Caribbean Is 5 Getting Started

© Lonely Planet Publications
24 lonelyplanet.com D E S T I N AT I O N C A R I B B E A N I S L A N D S 25

Destination THE AUTHORS HAD FUN TOO (PART ONE)
Their experiences researching this book are informative, cautionary and entertaining.

Caribbean Islands What Was Your Best Experience?
Hanging out with Violet, the owner of the Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar, and hearing stories
about past customers while sipping a goombay smash. (Amy C Balfour, the Bahamas)
Pulsed by music, rocked by change, lapped by blue water, blown by hur-
ricanes, the Caribbean is not a place anyone would call static. It’s a lively I had two: doing a night dive with hyper nurse sharks off of Saba and hiking the Quill on
and intoxicating profusion of people and places spread over 7000 islands Statia with five archaeologists taking the day off from work. (Brandon Presser, Saba and Sint
(less than 10% are inhabited). But, for all they share, there’s also much that Eustatius)
makes them different. Forming a huge swath around the Caribbean Sea, the Dancing at 3am in a Port-au-Prince club to RAM – the best Vodou rock & roots band out
namesake islands contradict in ways big and small. Can there be a greater there. (Paul Clammer, Haiti)
contrast than between socialist Cuba and its neighbor, the bank-packed Several: wandering around Old San Juan, cycling on Vieques with my family, watching Rincon
Caymans? Or between booming British-oriented St Kitts and its sleepy, sunsets, visiting a coffee farm in the central mountains. (Brendan Sainsbury, Puerto Rico)
Dutch-affiliated neighbor St Eustatius, just across a narrow channel?
The diverse cultures of the region reflect the myriad influences that My best experience was the festival J’ouvert and playing mas the next day. That’s when the
have washed over the islands through the centuries. Perhaps the greatest music truly made so much sense to me. (Ellee Thalheimer, Trinidad and Tobago)
example of this ebb and flow can be found on St-Martin/Sint Maarten, Seeing a 3m-long manatee swim past me while diving off the Isla de la Juventud in Cuba.
which speaks French and is aligned with France on one half, and speaks (Tom Masters, Cuba)
‘The diverse Dutch and is aligned with the Netherlands (and calls itself Sint Maarten) Being on Barbados for the election. It was the most civilized voting I have ever seen, yet it
cultures on the other half. In one 30-minute drive across its minute 37 sq miles was a huge event: the party that had been in power for 15 years was voted out of office.
reflect the (96 sq km) you can change languages six times. Everyone was talking about it and yet there was none of the demonization of the opposition
myriad influ- Or there’s Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Sharing one island, or the violence that happens elsewhere. (Ryan Ver Berkmoes, Antigua and Barbados)
Hispaniola, the differences are stark – Haiti was once the stronger of the
ences that two but now it is the poorest country in the hemisphere. Across the border Sitting two rows back from the dugout on the first-base line at a baseball game in Santo
Domingo. (Michael Grosberg, Dominican Republic).
have washed the Dominican Republic speaks Spanish and has a Hispanic culture that is
much closer to pre-revolution Cuba than it is to French-speaking Haiti. Honestly? Feeling like I really loved my girlfriend and proposing to her. (Josh Krist, Romantic)
over the
This tangle of colonial ties continues to unravel. The Netherlands
islands’ Antilles, the ultimate hodgepodge of islands tossed into a basket by their What Was Your Worst Experience?
colonial masters, finally came undone in 2008 as each island staked out The overnight ferry to George Town, Exuma, from Nassau. We caught the fringes of Hurricane
an identity apart from the others. Although even here colonial ties proved Stella. The crew decided to show the movie The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet
compelling as Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius decided to in effect become on a big TV, with the volume loud. Unfortunately, the disc would get periodically stuck and
municipalities of the Netherlands (albeit warm ones) while Curaçao and repeat portions. In the middle of the night the boat was heaving up and down, it was freez-
Sint Maarten decided to follow the lead of Aruba, which had left the ing, and the first six seconds of the movie’s introductory music would play and then repeat
Netherlands Antilles for near independence in 1986. every six seconds. This went on for hours. (Amy C Balfour, Bahamas)
The greatest political changes in the Caribbean have had nothing to do My hotel reservation was cancelled at a place in Guadeloupe and all the other places were
with old colonial powers, however. Ruling regimes are being sent pack- full. Luckily, the guy at Ti Village Creole found a room for us at his place – he wanted to help
ing across the islands, usually at the ballot box and usually peacefully. travelers in trouble. (Josh Krist, Guadeloupe)
The old postcolonial regime of the Bird dynasty was shooed out of its
Antiguan nest in 2004. But in 2006 St Lucia brought back its longtime Not organizing internal flights so I had to do the 12-hour bus trip from hell (Port-au-Prince to
pre-independence leader (before 1979!) John Compton (now in his 80s) Jérémie) in both directions. (Paul Clammer, Haiti)
for another go as prime minister. In 2007, Jamaicans ended the 18-year Seeing how some quiet beaches I enjoyed on my last trip to Aruba are now backed by huge
rule of one party and replaced it with another. Whether this will do any- condo developments. The islands are growing incredibly fast. The desalinization plant makes
thing for the endemic corruption or high murder rate is the number-one me think of one of those old Looney Toons cartoons where an overtaxed machine would
conversation starter. have smoke coming out the seams while rivets popped off. (Ryan Ver Berkmoes, Aruba,
Celebrity gossip even played a role in the Bahamas elections. The ruling Bonaire and Curaçao)
party was tainted with allegations that it had given Anna Nicole Smith Getting totally chowed by mosquitoes upon arrival at a low-budget hotel in St Thomas. (Karla
what was in effect rock-star treatment by granting her almost immediate Zimmerman, US Virgin Islands)
residency. That she died shortly thereafter didn’t help what was very messy
situation. The result was the opposition party won the elections. To the
south later that summer, the opposition won a landslide victory in elec- and many wondered what was next for the sleeping giant of the Caribbean.
tions on the British Virgin Islands. Meanwhile over on Barbados, the conservative ruling party that had been
Although typically it didn’t involve an open election, in 2008 Fidel in power for 15 years was ushered out in a landslide victory by the center-
Castro relinquished his title of president after nearly 50 years in power, left opposition who ran under the theme of ‘change.’

26 D E S T I N AT I O N C A R I B B E A N I S L A N D S lonelyplanet.com

Change. It’s probably one of the most clichéd political themes now but
it lies at the heart of all the recent upsets in Caribbean elections. Voters
no longer choose the party that makes the biggest promises. Too many
murders and years of huge projects that only run up debt and produce
little benefit have voters taking the longer view. (The African cliché of
the huge hospital building without enough money for bedpans is also
often true here.) ‘Maybe if the government gives them less while spending
more on basics like crime prevention, they’ll have more in the future’ is
a popular line of thought.
Meanwhile the long-term issues for the islands are many, and first among
them is tourism. Each year more and more people are arriving on the islands
‘A poll looking for their fun week in the sun. To places that have little more to offer
showed than gorgeous waters, beautiful beaches and outgoing literate people this
that more would seem to be an ideal situation. And in many ways it is. A poll in 2007
across several islands showed that more than 80% of people liked having
than 80% of tourists on their island. What would be the results of a similar poll in New
people liked York, London or Paris?
having tour- But now the islands are beginning to realize that there may be limits to a
good thing. Development is surging across the Caribbean, and new resorts
ists on their and condos are appearing like mushrooms after the rain on formerly unde-
island’ veloped coasts from Aruba to St Kitts to the Turks and Caicos. (After hotels
had vacancies during Christmas 2007 many worried about who exactly would
take all the new condos off developers’ hands.)
But for islands that have never flourished on their own and where tourism
represents the only hope after the collapse of commodity economies based
on sugar, the question is: what else can they do? For even as discussions are
beginning about limits on growth, it is continuing unabated. The region is
not taking the lead environmentally although there is awareness. The report
on the state of islands worldwide by National Geographic Traveler in 2007
got attention across the Caribbean, especially on the low-scoring Jamaica,
and St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Even the top scorers took note:
Bonaire publicized its tie for number 17 even as locals fretted over the line:
‘poised for over-development.’ (The top Caribbean scorers were Dominica
and the Grenadines.)
Hurricanes are one thing that all the islands wish would go elsewhere. Two
of the most powerful Category 5 storms roared across the region in 2007
and the trend is upward. Even comparatively minor tropical storms cause
enormous damage as was seen in the Dominican Republic in 2007.
It’s important to remember the good news. The region cheerfully ac-
knowledged its British roots by successfully staging the Cricket World Cup
in 2007 and things are looking up even for Haiti, where the UN has helped
bring a peace that is allowing the Haitians to contemplate their future rather
than fear it.
Questions and contradictions aside, the Caribbean is sure to continue
as a place of strongly defined cultures unique to the planet. One need only
attend Carnival on one of the islands to understand that blandness is not
in their future.

26 lonelyplanet.com 27

Getting Started
The Caribbean is not tough travel, it’s delightful travel. Sure, you might
miss a flight but it’s a beautiful place to be stranded and the local vibe is the
antithesis of the Type-A fretting over details. Relax, mon. The fun is decid-
ing when and where to go. This chapter will help you decide on your type
of trip and when you’ll go.
Delving deeper, Itineraries (p33) will give you some ideas about des-
tinations as will Snapshots (p41), which covers the cultural fabric of the
Caribbean. For beginning to sort out details about activities, accommodation
or a myriad of other questions, the Caribbean Islands Directory (p815) will
guide you to the info you want in the individual island chapters. Caribbean
Islands Transportation (p829) will do the same, helping you get to your
chosen islands and showing you how to get around the region.

WHEN TO GO
The most popular time for travel to the Caribbean has nothing to do with
the weather there. It’s all about the weather elsewhere. From mid-December
to mid-April ‘snowbirds’ flee winter in North America and Europe for the
balmy climes of the islands. See p821 for climate
During this high season, tourism is at its peak and indeed around charts.
Christmas, Easter and school holidays some islands simply sell out. Prices
spike and places are crowded but its also the time when virtually everything
is open.
You can enjoy a dramatically discounted ‘summer’ by visiting the islands
during the lengthy low season, mid-April to mid-December. Prices at hotels
fall by 40% or more, package deals are common and popular port towns don’t
look like a scene from a cattle call. The downside is that some resorts and attrac-
tions may simply close and your transport options will be reduced. In addition,
the trade winds aren’t as prevalent in summer, so the chance of encountering
oppressively muggy weather is higher. Summer is also the hurricane season,
particularly bad in August and September, when some hotels, restaurants and
shops simply close for the month. If you’re more interested in the culture of the
islands as opposed to sleet-avoidance, this can be an ideal time to visit.

DON’T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT…
The Caribbean islands are casual, so only bring light, comfy clothes: a bathing suit, T-shirt and
shorts will be your wardrobe. Add long pants or a dress or skirt for swanky nights out. If you’re
coming from winter in Minneapolis or Montreal, don’t be fooled into thinking you need a sweater.
You don’t! One long-sleeve shirt to prevent sunburn or mosquito bites will be plenty.
A few essentials you don’t want to forget:
basic medical kit
strong mosquito repellent and sunscreen
sun hat
a small quick-dry towel, for those times when the whim to swim hits
flashlight with batteries (nighttime reading with partner, blackouts)
plastic resealable bags – essential for keeping things dry (eg camera, airline tickets, passports)
Lonely Planet’s French Phrasebook (for Guadeloupe, Martinique, St-Barthélemy, St-Martin and
Haiti) and Latin American Spanish Phrasebook (for Cuba, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic)

28 G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • C o s t s & M o n e y lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • T r a v e l i n g R e s p o n s i b l y 29

