JAXFAX Editorial Archives - JAXFAX Travel Marketing Magazine

CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA
When I was a kid in the ‘80s, my family spent two
weeks every December on a Caribbean island. We
stayed in the same resort year after year, dining and
diving with the other returning families, all of us kids
measuring our growing height on the palm trees
edging the property.
Although it’s been more than a decade since I’ve been to
that island, the memories of those years have never left me.
But memories are all that’s left. The old Victorian-style resort
in which we stayed has since been torn down and the island
itself overrun with tourists and dying coral reefs.
Until a recent trip to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I
thought this was true for much of the Caribbean and that
the idyllic islands of my youth had been forever lost. But
after visiting nine of the 32 islands making up the
Grenadines (only seven of them are inhabited) I realized that
St. Vincent and the Grenadines may very well be the last of
the untouched Caribbean islands.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines give way to an elegantly
rustic approach to relaxation offering themselves up for
exactly what they are, a true Caribbean destination. The
local flavor, customs, and slowed-down time are infused
throughout every experience.
I began my trip with a two-night stay on St. Vincent at the
newly renovated Grenadine House (above) a beautiful plantation-style
boutique hotel with a phenomenal chef. St. Vincent,
less of a vacation destination and more of a gateway
to most of the smaller islands, offers the most genuine
opportunity to experience the local culture.
Call 866-659-8351; www.grenadinehouse.com
Black sand beaches quickly give way to the mountainous
terrain of the island which boasts two fantastic hiking opportunities—the
secluded Trinity Falls and the challenging
three-mile trek to La Soufriere, the island’s active volcano.
Professional guides are recommended for both and are
available through Sailor’s Wilderness Tours.
Visit www.sailortours.com
From St. Vincent you can hop a puddle jumper on SVGAir
Island Hopping
in the Grenadines
Claire Bidwell Smith
to most of the larger islands, all of which have stunning
white sand beaches and hilly, verdant landscapes. Bequia,
Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island are all easily
accessible, if not by plane then by sailboat. The Grenadines
have long been a favored yachting destination, part of what
might generate the difference in tourism.
Visit www.svgair.com
From St. Vincent I flew to Union Island where I immediately
settled myself onto one of Captain Yannis’s
(www.yannissail.com) generously-sized and stocked yachts
for a day of exploring the Tobago Cays. These five small,
deserted islands are surrounded by coral reefs and sparkling
turquoise water. We lunched off of Mayreau, a small,
sparsely populated island to the west of the Cays. There are
only two resorts on Mayrea, Dennis’ Hideaway and the
Saltwhistle Bay Club, both rustic resorts with only a handful
of cottages. Mayreau is for those truly seeking seclusion.
East of Mayreau, we anchored off a small, uninhabited
island—really nothing more than a floating green hill—for
some snorkeling, which could be some of the best in the
Caribbean. Unfortunately, the reefs are still recovering from
damages sustained in the last hurricane, but we did spend
the better part of an hour snorkeling through a popular sea
turtle spot where we watched dozens of the serene creatures
grazing on sea grass.
At the end of the day it was back to Union Island, which
often serves as a steppingstone into the Tobago Cays as
well as a stop on the way to Palm Island, a private isle dominated
by the posh and pricey Palm Island Beach Club.
Located near the southern tip of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, a chain of 32 islands and cays known for stunning
natural beauty and clear warm waters, Palm Island is an
intimate casually-elegant resort with just 41 rooms. Through
May 27, Palm Island will feature convenient complimentary
Sunday Flights on Grenadine Airways between St. Lucia and
Union Island, streamlining travel time to Palm Island, an
award-winning 135-acre private island, upscale Caribbean
resort. Guests are greeted on Union Island with bottled
water and chilled face cloths and then enjoy a complimentary
eight-minute private boat ride to their exclusive private
island escape. Palm Island guests who book the new Sunday
service will receive a $500 savings toward their all inclusive
resort stay. All-inclusive nightly rates start at $815.
