 |
|
|
|
|
Eastern Caribbean |
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
Bahamas
has successfully promoted itself as a popular destination for
jetsetters and snowbirds fleeing the North American winter.
Nassau, the sprawling, crowded capital, has become nearly
indistinguishable from many US cities. Yet there are lots of
places among the country's 700 islands and 2500 cays to disappear
into a mangrove forest, explore a coral reef and escape the
high-rise hotels and package-tour hype.
The 18th-century Privateers' Republic has become the
20th-century banker's paradise, at least on New Providence and
Grand Bahama. On the other islands - once known as the Out Islands
but now euphemistically called the Family Islands - the atmosphere
is less oriented toward the North American tourist and more toward
the rhythms of West Indian life. You'll certainly be more in tune
with the local environment listening to a rake 'n' scrape band in
a bar on a backwater cay than sunning by the pool at a Paradise
Island resort
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
Dominican
Republic The white-sand
beaches, impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular rivers
and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife
are just part of the Dominican Republic's appeal. Steer a small
boat through endless mangrove forests in search of gentle
manatees. Spy on lovesick humpback whales in the Bahía de Samaná.
And once you've had your fill of this exquisite island's natural
wonder, get back to civilization and prepare to party.
Folks in the Americas' first European city, Santo Domingo, don't
just spend their time admiring the fine colonial architecture
gracing their home. Nope, this town has not one, but two complete
Carnivals, complete with parades, elaborate floats, lots of live
music and plenty of dancing in the streets. Pre-Lent Carnivals are
celebrated in Santiago, Cabral, Monte Cristi and La Vega as well.
If that's not enough, check out the country's two major merengue
festivals, the annual Latin Music Festival and the national
surfing and windsurfing championships. Whether you're looking to
party, relax or explore, the Dominican Republic has a lot to
offer.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
Puerto
Rico is proudly
independent in spirit but technically a territory of the USA where
four centuries of Spanish Caribbean culture comes face to face
with the American convenience store. This leads to some strange
juxtapositions - parking lots and plazas, freeways and fountains,
skyscrapers and shanties - but they're not hard to reconcile in
the context of the Caribbean's hybrid history.
Although tourists have been visiting San Juan for decades, few
ever felt the need to get out of the casinos, let alone the city
limits. Today, travelers who venture into the island's mountainous
interior or explore its undeveloped southern and western coasts
are coming across stately hill towns where the locals in the plaza
seem to have been feeding the same pigeons for decades, and reefs
where divers can see 30 species of fish swim by in the time in
takes to fin pivot. Add to this a perplexing culture that is proud
of its past yet unable to seize its independence and you have the
ingredients for an intriguing adventure.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
St.
Croix is less developed than rowdy St
Thomas, so it's a good place to change down a gear, find isolated
beaches and bend the elbow with locals not engaged in the tourist
industry. The island, the largest in the Virgin Islands, is
composed of forested hills and fertile lowlands and is surrounded
by coral reefs. At its commercial height St Croix had about 100
sugar plantations, and decaying plantation houses and the stone
towers of their windmills still litter the landscape today.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
St.
John through the 19th century was goopy with sugar and rum,
and merchant ships clogged Coral and Cruz Bay. But by the 1950s,
when American financier Laurence Rockefeller sailed by, things
were mighty quiet. Rocky fell in love with Johnny's perfect white
beaches and spectacular views, and did what any of us would do: he
purchased half the island, built a secluded resort and campground
on the site of an old sugar plantation and donated the remaining
5000 acres (2000ha) to the government. Today, two-thirds of St
John is preserved by the Virgin Islands National Park.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
St.
Thomas the spiky lizard-shaped island has a rambunctious
past peppered with the exploits of men named after their facial
hair. You'd think the stomping ground of Blackbeard and the
mythical Bluebeard would be the last place to turn into the
quintessential American beach suburb, but a fine port is a fine
port whether you're unloading booty, slaves or cruise ship
passengers. St Thomas is overly developed and fixated on shopping
but it's also strikingly pretty, thanks to a spine of hills whose
forested ridges form headlands separating bays and coves filled
with turquoise-blue water. There are more than forty beaches
fringing the island, and snorkeling and dive spots galore.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
St.
Maarten is one of the most touristed islands in the
Caribbean, but despite the large resorts, casinos and fast-food
chains it still has quiet niches to explore. There are powdery
white-sand beaches, secluded coves and good diving. Not that
development hasn't brought some benefits: Philipsburg is
chock-a-block with fashionable boutiques, duty-free shops and good
restaurants.
The island is a prime jumping-off point for trips to its
neighbors - it's cheap and easy to get to Anguilla, Saba and Sint
Eustatius, some of the region's most rural and least developed
destinations. And the lower-key French side of the island is a
short trip from anywhere in Sint Maarten.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Bahamas | |
|
Dominican Republic | |
|
Puerto Rico | |
|
St. Croix | |
|
|
| |
St. John | |
|
St. Thomas | |
|
St. Maarten | |
|
Turks/Caicos | |
|
|
|
|
|
Turks
and Caicos are oddly named and misshapen islands may not be
the prettiest in the Caribbean, covered as they are with cactus
and thorny acacia trees. They are, however, fringed with exquisite
beaches and several hundred miles of coral reef. If you're not an
investment banker, retired CEO or drug smuggler, chances are
you're headed here for some serious sun-worshipping or to dive
'the Wall', a 7000ft (2100m) offshore trench that keeps the Turks
and Caicos on the world's top 10 dive list.
Despite the islands' proximity to Miami and their legendary
status among the scuba set, in 1965 the capital city's telephone
operator was also the local jailer and the communications network
was a hand-cranked telephone in a wooden shack. Since then,
Karaoke and Club Med have arrived, but only Providenciales has
morphed into a typical Caribbean package tour destination. The
rest of the archipelago remains rural and undeveloped, operating
according to its own bucolic pace.
|
|
|
|
