The Last Headphones You'll Ever Buy

If you're a traveling audiophile who likes the idea of those bulky Bose noise-canceling headphones but just can't bring yourself to spend 300 bucks on something that looks so ... well ... nerdy, here's a word of advice: don't.

The folks over at Ultimate Ears sent me a pair of their UE 700 noise-isolating headphones, which I test drove on a flight to Jamaica last weekend, and I have to say: if you're the type of person who's prepared to spend big bucks on big, rich sound, these are for you.

I liked that once I inserted the tiny earbuds, absolutely nothing came between me and my tunes, and I could get lost in music, despite the seemingly endless in-cabin announcements. With five included foam and silicone buds to choose from I got a comfy fit, and the airplane jack (also included) enriched the listening experience on the inflight programming –now if only they'd show something other than Olympics re-runs. Best of all, the earphones are so diminutive that I can even fit my Shuffle into the 'phones' nifty plastic case.

At around $200 a pair the headphones are certainly no bargain; but if you demand great sound, want noise-canceling features without the dork factor, and are prepared to pay a premium for it, check these babies out.

The Last Headphones You'll Ever Buy

Breakfast with the Mennonites ... in Belize

The Caribbean is full of surprises. During our recent road trip through the Central American country of Belize, staff photographer Zach Stovall and I enjoyed a rare treat, thanks to Mark Howells, the Aussie owner of the Lamanai Outpost Lodge: We ate breakfast with a nearby Mennonite family. Belize has some 10,000 Mennonites — about 3 percent of the total population — who live in small communities all over the country. Defiantly nonviolent and anti-military, they left Europe in droves to escape religious persecution; Belize is one of about 65 countries where you'll find them.

Over a long table laden with fresh eggs, pork, black beans, cucumbers, milk and home-made bread, patriarch Abraham Wiebe — Abe to his friends — did all the talking, partly out of patriarchal privilege and partly because of a language barrier. Mennonites in Belize speak an unusual amalgam of German and Dutch called Plautdietsch, though in the interest of working and doing business here, a few, such as Abe, have learned English and Spanish too. The somber faces family photo you see here belie the Wiebes' warmth, hospitality and good humor.

Three thousand calories later, Abe gave us an impromptu tour of his farm — gorgeous rows of tomatoes and beans growing without pesticides or artificial fertilizers, chickens producing the eggs we'd just eaten. There was the family's horse-drawn buggy and carriage, and the horses snacking on mashed sugar cane. The Mennonite faith has some very firm notions about technology's ability to corrupt, so they shun its influence wherever possible. To wit, horse-drawn vehicles can use rubber tires, but motorized transportation — a farm tractor, for instance — cannot. Abe's tractor has wheels fashioned out of steel, with a "tread" comprised of welded-on segments of rebar. It seems at first like a needlessly challenging lifestyle, but after spending a little time with these people, you start to see the beauty in their ways. Life here isn't always easy, but it works.

Our feature story appears in the May issue of CT+L, on newsstands April 27.

Breakfast with the Mennonites ... in Belize

Experience Curaçao Now at Kura Hulanda

The Deal: Book a five-night stay at the chic Hotel Kura Hulanda or the quiet Lodge Kura Hulanda by March 15 and you'll enjoy a free night – plus get up to $400 in air credits, $200 in food and beverage credits and other island-wide perks with Curaçao Now.

Why We Love It: Back by popular demand, the Curaçao Now promotion gives you the chance to experience two of the island's ritziest resorts for a lot less, with savings of up to $519 on your hotel stay alone (your fifth night is free). You'll also save $200 per person on your airfare, $200 per room on dining, a one-day complimentary dive excursion, a one-day complimentary rental car, and various other discounts and incentives around the island.

How to Book It: Surf over to khspecials.com or call 877-264-3106 to book your stay. Reservations must be made by March 15, 2010, but you may travel between May 1, 2010 and July 4, 2010, or between August 15, 2010 and December 18, 2010.

