Caribbean Island Travel

Some call it “paradise.” Others call it “heaven on earth.” Well, one thing is for sure, a Caribbean island travel is exactly what you need if you’re looking for beaches, boats, banks, bikinis, and other tropical vacation essentials.


Located right at the tip of South America and surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, the Caribbean is not just the No. 1 playground for the Americas, but also comprises movie-set beauty, coconut tree-clad mountains, verdant valleys of sugarcane and bananas, and seashore galore. Even the cities here glow with glorious architecture and the towns dotting the region have been established long before the automobile.

The islands are awash with island-flavored culture with just the subtlest hint of European influence, and world-class hotels, resorts, restaurants, activities, attractions, and shopping. There are over fifty island destinations to choose for your Caribbean island travel and each has its own extensive catalogue of accommodations and activities for the Caribbean’s famous exotic warm weather.

Below are our top picks for an awesome Caribbean island travel:


New Providence, the Bahamas
Most visitors erroneously call it “Nassau” because the island is the site of the nation’s capital, which was named after the Dutch Prince of Orange-Nassau in 1695 after he took over the British throne. In truth, the island is New Providence where about two-thirds of the Bahamian population lives, and where millions of dollars are invested in Nassau, Cable Beach, and Paradise Island. In recent years, New Providence has created a name for itself as one of the top places to visit when on a Caribbean island travel.

Considered an offshore financial center, New Providence is most obviously a fabulous shopping bazaar and Caribbean island travel destination. Stroll along the world-famous Bay Street and side streets and bask in the Caribbean carnival atmosphere. Or visit one of the out islands of the Bahamas – the famous Nassau and Paradise Island, connected with each other by a bridge.

But while the Bahamas has plenty to offer, what it is really most famous for is its island groove. The drumbeat is the essence and the soul of Bahamian culture with the instrument setting the heartbeat for all Bahamian music, including rake ‘n scrape, Junkanoo and goombay.

Bermuda
An isolated paradise, Bermuda sits right in the middle of the great chasm – the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe. Couple that with a history of English settlement and you have an island that is as unique as its topography. This Caribbean island travel destination is spotlessly clean, quaint, orderly, and extraordinarily pretty. Think pink and green. Pink for the pastel shades that wash this 21-square mile island. And green for the color of money that Bermuda’s offshore banking and insurance sectors generate. Plus, it is only a convenient 2 ½ hour flight from most major cities on the US East Coast.

There are no slums, no billboards, and very, very few fast food outlets. Inconvenient? Not likely. Because all this is minor compared to the glorious sight this Caribbean island travel destination offers. From the colonial architecture of the tidy homes that line its roads to the fragrant tropical flowers – Bermuda is all beauty and grace.

Caribbean Luxury Travel


Are you up for a little eco-luxury? Tiamo, an earth-friendly resort made up of a row of wooden cottages that are chic and simple at the same time, provides the ultimate in Caribbean luxury travel. Scattered along a quite strand of white powder on Andros island in the Bahamas, this Caribbean luxury travel resort is surrounded by orchids and giant lizards and offers nothing but relaxed comfort and ecological correctness. This Caribbean luxury travel resort offers the perfect antidote to the Caribbean’s more familiarly hedonistic piƱa colada and party resorts. At Tiamo, the Caribbean is reduced to barefoot luxury – polished and refined yet set in an environment that can only be described as natural.

Out of all the Bahamian islands in the Caribbean region, Andros is one of the less well-known. And yet, its subdued allure is what makes it even more appealing as a Caribbean luxury travel destination. With an area of 2,300 square miles and home to only 8,000 people, it is one of the least explored places in the western hemisphere.

However, don’t even for a second think that Andros is just one of those dime-a-dozen island destinations which the Caribbean is full of. Andros is the largest island in the country so you have plenty of grounds to have fun and enjoy the warm Caribbean sun. And because the island is yet undeveloped, there are few phones, few bus lines, and other facilities that could distract you from your relaxing vacation.

