Sandals Resorts International will be opening its highly-anticipated new resort in Curacao in June. 

The new Sandals Royal Curacao, set at the former Santa Barbara resort in one of the island’s most stunning locations, is now taking reservations beginning June 1, 2022. 

It will become the 16th Sandals resort, and the ninth destination in the Caribbean for the Caribbean’s most famous all-inclusive brand. 

And, more importantly, it’s the first-ever Sandals outside of the English-speaking Caribbean. 

“We are proud to announce an expansion to the brand-new destination – the beautiful dutch-inspired island of Curaçao,” the company said in a statement. 

The 350-room-and-suite resort, set on 3,000 acres of Curacao’s Spanish Water Bay, will have 11 dining concepts, including three new food trucks, along with the brand’s new Mini Cooper experience for select room categories. 

It will also debut some firsts for the company. 

That includes Sandals’ first-ever Awa Seaside Bungalows, each of which comes with its own private pool; along with its new Kurason Island Suites, which overlook a heart-shaped pool; and a new two-level infinity pool called Dos Awa. 

The resort is also home to one of just a handful of Pete Dye-designed golf courses in the Caribbean: the Old Quarry, one of the region’s most renowned 18-hole tracks.

The entry of Sandals to the market continues a growing trend of all-inclusive development on the Dutch Caribbean island, from Zoetry’s first-ever Curacao resort to a new all-inclusive by Hilton.

For more, visit Sandals Royal Curacao.

The post Sandals to Debut New Curacao All-Inclusive in June  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Fully vaccinated US travelers no longer need to take a test to travel to the United States Virgin Islands. 

The destination’s Department of Tourism announced the move this week, which means travelers can simply submit proof of vaccination in lieu of an entry test. 

Notably, the US Virgin Islands is exempt from the CDC’s return test requirement, meaning the US Virgin Islands is the unique Caribbean destination where vaccinated travelers can travel without taking a test on either leg of their trip. 

In other words, if you’re vaccinated, the US Virgin Islands is a test-free Caribbean vacation. 

“Fully vaccinated” means it’s been more than 14 days since a traveler took their final vaccine dose. 

Partially or unvaccinated US travelers must continue to show proof of a negative test, either antigen or PCR, within five days before arrival in the US Virgin Islands. 

US travelers aged 5-17 must provide a negative test or show proof of vaccination. 

It’s the latest step in what has been a model for Caribbean tourism management amid the pandemic, from the USVI’s class-leading Travel Screening Portal to an innovative vaccine-focused events strategy. 

That’s led the US Virgin Islands to some of the strongest tourism numbers in all of the Caribbean since the onset of the pandemic, along with sizzling airlift growth.

“Safety has always been and continues to be our first concern for both residents and visitors of the USVI,” said US Virgin Islands Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte. “As we closely monitor the COVID-19 cases within the Territory, we continue to see a trend of declining positive cases which gives us an optimistic outlook on the future of tourism in the destination and the confidence to loosen the restrictions on visitation from the U.S.  We are hopeful that these new requirements through our user-friendly portal will give travelers the confidence that their health is our top priority.”

For more, visit the US Virgin Islands. 

The post The US Virgin Islands Just Waived Testing for Vaccinated Travelers  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Secrets is set to open its newest all-inclusive in the region next month, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The new Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen will open its doors on April 18, according to Apple Leisure Group’s AMR Collection, which is now part of Hyatt. 

It’s the latest in a growing all-inclusive expansion for Hyatt and its brands, and the newest Secrets resort in the wider Caribbean. 

The hotel, about 10 minutes from Playa del Carmen’s Quinta Avenida, has a total of 485 suites set on a “pristine strip of white sandy beach,” according to AMR. 

The hotel has Secrets’ “unlimited luxury” program, which includes unlimited dining, unlimited drinks, 24-hour room service, pool and beach wait service and even in-room rolling bars. 