The authors of this book agree that the sweet spot for visiting the islands this book we’ve listed accommodations as follows: budget under US$100;
is November and early December. Rates are still low but the weather is good, midrange US$100 to US$200; and top end from US$200 up. These prices
except possibly where you live, thus giving you one more justification for are for high season.
the trip. Food can be relatively expensive in the Caribbean. A great way to save
Another impetus for the timing of your trip might be one of the out-sized money is to sample some of the local street food, which is usually both
festivals that are the cultural events of the year on every island. For a few of cheap and delicious. Seafood dinners in open-air seaside restaurants (al- Antigua is just daring
our favorites, see p823. ways a treat) can be pricey, but savoring the same fare at a ‘local’ res- someone to check its
taurant can cost half as much. Another good way to save costs is to rent claim that it has 365
COSTS & MONEY a room or villa with a kitchen, shop at the colorful markets and cook beaches – or one for
In general, traveling in the Caribbean islands is expensive, but costs can vary for yourself. In this book, we’ve listed meal prices as follows: budget is every day of the year.
greatly depending on which islands you visit when, the type of accommoda- under US$10; midrange is US$10 to US$25; and top end is anything more
tions you choose and how you travel. than that.
Accommodations will generally be the heftiest part of your budget. St Transportation costs vary greatly. Car rentals generally cost between
‘Hurricane’ is derived Vincent and the Grenadines, the Dominican Republic and Cuba are among US$40 and US$80 a day. On the more developed islands, public buses pro-
from an old Taíno word the places where you can beat the averages. On islands such as Barbados vide a cheap way of getting around (plus a good dose of cultural immer-
for ‘huge winds sent and Trinidad, a conventional hotel room or apartment can be quite reason- sion). Some island groups have cheap ferries, and if you make your plans
by the Goddess.’ Damn able; on pricier islands such as Antigua, Aruba or Grand Cayman, a com- in advance you can get decent-priced air tickets. See the Transportation
woman. parable room could easily cost twice as much. Places such as St-Barthélemy chapter (p833) for details.
and the Virgin Islands are always much more expensive than average. Note that irritating little costs can add up quickly, including local hotel
Of course the type of accommodations will also dictate cost – daily rates taxes, departure taxes and hotel service charges (up to 25%).
can vary from US$50 at a guesthouse to US$1000 at an exclusive resort. In
TRAVELING RESPONSIBLY
THE AUTHORS HAD FUN TOO (PART TWO)
Since our inception in 1973, Lonely Planet has encouraged our readers to
tread lightly, travel responsibly and enjoy the magic independent travel
Their experiences researching this book are informative, cautionary and entertaining. affords. International travel is growing at a jaw-dropping rate, and we still
firmly believe in the benefits it can bring – but, as always, we encourage
Best Advice for a Friend? you to consider the impact your visit will have on both the global environ-
Book your accommodations well in advance! (Brandon Presser, Anguilla, Saba, St-Barthélemy, ment and the local economies, cultures and ecosystems.
Sint Eustatius and St-Martin/Sint Maarten) Tourism pays the bills in most of the Caribbean, and the impact on
In Puerto Rico you’ve got to get off the main tourist track and scratch underneath the surface the environment and the culture is huge. Most islands are still putting
in order to uncover the intricacies (and beauty) of the local culture. What you see isn’t always economic development ahead of the environment because poverty is so
what you get. (Brendan Sainsbury, Puerto Rico) widespread. But you can do your part and make a difference. Here are a
few pointers for minimizing your impact.
Don’t go over Christmas, take your time to cruise through the Grenadines and take half as
much stuff as you think you need. (Scott Kennedy, St Vincent and the Grenadines)
Consume Less
Do not waste water. Fresh water is an extremely precious commod-
What About the Caribbean Challenged Your Preconceptions?
ity on all of the islands, where desalination plants work overtime
Sint Eustatius and Saba: the strangest little slices of paradise I’ve ever seen. So quiet, down- converting saltwater to fresh. Countries in the
to-earth, like no other islands in the region. (Brandon Presser, Saba and Sint Eustatius) Many islanders depend only on rainwater collected in cisterns, so Caribbean with Unesco
French islands are not as expensive as you think. As my fiancée explained, the French take keep in mind that winter – peak tourism time – is the driest time World Heritage sites
lots of vacations and they watch every centime – hoteliers and restaurants have to give good of year. include Cuba (8),
value for money if they want to stay alive. (Josh Krist, Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique) If the water is safe to drink, use it to fill containers, skipping bottled Dominica (1), Dominican
water and its transport and refuse costs. Republic (1), Haiti (1), St
What Was the Biggest Surprise or Lesson You Learned? Travel globally; shop locally. Not only will buying local products Kitts and Nevis (1) and St
The continuing interconnected relationship between the Dominican Republic and Haiti: how
infuse the local economy, it will also help to save you money. Local Lucia (1).
events of over 150 years ago are still very alive in the minds of many people, how the histo-
beer is always fresher than imported.
ries of the two countries are so intertwined, and the fact that the DR used to be the poorer,
Rarely is it so hot in the Caribbean that you need air-con at night; turn
weaker relation. (Michael Grosberg, Dominican Republic) it off and let the breezes in.
Never buy any souvenirs made of coral, seashell or turtle shell. Buy-
How friendly Haiti was, how safe it was and how easy it was to get around (as long as one ing goods made with any of these only encourages environmental
remembers this is not a First World destination). (Paul Clammer, Haiti) destruction and hunting.
How undeveloped parts were. St Lucia was full-on developing world, reminding me of Af- Ride the bus instead of renting a car. You immerse yourself in local
rica. It was much less polished almost everywhere and fewer tourists then I expected. (Scott culture while you save gas.
Kennedy, St Lucia) If you rent a car, decide if you need it for your entire stay. You might
just need it for a day or two of exploration.

30 G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • R e a d i n g U p lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • R e a d i n g U p 31

CAICOS (U S
TRIP STYLE IC A N
D O M INB L IC
REPU
PICKS
There are as many ways to enjoy the Caribbean as there are islands. Here are some of the styles
H A IT I
you might want to consider for your trip.
Classic Island Holiday – You go to one place and you hang out there. Enjoy plenty of beach TOP CAYMAN
IS
J A M A IC A SAB A & S ST
ETH.)
STATIUS (N T S & N E V IS )
INT EU K IT ERRAT (UK
time and explore the towns and wilderness areas at your leisure. (UK ) ea MONT S TINIQUE (FR.
ean S MAR NT &
Islands by the Group – You go to one group of islands linked by ferries and you sample a few aribb ETH.) S T V IN C E
neighboring islands. There’s no big travel drama and in the cases of near siblings like St Kitts
C RAÇAO (N
and Nevis, the differences are greater than a few miles of water. See p834 for some of the
TOP BEACHES
These are classic places for Caribbean fun in the sun. Some offer big-time glitz with stylish bars
island groups you could consider.
and a full range of services. Others are hidden gems where you might find a beach bar in a shack
Islands by the Dozen – Plan ahead, get cheap tickets, pack extra-light and experience a broad and someone to rent you some snorkeling gear and a lounger. Or you might find nothing at all
range of islands. See p34 for ideas. except beautiful sand lapped by azure waters.
Cruise Control – Yes, the stereotypes of bloated tourists yakking about their raid on the buf-
fet are often true. But there are also boats and ways to travel that reward the independent Dover Beach, Barbados (p686) Long Bay, Jamaica (p247)
traveler. See p830 for ideas and details. Frigate Bay Beach, St Kitts (p502) Marigot Bay, St Lucia (p638)
Dirty Weekend – Find some gorgeous little beachside place and fly to that island direct. Skip Morne Rouge Bay, Grenada (p712)
Eleuthera, the Bahamas (p92)
a rental car and enjoy your weekend luxuriating, swimming, sunning, whatever!
Shoal Bay East, Anguilla (p428) Grace Bay Beach, Caicos (p121)

Les Salines, Martinique (p622) Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman (p196)
Show Respect
Never litter – sure, you’ll see many locals do it, but you definitely
shouldn’t. Almost everything discarded on land makes its way to the
sea, where it can wreak havoc on marine life. Carry your trash off TOP WAYS TO GET SWEATY
beaches, trails and campsites, and pick up a few extras left by others. There’s a lot to see and do in the wilds of the islands. Whether it’s ascending a volcano, hiking a
Many people, especially vendors in the marketplaces, do not like to be wilderness area or seeing some of the legendary treasures beneath the surface, you’ll start think-
photographed; ask first, and respect the wishes of those who refuse. ing about changing that ticket home.

Slow Down Hiking the volcano on Nevis (p513) Hiking La Soufrière in the Parc National
When driving on the islands, keep an eye out for pedestrians and de la Guadeloupe (p564)
Diving Bonaire’s reefs (p799)
stray dogs, chickens and goats, all of which meander aimlessly on the Canyoning on Dominica (p594)
island roads. Experiencing Barbuda’s Codrington
Lagoon (p533) Exploring the British Virgin Islands’
Take time for pleasantries. Always start with ‘Good day,’ ‘buenos días’
or ‘bonjour’ before launching into a conversation or abruptly ask- Climbing the Quill on Sint Eustatius (p486) RMS Rhone (p398)
ing questions; you’ll find that a smile and a courteous attitude go a Swimming with sharks on Saba (p478) Hitting the trails at Virgin Islands
long way. National Park (p372)
Diving Tobago’s underwater
Be Ecosmart canyons (p758) Hiking Cuba’s Viñales (p160)
Look for hotels and resorts that carry an audited green certification.
A good place to start your search is at Eco-Index Sustainable Tourism (www
Although the image of .eco-indextourism.org), which features businesses that have been recognized TOP PLACES TO MAKE LIKE A PIRATE
the pirate ship flying as environmentally and socially responsible. Arrrgh! The Caribbean has a bounty of booty for pirate fans. Start with these ayyyye-deas.
the Jolly Roger skull and Ask your hotel about its green practices. Even if they have none, it’ll
crossbones flag is iconic, tell them it matters to customers. Old San Juan’s two Unesco forts (p331) Île-à-Vache, where Captain Morgan used to
in reality most flew the Don’t patronize swim-with-dolphins attractions. The practice has been hang out on Haiti (p272)
St Vincent, where Pirates of the Caribbean
flags of their intended condemned by environmental experts, and many of the mammals are was filmed (p660) Jamaica’s Port Royal (p230)
victims to better effect caught in the wild and made captive for the enjoyment of tourists.
surprise. They were When diving, snorkeling, boating or just playing in the water, remem- Pirates of Nassau museum, Bahamas (p69) Pirates Week on the Caymans (p212)
pirates after all. ber that coral is a living organism that gets damaged with every touch,
kick or step.
the joy is to start your Caribbean reading before you go. The following
READING UP books will inform, entertain and inspire you before and during your trip.
Reading books while lounging on some lovely beach is for many the perfect Books more relevant to the individual islands are listed under Books in the
trip (in addition to a sublime rum punch, of course). One way to extend Directory of each chapter.

32 G E T T I N G S TA R T E D • • I n t e r n e t R e s o u r c e s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com 33

The Pirate’s Daughter by Margaret Cezair-Thompson. In 1946 actor
and rogue Errol Flynn was shipwrecked by a hurricane off Jamaica.
This novel spins a yarn of mixed-race Flynn-spawn and their search
for a place in white society.
Dead Man in Paradise: Unraveling a Murder From a Time of Revolution
by JB MacKinnon. The author’s uncle was murdered in the Dominican
Republic in the 1960s. Plunging deep into the countryside, MacKinnon
unravels stories of corruption and dictatorship.
The Slave Ship: A Human History by Marcus Rediker. Over three
centuries, 12 million Africans were brought to the US and Caribbean
More than 50% of the as slaves. Few accounts survive, but using existing records Rediker
population of St Vincent constructs a complete and horrifying picture.
is involved in the The Republic Of Pirates by Colin Woodard. By the 16th century no ship
cultivation of bananas. in the Caribbean was safe from pirates. Woodes Rogers was given the
job of wiping them out. He did and Blackbeard lost his head.
Banana: The Fate of the Fruit That Changed the World by Dan Koeppel.
Dictators, American marines and slaves helped make the banana the
world’s favorite fruit. Its impact on the Caribbean has been enormous
and now it faces genetic extinction.
A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie. The beach and Agatha Chris-
tie, can millions of vacationers be wrong? Here Miss Marple is shipped
off to the Caribbean for her arthritis and corpses appear…
Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat. Oprah loved this tale about
a girl living a simple life in Haiti, who then goes to live with her mother
in New York City. The descriptions of West Indies life are lyrical.
Captive of My Desires by Johanna Lindsey. Gabrielle is descended from
pirates but loves strapping American sea captain Drew, who hates
pirates. What’s a girl to do? This bodice-ripping, best-selling beach
read is a Caribbean fantasy ride.

INTERNET RESOURCES
The Caribbean has scores of websites that will help travelers but most are
specific to the scores of islands. Look in the Internet Resources section of
each chapter’s Directory for many good ones.
For regionwide info, a good place to start is lonelyplanet.com, where you’ll
find succinct summaries of the islands, plus the Thorn Tree online forum,
which has a special branch devoted to Caribbean travel, another devoted to
Cuba and a special worldwide Diving & Snorkeling branch.
The following should also help you get started:
Caribbean Hurricane Network (www.stormcarib.com) Hurricanes are blowing through at record
levels and this fascinating site keeps track of all of them in real time.
Caribbean Travel (www.caribbeantravel.com) The official website of region-wide tourism
authorities has a good section on tourism news across the region. A new parade in honor of a
national hero? It’s here.
Caribbean Travel & Life (www.caribbeantravelmag.com) The online version of this monthly
magazine posts feature stories and planning tips for resort-style holidays.
Caribseek (www.caribseek.com) A good search directory with links to sites throughout the Caribbean.
CBC (www.cbc.bb) The Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation is the BBC of Barbados and its website
has an excellent Caribbean news section.
Cruise Critic (www.cruisecritic.com) Offers profiles and frank reviews of cruise ships, cruise in-
dustry news and analysis, and it has the most active and candid discussion boards about all things
connected to Caribbean travel.
Pirate Jokes (www.piratejokes.net) You’ll be hooked by this site with thousands of jokes, most
more profane than this family friendly one: Q: Why couldn’t the pirates play cards? A: The captain
was standing on the deck.

