on the island, you’ll never be without the sights of a mountain peak. There are five major mountains on the island, the highest rising to 4,000. Roads and trails lead to scenic high points that provide sweeping views of the ocean. Some of the most dramatic vistas can be found within the 17,000-acre expanse of Morne Trois Pitons National Park.

Roseau Dominica View

The west coast port of Roseau is Dominica’s capital and only large town. It is built on a coastal plain that was inhabited by Amerindian tribes for more than 2,000 years. Photo: iStock.

2  River Runs

The island boasts 365 rivers. In reality there are around 200 that actually qualify for the title, but if you count every stream and creek you could indeed find a different flow of water for every day of the year. While the list of named waterways is long, there are actually still some waiting to be identified. The longest is the Layou River, popular for tubing and kayak tours. The mangrove- lined Indian River was featured in Pirates of the Caribbean, while the sulfur-tinged waters of the White River are said to be therapeutic to bathers.

3  The Last of the Caribs

In a remote valley on Dominica’s eastern shore, descendants of a pre-Columbian culture continue a way of life that dates back more than a thousand years. The Kalinago people live on a 3,700-acre reservation in small villages and farms that could only be reached by torturous mountain trails well into the latter 20th century. Now accessible by roads and a short hike, the tribe welcomes visitors who come to discover the old ways, which are shared through stories and demonstrations of artisanal skills, and celebrated in song and dance. Be sure to try the cassava bread, shop for wooden and woven arts and don’t pass up on any ceremony open to the outside.

Dominica Baskets

Dominica’s Kalinago people are expert basket makers. Their handicrafts are prized by collectors, and can be purchased directly from weavers who follow thousand-year-old traditions. Photo: iStock

4  Whale Watching

Dominica has earned a reputation as the whale watching capital of the Caribbean. Sperm whales can be seen in the waters of Dominica through the year, with prime viewing months between November to March, when mothers arrive to nurse their calves. Other marine mammals often seen in the same area include pilot, humpback, and false killer whales, plus spinner, spotted and bottlenose dolphin.

5  Waterfalls

The cascade at Emerald Pool gets all of the ink due to its easy access and convenience to the town of Roseau, but the entire island is loaded with waterfalls, some easy to reach, others requiring some vigorous hiking. An easy 20-minute walk through the forest leads to Trafalgar Falls, while you’ll have to devote three hours for a round-trip to Middleham Falls. Hikers willing to do some scrambling over rocks and across river beds can discover Sari Sari Falls or the island’s grandest, 165-foot Victoria Falls, which is fed by the waters of Boiling Lake.

Emerald Pool Waterfall Dominica

The cascade known as Emerald Pool is one of Dominica’s prime natural attractions. It is also one of the easier to reach, requiring just a five-minute walk from the roadway. Photo: iStock

6  Natural Spas

At locations across the island, natural sulphur pools and hot springs well up from the island’s interior. Some are hidden in the woods, while others have been enhanced by enterprising islanders, who charge a small fee for soaks in pools set within landscaped gardens. A favorite is Screw’s Sulphur Springs, where pools range from hot to warm to cool and refreshing. Also popular are the baths and waterfalls at Ti Kwen Glo Cho and the Papillote Wilderness Retreat which combines sulphur soaks with yoga and massage.

7  Diving

The underwater landscape of Dominica is the most dramatic and varied in the Caribbean. It is also among the healthiest. The island is ringed by coral reefs that begin close to shore, and the calm western coast of the island includes more than two dozen prime diving and snorkeling sites that lie within a trio of marine reserves.

Dominica Diving

The western coast of Dominica is home to some of the healthiest coral reefs in the Caribbean. The underwater landscape includes pinnacles and unusual formations created by past volcanic activity. Photo: Discover Dominica Authority

8  For the Birds

More than 175 species of birds can be found in the forests of Dominica, including 4 types of native humming bird. Other noteworthy sightings include two species of endemic parrot, the Sisserou and Jacquot, along with blue-hooded euphonias, mountain whistlers and broad winged hawks. A prime birding area is the Syndicate Forest on the western slopes of the Morne Diablotin National Park, and also popular is a boat ride up the shaded Indian River to search for the giant ringed kingfisher.

