Caribbean Travel

Telegraph : "To my mind, this makes St Lucia the most perfect island in the Caribbean. For this is a place rich in things to do, from riding Creole thoroughbreds through the waves on Cas-en-Bas beach to zip-lining through the rainforest canopy. It's also paradise for walkers as St Lucia abounds in trails. The obvious challenge is to climb the Pitons, the almost perfectly conical twin lava spikes designated a World Heritage Site. Related articles Hurricane lashes Caribbean isles (bbc.co.uk)

Travel - msnbc.com : "There's something special about teaching your seven year-old to snorkel and then sharing the underwater wonders of rainbow-colored fish and delicate coral with her. In the Caribbean and the Bahamas, depending on the resort you choose, you and your children can snorkel and dive, search for monkeys in the rainforest, zoom down waterslides, swim with dolphins, get wicked good at tennis and golf and also enjoy such time-honored pleasures as sunning, swimming and sand castle-building. It all depends on the resort you choose. Here are ten top properties to consider." Related articles Hey Mon, The Bahamas Was Good To Me! (sweetbusinesses.com)

Image via Wikipedia Opodo travel news "British Airways will introduce a new route to San Juan on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico next year. The airline announced that it would operate twice-weekly flights to the destination from London Gatwick from 28 March. BA will therefore offer a total of 64 weekly services to 15 destinations in the Caribbean, with connections to Barbados, Antigua, Jamaica and other islands also available. Announcing the route during a visit to an event hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, BA chief executive Willie Walsh said the carrier is committed to developing its presence in the region." Related articles BA increases Caribbean flights (flycaribbean.com)

Image via Wikipedia Winnipeg Free Press : "It looks as if the best deals on cruising this winter are going to be in the Caribbean, with newer ships and giants such as Allure, Oasis and Epic all fighting for the same market. We've seen a lot of price-cutting already, and I'd suggest there will be more of it deeper into the winter season. Having said that, prices for most other areas of the world are up, even for the re-positioning of ships in the spring, when the opposite is the norm. That $899 14-day trip starting price this fall will be more than $1,000 next year." Related articles Arthur Frommer: Warm spots top 20 best bargain vacations for the week (thestar.com)

Reuters : "KINGSTON Oct 16 (Reuters) - Jamaica is offering the 33 rescued Chilean miners a free vacation on the Caribbean island after their 69-day ordeal underground, the Jamaican government said. Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett announced the offer in Kingston along with Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, a prominent local businessman and chairman of Sandals Resorts, which operates a chain of hotels in Jamaica and the Caribbean, according to a Jamaica Information Service statement released late on Friday."

Fashion & Life : "After winning accolades from Conde Nast Traveller Magazine UK edition Jalousie Plantation Resort in Sugar Beach St. Lucia is gearing up to renovate itself and creating a new branding as the Tides Sugar Beach. The company is spending over $ 100 million on the enhancements. According to the readers of the Traveler Magazine, this is one leisure hotel in the Caribbean that most would like to stay in. In fact it was number 25 of the 100 most popular places to stay across the globe."

Jamaica Gleaner News "While an increasing number of properties in Jamaica and the Caribbean have embraced the all-inclusive concept to lock in tourist spend, reduce visitor safety concerns or otherwise enhance the vacation experience, two of Chris Blackwell's properties are backing away from the model. Jason Henzell, president of Island Outpost, which operates the upscale and exclusive GoldenEye resort property in Oracabessa, St Mary and The Caves at West End in Negril, Westmoreland, has outlined plans to reposition the hotels away from being all-inclusive."

Image via Wikipedia South Florida Caribbean News : "'Some of Jamaica's hotels and resorts are offering great 10/10/10 deals for travelers on a budget, and for anyone who simply wants to escape – just in time for the upcoming holiday,' said John Lynch, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. 'In addition to great value, the island offers accessibility from most major gateways in the U.S. These are no doubt contributing factors to Jamaica’s recent honor from TripAdvisor; the island was voted to the Top 10 Island Escape list.”"

