This fabled sea, covering more than a million square miles and 7,000 islands with diverse languages, cultures, and ecosystems, has become probably the planet's premier vacation playground. Here it's all about its regional issues and allures. And yes, the (Plus) means we're including the Bahamas and Bermuda along with the Caribbean coasts of Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guayana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Suriname, and Panama.

For other individual island forums, check out Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, Statia (St. Eustatius), St. Barth, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten/Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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The top 8 musts in gracious, beautiful Bermuda

  Craig Stanfill A British Overseas Territory with a land area of just 21 square miles – the size of a middling city anywhere in the world – and a population of 73,000, Bermuda is named after its original discoverer, Spanish explorer Juan de Bermúdez. It has been settled for 412 years and has been a popular tourist destination – especially for those in the United States, for whom it´s a flight of just over two hours from the East Coast – since the 1880´s, when the Hamilton Hotel (now the…

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The Island of Tobago Is a Sweet Little Slice of Old-Time Caribbean

 VisitTobago.gov.ttThe smaller of the two main islands which make up the country of Trinidad and Tobago lies 22 miles northeast of larger Trinidad (a 20-minute flight away, as well as with direct service to/from Barbados, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany). It´s known for its unspoiled natural beauty, rich history (dating back to 1654, and vibrant culture (which besides numerous current ways to experience it is particularly on display during events such as the Tobago Heritage…

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3 of the Caribbean´s best Sandals resorts for honeymoons

  Sandals Grande St. Lucian Based in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the famous Caribbean resort chain founded in 1981 by legendary Jamaican entrepreneur Gordon "Butch" Stewart was instrumental in pioneering the "all-inclusive" concept - paying one (usually very attractive) rate to cover all food and drink as well as many activities and amenities, in addition to just a room. Sandals properties now number 18 on eight islands, and they´re especially popular with (and indeed, marketed to) couples and…

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Martinique, c´est magnifique!

  David Stanley One of the four islands of the Antilles Françaises, with around 370,000 inhabitants, Martinique was settled by the French beginning in 1635 and today is an overseas département (meaning an integral part) of France. It’s packed with a vibrant blend of French and West Indian cultures; stunning landscapes, nature, and beaches; rich historical sites; fantastic rum; and a chill, laid back vibe. I visited here around 15 years ago and still remember it fondly and fairly vividly.…

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1 Reply · Reply by Jordan Simon Oct 15

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  • Good discussion but I missed something. What are "Als"?
  • AIs and their impact on local economy, what a great thread, if only we werene't expecting 30 people for dinner. You could add ex-pat part-time homes under rental management, too., Melanie I would love to connect w/ you on J history in Jamaica. I spent a year reserching a book w/ related themes and am traveling its trajectory now. patriciaborns@comcast.net ...
  • Chelle's right. And it dates back as far as I can remember. During the first Gulf War U.S. tourism to Western Europe plummeted 50% -- and that was well before 9/11 and the economy made the public even more reluctant to travel outside their comfort zones (in more senses than one). Yes, the Net has opened possibilities for more "enlightened" or certainly adventuresome travelers, and that's wonderful. Anil, I've no idea about bottom lines. I suspect Lonely Planet readers don't help the economy that much, but they do interact and are likely to extol the virtues of a lesser-known destination to people who might spend more moolah... But I also think AIs have destroyed many parts of the world, and not just simply via over-development. They may seem like a great short-term fix, but they also destroy individual local entrepreneurship -- restaurants close, cabbies can't get fares, etc. And Melanie, I really didn't mean to suggest that promoting Jamaica as a Jewish tourism destination is ludicrous (Patricia, I first read about it via ETN a few months back), but honestly how much is really there beyond one or two days of exploration? Now I could see organizing a tour of several islands with Jewish roots, say Jamaica, St. Thomas, Nevis, Curacao, etc, just as it would be fun to craft archaeological tours of islands with well-excavated Taino/Saladoid/Arawak ruins, et al. I'd love to see inventive programs targeting various niches that will bring more income and exposure to several islands, from religious to recreational. And exploring one aspect of similarity might help get the word out about the islands' differences. But only if the groups interact meaningfully with locals at some point, unlike a "if It's Tuesday This Must Be Barbados" cruise...
  • Jordan: Cookie-cutter-all-inclusive tourist !! Are they good for business or is the gruffy-backpacker-type LP-in-hand pension type ? An intelligent and savvy traveler might not be a high-margin. I dont know, but in a way sometimes any news is better than no news.
  • RE: Jordan Simon's comment - Yes, indeed Jamaica has a rich wonderful tourist-worthy Jewish history, who knew ? I have done considerable coverage on this most vibrant sector of Jamaican society and I suggest everyone visiting JA make a side trip to KIN to see for themselves !
    .
  • How can we expect the public to be able to distinguish the subtleties of Caribbean geography when our media can't get it right. I reference the weatherman who told viewers Hurricane Andrew was about to hit Naples when in fact it was coming ashore in Miami.

