St. Kitts has been one of the fastest growing travel destinations over the past decade, adding resorts like the Park Hyatt at Christophe Harbour and the Koi Resort on Half Moon Bay, as well as new attractions like the St. Kitts Eco Park and the Sky Safari Zipline at Romney Manor. On an island with ample opportunities for adventure — or the option of finding a quiet spot on Turtle Beach and doing not much at all — here are our picks for St. Kitts’ must-see attractions right now. (For more on the island’s health protocols, see here).

Take a Trip on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway

Sugar was once king on St. Kitts, and while cultivation has all but vanished from the island since 2005, the Sugar Train rattles on, now filled with tourists rather than sugarcane. The St. Kitts Scenic Railway offers excursions in open-air, double-decker train cars over 18 miles of narrow-gauge tracks built between 1912 and 1926. Roughly half on rail, half by tour bus, the tour includes long stretches along the northeast coast of St. Kitts, passing by the ruins of old sugar plantations, over tall railway bridges spanning deep gauts, and offering views of sites like the Brimstone Hill fortress and Mt. Liamuiga.

Conquer Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park

The mighty fortress looming over St. Kitts west coast is as dusky as its name implies. Hewn from local volcanic rock, the fortress was raised and improved — largely using labor from enslaved people — over the course of a century starting in 1690 as British colonists sought to protect their settlements from French naval attack. The quality of the fort’s construction (as well as subsequent restoration efforts) is such that the place looks like the garrison might have fled the place only yesterday. Set on 800-foot Brimstone Hill, the polygonal fortress is open daily for tours that explain the citadel’s long history and also offer spectacular views from its still sturdy battlements.

Tour Basseterre, the Capital of St. Kitts

Basseterre is “town” on St. Kitts, the capital city and center of commerce for the island’s 50,000 or so residents. The only place on St. Kitts that you’re likely to employ words like “busy” or “bustling,” Basseterre’s crowds are a mix of locals and cruise ship passengers disembarked at the pier at nearby Port Zante. The flavor of the place, however, still tilts away from touristy, and Basseterre is full of interesting historical relics. The central traffic hub, known as the Circus, is a nod to London’s Piccadilly Circus, with a prominent green clock known as the Berkeley Memorial at its center, for example.

Summit Mt. Liamuiga

It’s never too hard to break a sweat in the tropics, but you’re likely to be drenched by the time you reach the summit of 3,792-foot Mt. Liamuiga — not just the high point on St. Kitts but also the entire Leeward Islands. Formerly known as Mount Misery, the peak is a stratovolcano that has mostly slumberesd since the mid 19th century, although local earthquakes prove that Mt. Liamuiga isn’t quite dead yet. Several trails snake up the mountain to vantage points overlooking the dormant caldera near the summit; the roughly four-mile hike from the village of St. Pauls takes between 3 and 4 hours to complete. Local guides can lead you though the rainforest to the top.

Shop and Zip at Romney Manor

Romney Manor cobbles together enough fun stuff to appeal to almost every interest. History? The grounds of Romney Manor and the Wingfield Estate have it in abundance, from Carib petroglyphs to the ruins of a sugar plantation and a historic home that once belonged to the great, great, great grandfather of Thomas Jefferson. Shopping? Souvenir hunters will love the vivid colors of the clothing for sale at the Caribelle Batik factory, and visitors can also see how these handmade shirts, dresses, wraps, and more are made on-site. Adventure? The Sky Safari zip line at Romney Manor has five lines, with some spanning a 250-foot deep valley and the Wingfield River, including a dual racing line. Nearby are hiking trails that allow you to explore the surrounding rainforest.

Eat at a Beach Shack on Frigate Bay

If you’re staying at the St. Kitts Marriott, you’re in luck: one of the island’s most authentic dining and nightlife scenes is just a short walk from your hotel. Frigate Bay on the southwest coast of St. Kitts is lined with seemingly tumbledown beach shacks serving local food and strong drink, but appearances aside many of these eateries have been in operation for generations. Mr. X’s Shiggedy Shack is probably the most famous; like its neighbors, the open-air bar/restaurant serves up a mix of live music, grilled chicken and seafood, pizza and potent rum cocktails.

