Saving the Caribbean from the Effects of Climate Change

No matter what you think about Al Gore or the notion of global warming, it's hard to ignore some pretty grim predictions for rising sea levels, water temperatures and carbon dioxide levels — factors that can't be good for fragile ecosystems like the Caribbean's. Fortunately, England's University of Oxford and the Caribbean Community Centre for Climate Change are poised to launch an ambitious initiative aimed at tracking (and, hopefully, altering) the effects of climate change on hundreds of Caribbean islands.

"The Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate change and one of the most reliant on tourism in the world," says Oxford's Dr. Murray Simpson. "We have designed an approach that manages a huge range of risks and consequences of climate change."

Dubbed CARIBSAVE, the $35-million program will use Eleuthera in the Bahamas (pictured above, from space) and Ocho Rios in Jamaica as testbeds. Researchers plan to analyze weather records from 1961 until 2008 and use that data to predict the Caribbean region's climate-related future — things like rainfall, and sea levels, and the frequency of certain, um, "extreme weather events" — through the year 2100. What's it mean to you? By helping Caribbean nations adapt to the effects of climate change, CARIBSAVE's predictions may save the very things that make this part of the world so extraordinary: gorgeous beaches, lush rainforests, thriving reefs, and the livelihoods of the Caribbean people.

For more info, check out the University of Oxford's release.

Saving the Caribbean from the Effects of Climate Change

Bahamas Vacation or a Tank of Gas

While checking out a few deals for the home page this afternoon, I stumbled on this little gem and had to share right away: JetBlue, the coolest of cool airlines as far as I’m concerned, has started running flights between Nassau, Bahamas and either Ft. Lauderdale or Orlando, Florida for just $49 each way. Purely for research purposes, I plugged in a couple of hypothetical dates this spring – including Memorial Day weekend – and it’s legit (though there are the usual taxes). So I’m thinking vacation. I mean, um, serious work trip.

www.jetblue.com

What do you think about all of these crazy-low fares to the Caribbean lately (like the Air Jamaica promotion we told you about a few posts below)...are the savings enough of an incentive to take a trip even in these tough times?

Bahamas Vacation or a Tank of Gas

Anguilla Moonsplash

Bankie Banx's 19th Moonsplash at the Dune Preserve last weekend. A perfectly cool homegrown fest headlined by Inner Circle. It was a classic scene that represented the spirit of the Caribbean at its best: fun, uplifting, communal.


Top to bottom: Bankie Banx opens for the headliners; Bankie pulls a headstand with Inner Circle; a comfortably packed Dune Preserve; Inner Circle belts it out.

Anguilla Moonsplash

Anguilla Tuk-tuk

Check out this Tuk-tuk from Philippines now stationed at Elvis' Beach Bar in Anguilla. Dave and I took a loud, speedy spin around the salt pond in Sandy Ground with Brett Fetterolf, Elvis' partner in the bar. What a blast!!

Anguilla Tuk-tuk

Travel Secrets

In our April issue, we revealed our top Travel Tips from the Pros, and I think we came up with a pretty comprehensive list of what to pack and what to do to make traveling easy.

www.caribbeantravelmag.com/traveltips

But surely we left out a few great ideas, too. So check out the full article and then let us know: What are some of your own travel secrets?

Travel Secrets

Give Land a Chance

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What's not to love about sailing through the Caribbean? There's the sun on your face, the wind at your back, and that intoxicating Titanic sensation you get from charting a course to any exotic destination you like. Out on the open water, it’s easy to feel that just maybe you really are the king of the world. (I like to act this scene out whenever possible on a ship, though I prefer princess). But whether your vessel of choice is a mega yacht or dingy, sometimes you need to give your sea legs a break.

The folks over at Royal Plantation know the feeling, and they're giving you yachties a convincing reason to get off the boat. Next time you find yourself adrift in the Exumas, drop anchor at the 50-acre private island resort and check out the Escape Offshore package, which buys you a five-course dinner at the Harbour Club, and includes unlimited wine, champagne, and premium cocktails. The tab? Just $100 per person...a price that could turn even diehard seafarers into landlubbers. With all the free drinks, though, please consider a designated captain for your return voyage.

Check out the Royal Plantation site to make a reservation:

www.royalplantation.com

Give Land a Chance

Last-Minute Marriott Savings

If you've been waiting on a little extra incentive before you reserve your next vacation, here's one: Book a trip to any of the nine Marriott and Renaissance resorts scattered throughout the Caribbean and Mexico and you'll get a Travel Stimulus Voucher good for an extra $100 off your stay. That's on top of any of the resorts' current promotions and savings.