In truth, the island is not just one island but a group of islands tightly meshed into one archipelago. With its rocky shores and a web of creeks, this Caribbean luxury travel destination has never offered the kind of obvious harbor found on other Bahamian islands so, apart from the odd fishing lodge and Caribbean luxury travel retreats, development has largely bypassed it. However, what has made the island unsuitable for urban evolution makes it perfect for eco-tourism.

The Caribbean luxury travel resort of Tiamo is remote, even by Andros’ standards. Set three, road-less miles from the nearest village and surrounded by palm trees, banana plants, orchids, herons, tiny tree frogs, and some vicious mosquitoes, Tiamo is only accessible to guests by boat. Relying on its solar power system and solar-heated rainwater showers, the resort stays true to its ecological philosophy but at the same time offers you with an idyllic retreat is incomparable anywhere else.

Tiamo’s wooden cottages come with massive beds, hand-painted “do not disturb” signs, brightly tiled mirrors and showers lean towards safari-chic, especially when taken in with their painted, corrugated-iron walls. And in a clever twist on recycling, even the wood left over from building the cottages were used to build this Caribbean luxury travel resort’s funky outdoor furniture.

But while the interiors are outstanding, the main features of all the cottages though are their open porches. They have fans rather than air conditioning, but you don’t need to worry about the heat. The open sides of the cottages are designed to help keep temperatures down. Climate control aside, the real beauty of these porches is that they offer you panoramic views of the forest and the beach.


Last Minute Caribbean Travel



Have you ever tried booking or reserving a Caribbean travel deal only to find that it’s full already? This happens sometimes if you do your booking and reservations at the last minute. As a rule, you ought to book your vacation well ahead of time to make sure that you can still get that deal you want. But what if you’re one of those busy persons who barely even have time for themselves? In such a case, a last minute rule is in order.

We know how hard it can be to plan a trip. There are so many factors that you have to concern yourself with, least of which is the budget and your actual vacation time. Below are some great tips to help you get that last minute Caribbean travel deal without messing up your budget or your schedule:


















Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort & Casino

For a perfect island destination, the Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort & Casino offers the charm of the Dutch Caribbean, a magnificent beach, glittering casino, and a host of outdoor pleasures. Nestled on the soft, white sands of Aruba’s Palm Beach and surrounded by lush, landscaped gardens, this resort offers you a chance to enjoy that last minute Caribbean travel vacation with their new 2006 deals.

The Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort & Casino offers you rooms where you can relax and enjoy the delightful extras offered, including satellite television, refrigerator, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a private balcony with a spectacular view. For activities, this last minute Caribbean travel resort provides plenty of opportunity for sailing, wind surfing, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, and golf. Not only that, but after a refreshing swim in the ocean, you can simply relax and drift in the gorgeous seaside pool near it.

For their Spring Sale, Wyndham Aruba Beach Resort & Casino offers superior rooms for $634 per person double occupancy, and a $100 food and beverage credit for five nights or more.

Hotel Riu Paradise Island

The Hotel Riu in Paradise Island in the Bahamas is another great last minute Caribbean travel resort with its fantastic building facilities (including a “Colony” lobby bar, “Calypso” lounge bar with terrace, and “Atlantic” Restaurant with non-smoking section and terrace), and other facilities. The main grounds of the hotel are dominated by a 300sq.m. swimming pool with an adjoining Jacuzzi, while all around it are complimentary lounge chairs, towels, and umbrellas.

Enjoy one of their 379 guestrooms with their last minute Caribbean travel bargains startin gat $521 per person double occupancy. But hurry and book now. This last minute Caribbean travel discount only runs from April through June and all bookings must be made by March.

The Fairmont Southampton – Bermuda

Imagine: lush tropical gardens, shimmering pink sand beaches, azure blue seas, and spectacular sunsets…. This is Bermuda. Royally perched on the island’s highest point, the Fairmont Southampton overlooks lush acres of land, pink sandy beaches and bountiful gardens. With its old world British charm blended so well with the new spirit of Bermuda, this last minute Caribbean travel resort offers just the right mix for the island-hopper. 