32 www.lonelyplanet.com 33

Itineraries
CLASSIC ROUTES
A FERRY FANTASY One Week / St-Martin/Sint Maarten to St-Barthélemy
Once off the plane in St-Martin/Sint-Maarten (p434), you can island-hop your
way around some of the Caribbean’s cutest islands by ferry and never see
another plane until it’s time to go home. St-Martin/Sint Maarten will be
your hub.
Head to the French side of the island and hang out in Grand Case (p445).
For beach time try the local favorite Friar’s Bay (p444). Catch a ferry to Saba
(p469), which has a volcano that acts as a beacon during the 90-minute trip.
Explore the small town of Windwardside (p473), then head out into the bush
for a rugged hike up the literally named Mt Scenery (p476). Rent some diving
gear and explore submerged pinnacles that teem with nurse sharks. Head
back to St-Martin/Sint Maarten, then make the 25-minute run to Anguilla
(p419). Once there, choose between two beaches: popular Shoal Bay East
(p428) or the quieter, windswept Junk’s Hole (p429). The 45-minute ferry
from St-Martin/Sint Maarten to St-Barthélemy (p454) is famous for being a
wild ride. Have lunch at the gorgeous French village of Gustavia (p458), and
then sun yourself on white-sand Anse de Columbier (p464).

This itinerary takes
Shoal
Bay East advantage of the
Junk's Hole
Anguilla best network of
(UK)
ferries in the Carib-
bean. Cruise ships
would seem to be
Friar's
Bay
Grand Case the perfect way to
get from one island
St-Martin/
Sint Maarten
(FR & NETH)
to another but the
companies abso-
lutely refuse to
Anse de
Columbier
St-Barthélemy
consider one-way
Gustavia
(FR)
or partial passage
between ports.

Mt
Scenery
Windwardside
Saba
(NETH)

34 ITINERARIES •• Classic Routes lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com ITINERARIES •• Classic Routes 35

ULTIMATE ISLAND-HOPPING Three Weeks / Aruba to the Bahamas CUBA & THE CAYMANS Three Weeks / Havana to Little Cayman
You need your own yacht, your own plane or a handful of tickets to get Why not combine one of the richest Caribbean countries with one of the
around the Caribbean. Given that the full cost of the last one is still less poorest: a bastion of socialism with a citadel of capitalism? Think of it as
than the monthly payment on the first two, it’s probably the best option. economics 101 with beautiful beaches thrown in as extra credit.
Start in the resorts of Aruba (p780), then make the hop to Curaçao (p799) for Start your studies with architecture and music in Havana (p141), then head
old Willemstad. Now it’s on to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad (p732), followed by a to Santa Clara (p165) and the venerable Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara (p165).
trip to the natural beauty of Tobago (p754). Next up is Barbados (p675), with Push on from here to Trinidad (p169), a Unesco World Heritage site. You can
its mix of luxury and historic beauty, then cut west and have a banana at its easily spend a week in this colonial town, hiking in Topes de Collantes (p170),
source on St Vincent (p654). horseback riding in Valle de los Ingenios (p170) or lazing at Playa Ancón (p170).
Island-hop your way north via the secluded coves of St Lucia (p628), très Push east to Santiago de Cuba (p173) and its many attractions, including the
Française Martinique (p603), and the waterfalls and wilds of Dominica (p580). Castillo de San Pedro del Morro (p175), the Cuartel Moncada (p174) and, of course,
Now make the jump to Antigua (p521), from where you can take a 20-minute the vibrant music scene. Be sure to save at least two days for exploring in You can cover the
flight to isolated, beautiful Barbuda (p531 before making the 20-minute trip and around Baracoa (p180), one of Cuba’s loveliest areas. 861km between
to Montserrat (p540) and its active volcano. Now it’s on to the perfect cone Return to Havana and fly to Grand Cayman (p196). You may have to con- Havana and San-
of Nevis (p506), followed by a chance to get spray in your face on the quick nect through Montego Bay, Jamaica, but such are the vagaries of geopolitics.
ferry to St Kitts (p499). From here it’s 30 minutes to St-Martin/Sint Maarten After flying into George Town (p196), base yourself at Seven Mile Beach (p196), tiago de Cuba in 15
This itinerary hours in a rental
(p434), with its awesome runway beach and bar. which is backed by glitzy hotels and smart restaurants. After Cuba you may
includes 19 flights Turn west for the authentic charms of the US Virgin Islands’ St Croix get a cultural hangover just being here. Go snorkeling at Stingray City (p199), car. On the Cay-
and one short ferry (p377), followed by the duty-free horror of St Thomas (p362). Pop over where huge, fearless stingrays eat squid directly from your hands. Visiting mans, you’ll have
ride. With advance- to Tortola (p395) for the British version of the Virgin Islands. Now go Cayman Brac (p206) and Little Cayman (p208) require short flights. The former some flights but
purchase airfares to the airline hub of Puerto Rico (p324) and walk round for a bit in the is the least visited of the Cayman Islands and by far the most dramatic, with
pre-air-travel streets of Old San Juan. Trade Spanish charm for reggae great walking, bird-watching and diving. The latter has wonderful beaches can otherwise use
you should be able taxis and buses.
vibes on a flight to Jamaica (p215). After time on the beaches, go north and the best diving in the country.
to do this trip for to Nassau (p66) in the Bahamas, from where you can take a trip to the
under US$1500. Out Islands (p87).

HAVANA

CUBA
Santa
Nassau Clara
Valle de los
Out Ingenios
Islands
Topes de Collantes
Playa Ancón
Trinidad

Baracoa
St
Thomas Cayman
Islands Santiago
(UK) Little Cayman de Cuba
Tortola St-Martin/ Cayman
Sint Maarten Brac

Puerto St Antigua
Nevis Grand
Jamaica Rico Croix St Kitts Barbuda
Cayman
Monserrat Little
Cayman
Dominica Brac
Cayman
Martinique
St Lucia
St Vincent CARIBBEAN SEA Cayman
Barbados
Curaçao
Islands
Aruba (UK)
Tobago Stingray
City
Trinidad
Seven
Mile
Beach
GEORGE Grand
TOWN Cayman Enlargement

36 ITINERARIES •• Classic Routes lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com I T I N E R A R I E S • • R o a d s Le s s T r a v e l e d 37

A BAHAMAS WAY OF LIFE Two to Four Weeks / Nassau to Eleuthera
Start off your Bahamian odyssey by spending three days in Nassau (p66), ROADS LESS TRAVELED
seeing sights such as Cabbage Beach (p76), before heading off to Grand Bahama
(p77) for a few days of sandy pleasures. Go diving (p83) among the island’s HUMPING HISPANIOLA Three Weeks / Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince
fish-filled coral reefs, or hike the mangrove trails in Lucayan National Park Fish-shaped Hispaniola combines the up-and-coming Spanish-cultured
(p86). Dominican Republic and the finally-on-its-way-up French-speaking Haiti.
Fly to Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco (p87), and relax on the exquisite Explore Santo Domingo (p284). Start with the Zona Colonial (p285), wandering
beach on Treasure Cay (p89), before taking the ferry to Green Turtle Cay (p91) 500-year-old cobblestone backstreets that have changed little since the 16th
for a goombay smash at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar. On Elbow Cay (p90), wan- century. Now, it’s time for the beach: Bávaro (p296) and Punta Cana (p296) have You can explore
der streets lined with gingerbread fantasy houses, and admire the island’s miles and miles of beautiful beach and organized beachfront fun, and are good the hills, valleys,
candy-striped lighthouse. bases for independent travel. Head to Samaná (p300) for whale-watching, then coast and towns
Fly to George Town on Great Exuma (p96) for some languid boat trips take the plunge at Playa Frontón (p304) for undisturbed snorkeling around some of the Dominican
among the Exuma Cays (p98), a visit to Stocking Island (p97) and a snor- of the best reefs in the country. Climb up to the central highlands for Jarabacoa
kel around the captivating Thunderball Grotto (p98). Then head over to (p314), and then go north to Cabarete (p310) for some adventure tours. Republic and Haiti
pretty Long Island (p102) for Gothic churches, lush greenery, blue holes and Back in Santo Domingo, you can catch a bus to Haiti – it will take a day entirely by public
deserted beaches. of your trip and spans a good bit of Hispaniola. Start in chaotic Port-au-Prince transportation.
Finally, fly from Long Island’s main settlement, Deadman’s Cay, to (p266), with its vibrant art scene, pulsing music and urban Vodou culture. Bring a book and
Governor’s Harbour on Eleuthera (p92) to see the beautiful people on chi-chi Now chill out in the decaying grand architecture of Jacmel (p270), Haiti’s craft
Harbour Island (p93), then head out to Surfer’s Beach (p95) to watch the locals and Carnival center. Head to Parc National La Visite (p270), where the mountain maybe chicken-
riding the waves while the sun goes down in the distance. hiking is as good as the views, then take a flight north from Port-au-Prince to proof pants – you’ll
Cap-Haïtien to visit the Citadelle (p273). This is the tropical-mountain fortress not only have long
in the Caribbean, and Haiti’s – literally – big must-see. Through the journey hours on the road
you will want some beach time and Haiti’s are not exactly packed. Consider
but you’re likely
the ones near Cap-Haïtien (p272), Côte des Arcadins (p270) or Île-à-Vache (p272).
You can get flights out of Port-au-Prince when your Haitian adventure is to be pecked by a
over or return to Santo Domingo. seatmate or two.

In under 900 miles
of travel this trip
takes you through Lucayan
Grand Bahama Green Turtle Cay
National Park Treasure Marsh
the pleasures Cay Harbour
Elbow Cay
great and small ATLANTIC
of the vast series Great OCEAN
Abaco
of islands known
as the Bahamas.
Harbour
The big-city glitz Island Cap-Haïtien
Cabarete
of Nassau soon Surfer's Beach
Eleuthera
gives way to little Citadelle Playa
Cabbage Beach Governor’s Frontón
towns of ginger- Nassau Harbour
Jarabacoa
Samaná
New
HAITI
bread houses and Providence
Côte des Arcadins DOMINICAN
beaches of impossi- REPUBLIC Bávara
Port-au-Prince
bly pure powder. Punta
Thunderball Cana
Parc National Santo
Grotto La Visite Domingo
Jacmel
Île-à-Vache
Exuma Cays
Stocking
Island
George Town
Great
Exuma Long
Deadman’s Island
Cay

38 I T I N E R A R I E S • • R o a d s Le s s T r a v e l e d lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com I T I N E R A R I E S • • Ta i l o re d T r i p s 39

ISLANDS LESS VISITED Two to Three Weeks / Dominica to Grenada
Hopscotch your way south through some of the least-visited, least-developed TAILORED TRIPS
Caribbean islands. Begin at Dominica (p580), which many people consider the
wildest and most natural of the bunch. Start by getting on local time at the QUICK GETAWAY
comfy properties of Grand Bay (p596). Then lose yourself in the rainforest at You’ve had it, you need a weekend away. It’s got to be warm, have a beach
Morne Trois Pitons National Park (p595), a Unesco World Heritage site. Celebrate and a good place to get a rum punch, but it can’t cost so much that all the
with a glass of bubbly – or at least the natural bubbles that tickle you while good karma will end in tears when you see the credit-card bills at the end.
diving at Champagne Reef (p597). The following islands can all be reached by nonstop flights from North
It’s a quick hop to Martinique (p603), where you should hit the beach at Les American cities; the snow hits your butt as you leave, and the sun hits
Salines (p622), followed by diving and drinking in the lively fishing village
your face as you arrive. Going from west to east, consider these sun-soaked
of Ste-Luce (p620).
Skip the airport and take the scenic ferry to St Lucia (p628), which emerges places.
like a virescent monolith from the Caribbean as you home in. Stay in Soufrière Montego Bay (p239), Jamaica’s most famous resort town, has a huge range
(p639), which has a dramatic position on a bay that’s shadowed by the iconic of places to stay on fun-filled beaches, while the old town of San Juan (p328),
peaks of the Pitons. You can hike these in the morning and dive in the af- the capital of Puerto Rico, has forts and nearby
ternoon. For a jaunt, head over to Marigot Bay (p638), with its small beach beaches to explore by day, and lively bar-lined
and beautiful surrounds. streets you can wander by night. The island of
Endless views of bananas trees are the reward of your quick flight to St St-Martin/Sint Maarten (p434) gives you the choice
Vincent (p654) – as you’ll see while walking the streets of Kingstown (p654, the of a French frolic or Dutch treat, but you can Montego St-Martin /
San
all-business capital, the fruit is the mainstay of the economy. Take the boat actually enjoy both as you beach-hop this crazy- Bay Juan Sint Maarten

to Bequia (p660), the center of beach fun and nightlife in the Grenadines, shaped island. St Kitts (p499) has some of the St Kitts
Antigua

then take a day trip to the Tobago Cays (p669). region’s most-fun beach bars on some of the & Nevis

Your last jump lands you at Grenada (p701), where St George’s (p707) is a least-crowded beaches, and you can take a fun
welcome respite from stodgy main towns. Stroll the waterfront and enjoy ferry for a day trip to gorgeous Nevis (p506). St Lucia
the buzz, then head out to Carriacou (p716), a pint-sized sister island with Antigua (p521) offers fine seafood dining, a dose of
beautiful beaches, quiet streets and genial locals. history and a seemingly endless supply of sandy
places to swim and snorkel, while St Lucia (p628)
These islands are allows you to forget civilization among its lush
Dominica
what many people foliage and hidden beaches.
envision when they
plan a Caribbean Champagne Reef
Morne Trois Pitons
National Park
LUXE WEEK
Grand There comes a time when the backpack needs to be forgotten, the bus saved
trip: lush tropical Bay
for the airport parking lot and the only bubbles allowed in your glass must
scenery, craggy come from a cave in France. And the Caribbean is the place to do so. All
peaks and ribbons Martinique
easily reached from either North America or the UK, these are the spots
of untrammeled Ste-Luce for a sybaritic week amid the azure waters, blinding sands and every other
beaches. Then they Les Salines Caribbean cliché that makes you tingle.
The Cayman Islands (p192) are among the most expensive islands in the
get conned into a Caribbean, and for good reason – there are a plethora of exclusive resorts
Marigot
trip to St Thomas. Bay here, ready to tend to your every whim. In the
St Lucia
Soufrière
Here’s your chance Bahamas (p59) you will find oodles of Boodles
to realize the (the top brand of British gin) served at the kind The Bahamas
dream. of lavish places you see in swanky magazines
that use thick paper, while Tortola (p395), in the
Barbados
KINGSTOWN
St Vincent &
British Virgin Islands, is the anchor – ha! – for
Bequia
The Grenadines the globe-trotting luxury-yacht set. The west
Tortola
coast of Barbados (p675), dubbed the ‘Platinum Cayman
Islands
The Grenadines
Coast,’ is lined with hidden resorts set in man-
Tobago Cays
sions previously owned by the fabulously wealthy
Carriacou expats who once wintered here. And, finally, Barbados
Grenada Mustique (p664) in the Grenadines is the ultimate Mustique

ST GEORGE'S in posh – the few dozen lavish villas here are
owned by the likes of Mick Jagger, but for the
right price you can drop by.