    In the Caribbean, there's an old calypso song about public perception of one relatively small crime and its impact on the whole region. Wish I could remember it. But the point being, it has always been a huge problem and Kingston has always had its upheavals. I stayed there quite safely 16 years ago when supposedly there was political rioting in the streets.

    It's no different now with the oil "spill" - it has only just brushed Pensacola but tourists have been cancelling as far away as the Keys since it all started.
    http://Miami.In/
    See related links to what you are looking for.
  • Folks: Caribbean Islands are marketed differently depending on the region, demographics, as well as desires.

    Repeat clients/tourists/visitors are different than first timers. Yes, a typical packaged tourist maybe geographically unaware; however any 15-days a year vacationist does not want his/her 15 day botched. You (the packager) have sold it to them.

    Outside of the large cities in US, news is normally the 6PM news. If caribbean news negative, a small fraction might cancel - But you'll know your clientele or market - Barring natural calamities, most tourist islands make sure that their cash cow (tourists) are well protected...


    [I'am glad a discussion on caribbean tourism has picked up :) ]
  • Jordan, I didn't suggest the net is a substitute for reality, just that it's a bigger, more diverse window, inacurracies et al.. Nor a "huge" backlash, just some, My friends read travel guides (maybe yours), surf the net and otherwise do their homework to travel off the radar. Debbra Brouillette says it best - some are, some aren't (informed).

    Where did you read about Jamaica as a Jewish destination?
  • Patricia, I agree that the savvier PR/marketing folk are utilizing social media creatively. And they're also targeting niches, from sports to religious tourism (though admittedly it can get a little silly, as when I read of a Jamaican initiative promoting the island as a Jewish destination!).

    But experiencing something on the Net is not the same thing as being there. Viewing the Mona Lisa on a laptop ain't the same as seeing it in person (well, at least 20 years ago before all the ropes and crowds, LOL... However you can still commune with Raphael's sublime Coronation of the Virgin at the Brera or Goya Cinco de Mayo series at the Prado in surprisingly deserted rooms).

    And while I support the democracy of the blogosphere, information is also often confusing or inaccurate, lacks crucial evocative detail, and blurs the important distinction between knowledgeable experienced travelers (experts, for lack of a better word) and Joe Blow....

    I don't necessarily see a huge backlash---and news such as Kingston only reinforces the need for some to stay in "safe" compounds, preferably brand names where they can get rewards points. I have many very intelligent pals who stay at cookie-cutter all-inclusives devoid of a true sense of place that could be plonked down anywhere in the world. Why? Because most Americans generally get 1-2 weeks' vacation a year and understandably want comfort and convenience, one-stop shopping. I love my country but I hate to say it: as a nation we ARE less curious, more demanding, less receptive to cultural interaction. Which isn't to say that there aren't horrific cliche tourists from every country, LOL...
  • Americans may be less curious and geographically aware than other travelers as a general rule. But on the positive side, the net is connecting them to the world in new ways and giving them much more textured, specific windows on places than traditional media -- and tourism -- than they've had in the past. No offense intended, but Caribbean tourism organizations have to some extent themselves to blame for dumbing down their offerings to the sequestered, all-inclusive level they thought Americans wanted 20 or 30 years ago. Does anyone else see as I do some consumer backlash to that (even as the cliche American tourist is still out there and will always be)? Yes or no, it's refreshing to see tourist boards, PR reps and media engaging in more meaningful dialogues about place, using twittering, blogging, and streaming media for market education.
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