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| Here are some unbiased travel
reviews of top vacation spots and travel destinations from some of the
travel industries most seasoned travelers,
including some of our own Academy Travel Online travel consultants. |
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| Jamaica |
Drinking
and Dancing.
There are two ways to truly experience Jamaica. The first is to stay in some of the
unbelievably beautiful hotels that are available, dine in some of the best restaurants
you’ll find anywhere with an unbeatable selection of food, visit one of the most
beautiful and diverse island environments and dance in elegant surroundings to some really
professional reggae bands. The second way is to “go native” and in Jamaica that
means music, music and more music and of course lots of food. And the “double
D’s” that Jamaica has become famous for – Drinking and Dancing. Many people
go home from a week or so in Jamaica feeling refreshed and relaxed; pampered and healed;
ready to face the rigors of their lives. Many more leave Jamaica badly needing rest, but
with a smile on their faces that doesn’t even begin to reveal the sweetness of the
memories. The choice, of course, is up to the traveler. But even with that, a pretty good
percentage of the people who come to kick back in the mellow pink sands of Jamaica end up
having experiences they never dreamed possible. No matter what, though, everybody leaves
happy. You can stay in a resort complex built into a network of ocean caves, where the
restaurant is actually a cave and where your daily massage spot overlooks the most
beautiful stretch of beach in the world. Or you can pitch a tent on the beach and
experience Jamaica at its most basic and pure – a peaceful island that lays claim to
its own music, its own religion and its own personality. You know who you are and what you
like and you’ll be sure to find it (and more) on Jamaica. |
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| Key
West. |
Always a Party.
Key West is like the last stop on the subway -- the farthest you can go south in the
continental United States. It’s closer to Cuba than it is to Miami. Some societal
observers think that its geographical nature as the last place in the US without actually
leaving the country has helped foster a sort of split personality.
Lush with tropical foliage such as blazing orange royal poincianas, the city used to be
known for its laidback atmosphere. It was generally regarded as a small, seedy town. But
in recent years, it has acquired a more frenetic pace. Think of a tiny New Orleans during
Mardi Gras. Every day’s a party.
Developers and locals or conchs (pronounced conks) have long fought the battle of the next
Starbucks. Low-key locals complain that glitz has ruined the place. Tourists and thousands
of cruise ship passengers have certainly commercialized Key West. And same-sex couples
walking hand-in-hand have become common. Whatever your persuasion, if you want to party,
you will have a good time here. There’s all the ingredients: good restaurants, live
music and a good-time attitude. At night, there’s always a carnival atmosphere on
Mallory square over a simple event: the sunset. Performers swallow swords and eat fire.
But if you avoid the noise of Duval, the Bourbon Street of South Florida, you can still
find quiet beaches and living coral reefs off the beaten track. Take a walk or ride your
bicycle on the side streets where you’ll find small art galleries, secret gardens and
breathtaking bougainvillea plants.
When visiting, you should always keep this in mind: in Key West, you can always march to
the beat of your own drum. |
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| Cancun |
Top Resort
Destination.
Cancun is one of Mexico’s most popular tourist spots, attracting around 2.7 million
visitors every year. Surrounded by jungle, only three people (workers on a coconut grove)
lived in this beautiful area until the 1970s, when, the story goes; a computer program
selected this as an ideal site for an international resort. It’s not hard to
understand why – the city is home to sparkling beaches with clear, turquoise water.
Situated near the fascinating ruins of ancient Mayan cities and great places for water fun
(from scuba diving and snorkeling to rafting and water skiing), Cancun is also in a region
that is known, even within Mexico, for its extraordinary cuisine, which combines Mayan and
European flavors in delicious classic dishes like cochinita pibil, a moist pork in a rich
annatto sauce, baked in the sauce and wrapped in banana leaves. Of course, with over 180
restaurants, U.S. and European chains and international cuisine are also easy to find in
Cancun.
The city is divided between the Downtown area (also known as Cancun City) and the Hotel
Zone. The Downtown area offers the most authentic glimpse of Mexican life that you will
find in Cancun while the Hotel Zone is home to modern shops and hotels. This is where most
tourists spend their days on the beach. And after enjoying the day, the city offers a
myriad of options for night activities in the city, from dance and jazz performances to
Spring Break style dance clubs. |
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| Aruba |
One Happy Island
Aruba is one of the most dynamic islands I have ever been to. There is no time of year
when Aruba isn't tops. Through my travels on the island, I have eaten at over 50
restaurants, toured many sites, stayed at numerous hotels, and purchased a timeshare.
