CARIBBEAN COOL
3/1/2007 2:17:45 PM by Clint Brownfield
Even though you might be familiar with the Caribbean’s top spots, we discover a few hidden secrets you might want to look into next time your itinerary leads you toward paradise.
THE BAHAMAS
With hundreds and hundreds of islands to choose from, Orvis has just come out with something that will be a welcomed addition to anglers. The Orvis-Bahamas Fly Fishing & Adventure Guide provides straightforward fishing and adventure travel options throughout the Bahamas. Orvis has also developed the Bahamas Certified Guide Program, which enables experienced Bahamian guides to undergo additional training in Orvis casting techniques to help traveling anglers make the most of their trip, even in challenging weather conditions. Fishermen are also guaranteed to find Orvis equipment on board to ensure the best gear for the job is right at hand. To locate an Orvis-Bahamas certified guide and book a fishing adventure to the Bahamas, look in the fishing guide directory at orvis.com.
Each year, music lovers from all over the globe throng to the Bahamian Music and Heritage Festival in Great Exuma. This year’s fest is March 15-17, 2007. Hotel rooms go fast for this annual event but this festival offers a new way for boaters to experience this stunning collection of 365 islands and cays. The festival features an awesome line-up of the Bahamas’ most popular and talented musicians, such as Elon Moxey, Ronnie Butler and Nita, as well as musicians from Exuma. Arts and crafts will be on sale along with Bahamian cuisine.
Exuma has the distinction of being the only island in the Caribbean where two James Bond movies were filmed: Thunderball and Never Say Never Again. Travelers can swim in Thunderball Cave; play a round of golf at the Four Seasons Great Exuma; kayak the calm waters; camp on the virtually unexplored islands and cays surrounding Great Exuma; or visit the Bahamas’ first national park, the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, popular among the boating, diving and birdwatching crowd. The park is home to rare flora and fauna, including endangered Bahamian iguanas, which often come to the beach to greet morning arrivals and beg for food handouts! For everything bahamas, go to bahamas.com.
BERMUDA
Throughout the last few decades, Bermuda has become a destination for adrenaline enthusiasts with a plethora of races and competitions designed to get the blood pumping. Bermuda is home to two major yachting races that alternate every other year: the Centennial Bermuda Race from Newport to Bermuda, and the Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race.
This year, Bermuda will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Marion Bermuda. During the competition, yachts will compete using electronic navigation for overall prizes. The rating credit reflects the statistical difference between celestial and electronic performance in the past three Marion to Bermuda races.
The biennial cruising yacht race, starts June 15, 2007 in Buzzards Bay near Marion, MA. The cruising multi-hulls will start the day after. “First and foremost, we are a cruising yacht race,” says Graham Quinn, the executive director of the race. “Our goal is to maintain the integrity and tradition of the Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race and it is our feeling we can continue to do that while offering a choice of handicap systems to our participants.”
Considered by many as one of the best races in the world, The Marion Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race has run biennially since 1977. The race is open to monohulls and multihulls between 32 and 80 feet. For a breakdown of rules, regulations and other details, go to marionbermuda.com.
Bermuda’s Annual Big Game Classic is the fishing competition of all fishing competitions for the island. In other words, if you miss it, you’ll regret it. Final registration will be held at The Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel on July 11, 2007. A boat parade starts at 6:45 a.m. on the 12th followed by fishing through the 15th. For information on all the water-worthy opportunities available in Bermuda, go to bermudatourism.com.
THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
Located just 480 miles south of Miami, the Cayman Islands form a trio of tiny islands in the quiet western Caribbean: Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Here it’s water water everywhere.
Scuba divers enjoy visibility often exceeding 120 feet among the islands’ 250 dive sites. For adventurers who want to stay dry while they explore Cayman’s underwater abyss, a submarine tour to the “Lost City of Atlantis” is a must. More than 150 restaurants dot the islands to satisfy hungry water worshipers.
Among the upcoming and new is the 4th Annual Cayman Food & Wine Classic on Grand Cayman, from May 10-13, 2007 at the Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, which will present guests with three days of food and wine seminars and cooking classes taught by world-class chefs and industry experts.
