Bountiful Barbados

 

Are you looking for a swank all-inclusive in a Caribbean destination that still feels like the Caribbean? Barbados continues to increase their offerings of accommodations. The latest has several levels to suit your budget and your taste. If you're wanting to travel this autumn or winter (the resort opens in October) this may be just for you! Click HERE.

source: CaribJournal

Fully Vaccinated?

 

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention released updated travel guidance for Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, eliminating some previous testing and quarantine recommendations as long as precautions continue to be followed.

The full details of this update can be found on the CDC's website but, when you're ready to explore the world again, TravelZoo will be waiting with amazing getaways and experiences that offer:

• Once-in-a-lifetime savings
• Tons of flexibility including the ability to receive a 100% refund if your plans change
• The ability to save now and choose your travel dates later

They've curated a collection of 40+ hotels & resorts around the globe. These deals save up to 65% and most include travel through 2021 and beyond.

San Juan Sights & Sounds

Filling the air in this historical city are the varied sounds of musica latino (DJ's in clubs and live singers in restaurants), waves against the shoreline, red snapper and other fish being seared at sidewalk cafe's, the banter of friends and lovers as they stroll along beaches and streets of Condado, Ocean Park and Old San Juan. 

Whether you visit for business, romance, family or friends, there is one thing for certain- San Juan is up and running and awaiting your tourist dollars! There is a plethora of activity in Old San Juan, with its teeming ports full of docked cruise ships, streets buzzing with tourists and locals alike enjoying various culinary offerings as well as the many festivals and parties in the area. Visit during the day, then in the evening for a delightfully different experience.

The hip and the chic flock to Condado and Ocean Park where it's not uncommon to see a new Bentley SUV or Range Rover pulling into one of the posh hotels or restaurants. Think Miami Beach, but with less attitude. Here you will find many gay and gay-friendly establishments to help you feel right at home.

Most surely check out Punk Burger, 1129 Ashford Avenue, for one of the best burgers anywhere, and at reasonable prices in a colorful, casual setting. Yes, they're open late night as well. If you want something with a bit more ambience and live entertainment for dinner you should definitely visit Ropa Vieja Grill, 55 Condado Avenue (corner of Ashford Avenue). The chicken stuffed sweet plantain au gratin is amazing!

The once popular Oceano nightclub is no longer. It is now a restaurant with traditional hours so don't plan on a late night meal here. However, it is located beachfront so it's quite popular.
There are several bars & clubs on and around the Ashford Avenue area in Condado. Other night spots are a good stroll or short Uber ride away. If you like a good drag show then Scandalo-The Club, 611 Calle Condado, features several RuPaul's Drag Race contestants. VIP lounge is right nextdoor and several others line the street.

Yes, hurricane devastation is still prevalent, but in the outlying areas. The tourist districts are beautiful and fully powered and serviced. If you arrange for one of the tours to the rain forest or to Pinones or other destination, you will more than likely see the effects of Maria.

Otherwise, I highly recommend you enjoy a trip to the island.
Update 3/18/19: Many of the live cams are back up. Look in our links section for one at the Isla Verde Beach.

Beautiful Belize is a Thing

Four Seasons Hotel Belize

Belize’s 2018 tourism boom is showing no signs of slowing down.

The destination is the fastest-growing in the Caribbean this year so far, with a total of 372,075 stayover tourist arrivals through the end of September — a 16.6 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

It’s an impressive performance for a destination, buoyed in large part by significant growth in new air routes, from both United States-based carriers like Southwest Airlines and a surge from Canada and airlines like WestJet.

And there is more new airlift on the way, from new routes from Sun Country Airlines and a new route from AeroMexico, among others.

“The most recent tourism statistics not only attest to this fact but they also show a consistent upward growth trend,” the Belize Tourism Board said in a statement. “The years ahead promise to bring exciting developments at a time when our dynamic tourism industry is poised for further growth.”A rendering of the Marriott Belize.

Belize is also seeing a jump in new hotel development, with new brands like Curio Collection by Hilton, which recently debuted in Belize with the Mahogany Bay property.

Antigua Is Booming!

Looking for something new and exciting? Antigua is fast becoming the next big thing with new culinary offerings and added non-stop flights from the US. Read more about this great Caribbean destination HERE.

Cuban Cruise Port to Expand

CarribeanNewsNow- Cuba’s recent announcement to triple its cruise ship berths at the port on the edge of Old Havana by 2024 may seem surprising coming just months after President Donald Trump moved to clamp down on Americans’ travel to Cuba. But it shouldn’t, says Kislaya Prasad, research professor and academic director of the Center for Global Business at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business.

The port expansion actually reflects the flavor of the restrictions U.S. travelers face since the crackdown. US travelers are banned from visiting Cuba’s government-backed hotels and restaurants – and that makes cruise liners, with their built-in lodging, restaurants and educated tour guides, the perfect way to explore the long-off-limits island nation.

“The cruise ships have customized excursions that meet the criteria for ‘educational’ US travel to Cuba,” Prasad says.

