Choosing the Best Caribbean Islands to Visit this summer might come down to an even larger question: Why vacation in the Caribbean during the Summer?  Well, at Caribbean Journal, we view the Caribbean as a full-fledged year-round destination, with something to offer at every time of year. And while there are plenty of reasons to visit the Caribbean during the summer, one overshadows all else: it’s all about the beach. If you love the beach, the water and the ocean you simply must visit the Caribbean in the Summer.  The water is warmer, clearer and calmer  and everything you do in and around the water is better in the summer, whether you’re kayaking, paddle boarding, boating or just bobbing with a rum punch in hand. And unlike most southern cities in the US during the summer, you can dine al fresco at night thanks to cool ocean breezes.  That’s in addition to smaller crowds, lower rates, more availability and more last minute options. Yes, for many people, the Caribbean is an even better destination in the summer. Here are 10 islands we think you’ll love right now.

Virgin Gorda

It’s remarkable that this island in the British Virgin Islands still manages to have remained under the radar after all the years. In many ways an English-speaking St Barth, this archipelagic outpost is beautiful, luxurious but decidedly relaxed. And there are so many ways to enjoy it, whether in a hillside bungalow at the Bitter End Yacht Club, a cliffside suite at Oil Nut Bay, or renting a jeep and a villa and simply exploring the wonders of the island, from The Baths to Savannah Bay.

The post The 10 Best Caribbean Islands to Visit This Summer appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s hard to find a beach in the Exumas that isn’t jaw-droppingly beautiful.

One of the best? Tropic of Cancer Beach in Little Exuma, a wide white-sand strand that’s just about always empty.

Here’s what it’s like to be there with the latest Caribbean Moment:

The post VIDEO: 16 Seconds on the Beach in Little Exuma appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Puerto Rico has one of the hottest art scenes in the Caribbean, and now the island’s St. Regis Bahia Beach hotel is offering guests a new way to experience it.

It’s called the Art Visionary Program, and it’s the result of a partnership with San Juan’s Walter Otero Contemporary Art.

The program invites top Puerto Rican artists to come to the hotel and create works while on property.

Its first launch is a project with artist Jose Julio Martinez, an artist with a plein air practice and loose brushstrokes with thick layers of oil paint.

Other artists participating in the program are William Maldonado, Arnaldo Roche Rabell and Ricardo Morales-Hernandez.

The post This Caribbean Hotel’s Creative New Art Program appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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New program looks to spur agricultural development

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Governor Alejandro García Padilla presented the titles for 26 family farms to a group of farmers who, as part of an agreement with the government, will use the land for the purpose of developing agricultural projects.

The Family Farms program is an initiative led by the Land Authority to rescue the abandoned fincas, or farms, and offer them to families in rural areas of the country, along with the necessary resources to develop them.

These families have agricultural experience but lacked the financial resources to purchase a farm.

In providing these land grants, the García Padilla administration aims to advance the territory’s Food Safety Plan long term.

“With great pride, today announced the delivery of 26 titles, covering more than 331 acres of land, you, the farmers who have worked,” Padilla Garcia said. “We have reached the goal of delivering 126 titles from 2013, representing 3,250 acres of land. We are impacting much of our beloved island, as we have family farms in Adjuntas, Ciales, Camuy, San Sebastián, Maricao, Barranquitas, Añasco, Corozal, Las Marias and Jayuya. And today I can proudly say that the group of vacant farms have already been processed in leasing and usufruct all that were available for agricultural development.”

The delivery of these family farms is part of the government’s wider policy focusing on the role of agriculture as an economic engine in Puerto Rico.

The post In Puerto Rico, Creating Farms for Families appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Exuma has some of the most beautiful water anywhere in the world; it is a boater’s paradise, filled with uninhabited islands and cays, exotic beaches and far-off sandbars. But when you’re on land, one place to stay is special: the Grand Isle Resort and Spa.

The island’s top hotel is a relaxed but luxurious place set on the beautiful crescent of Emerald Bay.

This is what it’s like to check in.

The post The Best Place to Stay in Great Exuma: Grand Isle Resort and Spa appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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