What’s New

The vibrant colours of carnival in port of Spain, Trinidad

rainbow of colours. Many are designated world heritage sites by UNESCO and houses typical Dutch shops. The city is also home to the Mikve Israel Synagogue, dating from 1674 and the oldest synagogue in the Americas.

RainFoRest maRCh: maRtinique

The rainforested mountains of this French territory provide rich rewards for hikers on a network of trails that carve across steep slopes, cutting through lush forests and following rivers which offer the chance to cool off under waterfalls. One of the longest trails is a coastal route showcasing the Atlantic coast and superb sea views.

DeseRt tReKKing: aRuba

The Arikok National Park, accounting for nearly 20% of this Dutch territory’s landmass, couldn’t be further from the lush jungle normally associated with the Caribbean. Instead, it is a melting pot of Amerindian remains, abandoned gold mines and disused farms, surrounded by desert scrubland dotted with tall cacti, a rugged coastline and views to Venezuela from Aruba’s highest point.

CaRnival RevelRies: tRiniDaD

The annual explosion of revelry that is the Trinidad Carnival is legendary and known as the Mother of all Carnivals. Costumed dancers, bedecked with exotic headdresses of sequins, beads and feathers, dance along the streets of Port of Spain, following trucks booming out pounding beats that compete with the distinctive rhythm of steel pan bands.

swim with wilD tuRtles: st vinCent & the gRenaDines

Stretching in an arc downwards from St Vincent to Grenada, the Grenadines have long proved irresistible for romantics and escapists. The protected waters around the islets of the Tobago Cays are rich in marine life, making them ideal for snorkellers who can swim with the numerous green sea turtles that gather here.

the RevolutionaRy sPiRit: Cuba

There’s nowhere quite like Cuba – the home of rum and revolution, cigars and salsa music, and iconic figures, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

Its well-worn capital Havana is a mesmerising blend of old and new, where the narrow cobbled streets and grandiose piazzas of Old Havana represent the city’s Spanish colonial legacy at its best. •

MIND andBODY

For travellers who focus on renewing body and spirit, options include beachfront workouts, yoga retreats, wellness resorts and a range of Spa treatments, says Kathryn Liston

Sunshine, warm seas, tropical nature and exotic fruits, the Caribbean’s natural ingredients provide the perfect recipe for relaxing, recharging and rediscovering your inner Zen.

In Jamaica, discover the serenity of the Blue Mountains, fl oat along the Martha Brae River and, at the new Eclipse at Half Moon, improve your health and energy levels by sampling organic foods from the traditional ital diet, free from meat and additives.

Hotel and resorts across the Caribbean – including Barbados, Curacao, Aruba, Martinique, Bonaire, Guyana, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Haiti, and St Martin – feature fi rst-class spas offering treatments, such as cinnamon-infused chocolate massages at True Blue Bay Boutique Resort, Grenada. Guests at True Blue Bay also receive a wellness kit of essential oils and herbal teas.

Yoga, pilates and juices made from fruit and vegetables grown in the organic kitchen garden are included in stays at the East Winds boutique resort, Saint Lucia.

A Stay Well programme at Secret Bay, Dominica, includes treatments at the Gommier treetop Spa, yoga, canyoning, scuba diving and hiking. The resort’s organic farm supplies ingredients for immune-boosting shots and native herbal teas.

Native fl owers and oils are used in treatments at two new Spas: Malliouhana resort, Anguilla, and Palm Heights on Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman, while the overwater spa at Kamalame Cay in The Bahamas is perfect for a spot of pampering.

Mud massages in Belize are said to provide healing benefi ts, as do the volcanic stones and spices of St. Kitts.

Signing up for a retreat is a wonderful way to switch off from the outside world. For example, Jamaica Inn in Jamaica stages a three-day mindfulness and meditation retreat, led by psychotherapist Lena Franklin.

Sunrise and sunset meditation, yoga, nature walks and two holistic therapies are included in retreats offered by Carlisle Bay in Antigua.

Castara Retreats in Tobago is among the many properties offering Yoga retreats – usually a week-long event – and energy healing yoga sessions.

The all-inclusive Aerial on private Buck Island, which sleeps 30 guests, is the BVIs’ latest wellness resort. Guests can sign up for activities that include writing workshops, environmental healing classes and oceanwater therapies.

And those staying at Point at Petite Calivigny in Grenada can enjoy fi tness, Spa, meditation and yoga programmes, paddleboard workouts and boxing classes.

An underwater breath work programme at Windjammer Landing in Saint Lucia is designed to enhance the diving experience.

Nevis has launched a JustBe video highlighting the island’s nature, walks, therapeutic hot springs and holistic Spas. •

Added ATTRACTIONS

The destinations of the Caribbean have been busy unveiling new products, experiences and tours to tempt both returning and new visitors, says Kathryn Liston

Water parks, chocolate festivals, food fairs, rum tours and transparent kayaks are among the new visitor offerings in the Caribbean.

Barbados has a host of new attractions for visitors. A water park at Rascals Beach Bar and Restaurant claims the title of the world’s largest aqua fun park. It caters for all ages, with water slides, a children’s play park and Barbados’ fi rst Wetball park.

Reopened in July 2021, Eco-Adventure Park at Harrison’s Cave, now managed by Chukka Caribbean Adventures, offers a new range

Harrisons Cave, Barbados of experiences including an eco-adventure park, zip-line experience, nature trail, and various kids’ activities, which complement the popular tram tour of the caves.

