Tag Archives: Trinidad

Trinidad Carnival
Bahamas-Out Islands, Belize, Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Greece, Islands, Mexico, Plan, Playa del Carmen, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Best Places to Travel in February 2023

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You survived the holidays and you’re ready to embark on a new journey. February is a time to celebrate whether it’s as big and worldwide as Carnival or a quiet getaway with your Valentine. It’s also an opportunity to take advantage of off-peak rates and you’ll encounter fewer tourists to share in the experiences.

St. Croix, USVI

Every year on Saturday before Fat Tuesday the island of St. Croix celebrates Mardi Gras with the same vigor and raucous as those in New Orleans. At the helm is Krewe de Croix, a group of Louisiana ex-pats and Mardi Gras aficionados. Everybody joins in and follows the parade along the scenic North Shore of the island, beginning at La Valle and ending in eastern Cane Bay. There’s plenty of food along the way as well as music and floats to guide the party. This year’s festivities take place on February 11 beginning at noon-DS For more information on events in St. Croix visit: https://www.gotostcroix.com/

St Croix Mardi Gras

St. Croix Mardi Gras is only a one-day event where most of the island joins in. Photo: gotostcroix

Trinidad

In countries around the world, February means Carnival! And one of the most iconic pre-Lenten fetes takes place on the Island of Trinidad. This is the home of steel pan music, and a highlight of each year’s Carnival celebrations is Panorama, which brings steel band orchestras from more than 30 countries together in a melodic battle for top honors. And that’s just the beginning. Carnival week is a time for calypso and Soca competitions, limbo contests and street parades where dance troupes decked out in dazzling over-the-top costumes show their moves. Add in plenty of lavish parties and there are plenty of reasons to mark your calendars for this year’s big event, which takes place from February 15- 22.-PH

Trinidad Dancing

Dancing at the sambadrome during the Carnival celebration in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Photo: Mauro Repossini/iStock

Abaco, Bahamas

One of the largest islands in the 700-island chain nation, Abaco is bringing a Rum and Music Festival to its shores. The event brings a roster of musicians while hotels like Firefly Sunset Resort, Hope Town Inn and Marina, the Abaco Inn, On the Beach, and Sea Spray Resorts will host the experience and guests. This small friendly island makes an ideal location to host intimate beachfront concerts along with a selection of rums for tasting. The Hope Town Music and Rum Festival runs February 7-12.-DS

Hope Town Abacos

During the rum and music event on Abaco visitors will want to explore the Hope Town lighthouse on Elbow Cay. Photo: Wirestock/iStock

Tulum, Mexico

For a funkier take on the Carnival season, head to the Mexican Rivera hotspot of Tulum. During the winter high season, this is an A-list destination prized for its stunning beaches, wellness culture, and offbeat-but-upscale vibe. February Carnival celebrations take place all across the Yucatan Peninsula, but Tulum’s take on the party adds an extra helping of glamor, glitter, and funkiness, thanks to an eclectic mix of jet-setting millennials, celebrities, new agers, Instagram influencers, and pride posies, plus a smattering of aging hippies, and colorful locals. The action kicks off with the famous Full Moon Party at Papaya Playa Project, is pretty much non-stop all month, and builds to the big parades happening over the weekend of February 17 to 19.-PH

Tulum Carnival

Celebrations in Tulum can last the entire month of February and into March. Photo:Katiekk/Shutterstock

Rhodes, Greece

Often viewed as a summer destination when cruises and tour operators bring in hordes of tourists, Rhodes can offer you an escape from the crowds during February. Visit Old Town, the Medieval city, a World Heritage Site, where you can explore the 200 streets and alleys on your own. Wander through the picturesque town of Lindos where whitewashed homes line the labyrinth of village streets and overlook a beautiful cobalt-blue bay. Here you’ll be able to dine with locals as many tourist spots shut down until summer. Imagine being able to roam the walls, terraces, and columns of the Acropolis without bumping into others trying to capture the spiritual space on their phones and cameras. Pack a raincoat for that cloudy day and a jacket for cooler temperatures that average 15 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.-DS

Rhodes Greece

Explore the ancient Greek architecture at the famous tourist attraction of the Acropolis of Lindos in Rhodes without the crowds of summer. Photo: frantic00/iStock

