Caribbean (Plus) Corner

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, Barbados, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, Statia (St. Eustatius), St. Barth, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten/Martin, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Chilling on Tortola and Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands

Victor Block My husband Victor and I are travel writers. Which means when we get to a destination, we explore every aspect, constantly seeking out stories. Until we got to Tortola, capital of the British Virgin Islands, with a population around 15,000. That didn’t happen. And it was almost like — dare I say the word? — a vacation. But let’s back up a bit. We are a lot older than our last trip here 30 years ago when my husband had the temerity to actually hazard driving. To put the roads in…

Started by Tripatini

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Rum and much more in Barbados

Victor Block Most travelers know that most Caribbean islands are soaked in rum, but Barbados goes the rest one better because here, locals say, is where rum was discovered. In capital Bridgetown one early-17th-century day, the story goes, a tavern owner was searching for an empty shipping barrel when he inadvertently stumbled across one filled with a concoction worth selling -- a barrel of sugar cane fermented over time. Well, Mr. Rumball -- the tavern owner -- knew a good thing when he…

Started by Tripatini

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In the British Virgin Islands, Anegada and its Lobster Festival

Photos: Victor Block Most travelers have heard of the U.S. Virgin Islands; some of the British Virgin Islands. Those familiar with the BVI usually know Tortola, and maybe even Virgin Gorda and Jost Van Dyke. But it seems that few have ever heard of Anegada. Which is a shame because it has so much to recommend it.

Started by Tripatini

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7 cool things to see/do on Saba

Richie Diesterheft Never heard of it? You´re far from alone – last year just 5,700 flights – by one of the Caribbean´s lowest arrivals figures – landed on its third smallest island (just five square miles/13 sq. kilometers sitting on an dormant volcano Mount Scenery, with a population of just under 2,000). But those in the know realize that the self-styled "unspoiled queen," part of the Caribbean Netherlands (along with Bonaire and Sint Eustatius, aka Statia) and first settled in the 1640s,…

Started by David Paul Appell

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Tony King December 8, 2010 at 5:06pm

There's a nice little villa on Virgin Gorda in the BVI that is owned by a friend of mine, if you're interested please contact me.
Buzzy Gordon December 8, 2010 at 5:49am

Looking for a reasonable winter rental

We are looking for a place to spend Jan.-Feb. Expat community or typically local environment. Ideally, a property we can take care of in exchange for reduced rent, but all offers welcome.
Ed Wetschler November 23, 2010 at 9:49pm

Blue Horizons in Grenada, one of my favorite islands, is offering 30% off plus perks for travel through Dec. 20. Blue Horizons is affiliated with (and just behind) Spice Island Beach Resort, so guests can use the costlier resort's beach.
FYI, Caribbean Airlines has new flights between JFK and Grenada.
Tripatini November 9, 2010 at 11:34pm

Now on the Tripatini blog: get the, um, naked truth about Hedonism II in Negril, Jamaica.
Tripatini November 1, 2010 at 9:59pm

PLEASE CLICK HERE to help another member with suggestions on the best islands for snorkeling and eco. Thanks much!
David Lawrence October 17, 2010 at 11:34pm

Barbados says they want to improve infrastructure, like water storage and maybe that means roads too. But I was down there a few months ago, on the east coast and not the west coast, where everybody else goes, because I wanted to do some surfing. I had no problem with water or roads or other infrastrusture things. Have you?
Tripatini October 4, 2010 at 11:52pm

OK, technically the Bahamas are not exactly in the Caribbean. Whatever. Tripatini's current Read of the Week is The Bahamas: A Great Destination, by member Chelle Koster Walton.
Tony King September 8, 2010 at 1:16am

Not too many Road Warriors in the Caribbean, I used to be one years ago and it was arguably the cushiest job in the Ford Motor Company ; I don't think anyone in Detroit even knew that the job existed - would have probably been fired instantly.... !! Incidentally, I was never restricted as to the use of US hotels as opposed to non-US. ones.
Anil September 4, 2010 at 8:30am

David,Tony,Patricia,Julie et. al. People do stay in Hyatt,JWM,Hilton when travelling internationally. That is the distinct segment known as road-warriors, business traveller and governmental types who have to use US carriers and US hotels. Discussing the nuances of this group is a topic in itself. The right question should be, what security blanket kind of a purpose do the American chains serve that other hotels might not ? Many frequent flyers who do international travel very often say - A Hyatt/Marriott/Starwood removes anxiety and allows them to focus on their business. Now, a leisure resort or island is another story.
BTW: Not all Caribbean islands have a distinct local cusine. In fact some of the islands import everything from US as nothing of substance grows locally.
David Lawrence September 3, 2010 at 1:08am

Shoutout to Tony for the best solution.

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