Voluntourism on St. Thomas

The Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort & Spa just announced a new voluntourism experience that helps eco-conscious guests to give back on their next Virgin Island vacation. For $79 per person, guests of the St. Thomas resort can experience nearby Hassel Island along with tour operator Virgin Islands Ecotours. The excursion begins with a 20-minute kayak paddle from Charlotte Amalie Harbor over to the isle, where you'll have the chance to explore the ruins of a former British military garrison and other historic locations like the Creque Marine Railway, one of the Western Hemisphere's first steam-powered marine rail systems. Following a good dose of Caribbean history, you'll spend the afternoon beautifying the beaches of Hassel island – from collecting flotsam to trimming up hiking trails – then finish the day with some restorative beach time. Included in the package rate, you'll also get a free annual membership to the Friends of the Virgin Islands National Park and St. Thomas Historical Trust. And if eco-tours are right up your alley, don't miss our recent Day Trip on other green tours you can try with Virgin Islands Ecotours.

Voluntourism on St. Thomas

Caribbean Travel + Life on Scribd.com

Back in April, we unveiled our Facebook Fan Page, followed pretty quickly by a new Twitter account, @CaribTravelLife. Each site gives Caribbean Travel + Life readers and fans a great way to connect with our content like travel news, hot deals and contest announcements every day – plus they can chat with the editors and share trip reports, photos and videos with the whole CT+L community. With over 3,000 combined fans already, these sites have been a definite success.

So while we're on the social media bandwagon, we just created another account on Scribd - the world's largest social publishing house - that we hope you'll check out as well. On our Caribbean Travel + Life Scribd page, you can access fully interactive PDF versions of our featured magazine content, including archived Day Trips, Rare Finds and Affordable columns from past issues – plus sneak peeks of articles from upcoming issues, like this cover from our November issue that will hit newsstands on October 6!

To access our page, just click here or go to www.Scribd.com and search for Caribbean Travel + Life. Let us know what you think!

Caribbean Travel + Life on Scribd.com

Caribbean Half-Marathon

Runners, take your marks...the Montserrat Tourist Board just announced a brand new Volcano Half-Marathon in collaboration with the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and the Fittest Man Running Club, so here's your chance to see the island like never before.

Slated for December 5, the 13.1-mile race will be part of the island's annual carnival celebration - Festival - and proceeds from the event will go to three local charities: the Special Olympics, Meals on Wheels and the Golden Years Retirement Home. The course will be a doozy on Montserrat's rugged and super-steep volcanic terrain, kicking off near the new Cultural Center in Little Bay, then passing through island hot-spots like Runaway Ghaut springs and the legendary Air Studios (where artists like the Rolling Stones and Elton John once recorded), and culminating at Salem Park.

The registration deadline is December 4, and the fee is just $30 per runner including a T-shirt and gift bag filled with other Montserrat goodies. To sign up, check out the official Volcano Half-Marathon Facebook page or email the MTB here.

Caribbean Half-Marathon

Ready, Set, Shop!

Believe it or not, there are only 90 more days before the holidays, and it’s never too early to get started on your gift list!

Long Island, NY transplant Gina Fedderson crafts fun and functional home accessories, stationery and art from her Virgin Islands home in St. Thomas, where she’s inspired by nature and casual beach living.

Readers may remember that we featured Gina’s work in our August 2008 issue, and now she’s just released her 2010 collection. The understated and elegant line of napkins, table runners and guest towels features block-printed botanical motifs such as palm fronds, tropical fruit and sea life (I’m in love with the coral placemats and pillows), which are repeated on the natural fiber wine totes and lavender sachets and recycled paper note cards.

You can find the Isola Bella line on St.Thomas at Home Again; in select stores in California, Florida and Massachusetts; or just hop online to isolabellashop.com to see the full collection.

Ready, Set, Shop!

Montego Bay on JetBlue

JetBlue just announced two new routes for 2010, with planned routes from Boston and Orlando to Montego Bay, Jamaica beginning in the new year. One way fares from Boston will start at $149, and from Orlando will start as low as $69. Stay tuned on the JetBlue site and here on the Caribbean Travel + Life blog for more updates on booking those and other Caribbean flights – and in the mean time you can search for great vacation packages on our Travel Specials and Editor's Picks pages.

Montego Bay on JetBlue

Save with the St. Croix Fantastic Flight

If our St. Croix feature from the new October issue has you dreaming of a Virgin Island escape this Fall, here's your chance to save a few bucks in the process: The U.S.V.I. Department of Tourism just announced its island-wide St. Croix Fantastic Flight promotion, giving you a $150-per-person airfare credit and your fourth night free at a range of participating hotels, like the secluded Carambola Beach Resort on the north shore, or the elegant Buccaneer (pictured) just outside of Christiansted.

To take advantage of the promotion, just book your trip by October 5 through one of these participating tour operators:

AA Vacations
CheapCaribbean.com
Delta Vacations
Expedia
GoGo Worldwide Vacations
Travelocity

You'll have until November 15 to travel.