Ambergris Caye, Belize

In the final days of February, the island of Ambergris Key is home to Belize’s most colorful festival —literally. El Gran Carnaval de San Pedro is a cultural tradition dating back more than 150 years. It centers around a character known as Juan Carnival, a legendary Lothario credited with 1,000 sexual conquests before being done in by his jealous wife. Festival participants atone for their collective transgression by burning Juan’s stuffed effigy and doing a lot of painting. Buildings, monuments, street signs, and people are all fair game for decoration during this three-day flurry of brush strokes. Adding more fun to the festivities are troupes of cross-dressing men who stage dance competitions, with top honors going to the most outlandish performance.-PH

Belize Carnival

Everybody joins in during the Carnival in San Pedro, Belize. Kids paint their bodies and face while adults keep the party going for three days. Photo: Tony RathFollow/Flickr

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

If you want to celebrate Carnival, there’s certainly plenty going on in the capital of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to fuel your party cravings.  It might be the second largest and most popular after Rio, so don your sparkling costumes and head to the streets for some Latin music and wild dancing. February is also a month you can have some quiet time. Head to the southern beaches and you’ll share the sand with sea birds and surfers. The island’s longest stretch of sand is at El Médano, a favorite spot for locals and is also popular with windsurfers and kiteboarders when the winds are up.-DS

Tenerife Spain Medano Beach

The perfect view of Playa el Médano with Montana Roja in the background on the island of Tenerife. Photo: Anita Bonita/iStock

 

 

Trinidad Hyatt
Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Nevis, St. Lucia, Stay, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Best Caribbean Resorts for Holiday Celebrations

 

You won’t have to choose between a white Christmas and a Caribbean holiday getaway at these resorts, which honor holiday traditions, but with a tropical spin. And for the white stuff? Look no farther than the beach.

The Buccaneer, St. Croix, USVI

Santa comes to the tropics to visit this beachfront classic resort on Christmas morning, with presents for the children staying there. Midday is devoted to lounging on the beach and listening to live local bands, then guests gather at the historic Great House to enjoy a holiday buffet created by Executive Chef Dave Kendrick. A week later, when it’s time to ring in the New Year, the party moves to The Terrace restaurant, which sits high on the hill overlooking the grounds and beach. Guests enjoy a New Year’s Eve buffet complete with carving stations, followed by a champagne toast at midnight. There are fireworks, which can be enjoyed from The Terrace bar or from private room patios or balconies. www.thebuccaneer.com

St Croix Buccaneer Beachfront

After a morning visit from Santa, Christmas Day is spent enjoying live bands and sunshine on the beach at St. Croix’s Buccaneer resort. Photo: The Buccaneer Resort

Windjammer Landing, St. Lucia

The Windjammer Landing goes all out for Christmas, with a tree lighting ceremony, special Christmas menus and a visit from Santa, who makes a visit to the sun and sand at Labrelotte Bay. Guests wanting a taste of sweet holiday spirit will find eggnog stocked at the bar and restaurant during the season. The resort is popular for family and group holiday getaways, with villas of two to five bedroom boasting private pools where everyone can gather before heading out to the resort’s festivities. www.windjammer-landing.com

St Lucia Windjammer Landing Villa

Families and groups can gather for private celebrations at the villas of St. Lucia’s Windjammer Landing, and then join a range of resort-wide activities. Photo: Windjammer Landing

Montpelier Plantation & Beach Resort, Nevis

This elegant enclave brings in a holiday choir to kick off the festivities on Christmas Eve. In keeping with the resort’s tradition, guests are invited to join in to sing The 12 Days of Christmas. The evening continues with refreshments in the stone walled Restaurant 750 before moving to the terrace for an elegant meal paired with fine wine to celebrate Christmas Eve. As the holiday spirit progresses, guests can join the “Save Water, and Drink Champagne” event at the poolside restaurant Indigo. Here, the bubbles flow all afternoon, accompanied by light canapés. On New Year’s Eve, there is a white party held on Montpelier’s private beach. The night unfolds with a big beachside bonfire as guests dine and dance to live music before ringing in the New Year. www.montpeliernevis.com

Nevis Montpelier Resort Champagne

One of the signature traditions at the Montpelier Plantation & Beach Resort on Nevis is the poolside known as “Save Water, and Drink Champagne.” Photo: Montpelier Plantation

