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Caribbean Vacations
Following are the best Caribbean vacation destinations:
THE BAHAMAS - NEW PROVIDENCE & PARADISE ISLAND
This offshore financial centre is most obviously a fabulous shopping bazaar
and vacation destination with its world-famous Bay Street and side-streets
marinating in a Caribbean carnival atmosphere. A bridge
connects Nassau with Paradise Island, home to the famed Atlantis resort.
BERMUDA
Bermuda's isolation in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between North
America and Europe, coupled with a history of English settlement, make
it unique. It is spotlessly clean, quaint, orderly ... Bermuda is a convenient
2-1/2 hour flight from most major cities on the US East Coast.
CAYMAN ISLANDS
The Caymans were "discovered" by Christopher Columbus in 1503
and settled by the British in 1655, they still retain much of the British
heritage. They are a British Crown Colony complete with a Royal Governor
who represents Britain's monarch as Head of State...
GUYANA
You will step inside stunning jungle and mountain country just beyond
the borders of Guyana's picturesque capital. The capital is dotted with
charming 19th century homes made accessible via tree-lined boulevards
along the path of canals built during the colonial days.
TURKS & CAICOS
Once a part of The Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands are a British
Colony with superb diving, sports and Club Med offerings. The capital
is Cockburn (pronounced Co'burn) Town and the population is around 14,000.
Come for some of the finest beaches in the world.
More Caribbean Islands
Bahamas
Beginning 64 kilometers (40 miles) off the tip of Florida and sprawling
across 259,000 square kilometers (100,000 square miles) of water, the
Bahamas actually lie in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean
Sea. The chain ends just north of Hispaniola, the island of Haiti,
and the Dominican Republic. However, since it shares much of its heritage
and beauty with its southern neighbors, it is often referred to as part
of the Caribbean. Independent from Britain since 1973,
this archipelago comprises more than 700 large islands, smaller low-lying
landmasses called cays ("keys"), and landfalls hardly larger
than boulders. The nation's population of nearly 255,000 lives on only
about two dozen of these mainly flat, coral islands.
The vistas, beautiful coastlines, and lifestyle make the Bahamas special.
From the international city of Freeport on Grand Bahama and its neighboring
Lucaya resort to the pink sand beaches of tiny Harbour Island, the Bahamas
offers a wide choice of vacation opportunities. With its many islands
and cays, this country could take months of exploration. In the old days,
mail boats often spent weeks completing the circuit of inhabited islands.
Before the arrival of airplanes, these boats served as the local inter-island
transportation for people as well as correspondence. Even today, some
Bahamians and adventurous visitors still choose this leisurely, rough-and-tumble
mode of travel.
Visitors looking for the excitement and conviviality of casinos, a vibrant
nightlife, and varied dining have Nassau and the adjoining Paradise Island,
as well as Freeport. Some of the larger resorts here are self-contained
and cater to guests not interested in exploring much beyond their hotels.
Vacationers who do wish to get to know Nassau and Freeport during their
stay can begin with bus or taxi tours available through hotels and the
tourist bureau. Those with a more adventurous spirit can take tours on
their own by using the local jitneys, or minivans. Doing so can be fun
and gives the flavor of what life is like for residents.
Vacationers seeking a slower pace and more serene surroundings should
definitely consider visiting one of the Out Islands. Formerly called the
Family Islands, these more reclusive spots are often striking in their
beauty. They bring visitors closer to the natural wonders of the islands'
land and sea and introduce them to people not jaded by the tourist trade
that booms in Nassau, Paradise Island, and Freeport
Jamaica
Jamaica is located 1,125 kilometers (700 miles) southeast of Miami, 175
kilometers (110 miles) west of Haiti, and 145 kilometers (90 miles) south
of Cuba. The island is 235 kilometers (146 miles) long, 82 kilometers
(51 miles) across at its widest point, and sprawls over 11,400 square
kilometers (4,400 square miles), making it the third largest island in
the Caribbean. Like other Caribbean islands,
it was formed from the outcropping of a submerged mountain range. Reaching
2,256 meters (7,402 feet) at the Blue Mountain Peak, a mountain range
crosses the island in the east and descends westward; a series of gullies
and spurs cross north to south. The north and west coasts harbor most
of the beaches, though a few good ones can be found in the south. The
capital Kingston, the cultural and social pulse of the island, is located
on the southeast coast—one of the largest and best natural harbors
in the world. Montego Bay, another landmark name in Jamaican tourism,
lies in the northwest part of the island.
