Since 1954, it’s been one of the Caribbean’s iconic resorts.

And now it’s back.

Jamaica’s Half Moon has reopened its signature Founders Cove resort, Caribbean Journal has learned.

The reopening comes after Half Moon recently relaunched its newest addition, the stunning Eclipse at Half Moon resort.

Founders Cove at Half Moon, the luxury property’s original resort, has long been one of the most renowned places to stay in the Caribbean, with the Montego Bay-area resort welcoming guests from Queen Elizabeth II to John F. Kennedy since it first opened in 1954.

The resort, set right on the sand of the 400-acre resort’s original beach, is set across 10 different “cottages,” some with private pools.

One of those cottages was famously used as a filming location in the James Bond film “Live and Let Die.”

“Framed by the glistening Caribbean Sea to the north and the lush hillsides to the south, Founders Cove embraces the rich history and natural beauty of Jamaica, expansive outdoor spaces and specially-curated experiences,” the property said in a statement.

The reopening of Founders Cove completes the property’s relaunch; shortly after Jamaica reopened for tourism in June, Half Moon began welcoming guests to its Rose Hall Villas resort.

All three resorts are operating under enhanced health and safety measures.

That ranges from masks required for hotel guests, temperature checks for all service professionals and physical distancing across the property, among others.

“Throughout our resort, Half Moon has increased its already-rigorous cleaning protocols,” the property said.

Half Moon has been managed by Salamander Hotels and Resorts since last year.

Jamaica is open for tourism; you can find more on the country’s travel protocols here.

For more, visit Half Moon Jamaica.

– CJ

The post Jamaica’s Half Moon Reopens Founders Cove Resort appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The new Secrets St Martin, which had just opened its doors in March before the pandemic closed the global tourism industry, is set to reopen, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The all-inclusive resort on St Martin’s Anse Marcel will reopen on Jan. 29, 2021, according to a reopening update from parent company AMResorts. 

Secrets St Martin is only AMResorts property in the wider Caribbean that has not yet reopened. 

The reopening of the resort, originally slated for November, was pushed back as the French side of St Martin remained closed for international tourism. 

With the destination’s recent reopening, the property is now poised for its relaunch. 

It’s the only all-inclusive on the French side of St Martin, and the only AMResorts property in the French Caribbean. 

For more, visit Secrets St Martin.

— CJ

The post New St Martin All-Inclusive to Reopen in January appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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There’s no one on the beach at Matt Lowe’s Cay, just a row of dancing palm trees. 

The water is that unmistakable cerulean that you only find in the Sea of Abaco, a shade unique in The Bahamas, a destination with its own encyclopedia of blues. 

There’s too much of a chill to take the dinghy to the sand; but it doesn’t even matter. 

All you need to do is look and feel the crisp air and admire the beauty of this place. 

This is the essence of The Bahamas: the water, the quiet, the natural environment, the endless rewards for making the journey. 

It’s the feeling of adventure — that, even just for a day, you’ve discovered this little cay just for yourself. 

And none of that has changed, even as the last 15 months have put Abaco to the greatest test in its history, a hurricane followed six months later by a pandemic. 

Abaco is in the process of being reborn, from the constant rise of steel in Marsh Harbour to the marvelous renaissance of the Abaco Beach Resort.

And you can really only see it on a boat, the way Abaco is meant to be seen, the reason Abaco has always sung a siren song for lovers of the sea. 

We’re exploring Abaco on a MarineMax 362, the newest boat on the Sea of Abaco and a thrilling power catamaran that’s just about designed for these waters. 

In a significant step for Abaco, MarineMax Vacations just opened its first-ever base in The Bahamas in Marsh Harbour this month, partnering with Navigare Yachting to offer a special kind of experience for the archipelago. 

It’s based at the Conch Inn Marina, which is itself in the midst of a dramatic transformation project — because, as you begin to see, all of Abaco is rebuilding in earnest. 

THE NEXT STOP is Man-o-War Cay, a place whose legendary history cannot be broken by a storm. 

It was here that the Albury family cultivated what has become the home of the most storied boatbuilders in The Bahamas, and a stop here is almost an obligatory tribute. 

The more stops you make, the more you being to marvel, not just how much is open and how much is back, but how much there is to discover. 

You can tie up at the lovely Firefly Sunset, for a lunch or a night, or head for Green Turtle Cay, or journey south to Little Harbour, get a slip at the Abaco Yacht Club and spend a day sipping Kalik at Pete’s Pub. 

Or you can just go find a little cay somewhere in the Sea of Abaco, and make it your own. 

Of course, it’s this boat that is making the journey, a customized Aquila 36 that’s equally adept at adventure and entertainment. 

To put it plainly, this thing can go.

It’s the perfect way to get around Abaco quickly, meaning you can see and enjoy more of the islands than you otherwise might. 

But it’s also a sleek, ultra-comfortable boat that’s designed for having fun; whether you’re sunning on the wonderful fold-out seats on the bow or listening to the spectacular sound system or enjoying an evening rum by the neon LED lighting. 

THE FINAL, ESSENTIAL stop is Elbow Cay, the centuries-old pulse of these little islands, home to the symbol of Abaco — the red-and-white-striped lighthouse on Elbow Reef, the only manned lighthouse on earth still powered by kerosene. 

And as you draw in to Elbow Cay and you see those stripes, still intact, still brilliant against the green of the palms and the mangroves, you’re reminded that Abaco hasn’t gone anywhere. 

And this is the way to discover it again. 

For more, visit MarineMax Vacations.

The Bahamas is open for tourism, with entry protocols centered around a five-day PCR test requirement (you can find more information here). 

— CJ

The post In The Bahamas, Rediscovering Abaco by Boat appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Le Carbet: that little corner of Martinique’s northwestern coast near Saint Pierre, a quaint fishing village that’s turned into one of the Caribbean’s coolest beach towns. 

And the place that largely kicked off Le Carbet’s renaissance was Guy Ferdinand’s Le Petibonum, a Mecca for beach bar lovers, a constantly-evolving destination for food, rum and French Caribbean cool. 

And what began as a beach bar has, in recent years, added everything from a Rhum Agricole tasting bar right on the sand to a full-fledged Pizzeria. 

And Le Petibonum’s latest creation solves what has long been the place’s only problem: having to leave at closing time. 

It’s called Le Petibonum Boat Hotel, and it means you can now spend all day at Le Petibonum and then spend the night right offshore — as many days as you want.  

The floating hotel is a souped-up Lagoon 45 S catamaran with four cabins, gourmet food and, naturally, the best rhum from Martinique.

It also includes your own ti’ punch bar on the deck (above). 

The hotel is under the full-time supervision of on-board skipper Anthony, with three meals a day served on board by Le Petibonum’s Chef, Bruno.

Because that’s, of course, the hotel’s greatest amenity: Le Petibonum itself.  

If you’re not staying at the hotel, there is an option of reserving private meals depending on availability, and the Boat Hotel is also offering stays as brief as one night. 

“It’s an amazing product,” Ferdinand tells Caribbean Journal. “You have rhum, fish, sun, sea, French food. It’s a dream.”

That sounds about right. 

You can see more in the video here: 

For more, visit the Petibonum Boat Hotel. 

— CJ

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