Mango Bay Hotel, Barbados

Located in historic Holetown, this small all-inclusive resort offers guests of all ages a range of holiday activities. During afternoon tea, a primary school choir visits the hotel to serenade guests. Santa Claus arrives on Christmas morning, and during the day guests indulge in Christmas breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are candy hunts and a piñata party for the youngsters, and Boxing Day brings races, sand building workshops and an evening movie on the beach. Entertainment and fireworks follow the resort’s annual New Year’s Eve Grand Buffet. mangobayresort.com

Mango Bay Barbados

Special Christmas activities at Barbados’s Mango Bay Hotel include choir concerts, a visit from Santa beach parties and holiday foods. Photo: Mango Bay

Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada

Music fills the resort during the weeks leading up to Christmas, with a mix of Grenada top brass bands, steel bands and choirs, all rotating nightly to put guest in the holiday spirit. Christmas Eve is a time for caroling and the following morning begins with a champagne brunch. Guests head beachside to round out the day with a buffet lunch to the background sounds of the Jolly Boys—a local group playing Caribbean tunes. Dinner is a traditional Christmas meal served at Oliver’s restaurant. On New Year’s Eve, a culinary journey begins at 7pm and guests dance until midnight when the firework welcome in the New Year. www.SpiceIslandBeachResort.com

Grenada Spice Island Resort

Music enlivens the holiday season at the Spice Island Beach Resort, where the sounds of Grenada’s favorite brass bands, steel bands and choirs put guest in the holiday spirit. Photo: Dehoog/Spice Island Resort

Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman

The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is home to the Christmas Elf Village, an edible community of 12 elves, which are brilliantly colored showpieces made of pure chocolate and fondant. In addition, there are two holiday dessert-making classes hosted by pastry chef, Melissa Logan. The Gingerbread House workshop brings families together to decorate a pre-made house with edible decorations. The second class is devoted to making the chocolate roulade and butter crème Yule Log. In this class guests learn how to roll the log with different filling and add decoration. The New Year’s Eve ball includes a festive dinner with music of Spinphony, a string group. After dinner the DJ takes over and couples hit the beach for dancing and fireworks at midnight. www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/caribbean/grand-cayman

Grand Cayman Ritz Carlton Christmas

The Christmas Elf Village is a tasty tradition at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. These chocolate confections are just for show, but guests can create their own gingerbread houses. Photo: Irene Corty/Ritz-Carlton

Peter Island Resort & Spa, Peter Island, BVI

Christmas Eve kicks off with a visit from the Peter Island Choir, followed by dinner and guitar music. Christmas Day takes guests to the beach for a sandcastle building competition while waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. At the resort, a steel band plays holiday music and moko jumbies entertain guests. New Year’s Eve begins with a pre-gala cocktail hour featuring flowing champagne and oyster stations. Dinner is a grand gala buffet while the Elvis White band plays. After the meal a DJ spins and fireworks bring in the midnight hour. Guests are free to find their own private holiday moments on the 1,800 acres that make up the island resort. peterisland.com

Peter Island BVI

Guests at Peter Island Resort can start with caroling and a visit from Santa, then go tropical with steel band music and a parade of stilt-walking moko jumbies. Photo: Peter Island Resort

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia

Magic, meditation and mind reading ring in the holidays at Sugar Beach as well as traditions of lantern lighting and tree decorating. Holiday activities include appearances from Michal Sindelar, magician and illusionist, who will engage guests in his defying magic tricks with cards, coins and balloons. Gerard Senehi, the master mentalist, will perform mind reading, telekinesis and telepathy in his show. A small session is open for moonlight crystal mediations with Latham Thomas. And, for the little ones, Santa arrives on Sugar Beach by boat to hand out presents. New Year’s Eve begins with a young DJ, Fulano Librizzi, and as the evening progresses DJ Marc JB takes over to usher in the New Year. A highlight of the night is the fireworks show against the backdrop of the pitons. www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/en/sugarbeach

Sugar Beach St Lucia

At the Sugar Beach resort, the holidays are enlivened by visits from magicians and mind readers, and a New Year’s Eve fireworks show with a backdrop of the Pitons. Photo: Sugar Beach