40 I T I N E R A R I E S • • Ta i l o re d T r i p s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com d 41

HIDDEN CARIBBEAN
While more than 90% of the Caribbean’s 7000 islands are minute and unin-
habited, there’s a little club of islands that are almost uninhabited. These are
tiny places well off the tourist track that offer the kind of escape many dream
of but rarely realize. Expect an adventurous trip to reach these destinations,
and be sure to bring a bag of books for your lazy days.
Little Cayman (p208) has a population that barely cracks three figures –
and that’s the iguanas. Come here for some of the world’s best wall div-
ing. The nicknames of Anegada (p410) say it all:
‘Mysterious Virgin’ and ‘Ghost Cay.’ It’s a re-
mote bit of sand in the British Virgin Islands.
Frigate birds outnumber humans at least 10 to
one on Barbuda (p531), an island that’s happy to
remain in the shadow of Antigua. Some comfy
Little
Anegada beach cottages can only be reached by boat. La
Cayman
Barbuda Désirade (p572) is the place to bone up on your
La Désirade French, as little English is spoken in this out-
post of Guadeloupe; there are, however, miles
Petit
of beaches untrod by human foot. Grenada isn’t
Martinique exactly on the beaten path, and Petit Martinique
(p719) is almost unknown. The little beach here
is just 10 minutes by foot from the guesthouses
serving the island.

GREATER MOUNTAINS
The islands of the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Jamaica
are part of the Greater Antilles (along with Cuba and the Caymans) and,
among their few commonalities, is the fact that they share some of the
Caribbean’s most incredible mountains. On Puerto Rico, the 43-sq-mile
Caribbean National Forest, more commonly known as El Yunque (p343)
for its distinctive peak, has the island’s only remaining virgin forest –
some trees are more than 1000 years old. The
Dominican Republic boasts a whopping 10 na-
tional parks, including Parque Nacional Los Haitises
(p317) and Parque Nacional José del Carmen
Ramírez, which is the home to Pico Duarte
(p314), the Caribbean’s tallest peak.
Neighboring Haiti has two mountain parks,
Parc National La Visite (p270) and Parc National
HAITI
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC Macaya (p272), in which grows the country’s
remaining cloud forest.
Parc National Pico Duarte
JAMAICA La Visite Head west to Jamaica and you’ll find the
Parc Parque
El Yunque legendary Blue Mountains (p231), home to more
Blue National
Mountains Macaya
Nacional
Los Haitises
Puerto
Rico
than 500 species of flowering plants. The topog-
(US) raphy of the region is perfect for growing coffee
beans, and the country’s Blue Mountain coffee
is often described as the best in the world.

40 lonelyplanet.com 41

Snapshots
HISTORY
Ahoy Arawaks
The first Caribbeans arrived on the islands closest to South America around
4000 BC. These nomadic hunter-gatherers were followed by waves of Arawaks
(a collective term for the Amerindian people believed to be from the Orinoco
River Delta around Venezuela and Guyana) who moved north and west, A Brief History of the
beginning the great tradition of Caribbean island-hopping. Indeed, one of Caribbean: From the
the Caribbean’s recurrent themes, from pre-Columbian times until right Arawak and Carib to
now, has been movement of peoples. the Present by Jan
Around AD 1200 the peaceable Arawaks were happily farming, fishing Rogonzinski is readable
and minding their own business when the Caribs from South America but the ‘brief’ part is
started fanning out over the Caribbean. The Caribs killed the Arawak men debatable: it’s 432 pages.
and enslaved the women, triggering another wave of migration that sent
the Arawaks fleeing as far west as Cuba and as far north as the Bahamas.
When the Spanish explorers arrived, they dubbed the warfaring people
they encountered ‘cannibals’ (a derivation of the word ‘caribal’ or Carib),
for their reputed penchant for eating their victims. Since the Arawaks had
no written language, little of their culture survived, except – thankfully for
weary travelers – the hammock.

Ahoy Columbus
Christopher Columbus led the European exploration of the region, making
landfall at San Salvador in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492 – no matter
that he thought he was in Asia. He too island-hopped, establishing the first
European settlement in the Americas on Hispaniola, today shared by the
Dominican Republic and Haiti. Discovering new lands gives glory, but what
Columbus and subsequent explorers wanted was gold. Funny, though: despite
four trips during which Columbus named and claimed much of the region
for the Spanish crown, from Trinidad in the south to the Virgin Islands in
the north, he never found much gold.
That’s not to say there weren’t riches: the land was fertile, the seas bounti-
ful and the native population, after initial resistance by the toughest of the
remaining Caribs, forcibly pliant. The conquistadores set to exploiting it all,
violently. Focusing on the biggest islands promising the highest returns, they
grabbed land, pillaged and enslaved, settling towns in Cuba, the Dominican On tiny little Saba if
Republic, Puerto Rico and Jamaica. someone’s last name is
Except for mineral-rich Trinidad, taken early by the Spanish, the Eastern Johnson or Hassel, they’re
Caribbean was left largely to its own devices until the English washed up on Saban through and
St Kitts in 1623, sparking domino-effect colonization of Barbados, Nevis, through as those were
Antigua and Montserrat. Not to be outdone, the French followed, set- the names of the first
tling Martinique and Guadeloupe, while the Dutch laid claim to Saba, Sint European families to set-
Eustatius and St-Martin/Sint Maarten. Over the next 200 years the Europeans tle there in the 1600s.
fought like children over these islands, and possession changed hands so often
that a sort of hybridized culture developed; some islands, like St-Martin/Sint
Maarten and St Kitts, were split between two colonial powers.

Pirates & Forts
The Caribbean colonial story is largely one of giant agricultural interests –
most notably sugar, but also tobacco, cattle and bananas – fueled by greed
and slavery that promoted power struggles between landowners, politi-
cians and the pirates who robbed them. The Bahamas, with hundreds of

42 S N A P S H OT S • • H i s t o r y lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com S N A P S H OT S • • Pe o p l e 43

cays, complex shoals and channels, provided the perfect base for pirates But like a sacking of an agrarian village by pirates, this summary makes
such as Henry Jennings and ‘Blackbeard’ (Edward Teach) who ambushed short work of the Caribbean’s complex story. Each island’s particular history
Everyone on St-Barthélemy treasure-laden boats headed for Europe. On the home front, Britain, Spain is more complex and nuanced; see individual chapters for the full scoop.
wears some sort of jewelry and France were embroiled in tiffs, scuffles and all-out war that allowed
with the vaguely V shape colonial holdings to change hands frequently. The English took Jamaica in PEOPLE
of the island on it. 1655 and held Cuba momentarily in 1762, while the Spanish and French The stereotypical island slacker, swinging in a hammock with joint in hand,
agreed to divide Hispaniola in 1731, creating the Dominican Republic and couldn’t be further from the truth in today’s Caribbean. On most islands,
Haiti of today. The legacies of this period – Santo Domingo’s Fortaleza economic necessity or outright hardship means working in the fields, fac- Arubans take their license
Ozama (p288), the fortresses of Old San Juan (p331) and Havana (p144) tory or hotel in a constant effort to make ends meet. Family is the hub on plate motto seriously:
and the vibrant mix of cultures – are among the most captivating attrac- which life turns and interpersonal relationships make the day-to-day fun and ‘One Happy Island.’ They
tions for travelers. purposeful. Gossiping is a major hobby. Casual with time and commitments, really believe it.
Except for the Eastern Caribbean, which has historically been more laid- many islanders prefer to converse with a friend over one last beer than rush
back and easily controlled by its European overseers, colonial infighting to catch a bus. In the villages away from big cities and on the small islands
In the Bahamas, Junka- had locals plotting rebellion and independence. Haiti was way in front of everyone knows each other.
noo is a street parade the curve in declaring independence in 1804, followed by the Dominican Chivalrous at best, misogynistic at worst, machismo is a complex cultural
with music that people Republic in 1844 and Cuba in 1902. For some smaller islands – such as St phenomenon on many islands like Trinidad. Far from the simple domina-
prepare for all year. It Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbuda and Antigua – the solution has tion of women – indeed, some social scientists argue, convincingly, that it’s
happens between Boxing been to band together. Other islands have opted to maintain strong neo- really the women holding the reins in these societies – machismo embraces
Day (December 26) and colonial ties to the parent country, as is the case with the French protector- many facets of the human condition including emotional vulnerability and
New Year’s Day. ates of St-Barthélemy, Martinique and Guadeloupe, and the commonwealth virility. It can also manifest itself in homophobia, which has reached alarm-
situation between Puerto Rico and the US. Independence on the one hand ing, virulent proportions on some islands and especially Jamaica, where it
and statehood on the other has always had its champions in Puerto Rico, is endemic and violent.
with statehood narrowly losing plebiscites in 1993 and 1998. Health is a perennial challenge for the region. According to UNAIDS (the
A different, but tenuous, alternative was forged by the Dutch holdings Joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS), the Caribbean has the second-
of Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius and Saba. In 1954 highest rate of adult HIV infection (2.3%) after sub-Saharan Africa. Although
these holdings became an autonomous federation under Dutch rule known some countries including Barbados, the Bahamas and Cuba have had success
as the Netherlands Antilles, though the charter stipulated that each was to in lowering infection rates, in other places such as Jamaica, rates of infection
eventually become independent. After a long lag since Aruba split first in are reaching crisis proportions. For more information, see p840.
1986, the others are doing that now (see boxed text, p779). Another simmering issue is immigration: Dominicans sailing to Puerto
Rico, boatfuls of Haitians alighting in the Bahamas and Cubans floating
A Rum-Punch Future around the Florida Straits are common images. The land of opportunity, of
The last 100 years have been a mixed bag for the region. US intervention course, is the US, which maintains a politically driven immigration policy
in countries seen as geostrategically important, particularly Haiti and Cuba, that grants disgruntled Cubans automatic residency, but regularly turns away St-Martin/Sint Maarten
The Banana Wars: United usually does more harm than good. Furthermore, monocrop agriculture – desperate Haitians. Those left behind on Haiti are poor but proud. They’re is the Caribbean melting
States Intervention in the bananas in Jamaica, nutmeg in Grenada – means the islands are at the well aware that most of the world thinks they’re boat people from a land of pot. Besides French and
Caribbean, 1898-1934 by mercy of heavy weather and market fluctuations. At the same time, it dictators, chaos and zombies; so they’re eager to show foreigners that the Dutch, the two-nation
Lester D Langley shows polarizes societies into the rich who own the land and the poor who work reality is far different. island has residents from
the cost of meddling in it. This inevitably fosters socialist tendencies, including Fidel Castro, but Aside from the Carib reservation on Dominica of some 3000, little vestige over 80 other countries.
the region. also Maurice Bishop in Grenada (1979–83). Economic instability, espe- of the original inhabitants remains in the Caribbean. Instead, there is the
cially, has given rise to dictators such as Rafael Leonidas Trujillo for 31 complex swirl of cultures and colors from all the people who came after:
years in the Dominican Republic and the Duvaliers (Papa and Baby Doc) English, Spanish, French and Dutch mixed with Africans brought over as
for 29 years in Haiti. slaves. Once slavery was abolished, indentured laborers came from China,
One thing all the islands have in common is tourism, which began India and the Middle East, changing islands’ identities. Regional immigra-
taking hold when other sectors of the islands’ economies began to crum- tion also adds to the mix: ‘Bahatians’ – Haitians born in the Bahamas – are
ble, particularly agriculture. Crop-leveling hurricanes (eg Gilbert in 1988, recognized (and often discriminated against) as a separate group, and expats
Hugo in 1989) spurred some islands to develop tourism industries, while from the US have altered the makeup of some islands like the Caymans.
the 1997 World Trade Organization ruling favoring Central American
bananas over Caribbean ones forced St Vincent and Martinique to look SPORTS
at diversifying. Far from a panacea, unfettered tourism can wreak havoc You need only ask ‘cricket or baseball?’ to get your finger on the pulse. On Guadeloupe the Tour
on the environment (see p49) or give rise to societal woes like prostitution Closest to the US, baseball rules in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic de Guadeloupe bicycle
in Cuba. But overall the perception that tourism is a good source of jobs and Cuba, with players by the dozens making the jump to the US big leagues. race is the Caribbean Tour
and revenue is widespread. In a recent poll, people in places as diverse as Catching a game in Cuba or the Dominican Republic is a window into the de France.
Trinidad and Barbados overwhelmingly said they not only liked tourists sport as a local passion.
but said their presence made everybody’s life better. Of course that poll Cricket is serious business in the Caribbean, where rivalries (and fans) are
may have been taken when Brobdingnagian cruise ships weren’t in port. rabid and the sport attracts major dollars. Islands where cricket rules include