You have till December 21 to take the trip, but only till Tuesday - March 31 - to book it, and you must make your reservation directly through marriott.com or by calling (888) 236-2427.

Having trouble deciding which of the nine resorts to visit? We've selected a few of our favorites as recent CT+L Editor's Picks, so check them out to learn more.

Last-Minute Marriott Savings

Air Jamaica Sale

Even in this economy you can stop putting off that next trip to Jamaica, because the getting-there part just got a lot cheaper. The island's signature carrier - Air Jamaica - has announced deeply discounted rates for one-way fares between select U.S. cities and the island's major destinations, with some routes starting at $69 each way (government tax is additional).

Check out the full list of travel specials here, then book your trip directly through AirJamaica.com so you won't pay any ticketing fees. And after your getaway, don't miss the opportunity to show off to the rest us back home by posting your trip report and photos in our community section.

Air Jamaica Sale

In Search of the Perfect Beach

I’ve been around – when it comes to beaches, that is. In two years at CT+L I’ve surveyed my fair share of sands, from the brown-sugar grains of St. Lucia’s Anse Chastanet to the powdery stretch at Les Salines in St. Barts and Grenada’s tranquil Pink Gin beach.

But my favorite turns out to have been right under my nose. I lived in Jamaica for several years and spent many weekends on the beach in Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. But it wasn’t until last year, when photo editor Zach Stovall and I hit the road to report and shoot our Beach Lover’s Guide to Jamaica, that I discovered Port Antonio’s Frenchman’s Cove.

It would be hard to find a more physically perfect beach: a small but wide white-sand crescent set on lush acreage that’s lapped by calm, bathwater-warm sea. A river runs through the 48-acre property down to the surf and when the sun is at its peak, cooling off in its chilly, knee-deep waters is the ultimate refreshment. You pay $5 to get in, and the beach is rarely crowded. There are no water sports concessions or souvenir stalls, no loud music, and discreet signs advise that “horseplay” and “topless bathing etc” will not be tolerated. At lunchtime you place your order with waiters dressed in crisp black and white uniforms who set up a table spread with white linens next to your chaise and you dine right there on the sand.

If you ask me, a day at Frenchman’s is the very definition of bliss. I love that the vibe is relaxed and low-key but that you can sense a certain sophistication, too. It’s been a local favorite for years, and with improvements of the main road into Porty almost complete, it won’t be long before the rest of the world discovers this secluded gem.

So what about you? Where are your favorite places to spread a beach towel and what makes them so special?

In Search of the Perfect Beach

Keep Your Pants On...Or Don't

File this one under: Whatever Floats Your Boat. French St. Martin’s nudiest of nude resorts, Club Orient, has stripped down its high season rates through March 31, with mini-suites starting around $230 per night double occupancy. Flash your membership card to one of the (surprisingly numerous) worldwide nudist organizations – your choice of the AANR, BN, FCN, FKK, FFN, FQN and more – and you’ll save an additional 10% on minimum seven-night stays.

Not ready to travel just yet? Mark your calendars for these other clothing-optional promotions:

May is for Moms: To commemorate all of you uninhibited mothers out there, the resort is offering you a free one-hour massage between May 1-15. And it turns out their definition of moms is somewhat loose, so even if you just “mother” your significant other, it counts.

Family Month: Yes, that’s right. Kids home on summer vacation? Bring them along from June 1-30 and you’ll receive a complimentary upgrade to a one-bedroom chalet for your stay.

Log on to the resort's web site to check out the full promotion schedule and to reserve your room:

www.cluborient.com/general.html

But please, wear sunscreen.

Keep Your Pants On...Or Don't

Passport from Paradise

Once you land in the Caribbean, it's a fair guess that you won’t be in any big hurry to get home. But when at last you are ready to get back to the grind, it's always nice to know that you can. So if you’ve planned that perfect summertime getaway (and if you haven’t, you should; the deals right now are smokin'), you should be aware that as of June 1, U.S. citizens will need to present proof of citizenship to get back into the country from destinations in the Caribbean (as well as Mexico and Canada). Acceptable documents include the old-fashioned passport, one of the government’s new passport cards, the chip-embedded “enhanced driver’s license" issued by a few state DMVs or, for regular border-crossers, a “Trusted Traveler” card from SENTRI, NEXUS or Global Entry.