Get Your Obligatory Selfie on Timothy Hill

A single snaking road leads to the beaches, bars and resorts on the southern end of St. Kitts, which remains a relatively undeveloped part of the island. As you enjoy the up and down journey (St. Kitts is literally made of hills), be sure to stop for pictures atop Timothy Hill, which offers a panoramic view of the island, including the narrow strip of landing separating the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.

The post 7 Ways to Experience St Kitts Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The Caribbean’s fastest-growing carrier has added another daily route to the region, this time to the island of Puerto Rico. 

This week, Frontier Airlines kicked off new daily nonstop service from Tampa, Fla. to San Juan, Puerto Rico, another new route for what has been the fastest-expanding airline in the Caribbean amid the pandemic. 

The new daily service officially began on June 23, representing yet another route for Frontier to Puerto Rico, which itself has been one for the region’s top performing tourism destinations.

Puerto Rico has seen surging air arrival growth amid the pandemic, a trend buoyed in large part by the fact that travelers don’t need a passport to travel to the destination. 

That was easily the island’s biggest draw at the heart of the pandemic, even when its health protocols were relatively restrictive, and has helped pave the way for continued arrival growth in the last year and a half. 

“We are thrilled to expand our service from San Juan to now include Tampa, a highly popular destination in Florida among residents of Puerto Rico for both visiting friends and relatives and enjoying the area’s attractions,” said Daniel Shurz, senior vice president of commercial, Frontier Airlines. “Connecting San Juan to Tampa offers even more opportunities to travel to the U.S. mainland affordably and conveniently via Frontier’s ‘Low Fares Done Right’ as well as bring more tourists and additional economic impact to Puerto Rico.”

The new flight represents an economic impact of $34 million, according to Carlos Mercado Santiago, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

It also amounts to 65,700 annual seats to the island. 

“We are excited for this new flight bringing Puerto Rico closer to Tampa Bay residents. This route complements an expansive list of non-stop routes the airline offers to the Island from the mainland U.S., benefiting the Puerto Rican diaspora in the area and allowing other Floridians the opportunity to explore everything Puerto Rico has to offer, from breathtaking beaches to authentic cultural experiences, and above all, the Puerto Rican way of enjoying life. This new connection will allow Tampa residents to fully immerse themselves in our style, rhythm, and unique way of living, showing them what it truly means to ‘Live Boricua.’ Without the need for a passport, currency exchange or new phone plan, and with new routes continuing to be added, traveling to Puerto Rico is easier than ever.”

Frontier now flies from 10 airports in the mainland United States to San Juan. 

The carrier also operates service between Orlando and Puerto Rico’s second-largest airport, Rafael Hernandez International Airport in Aguadilla, the gateway to the island’s west coast and popular destinations like Rincon. 

The post Frontier Continues Caribbean Expansion With New Daily Puerto Rico Flights  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Martinique is an island in the Caribbean, and one of the region’s most fascinating destinations.

But it’s very much the French Caribbean. When it comes to choosing a hotel, that means a lot of unfamiliar names (no Marriotts or Hiltons here), although this island in the Lesser Antilles does have a Club Med with its classic blend of all-inclusive dining and unique activities.

Navigating the island’s hotel landscape isn’t always easy, so that’s why we’re here to help. Here are the hotels we love to say bonjour to when we visit Martinique.

Hotel Plein Soleil

With just 16 rooms and a location that eschews the beach in favor of lofty tropical gardens, the Hotel Plein Soleil overlooks the ocean from atop Pointe Thalemont. Spacious rooms and suites include units with private pools and expansive terraces. The hotel’s east coast location is not only comfortably off the typical hotel grid but also convenient to one of Martinique’s top attractions, the Clement rum distillery. In short, it’s the best hotel on the island.