Hyatt Regency, Trinidad

Everyone in the culturally rich islands of Trinidad & Tobago celebrate the holidays. Children go from house to house for festive food and drink, with holiday favorites that include pastelles, spicy meat filled corn patties, and black fruitcake. At the resort guests can enjoy holiday specialties like sorrel, which is a crimson-colored drink obtained from a local flower, ginger beer, and ponche de crème, which is a sweet milk and rum-based drink similar to eggnog. At the end of the day, celebrants can take a dip in the rooftop infinity pool and enjoy the views overlooking the city, with a sorrel mojito in hand. trinidad.regency.hyatt.com

Trinidad Hyatt Regency

One of the favorite seasonal libations offered at Trinidad’s Hyatt Regency is sorrel, which is a crimson-colored drink, here, in the form of a mojito. Photo: Hyatt Regency

Hermitage Plantation, Nevis

The Hermitage holiday experience is reminiscent of a home party. The halls are decked, the sorrel and black cake is served and carolers come to visit. Because the planation is a family home, guests are made to feel like family members. When the children make Christmas cookies, guest can join in. On Christmas Eve, the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes is served. Christmas Day is typically spent at the beach after a Christmas buffet brunch. Afterward, guests come home to a visit from carolers from nearby church choirs. Christmas dinner its roast goose and all of the trimmings followed by Victorian figgy pudding. New Year’s Eve is a more subdued dinner of beef and salmon followed by drinks and relaxing music. www.hermitagenevis.com

Hermitage Nevis

At the family-owned Hermitage Plantation on Nevis, guests enjoy an intimate setting and holiday traditions such as caroling, and a Christmas dinner with roast goose. Photo: Hermitage Plantation

Laluna, Grenada

The white sand beach at Laluna replaces snow to create a tropical white Christmas, where villas are decked out with holiday decorations. Every year, carolers visit the Laluna Sunset Lounge, and guests gather around to enjoy the music and sip Ponche Crème, a local version of eggnog that infused with rum. Christmas lunch is celebrated as a barbecue on the beach. For holiday tastes from the tropics there is sorrel and black cake. www.laluna.com/

La Luna Grenada

Each December, the beachside villas of Grenada’s Laluna resort are decorated and lit for the holiday season. Guests gather at the beach on Christmas day for a mid-day barbecue. Photo: Laluna Resort

Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach and Palace, Dominican Republic

These sister properties offer a wealth of special activities for the two weeks around Christmas and New Years. Both resorts are decorated with lights, trees and wreaths by early December, and Santa makes his first appearance for the lighting of the main Christmas tree a few days before Christmas. On the night of December 24, a live nativity scene is set on the beach and Santa comes for his visit in the late afternoon on December 25, landing by parachute to deliver presents to each of the kids at the resort. On New Year’s Eve, there is a huge party with Olympics games, live music and a gala dinner and show. The holiday activities continue until January 6. www.vivaresorts.com

DR Wyndham

In the Dominican Republic, the adjacent resorts of Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach and Palace liven up the Christmas season with a live nativity scene and a visit from Santa. Photo: Viva Wyndham

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.

St Kitts Music Festival
Anguilla, Aruba, Caribbean, Curacao, Dominica, Jamaica, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands

Best Caribbean Music Festivals

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There’s more to the Caribbean music scene than reggae and steel drums. All across the region, a growing number of festivals and concerts are added to the calendar each year. Initially, jazz was the focus of many such events, now world music is part of the mix and famous artists are heard in a diverse array of musical styles that include blues, dancehall, soca, new age jazz, fusion, R& B and more. Each event and each successive year out does the previous, upping the ante on talent, parties and attractions.

March

Moonsplash Music Festival, Anguilla

The year 2015 marked the 25th year for this local event turned international extravaganza, which takes place every March during the full moon. Hosted by local musician Bankie Banx at his beachfront bar, The Dune Preserve, the party pulls in big names in reggae, along with upcoming local talent. For more information and the lineup for next year visit www.bankiebanx.net

April

Nevis Blues Festival, Nevis

The premier of this three-day event on Nevis took place in 2015 with a stellar line-up of local and international talent. Nevis is a natural, intimate and relaxed island and the organizers created the Nevis Blues Festival to complement that vibe. Guests are immersed in island culture and enjoy local cuisine while relaxing to sounds of blues at the Sundowner Stage on Oualie Bay. For more information and tickets for the Nevis Blues Festival, visit www.nevisbluesfestival.com