9  The Longest Path

The Waitukubuli National Trail is the Caribbean’s longest hike and took years to complete. It stretches 115 miles across the mountainous backbone of Dominica, and runs south from Scott’s Head to the Cabrits National Park in the north. Along the way it leads through national parks, villages, coastal areas, and the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The trail is broken into 14 individual segments, giving day hikers plenty of options.

Dominica Boiling Lake

Dominica’s Boiling Lake lives up to its name, with waters nearly 200 degrees near the shore, and come to a boil near the center, where hot gasses bubble up from volcanic vents. Photo: iStock

10  Eco-minded Hotels

You won’t find any large hotel chains on Dominica, as accommodations tend toward boutique properties with an edge toward environmentally sound operations. Rosalie Bay is a 28- room enclave built to resemble a traditional village, overlooking a black sand beach on the island’s surf-washed eastern shore. Powered by solar and wind energy, the resort serves organic foods harvested fresh from their farm, and sponsors a turtle protection program that is followed island wide. Even more secluded is Secret Bay, an eco luxury resort of just eight bungalows and villas, all nestled into a hillside overlooking Prince Rupert Bay, and one of the longest and less-visited beaches.

Aruba Saint Nick On The Beach
Aruba, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Celebrate Christmas and New Year’s in Aruba

 

Aruba is one happy island that is ready for a celebration at any time of the year. But the holiday season is special, a time to be spent with family and friends, and to welcome new beginnings with the arrival of the New Year. It is a time when food, music and parties take over the island, homes are decorated and streets are lined with lights. The festive mood is inescapable, and everyone seems swept up in the spirit of the season, with proclamations of Bon Pasco y Bon Aña – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Aruba Christmas Tree

An Aruban take on the Christmas tree. Public spaces around the island are decorated in elaborate displays of holiday lights, including traffic circles. Photo: Marald Van Motfoort/Aruba Tourism Authority

Culinary Treats

As on many Caribbean islands, fruitcake is served when company comes to visit. For Arubans, the treat will be a black cake called bolo pretu, which is infused with brandy and fruit liqueurs, and loaded with dried fruits and spices. Every household has their own recipe, and visitors can find this favorite delicacy at supermarkets and specialty shops across the island. Other favorites for entertaining include pistachio cake and pan de jamon, a bread laced with ham.

Pumpkin soup is especially popular around the holidays. Turkey is served in some households, but the favorite holiday meat in Aruba is the Christmas ham, which is coated with glaze and spices. A Dutch treat that makes its way onto the holiday table is oliebollen, a small deep-fried ball of dough similar to a beignet or doughnut. You’ll often find these made fresh and hot at local supermarkets. Another island-wide tradition is ponche crema, a Latin American beverage that is a bit sweeter than the standard American eggnog. Every household has their own recipe, but expect it to be laced with rum.

The grand prize on every Christmas plate is the ayaca. With culinary roots in Venezuela, this dish starts with a boiled banana or plantain leave that is filled, wrapped, tied and boiled again when its time to eat. The stuffing is a mixture of chicken, pork or ham combined with spices, olives, raisins, cashews, prunes, onions and whatever the family recipe calls for, all spread over a layer of cornmeal mixture similar to polenta.

Aruba Ayacas Dinner

Ayaca is an Aruban favorite at the Christmas dinner table. Similar to a tamale, it is a mixture of meats and spices surrounded by corn meal, steamed within a banana leaf. Photo: Marald Van Motfoort/Aruba Tourism Authority

Holiday Playlist

Radio stations begin playing Christmas music in October, and while you might occasionally hear White Christmas in the mix, you will certainly hear the sounds of Gaita and Paranda Arubiano from popular bands such as Grupo Di Betico. When you are out and about, you’ll find Gaita bands performing at shopping centers, malls and public places. This is the music most identified with an Aruban Christmas. Originating in Maracaibo, Venezuela, this folkloric music is comprised of humorous lyrics and love songs. Groups are made up of a line of female singers who dance and perform while male musicians play cuartro and tambora.

