Tag Archives: Caribbean

Kayak on the bay, Praslin, St. Lucia

St. Lucia is one of the islands where you can find all kinds of activities to satisfy even very demanding souls… Here is one relatively new idea – kayaking to the Praslin Island offered by local kayaking pro organised under the name “Kayaking on the Bay”. As part of the trip you learn some of the local history and tradition… 

St.Lucia, Praslin Island

The tranquil Village of Praslin is nestled between two districts Dennery and Micoud on the East Coast of St Lucia. As the gateway to some of Saint Lucia’s rarest indigenous nature, Praslin is an idyllic rural quarter populated with several small fishing settlements along spectacular Praslin Bay. Here, one may notably find many excellent examples of the traditional and highly distinctive Saint Lucian fishing boats, which are still crafted by hand in many villages. Other notable traditional crafts, like broom stick making, are produced in neighboring communities such as Mon Repos and Patience.

Praslin Island Natural Reserve, St.Lucia

Praslin Island and the Fregate Islands are pristine nature reserves, where unique species such as the boldly colored Blue Whiptail lizard make their homes. For a slightly tamer presentation of native flora and fauna visit the beautifully manicured Mamiku Gardens that date all the way back to 1766. The gardens are part of the Mamiku Estate, once the home of the Baron de Micoud, a former Governor of Saint Lucia. The estate still operates today as a banana and flower plantation. Praslin village was originally named “Les Trois Islet” and was renamed in 1780 to honor the Minister of the Navy to Louis XV, the Duc de Praslin. 

“Kayaking on the Bay” Welcomes you to Prasllin Island!

In this old canoe fishing village, where practices are still being kept “Kayak on the Bay” offers you the pleasure of enjoying a kayak trip to a lush private beach located on an Islet, while a beach barbeque is prepared for you. Upon arrival on the property of “Kayak on the Bay” you will be greeted by your wonderful host Marva along with the tour guides.

Kayaking on the Bay, St.Lucia

On the property one can find a variety of local tropical fruits and a small backyard garden with some of the herbs used to prepare meals for the journey. You will be briefed on the safety regulations and a description of what the tour entails before embarking on the trip. 

St. Lucia, Praslin Island, Kayaking on the Bay

The Bay is truly majestic with a sand bank that runs down the middle of the bay 1-2 miles long; to the top of the bay lies a beautiful reef which creates the calming effect… Abundant sea life is found along the reef, which continues along the bay to a join the Irish moss farms.

Irish Moss Farm, Praslin Island, St.Lucia

Upon arrival on the Praslin Island, a tour guide takes you  on a short hike to the top of the Island to enjoy the views and to spot some of the local birds . While you are out on the hike your Island lunch is prepared for you… It comprises of fresh grilled fish and chicken with green banana salad (green bananas, veggies and codfish), cheesy potatoes, sweet corn and fresh garden salad. This is served with fresh local fruit juice… 

Kayaking on the Bay, Praslin Island, St. Lucia

After lunch you bask on the beach with the views of the scenic topography of the Praslin village. Being on the Island really gives you the sense of your very own hide away. Before heading back to the property and towards the end of the tour you are guided to the Irish moss farms which lies to the opposite end of the reef and disembark for a 10 minute hike along the coast to catch one of the views. For a low fee of ninety dollars you get to enjoy the wonders of nature and the tranquility of your very own Island getaway for the day…

If you like kayaking and interested to take this tour, you may call +1 758-719-9329 or contact them via Facebook 
https://www.facebook.com/Kayak-on-the-Bay-1317154738416915/

Virgin Gorda: A $2,000 Gift for Modern Families at Villa Aquamare

Modern Families at Villa Aquamare
A Private Villa Compound for Extended Families Offers a $2,000 Credit

October 13, 2015. Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands – While today’s Modern Family may not be identical to the one starring in ABC’s sitcom, it can come awfully close. Thankfully, Villa Aquamare, the exclusive three-villa compound on a sandy beach on Virgin Gorda, BVI, is the ideal place for a Modern Family to unwind and enjoy togetherness or absolute privacy.

There’s plenty of room, since each one of Villa Aquamare’s 8,000 square foot villas can sleep up to 12 guests, thanks to five suites boasting ensuite marble bathrooms and alfresco rain showers. The villas also have room to spread out, thanks to expansive living rooms, a dining room, a gourmet kitchen, multiple terraces and an infinity pool, as well as a private Beach Park.