Cayman Summer Splash is a package the Cayman Islands offers to traveling families that includes discounted accommodations, airfare, meals and activities for kids. Cayman Summer Splash packages may be booked from March 15-Sept. 4, 2007 and are good for travel from June 1-Sept. 4, 2007.
Additionally, the East End of Grand Cayman is experiencing a resurgence not to be missed. A quieter side of the island, the East End is home to attractions such as Pedro St. James Castle and Rum Point and has some of the best diving and untouched white sand beaches on the planet. To book a Cayman Islands vacation, prospective visitors should call Cayman Express at 1.800.421.9999 or go to caymanislands.ky.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Kiteboarding, kayaking and whitewater rafting are just a few of the activities that attract water fans from all over the world to the shores of this ever-growing vacation destination. And, let’s not forget that sexy little dance called the merengue. With the Caribbean’s longest stretches of white sandy beaches and the highest peak in the islands — Pico Duarte — the Dominican Republic is the most visited island in the Caribbean.
But for now, the news is marinas. Among the new marinas, appearing throughout 2007 and 2008 is Cap Cana Harbor & Marina. Located in southern Punta Cana, this full-service marina will be the largest mega-yacht marina in the Caribbean, capable of hosting more than 500 yachts up to 150 feet. A feature of the 370-acre facility will be several miles of manmade canals and waterways, including a Grand Canal that is nearly 200 feet wide and 1.25 miles long, as well as restaurants, shops and water taxis. Phase I of this project is now open with additional phases to come in 2007.
Additionally, the existing Ocean World Adventure Park & Marina has added a marina adjacent to its interactive marine park. The full-service marina will have 83 slips able to dock yachts up to 250 feet in addition to a helicopter landing, dive shop, casino and other amenities.
Opening in 2008, the Westin Roco Ki Beach & Golf Resort will house a marina as part of its Aquatic Sports Center. Beyond the amenities of a full-service marina, the center will also feature a lagoon for excursions, sailing lessons, fishing charters and more. For more information, go to dominicanrepublic.com.
PUERTO RICO
Puerto Rico has hundreds of miles of coastline that harbor beaches in every size and color — from the pure-white dunes of Isabela to the black volcanic sands near Punta Santiago. Watersports abound and range from jet skiing on rough waters to parasailing on peaceful tides.
Although relatively new to Puerto Rico, kayaking and canoeing are good ways to sightsee or birdwatch on the island’s many man-made lakes, or on its countless coastal inlets, coves and bays. Some of the most popular sites for ocean kayaking are along the coasts of the island municipalities of Vieques, Culebra and Ballenas Bay bordering the Guánica Tropical Dry Forest.
A short trek to the east of San Juan is Luquillo, one of the island’s most popular beaches, where families can relax knowing that lifeguards are on duty and the offshore reefs keep the waters calm. It’s a diver’s paradise with average ocean temperatures of 81 degrees Fahrenheit and an underwater visibility of 60 to 75 feet.
Continuing east, nine miles off the main island’s eastern coast is Culebra, which offers beautiful beaches including Flamenco, recently named one of the “Best Beaches in America” and “Best Escape Beach” by the Travel Channel.
Windsurfing, sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking on the Tanamá River or the Caribbean Sea, body surfing down a rushing mountain stream, or fishing the deep seas or the rivers, lakes and bays are among Puerto Rico’s ways of saying: “Welcome water lover.”
Speaking of fishing, the sport can be enjoyed year-round, and is best from October to early March when dorado, mahi-mahi, wahoo, white marlin and yellowfin abound. The north side of Puerto Rico is known as “Blue Marlin Alley” because of the large number of migrating fish that pass near its shores, especially in the summer. Charters are available from harbors in San Juan, Fajardo, Humacao and Mayaguez.
Puerto Rico is known for an abundance of diving sites with 60 to 75 feet visibility near the shores and up to 100 feet offshore. The northeastern areas, Aguadilla and Isabela, have the most impressive shore diving. Overall, the most exciting dives are made near Desecheo Island off Rincón, near Mona Island, 50 miles west of Mayaguez, and off Culebra and Vieques.
For snorkeling, the shallow reefs near San Juan, Dorado, Mayaguez and Humacao are perfect. The rich marine life below the surface is swarming with coral formations and tropical fish. For more information about Puerto Rico, call 800.866.7827 or visit gotopuertorico.com.