44 S N A P S H OT S • • S p o r t s lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com S N A P S H OT S • • R e l i g i o n 45

Yoles Rondes on Martinique. On Anguilla, local teams compete with their
GET OUT OF YOUR SHELL own home-grown designs.
You can’t begin to experience the Caribbean until you get to know its people. And that doesn’t
just mean the guy mixing the rum-punch or the woman handing you a conch fritter – although RELIGION
these folks are often fascinating in their own right. (People who run beach bars out of shacks It’s quite probable that every religion known to, well, God is practiced some-
on the sand easily have the highest average character quotient anywhere.) where in the Caribbean. Nevertheless, Christian religions are still the classic
Rather, to meet the locals you need to join the locals; something that often doesn’t happen forces on islands with a strong European heritage. Animist sects (obeah) have
when you’re in a whirlwind of package tours, resort-style ghettos and general frolic-filled days. strongholds in Jamaica, the Bahamas and the Eastern Caribbean. Meanwhile
Here are some simple, common-sense tips from the authors of this book for getting past the evangelical sects are attracting scores with the promise of a peaceful afterlife
smiles of the tourist industry and experiencing the culture of the islands. that appeals to those fed up with the violence and destruction of the here
and now. From Cuba’s all-male
Eat at lunch wagons or stalls. The food is cheap and you often get incredibly good local fare
Yet the islands are most closely identified with Afro-Caribbean religions secret societies to the
that hasn’t been watered down for foreign palettes. Plus you can break the ice just by asking
like Vodou in Haiti and Santería in Cuba. These religions trace their roots ganja-puffing rituals
what’s what.
to Africa, but were overlain and mixed with Christian trappings when the of Rastafarians, Creole
Drop by a local bar for a drink. It’s perhaps not best for single women, but rum shops on slaves were brought over. Masking tribal beliefs and traditions with those of Religions of the Caribbean
places like Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are the de facto community centers and you’ll soon the overseers ensured the survival of these religions. As they say on Haiti, by Margarite Fernández
be part of the crowd. the people are ‘80% Catholic, 20% Protestant and 100% Vodou.’ Olmos and Lizabeth
Be loyal. So many tourists blow through just once so if the folks in a café or bar think you’re a Rastafarianism was promulgated by Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie Paravisini-Gebert is
regular (sometimes it takes but two visits), you’ll be part of the crew. whom Rastas regarded as the Chosen One. The religion sprouted from one of the most current
Marcus Garvey’s ‘back to Africa’ movement in the ’30s, but gained and comprehensive
Look for community fish fries or barbecues. Typically held once a week, they’re big street par-
worldwide exposure thanks to spliff-smoking, dreadlocked adherents treatments of the region’s
ties in the Eastern Caribbean, especially Barbados.
like Bob Marley who believe that Africans are the 13th lost tribe of Israel religions.
Pick up people trudging along the road (hitchhiking is rare, so offer a lift to someone who and that they will be led from exile in Babylon (Jamaica) to Zion or the
needs it). We learned the drama-filled history of the sugar industry on St Kitts by giving a lift ‘Promised Land’ (Ethiopia) by Jah (God). In Jamaica, some 100,000 claim
to a teacher late for class. Rastafarianism as their religion and you’ll find scores of Rastas throughout
Take the bus – locals love to show you their country and will go out of their way to show you the islands.
things while you bounce down the road (and the jammed conditions of most buses mean
you can’t help but meet people). ARTS
Be friendly, say hi. A no-brainer but why wait for others to welcome you? Icy resolve can melt
The list of Caribbean literary giants is so long, your on-the-road reading
when you make the first move.
could comprise only local writers. See p30 for some notable examples;
you’ll also find more in the island chapters throughout this book. The ‘Lace Ladies’ gather
You’ll find a rich artistic culture on most of the islands, although you at the Eugenius Centre on
Jamaica, the Leeward and Windward Islands, Barbados, and Trinidad and may have to peer past tourist-schlock to find it. Misunderstood Haiti is a Thursdays to do beautiful
Tobago, and while there are no national clubs, the top players from these perfect example. The Haitian Naive painters of the 1940s and 1950s (such Saban stitching. These
countries form the storied West Indies team. The 2007 Cricket World Cup as Hector Hyppolite) were internationally significant, changing Europe women are pushing 100
For some of the world’s was played across the Caribbean, with nations spending big sums on new and America’s idea of Caribbean and African art. The modern generation years old and are oh-so
most raucous baseball, and improved stadiums. Unfortunately for the West Indies team, it got as far continues to build on those strong foundations and some of the best works charming!
catch a game in Santo as the Super 8, only to be eliminated in losses that included a brutal 103-run you’ll find in galleries on islands far away are by Haitian artists.
Domingo and San Pedro defeat by Australia. (Australia went on to win the cup.) No matter the medium, Cuba is an artistic powerhouse: the paintings of
de Macoris on the While volleyball (especially the beach variety) and soccer are popular in Wilfredo Lam, the films of Tomás Gutiérrez Alea (Death of a Bureaucrat;
Dominican Republic. the Caribbean, basketball just seems to grow in popularity. Puerto Rico and Memories of Underdevelopment), the National Ballet of Cuba and the in- Many ‘local’ crafts sold
Cuba have leagues and players regularly make the jump to the NBA, follow- delible images shot by Korda – including the Che you see peddled world- in tourist areas are from
ing in the size-15 footsteps of superstars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Trinidadian wide – are testament to artistic achievement. The Dominican Republic and China. Look for places like
descent), Patrick Ewing (Jamaica) and Tim Duncan (Bahamas). Puerto Rico, both with arts schools, have a rich arts scene as well. Perhaps Festival Place in Nassau,
In the Olympics, you’ll have noticed that folks from the Caribbean run the most celebrated Caribbean painter is impressionist Camille Pissarro, where everything is
fast. Tiny island countries regularly gain honors at the games through their born on St Thomas in 1803 and known for his landscapes. Bahamian made.
runners. Famed sprinter Kim Collins, ‘the Fastest Man on Earth,’ hails from Throughout the islands, you’ll see clothes and costumes inspired by the
St Kitts, where you’ll drive along Kim Collins Hwy. flamboyance and sheer glitter that come from Carnival. It is the climax of
Bone up on batsmen, Windsurfing and board surfing have become part of the culture in the social calendar for rich and poor alike across the Caribbean.
bowlers and sticky wickets Barbados, Bonaire and other places where the wind and waves allow for
at www.windiescricket world-class competitions. MUSIC
.com or www.caribbean And yachts aren’t just for the idle rich. Huge regattas draw teams of locals You’re on a beach and you’re listening to Bob Marley blaring out of the
cricket.com. and foreigners in fierce competitions. Famous races include Sailing Week on sound system of the bar that just sold you a cold one. You’re in Jamaica,
Antigua, the Heineken Regatta on St-Martin/Sint Maarten, the Rolex Cup right? Maybe. In fact you could be on any warm beach on earth, so per-
on St Thomas, USVI, the BVI Spring Regatta on Tortola and the Tour des vasive has Marley become around the world. It’s been more than 25 years

46 S N A P S H OT S • • E n v i r o n m e n t lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com S N A P S H OT S • • E n v i r o n m e n t 47

since he died but at any given moment his songs must be playing in thou- millions of years. In fact the islands look organic; one needs only see the
sands of sandy-floored beach joints worldwide. Byzantine shapes of the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Antigua and
That very image of laid-back reggae drives tourism on Jamaica and it’s Barbuda, Barbados, and Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao to understand that Keep track of who is
created a clichéd image of Caribbean torpor that is firmly stamped into the these were formed by complex processes (St-Martin/Sint Maarten looks like sleeping with whom
world’s consciousness. But even as people sway to ‘Could You Be Loved’ something left by a bird). The islands have rolling interiors but their real and who is the latest
they may have the sexy strains of Rihanna singing ‘Umbrella’ on their iPod allure is the crenellated coasts, which can provide ideal shelter for boats and reggaeton sensation at
or the jamming strains of Arrow’s ‘Hot Hot Hot’ on the CD player in their which are lined with countless beaches with brilliant white or even pinkish caribbeancelebrity.com.
The classic reggae drama traffic-bound car. sand from the coral.
is The Harder They Come, Although each island has its own musical style, all Caribbean music is Volcanic islands form a crescent from Saba to Grenada. Although most are
starring Jimmy Cliff, but percussion-based, born as a lingua franca from Africans confronting their dormant, there are still eruptions: Martinique (Mt Pelée, 1902), St Vincent
fans shouldn’t miss The new, nightmarish reality where music formed one of the few links to their (Soufrière volcano, 1979) and Montserrat, whose Soufrière Hills volcano has
Reggae Movie, chock-full mostly lost cultures (religion was the other). It’s unsurprising that European devastated much of the island in a series of eruptions since 1995. Volcanic
of concert footage from and North American styles eventually began to infuse Caribbean rhythms. islands typically have one or more tall cones that drop steeply down to flat-
Burning Spear, Inner Thematically, sociopolitical commentary/criticism has always been a vital ter lands near the coast. The nearly perfect conical shape of Nevis is a good
Circle, Ziggy Marley and undercurrent but so too has sex – you’ll hear lots of salacious rhythms and example. The upper reaches of the peaks often still have swaths of rainfor-
more. raunchy rhymes permeating the Caribbean airwaves.

Calypso CARIBBEAN GEOGRAPHY 101
Born in 19th-century Trinidad and Tobago among field hands who sang in You will often hear the Caribbean islands referred to in numerous ways – the Leewards, the
French Creole to obscure the lyrics’ meaning from the landowners, calypso Windwards, the West Indies etc. It can get confusing, so here’s a quick primer in Caribbean
continues to rely on clever wordplay (though now in English), and the geography.
Carnival competitions are a hot highlight. Calypso – too great a tradition Caribbean islands – An archipelago of thousands of islands that stretch from the southeast
to remain contained – eventually spawned soca, the high-energy mix of soul
coast of Florida in the USA to the northern coast of Venezuela. The largest island within the
and calypso. These islands are also the birthplace of the steel drum.
Caribbean Sea is Cuba, followed by the island of Hispaniola (shared by the nations of Haiti and
Dancehall Reggae (www the Dominican Republic), then Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The Bahamas, to the north, are techni-
.dancehallreggae.com) Reggae cally outside of the Caribbean archipelago – although we have covered them in this book.
is the place to go for the With Jamaica as its fountainhead, reggae is driven by a kicking drum bass
after-beat and is literally heard everywhere. Reggae lyrics traditionally ad- Greater Antilles – Consists of the large islands such as Hispaniola, Cuba and Jamaica at the
latest on Jamaica’s trend-
dressed problems facing Jamaica’s urban poor, including discrimination top of the Caribbean and goes east as far as Puerto Rico. It also includes the Cayman Islands,
setting music scene.
and marginalization, while also projecting self-affirmation. The reggae due to their western location.
pantheon includes Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston (with Marley, the Lesser Antilles – The archipelago that extends east and southeastward from the Virgin Islands
original Wailers), Jimmy Cliff, the legendary producer Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry down to Trinidad and Tobago, just off the northern coast of Venezuela. Also called the East-
and Burning Spear. ern Caribbean Islands, the Lesser Antilles are further divided into the Leeward Islands and the
Windward Islands.
Newer Styles Leeward Islands – From north to south: the US Virgin Islands (USVI), the British Virgin Islands
Dancehall – a raw, cheap-to-produce genre that’s like the bastard child of a
(BVI), Anguilla, St-Martin/Sint Maarten, St-Barthélemy, Saba, Sint Eustatius (Statia), St Kitts and
Rasta and gangsta rapper – incorporates lewd lyrics with ghetto angst that cre-
Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, and Guadeloupe.
The film Buena Vista ated a whole new musical royalty in Jamaica including Yellowman, producers
Social Club and its Sly & Robbie and Shabba Ranks (with his self-explanatory ‘Hard and Stiff’). Windward Islands – From north to south: Dominica, Martinique, St Lucia, St Vincent and the
soundtrack continue to Salsa and its offshoots burn up dance floors from San Juan to Santo Grenadines, and Grenada. Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago are often geographically consid-
drive interest in 1950s Domingo, which sizzle with salsa’s up-tempo beat, sassy brass and smok- ered part of the Windwards, but do not belong to the Windward Islands geopolitical group.
Cuban dancehall music ing rhythm sections. It’s hit big with Puerto Rican superstars such as Eddie
even as the island itself Palmieri and Cuban bands like Los Van Van and NG La Banda. The islands are further classified by their national sovereignty.
has moved far beyond in And the scene, like a good Creole stew, just keeps changing as new forms
British West Indies – Consists of Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat
its tastes. blend old styles. Latino immigrants on Caribbean islands are creating a
(an ‘overseas territory’) and BVI (a crown colony) due to their affiliation with the UK.
new soca/salsa twist, while Creole hip-hop is heard from New York to Rio.
Dancehall, the style of local clubs throughout the region, has DJs adding French West Indies – Includes Guadeloupe, St-Martin, St-Barthélemy and Martinique due to
vocals to raw rhythms. And reggaeton adds reggae strains to the driving their status as Départments d’Outre-Mer of France.
dancehall beat. Netherlands Antilles – Historically Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Sint Maarten, Saba and Sint Eusta-
tius. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao (often called the ABC Islands) are also known as the Leeward
ENVIRONMENT Netherlands Antilles. (The word ‘former’ was added to Netherlands Antilles in 2008; see p779.)
The Land
You will see two main types of islands in the Caribbean: limestone and vol- For our purposes, we’ve called the whole wonderful affair the Caribbean islands, but you’ll see
canic. This can directly affect your traveling experience. Limestone islands the other terms peppered throughout the text.
were formed by living coral forming layers of limestone that built up over

