The post Real Estate Sales Are Surging at the BVI’s Oil Nut Bay appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

Another Caribbean island has officially lifted all of its travel health requirements for visitors, Caribbean Journal has confirmed. 

Thanks to this week’s decision by the French government, visitors to Martinique no longer have to proof of a negative test or vaccination in order to enter the island. 

In other words, traveling to Martinique is, “as it was in 2019,” the Martinique Tourism Authority’s Monique Macaire told Caribbean Journal. 

That means you book your flight to Martinique and show up, pre-pandemic style. 

It’s a well-timed move for Martinique, following the recent expansion of flight service to the island by American Airlines. 

American Airlines is now operating four weekly flights between Miami and Martinique’s Aime Cesaire International Airport, with nonstop flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. 

Martinique is the latest in an expanding group of destinations that no longer require any testing or vaccination proof for travelers.

That includes destinations like Jamaica, Grenada and the US Virgin Islands, among others. 

For more, visit Martinique. 

The post The Caribbean Island of Martinique Just Lifted All Travel Rules appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

One world-famous Tour just concluded, with almost 200 entrants traversing the entirety of France. 

Another Tour just began, half a world away; but this one is far, far bigger, spanning the entire Caribbean and beyond. 

Except the participants don’t even know they’re in the race. 

The Tour de Turtles has officially begun, the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s annual “race” that follows the movements of critically endangered sea turtles across the Caribbean Basin. 

The Tour, which first launched in 2008, “is a fun, educational journey through the science, research and geography of sea turtle migration using satellite telemetry,” according to the Gainesville, Fla.-based Sea Turtle Conservancy. 

It starts each year on Aug. 1, following the journeys of turtles fitted with satellite trackers from nesting beaches in the Caribbean. 

It’s divided into two flights: leatherback turtles and non-leatherbacks (chelonians). 

The tour kicked off in earnest last week at the Four Seasons Resort Nevis, where the STC, in partnership with Four Seasons and the Nevis Turtle Group, holds an annual Sea Turtle Week. 

This year’s Four Seasons Nevis event, which included nightly “turtle walks” on typical nesting beaches on the island, led to two turtles being tagged, released and then tracked: a hawksbill turtle named Brownie and a leatherback turtle called Splash. 

And Brownie is already in the lead, having departed Nevis and already made its way north of Puerto Rico. Splash, on the other hand, seems to be remaining in the waters around Nevis for further nesting. 

“It’s just for fun — they don’t know they’re in the race, but they’re raising awareness,” says David Godfrey, executive director of the Sea Turtle Conservancy, who was in Nevis with a research team for the event. 

In the leatherback category, a turtle named Big Blue (supported by Atlantis Paradise Island), has already traveled nearly 2,000 miles since the start of the Tour de Turtles, journeying from the Caribbean waters off Costa Rica all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. 

The “winning” turtle is the one who has swum the furthest distance during the migration marathon, which lasts another three months. 

Tracking of sea turtles has shed enormous light on the endangered creatures over more than a half century, from nesting patterns to migration. 

And it’s helped to shine the spotlight on the need to protect these marvelous, mysterious sea creatures, who face continued threats, both from humans who hunt them for food and shells to the ongoing menace of climate change. 

“While we may not know the outcome of the race, one thing is certain: saving sea turtles is a marathon, not a sprint,” the STC says. 

For more, visit the Tour de Turtles. 

The post The Caribbean’s Tour de Turtles  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

JetBlue Airways is relaunching its service to Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board confirmed that the New York City-based carrier will be relaunching what is right now its only flight service to the French Caribbean. 

Beginning Nov. 5, JetBlue will operate three flights per week between New York’s John F. Kennedy International’s Airport and Pointe a Pitre International Airport. 

JetBlue will be operating the service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. 

It’s a significant boost for a wonderfully diverse destination that still remains far off the radar of most travelers. 

The flights accompany existing service from New York to Guadeloupe currently operated by Air France. 

Are you heading to Guadeloupe? 

It’s important to remember that Guadeloupe is actually an archipelago, with two main islands, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, separated by a narrow channel; and a number of smaller islands reachable by ferry service: Terre de Haut, Marie-Galante and La Desirade among others. 

The destination ranges from lush rainforests to sparkling beaches, with a rum industry that’s among the most robust in the Caribbean. 

That’s particularly true on the island of Marie-Galante, a laid-back beach destination that just so happens to have three terrific rum distilleries on an island of around 10,000 people. 

And then there’s Terre de Haut, the centerpiece of the marvelous Les Saintes chain of islets, along with the naturally beautiful La Desirade. 

For more, visit Guadeloupe. 

The post JetBlue Restarting Flights to Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico

There are so many resorts clamoring for the travelers’ attention in the Caribbean that it’s easy to overlook smaller but more budget-friendly hotels where it’s still possible to book a room for under $100 a night.

The tradeoff for paying top dollar may be fewer amenities (though even most small hotels in the Caribbean have at least a swimming pool) or an off-the-beach location, but you’re also more likely to stay in a property that’s locally owned and more integrated into the community. (And some of our picks are actually set right on the beach).

If you’re mode of travel is less about being pampered and more about experiencing a destination without breaking the bank, consider a stay at one of these affordable Caribbean hotels, each of which has off-season room rates starting at less than $100 per night.

Dover Beach Hotel, Barbados Not only is this pocketbook-friendly 59-room hotel located on lovely Dover Beach, it’s just steps away from all of the dining and nightlife of St. Lawrence Gap. Six room categories offer a variety of stay options, and the hotel has a pool, spa, restaurant and bar in addition to direct access to one of the top beaches on Barbados.

The post Caribbean Hotels Where You Can Stay for Less Than $100 a Night appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

Powered by WPeMatico