The Bahamas – the Top 5 Reasons to Visit

Author: Byron Mackelroy

The Bahamas is a series of over 700 islands and over 200 cays sitting just off the east coast of Florida. Once a pirate stronghold, this nation of islands now plays host to adventure seekers and tourists looking to escape into the beauty of the Caribbean. Known for its powdery sand and endless beaches, the Bahamas is a place of pleasure and relaxation. To help you on your island getaway here are my top 5 reasons to visit the Bahamas.

Proximity
Bimini, the western most district of the Bahamas is located just 53 miles off the east coast of Florida. If you don’t mind a short connecting flight, the Bahamas Islands are accessible from almost anywhere is the United States and there should be some reasonable airfare deals on a number of websites. If you are looking for a piece of paradise close to home the Bahamas is the spot to start your search.

Shopping, Duty Free
Since 1992 the Bahamas government has lifted the duty tax on luxury items such as fine leather bags and perfumes. This policy has led to an amazing 25% savings on the prices of similar high-end items in the United States. Shopping in paradise can be a treat with extensive markets and boutiques throughout Nassua and Grand Bahama Island.

History
For anyone interested in colonial history, the Roselawn Museum on Nassua houses one of the finest collections of period artifacts available. If you are looking for a more raw personal experience, take a tour of one of the many settlements set up by the free blacks after the 1834 abolishment of slavery in the Bahamas. For a more care-free brush with the old culture of the islands visit the Mardi Gras-esque Junkanoo Festival (http://www.junkanoo.com/junkanoo/) held right after Christmas.

Accommodations
Tourism drives the Bahamas economy. As you can image, there are a wide variety of lodging options throughout the Bahamas. If you are not price conscience then the sky is the limit. From the amenity rich super resorts like Atlantis (http://www.atlantis.com/), to the ultra high-end pampered establishments like the Westin Grand Bahama Island Resort in Lucaya. For those of you with a tighter wallet there are still some impressive options. Check out a Bahamas Hotel with a mini-vacation offer (http://www.vacation-offer.com/special/new/31). These deals are designed to introduce you to timeshare options and they offer access to some great amenities for a reasonable price. No matter where you stay, beware of the energy surcharges and taxes associate with lodging. Tourism is the breadwinner in the Bahamas so it can get a bit pricey.

Enjoying the Night Life
More than a few visitors to the islands have referred to the Bahamas night life as Vegas-lite. From the nightly cabaret shows at the Paradise Island Resort to the full blown casino at the Crystal Palace Resort, guest on the islands have a wide variety of options to have a good time. Clubs, dance halls and cabarets can be found at the majority of large hotels throughout the Bahamas.

Whether you are dancing the night away or just relaxing on the pristine beaches enjoying the Caribbean, the Bahamas will leave a lasting impression. If you are looking for that perfect island vacation, pack your bathing suit and bring some sunscreen, the Bahamas Islands are waiting.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/the-bahamas-the-top-5-reasons-to-visit-716019.html

About the Author

I am an aspiring travel writer who loves to find the most interesting features of the best places to visit. I also love a bargain when I see one.

Top Caribbean Destinations for Cruise Vacations

Author: Brian Jenkins

With hundreds of islands to visit, the Caribbean has been a favorite cruise destination for many years. However, the Caribbean is far more than just one destination. In fact, within the “Caribbean” label, there are literally hundreds of islands and many ports of call from which to choose. Each of the destinations has a different and unique flavor, and many cruises want to show you what they are all about. If you are considering a Caribbean cruise for your vacation, take a look at these top Caribbean destinations for cruise vacations.

The Bahamas

The Bahamas are among the most popular Caribbean cruise destinations of all. The Bahamas offer an international flavor without being too unfamiliar to English-speaking tourists. While you will need a passport to travel to the Bahamas, once you get there the environment will be comfortably familiar. Many Caribbean cruises anchor at Grand Bahama Island, where visitors can take advantage of shopping at Freeport and the casinos and opulent resorts of Nassau.

Bermuda

Bermuda is a pastel confection of an island, famous for its pink sand beaches and pastel colored cottages. It is a favorite port of call and Caribbean cruise destination with several cruise ships a day anchoring at St. George’s for memorable shore excursions. Visitors to the island can enjoy a round of golf or take a cruise on a glass bottom boat to view the astounding undersea life around the island.

Aruba

If you are looking for nightlife with an international flavor, Aruba is the best place to visit. The little island is one of the more developed in the Caribbean, with top-shelf luxury resorts and flashy nightclubs and casinos. Daytime activities include wind-surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and lying around on their beautiful beaches. At night, the resort comes alive with discos and nightclubs for those who want to party all night long.

The Cayman Islands

Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands, is the best spot in the Caribbean for spectacular scuba diving and snorkeling. Just offshore, the land drops away creating some of the most amazing and awe-inspiring underwater venues in the world. Grand Cayman is a haven for shoppers who will find dozens of duty free shops lining the streets. For those who want to enjoy the underwater world, there are cant-miss shore excursions that include snorkeling, swimming with the sting-rays, or touring around in a glass-bottom boat, so that visitors can enjoy the scenery without getting too wet.