Grupo DiBetico Aruba

For more than 50 years, the folkloric sounds of Grupo Di Betico have been a favorite sound during the holidays. Photo: Marald Van Motfoort/Aruba Tourism Authority

Right after Christmas, the island also has a tradition of caroling, known as Dande. Groups of five to six Dande musicians travel from home to home, especially on December 31. These groups feature a principal vocalist backed up by the sounds of drum, tambu, wiri and raspa. One member of the group carries a hat that is passed around, and the audience is encouraged to deposit cash for good luck. The tradition is pervasive across the island; you will find Dande played in public places and there is even a Dande Festival, as the tradition is becoming more popular.

Aruba Holidays Dande

A group of Dande musicians perform traditional holiday music. The singer holds an upturned hat, encouraging onlookers to deposit cash to ensure good fortune. Photo: Julien de Bats/Aruba Tourism Authority

Lights and Fireworks

The island’s most popular holiday light show covers the hill of Seroe Preto, where the nativity scene is creatively displayed. A drive around Aruba, passing by all the roundabouts on the main roads, will show off an amazing array of decorations. The entire island seems lit up as every hotel, business, shopping center, traffic circle and park is hung with strings of multi-colored bulbs. Hotel lobbies are decorated with trees; gingerbread houses, nativity scenes and an array of Christmas lights are hung from every thing imaginable.

Aruba Fireworks New Years

At the stroke of midnight on December 31, the skies of Aruba erupt as hundreds of fireworks displays are set off, creating brilliant aerial displays of color. Photo: Marald Van Motfoort/Aruba Tourism Authority

 As the New Year approaches, the focus shifts from lights to fireworks, which begin several days before the actual holiday. The streets of downtown Oranjestad are engulfed in smoke and noise as pagaras—long strings of Chinese firecrackers—are laid out and ignited. The noise is to ensure the New Year will have a clean start as evil spirits are being chased away. On the last night of the year, fireworks displays can be seen along the beaches. Many of the hotels stage their own shows, which can be seen from balconies as the entire island comes ablaze at the stroke of midnight.

New Years Toast

New Year’s Eve is a big event on the island of Aruba. Food and family play are the central elements of celebrations leading to the midnight toast. Photo: Marald Van Motfoort/Aruba Tourism Authority

Nassau Christmas
Bahamas-New Providence, Barbados, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Plan, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trip Ideas

Five Unique Caribbean Christmas Traditions

 

Like much of the world, the Caribbean celebrates the Christmas holiday season with music, lights, food and gift giving. But islanders have also created a number of their own traditions, adding even more cheer to the end of the year. Here are five celebrations that are unique to the Caribbean.

A Different White Christmas

If you wake up on Christmas morning in Grand Cayman Island and see front yards covered in a blanket of white, you aren’t imagining things. Lacking snow, islanders created the tradition of the Sand Yard. Starting in late October, buckets of white beach sand are carried to homes, and deposited in piles in the front yard. On December 24th, piles are raked into even blankets of white, and are not to be stepped on until Christmas morning. The tradition has faded in urban areas, but may still be seen in traditional neighborhoods.

Pre-dawn Parties

For more than 100 years, residents of St. Vincent have started celebrating the Christmas season early. Literally. Starting at around 5 am on the 16th of the month, the Nine Mornings Celebration gets underway with parades, concerts, dances and group bike rides that end in ocean swims. Festivities wrap up around 7 o’clock and everyone heads off to work, ready to repeat the fun every morning through December 24. In many areas, the final morning’s celebration culminates with a steel band “jump up” party.