“Somebody who is going on a cruise can just have the company organize the paperwork, and they can just go to Havana and feel secure about not flouting any laws about which hotels they are allowed to stay in or what restaurants they are allowed to eat in,” Prasad says. “Those kinds of risks are mitigated.”

The number of cruise ships making port calls in Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba has surged in the past two years, now topping more than 650 sailings, much of them boarded by Americans. That’s poised to increase yet again, with Cuba recently signing a deal with the world’s largest independent cruise port operator to increase capacity at the terminal in Havana.

Even without US travelers in Cuba, there would still be potential for expansion, given the number of visitors each year who travel from Canada and Western Europe.

Nonetheless, small entrepreneurs in Cuba – owners and employees of the paladares and casa particulares – across the budding Cuban hospitality sector are feeling pinched by the revised US policies. And the loss of high-spending US customers may be a result of many of the US visitors coming off cruise ships and making a short visit restricted to Old Havana, Prasad says.

“Sadly, this trend is the opposite of what was hoped for when travel restrictions to Cuba were first lifted during the Obama administration,” he says. “The hope was that a rising middle class would be emboldened to demand greater freedoms, and this eventually lead to a more open society.”

Even when Trump rolled back some of the policies of the previous administration, Prasad says, the intention was to target establishments owned by the Cuban Army – not the private sector. The new policies, Prasad says, by many accounts are hitting the private sector hardest, while leaving the state sector largely insulated.

Discounted Destinations

TravelZoo has amazing vacation packages at awesome rates. Sign up for the weekly bulletin and receive email notifications about fabulous get-aways like THIS ONE to Jamaica!

Want To Get Away?

HERE is a great deal on a weeklong Caribbean cruise on Holland America. Ports of call may even include Cuba.

Vacation Planning 101

Be sure to visit the Travel Info Page for helpful tips when planning your vacation to the Dominican Republic. Support the links for great deals and great experiences!

Coral Costa Caribe Memories

Some of my best memories are of my first trip to the DR. Coral Costa Caribe Hotel in Juan Dolio is a reasonably priced all-inclusive with several dining options (all good), various bars, a disco and great nightly shows! Chocolate Friends is a catchy, energetic and fun theme song for the entertainers. The area is only about 30-40 minutes from Santo Domingo, so we took many day trips and club trips into the city.

Makeover in Martinique

With its first hotel in 15 years, new non-stop flights, and a surge in excellent restaurants, Martinique's capital, Fort-de-France, is about to become a thing.

From an approaching boat Fort-de-France is clearly framed between history and modernity. On one end is the 17th century Fort St-Louis, the oldest building in town and one of the Caribbean's best preserved forts. An active military base, it houses 200 members of the French navy. On the other is Pointe Simon, a gleaming business district. It's a visible sign of the changes that have come to the island, which also include a modernized sea-front, restaurants from young entrepreneurs, and electric cabs you can hail for exploring the city.

There's news on the hotel front, too: surrounded by multi-colored houses, the renovated Fort Savane is a minimalist boutique property with black and white touches. The first hotel to be built in the city in 15 years, the 94-room Simon Hotel recently opened.

Yann Chalono has re-created the Brazilian atmosphere and tastes of his youth at Favela (7 Rue de la Liberation; 596-596-79-41-72; entrees $14-$28) There's ambitious mixology going on as well and sorbets made with local fruits at Le Cloud (Rue Ernest Hemingway; 596-696-27-56-73) an industrial-looking rooftop bar. And the best gelato in the area is at Coco Bello (Village Creole).

There is no real gay nightlife to speak of, but there is a gay scene for those with insider info. If you get friendly with someone on grindr or if you happen to meet someone discreetly at any number of the mainstream bars, you may get invited to a private garden party or rave. If you don't, no worries. We are talking about Martinique, a French governed destination, which means homosexuality has been legal for generations, even though many attitudes can still be conservative. Gay marriage has been legal on the island since 2013, so if you're considering a fabulous destination wedding...

Martinique does have gay-owned and friendly accommodations. Check out Purpleroofs.com. There is a beach frequented by gay residents and travelers in Les Salines. You can also get information about gay culture on the island through their only LGBT agency JM Concept

Resources for this post are Travel & Leisure magazine as well as globalgayz.com. This Youtube clip is quite informative about Martinique, its culture and emergence as an upcoming Caribbean hotspot!

Images of Martinique

Coming Soon: post on Martinque as a destination

Happenings In Puerto Plata

from dr1: Puerto Plata amphitheater to open in August Tourism Area Infrastructure Executing Committee (Ceiztur) director, architect Kirsis de los Santos has announced that the park and the amphitheater being built at La Puntilla opposite the San Felipe Fort off the Malecon in Puerto Plata will be inaugurated in early August 2016. Construction of the amphitheater and the park started in 2014, but although they should have been completed in a year's time, there have been some delays. De los Santos made the announcement last week at the opening of the Sunscape Resorts & Spa Playa Dorada. President Danilo Medina, Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier Garcia, mayor Walter Musa, governor Ivan Rivera and other executives were present.