The U.S. Virgin Islands

Charlotte Amalie, the major city on St. Thomas, is easily the busiest port of call in the Caribbean. The pretty little town is one of the most developed in the islands, offering wonderful shopping, lovely resorts and excellent restaurants. Charlotte Amalie features nearly 400 duty-free shops, making it the stop of choice for those with serious shopping addictions. While St. Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, it is far less developed, and shore excursions to St. Croix often visit historic sites or enjoy eco-tours and bike excursions around the island. The third island, St. John, is the smallest of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, and generally considered the most scenic of all the islands. A large portion of St. John is set aside as the Virgin Islands National Park, making it an ideal destination for hikers and those who love nature.

Montego Bay

Popularized by the catchy song, Montego Bay, Jamaica remains one of the most famous ports of call in the Caribbean. Montego Bay is the second largest city on the island of Jamaica, famed for its white sand beaches and cosmopolitan flair. It offers luxury resorts, world-class restaurants, golf courses and rowdy nightlife that are famed worldwide. One visit to Montego Bay, affectionately called M-Bay in the islands, and you will be singing along with Bobby Bloom in his homage to the hypnotic island town.

Trinidad and Tobago

The tiny island nations of Trinidad and Tobago often get short shrift when discussing Caribbean destinations, but they are full of tropical flavor and fun. Trinidad is the home of the steel drum, that quintessentially Caribbean musical instrument with an unmistakably tropical sound. Both Trinidad and Tobago offer long stretches of beautiful beachfront for sports and leisure, as well as tropical rain forests for hiking and sightseeing. Trinidad is famous for its party carnival atmosphere while Tobago is more relaxed and famed for its island nature tours.

The cities and islands on the list above are by no means the only destinations for vacation cruises in the Caribbean, but they should definitely be on your short list of ports of call to visit. There are many other islands and cities that your cruise may visit so take time to check over your cruise itinerary and choose shore excursions at the cruise destinations you most enjoy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/top-caribbean-destinations-for-cruise-vacations-1065544.html

About the Author

Brian Jenkins is a freelance writer who writes about vacationing, often discussing a specific kind trip such as cruise vacations.

Cheap All Inclusive Jamaica Holidays

Author: Terrance Richardson

Jamaica holidays are still the number one destination in the Caribbean for value, excitement and five star rated action and adventure. Priced just right and easy to book, Jamaica holidays are one stop shopping for all inclusive getaway deals that include your international airfare, accommodation, some meals and airport transfers.

The first step to secure the perfect Jamaica holidays escape is to choose your type of accommodation. Island living is dished up any way you like it with options for a secluded mountain retreat, moderately priced hotels in Montego Bay, and luxurious all inclusive resorts in the Ocho Rios area.

The all inclusive plan is the best way to go with all the major expenses prepaid and deeply discounted. Enjoy a sumptuous buffet for three meals a day from a spread of Caribbean cuisine, European fare and an eclectic array of house specialty dishes. Locally produced alcohol is on your menu for free, and the onsite resort entertainment is first class all the way. Child minding services are available at select all inclusive resorts, and activities are plentiful for children of all ages.

In addition to the myriad of amenities offered by the all inclusive resorts, you will want to venture out on your own a few days to experience all that Jamaica has to offer. Full and half day excursions into the rain forest, town centres, and unique hot spots along the beach all add up to one rich and rewarding island getaway.

Mystic Mountain is a must for the thrill seeker in you with a ride on the famed Jamaican bobsleds. Sliding and gliding through the rugged rain forest, the bobsleds run on a wooden track for safety and comfort and are age appropriate for most visitors and fitness levels. Fly like an eagle like a bird on a wire with several challenging and adrenaline pumping zip lines, ranging from 250 feet to a daring 1600 feet over the trees and Great River. Finally, Jamaica is famous for its ATV group tours featuring some of the most scenic trails and pathways in the Caribbean.

Early booking your Jamaica holidays is a sure way to secure the best deals, however, if you have not yet reserved your space, do not despair. Jamaica holiday all inclusive package deals are also offered for last minute travel, so if you are able to pack up on short notice, you can rack up impressive savings on your trip.

Click here for more information on Jamaica Hotels , Holiday Deals and New York City Breaks.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/cheap-all-inclusive-jamaica-holidays-3809434.html

About the Author

I am a higly travelled businessman from London who has decided to share my global adventures with all of you. I offer great travel tips that should be able to help you in a number of ways; information, deals and what to do.

Hope you enjoy.

Jamaica Hotels are Great Places for Vacations

Author: cary shedd

With its craggy mountains clad in lush emerald jungle ; calm breezes caressing spotless beaches ; and warm, inviting, clear as crystal turquoise waters – not to mention reggae, all-night raving, and plush dining – Jamaica is the spot for dream holidays for singles! Jamaica is the third-largest island in the Caribbean, less than five hundred miles south of the coast of Florida. For 3 centuries Jamaica was a UK colony, till it got self-determination in 1962. Over ninety percent of Jamaica’s population is black, though there are substantial numbers of Indians, Chinese, and Syrians who have added their distinct cultural customs and cuisines to the great Jamaican mix.

