Added: 07/22/2005 |
Caribbean Island Vacation ? Let Us Relax!Holidays are time for relaxation - but they are also the best opportunity to get a little adventure into your life. The Caribbean offers an extraordinary range of exciting activities on foot, on horseback, by boat or land transport.
Choices of place to stay range a lot from an economical spare bedroom in someone's home, to a luxurious lodge next to a fabulous waterfall, to a big, state-of-the-art resort. Plenty of traveling agencies will be happy to offer all the variety of them with charming architecture reflecting the past and will often give you a flavour of Europe: you may find yourself in a waterside building with Dutch gables or a delicate townhouse adorned with French wrought-iron balconies.
In fact, the only problem with our enormous range of offers is choosing the one that is perfect for you. You can sun yourself on the terrace or beach and wander through lush, tropical gardens.
For visitors to the Caribbean, whichever island or mainland country they choose, wherever they stay or whatever they do, the heritage of Africa is a constant heartbeat. There are memorable sights and experiences scattered across the Caribbean. For example the most celebrated event - Carnival - is inseparable from Africa. Throughout the Caribbean, carnivals and festivals explode at different times. At whatever time of year you go in the Caribbean, you're likely to find one of our unique special events.
Trinidad's is legendary and there's jumping room only. Tobago's Heritage Festival, the Dominican Republic's carnival, St Lucia's Creole Day, Fete des Cuisinieres in Guadeloupe and Crop Over in Barbados are unique variations on a deeply Caribbean theme - celebrate before you have to repent and commemorate lest you forget.
Visitor can go on a flamingo watch or join a birdwatching hike and thrill to the sight of some of the most colorful and rare birds in the world. And ask a guide about the exotic plants and animals. Then, after a hard descent, cool off in a whirlpool at the foot of a cascading waterfall.
The adventure of exploring the islands of the Caribbean archipelago has fulfilled the curiosity and need for variety of many the travelers over time - and still does today! Destination-skipping or "island-hopping" is easy within the Caribbean as the islands lie close together. There are inter-island ferries, ranging from old-fashioned schooners where visitors rub shoulders with islanders, fresh produce and crates, to modern hydrofoils that whisk you between islands in air-conditioned ease.
In the great historical sweep of exploration and migration of the past 500 years, the Caribbean played a central role in proving beyond doubt Christopher Columbus' theory that the world was round. That fact triggered an explosion of trade that changed the economic and political structures of the world.
Travelers to the Caribbean have become part of our history by finding inspiration and insight here. Famous incomers include Gauguin, Hemingway and Graham Greene - and you can visit the Caribbean retreats where they lived and worked today.
From December to April, the north-eastern trade winds build up a powerful swell on the open sea, which is driven west to break on Atlantic-facing coasts.
This warm water swell provides perfect conditions for surfing. In the many reef-sheltered bays, wind-surfing has developed into one of the most popular water sports in the Caribbean. Competitions are widespread, some of them world championships. Come to where trade winds and coral reefs combine to produce waves up to 15 foot high and create conditions for spectacular double somersaults above a 26C sea
Wherever you are in the Caribbean you are likely to find something or somewhere that will remind you of your homeland - and always something more to expand your horizons. While staying there you'll find it difficult to leave - the warmth of Caribbean hospitality is only equaled by the sunshine.
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