Happy Birthday Anguilla!

2007 marks the 40th anniversary of Anguilla’s secession from the association of states of St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla. To mark the occasion, the island has a launched a “40 and Fabulous” campaign showcasing some of the island’s new amenities, including the brand new Greg Norman-designed course at the Temenos Golf Club is at the island's St. Regis hotel.Only having been open since November, the course is earning rave reviews from visiting golfers who can enjoy the sweeping vistas of neighboring St. Martin and dramatic landscaping. Why do I like Anguilla? Beach, beach, and more beach! Anguilla has some of the prettiest beaches in the Caribbean. The island's 5 star resorts are wonderful too! Cap Juluca is a favorite with our honeymoon clients.

Health & Wellness Travel in the Caribbean

Along with the surge in demand for eco-friendly travel options, the small Health & Wellness sector is experiencing rapid growth in the Caribbean as well. This comes as a change in trend as the Caribbean has always been known as a place to indulge at any one of the hundreds of all-inclusive resorts and regional cruise lines. The spa industry long made its mark in the region but with the pampering services reigning in popularity. The Caribbean’s hotel leaders were invited to attend the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO) 9th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, otherwise called the Sustainable Tourism Conference, featuring a “Health & Wellness” Theme for 2007.

JetBlue Adds More Flights to Aruba!

On June 30, JetBlue is set to add Saturday-only nonstop service to Aruba from Boston with fares ranging between $149-$399 each way. JetBlue currently flies to Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Cancun, Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic.

Aruba Launches Private-Plane Terminal

Aruba's has seen a recent influx in the luxury market with hotels adding more higher-end categories and luxury villas, the island’s airport decided it must also adept to this growing market. In January, the Aruba airport’s new terminal for private planes opened. The stand-alone facility offers upscale travelers a variety of services including a VIP lounge, on-site customs and immigration, a duty-free shop, ample ramp and parking space, as well as concierge able to help with ground transportation, airport fees, car rental service, 24-hour security arrangements and private catering.

Have you heard of a “Mancation”?

Alright, so we ladies have plenty of reasons to travel with just the girlfriends. Our health spa vacations that we claim necessary to help jump-start a healthy 2007 and yet really only intend on letting someone rub, scrub, knead, and wrap our bodies and dissolve any remaining holiday stress. We also have our shopping trips that we can certainly justify as necessary because we MUST hit New York before fashion week when all the designer duds are marked down to unbelievable prices or we MUST go to Paris for the perfect antique sideboard to fill the empty space in the dining room because even though there will by so much cost involved in shipping the piece home, the resale value clearly makes this trip a smart investment. Then there are the culinary trips where we insist that our repertoire of recipes is truly lacking and if our darling husbands want to remain well-fed we MUST learn new techniques and this can certainly only be done by learning from the masters themselves. Ok – but what about the men? Don’t they deserve a special reason to travel too? Think of how they will enjoy testosterone packed excursions to fish, hunt, camp, climb or quieter activities like playing poker. Send them on a Mancation! They will love you for it! We aren’t sure who coined the term, but “mancations” are becoming increasingly popular. A study conducted by the Travel Industry Association found that 37 million U.S. men took mancations in 2005, 2 percent more than in 2000. The Caribbean is home to many worthy destinations for a MANCATION!

Grenada’s Spice Island Resort Wins!

Grenada was devastated by Hurricane Ivan in the fall of 2004. The Spice Island Resort was not spared and had to undergo a $12 million renovation. Recently one of my favorite publications, Costal Living Magazines, awarded Spice Island with the Coastal Living Award 2007 for its success in keeping green technologies and practices at the forefront of its renovation. Great job!

Frommer’s Names Virgin Gorda One of the Top Twelve Destinations for 2007

Get it while its hot! Virgin Gorda isn’t even hot… usually a breezy 85 degrees. But, since making the list of Frommer’s top twelve enticing and unique places to visit in 2007, it will surely become even more of a hot spot. With many private beaches, Virgin Gorda is paradise for those seeking R & R. The island plays host to a few high end hotels and amazing luxury villas, including Rambutan one of my personal favorites. Also present is the Bitter End Yacht Club, a great place for wanna be sailors as all watersports are included in the price. If you go, don’t miss The Baths, a section of the north coast beaches that is dotted with giant smooth boulders trapping the tide and created pools or baths.