By Guy Britton

Zip lines come in many shapes and sizes, but this one is different. Very different. 

The Flying Dutchman at Rainforest Adventures on St Maarten is the steepest zip line in the world.

It’s an essential St Maarten experience, plunging more than 1,000 feet down and traversing more than 2,800 feet.

As amazing as the Flying Dutchman experience is, at the already-legendary adventure park,  the “zip” is only part of the experience. 

And this is especially true at the Rainforest Adventures location on St Maarten, which first made its debut in April of last year.  

It’s the steepest zip line in the world.

It’s a major addition to the St Maarten vacation and cruise experience ,and a place well worth going even if you don’t ride the zip line.

There’s even a tube surfing ride that goes 657 feet down a field of sloped tubes that’s particularly great for kids.

And then there are the lifts, just like the ones you’d find at a high-end ski resort like Aspen or Vail. 

The lift traverses over 2,997 feet and are worth the ride just for the experience and the views 

And when you get to the top, you’ll discover one of the finest views you will find anywhere in the Caribbean.   

When you’re up here, up here at 1,125 feet, St Maarten’s famous airport and the planes below look like tiny toys.  But there’s only one way to get up here — and it’s worth it.

Up at the top, there’s a climbing trail and hiking course that offers challenges and views in equal measure. 

There’s even a little cafe (to be precise, a cooler and a nice guy) at the top where you can get refreshments and take in the views while snapping photos and then enjoy the ride of your life back down.

It’s part of a wider destination that’s been built on the 436,000-square-meter Rockland Estate that was once the home of the legendary Emilio Wilson, who negotiated the purchase of the entire property in 1954. (It’s also home to the namesake Emilio’s, one of the best places to eat in St Maarten).

Along with the lifts and zip lines great effort has been taken to preserve the natural landscape and cultural heritage here.

There’s even a museum to to help educate the public about the legacy of Emilio Wilson and how he so enterprisingly acquired the vast lands, about his life during those times. 

What it all adds up to is an authentic St Maarten adventure — and one that you won’t soon forget.  

For more, visit Rainforest Adventures St Maarten.

See more in the latest CJ Video.

The post In St Maarten, the Ultimate Caribbean Zip Line appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Ultra-luxe boutique cruise line Regent Seven Seas is expanding its network of ports in the Caribbean region, the company said this week.

Regent Seven Seas will be adding three new ports in the Caribbean for the upcoming 2021-2022 season, including Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; Terre de Haut in the Guadeloupe archipelago; and Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

It’s part of a wider expansion for Regent for the 2021 cruise season that includes a record number of overnight stays.

Regent Seven Seas’ newest ship.

The latter will include a number of overnight stops for the all-suite cruise line in the Caribbean, including Bridgetown, Barbados and Port Antonio, Jamaica.

“These voyages represent the most stunning and ambitious collection in our company’s history. We are sailing to even more legendary and lesser-known destinations highlighted by included immersive land experiences in every port,” said Jason Montague, president and chief executive officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “Whether searching for an exciting adventure, a new way to unwind or for something entirely different, we invite luxury travelers to find it with Regent and discover their next unrivaled experience, with the highest levels of elegance, comfort and hospitality on board.”

Regent has a fleet of four ships: Seven Seas Explorer, Seven Seas Mariner, Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Voyager in its global fleet.

— CJ

The post Regent Seven Seas Is Adding New Caribbean Ports appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By Alexander Britell

There are certain hotels in the Caribbean that manage to transcend the world of hospitality and enter a realm reserved for legends.

They’re hotels that become destinations, that become bucket-list stops, that become part of the tapestry of Caribbean history.

The Bitter End Yacht Club is one of them.

And for decades, this family-owned 64-acre outpost on the North Sound of Virgin Gorda in the BVI was precisely that, a Mecca for sailors, yachters and all those seeking to add the Bitter End to their own stories.

That was why when Hurricane Irma came and stole away the hotel, the Bitter End never left, tucked in the hearts and minds of those who worked there and those who made it their temporary home for a week or two every year.

The fate of the Bitter End has been top of mind for many Caribbean aficionados over the last few years, as travelers have wondered over the future of their beloved BVI outpost.

And now, two years later, the Bitter End is making its long-awaited comeback.

The Hokin family, which owns the resort, is calling it Bitter End 2.0.

And the reimagined Bitter End will begin with a focus on its heart and soul: yachts, yachtsmen and yachtswomen, the resort said in a statement to guests.

“We have been asked many times, ‘Is Bitter End going to be different?’ or ‘Is Bitter End going to be exactly as it was prior to the storm?’ Hurricane Irma didn’t leave us with an easy answer to either question,” the property said. “What Irma left us with was an unwavering commitment to Bitter End’s spirit and character.”

That means the moorings and docks will be back, along with a new marina lounge.

The Bitter End will also debut a new Clubhouse, this time as a waterfront restaurant and a beach bar, along with watersports, beach services and the Bitter End’s famous club fleet, a massive fleet of watercraft for guests that was always one of the hotel’s prized amenities.

The upcoming 2019-2020 season will see the relaunch of the General Store, along with the return of the Reeftique fashion store.

The centerpiece of the transformed marina will be a new two-story, open-air marina building, with enhanced Wi-Fi, shore power and a new kind of meeting and gathering space.

While it’s not yet clear when the Bitter End will relaunch any rooms or cottages, the Bitter End’s comeback is an essential part of what has been an inspiring tourism renaissance for the BVI in the last two years.

For more, visit the Bitter End Yacht Club.

— CJ

The post The Caribbean’s Iconic Bitter End Yacht Club Is Coming Back appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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By the Caribbean Journal staff

Sunwing is continuing its Caribbean-Mexico expansion with a pair of new routes to the increasingly popular destination of Mazatlan.

The Canadian travel giant is launching direct flights from both Ottawa and Quebec City to Mazatlan, the company announced this week.

The Ottawa flights will run from Dec. 17 through April 14, 2020.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming tourists from Ottawa on the first-ever direct flight service to México’s Only Colonial City on the Beach, a destination with a beautiful mixture of real Mexico culture and 20 kilometers of swimmable beaches”, said Julio Birrueta, Director of the Mazatlán Tourism Board. “Guests will not only have the opportunity to enjoy great seafood, regional cuisine and a wide variety of activities and local tours, but they will also find authentic hospitality from the local mazatlecos”, he added.

The new Quebec City will launch Dec. 17 as well, running through April 14, 2020.

“We are delighted to be offering this pristine Pacific Mexican destination to our customers in Quebec City this winter. Mazatlán offers an enticing blend of culture, heritage and natural beauty and we’re sure it will be a popular choice,” said Sam Char, executive vice president for Sunwing Travel Group in Quebec.

Mazatlan has been seeing an increase in airlift from a number of carriers, particularly out of the Canadian market.

— CJ

The post Sunwing Launching More Flights to Mazatlan appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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