48 S N A P S H OT S • • E n v i r o n m e n t lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com S N A P S H OT S • • F o o d & D r i n k 49

est that proved too difficult to clear during the plantation era. The coasts these animals are on the threatened or endangered species list – part of the
generally lack the intricate curves and inlets of the limestone islands, which reason the Bahamas and other islands like Curaçao are criticized for their
means natural ports are uncommon. Beaches can be dark volcanic sand but captive dolphin facilities.
Treasure Island suppos- also bright white from offshore reefs. Hundreds of bird species, both endemic and migratory, frequent scores
edly was about BVI’s To understand your windward from your leeward and get a firm grasp of of islands. Look for iconic pink flamingos on the Bahamas and Bonaire.
Norman Island. your Antilles, see the boxed text, p47. Common Caribbean seabirds include brown pelicans, white cattle egrets
and herons. Hummingbirds and banana quits are always around, searching
Wildlife for something sweet.
ANIMALS The sight of thousands of
Except for large iguana populations and tree rats on certain islands, land PLANTS frigate birds puffing out
animals have largely been hunted to extinction. Responsibility is shared The Caribbean has thousands of plant species. The tropics in bloom feel like their distinctive scarlet
between humans and other introduced species including the mongoose, an epiphany and you’ll see flowering trees such as the orange flamboyant, throat pouches in hopes
raccoons, cats, dogs and donkeys. Trinidad, home to 100 types of mammal, crimson African tulip (spathodea), white frangipani with its intoxicating of luring a mate on
is the exception to the rule (see p731). scent, and the dark-blue blossoms of the lignum vitae, the hardest of all Barbuda is one of nature’s
If you’re anxious to behold the Caribbean’s richest fauna, you’re going to known woods. Hundreds of orchid species bejewel damper areas (best great spectacles.
James Bond loves the get wet. One of the world’s most complex ecosystems is coral, a diminutive January to March), and vermilion bougainvillea, exotic birds of paradise,
Caribbean; films shot animal that lives in giant colonies that form over millennia. Fish pecking hibiscus of all colors and spiky crimson ginger pop up everywhere.
there include Dr No away at nutritious tidbits or hiding out in the reef include the iridescent
(Jamaica), Thunderball Creole wrasse, groupers, kingfish, sergeant majors and angel fish. Hang – or Environmental Issues
(Bahamas), Live and Let float – around and you might see inflatable porcupine fish, barracudas, nurse The sheer popularity of the region as a destination creates or aggravates
Die (Jamaica) Golden Eye sharks, octopus, moray eels and manta rays. See p52 for the region’s best environmental problems. Specific sites suffering from overexposure include
(Puerto Rico) and Casino diving and below for details on the grave threats to reefs. the reef around Tobago Cays off St Vincent and the Grenadines, a popular
Royale (Bahamas). And Other species you may see include pilot, sperm, blue and humpback anchorage for sailors, and the reefs around the Virgin Islands, which have Sweet Hands: Island
Sean Connery lives in the whales, famous for their acrobatic breaching from January to March. been damaged by careless snorkelers and divers. Cooking from Trinidad
Bahamas. Spinner, spotted and bottlenosed dolphins, and loggerhead, green, hawks- Waste is a big problem. Mountains of garbage crowd Havana, acrid refuse and Tobago by Ramin
bill and leatherback turtles are common sights for divers. Manatees or sea burns from Vieques to Puerto Plata, and sewage needs somewhere to go – too Ganeshram is a good
cows, herbivorous marine mammals so ugly they’re cute, are found in waters often into the sea, unfortunately. St-Barthélemy is one island finding creative cookbook specializing in
around Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. All of answers such as converting burning trash into energy. TnT dishes.
Larger islands, in particular, have had difficulty inculcating a culture
of conservation. Despite deforestation laws, only 10% of the Dominican
IMPERILED REEFS Republic is forested. Neighboring Haiti – the most impoverished coun-
More than half of the reefs in the Caribbean are dead or dying and the rest are severely threatened, try in the western hemisphere – features in university environmental-
according to a several recent scientific reports. The culprits are the usual suspects: global warming, management courses as a case study in how massive deforestation (95%)
population growth, overfishing and hurricanes. The findings explain the threats as follows: can destroy a country.
Global warming – The record temperatures of water across the Caribbean are killing benefi- Overfishing is a major problem. The Bahamas outlawed long-line fishing
cial types of algae that corals depend on symbiotically to survive, which results in the proc- in 1959, the first Caribbean island to do so, but now struggles with poach-
ess called ‘bleaching.’ Higher carbon dioxide levels also deprive reefs of oxygen, and coral is ers; some communities have established marine preserves independently of
the government to curb the abuse. In June 1997 an environmental scandal A regionwide delicacy
highly susceptible to even slight reductions in oxygen.
surfaced involving Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent, St Lucia, and called ‘mountain chicken’
Population growth – Development along coasts increases the runoff of soil, which clouds the Dominica, which were accused of taking bribes from Japan in exchange for is no kind of fowl, but
water and denies coral sunlight. Population growth also means increased agricultural activity – helping block protection measures for endangered species. is actually a crapaud,
not only farms but also golf courses and other artificial plantings. Chemical runoffs contain Nevertheless, no legislation or vigilance can stop the environmental a local species of frog
poisons as well as nutrients that are used by harmful algae that destroy the reefs. destruction wrought by a hurricane that indiscriminately uproots trees with unusually large
Overfishing – While harmful algae have always been present in reefs, one of the forces keep- and clogs reefs, and the number of destructive hurricanes is growing. In (and delicious) legs;
ing them in check were algae-eating fish. The greatly reduced numbers of fish in the region 2007 two Category 5 hurricanes – the strongest – both made landfall in the it’s a protected species
mean that harmful algae are thriving. region, a first. and only to be caught
between September and
Hurricanes – The record number of hurricanes are depriving the reefs of oxygen through tur-
bulent waters that block sunlight; damage to land that increases soil runoff; and wave forces FOOD & DRINK February.
that already-weakened reefs cannot handle. Caribbean cuisine blends fruits and rice, seafood and spice. And it blends
influences from around the world. Indian, French, Italian, American and
Experts familiar with Caribbean reefs say that it may already be too late save a lot of them but Asian influences are just some of the tastes and flavors you’ll find. But don’t
that with immediate action it might be possible. Although hard to calculate due to the sheer mag- expect every meal to be a feast of tropical flavors. Visitors can run into
nitude of the numbers, it’s estimated that reefs provide over $4 billion in value to the Caribbean bland, dull food everywhere. From the hotel dining room slipping meat
through shoreline protection and tourism, and as a habitat for sea creatures. and two veg in front of you to bland buffets at all-inclusive resorts, there’s
plenty of reason to seek out the best of the region. It’s not hard to find.

50 S N A P S H OT S • • F o o d & D r i n k lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com S N A P S H OT S • • F o o d & D r i n k 51

Staples & Specialties SUNNY, YUMMY, RUMMY Josh Krist
A fish still dripping with salt water, thrown on the grill and spritzed with If you could taste them, what would sunsets and long days at the beach taste like? Most likely,
lime has made many a Caribbean travel memory. So too has a tasty lobster, rum. In a daiquiri, by itself, or with sugar and a slice of lime, rum is the drink of the Caribbean.
grilled over colts and then drenched in garlic butter. Most islands have a In Puerto Rico, the Bacardi Rum Factory (p342) is a good introduction to rum production – fer-
pickled fish dish (escovitched or escobeche), a jazzy marinade of vinegar, menting mashed sugar cane or molasses in huge vats, capturing the alcohol through distillation,
lime and spices with a complexity belied by the simple ingredients. In aging it in wooden casks in big hot warehouses – and there are free tastings.
the Bahamas, conch (pronounced ‘conk’) is so popular any which way – Distillers explain that because of the warm Caribbean climate up to 15% of the rum evaporates
Look for salted plantain pounded, marinated and frittered, deep fried, grilled, in salad, chowders every year during aging. This evaporation is called ‘the angel’s share’ at distilleries around the world
chips sold in bags as and stews – the animal is headed towards the threatened species list. and usually averages closer to 5%. The angels in the Caribbean are living it up, apparently.
snacks for bus journeys. As for meat, there’s the ubiquitous chicken. Mixed with rice it’s found Sip a little something at the Cruzan Rum Distillery (p383); it has a pleasant 20-minute tour
as arroz con pollo in the Spanish-speaking islands and as chicken pelau with tastings at the end.
in Trinidad and St Vincent. The other omnipresent staple is pork, which Some say that Cuban rum is the best. Do some investigation at Havana’s Museo del Ron (p145),
is the star meat in Cuban and Puerto Rican sandwiches (lechón asado). where in addition to the usual tour and tasting there’s a re-creation of a traditional distillery,
Beef is not eaten widely, except in Jamaica. Goat is a staple on many of complete with a model railway.
the Leeward Islands, including Montserrat, where it stars in a savory dish The Appleton Rum Estate (p252) has the largest and oldest distillery in Jamaica – it’s been pump-
with an unsavory name: goat water. ing out the good stuff since 1749. Appleton is probably the local favorite across the region.
Look for Creole food, the classic French-inspired spicy, tomatoey fare Martinique is the epicenter of high-quality, pure-cane rums, which they call rhum agricole.
that is found on menus through the Eastern Caribbean and north all the There are many distilleries on this French island, but English speakers will learn the most at
way to New Orleans. Musée du Rhum St James (p616).
Rice flecked with black or red beans is a staple in the Bahamas, Cuba Top rums include Bermudez Anniversario from the Dominican Republic, Haiti’s Barbancourt
(congrí), Jamaica (rice and peas) and Trinidad, where aromatic basmati Five Star and Mount Gay Extra Old from Barbados (see p683). The color of rum ranges from clear
rice subs in for the traditional long grain. Cassava (yucca) is served with to honey brown. The darker the drink, the older, usually. Unlike Scotch, however, older does
There are at least 12 kinds an addictive garlic sauce called mojito in Cuba and ajili-mójili in Puerto not necessarily equal better, especially considering that some distilleries add coloring and fresh
of mango widely sold Rico. Plantains are a staple and accompany every meal fried as chips or product to the casks for ‘aged rum’ because of the thirsty angels.
through the Caribbean. as disks (tostones). Let taste be your guide; take a small sniff of straight rum with your mouth slightly open. This
Tropical fruits are quintessential Caribbean icons. There are the usual gives you an idea of the taste without being overwhelmed by the alcohol burn. In the better
pineapple, papaya, bananas, guava and mango, but mix it up some, sam- rums you might smell some vanilla, a hint of flowers, or even, oddly enough, cotton candy – it
pling sugar apple in the Bahamas (anon in Cuba), a custardy fruit shot is just cooked sugar that soaked up the flavors of sun-warmed casks, after all.
through with black pits, or guinep in Jamaica, a small lychee-like fruit.
The king and queen of Caribbean street snacks are the patty (flaky pas-
try pillows filled with meat) for which Jamaica is famous, and the roti, On islands that see a fair number of visitors, like Barbados, the
an eastern Indian creation of flatbread wrapped around curried meat or Caymans, Aruba and many more, look for wonderful restaurants run by Mamajuana is a bottle
potatoes, served widely in the Caribbean, but particularly in Trinidad. creative chefs who are melding the region’s foods and flavors with those filled with a variety of
of the world. herbs and dried bark
topped with rum, wine
MEMORABLE EATING & DRINKING Drinks and a bit of honey, then
The Caribbean and drinks. Reasons to pack your bag now. Minty mojitos allowed to steep for
Here are some of the more memorable experiences authors of this book had in pursuit of good
or lemony daiquiris in Cuba, sugary ti-punch in Martinique or the smooth around a month. Most
food and fun.
and fruity goombay smash in the Bahamas. It’s no surprise that all of these Dominican bars have a
Curried shrimp – a local dish on Statia – at a place called Fruit Tree (p485), a hidden local bottle somewhere.
haunt. (Brandon Presser, Sint Eustatius)
are rum drinks: the Caribbean makes the world’s best rum, and while some
venture no further than a regular old Cuba libre (rum and Coke) or piña
Pataraj (p743) in Port of Spain has the most delicious shrimp roti served with pickled mango, colada, a highball of exquisite seven-year-old añejo over ice as the sun sets
pumpkin, and pepper. I’d go back for the tender sweet papaya flesh and the tangy pineapple is liquid joy. See boxed text, above.
from the markets that I cut into almost daily. (Ellee Thalheimer, Trinidad and Tobago) Beer is like bottled water, no it is the bottled water. Red Stripe from
Jamaica and Carib from Trinidad and Tobago have earned global reputa- Visitors from stodgier
The jerk chicken and pork in Boston Bay (p234) was absolutely sensational – the seasoning
tions. Numerous more regional lagers keep you cool during the hot days places are always amazed
fiery enough without overwhelming the meat. (Richard Koss, Jamaica)
and nights. you can take your drink
On Antigua at Coconut Grove (p526), for the first time in my life I enjoyed rock lobster when from a bar in a to-go
I wasn’t flat on my back with my feet in the air barking like a dogfish to the B-52s. (Ryan Ver Along with rum, the Caribbean produces some of the world’s finest coffee.
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee needs no introduction, while Haitian Bleu cup on many Caribbean
Berkmoes, Antigua and Barbuda) islands. Then they join
(named for its color) is sought out for its dark roasted flavor and organic
The awesome goombay smash at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar (p92), where it was created. origins. Cuba also grows organic coffee, usually served strong, black and right in.
Poured from a gallon jug into your cup, it is sneaky potent. (Amy C Balfour, the Bahamas) sweet or as silky, milky café con leche, which is also how they prefer it in
Getting nice and buzzed on my back porch with a friend in Dominica. We bought a bottle of Puerto Rico. Coconut water sipped fresh from the nut is refreshing and
cheap rum and some fruit juice, and went to town. (Josh Krist, Dominica) light – perfect on a hot day.