Christmas With a Bang

In the Dominican Republic the Christmas season kicks off in October, launching three months of parties, special meals and traditions such as Double Sueldo—an extra month’s pay to help fund the holidays. The biggest party of the season, Noche Buena, takes place on Christmas Eve, and in the weeks leading up to this gathering of friends and family, the skies come alive in impromptu barrages of fireworks. Known as fuegos artificiales, this tradition borders on a national obsession, and everyone gets in on the noisy fun.

Next Day Giving

The December 26 observance of Boxing Day began in England when employers and masters would reward their servants and employees with a seasonal gift box. The tradition continues on Caribbean islands with strong British heritages such as Barbados, where this post-Christmas holiday provides a chance to make the neighborhood rounds and drop off gifts to friends and relatives, then enjoy a picnic or beach outing.

Taking It to the Streets

In the early hours of December 26th, thousands of elaborately costumed dancers parade on the streets of downtown Nassau. The night comes alive with the rhythms of goatskin drums, cowbells, whistles and horns. Crowds of onlookers line sidewalks and the balconies of nearby buildings. The procession culminates with a pass by the judge’s stands for a chance with cash prizes and awards. Smaller versions of Junkanoo are staged on other islands, and the entire spectacle repeats on January 1.

 

Mt Otemanu Bora Bora
Islands, Oceania, Plan, Tahiti

Island Snapshots: Mount Otemanu, Bora Bora

 

The jagged spire of Mount Otemanu rises more than 2,000 above the blue waters of Bora Bora’s turquoise lagoon. This jagged remnant of an ancient volcano dominates the view from all corners of the island and its surrounding ring of coral reefs and motus—the local name for small barrier islands.

The upscale resorts that surround the lagoon place their iconic over-water bungalows to face the mountain, providing guests with panoramic views of water, forest and rock that change color throughout the day as the sun moves from east to west. Hikers can ascend to the halfway point, but not the summit. 

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

Costa Rica Waterfall
Central America, Costa Rica, Plan, Trip Ideas

Costa Rica: 10 Reasons to Go

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From surf washed beaches to mountain cloud forests, Costa Rica packs a lot of adventures into a compact country. You can snorkel a reef in the morning, climb a volcano that afternoon, and then dance to Cumbia rhythms that night. It’s also one of the friendliest and safest countries in the world. If you still need a reason to pack your bags, here are ten more.

1  Ring Of Fire

Volcanoes are one of Costa Rica’s big attractions, as a number of national parks lie within the Pacific Ring Of Fire. The country is laced with mountain ranges that offer fascinating hikes to dormant volcanoes, plus hot springs and hidden crater lakes. Today’s popular and active cones include mile-high Arenal, which was active as recently as 2010. Poás Volcano National Park is just an hour away from San José, making it a popular option for day- trippers. It’s also the country’s largest and most active volcano. The highest is Irazú, which rises from the central highlands to a height of 1,259 feet.

Costa Rica Horse Arenal Volcano

Horses graze in the shadow of Costa Rica’s Arenal volcano. Although currently in a resting phase, mile-high Arenal remains the country’s most active volcano. Photo: Simon Dannhauer/iStock

2  Turtle Watch

All of the world’s five species of sea turtles visit Costa Rica, and at least one group or another are laying eggs on Atlantic or Pacific beaches every month of the year. This means that visitors have a chance to see hatchlings emerging at almost any time. Some species spend their lives far out to sea, and move ashore only to nest. Others are commonly seen by swimmers and snorkelers. The Caribbean is active July to October, with green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles. Leatherbacks come to shore from February to April. On the Pacific shore the greens and Olive Ridleys nest year- round, and favor Guanacaste’s Ostinal National Wildlife Refuge.

3  Adrenaline Junkies

Outdoor adventures play a key role in many Costa Rica vacations. Canopy tours include high-flying zip lining excursions that carry riders through forest canopies from platform to platform. There are even night zip line tours. More sedate are hanging bridges and aerial trams that allow more time to soak in the natural habitats. Other varieties of adrenaline-fueled outdoor activities include white water rafting, river and sea kayaking and mountain biking.