Oranjestad (the capital) offers the best prices on all goods. Shops are clean,
air-conditioned, and modern. No tax. Some of the best shops can be found in the 80 store
SEAPORT VILLAGE MALL. Other great shopping areas include HARBORTOWN and the ALHAMBRA
BAZAAR. Fresh fruit can be found at the ocean-front fruit market (local crafts also
available here). Other towns to shop at include San Nicolas and Noord. All hotels also
have shops, and the airport ( Aeropuerto Riena Beatrix) has duty-free shops. Prices here
are not necessarily lower, except in the free zones. Shopping in the free zones exempts
you from duties on the goods. The free zone is located in the capital.
The island has many great sites. See the rocky North Coast, the sand dunes at California,
the lighthouses, the Church at Alto Vista, the rock formations at Casibari, the gold
smelter at Bushiribana, Frenchman's cove, and many many more. On the South Coast, try Sea
Grape Grove and Baby Beach. Also, for the strong, Mt. Hooiberg offers a 563 step climb to
the top. The views are magnificent, I have taken the climb 3 times. Atlantis Submarine
offers underwater tours originating from the port of Oranjestad. |
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| The
Bahamas |
Better in the Bahamas
Bahamas is a treat for everyone. Just 60 miles off the coast of Florida, but a world of
difference in attitude. The former British colony is a warm and inviting place to go on
vacation. The people are very polite and friendly. It is a port of call for most of the
cruise lines in the world with most of them offering something special or different than
the others in the way of day trips or hotel arrangements. The Bahamas is called the
Switzerland of the Tropics for more than one reason. First it is a major offshore
financial center second only to London in Eurodollar transactions. Second it is a major
source of fine watches, some that can only be bought in Switzerland. Currency exchange
rate with the US is on a one for one rate which makes it easy to shop there. Oh and can
you shop there because the Bahamas is duty free! This means that you do not pay tax on it
when coming back to the US. This is on things up to $400 per person. Nassau Police One of
the best things about this is that you can pool people in the same family together to get
something more expensive. For example if there are 4 of you in the same family that travel
and live together you can purchase something with a value of up to $1200 without paying
taxes on it. And you can do that on items up to $4000 for a family of 4 for a 10% flat
tax. So when it comes time to shop just say OK. As for things to buy not only is there a
great selection of watches to be had, but if you are in the market for jewelry this is the
place to shop. Another item that is in great supply here is perfume. Some of the premiere
brands of the world are sold there for quite a savings over what you would pay for them in
the US. |
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| Barbados |
The Lay of the Land
One of the southernmost islands, Barbados is where sugar first took root in the Caribbean
and rum earned its affection. But before you tip back that bottle in celebration of the
island's claim to fame, know that it is more formal here. Barbados was called "Little
England" because its culture, architecture, and manners closely mimicked those of
London civility. Afternoon tea is still served and cricket is the most popular sport.
Reflecting this background, Barbados' top hotels and villas are luxurious and
refined-Tiger Woods wedded at the Sandy Lane Hotel & Golf Club to give some
indication. Those seeking European-style elegance will find it here. But while the island
is elite, it isn't exclusive. You can find plenty moderately priced hotels rooms, and
apartments and small guesthouses offer the best bargains if you are willing to walk or
drive to the nearest beach (rather than stay on it). And besides, Barbados has an amazing
800 miles of paved roads, so you'll want a car anyhow. Drive over to the rough Atlantic
side with its usually deserted beaches and dramatic hillside views. For a look at how the
landed gentry once lived, stop at one of the old English estates-turned-museums. Be sure
to try a flying-fish sandwich, the local version of fast food. Hotel rates drop
substantially in summer, sometimes by 50 percent, making the August "Crop Over"
carnival a bargain compared to the winter festivals on other islands. |
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| Grand Cayman Island |
Diver's Paradise
For snorkelers and divers, Grand Cayman is an underwater paradise. Southern stingrays
greet visitors in waist-high water at Stingray City, the Caribbean's most visited
snorkeling site. Grand Cayman boasts sheer walls, rich coral reefs, and big ocean-going
species that swim right up to you. However, you'll find just as much to do by staying dry:
Sun on the brilliant 5.5-mile long Seven Mile Beach and West Bay, hike the Mastic Trail or
walk the nature trails of the Botanic Garden. Grand Cayman likes to attract the
well-heeled, and its new big resort is the Ritz-Carlton, opening in November 2005 . But
you can stay for far less at the other big chain hotels. Often (but not always) you can
stay at a fraction of hotel rates at one of the numerous apartment and condo rentals, very
popular here for their added roominess and as way to reduce dining costs. Because Seven
Mile Beach has so many nearby restaurants and activities, it is Cayman's prime location.
