The Fog Cutter. The Hurricane. The Chief Lapu Lapu. The Mai Tai. 

These are some of the drinks that have defined the world of “tiki,” the colorful, cheerful, retro culture that for almost 100 years has paid tribute to a romantic notion of Polynesia. 

But what these drinks all have in common is something from a world away: rum. 

For years, the worlds of Caribbean rum and tiki have been connected; the fruit of the sugarcane fields of the West Indies was always the perfect fuel for the “exotic” drinks that first began with Don the Beachcomber. 

And tiki is in the midst of a resurgence, as craft cocktail culture and appreciation for fine rums have reemerged — often finding a meeting point in newly-launched tiki outposts. 

So it’s only natural, then, that a high-level tiki bar should have found its way to the Caribbean. 

Enter Breakers Roar, the newest watering hole in St Croix, which began life last October on the corner of the boardwalk in Christiansted and now, happily, is open again as the USVI reopens. 

Breakers Roar, set in the ground floor of the King Christian Hotel (which is itself in the process of being transformed by a California-based group), is a beautiful, woody homage both to the old maritime age of the Caribbean and the mystery and wonder of tiki culture. 

It’s no surprise that there’s a long list of artisanal cocktails, joined by a rum list that is among the best in the US Virgin Islands. 

There’s a nice selection of local Cruzans, standouts from companies like Saint Lucia Distillers and Mount Gay and a portfolio of rums from the increasingly popular Plantation, among others. 

Of course, the pandemic has changed things, and that means a slightly different, but equally authentic tiki experience right at the water’s edge. 

“We’re so happy to be open,” Breakers Roar General Manager Patrick Johnson told Caribbean Journal. “We want to provide the community with a bit of normalcy and pleasantness. But we of course fully understand and support the health and safety precautions put in place by the CDC to provide a safe, relaxing environment.”

So Breaker’s Roar is indeed open again, for both outdoor and indoor (socially-distanced, of course) drinks and dinner (along with takeout and curbside drive-through).

It’s the latter that is just as big a draw, though, thanks to the culinary talents of St Croix’s buzziest chef — Digby Stridiron, whose creative Asian-Caribbean fusion menu ranges from kimchi queso and chips to jerk shrimp eggrolls and pupu platters.

Stridiron, who has been working with My Brothers Workshop, along with World Central Kitchen, to help feed needy Virgin Islanders in the last few months, said he and his team had been working hard with local farmers and purveyors “to not only make delicious drinks and food but to ensure everyone’s safety.”

“I expect there to be more changes as the months pass but it will be a growing experience with our community,” he said.

For now, Breaker’s Roar is what tiki has always sought to be: lively, escapist, romantic; the sort of cheeky, breezy fun that’s a recipe for what we all need right now. 

Of course, there’s one cocktail on the list that no tiki bar based in the US Virgin Islands could be without. 

It’s Don Q Crystal Rum, all-spice dram, green chartreuse, pineapple juice, coconut, fresh lime juice and basil.

And you might recognize its name: the Moko Jumbie. 

For more, visit Breaker’s Roar. 

— CJ

The post The Caribbean’s Coolest Tiki Bar Is In St Croix appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Barbados Tourism Minister Kerrie Symmonds has launched the new Barbados Recovery Tourism Task Force. 

The unit is responsible for managing the island’s tourism sector during the pandemic and its aftermath and “mapping its transformation.”

The unit is being chaired by Dr Kerry Hall, the director of tourism development in Barbados’ Ministry of Tourism, joined by deputy chairman, hotelier Peter Odle. 

Symmonds said the task force had two mandates. 

“One, the management of the COVID-19 crisis, and the second is the transformation of the tourism sector and the tourism industry in Barbados,” he said in a government release. “ In that regard, we feel that we have done an adequate amount of service to the opportunity that now presents itself during this downtime.”

The task force’s work will cover a range of areas, from building out health and safety protocols to developing a “coping mechanism” for those in the sector who have been “emotionally and financially impacted.”