In Jamaica, the newly opened Chukka Ocean Outpost at Sandy Bay sits on an old sugar plantation. The open-air playground has chill-out areas, with swings, hammocks and suspended lounge beds where visitors can unwind while listening to reggae hits spun by the park’s resident DJ. There are also activities like ATV and dune buggy safaris, horseback riding, catamaran cruises and power snorkelling, along with a beachfront

True Blue Bay Boutique Resort rum tasting restaurant, bird aviary and Jamaica’s fi rst over-the-ocean zip line - which ends with a thrilling splash in the Caribbean Sea.

CUISINE

Also in Jamaica, master the art of cooking like a local at Jakes Hotel on the south coast. Interactive lessons cover island dishes like jerk chicken, ackee, and run down (a fi sh stew) – all made with fresh ingredients. The Cayman Islands are looking ahead to the 2022 version of the popular Cayman Cookout, which will be held on Grand Cayman between January 13-17. The event, featuring a line-up of celebrity chefs, wine and spirit experts and culinary infl uencers, will take place on Seven Mile Beach at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman hotel. Guests will enjoy cooking demonstrations, exclusive tastings and unique gourmet experiences.

The Reef Restoration team in Curacao has introduced a new coral nursery dive. Offered by CURoius2Dive, it includes a briefi ng about coral restoration, ‘fragmentation and maintenance’. Guests help out in the removing of algae and check the progression of corals by taking measurements to calculate growth curves.

With corals, white beaches, clear blue waters, varied fl ora and fauna, and shipwrecks, Curaçao is a great place to learn how to dive.

Or visit the Curacao Sea Aquarium, celebrating 35 years in 2021, and sign up for a new submarine dive with Substation Curaçao which will take you up close and personal to sea life through the Ocean Lens, or swim with stingrays, tarpon, jacks and others during a snorkel in Animal Encounters.

ADVENTURE

In the BVIs a new ‘soft adventure’ company, Hike BVI, invites visitors to explore the hidden trails of the islands with their own knowledgeable ‘Hike Guru’. Available on Salt Island, Norman Island, Little Harbour and Virgin Gorda, the tours range from three to fi ve hours’ long and include a lunch and private boat trip, along with a crystal-clear ocean, sandy beaches and views of the mountains and tropical areas beyond.

Also in the BVIs, Voyage Charters has launched the destination’s fi rst electricpowered charter yacht. The Voyage 480 Electrifi ed yacht caters for up to 10 guests In The Bahamas, the Baha Bay waterpark in Nassau, opened in summer 2021 with slides, uphill water coasters, wave pool, surf simulator and a kids’ island. Guests staying at adjacent Baha Mar enjoy unlimited access.

Staying in the same destination, multiple James Beard award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson debuted his new restaurant, Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, at Baha Mar in July 2021. He source fresh local ingredients and Bahamian seafood, washed down with a cocktail from a rooftop bar.

In Grenada, Cayaks is a unique eco-tourism product that allows customers to see the unspoiled underwater landscape and marine life below, using fully transparent kayaks.

Atmospheric night experiences are also

The Baha bay waterpark

ON THE TRAIL OF FIDEL IN CUBA

It is small wonder Cuba’s government had such a hard time fi nding Fidel Castro’s revolutionary hideout in the mountainous and verdant Sierra Maestra.

On the sound of an approaching spotter plane the occupants would release camoufl aged shutters over the windows, as my tour guide nimbly demonstrates.

I take my time touring the buildings at La Plata, Fidel’s former HQ, scrutinising artefacts such as his funky ‘50s-style fridge and a typewriter used for communiqués. It was from here that Fidel’s forces struck out for Havana, before overthrowing the Batista government in 1959 and installing Fidel as leader, a post he’d keep for 50 years.

The wildlife-rich Sierra Maestra is popular for its world-class hiking, but I am not yet done with the Cuban Revolution.

In a small restaurant in a village below the mountains, an aged group of musicians, dressed in the military green fatigues of the type seen in Fidel’s own revolutionary band, strike up a tune.

It’s a day that will live me forever.

available, as the two-person kayaks are illuminated by blues and greens. A food platter and wine is included on the tours.

Grenada has launched a host of new tours including a Field to Bottle Rum Tour.

Guests are taken on an immersive experience, from the sugar cane fi elds along the way learning about Grenada’s rich history and harvesting their own cane at River Antoine Estate. They then learn about the intricate rum distilling process before being invited to fi ll out and label their very own bottle of rum to take home.

On Anguilla, Malliouhana has introduced sea fi shing and transparent acrylic paddleboards that allow guests to spot turtles and other sea life during the day and night-time trips. Also new at the resort is Catch N’ Cook: guests enjoy an afternoon of fi shing at sea and later get to dine on their catch prepared by Malliouhana’s culinary team. •

Nestled on the shores of Rodney Bay along one of St. Lucia’s most celebrated beaches. The Landings Resort and Spa is a luxurious all-suite villa resort featuring one-to-three-bedroom units with expansive terraces, boasting marina or ocean views, many with private plunge pools. With an expansive spa, private butler options, free non-motorised watersports, tennis courts, fitness center, kids club, Wifi, plenty of nearby adventures and restaurants and all inclusive options it is the ideal family escape for all ages.