Love City Live, St John, USVI

This weekend-long celebration is filled with music, plenty of beach parties and boatloads full of revelers. A reggae concert kicks off an in-town block party. Later in the weekend the party moves to Cruz Bay’s beachfront and continues on boats that head to the British Virgin Islands. Local food, chef soirees and visits to local bars and restaurants are all on the agenda. Current dates, tickets and more information visit www.experiencelovecitylove.com

Tobago Jazz Experience, Trinidad & Tobago

The quiet island of Tobago is surely on the map after the 2015 concert, which featured a stellar lineup of international artists including recording star and actress Jennifer Hudson, singer- songwriter Jill Scott and legendary R&B band Kool and the Gang. Performances take place on the coastal town of Speyside and move to Pigeon Point Heritage Park as well as other coastal spots around the island for a full week of music, culture and gastronomy. For the 2016 lineup and more information visit www.tobagojazzexperience.com

May

Soul Beach Music Festival, Aruba

This five-day festival takes in the holidays around Memorial Day and combines Aruba’s tropical charms with rhythm and blues performances. The action takes place both day and night, with parties bouncing between the Moomba Beach and the Renaissance Aruba Resort. The majority of concert performances take place Friday through Sunday, leaving Memorial Day free for one last dip in the surf. The Soul Beach Amphitheater, the Havana Beach Club, the Hard Rock Café-Aruba are some of the main performance venues. For more information visit www.soulbeach.net

Aruba Soul Beach

During the annual Soul Beach Music Festival, the island of Aruba moves to the sounds of Rhythm and Blues. Celebrating its 15th year, this event has been named one of the best celebrations in the Caribbean. Photo: Aruba Tourism Authority

St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival,  St Lucia

The St. Lucia Jazz Festival started the trend of music festivals in the Caribbean over 20 years ago, and today it remains one of the most popular in the Caribbean, drawing crowds from both Europe and the United States. Since it inception in 1992, the festival has added a mix of popular acoustical, fusion and new age jazz, as well as soca and R&B. Once centered in the capital of Castries, the festival is now a week-long celebration of local culture, fashion and food, staged at venues across the island. The main stage is set on the peninsula of Pigeon Island National Park, with the sea as a backdrop. For more information visit www.stluciajazz.org

Curacao International BlueSeas Festival, Curacao

New on the circuit in 2015 was the inaugural Curacao International BlueSeas Festival. Attracting a veritable “who’s who” of modern blues artists, the event was labeled a celebration of “traditional and gentrified” jazz music. Performances were staged at Kleine Werf in downtown Punda, and a free two-day street festival in the historic Pietermaii district. With this entree into the world of the blues, Curacao has staked its claim in the Caribbean music festival scene. For more information visit www.curacaoblueseasfestival.com

June

St. Kitts Music Festival, St Kitts

Another longtime favorite event that will hit the 20-year mark in 2016 is the extravaganza that takes place at Warner Park Stadium on the island of St. Kitts. The lineup includes a range of musical styles including R&B, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, rock, calypso, gospel and contemporary. Past performers include John Legend, Lionel Richie, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Damian Marley and Shaggy. For more on this event go to stkittsmusicfestival.com

St. Kitts Music Festival

The jazz/reggae fusions of Arturo Tappin fill Warner Park Stadium during the 2015 St. Kitts Music Festival. The performance lineup includes everything from gospel to hip-hop. Photo: Jawanza Bassue/St. Kitts Tourism

July

Reggae Sumfest, Jamaica

This Montego Bay event attracts tens of thousand of reggae fans and includes music born out of Jamaica. Reggae pulls in the masses but hard-core lovers of the island’s many musical styles will be in heaven when they hear and move to ska, dub and dancehall. Top Caribbean bands and international talent headline the event. Evening events take place at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex, which is an outdoor arena. The final day is a beach party. For more information visit www.reggaesumfest.com 

Jamaica Montego Bay Reggae

At Jamaica’s Sumfest, Damian Marley carries on the musical traditions of his father, reggae legend Bob Marley. Staged at Montego Bay, the festival encompasses the full range of Jamaica’s music scene. Photo: Jamaica Tourist Board