5 More Freebies for San Francisco Entertainment

If the thing you look least forward to on vacation is wracking up vicious amounts of debt on your Master Card, then you've come to the right place. I'm here to offer advice on free things to do while visiting San Francisco. Granted, it is not wise to think that you can go on vacation without spending any money and have a good time. However, it is quite possible to be very selective when deciding where to spend your money by having alternative entertainment options that cost little or no money.

Rather than a top ten list, which can be a little long winded, I'm going to provide a top five list. My sincere hope is that you will use this list as inspiration for finding your own free or low cost entertainment while visiting San Francisco. On to the list:

1) San Francisco Botanical Gardens. The climate of San Francisco provides a unique atmosphere that allows the growth and maintenance of plants from around the world. As a result the San Francisco Botanical Gardens offers a look at plants that are rare almost anywhere else on earth. The Gardens are 55 acres and host more than 7500 plants from around the world.

2) Chinese Culture Center. This center offers resources about the Chinese culture in San Francisco in addition to many programs that are available to learn about the artistic and cultural contributions that the Chinese community has made to this great city.


3) Fort Point National Historic Site. This site has special historical significance. Its original intent was to prevent invading forces from entering San Francisco Bay. By the end of the Civil War the massive cannons that had been used for this purpose were obsolete. The last of the original 126 cannons was removed around 1900. During the 1930's, the fort was used as a headquarters for the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. This Fort has played a vital role in our history and is worth a visit, especially considering the fact that it is free.

4) Stern Grove Concerts. These concerts only take place on Sunday afternoons during summer months but are well worth checking out if you have a sunny Sunday afternoon available during your stay. The goal of these concerts is to educate the masses and potentially inspire future musicians. A love of music is the second best gift you can give a child, second only to a love of reading. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, and it's free!

5) Wells Fargo History Museum. This museum is a fun side trip for the family. Not only does it tell the history of Wells Fargo as it pertains to San Francisco, but it also tells of Black Bart and other stagecoach robbers while providing visitors with the awe inspiring story of the great earthquake of 1906 and the role of Wells Fargo in the recovery process. I believe that young and old alike will find this museum to be a lot of fun, especially for the price.

If you are visiting San Francisco and need some great family friendly activities to fill your days, then this is definitely a great place to start. I hope that you can find a few more things than I have mentioned here to help fill in gaps and entertain the young and old on your vacation alike. Remember not to over plan your trip, as some of the greatest times to be had are spontaneous rather than planned.

Caribbean Travel Special

High season in the Caribbean starts in January all through April. So if you want to get the best Caribbean travel special, then get the deepest discounts in late April or early May, and last into December.

Below are some of our top picks for Caribbean travel specials:

Apple’s February Frees and Best Buys

A well-established company with departures from dozens of US cities, Apple Vacations is always offering Caribbean travel specials and promotions, including multiple departure cities and popular all-inclusives. The company also specializes in Hawaii and Mexico, often departing from the northeast US, but with flights from the Midwest, Seattle, San Diego, and more.

Like most booking sites, the Apple web site also offers a nifty tool to allow you to choose a Caribbean travel special. And if you want to find out more about what resorts offers what to families, just click on any of the resort name and get info on:

  • Kids’ programs
  • Kids Stay, Play and Eat Free
  • Children’s pool
  • Teen disco
  • Babysitter fees
  • Dining and entertainment
  • Beaches

And plenty more. Their February Frees also offer great promotional rates. The have one now at the Allegro in Punta Cana. Apple’s Best Buys are discount Caribbean travel specials to all-inclusive resorts like Sandals and Beaches, as well as packages to other popular destinations in Cancun, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, and more.