As for the island’s potential reopening for tourism, Symmonds said the first consideration would be ensuring the safety and security of the island’s workforce. 

“Thereafter, we are better able to deal with our visitors and to manage in a structured and phased way the reopening and the re-welcoming of visitors to the island, but until when we get the workforce properly looked after and have a set of safety, health and hygiene protocols in place, that are giving us a degree of certainty, then we cannot get to where we want to get,” he said. 

— CJ

The post Barbados Launches Task Force on Tourism Recovery appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The United States Virgin Islands is reopening for leisure visitors on June 1, USVI Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte announced. 

That will make the US Virgin Islands the first Caribbean destination to officially reopen for tourism. 

Boschulte said the USVI was finalizing its public health and tourism protocols for the return of visitors next week. 

As the new protocols, which have been developed in partnership with the USVI’s Governor’s Office, along with tourism and health authorities and the private sector, a state of emergency due to COVID-19 “will remain in effect through July 11,” according to a statement. 

“Over the past several weeks, we have been building COVID-19 mitigation and response capacity, and preparing protocols to protect the health and safety of residents and visitors alike,” said Commissioner Boschulte, who SAID the decision to reopen has not been made lightly. “We did not want to rush to reopen in reaction to what other destinations are doing. Instead, we have engaged in data-driven, risk-based analysis, in conjunction with the Virgin Islands Department of Health and federal guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other stakeholders.”

The USVI Department of Tourism has also prepared a series of “Health and Safety Guidelines for the USVI Tourism Industry.”

It’s what officials are calling a “comprehensive master document” that offers guidance for all tourism stakeholders. 

It includes everything from ways to operate reception and concierge facilities to housekeeping to special guidance for restaurants, bars and hotels. 

 “We are very pleased with the across-the-board approach so that key tourism subsectors now have specific guidelines,” Boschulte said. We are very pleased with the across-the-board approach so that key tourism sub-sectors now have specific guidelines.”

The Commissioner said that demand for the destination continued to be strong amid the pandemic. 

“Throughout the pandemic, we were greatly encouraged by the outpouring of support and expressions of desire from friends around the world to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Even though COVID-19 caused us to temporarily close our doors, our hearts remained open. We now look forward to welcoming travelers back to their home away from home.”

When it reopens on June 1, the USVI will be the first tourism destination to officially reopen. 

That will be followed by the island of Saint Lucia, which is planning to reopen for tourists on June 4. 

For more, visit USVI. 

— CJ

The post US Virgin Islands to Reopen for Tourists on June 1 appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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There will soon be a new way to stay at one of Antigua’s most prestigious luxury residential resorts. 

The island’s Tamarind Hills is planning to debut the third phase of its project with a boutique residential resort component. 

The development consists of 43 one- and two-bedroom units; it will also feature a “Caribbean bar and grill,” along with a new reception area and an updated gym facility. 

Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez said he was “pleased with the progress made with the development despite the impact of COVID-19.”

He said it was a “great addition to the country’s tourism product going into a very crucial 2020/2021 season.”

The development, which had initially been set for a soft opening this summer, is now targeting the start of the 2020/2021 winter tourist season. 

Tamarind Hills is part of a growing wave of residential resort developments in Antigua, which has been one of the region’s hottest investment destinations in recent years. 

That includes new projects from brands like Waldorf-Astoria and Rosewood also in the pipeline. 

Antigua has tentatively planned to begin welcoming visitors as soon as next month, and Tamarind Hills CEO Rufus Gobat said the development was planning on offering rentals of some of its private residences in the shorter term, once approved by the Ministry of Health’s new protocols. 

Those rentals will include a total of six villas and four townhomes, along with nine apartments ranging from two to five rooms. 

All of those are located on ocean or beachfront with access to private pools. 

Officials told Caribbean Journal it would soon be releasing guidelines for travel to the destination. 

For more, visit Tamarind Hills. 

— CJ

The post Antigua’s Tamarind Hills Is Expanding With a New Residential Resort appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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