Jamaica’s local culture is represented by the hundred thousand Rastafarians, whose favored reggae music, and ganja and dreadlock approach to life, adds color and liveliness to the Jamaican nightlife scene. The Rastafarian movement gave birth to reggae music in the 1960’s, which reflects the social and non secular desires of poor Jamaicans. Today reggae is preferred at the innumerable clubs and resorts which make Jamaica a non stop party scene.

Jamaica is the biggest island in the Larger Antilles, and it has 3 distinct regions : the central mountains, the plateau, and the seaside plain. The Blue Mountains, where Jamaica’s gourmand coffee is grown, rise to 7400 feet at the uppermost point, Blue Mountain Top . Springs feed quickly flowing streams and waterfalls which run north and south from the mountains.

The hot and wet climate is eased by breezes from the sea. Temperatures average seventy five F in winter and 80 F in summer. The stormy season is May-June and September-November ( the second is also hurricane season ). Annual rainfall varies from over 2 hundred inches in the mountains to only thirty inches along the coast. Besides its Jamaica hostels industry, the island produces sugar cane, bananas, citrus, cacao, coconuts, and – naturally – its internationally renowned connoisseur coffee.

Jamaica is also one of the planet’s biggest producers of bauxite, the ore from which aluminium is created ; and also produces gypsum for plasterboard and construction. The Jamaican holiday maker attractions center on Kingston, Negril, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios, with their mythical beaches of soft sand lapped by the calming sea. Jamaica is heaven on earth for just laying in a hammock under a palm tree till it is time for a dip in the warm surf.

For the active and bold, there are hiking and nature trips into the mountainous jungle featuring waterfall climbing, pony trekking, and brook rafting. Besides swimming, snorkeling, and underwater diving, there are a bunch of water journeys available, from charter fishing to water skiing. Nighttimes ( and daytimes ) truly swing at the adult all inclusive resorts at Negril Beach and Runaway Bay where anything goes : from skinny-dipping and naked sunbathing, to dancing and boogying all night and into the morning.

Special marriage and honeymoon packages ( including champers, cake, flours, DJ – even a marriage planner and the minister ) have made Jamaica one of the hottest wedding destinations in the world.

Cary Shedd writes about many subjects, including travel destinations

Resorts in Montego Bay

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/jamaica-hotels-are-great-places-for-vacations-4323549.html

About the Author

Cary Shedd writes about many subjects, including travel destinations.

Jamaica Hotels And Retreats

Author: kishan

Jamaica is a legendary island in the Caribbean with more beauty than you can image. Visiting Jamaica retreats is one extremely relaxing way to experience the island.
Jamaica Hotels and Retreats
Jamaica is an island destination known for its relaxing and romantic atmosphere. What better way to enhance your vacation here than to go to one of the great Jamaica retreats? The retreats on Jamaica are prepared to pamper you while taking full advantage of the great island, beach and ocean atmosphere.
One of the Jamaica retreats you’ll be sure to enjoy is the High Hope Estate, located near Ocho Rios in Jamaica. This inn has only five guest rooms, assuring that your vacation and stay here will be intimate and romantic. The rooms themselves are furnished with beautiful English and Jamaican antiques. The clinic at High Hope Estate offers such varied services as massages and the pampering Milk and Honey Wrap, sure to relax and rejuvenate even the most tired traveler.
Another of the great resorts and Jamaica retreats is the Half Moon Rose Hall, in Montego Bay. This resort houses the Bodywork Spa, which has many different treatments and packages to indulge your senses. Their menu includes wraps, manicures, pedicures, facials, rejuvenation day packages and couples packages to create your own relaxation getaway. The Half Moon Rose Hall resort itself has many other amenities, such as an 18 hole golf course and shopping, even a children’s center!
There are many more Jamaica retreats to discover, including those at all-inclusive resorts. The Couples Resort in Ocho Rios, for example, offers many different treatments to their guests. Some of these include aromatherapy massages, Swedish massages and body polishes. There are also salon services available at the retreat for both men and women, making it so you never have to leave the resort for all of your rejuvenation needs!
Another all-inclusive resort chain, Sandals, has seven different resorts located on the island of Jamaica. Most of them, such as the Sandals Negril Beach Resort, include rejuvenation clinics right on the resort property. The Red Lane Retreats, as the retreats at Sandals are known, offer such diverse treatments as the Salty Margarita Scrub and the Java Jive Scrub, along with massages and other usual treats.
Jamaica is a great place for a vacation, and it’s made even better by a trip to one of the Jamaica retreats that are available in the area. You can relax on the beach and then relax with a massage or facial, all at one location. Best of all, the variety of retreats here means that everyone can find a spot in Jamaica to suit their tastes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/jamaica-hotels-and-retreats-2148911.html

About the Author

My name is manish shah. Am an avid blogger & social media representative. I am retailer by Profession & my blog is http://manish-shah.com

I keep updating my blogs regularly. Do visit me for the latest in Indian Retailing.

I also have another wonderful article directory – where in you can check the latest articles across all the catagories. Do check out http://article-rich.com& http://articlesecure.com