Save with the St. Croix Fantastic Flight

Feeling Lucky in the Bahamas

I've always been a fan of getaways with the girls, so I was excited to hear about the Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino's new Luck be a Lady vacation package. Instead of the usual manis and pedis, this girlfriend getaway brings together some of the coolest amenities this side of Vegas...


- Four nights accommodations
- A personal, one-hour blackjack lesson
- $100 casino credit per room
- $100 food and beverage credit

And when you're not hitting the tables, you'll also enjoy special in-pool dining, a free round of cocktails and plush chaise lounges reserved poolside each day. Even better? Rates for the four-night package start at $309 per person based on double occupancy. That's less than $80 per person per night – a savings of nearly 50 percent over rack rates.

Don't feel left out, guys...there's something for you, too. With the Guy's Getaway package, you'll enjoy the same four-night package rate of $309 per person, but with a few different amenities like nightly table service at 22 Above and private poker instruction.

Feeling Lucky in the Bahamas

Last Minute Sale at the Radisson Aruba

This one's for the spontaneous travelers out there...

For today only, the Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa is offering a Half Price Sale with rates starting at $225 per night double occupancy - a 50 percent savings over normal high season rates. Guests can also enjoy exclusive Plaza Club accommodations from $329.50 per night with this promotion. You can travel between January 2 and April 10, but you have to book before midnight tonight, September 21, to take advantage of the savings.

Not ready to book just yet? You'll miss the Half Price Sale, but can still take advantage of the resort's Winter Sale and earn your third night free for bookings through November 9. Just log on to the Radisson Aruba web site to book your stay.

Last Minute Sale at the Radisson Aruba

Free Spa Treatments in Bermuda

Hey, spa lovers: The Reefs resort on Bermuda just announced the opening of its new La Serena Spa, a state of the art facility with eight treatment rooms, a sauna, and a complete line of Elemis of London skincare products - and to welcome visitors, the resort is offering spa freebies for a limited time. Just stay for a minimum of five nights through December 26 and you'll have your choice of three complimentary 60-minute treatments. And to celebrate the upcoming PGA Grand Slam of Golf being held in Bermuda in October, the resort is throwing in free rounds of golf with your stay, too. Rates start at $369 per night double occupancy - just mention the Golf and Spa package when you book.

Free Spa Treatments in Bermuda

Best Caribbean Beach Towns

I just finished posting a feature - The Caribbean's Coolest Beach Towns - from the October issue to the site this afternoon, and it got me thinking that I've only been to two of our top picks myself: Cabarete, Dominican Republic and Negril, Jamaica. What about you...do you agree with our choices (also including Placencia, Belize and Rincón, Puerto Rico), or do you have another great Caribbean beach town in mind? Leave us a comment and let us know your favorite outposts in the Caribbean. As for me, I don't want to be left in the dark when it comes to the best beach towns, so it looks like I have some new trips to start planning...

Best Caribbean Beach Towns

Affordable Puerto Rico

Missed the latest episode of Affordable Caribbean this weekend? Check out this webisode from Saturday's installment - Affordable Puerto Rico - then surf over to the official web site to watch even more clips from the show...

Affordable Puerto Rico

My Own BVI

Last week, I had the chance to vacation in the British Virgin Islands at the height of its transitional season – that ephemeral time of year when the Caribbean's low-season winds down, tourists make their mass exodus back home, and the islands take a moment to breathe and reboot before the surge of high-season travel begins. Stationed in my quiet corner of Virgin Gorda's North Sound all week, an area that all but hibernates for the full month of September, I found myself in the totally unfamiliar position of having more free time than places to go.

While I was in the BVI, I received a ton of emails and messages from friends and even Caribbean Travel + Life readers via our Facebook page asking if I'd made it to this beach or that bar: Willy T's, Bitter End Yacht Club, White Bay, and on and on. And for the most part, no...I didn't hit the usual hot spots on this visit, didn't sip (chug?) a Soggy Dollar painkiller, and didn't leave any of my undergarments behind at Bomba Shack (hey, it's tradition). On that note, I do want to give a special thanks to Tropical Storm Erika for thwarting my long-standing plans to finally check out Bomba's infamous Full Moon Party last Friday. But instead of all the usual, I enjoyed a week of the exceptional; With the throngs of summer vacationers gone, I found myself with seven days, a boat, and a string of spectacular islands and cays all to myself. And other than Erika's 24-hour damper of a visit, I enjoyed sunny skies and blissful weather the whole trip.

So what do you think? Would you trade all of the BVI's celebrated beach bar hopping for a little R&R like I did, or would you rather wait until high season and really turn it up?

My Own BVI

Let Someone Else Pay for Your Caribbean Wedding

Big news, brides and grooms...St. Lucia's luxury Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort just announced a new promotion that allows you to pay for your destination wedding with your Sun Dollars resort credits. Here's how it works: For each dollar you spend on your room, you'll get 50 percent back as Sun Dollars...so spend $100, get $50 back and so on.

