Curacao Readies for Tidal Wave of Tourists
Stanley Camelia, at 60 graying but still ruggedly handsome, has lived on this Dutch-accented island off the coast of Venezuela all of his life. He's seen Curacao's oil refinery - for years its main source of income - pass from the Shell Oil Co. to local owners, and most recently to Venezuela's state oil company under a multi-million-dollar lease.
He's also seen tourism become a bigger and bigger source of local income, starting with a few hotel-resorts in the 1960s. He's seen over two dozen more resorts pop up across his 40-mile-long island over the years. He's seen ...
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Golf Resort & Travel Ideas
Renowned golf course architect Steve Smyers has designed one of Central Florida's most dynamic new golf courses. In partnership with six-time major champion Nick Faldo, Smyers created each hole of Grande Pines Golf Club to be a strategic challenge that will bring out the best in each player's game. Nestled among lakes, tall pines, oaks and palms, Grande Pines Golf Club peacefully coexists with the native flora and wetlands. The course is committed to environmental stewardship, and is a member of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. Reserve a tee time at Grande Pines Golf Club. Grande Pines Golf Club is ideally situated right off Orlando's ...
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Turquoise Clouds - Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands
Shores fringed with miles of pristine, turquoise waters. Soft, white sand beaches that stretch for miles. And turquoise clouds?
Yes, looking up from the soft sands of Grace Bay, the cloud bottoms were actually turquoise.
"How can that be?" I mused as my eighteen-month old son stood holding a striped blue and white beach chair, his tiny feet immersed in the sugary white sand crystals that for the moment, were my refuge. He stared at the gentle waves on the beach, ready to run into the surf, arms outstretched with a little boy smile. I gazed at the endless blue water before me, and then up to the cottony clouds that were indeed tinted with a brilliant shade of aqua.
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Costa Rica. No artificial ingredients - year 'round
Costa Rica is a land teeming with the paradoxes of its geographical location, bridging North and South America and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The resulting climate makes it ideal for year-round travel. The forces of nature are at their spectacular best here, churning out rainforest and volcanoes, great beaches and vistas. The animals and plants of the region are of two great continents. The diversity of flora and fauna, of geography and terrain all come together here in a mere 50,895 square kilometers. ...
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First Green Island in Caribbean
By David Wilkening The Turks and Caicos are giving the Caribbean region its first "green island" in the near future as part of the government's sustainable tourism program, according to tourism official Michael Misick.
The 2.5 mile island of Salt Cay, once the center of the Bermudan salt industry and the mainstay of the Turks and Caicos economy, has been chosen to be transformed into the "green island," Mr Misick said.
"Any new development will be consistent with that philosophy (of sustainable development)," he told journalists.
He made his comments at a news conference held to launch a public awareness campaign for the 10th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-10) to be held here from April 28- May 1.
The conference, which will be held at Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort & Spa (by Sandals), a Green Globe Certified hotel, is designed to provide attendees with information on the development and implementation of tourism practices in a responsible manner.
The 40 islands of the Turks & Caicos, of which eight are inhabited, are renowned for their award-winning beaches, diving and array of world-class resorts. Additional activities include tennis, golf and horseback riding. The islands feature a variety of spa and body treatment services and are home to the world's only conch farm.
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Source: TravelMole
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One Minute Guide: Jamaica
A Quick & Easy Jamaica Vacation Travel Guide
Jamaica is a jewel of the caribbean where the perfect combination of modern conveniences and natural beauty blend into one of the finest vacation experiences! This Caribbean paradise has it all. Luxurious resorts pamper you from the moment you arrive. Wide, sandy beaches beckon travelers to the shores of the the Carribean Sea. Jamaican cuisine is among the most flavorful in the Caribbean, and fine shopping awaits you in all of Jamaica's finest destinations. Visitors have plenty of choices for a relaxing Jamaican getaway, from Negril on the western coast to Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, and Ocho Rios ...
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A Quick & Easy St. Lucia Vacation Travel Guide
St. Lucia has become one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean, boasting some of the world’s finest resorts, and best beaches. This small island offers the best in all-inclusive resorts along its white sand beaches, along with fabulous dining, shopping and nightlife. Sun soaked white-sand beaches await both the adventurous water sports enthusiast, as well as the relaxed sunbather. Scuba divers are drawn to the reefs found just offshore of Soufriere, the picturesque French colonial capital. Of course, St. Lucia also offers visitors golf, tennis, sailing, and a host of other leisure pursuits. ...
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Ten Best Snorkeling Spots in the World
My wife and I are avid snorkelers. We have snorkeled in various spots all over the world. So, with this in mind, I decided to write about our 10 best snorkeling experiences. Be aware, these selections are very subjective. What I looked for in choosing these places was not necessarily the quantity and variety of fish seen, but the quality of the total experience, including the beach and coral environment. For example, a place with a great stretch of sand might rank over an area we had to painfully tip-toe through rocks to enter the water. Also snorkeling on a boat excursion trip would be chosen only if the experience was particularly unique. Considering this, here is the list ...
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Pirate tales abound in the Virgin Islands
In 1493, on his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus spotted a group of Caribbean islands that were so pristine he named them "Las Virgenes" - after the legendary 11,000 virgin handmaidens of St. Ursula. Today, they're known as the U.S. Virgin Islands, having been a U.S. territory since we bought them from Denmark in 1917 to bolster our U-boat defenses during World War I. Located about 1,100 miles southeast of Miami, the U.S. Virgins consist of three main islands named St.Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, plus 50 or so mostly uninhabited mini-islands or cays. The latter islands probably look much like they did when Columbus first saw them. ...
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