52 lonelyplanet.com DIVING & SNORKELING •• Information 53

Diving & Snorkeling SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR DIVING
Before embarking on a scuba-diving, skin-diving or snorkeling trip, carefully consider the follow-
ing points to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Whether you’re an ultraexperienced diver or a novice slapping on fins for the
Possess a current diving certification card from a recognized scuba diving instructional
first time, you are in for a real treat. Few places in the world offer such perfect
agency (if scuba diving).
conditions for underwater exploration. The Caribbean Sea’s consistently
warm waters – year-round temperatures average a comfortable 80°F (27°C) – Be sure you are healthy and feel comfortable diving.
and spectacularly clear waters mean visibility can exceed 100ft (30m). Obtain reliable information about physical and environmental conditions at the dive site (eg
Professional dive operators are as prolific as the postcard-worthy beaches from a reputable local dive operation).
and, whether you skim the surface or plunge far below, the colorful, active
Be aware of local laws, regulations and etiquette about marine life and the environment.
marine world delivers an amazing show.
The variety of islands – from lush and mountainous to arid and flat – mean Dive only at sites within your realm of experience; if available, engage the services of a com-
the diversity of dive sites is almost endless. You’ll find shallow fringing reefs petent, professionally trained dive instructor or divemaster.
that curve into protected bays, sheer walls and coral-covered pinnacles, Be aware that underwater conditions vary significantly from one region, or even site, to an-
exciting drift dives, and remnants of ancient shipwrecks that lie as historical other. Seasonal changes can significantly alter any site and dive conditions. These differences
relics on the sea floor. influence the way divers dress for a dive and what diving techniques they use.
The Caribbean Sea is the You can come face-to-face with fish the size of small cars, or moray eels Ask about the environmental characteristics that can affect your diving and how local trained
world’s fifth-largest body longer than your wingspan. You can peer into sea grass and find tiny sea- divers deal with these considerations.
of water, just slightly horses, or watch translucent shrimp scratch along the coral. Caribbean waters
bigger than the Mediter- harbor all sorts of colorful sponges, and both soft and hard coral, including
ranean Sea. wavering gorgonian fans and gemlike black coral. The cost generally ranges from US$75 to US$125, depending on the opera-
At the end of the day, there’s nothing better than sipping a cold beer while tion and whether a boat is used.
the sun licks the beads of water off your skin. You’ll think about the turtle For those who want to jump into the sport wholeheartedly, a number of
you just met – that’s one traveling friend you will never, ever forget. operators offer full open-water certification courses. The cost generally hovers
around US$400, equipment included, and the course takes the better part of
INFORMATION a week. If you plan to be certified but don’t want to spend your vacation in
Books a classroom, consider a ‘warm-water referral’ program, where you take the
Comprehensive guides that give good descriptions of both scuba diving and classes at home, then complete your open-water dives in the Caribbean.
snorkeling sites, along with information on local dive operators, include the
much-revered Best Dives of the Caribbean by Joyce Huber, and The Complete Dive Operators
Diving Guide: The Caribbean series by Colleen Ryan and Brian Savage. Lonely Excellent dive operators abound, offering everything from snorkeling rent-
Planet’s Diving & Snorkeling series includes guides to Bonaire, Cayman als to full dive-certification courses. Reputable operators make safety a Don’t forget your C-card!
Islands and the US Virgin Islands. Anyone curious about marine biology huge priority and they will help you determine the best sites to suit your If you are a certified
should check out Paul Humann’s series on fish, coral and invertebrate iden- experience and comfort level. Divemasters can also be excellent island re- diver, you’ll be required
tification. Titles include Reef Fish Identification: Tropical Pacific and Reef sources, with information on everything from secret snorkel spots to the best to show proof before a
Creature Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas. Budding underwater beach bars. See the individual island chapters for listings of recommended reputable dive operator
naturalists will also want to arm themselves with Scuba Dic.: Caribbean Sea, dive operators. will rent you equipment
a nifty underwater dictionary – printed on waterproof paper – detailing a or take you out on a dive.
variety of fish, plants and invertebrates, with corresponding photos. Dive Tours Your PADI, NAUI or other
Several companies offer dive trips that include all hotel and diving costs. certification card will do
Dive Courses Live-aboards are big yachts outfitted for a group of divers. Passengers sleep the trick.
With warm, calm, crystalline waters, the Caribbean is an excellent place to and eat meals on board, and spend days doing multiple dives. Both land-
get scuba certified or further your training with specialized courses, such based dive tours and live-aboards offer a unique way to become immersed
as night, wreck or deep diving, or digital underwater photography. Two in the sport and meet other divers (who tend, incidentally, to be a social
reputable organizations are widely recognized as providing the best and most lot). Rates for week-long, land-based tours in the high season range from
professional certification in the world: the Professional Association of Diving US$600 to US$1200. Live-aboard trips range from around US$1400 to
Instructors (PADI) and the National Association of Underwater Instructors US$2200 for seven nights. Prices are based on double occupancy and do
(NAUI). Affiliation with either of these organizations means the dive shop not include airfare.
adheres to high standards of safety and professionalism. Avoid unaffiliated
operators; the lower cost can be alluring, but it often means dodgy service, LAND-BASED TOURS
old equipment and compromised safety. PADI Travel Network (%800-729-7234; www.padi.com) The PADI organization runs dive
If you want to experience diving for the first time, most operators offer package tours at destinations throughout the Caribbean.
a short beginner course for nondivers, commonly dubbed a ‘resort course,’ Scuba Voyages (%800-544-7631; www.scubavoyages.com) These trips go to Bonaire, Dominica,
which includes brief instructions, followed by a shallow beach or boat dive. Saba, St Lucia and Tobago.

54 DIVING & SNORKELING •• Information lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com DIVING & SNORKELING •• Diving 55

World Dive Adventures (%800-433-3483; www.worlddive.com) These trips usually include
a week’s worth of hotels, meals and two dives per day. Destinations include the Bahamas; Aruba, GOLD-STAR MARINE PARKS
Bonaire and Curaçao; St Lucia; Cayman Islands; and Turks and Caicos. Diving and snorkeling help keep Caribbean tourism thriving, and many islands recognize the
need to protect their underwater resources. In recent years several marine parks have been
LIVE-ABOARDS established to reduce human pressure on the reef systems. While some are effective, others fail
Aggressor (%800-348-2628; www.aggressor.com) With a fleet of live-aboards plying several of due to meager resources, poor management or lack of enforcement. Several marine parks get
the world’s waters, Aggressor has a great reputation. The 18-passenger Cayman Aggressor IV tours the gold stars for their success at preservation, education and continued foresight.
Caymans and the 20-passenger Turks & Caicos Aggressor II tours – you guessed it – the Turks and Caicos. Bonaire Marine Park (www.bmp.org) A Unesco World Heritage site, Bonaire’s marine park was established in
Explorer Ventures (%800-322-3577; www.explorerventures.com) These live-aboards include 1979, making the island one of the early leaders in reef preservation. It continues to be at the forefront of research
the 18-passenger MV Caribbean Explorer I, which travels the Bahamas, and the 18-passenger MV and education, most of which is funded by a ‘nature’ fee levied on users ($25/10 scuba divers/snorkelers).
Caribbean Explorer II, which cruises to Saba, St Kitts and Nevis, Sint Eustatius and St-Martin/Sint Saba Marine Park (www.sabapark.org) Established in 1987, the park encircles the entire island and has 36
Maarten. The 20-passenger MV Turks & Caicos Explorer II heads to those islands. permanent mooring buoys. Every diver pays a fee of US$4 that contributes to park maintenance.
Peter Hughes Diving (%800-932-6237; www.peterhughes.com) This long-respected com- Statia Marine Park (www.statiapark.org) Many of Statia’s reefs have developed on the remains of an extinct
Coral reefs are an integral pany has week-long live-aboard tours of Tobago on the 18-passenger Wind Dancer.
part of a marine ecosys-
volcano and boast incredible biodiversity. Established in 1996, the park encircles the island and includes two reserves
where fishing and anchoring are prohibited. The park’s 42 permanent mooring buoys help protect the reefs. Divers
tem, supporting life up Internet Resources pay a $3 user fee.
and down the food chain. Complete Diving Guides (www.caribdiveguide.com) Dive site profiles with excerpts from The
Like elsewhere in the Complete Diving Guide series.
world, Caribbean reefs Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) Click on the Thorn Tree’s Diving & Snorkeling forum to CORAL: The Coral Reef Alliance (www.coralreefalliance.org) This global nonprofit organization
are at risk. For details on chat with other new and experienced divers. works with coastal communities on protecting coral through education, ecosystem management
the threats, see p48. Scuba Diving (www.scubadiving.com) The website of Scuba Diving magazine offers articles on all and sustainable tourism.
the Caribbean destinations, with links to dive operators. Also has an active forum. Ocean Futures Society (www.oceanfutures.org) Jean-Michel Cousteau’s organization focuses on
Skin Diver Online (www.skin-diver.com) The website for Skin Diver magazine has links to the connection between human impact and the health of the world’s oceans.
hundreds of articles about diving in each region. Project AWARE Foundation (www.projectaware.org) Has a mandate to conserve underwater
Sport Diver (www.sportdiver.com) Sport Diver magazine is the official publication of the Professional environments through education, advocacy and awareness.
Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and this website, a tremendous resource, is the online version. Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF; www.reef.org) An organization of
scientists, divers and community leaders, dedicated to promoting conservation through research
Marine Conservation Organizations and education.
Around the world, coral reefs and oceans face unprecedented environ-
mental pressures. This is particularly true in the Caribbean, where vast DIVING
episodes of coral bleaching threaten everything from fishing and culture, The following dive sites were picked as ‘dream dives’ for several reasons: they
to land ecology and tourism. The following groups promote responsible represent the Caribbean’s wide diving variety, they are easily accessible with
diving practices, publicize environmental marine threats and lobby for local dive operators, and they all offer fantastic diving and snorkeling.
better policies:
Caribbean Environment Programme (www.cep.unep.org) A conglomerate of Caribbean leg- Bloody Bay Wall, Little Cayman
islative bodies working to protect the coastal environment and promote sustainable development. Little Cayman has some of the finest Caribbean wall diving, where sheer While it’s safe to dive
cliffs drop so vertically they make you gasp in your regulator. Little Cayman’s soon after flying, your
Bloody Bay Marine Park encompasses some 22 mooring sites spanning last dive should be
RESPONSIBLE DIVING completed at least 12
both Bloody and Jackson’s Bays. The shallow tops of the walls – some just
Please consider the following tips when diving and help preserve the ecology and beauty of reefs. 20ft (6m) below the surface – are nearly as incredible as their depths. The hours (some experts say
snorkeling here can be fantastic. The drop-offs sink quickly along this 24 hours) before a flight
Never use anchors on the reef and take care not to ground boats on coral.
stretch of the island’s north shore that’s more than a mile (1.6km) long. to minimize the risk of
Avoid touching or standing on living marine organisms or dragging equipment across the decompression sick-
Coral and sponges of all types, colors and sizes cascade downward as you
reef. Polyps can be damaged by even the gentlest contact. If you must hold on to the reef, ness caused by residual
slowly descend along the wall. Most dives here range from 40ft to 100ft
touch only exposed rock or dead coral. nitrogen in the blood.
(12m to 30m) deep.
Be conscious of your fins. Even without contact, the surge from fin strokes near the reef can Dive type: wall
damage delicate organisms. Shore/boat: boat
Practice and maintain proper buoyancy control. Divers descending too fast and colliding with More info: www.bloodybaywall.com
the reef can cause major damage.
Resist the temptation to collect or buy corals or shells or to loot marine archaeological sites.
Keyhole Pinnacles, St Lucia
You wonder sometimes if Picasso came along with his paintbrush to coat
Ensure that you take home all your garbage and any litter you find. Plastics in particular are a St Lucia’s corals with splashes of vibrant color. One of the best sites to
serious threat to marine life. see this display is the Keyhole Pinnacles, four underwater sea moun-
Do not feed fish and minimize your disturbance of marine animals. tains that mimic the drama of St Lucia’s famed Pitons. Rising up from
1000ft (305m) below sea level to just below the surface, the pinnacles are