Off-Season Caribbean Travel Specials at Aruba.com

If off-season deals are for you, then check for island-wide Caribbean travel specials at Aruba.com. The site allows you to explore their directory where you can book your accommodations, plan your vacation, dine in the best restaurants, and enjoy the exciting activities available to you at sunny Aruba. To customize your Caribbean travel special, just make your choice on the following items:



  • Activities
  • Air only
  • Aruba Certified Expert to plan your trip
  • Best hotel rates and availability
  • Booking flight and hotel saving packages
  • Preferred partners
  • Restaurants

Atlantis Resort Waterscapes

This world-famous resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas, is truly one-of-a-kind with acres and acres of waterscapes, including shark lagoon, Lazy River, amazing water slides, casino, spa, and Discovery Channel Camp. Atlantis also has many underwater viewing areas where you can see some 50,000 sea creatures.

So if you want a Caribbean travel special perfect with kids, then choose any of the 4-day/3-night stay deals at the Beach Tower. In addition, these Caribbean travel specials include ground transfers. For the lowest-priced Caribbean travel specials, get a room at Atlantis’ Beach Tower. Coral Towers comes second while the Royal Towers got the steepest rates.

Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbor


82 oceanfront rooms, terraces and balconies with panoramic views, one-bedroom suites for families with full kitchen and two bathrooms – all on an island so quiet you’re going to think you’re alone…which you probably are. That is what the Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbor offers. With 52 acres of white sand beaches surrounded by lush gardens, this Caribbean travel special resort has activities for families, including snorkeling, tennis, feeding fish of the pier, mountain biking, sailing, and sport fishing. 

How to Get the Discount Out of a Discount Car Rental

Discount car rentals are so hard to come by, and in recent times, discount car rentals simply mean you pay less for something less, and lets face it, sometimes when you pay less for a car rental, you end up with something that looks more like a farmer’s truck than a car. It’s hard to come up with a budget friendly rental, so how do you get a discount car rental these days? Well here are a few tips to boost the value of your money, car rental wise.

1.A good way to essentially, get a discount car rental is to, once you return the car, fill the tank with the cheapest no-name gas you could find, not for revenge or anything, but because car rental companies, require customers to fill the gas tank before returning it, and it you don’t they’ll fill it for you with the company pump but at a higher price, now we don’t want that, so be sure to fill your tank before you return the car.

2.To get the discount off of discount car rental, make early reservations, some car rental companies give discounts or free upgrades for customers who reserve their cars early.

3.When you’re planning to use your rental car for more than five days, or longer, ask the rental car company if you can get discount car rentals for a weekly rate, most companies offer discounts for the sixth and seventh day for weekly rentals.

4.Ask your travel agency if you could get discount car rentals if you acquire packages like fly-stay-drive or fly-drive. Most travel agencies as well as hotels offer these programs at a discounted price, what’s good about this is that you get a discount and you shoot two to three birds with one stone.

5.When you go to a car rental company, ask them if you could get a discount car rental in exchange for your frequent flyer miles, this is good for those miles that are about to expire, so instead of throwing them away you’d get one last use for them.

6.One way to get a discount car rental or maybe just the best deal for your money is to look for sites or rental car firms that accepts a pre-determined budget. This is when you indicate the money you’re willing to spend for the car rental, most rental car companies will give you the program that has the biggest discount car rental and the best deal for you, of course it pays to know if the company has a history of fraud, in this day and age, you can’t really trust people that much with your money, check out the car before you reserve.

7.Ask the rental company for discount car rentals when you frequently rent a car at their firm, they’re most likely to give discounts or free upgrades if you always rent with them.

8.Get discount car rentals by reserving your car through the internet. Most rental firms have internet only discounts that can save you a lot of money, look up the rental firm that has the greatest discount for the same value.

9.To get a discount car rental upgrade, try going to pick up your car just as the shop is opening, there’ll be a shortage in the economy cars, and you’ll probably get a free upgrade when they can’t give you the car you reserved.
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