The rules are a little different for vacationers under 16 and those traveling by cruise ship, so check out the Customs and Border Protection Department’s Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative page to make sense of it all. And don't delay: Processing time for passport applications is currently about four weeks, according to the State Department.

Passport from Paradise

Calling All Swashbucklers

Since the dawning of Goonies, I’ve been dying to go on a treasure hunt. But when you think about it, there are so few opportunities to really do that. Besides the obvious painstaking task of trying to find a ship and a gang of pirates to come along, I’ve never run across a map to begin with. So it has seemed that treasure hunts and high-seas adventures are not in the stars for most of us.

The folks over in Curacao must have been thinking the same thing, though, which is presumably why they’ve created the new Hidden Treasure campaign. Through May 23, the island is giving away a trip for two, including round trip air and four-nights accommodations, every single day (that's a massive total of 70 trips) – and everyone who enters has the chance to be selected as one of 10 finalists to take part in a real treasure hunt in August. The grand prize? A half-million dollars! That is some serious booty.














To enter and to read the rules, check out the official site: www.curacaotreasure.com

After you enter, chart a course over to our own contest page for more chances to win free stuff.

Calling All Swashbucklers

Getting There

In the past week, I’ve hopped seven flights through five different cities, all for a trip to one island: beautiful and off-the-beaten-path Montserrat. In the lottery that is air travel, I’m usually pretty lucky and tend to reach my destinations with few hiccups: no turbulence, on-time arrivals, sunny weather and suitcases that greet me with all of their contents intact. If there’s such a thing as travel mojo, I’ve got it to spare.

Maybe I’d become cocky from all of my no-fuss travel experiences, or maybe my luck had just run out, but things were different this time. In what I can only assume was a karmic joke, all seven of my flights this week were diverted, canceled, rescheduled, or delayed. Instead of 22-hours of round-trip travel time, it took me 40. My bags were searched three times, I was searched twice, and the sun? It ducked behind rain clouds for most of the bumpy flights.

Despite the setbacks, though, I did make it to Montserrat – and had an unbelievable experience touring the volcanic island. I hung out with the locals, ate home-cooked West Indies meals, watched the sunset from a beachfront rum bar, and even joined in the St. Patrick’s Day festivities that included parades, Soca and Calpyso performances and pub crawls. Jackpot.

And it got me thinking… by the time I got back home, none of my thoughts or stories had anything to do with the transit. I was so recharged by the destination that the to and from parts didn’t even phase me. In the end, having the chance to explore the island was worth every minute I spent trying to get there.

As for future trips, I believe the airline gods will smile at me once again and things will go smoothly. But if not, at least there are always airport bars.

Have any travel stories of your own to share?

Getting There

Amy's Back On Island Time

Breaking news: According to E!Online, erstwhile St. Lucia resident chanteuse Amy Winehouse will be headlining the 18th annual St. Lucia Jazz Festival on May 8. Better catch this show, cause you won’t be able to see her in the States — she had to drop out of the famed Coachella music festival, held each year in the Southern California desert, because she couldn’t get a U.S. visa. The undoubtedly talented Winehouse originally rocked up on St. Lucia’s shores a few months ago to dry out from years of alcoholism and drug abuse and found the chilled-out pace agreeable; according to published reports, she also found hiding behind beach chairs and stealing other guests’ drinks agreeable, so if you do go, keep a tight grip on your beverage.

Amy's Back On Island Time

Adventures in Aruba

Sometimes, in this line of work, people get hurt. Bad. It’s all part and parcel of the grueling on-the-ground gonzo reporting we’ve got to do to keep our readers abreast of everything new under the Caribbean sun. Here’s how it went down.

I recently submitted to an 80-minute massage and body scrub at a spa in Aruba. Everything was progressing just as it should: Strange new-agey music playing softly? Check. A slight smell of — what is that, sandalwood incense? Check. A solicitous masseuse with hands capable of melting a knotted back to butter? Check. And then it happened. “Scoot up,” she said innocently, indicating that I was to place myself face down in the head-donut at the top of the table. I gave myself a little push, underestimated the distance between the bottom of my chin and the edge of the hard, wooden massage table, and landed squarely short of my target, hitting my jaw on the table with a tooth-shaking thwack. Unwilling to give up on the story, I said nothing to the masseuse, suffering in silence for the next 40 minutes. Not until the next morning, when I awoke with a blueberry bruise the size of a quarter did I realize what I’d actually suffered.