It’s also home to a Secrets Spa by Pevonia, with 16 treatment rooms (including five VIP double treatment rooms), a hammam, a full-service beauty salon and a spa-only outdoor pool with pressure jets and waterfalls. 

The centerpiece of the resort is a broad pool system, from cenote-style plunge pools to traditional pools and even canals. 

In all, there are nine “water body experiences” at the property, according to a statement. 

It’s the 12th Secrets-branded resort in Mexico, one of 18 in the wider Caribbean region. It’s the first major Secrets to debut since the highly-anticipated Secrets St Martin in the French Caribbean.

All Secrets resorts are adults-only. 

For more, visit Secrets Moxche Playa del Carmen. 

The post Secrets to Open New All-Inclusive in Playa del Carmen  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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They’re scattered across the Caribbean, accessible only by boat, rum-filled oases of marine merriment. 

They’re the Caribbean’s floating bars, those sought-after island idylls belonging to a very tiny pantheon. 

They’re all classics: Happy island, the Willy T; Floyd’s Pelican Bar; and, most recently, the floating taco bar called Lime Out, off the coast of St John. 

And now there’s another one. 

It’s called Noah’s Ark, and it’s the sort of place no wise dove would ever leave in search of land. 

Freshly opened in the last few months, it’s a classic floating bar, set just off the coast of Little Water Cay near Providenciales in Turks and Caicos. 

It’s open every day from 10 AM to sunset; the bar offers regular ferry service from the nearby Blue Haven Marina (dial +16492450276 to reserve), with a $20 price tag that includes a welcome cocktail. 

The bar also rents itself out for events and the like. 

And it’s quickly become one of Turks and Caicos’ newest hotspots, regularly hosting Caribbean aficionados and celebrities (the Lakers’ Trevor Ariza and four-time Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles have been spotted at the bar since its debut. 

For more, visit @noahsarktci on Instagram. 

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

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One of the Caribbean’s most sought-after regattas is back. 

The St Barth Bucket Regatta has made its triumphant return to the French Caribbean island this year after a two-year hiatus amid the pandemic. 

“Everyone I run across is enthused about welcoming back the superyacht fleet and the Bucket Regatta,” says Peter Craig, chairman of the Bucket Regatta. 

The event, which officially kicked off March 17, gathers some of the world’s leading sailing super yachts for four days of unmatched maritime adventure. 

“From the perspective of what we have all endured over the last two years, we couldn’t be more fortunate to be back sailing here with so few restrictions and a healthy fleet of 30 boats,” said Race Director Peter Craig. “Remember that some of these yachts have not raced much, if at all, in the past 18 months, so this is a special time for owners and their crews to re-unite on the water with their families, friends and teams of professional and amateur sailors that traditionally gather for this regatta.”

The yachts range from a trio of historic J-class boats to a group of 24 sailing super yachts across five classes, along with three yachts in the “90s class.” 

The super yacht fleet ranges anywhere from 28 to 60 meters, a mix of sloops, schooners and ketches. 

“It is fantastic to be back racing in St. Barths,” said Hetairos Captain Graham Newton. “It truly is one of the most beautiful places in the world to race, and it’s nice to see such a good fleet here. The vast majority of our team are the same that we have sailed with for quite some time now and they did a pretty good job in 2019! …we are very much looking forward to getting back on the racetrack to try and pick up some more silverware for the owners.”

The event has a pursuit racing format, with individual start times so yachts in each class finish together, according to organizers. 

Of course, there’s just as much celebration on land, with a slate of parties and other events, including the open-air Bucket Bar, the Fleet Welcoming Party and the Bucket Marquee, among others. 

Tradewind Aviation is the official airline partner of the event. 

It’s one of the premier events on the St Barth event calendar, along with festivals like the St Barth Gourmet Festival, the St Barth Cata Cup and the Caribbean Rum Awards St Barth. 

For more, visit the St Barths Bucket Regatta. 

The post The Ultimate Caribbean Superyacht Regatta Is Back in St Barth appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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