Call 800-858-4618; www.eliteislandsresorts.com
40 MARCH 2008 WWW.JAXFAX.COM
Bequia is the Best
By far, my favorite island in the Grenadines was Bequia
(pronounced BEK-way), a hushed secret among the yachting
set. Rumored to have one of the prettiest harbors in all the
Caribbean, Bequia’s Port Elizabeth welcomes long-returning
visitors with its gingerbread-trimmed cottages and white
sand beaches. Float on your back for a while in the crystalline
waters off Princess Margaret Beach and then treat
yourself to made-to-order French fries and a cold beer or
two at Dawn’s Creole Beach Café.
In the evening, head to the Frangipani
(www.frangipanibequia.com), a world-famous old hotel
that gets the whole island hopping every Thursday with its
Frangi Jump Up, a steele band and barbeque party. The next
day, when you’ve recovered from the party, visit the Old
Hegg Turtle Sanctuary (http://turtles.bequia.net/) at the far
end of the island where Orton King will proudly show you
the 150 turtles he is currently grooming for release back into
the wild. Also don’t miss Sargeant Brother’s Model Boat
Shop (784-458-3344) and maritime museum. Model boats
have long been a pastime on Bequia and these carefully
hand-crafted vessels are true works of art.
I spent my remaining time in the Grenadines on Young
Island (www.youngisland.com), a truly unique resort: The
whole island is the resort and is located just a short skiff’s
ride from St. Vincent. (Johnny Depp stayed here while filming
Pirates of the Caribbean in the waters off St. Vincent.)
For those who can’t afford to rent Mick Jagger’s house on
the elite Mustique, Young Island is hardly a let down. The
entire island is made up of a series of unique cottages, each
on its own plot of land, many featuring lap pools or private
stretches of beach.
On my flight home, I leaned back into the seat and
stretched my suntanned legs out in front of me, letting out a
deep sigh. Although I’ve lost that island of my adolescence,
I realized I’d discovered the Caribbean I was thought was
gone forever.
Getting There
There are no direct flights to St. Vincent from outside the
Caribbean as the runway is too small to land jet aircraft.
However many major airlines, including American
(www.aa.com) offer direct flights from many American
cities into San Juan. From San Juan, Liat Airlines
(www.liatairline.com) flies directly to St. Vincent.
The newest service started in Jan. when Grenadines Airways
(www.grenadineairways.com) launched Sunday
service that connects with non-stop service between St.
Lucia and New York on American Airlines and Air Jamaica,
and from Miami on American Airlines, with originating service
in Chicago. Other U.S. gateways connect as well. Flights
depart St. Lucia at 4:15 p.m., and arrive Union Island at 4:50
p.m. Flights depart Union Island at 1:15 p.m., and arrive St.
Lucia at 1:50 p.m.
to
For consolidator airfares and tour packages the
Caribbean see page 78-79 of the Listings Section
IN THE NEWS
Sandals Issues Passport Credits
With Americans planning summer
trips, now is the busiest time
of year for Passport Services, with
some processing times taking as
long as 10 weeks, naturally passport
processing times have
increased due to high volume.
Clients heading to the Caribbean,
specifically if they book four nights
at any one of Sandals and Beaches’
16 resort locations in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, The
Bahamas and Turks & Caicos traveling prior to Dec. 21, 2008
will be reimbursed for expediting services with a $60 resort
credit per application (up to two guests per reservation for a
Sandals Vacation and up to five guests per reservation for a
Beaches Vacation).
The credit can be used toward services at the resorts,
including spa treatments. New regulations require all U.S.
citizens to have a valid passport when re-entering the U.S.
by air, including those traveling from the Caribbean.
Visit www.sandals.com/passport to download, print and
mail the form per instructions.
POINT VILLAGE
For couples and families.
The‘village within the village’
on the Sands of Negril!
Jamaica: Prime location
overlooking Negril’s seven miles beach,
a great ambiance and
as much (or little) to do as you could imagine!
All inclusive packages or accommodation only.
Accommodations are in charming studios,
1 & 2 bedroom apartments
For rates & special packages call:
877-764-6852
Email: pt.village@cwjamaica.com
Visit: www.pointvillage.com
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