West Bay is more remote and hotels at the East End of the island are set well apart from
everything else, but a popular option considering George Town's ever increasing traffic.
Spend a day in Hell (much more fun than an eternity), a famous rock formation, or sample
the many good restaurants-just avoid rush hour in George Town and when cruises dump off
their passengers. Unfortunately, the number of rooms on Grand Cayman was significantly
reduced by 2004's hurricane damage. Many won't be back online until summer or fall of
2005. |
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| St. Maarten/St. Martin |
| Bring your clogs AND your beret, as there
are no barriers or formal checkpoints to mark the boundaries between Dutch St. Maarten and
French St. Martin. You'll find it easy and convenient to sample the very best of these two
strikingly different cultures. The dining choices are better on the French side but
deciding where to stay is more challenging. St. Maarten has almost a dozen casinos and
more lively, varied nightlife. If beaches are more important than baccarat, you'll find
both big hotels and small inns fronting mile-long Great Bay Beach in bustling Philipsburg,
also one of the Caribbean's prime duty-free shopping ports. It's definitely more relaxing
outside of town at resorts near Cupecoy and Simpson Bay beaches. Winter hotel rates are
among the Caribbean's best. St. Martin on a whole, with fewer large resorts and with the
volatility of the Euro, is not the best place for bargain hunting. But for romancing, oui,
oui! The small hotels and inns are undeniably charming and their dining memorable, often
outstanding. And if you do your homework, you can find great rates at small hotels, even
in winter. Families with small children might want to consider staying on the Dutch side,
since St. Martin's beaches are topless (note: as are a few in St. Maarten). And note that
hurricane runs from late summer into the fall. |
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| US Virgin Islands |
| St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix are so
different in size, temperament, and tempo you need to decide your vacation plans first and
then match them to one of the islands. St. Thomas is the second-largest island, the most
visited, and by far the liveliest. It's the center for happening nightlife, extensive
duty-free shopping, and home to stunning Magen's Bay, ranked one of the world's most
beautiful beaches. You'll find hotels, villas, and resorts in all prices all over the
island. Tiny St. John, just four miles from St. Thomas, is much quieter. An undeveloped
nature-lover's treasure, almost two-thirds of St. John is a protected national park famed
for its two-dozen criss-crossing hiking trails. In terms of beaches, St. John's Trunk Bay
and Maho Bay rival St. Thomas' beaches but usually lack the crowds. The island, however,
does possess a flaw (at least in some people's minds): St. John is the only island without
a golf course. Its hotels range from exclusive hideaways to small hillside inns. Frequent
ferries between St. Thomas and St. John give you the option of staying on St. Thomas and
day-tripping to St. John when the mood strikes. St. Croix, the largest of the three U.S.
Virgin Islands, lies 40 miles south of St. Thomas, too distant for easy commuting. Decades
behind St. Thomas in development, St. Croix's two major cities, Christiansted and
Frederiksted, strongly reflect their 18th-century Danish heritage. Ruins of great sugar
estates remain throughout the island. Buck Island, the Caribbean's most famous snorkel
trail, is a day trip everyone makes. Online sleuthing usually reveals that St. Croix's
hotels have the best bargains, from the relatively inexpensive to the
"this-course-better-be-worth-it" price at a luxury golf resort. |
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| British Virgin Islands |
| The British Virgin Islands (BVIs) was once
a popular pirate haunt and tales of buried treasure inspired one visitor, Robert Louis
Stevenson, to write the classic novel, Treasure Island. This sea-going heritage remains
central to everything in the BVIs as thousands of sleek sailing yachts navigate the
protected waters of the Sir Francis Drake Channel each year. Hotels on the major islands
cater both to sailors who prefer to sleep on land and those who may not sail at all. It
makes for an unusual but comfortable blend (as opposed to back during pirate days). The
main island is Tortola, which has a smattering of large resorts but where small hotels,
inns, and guesthouses are the norm. Winter rates are often a bargain compared to other
islands, even in some of the large resorts. Even a stay at nearby private Peter Island is
sensibly priced. Virgin Gorda, which ranks second to Tortola in visitors, is far less
developed. Some resorts are truly off the beaten path, with no roads leading to them.
Virgin Gorda's most famous landmark is the Baths, a remarkable beach where huge granite
boulders form caves and pools along the shoreline, so adventure- and nature-seekers,
consider finding lodging on this landfall. Hotel prices drop during summer, regardless of
the island. |
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