I believe this is the first massage injury on our staff; that’s how far I’m willing to go.

Adventures in Aruba

Time for Tee at Playacar Spa and Golf Resort

Itching to tee off? Mexico’s Royal Hideaway just announced a new Save on the Green promotion, giving golf-lovers the chance to enjoy free rounds at nearby Playacar Spa and Golf Club.

Stay at the luxury getaway for a minimum of five nights between now and April 30th and you’ll get two complimentary rounds at the Robert Von Hagge-designed par-72 course, valued at $190 each. Or settle in for a seven-night stay and double your pleasure with four complimentary rounds. Better still, if you book by March 31st, they’ll throw in an extra night free.

The savings are considerable no matter how long you stay, and since the course is all-inclusive, all your snacks and drinks are on the (club)house, too. As if you golf junkies needed another excuse to hit the fairway …

Just click here to check out the promotion on the Royal Hideaway site, then surf on over to our Featured Golf page to see more of our favorite Caribbean courses.

Time for Tee at Playacar Spa and Golf Resort

Break Out the Invitations

Last month, I went along with my newly engaged friend to browse bridesmaid dresses at a nearby boutique. Walking back to the car one poofy pink gown and $300 later, I remembered that weddings really can be expensive – and not just for the happy couple.

That’s why my ears perked up when I heard about the latest promotion from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. Between March 20th and April 24th, they’re hosting a Bridal Bailout contest, ultimately awarding five lucky couples the destination wedding of their dreams. But unlike a lot of "free wedding" promotions, the Bahamas will be picking up the tab for more than just the bride and groom.

The five sets of sweethearts will each receive round trip airfare for 10 people, deluxe accommodations for 4-days/3-nights for all 10 guests, an on-site wedding planner, flowers, photographer and a wedding cake. And just so no one steals your wedding-day thunder, the five winning couples will each enjoy their event at a different resort in the Bahamas: Old Bahama Bay by Ginn Sur Mer; Pelican Bay at Lucaya; Sheraton Nassau Beach; SuperClubs Breezes Bahamas; and the Wyndham Nassau Resort.

How to score the goods (worth over $12,000, by the way)? Just log on to the official contest page and submit a video essay, or a still photo along with a written essay, explaining why you and your sweetie need this bridal bailout. Then click here to check out more contests on CT+L.

Once you win, feel free to leave the poofy pink dresses at home…your guests will probably thank you.

Break Out the Invitations

Cinderella Story

When I picture fairy tales, pretty much the last thing that springs to my mind (besides maybe the dentist) is basketball. Idyllic settings, yes…romance, definitely. Just generally not sports. But Nisbet Plantation Beach Club’s latest promotion is out to prove that hoops and fantasy really can go hand in hand.

To coincide with NCAA March Madness this year, the resort has launched the First Annual Cinderella Hoopla Contest, serving up a complimentary stay at the dreamy plantation inn for two lucky fans and their guests. Just log on to the official contest site by midnight on March 17th to pick your favorite Men’s and Women’s “Cinderella Team” – to be determined by how long the teams remain in the championships and in their respective seeds – and Nisbet will draw one prize winner for each.

The fairy tale ending? Two five-night vacations for two, including luxury accommodations, daily breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner. For official rules, click here.

Maybe it’s not a fairy tale I’ve ever imagined, but taking a free trip to Nevis sounds like my kind of sport.

Cinderella Story

On the Road Again

It's not uncommon for a photographer/ writer duo to attack stories together, spending days on end trapped in a car, eating romantic dinners sans significant others and trying to sell each other to the locals. I often travel with Senior Editor, Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon. We keep each other entertained.

Here's the inside scoop though. Dave claims she rides along to "report stories" and "speak in full sentences," but we all know there's a greater purpose. She and her almost 5 foot frame are there solely for my protection. Yep. Her car dancing and karaoke skills are a thinly veiled disguise for a greater duty: keeping me out of trouble.

After seeing her patented "crouching squirrel, dangling dragon" maneuver on that limb there, I'm surprised fellow beachgoers at Port Antonio, Jamaica's Frenchman's Cove aren't begging me for protection. So next time you see a Greaves-Gabbadon/ Stovall byline, picture this spry little woman and the sacrifices she's made to keep the story on track.

On the Road Again