Underwater Life in Puerto Plata at Centro Leon Centro Leon in Santiago and the Casa de Arte Sosua are inviting the public to a new exhibition, Sosua Vive with photographs of underwater life in Puerto Plata by Bill Passmore. The exhibition is sponsored by the Fundacion Eduardo Leon, the Centro Leon and the Casa de Arte Sosua. It opens at 7pm on Thursday, 9 June 2016 at the Centro Leon in Santiago de los Caballeros.

Villa Taina in Caberete

dr1 reports: Villa Taina at Cabarete Beach in the northern province of Puerto Plata is proud to announce that it is celebrating its 20th year of operation. General director Claudia Schwarz says that the hotel, which opened with 14 rooms in May 1996, has since grown to 61 rooms and now includes a kite surfing and windsurfing school, and a massage center. The hotel's Serenade Bar and Restaurant right on the beach offers weekly themed nights: Mongolian Grill (fish, meat and vegetable grills on Wednesdays), Lobster & Shrimps (Fridays), Argentinian Grill (Saturdays), and a Dominican Buffet (Sundays).
For more information, contact Claudia Schwarz at http://www.villataina.com

Discovering More

dr1 reports: Opening up a new mountain destination Brazilian construction company Odebrecht says that the process of paving the Piedra Blanca-Rancho Arriba road is making good progress. The road will open up access to new attractions like the mountain destinations of Rancho Arriba and San Jose de Ocoa to residents of Santo Domingo. The region is also a major farming area, with opportunities for agro-tourism opening up soon with the easy access from the Duarte Highway that links the country north and south. http://elnacional.com.do/odebrecht-avanza-asfaltado-carretera-cibao-sur/

Underrated but outstanding landscapes Online travel magazine Afar presents what is describes as "underrated" but outstanding landscape views of the Dominican Republic for the enjoyment of its readers. It includes photographs of farms in Constanza and nearby hiking in Valle Nuevo National Park, the beach at El Morro in Montecristi in the northwest, exploring Jarabacoa's rivers and mountains, including Manabao, and Barahona's pebble beaches. http://www.afar.com/magazine/the-dominican-republics-most-underrated-landscapes

Vacation Planning 101

Be sure to visit the Travel Info Page for helpful tips when planning your vacation to the Dominican Republic. Support the links for great deals and great experiences!

 

The CNN List

CNN recently featured a gallery of 20 beautiful places for people to put on their list of attractions to visit in the Dominican Republic. Their selection included:
Northeast: Moron and Rincon beaches in Samana, and El Limon Waterfall and Los Haitises National Park.
Puerto Plata: The cable car to Mount Isabel de Torres botanical gardens, Damajagua Falls, and La Isabela, the first European settlement site.
Montecristi: El Morro beach.
Santo Domingo: the Santo Domingo Cathedral, Ozama Fort and the Presidential Palace.
La Romana: Altos de Chavon, Las Maravillas cave and Playa Bayahibe beach.
Higuey: Basilica La Altagracia church.
Punta Cana: Juanillo Beach (Cap Cana) and Punta Cana beach.
Santiago: El Monumento.
Peravia: Las Dunas de Bani. http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php/153778-CNN-20-Most-Beautiful-DR-Places http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/12/travel/gallery/dominican-republic-beauty/

LOS TRES OJOS IMPROVEMENTS

The Ministry of Environment has inaugurated new installations at the Three Eyes (Los Tres Ojos) natural monument in Santo Domingo east. The renovations were carried out with RD$2 million provided by the United Nations Development Fund.
Environment Minister Bautista Rojas Gomez and the representative in the country of the United Nations Development Fund, Lorenzo Jimenez de Luis attended the opening last week.
The new installations at the park include a square for sales of local works of art, the reconditioning of the trails, the entrance and the garden and the replacement of the signage. In addition the guides have been trained so that they can offer better service to visitors.

Ready For Cuba?

If you are like many people and want to get to Cuba before commercialization takes over, you may wish to consider insightCuba. Visit their website and sign-up for email notifications. They sent me the following info.

insightCuba and many of our American guests celebrated the New Year across the island of Cuba. It was a night they will never forget. They didn't waste any time, why should you?

After 50 years of travel restrictions, a new era of travel to Cuba for Americans has begun, and there simply isn't a better time go. Cubans across the country raised their glasses to celebrate the New Year and a new beginning.  The spirit of Cuba is now even closer. Capture it for yourself.

Join us for this unprecedented chance to make history and discover Cuba on one of our acclaimed people-to-people tours, before it changes forever.

You've waited long enough. Grant yourself the greatest New Year's resolution of all!

From all of us at insightCuba, we wish you a Happy New Year!

Wild Pricing

Travel Zoo has announced a nationwide sale on airfares to the Caribbean. Click HERE to see what destinations have been greatly reduced from your area. You must hurry, sale ends January 3, 2015.