The post The Best Hotels in Martinique, From Boutique Stays to Beach Resorts appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s been one of the hottest destinations in the Caribbean amid the pandemic and now Antigua and Barbuda is set for even more airlift with demand at an “all-time high.”

American Airlines has announced it will be increasing its flights to the twin-island destination, with plans to extend its daily service from New York to Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport through the early fall and winter tourist seasons. 

The new schedule means Antigua and Barbuda will now be seeing seven flights as week fro mNew York through at least the end of this year. 

“Demand for Antigua and Barbuda is extremely strong at this moment, and from all indications and feedback from our airline and hotel partners who are working to keep up with the surge in consumer demand, we will have a significantly busy summer straight into winter similar to what was experienced last year,” said Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Minister Charles Fernandez. 

The new flights compliment existing service from Miami, which American Airlines is operating daily.

They’re the product of a consistent, determined lobby effort by Antiguan tourism officials, according to Colin C. James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. 

“Demand is at an all-time high and we are pleased with the renewed confidence that American Airlines has placed in Antigua, by putting on these additional flights,” James said. “We now have some remarkably strong lift coming into Antigua.”

Antigua is already seeing sizzling tourism numbers, with arrival figures nearing what had been the destination’s previous tourism record in 2019. 

So what do travelers need to know about visiting Antigua and Barbuda? 

Fully vaccinated travelers (meaning those with either two doses of a two-shot vaccine or one of a single-dose vaccine) no longer need to show a negative test to enter the destination. 

Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors must present a negative PCR test taken no more than three days before arrival or a rapid antigen test taken no more than 24 hours prior to arrival in Antigua. 

Unvaccinated minors between 5 and 18 must present either a PCR within 72 hours or a rapid antigen result within 24 hours prior to arrival. 

Children under five do not need to test prior to arriving in Antigua and Barbuda. 

For more, visit Antigua and Barbuda. 

The post American Airlines Adds Antigua Flights as Demand at “All-Time High” appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The long-awaited debut of the Rock House resort in Turks and Caicos is finally here. 

The cliffside residential resort very quietly opened its doors last month, Caribbean Journal confirmed. 

The property, set on a 14-acre site with 600 feet of water frontage (and 350 feet of beachfront), is a very different kind of resort for Providenciales, thanks to its elevation, rising to as high as 95 feet above sea level.  

Rock House features a collection of 46 accommodations ranging from poolside studios to two-bedroom oceanfront homes. 

It’s the latest development for Grace Bay Resorts, best known for its signature Grace Bay Club on Grace Bay Beach, the West Bay Club and the boutique Point Grace that’s now part of its portfolio. 

And it’s another new luxury property to join what is one of the region’s more impressive portfolios of high-level resorts, anchored of course by Turks and Caicos’ signature luxury resort, the renowned Shore Club on Long Bay Beach. 

Indeed, Rock House is the second major resort to debut in Turks and Caicos in the last year, following last summer’s high-profile debut of the stunning new Ritz-Carlton, Grace Bay. 

And while it’s a residential resort, the amenities are robust. 

That includes three dining concepts: the Beach Club, the Cave Bar and the Sunset Bar. And then there’s the centerpiece 100-foot-long infinity pool set right on an oceanfront cliff. 

The Beach Club is what Grace Bay Resorts calls a “hip and trendy bar and restaurant,” while the Cave Bar focuses on “handcrafted cocktails.”

The Sunset Bar, another cocktail spot, is all about the view, especially in the late hours of the day. 

The resort provides service across several “lounging areas,” with personalized cuisine and drinks and towel service for guests around the property. 

Turks and Caicos has been seeing sizzling visitor numbers amid the pandemic; Rock House’s debut is yet another boost for the islands.

The destination updated its entry protocols last month, lifting testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers. 

For more, visit Turks and Caicos.

The post There’s a New Cliffside Resort in Turks and Caicos  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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