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Western Caribbean |
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Belize | |
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Belize
the small Central American country with the
longest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere with over 60% of
its land still covered by tropical forests. Belize is the center
of the once powerful Mayan civilization. The ancient Mayan sites
of Belize cover the full spectrum of time and diversity. Belize
boasts the oldest known Mayan site; the longest occupied site; and
the largest carved jade object in all Mayan Dom.
Over 600 hundred sites have been discovered to date in
Belize. New artifacts and even major sites seem to be discovered
on a regular basis. And excavation projects are taking place all
over Belize today. While only a fraction of the known sites are
open to the public, those that are accessible will provide more
than a glimpse of how spectacular this civilization was and how
much a part of Belize history it is.
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Cayman
Islands people are diverse:
dotted with deal-cutting characters with briefcases and cell
phones, scuba divers in electric wetsuits and English folk
checking the cricket scores over a g&t. The Caymans are
colorful: coral reefs, bright orange frogfish, sociable stingrays
and reggae beats on the street. They're mellow: leaf blowers are
noisier than the traffic, and most of the smoke comes from
cruise-shippers plugging their faces with Cuban cigars. Hell, even
Hell's chilled out in the Caymans.
The islands have long been a haven for bankers and divers, but
travelers of all stripes are now flocking there in growing
numbers. As a result, resorts and condos have sprung up all over,
and you can count on air-con, cold beer and ESPN. But if you want
to get away from it all (well, except the cold beer), there are
lots of places in the Caymans to escape satellite dishes and
slickness, not least of them underwater.
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Dominican
Republic with 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.
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Florida
Keys is the string of
islands to the south of Miami were once underwater coral reefs,
and they're still recognized for their great diving and marine
life today. Linked to Miami by a precarious island-hopping
135-mile (216km) highway, the string of islands ends at Key West,
the legendary land of Hemingway, sunset celebrations and Key Lime
Pie.
Key West's reputation as a tropical paradise with gorgeous sunsets
and sultry nightlife is well-earned. It's been overrun by
tourists, but if you look carefully you'll find fleeting images of
the Key West of the past: walking through the narrow side streets
away from the action, you'll see lovely Keys architecture and get
a sense of how the locals who aren't there to sell you a T-shirt
or book you on a glass-bottomed boat ride live.
Key West is roughly oval shaped, with most of the action taking
place at the western end. Mallory Square, at the far northwestern
tip, is the site of nightly sunset celebrations. The best diving
is off Key West's southern shore.
Key West is the most populated and touristed of the islands. It
lies about 160 miles (258km) from Miami along the Overseas
Highway. Greyhound buses leave Miami's Bayside Station for the 5
hour trip several times a day. American Airlines, Chalk's
International Air, Gulf stream Air and USAir all have several
flights a day between Miami and Key West. Key West's airport is at
the southeastern end of the island.
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Guatemala
is a country gathering its
wits after thirty-odd years of insane civil war. Budget-challenged
travelers have been drawn to the country throughout this period of
turmoil because it offers Central America in concentrate form: its
volcanoes are the highest and most active, its Mayan ruins the
most impressive, its earthquakes the most devastating and its
history of repression decidedly world-class.
Guatemala is the Mayan heartland of Central America, though the
government has both touted and tortured the Maya - sticking
pictures of them on its tourist brochures while sticking guns in
their faces. Despite this, indigenous Guatemalan culture is alive
and well, in the ancient ruins of Tikal, the Mayan/Catholic
rituals of Chichicastenango and the blazing colors of everyday
Mayan dress. Since the peace treaties were signed, inspiring even
the least-intrepid travelers to venture beyond the Guatemala
City-Antigua corridor, indigenous Guatemala has been rolling out
the red carpet to once-isolated and lovely villages accessible to
some of Central America's wildest natural wonders.
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was the original banana
republic and is still one of the least developed and
industrialized countries in Central America. Despite its turbulent
political history, the poor cousin of the region has barely
registered on the Western radar, apart from its short role in the
1980s as a breeding ground for US covert operations.
The slow pace, natural beauty
and low-profile tourism make it particularly appealing to
travelers (well-armed with insect repellent) who enjoy getting off
the beaten track. However, the country was devastated by one of
the strongest hurricanes of the 20th century - Hurricane Mitch in
October 1998. Thanks to international relief efforts, much of the
infrastructure has now been repaired and tourism has returned to
pre-Mitch levels.
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Jamaica
beaches, mountains and carnal red
sunsets regularly appear in the world's tourist brochures, and,
unlike other nearby islands, it democratically caters to all
comers: you can choose a private villa with your own private
beach; laugh your vacation away at a party-hearty resort; throw
yourself into the thick of the island's life; or concentrate on
experiencing the three R's: reggae, reefers and rum.
But behind the now familiar clichés of
'tropical' scenery and 'shimmering' beaches lies a different
Jamaica - one whose character arises from its complex culture, and
that aspires to be African in defiance of both the island's
geography and its colonial history. Jamaicans may have a quick wit
and a ready smile, but this is not the happy-go-lucky island of
Bacardi adverts and Harry Bellefonte numbers. The island's somber
history is rooted in the sugar-plantation economy, and the slave
era still weighs heavily on the national psyche. Rastafarianism
may mean easy skankin' to some, but its confused expression of
love, hope, anger and social discontent encapsulates modern
Jamaica - a densely populated, poverty-ridden country that is
struggling to escape dependency and debt. Come to Jamaica with an
open mind and an interest in exploring these contradictions and
you will truly have 'no problem mon.'
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Mexico | |
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| Mexico
is a
traveler's paradise, crammed with a multitude of opposing
identities: desert landscapes, snow-capped volcanoes, ancient
ruins, teeming industrialized cities, time-warped colonial towns,
glitzy resorts, lonely beaches and a world-beating collection of
flora and fauna. The bursting megalopolis of Mexico City is a
one-hour flight from the tropical rainforests and Mayan villages
of Chiapas. Up along the northern border, Mexico's tumult of
heritages merge with the air-conditioned cultures of California,
Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.
Mexico's
profusion of people and landscapes reflects the country's
extraordinary history - part Amerindian, part Spanish. One look at
this country is enough to remind visitors that there is nothing
new about the so-called New World. Despite the considerable
colonial legacy and rampant modernization, almost 60 distinct
indigenous peoples survive, largely thanks to their rural
isolation. This mix of modern and traditional, the clichéd and
the surreal, is the key to Mexico's immense popularity as a travel
destination, whether your passion is throwing back margaritas,
listening to howler monkeys, surfing the Mexican Pipeline,
scrambling over Mayan ruins or expanding your Day of the Dead
collection of skeletons.
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