Image by 350.org via Flickr Stabroek News : "A new airline is soon to be launched in Barbados that will offer low fares to Guyana and the wider Caribbean. Airone Ventures Limited Business Development Director Ian Burns and Robbie Burns met with President Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday to inform him of the venture. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release Airone will be flying to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and Bridgetown, Barbados." Related articles BA to begin flights to San Juan (flycaribbean.com)

The Montreal Gazette "It looks like the best deals on cruising this winter are going to be in the Caribbean, with newer ships and giants such as Allure, Oasis and Epic all fighting for the same market. We have seen a lot of price-cutting already, and I would suggest there will be more as we go deeper into the winter season. Having said that, cruise prices for most other areas of the world are up, even for the repositioning of ships in the spring, when the opposite is the norm. That $899 starting price for a 14-day trip this fall will be more than $1,000 next year." Related articles Arthur Frommer: Cruise lines sail away from the Caribbean (thestar.com) Cheap Cruises: Last Minute Splurges (cheapcruises.net)

Image via Wikipedia About.com "Count this as really good news for Caribbean travelers: Southwest Airlines has announced a deal to acquire AirTran Airlines, and if the deal goes through then Southwest will take over AirTran's routes to Aruba, Punta Cana, Montego Bay, San Juan, Cozumel, and Nassau."

About.com-- "Experienced travelers know that if you want to truly experience the culture of a destination, staying in a five-star resort is usually the last thing you want to do. Hostels -- which offer inexpensive lodging and a social atmosphere --- are not just for youth but rather any traveler who cherishes sharing their adventures with others and immersing themselves in local life.�The Caribbean is typically thought of as a resort destination, but these islands and countries welcome more than their fair share of backpackers and other bare-bones travelers willing to trade pampering for the experience of a lifetime." Related articles 10 Caribbean Islands To Go To Now (PHOTOS) (huffingtonpost.com)

The Observer : "The Dominican Republic is the second largest Caribbean nation after Cuba, with approximately 10 million inhabitants. It occupies the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, of which the western third is the country of Haiti. Haiti feels very African and most people speak French and Creole – the Dominican Republic is more Latin American, and Dominicans speak Spanish. Not to be confused with the little-developed Caribbean island of Dominica, population 73,000." Related articles by Zemanta Two killed in Haiti-Dominican racial clash: police (reuters.com)

Caribbean Travel News : "Dominica’s tourism industry has been growing leaps and bounds in the past few years and they are really marketing themselves as an eco-destination for people who are interested in the outdoors, cultural activities, and sustainable development. And the range of activities is endless. For families there is horseback riding, whale watching, hikes to waterfalls, snorkeling, kayaking, beaches, and rivers. And for those who want a more extreme vacation there are some really outstanding and challenging hikes to places like the boiling lake (yep, it’s actually boiling), secret beaches, hidden waterfalls, and a new canyoning (think rappelling through waterfalls) company just opened up in the interior. The office of tourism just started doing “community tours” which are day-long outings that highlight local farms, culture and areas of interest in villages throughout the island." Related articles by Zemanta Dominica to allow night landings for first time - Busi

About.com "Virgin Islands National Park is the third-smallest in the U.S. national parks system, but don't let that fact fool you: it still encompasses 63 percent of the island of St. John. The lush forest seems ancient and eternal, but in fact all of the trees on the island were cut for timber by the 19th century, so this is technically a recovering forest, albeit about 200 years old. Officially protected in 1956, the forest will take another 100 years to fully return to its original natural state." Related articles by Zemanta NOAA divers capture invasive lionfish in the Virgin Islands National Park (eurekalert.org)

Travel | The Guardian : "Friendly jungle. Isn't that an oxymoron? But as we stand beside the vast buttressed trees, each festooned with entire ecosystems of bromeliads, creepers, orchids and vines, Eric is adamant. 'No poisonous snakes, no nasty spiders, no creature more dangerous than a guinea pig.' 'They do bite.' He grins. 'But rarely kill.'" Related articles by Zemanta Man, Woman, Wild: Dominica (dominica-weekly.com)

ajc.com : "Effective immediately and ending at midnight on Sunday, 10-10-10, CheapCaribbean.com will offer all-inclusive beach vacation packages to the Lifestyle Tropical Beach Resort and Spa in Puerto Plata , Dominican Republic , with VIP amenities including private beach and top shelf liquor, for only $10 per person (airfare not included)."