U.S. Virgin Islands
The U.S. Virgin Islands comprise a group of three main islands—Saint
Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix—and about 50 islets, most of
which are uninhabited, east of Puerto Rico and lying between the Caribbean
Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The capital is Charlotte Amalie,
on St. Thomas. Other principal communities in the group are Christiansted
and Frederiksted, both on St. Croix.
The islands lie about 1,600 kilometers (1,000 miles) south of Miami.
A mere 18 degrees above the equator, they're bounded on the north by the
Atlantic Ocean and on the south by the Caribbean Sea,
except for St. Croix, which is surrounded by the Caribbean.
Just over 3 kilometers (2 miles) east of St. Thomas is the laid-back little
island (49 square kilometers/19 square miles) of St. John. A 5-kilometer
(3-mile) expanse called Pillsbury Sound separates St. John from St. Thomas,
and between the two islands lie a few smaller, mostly uninhabited ones,
or so Christopher Columbus fantasized when he named the group St. Ursula
and her 11,000 Virgins. The highest peak is 389-meter (1,277-foot) Bordeaux
Mountain.
Most of St. John's 2,500 residents live in the area surrounding Cruz
Bay, a tiny ramshackle town, where ferries and cruise-ship tenders dock,
tourists shop, and islanders go about their business. Scenic overlooks
provide a glimpse of broad expanses of white sand lapped by a turquoise
sea. Closer inspection reveals a sugary white sand and interesting snorkeling
offshore.
St. Thomas lies about 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of St. Croix. Only
23 by 5 kilometers (14 by 3 miles) long, it is built on a mountain—the
reason it's called "Rock City"—with its one main town,
Charlotte Amalie, situated on the central south shore. Beach resorts dot
most of the coastline; private homes with bright red roofs of corrugated
iron nestle into the hillside in the wooded interior. The island is easy
to navigate by automobile, but there are the inevitable daily traffic
jams that clog downtown Charlotte Amalie at rush hour.
Lying 120 kilometers (75 miles) east of Puerto Rico and 65 kilometers
(40 miles) south of St. Thomas, St. Croix (rhymes with "boy")
is the largest of the islands, but only 50,000 people live there. With
a land mass 47 kilometers long by 11 kilometers wide (29 by 7 miles),
and 212 square kilometers (82 square miles), St. Croix is separated from
St. Thomas and St. John by 52 kilometers (32 miles) and a 3,600-meter
(12,000-foot) oceanic trench. Rocky terrain fills the eastern sector,
while the west end has higher elevation and more forests. Salt River on
the north coast has been approved as a national park, including not only
the site where Columbus first landed, but also the underwater Salt River
drop-off and canyon. Among the many natural attractions are wildlife refuges
for birds and leatherback turtles, a rain forest, botanic gardens, three
nature preserves, and three parks—one under the sea.
Caribbean Vacation Links / Caribbean Vacation Resources
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site: http://www.caribbeanvisitorcenter.com/
Caribbean Vacation Specials And Discounts
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site: http://vacations.1travel-vacation.com
All Inclusive Caribbean Vacations-Apple Vacations
Official site. Great Hotel and Resort packages to Caribbean through Apple
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site: http://www.applevacations.com/
Caribbean Vacations On Sale
Low Rates, Great Photos, and Caribbean Specialists for assisting you in
planning your Caribbean vacation. Open 7 days a week,
Vacations by Humans.
site: http://www.caribbeanvisitorcenter.com/
CaribbeanCoast - Caribbeans Best Small Hotel
Guide
Welcome to CaribbeanCoast.com .... An Online travel guide offering online
hotel reservations and travel information for The Caribbean, Mexico &
Central America
site: http://caribbeancoast.com
Caribbean Vacation Tips and Caribbean Vacation Ideas
Tips
On Booking Caribbean Cruises
Caribbean
Tips On Carnival Schedules
Planning
A Caribbean Fishing Vacation
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