September

Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival, Aruba

This annual event begins with a four-day warm up of performances staged at smaller venues, all leading up to the weekend’s main event. Come Friday, a full-on lineup of international and local jazz, Latin, soul and funk musicians take over the Renaissance Market Place in Oranjestad. Local bars, restaurants and food stands join in the fun with special festival menus and libations. Past events have featured George Benson, David Sanborn, Willie Garcia, Roberta Flack and Chakan Khan. This year the first band to ignite the festivities is Earth Wind & Fire. For additional information and tickets visit www.caribbeanseajazz.com

North Sea Jazz Festival, Curacao

This popular event has been pulling in talent and crowds for the past several years. The event draws enthusiasts from all over the world and has been praised for showcasing an eclectic mix of sounds to please pop revelers and die-hard jazz fans alike. This year’s line up will include John Legend, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Wyclef Jean, Lionel Richie, legendary salsa vocalist Oscar D’León, British soul sensation Emeli Sandé, and the R&B group, The Pointer Sisters. Performances take place at Curacaos’ World Trade Center in Piscadera Bay. For tickets and more information visit www.curacaonorthseajazz.com

October

World Creole Music Festival, Dominica

An eclectic mix of music comes to the Nature Island with a festival that has been steadily increasing in size and popularity since its inception in 1997. The festival includes local celebrations and takes place during the island’s Independence Day, so everyone gets involved. Music traditions such as zouk, soukous and bouyon join reggae, calypso and soca tunes to keep crowds dancing and grooving through the three-day event. Outdoor venues such as the Botanic Gardens and the Layou River often become the site of free performances and family-oriented activities for both locals and visitors. For tickets and schedule visit www.wcmfdominica.com

Carnival in the Caribbean
Bahamas, Bahamas-Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas-New Providence, Bahamas-Out Islands, Barbados, Caribbean, Curacao, Eat, Guadeloupe, Plan, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Authentic Caribbean: Carnival Celebrations

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It’s a party for the people, where everyone is welcome. Locals and visitors of every ethnicity and class join together in Carnival, a riotous island-style celebration that takes to the streets. While Trinidad is home to the mother of all Caribbean Carnivals, every island has its own unique and equally lively version, focusing on local traditions and heritages. French planters first introduced this pre-Lenten ritual to the Caribbean in the 18th century as a masquerade party for the elite; it caught on with the masses and is now an annual explosion of creativity with undertones of renewal and liberation.

On islands such as Trinidad, Guadeloupe and Curacao, the festivities typically begin on Boxing Day, and end on Ash Wednesday. Others like the US Virgin Islands celebrate in April and May. During July and August, Barbados keeps the action going through the season known as Cropover. In the Bahamas, the week between Christmas and New Years is Junkanoo time. With dozens of islands and hundreds of parties, parades and shows, revelers can follow the circuit throughout the islands for a year- long party. The delirious crowds, the deafening sounds, non-stop dancing and marching in the streets keep revelers up all night. Participants and followers marvel at the flamboyant costumes of feathers and sequins, body paint, giant headdresses and steel-pan bands which are all part of the festivities leading up to the competition when groups go before judges to define the most outrageous show.

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

Caribbean Snap Shots: Maracas Bay Beach, Trinidad

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The island of Trinidad is best known as the home of the world- famous Carnival, with its lavish street parades, calypso music and all-night parties that pack the streets with local and visiting revelers. But this southern most of the Caribbean island also boasts some fine beaches. Visitors looking to add a bit of sight seeing and a swim to their visit can escape Port of Spain and follow the North Coast Road over a jungle-clad mountain range to discover a perfect crescent-shaped bay ringed in golden sand, and backed by towering palms set against dramatic rainforest cliffs. This is Maracas Bay Beach. Located on the island’s north coast, this stretch of shoreline receives enough wave action to attract paddlers, surfers and boogie boarders to the outer reaches of the bay, while the warm sands and calmer inshore waters welcome the less ambitious, who come only to relax. Maracas is by far the island’s most popular beach, and visitors and locals come to spend the day. There is a lifeguard on duty during peak hours and nearby options for libations or lunching on the local favorite: bake-and- shark, which is a fried flatbread filled with seasoned shark meat and lettuce or coleslaw. Richard’s Bake and Shark gets top marks, and provides an array of hot sauces for the adventurous, but it is by no means the only lunch spot worth checking out.

