There are so many different experiences available in the Caribbean: the classic beach getaway; the rainforest retreat; the urban adventure; the castaway island escape, and everything in between.

If you’re looking for something different, though, it’s time to think about a trip to one of the Caribbean’s small towns.

These places have a bit of everything – food, nightlife, culture and a unique portal to experience authentic island living.

Here are five wonderful Caribbean towns to think about.

St. Pierre, Martinique

Dubbed the “Caribbean Pompeii,” this was once the Paris of the Caribbean until a 1902 volcano utterly destroyed the area. Now, it’s a charming, classic French-Caribbean town, with great food, bakeries, hiking, historical ruins and even a rum distillery right on the volcano.

The post 5 Caribbean Towns to Visit Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s one of the greatest races in the hemisphere: the RORC Caribbean 600.

It’s a 600-mile race that starts and finishes in Antigua and circles 11 Caribbean islands in between.

This year’s race, which is organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club in association with the Antigua Yacht Club, will have a record entry of more than 70 boats.

“The support of the members of the Antigua Yacht Club plays a vital part in the success of the RORC Caribbean 600,” said RORC Racing Manager, Nick Elliott. “The fact that we see so many familiar faces helping us each year, with their vast experience of the local area and conditions, gives the RORC the confidence to be able to organize this demanding offshore race with a small RORC team from the UK.”

Yachts carrying a total of more than 800 crew members from around the world will meet in Antigua, culminating in the award of the RORC Caribbean 600 Trophy to the monohull with the best corrected time under the IRC rating room.

Yachts from the U.S. have won five out of eight editions of the race.

This year there are 16 entries from the U.S., and others from Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, B.V.I., Belize, Cayman, Spain, France, Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Russia.

— Dana Niland, CJ Contributor

The post This 600-Mile Offshore Race Circles 11 Islands in the Caribbean appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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Jamaica and Singapore are partnering on the development of a special economic zone in Jamaica, according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Holness met last week with Daniel Seah, deputy director of the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise and representatives from the Special Economic Zone Authority to discuss the partnership.

Holness said the “development of the SEZ will greatly impact Jamaica’s economic development as all Jamaicans should benefit from the Zone.”

Many Caribbean thought leaders have long called for the region to look more to Singapore as the model for small-island economic development.

— Caribbean Journal Staff

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Antigua’s private-island resort, Jumby Bay, has launched a pioneering new Crossfit program.

The program, ICE NYC at Jumby Bay, is the result of a partnership with New York-based Crossfit studio ICE NYC.

The program is led by ICE’s most elite trainers and offers unique CrossFit classes, which combine different kinds of high-intensity physical training.

“As health and wellness become increasingly important to our guests, we are looking at travel and fitness in new and creative ways that elevate the overall guest experience and go beyond the traditional hotel gym offerings,” said Andrew Hedley, managing director of Jumby Bay and regional vice president of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.  “Given many of our guests’ involvement in and commitment to CrossFit, as well as ICE NYC’s reputation for offering the most high-end, luxurious CrossFit programming in Manhattan, a partnership with ICE NYC was a natural fit, and we are thrilled to offer our guests this special program on-island.”

The program kicked off in December and will continue with sessions in 2017.

— Caribbean Journal Staff

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They’ve been hidden away in the far reaches of Grand Cayman inside a tropical forest.

Here, in the Northside area of the island are a marvelously preserved collection of caves that rival any in the Caribbean: Crystal Caves.

The group of around 105 caves includes some as old as 25 million years, full of stunning stalactite and stalagmite crystal structures and other formations of time, all formed by single drops of water.

While area residents long knew of the caves’ existence and breadth, it wasn’t until the 1990s that a full-fledged exploration was conducted of all the island’s caves.

The new attraction from Christian and Ole Sorensen, the stewards of the famous Harrison’s Cave in Barbados, has quickly become one of the Cayman Islands’ must-visit destinations, with regular guided tours that take about an hour and a half.

See more in the latest video above.

— CJ

The post VIDEO: Grand Cayman’s Secret Caves appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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