Zipline Costa Rica

Costa Rica was among the first countries to offer canopy tours and zip line adventures. Today, there are dozens of locations around the country where riders can take flight. Photo: iStock

4  Caribbean Culture

The country’s 125-mile eastern shore is a place of exotic nature preserves and uncrowded beaches. The province of Limón is the wettest and lushest region of the country, receiving rainfall almost year round. There are lush jungles to explore, a living coral reef that attracts divers and snorkelers and plenty of black and white sands to discover. The area is culturally diverse, with a mix of Afro-Caribbean, Ticos and foreign cultures that mesh together with a Caribbean island vibe.

5  Surf Central

Known as a surfing mecca, Costa Rica is home to a growing number of surf-centric resorts, schools and camps. Both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts have good breaks. On the eastern coast, the waves are less predictable but often much larger when they roll in, as they are produced when there are tropical storms off the coast of Mexico. The season is short and hard-core experts usually head to Puerto Viejo. On the Pacific side the surfing sites are numerous and more predictable. On the southern Pacific coast the popular break is at Dominical Beach. The central coast has Playa Escondido and Hermosa and on the northern coast surfers head to Playa Naranjo and Playa Grande.

Costa Rica Surfing

Costa Rica is considered a surfer’s paradise. Photo: iStock

6  Pacific Coast

Surfers, sunsets and sand are the big attractions on the west coast. The climate is dryer and a bit cooler than the Atlantic coast, and the area boasts more sunny days than anywhere else in the country. Surfers come for perfect waves at Tamarindo, Nosara and Dominical, fishermen and divers head for coastal islands where fish school, and an international crowd of sun worshipers flock to beach towns and resorts near the Gulf of Papagallo.

7  Animal Kingdom

Home to an array of weird and interesting animals, Costa Rica’s rain forests and natural preserves provide a habitat for some of the worlds most exotic creatures. There are four varieties of monkey, including the capuchin (white faced) spider, squirrel and the noisy and rowdy howler monkey. The two- and three-toed sloths make their home in the tree canopy and the coatimundi, a cross between a raccoon with a tail that is used like a monkey’s tail are common sightings as are the leafcutter ants that are seen marching along the ground.

Costa Rica Squirrel Monkey

A squirrel monkey perches on a branch in a Costa Rica rain forest. The animal’s long tail is not used for climbing, but rather for balance as it runs from branch to branch. Photo: iStock

8  Ticos

Warm and friendly, the people known as Ticos have reason to be happy. Decades ago, the country dismantled their military and focused government funds on education and health care. The country leads the world in literacy and environment protection, producing 99 percent of its electricity from renewable sources. According to the Happy Planet Index, they are among the most contented people in the world, and those living on the Nicoya peninsular are among those who live the longest.

9  Beaches

There are almost 300 beaches and 750 miles of shoreline along the country’s two coasts. Sand colors vary from white to brown and black while the beach of Playa Conchal is almost pink, as it is formed from conch shells. Some areas are known for deserted stretches of beaches that are far from civilization, while others are busy tourist hubs flanked by resorts, cafes and beach clubs. White sands are found at Uva and Manzanillo and waves attract surfers at Jaco and Hermosa.

Manzanillo Coast, Costa Rica

A deserted beach on Costa Rica’s central Caribbean coast. This sparsely settled region is popular with adventure travelers, surfers and divers. Photo: Simon Dannhauer/iStock

10  Biodiversity

Between it’s opposing coastlines and mountainous interior, Costa Rica nurtures one of the world’s highest levels of biodiversity. And this natural bounty is well protected. With 20 natural parks, 8 biological reserves and a growing number of private reserves, Costa Rica maintains 25 percent of its total land in a protected and natural state. The 500,000 species that make their home there continue to thrive.

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.