Travelrific® Travel Journal
A blog for travel enthusiasts. Listen to our podcasts at Travelrific® Radio, and visit our Wanderful Places® Travel Shop!Archive for caribbean
The Switzerland of Central America
By Linda Tancs
For decades Costa Rica has been referred to as the Switzerland of Central America, owing to peace, prosperity and stability. But let’s not forget the other Swiss-like attributes, like gorgeous mountains offering sweeping panoramic views and hiking opportunities galore. And, like Switzerland, thrill seekers will love rafting. Costa Rica offers some of the best whitewater rafting in the world thanks to its mountainous terrain and rain produced by the rainforests. It’s available year-round, but white-knuckle enthusiasts should wait until May through October to get wet and wild.
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Racing Around the Caribbean
By Linda Tancs
Nelson’s Dockyard is the only Georgian dockyard in the world and is the largest tourist attraction on Antigua. In its midst is The Inn at English Harbour, a relaxing location from which competitors in today’s Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Caribbean 600 have been gearing up for the fourth annual yacht race around 11 Caribbean islands. The RORC Caribbean 600 features over 500 hundred competitors from at least 24 different nations taking part in this high-speed yacht race. The list of nations represented includes Australia, Austria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Croatia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the U.S. The largest yacht competing this year is Hetairos, the world’s largest carbon composite sailing yacht and the favorite to win.
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Oldest Botanic Gardens in Western Hemisphere
By Linda Tancs
One hundred miles west of Barbados in the Eastern Caribbean lies a chain of 32 islands and cays making up St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Some of the most fertile soil in the world can be found there, but perhaps its biggest claim to fame are the botanic gardens, the oldest in the Western Hemisphere founded in 1763. Among its many distinctions is the sucker from one of the 630 breadfruit plants brought to St. Vincent in 1793 by Captain Bligh. Perhaps not surprisingly, roasted breadfruit (along with fried jackfish) is the country’s national dish.
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Caribbean’s Longest Running Resort
By Linda Tancs
If you’d expect a centuries old, longest running resort to be a bit stuffy, then you’d be pleasantly surprised in St. Croix. The Buccaneer is the island’s (and Caribbean’s) longest-running resort, a legend that balances old-world charm with the wish list of today’s traveler, including spa treatments, a kids’ camp, and golf and tennis lessons. Connections are widely available from San Juan, and U.S. residents can leave the passport home. Book now for 20% off select rates this winter.
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Craft Market Reopens in Bahamas
By Linda Tancs
After being gutted by fire in 2001, Nassau’s Straw Market in the Bahamas is open for business. The Bay Street fixture offers local handiworks and is accessible by cab or jitney from Cable Beach. Unless you’re a polar bear by nature, you likely won’t be swimming there in January, so why not shop till you drop!
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Vacation Deal of the Week
By Linda Tancs
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is offering two-for-one fares, bonus savings and free air on 10- and 11-night Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises when booked by Dec. 30. Want more information? Contact me at www.wanderfulcruises.com.
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Sloth Central
By Linda Tancs
The sleepy surf of Costa Rica’s Caribbean side may seem like an unlikely place for a rescue center for the native sloth, but three miles north of Cahuita lies the world’s only sloth rescue center, Aviarios del Caribe. The learning center and sanctuary is home to special adult resident sloths named Millie, Toyota, Spiderman, Einstein, Nala and TopoGigio. The sanctuary offers visitors the opportunity to sleep with the sloths (well, kind of) via a small hotel on the premises. Just one more way to get up close and personal with the natives.
A Sailor’s Life in BVI
By Linda Tancs
Sailors have been competitively plying the warm waters of Nanny Cay in British Virgin Islands now for 40 years. This year marks the 40th anniversary of BVI’s Spring Regatta, taking place today through 3 April. Visitors can fly to the British Virgin Islands through San Juan, Puerto Rico and from Antigua or St. Martin with American Airlines, Cape Air, BVI Airline and LIAT. Flights to Antigua and Barbados are available on Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and BWIA. Ferry service is also available from St. Thomas, USVI.
Dominican Republic is Attractive to Pensioners
By Linda Tancs
The Dominican Republic is known for baseball superstars, sugar cane and cigars. But did you know that the economy has doubled in size since 1990 according to the President’s address at the 2010 UN Millenium Development Goals Summit? The government recognizes that foreign inputs of currency or capital contribute to the development and collective well being of the population, so foreign pensioners can establish exemptions from the payment of tax on dividends, interest, realty and other property as residents of the Dominican Republic. Of course, if you choose to work, you pay local taxes. But why would you do that when you can laze away on the beaches, watch the whales, golf, or venture among 16 national parks, nine natural monuments and six scientific reserves? The choice is yours.
Dutch Treat
By Linda Tancs
Curacao is a Caribbean island in the Netherland Antilles. Independent from the Dutch politically, culturally the ties are as strong as ever. The official language is Dutch, but this country sandwiched between Aruba and Bonaire has a multicultural flair as well. They call it authenticity. With European and African roots, influences abound from the early slave trade, the Spanish and Portuguese migration and, of course, the Dutch occupation. Largely undiscovered and devoid of tourist traps, the island offers lazy beach days, unparalleled diving and world-class shopping among the sherbet-colored Dutch colonial buildings dotting the capital city of Willemstad. Bon Bini!