Cuba Local Food
Caribbean, Cuba, Eat, Jamaica, Plan, Trinidad & Tobago, Trip Ideas

Best Caribbean Islands for Local Food

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There are more opportunities for fine dining in the Caribbean than ever before. But sometimes, what’s wanted is a taste of the real thing: homegrown island cooking, rich in tradition, local ingredients and love. Whether dispensed from a street vendor’s cart, passed through the window of a colorful cottage or served up at a small beachside restaurant where the owner is also the cook, these are the tastes of the islands that can’t be duplicated. And on some select islands, the collision of European, African and Cariban flavors has produced some especially innovative and unexpectedly delicious results.

Jamaica

Some would argue that this is the king of Caribbean cuisines. The melding of Amerindian cooking techniques—barbacoa—with influences from Spain, England, West Africa, India and China gives Jamaican cuisine a distinctive flavor that’s traveled well. Carried by members of the Jamaican diaspora to distant shores, you can find good Jamaican restaurants all over the Eastern United States, in the U.K. and throughout the Caribbean. Jerk comes to mind instantly, of course, washed down with a cold Red Stripe. But there’s also Stamp and Go (cod fritters), coconut bread, festival (corn bread) and, of course, that delicious combination of flaky pastry crust and spicy meat filling known as patties. For jerk that’s hot off the grill, the vendors on Boston Beach are popularly called “the best,” though good jerk is available everywhere. For patties, Stamp and Go and others, street vendors in Kingston are the original source, but carts have made their way to north shore settlements as well.

Jamaica Jerk Chicken

Jamaican jerk chicken served restaurant style with fresh fruit and peas-n-rice. Street vendors across the island grill up simpler versions of this savory favorite. Photo: Shutterstock

Cuba

With its feet firmly planted in traditional Spanish cooking, Cuba’s cuisine is a kind of “mother tongue” for the Hispanic islands, rich in roasted and spicy slow-cooked meats, accompanied by a variety of staple starches, tempting pastries and fresh fruits. If your only exposure to Cuban has been in the form of a flat- pressed sandwich (which was actually invented in Tampa, Florida) just reading a menu should set your taste buds quivering: boliche (eye round steak stuffed with chorizo sausage), empanadas, croquetas, lechón asado (roast pork) and of course, black beans and rice. Havana’s cuisine has more hints of Creole, while the cooking in the east end of the island is more European. In Havana, 304 O’Reilly and La Guarida, which has a spectacular setting, are best bets. Take to the streets and you will discover a new world of tastes, that includes chicharritas de platano (paper-thin slices of fried plantain) frituras de malanga (deep-fried grated root vegetable mixed with egg and crushed garlic) and the ever- popular tostones, which when done right the plantain slices remain crispy on the outside while delivering a satisfyingly gooey center.

Cuban Ropa Vieja

Ropa Vieja, Spanish for “old clothes” is a classic Cuban dish made from braised and shredded flank steak that is then slow simmered in a spiced tomato sauce until tender. Photo: Sarah Bossert/iStock

Trinidad

While the majority of the population in Trinidad is of African decent,  there is a large ethnic group that descended from the indentured servants who came to the island from India. They brought with them spices and traditional preparation methods for curries, chutneys, roti, as well as words like aloo (Hindi “alu,” potato) pie and geera (Hindu “jira,” cumin) chicken. Creole influences have added savory stews and callaloo to the mix. On Trinidad one can find some of the most authentic Indian and Chinese cooking this side of the international dateline. But what’s most celebrated is the island’s street food: shark and bake (shark meat in a freshly baked bread), pow (roll stuffed with meat), and doubles (two pieces of fresh bread with chickpea filling). You don’t have to go far to find savory offerings of every variety. Plan a day at Maracas Bay near Port of Spain and take your pick of beachside vendors.

Trinidad, Indian Food

The cuisine of Trinidad draws heavily on East Indian influences, including traditional favorites such as curries, saffron rice, naan bread, samosas and pakora. Photo: Joe Gough/Shutterstock

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

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Some say that just being in the Caribbean is a cause for celebration. True, but there are also times when crowds come together to escalate the revelry and dance like there’s no tomorrow. Here are seven of our favorite Caribbean parties. Mark your calendar.

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.