Experience Curaçao Now at Kura Hulanda

Latitude Adjustment

It's not every day that you get to straddle the Tropic of Cancer line. But a couple of weekends ago, on Island Routes' Bahamian Bus Tour on Great Exuma in the Bahamas, I did.

Latitude Adjustment

Affordable Luxury in the DR at Casa Colonial

The Deal: Book a last-minute four-night-minimum stay at the luxury Casa Colonial Beach & Spa resort by March 7 and you'll save 25 percent on nightly rates and enjoy your fourth night free through April 30.

Why We Love It: The all-suite boutique resort in Puerto Plata, DR is one of the most exclusive properties along the island's north coast, and rates during the promotional period start at just $263 per night double occupancy, so it's a great way to experience high season luxury with a low season price tag.

How to Book It: Book your stay by calling 809-320-3232 or surf over to casacolonial.com. Must book by March 7, 2010 and travel by April 30, 2010.

Affordable Luxury in the DR at Casa Colonial

Another Great Excuse for a Cocktail

St. George's Caye Resort has concocted a new promotion that just might send you on a three-night getaway for two – all on the house. To celebrate the opening of the resort's new on-site watering hole, the 12-cabana exclusive resort is giving you a chance to christen the venue in its Name Our Bar contest. If your idea is selected, you and a guest will be on your way to the private island in Belize where your all-inclusive stay will give you plenty of opportunities to sample the whole cocktail menu.

To enter, surf over to belizeislandparadise.com and select "Name Our Bar" in the Reservations menu. Entries must be received by midnight on March 31, 2010, and you must be a U.S. or Canadian resident and at least 18 years old to submit an idea.

For more on Belize, don't miss our upcoming features and web exclusives from deputy editor Matt Phenix and staff photographer Zach Stovall's trip last week! 

Another Great Excuse for a Cocktail

Winter Fun, Hold the Snow

If you haven't gotten enough Olympic action in the last few weeks, or if you're searching for year-round thrills in a decidedly warmer climate, check out Rainforest Adventures at Mystic Mountain in Ocho Rios. You can make like the Jamaican bobsled team as you whip through a 3,280 foot track; and you'll be in good company - Olympic champion Usain Bolt has called the spot his favorite to chill out on the irie isle. After you sled down, take the Sky Explorer chair lift back up the hill and check out the display at the Mystic Pavilion, with displays and memorabilia celebrating Jamaican culture. Cap off the day with a dip in the infinity pool perched on the edge of the mountain. All this and no coat required.

Winter Fun, Hold the Snow

Reader Response

Want to see your island-hopping travel story appear in Caribbean Travel + Life? Here's your chance! Just answer our latest reader question in the comments section below, and your response just may appear in an upcoming issue as well as right here on the web site:

Tell us all about your best Caribbean family vacation...

If you want to share your photos too, don't forget to head to our Facebook fan page where you can post snapshots and travel stories right to the wall!

Reader Response

Retail Refund

Good news for travelers who plan to drop some dinero in Cancun: under the destination's new Tax Back program, shoppers will be refunded the 10-percent value-added tax paid on cash purchases between 1,200 and 3,000 pesos (roughly $90 and $225) and on credit card purchases of any amount over 1,200 pesos.

Just ask for a receipt in participating stores (look for the orange sticker in the window), and on your way out present it at the Tax Back desk in Terminal 2 or 3. Depending on the amount, tax will be refunded in a combo of cash and a credit to your plastic or reimbursed entirely to your credit card. Big spenders should note that items that cost more than 5,000 pesos (about $370) must be presented for inspection.

Retail Refund

New Delta Direct Flights to Grand Cayman

Traveling to the Cayman Islands just got easier for you northerners with the addition of Delta's new weekly direct service. Starting June 12, the airline will begin operating a round trip flight every Saturday between New York's JFK and Grand Cayman, so you can kick off your island vacation without any of the usual layovers. Just log on to delta.com to book your trip, then surf over to our destination pages and our Cayman blogs to start planning your summer vacation!

New Delta Direct Flights to Grand Cayman