To sweeten the deal, the resort is freezing rates for honeymooners, so couples can cash in on rooms starting at just $200 per night. And the resort's destination wedding packages start at less than $900, so depending on your room category and the length of your stay, it's possible that your entire wedding could be complimentary. Still have Sun Dollars to spare after tying the knot? They're also redeemable toward on-site dining, wine, spa treatments, excursions and more. Love free massages? I do.

Let Someone Else Pay for Your Caribbean Wedding

Voyage to the Volcano on Montserrat

Montserrat tends to fly well under the Caribbean tourism radar, but the local Green Monkey Dive Shop in Little Bay has just announced a new five-night adventure getaway that makes it easier than ever to experience the quiet volcanic isle. The six-day package is just $885 per person double occupancy and includes accommodations at a private villa from Tradewinds Real Estate, a rental car for your whole stay, and an assortment of excursions like volcano-watching, snorkeling, kayaking, island tours and special boat trips to Redonda Island and the coast of Plymouth - the former capital city that was buried under feet of ash and mud by volcanic eruptions throughout the 1990s. With the package, you'll also enjoy a dinner at Olveston House, the private residence and guest house of famed Beatles producer Sir George Martin. To book your getaway, just email the Green Monkey Dive Shop or call 664-491-2960.

Voyage to the Volcano on Montserrat

Relive Your Nevis Vacation - Free

The lovely Nisbet Plantation on Nevis is offering a cool new way to capture your vacation memories: Guests of the luxury resort will now receive a complimentary Flip Mino mini-camcorder to use throughout their vacation. The uberportable cameras are easy to tote along from beach to excursion, and can record up to 60 minutes of video, so you can produce your own mini-movie just like this couple who recently stayed at Nisbet...



What to do with all that footage? When check-out rolls around, just transfer the video to your laptop via USB port, or hand it off to the guest services staff who will burn a keepsake DVD of your entire romantic stay for you. But, um...be careful what you record on that romantic getaway, ok? These are shared cameras.

Relive Your Nevis Vacation - Free

Million Dollar Giveaway

Love contests? We know you do...so check out Clarion's Make Your Stay a Chance at a Million Dollars Giveaway this week. It's a mouthful to say, but it's easy to play...just log in to the official contest site, submit your email to register and then play away. You can enter every day through next week, September 10, so give it a shot...it's totally free. And in addition to the million dollar grand prize, there's a ton of other loot on the line, like Apple MacBook laptops, iPods, digital cameras and more.

While you're on the site, check out some of the travel specials that Clarion and Choice Hotels are offering around the Caribbean this Fall, like rooms in Santo Domingo for just $80 per night, or rooms on Paradise Island in the Bahamas for $150 per night.

And if you're still hungry for more contests, surf over to our own contest page and enter to win them all...

Million Dollar Giveaway

Staying Fit in St. Martin

I don't know about you, but one of my least favorite parts of traveling around the Caribbean is trying to stay in swimsuit shape year-round...especially with all of the yummy island cocktails and cuisine tempting me at every turn. But St. Martin's La Samanna resort has a cool package designed to actually help you kick-start a fitness routine while you're on vacation - and unlike a lot of wellness packages, it's actually cheaper than standard rack rates. With the Fit Life package, you'll get a three-nights in a deluxe ocean view room for $1,495 double occupancy - a savings of 50 percent on the room alone - and you'll also enjoy two Pilates or yoga sessions, a 45-minute couple's massage, two personalized fitness training sessions, complimentary use of the fitness center and resort amenities, and "power" breakfast at the La Samanna Restaurant.

Just book your trip by December 21 (keeping in mind that the resort is closed for much of September and October) and then surf over to our St. Martin destination page to start planning your trip.

Staying Fit in St. Martin

Affordable Luxury in the Grenadines

If you find yourself with a little free time this Fall, Young Island Resort in St. Vincent and the Grenadines has an idea for how you can spend it. Between now and October 31, if you book either the Lover's or Sail Away package for seven nights, you'll get your eighth night free plus a complimentary upgrade to an all-inclusive stay, so all your meals, drinks and snacks will be on the house. And if you book a Luxury or Duvernette cottage for your stay, you'll also enjoy free round-trip airfare between Barbados and St. Vincent.

The Lover's package starts at $3,430 per couple and includes accommodations in an ocean view room, airport and ferry transfers, a spa voucher and daily fresh fruits and flowers in your room, while the Sail Away package includes five nights of resort accommodations before taking to the high seas for two nights aboard a private 44-foot yacht. With the Sail Away option, you'll also cruise to Bequia and Mustique for snorkeling and sightseeing all included in the rate of $4,320 per couple.

Just surf over to the Young Island web site to book your private island vacation.

Affordable Luxury in the Grenadines