56 DIVING & SNORKELING •• Diving lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com DIVING & SNORKELING •• Diving 57

coated in colorful hard and soft corals, sea sponges and delightful fans. of pinnacles – including Third Encounter, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits
Underwater photographers flock here to snap brilliantly vivid shots. and Shark Shoals – peak at about 80ft (24m) below, offering a deep but
Dive type: pinnacle spectacular dive. Snorkelers can explore a variety of structures at Well’s
Shore/boat: boat Bay and Torrens Point, where large boulders and swim-throughs sit just
beneath the surface.
Dive type: pinnacles and reef
Klein Bonaire Shore/boat: boat
Since 1979, Bonaire’s entire perimeter has been a protected marine park More info: www.sabapark.org
and its excellent administration has paid off. Dive boats are required to
use permanent moorings and popular dive sites are periodically closed to Salt Cay, Turks & Caicos
let the reefs recover. One of Bonaire’s best dive areas is off relatively unin- Expect spectacular diving throughout the Turks and Caicos, where excellent
habited Klein Bonaire, where the gently sloping reef is positively festooned visibility, unspoiled reefs, abundant marine life and vertical walls conspire
with hard and soft corals, sponges, gorgonians and a dizzying array of to transport divers to an underwater utopia. Mostly uninhabited, Salt Cay is
tropical fish. Look for unusual marine life like a brown long-snout sea- just south of Grand Turk and its north-shore wall is pocked with crevasses
horse or a yellow frogfish. Popular sites include Carl’s Hill Annex, which, and grooves, overhangs and swim-throughs. The fish-watching is excellent
like most of the sites, is perfect for divers of all levels. and you’ll often see spotted eagle rays, giant tiger grouper, and triggerfish.
Dive type: reef In the winter you have a good chance of spotting migrating humpback
Shore/boat: boat whales traversing the Turks Island Passage, the waterway separating the
Turks from the Caicos Islands. Whales start to appear in late December and
Little Tobago stick around through March. Just 16 miles (26km) south of Salt Cay is the
Situated on the South American Continental Shelf between the Caribbean wreck of the HMS Endymion, an 18th-century British warship. Nine ship
and Atlantic, Tobago gets massaged by the Guyana and the North Equatorial anchors lie exposed in shallow water, making it a good wreck for snorkelers
currents. Also injected with periodic pulses of nutrient-rich water from the to explore too.
Orinoco River, Tobago’s waters teem with marine life. The variety of corals, Dive type: wall
sponges and ancient sea fans make Tobago a top destination. Heart-puls- Shore/boat: shore and boat
ing drift dives swish you past large pelagic fish. Some of the world’s largest
brain corals grow around Little Tobago island, where manta rays swoop by Scotts Head, Soufriere Bay Marine Reserve, Dominica
for regular visits. The highlight of Dominica diving is undoubtedly Soufriere Bay on the
Dive type: drift southwestern tip of the island. Formed and defined by the submerged cra-
Shore/boat: boat ter of an underwater volcano, the dive sites reflect the volcanic action that
More info: www.tobagodiveexperience.com created them – deep walls, pinnacles, massive boulders, chasms and gullies
offer some of the Caribbean’s most dramatic diving. The east edge of the
crater is the shoreline, making for accessible shore dives and snorkeling,
RMS Rhone, British Virgin Islands and the south edge is around Scotts Head, where you’ll find a sheer drop-off
On a sun-washed October morning in 1867 the captain of the RMS Rhone whose many overhangs shelter healthy schools of fish, like barracuda and
‘the gently thought the hurricane season was over. Built just two years earlier, the Bermuda chub. Soufriere Pinnacles is another popular spot, where three
Rhone was one of a new class of British steamships, 310ft (94m) long and separate pinnacles reach up to almost break the surface. The swim out to
sloping reef 40ft (12m) abeam. the site passes over submerged hot springs and gas vents where tiny fish
is positively Around 11am, the sky grew leaden, and hurricane-force winds began play in the bubbles.
festooned to blow. The Rhone struggled to pass Salt Island, but the waves and wind Dive type: wall and pinnacle Of the world’s 375 species
drove her ashore. The ship’s boiler exploded, and only 23 of the 147 Shore/boat: shore and boat of shark, only 30 have
with corals, passengers survived. ever attacked humans.
More info: www.natureislanddive.com
sponges and The stern with its propeller now lies in 20ft to 40ft (6m to 12m) of water. Since 1580, only 18
a dizzying The forward half lies nearby and intact about 80ft (24m) under. Divers Sint Eustatius shark attacks have been
salvaged copper, cotton, liquor and US$20,000 worth of money and gold. Hard-core divers will appreciate Sint Eustatius’ focus on its underwater reported in the Caribbean
array of fish’ The BVI National Parks Trust moved in to preserve the wreck in the 1970s, Islands.
bounty, along with the sheer variety of its dive sites. The island’s last volcanic
long after divers had picked it clean. Today, it is one of the Caribbean’s best eruption was 1600 years ago, but you can still see evidence of the hardened
wreck dives, for snorkelers, and novice and experienced divers. lava-flow on the seabed, providing deep trenches and fissures. Vestiges of
Dive type: wreck 18th-century colonial Sint Eustatius are found beneath the surface, such
Shore/boat: boat as portions of quay wall that slipped into the sea, and old ballast stones,
More info: www.scubabvi.com anchors, canons and ship remains have become vibrant coral reefs. A series
of newly sunk wrecks add diving variety. The island’s waters are protected
Saba Marine Park by the Statia Marine Park.
The world’s only self-supporting marine park offers a little something for Dive type: reef and wreck
everyone. Well out of the paths of storm or anchor damage, a collection Shore/boat: boat

58 DIVING & SNORKELING •• Snorkeling lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com 59

St Vincent & the Grenadines
The 32 cays and islands that compose the Grenadines stretch out in a
bracelet of tropical jewels between St Vincent and Grenada. Long known
as a yachters’ haven, the sparsely inhabited islands and pristine bays shelter
thriving offshore reefs. You’ll find steep walls decorated with black coral
around St Vincent, giant schools of fish around Bequia, a coral wonder-
land around Canouan and pure bliss in the Tobago Cays. The five cays
are palm-studded deserted islands surrounded by shallow reefs that are
part of a protected marine sanctuary, and offer some of the most pristine
reef diving in the Caribbean.
Dive type: wall and reef
Shore/boat: boat

SNORKELING
‘the islands Donning a mask and snorkel allows you to turn the beach into an un-
derwater aquarium. There are numerous sites throughout the Caribbean
that that offer splendid coral gardens, often teeming with colorful tropical fish
compose the including many varieties of wrasse, damselfish, sergeant majors, rainbow-
Grenadines colored parrotfish, angelfish, ballooning puffer fish and octopus. The best
snorkeling is usually along rocky outcrops or on shallow reefs.
stretch out Some travelers bring along their own mask, snorkel and fins, but if you
in a bracelet prefer to travel light you can usually rent equipment (about US$10 per
of tropical day) at dive shops or beachside water-sports shacks. Having your own
equipment can be enormously liberating, letting you jump in the water
jewels’ wherever you want.
The following is a list of some of the region’s top snorkeling sites. Some
are popular; others are off the beaten track. All of the dives listed in this
chapter are great snorkeling sites too.
Anse Chastanet, St Lucia (p640)
The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands (p405)
Buccoo Reef, Tobago (p761)
Buck Island, St Croix, US Virgin Islands (p381)
De Palm Island, Aruba (p785)
Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, Bahamas (p98)
Shoal Bay West, Anguilla (p427)
Stingray City, Grand Cayman (p199)
Wreck of the Jettias, Antigua (p535)

4 5

On the Road SCOTT KENNEDY Cruising
through St Vincent and
the Grenadines ( p650 ),
it’s hard not to feel a
RYAN VER BERKMOES little like a pirate. Jump-
Coordinating Author ing on rickety old boats,
It was late afternoon at floating from island to
the delightfully shabby island, sailing from one
and unvisited Fort James adventure to the next,
(p525) on Antigua. I had dolphins surfing the bow
the place almost to myself: wave, Tobago Cays on the
it was me, a dude singing horizon – just another day
to himself and a chicken. on the road.
I looked out to sea then
scanned my notes, trying
to figure out if this gun
had actually been used
to shoot pirates. Verdict:
maybe.

TOM MASTERS I saw a 3m-
long manatee swim by
RICHARD KOSS My tour guide me shortly after this shot
at Bob Marley’s birthplace in was taken. I’m cruising
Nine Mile (p238) was an intense through the lagoon on my
Rasta whose solemnity about way to dive off the Isla de
Bob’s life was periodically la Juventud (p160), where
broken by campy outbursts Cuba’s very best (and
of song. Taking my photo in most difficult to access!)
Marley’s childhood home, he diving is on offer.
sang ‘Is This Love,’ pointing
energetically at the single bed
it mentions. I had a hard time
maintaining a straight face.

PAUL CLAMMER I’m near the end of my trip, in the clean air above
Port-au-Prince (p266), wondering how that little notebook is going
to be transformed into a guide, and trying to calculate how many
more rum punches I can fit in before I head to the airport…

MICHAEL GROSBERG My girl-
friend and I had just walked
AMY C BALFOUR I’m bursting from Playa Bonita (p310) to
with latitudinal pride after find- Playa Coson and back; both
ing the Tropic of Cancer Beach
are outside Las Terrenas on
( p97 ). It’s not well-marked,
the Península de Samaná. We
but the view is one-of-a-kind
were both hungry because
gorgeous. There’s also a worn
blue line on the ground signi- the fish shack we were count-
fying the Tropic of Cancer. The ing on for lunch wasn’t open,
Pirates of the Caribbean II and III so I volunteered to get her a JOSH KRIST Banging out a Rolling Stones tune in the music room at Cocoa Cottages (p594), near Trafalgar
crew would load up here before coconut. I failed. Falls. My guitar is what I missed most from home. You’ll notice my notes on a pillow next to me – I was
boating south. testing the guitar for research, I swear.

6 7

BRANDON PRESSER I didn’t think it was possible for anything to
be more beautiful than Saba’s (p469) striking rugged peak, but lo
and behold, the island’s offshore reef system, 100ft underwater,
is a magnificent kingdom of colorful coral patrolled by scores of
slippery sharks.

BRENDAN SAINSBURY Cycling on ELLEE THALHEIMER Pure elation
the tropical island of Vieques is what I feel when I discover a
(p343) can be hot work – espe- cycling jewel such as the out-
cially when you’ve got human and-back from Toco to Matelot
cargo fast asleep in the back seat. (p749), a coastal ride that fol-
I’m drinking freshly squeezed lows a hilly, remote road skirt-
lemonade just outside the gate ing a wild coastline that will
to the now defunct US Navy mili- drop your jaw.
tary zone, a few miles north of
the town of Esperanza.

© Lonely Planet Publications. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally
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KARLA ZIMMERMAN I was amazed by the Lind Point Trail (p372), which departs from Cruz Bay, St John. only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to
It left civilization fast in its wake, replacing it with yellow-bellied banana quits, wild donkeys nibbling
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