This winter, Villa Aquamare celebrates the diversity of today’s family life with a Modern Family Package. When a guest reserves seven nights in one of Villa Aquamare’s luxury villas before November 30, 2015 for a stay between January 10 and April 31, 2016, they will get a $2,000.00 resort credit which may be applied to one or a combination of the following: private chefs, spa treatments, archipelago day trips in motor or sail boat or a gourmet picnic on a private beach. It can also be applied to the rental rate. *

Modern Family Package
•7 nights in one of Villa Aquamare’s 8,000 square foot five-bedroom villas. The villa boasts a spacious living room and dining room area, gourmet kitchen, multiple terraces, and a private infinity pool.

•$2,000 Resort Credit

•Meet & Greet at airport or Spanish Town Marina.

•Land transfers to the villa.

•Daily maid service.

•Local concierge services.

•Use of the Beach Park, with kayaks and snorkeling equipment to explore the reef that lies just offshore.

•For a maximum occupancy of 12 guests, the price is $27,025 per villa, based on a seven-night stay. 7% Taxes and 12% service charges are extra.

•Offer good from October 15 to November 30 2015.

•*Chef services do not include beverages or alcohol.

•For reservations or more information, visit www.villaaquamare.com or call (787)-461-2638.

Villa Aquamare, set on the scenic Western coast of Virgin Gorda at Mahoe Bay along half a mile of pristine beach frontage, consists of three 8,000 square‑foot private villas. Designed and constructed specifically as elite villa vacation homes, with multiple ensuite master bedrooms, spacious living areas and professional‑grade kitchens, Aquamare is the new benchmark for luxury villa rentals on one of the B.V.I.’s quietest and most exclusive islands. For reservations or more information, visit www.villaaquamare.com or call (787) 461‑2638

St Lucia: Cap Maison’s Wine Experiences. Fall 2015 News

Cap Maison’s Dynamic Wine Experiences Receive
Third Wine Spectator Award
September 2, 2015 – Cap Estate, Saint Lucia – Cap Maison, the popular five-star resort on Saint Lucia that’s been ranked as one of the top in the Caribbean by Travel + Leisure 2014 World’s Best Awards, has been named a Wine Spectator Restaurant Award Winner for the third consecutive year. The resort’s restaurant, The Cliff at Cap, was singled out for a cellar strong in both French and California offerings.
Cap Maison’s wine is housed in the 2,000 plus bottle temperature controlled Cellar Maison, a dark and welcoming cave that also serves as an elegant private dining room for Cellar Maison Wine Pairing Dinners and daily Tastings. There are hand-picked wines from nearly a dozen countries, from enjoyable and unpretentious grape varietals from the new world to high end wines that have been only modestly marked up so that more guests can enjoy them. Many of Cap Maison’s wines are available by the glass and the wine list includes rare champagnes, grand cru Bordeaux, fine Burgundies, orange wines and a notable selection of natural and biodynamic wines, most of them made in small quantities by family wineries in France. These organic wines are distinguished by low intervention and they are distinguished by being both low in sulphur and not having any added yeast.
“These are not just drinking wines, they are meant to be paired with food,” explains Jasper Kok, the executive assistant manager who is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers and oversees Cap Maison’s ambitious beverage program. “They are beautiful wines and often display dramatic year-to-year differences.”
In Cellar Maison, a cozy lair with beamed ceiling, brick floor and wooden wine shelves and bins surrounding a tasting table and chairs, guests can enjoy Wine Tastings during the week with flights of unique wines, paired with a delectable assortment of amuse-bouche and interactive discussions guided by the Sommelier, Robinson George. The Cap Maison wine team can also send a favorite bottle of bubbly via the resort’s Champagne Zip line straight from the bar to the private dining venue, Rock Maison. For added drama, they willingly demonstrate the Napoleonic tradition of sabering a bottle of champagne using the blade of a knife.
Cap Maison’s Wine Program
Wine Pairing Dinner
Join the Sommelier for an evening of delicious food and fine wine with special pairings and blind tastings. This is a relaxed and sociable events for six to 11 guests, during which Chef Craig Jones of Cliff at Cap serves an artisanal menu to go along with the chosen wines. Reservations are required and the cost is $150 per person.
Deli and Wine Pairing Dinner
Ever Friday evening between 6:30 and 8:30pm, guests have the opportunity to learn a little about the art of pairing artisanal food with wine in the relaxed and informal atmosphere of Cellar Maison.
The cost is $95 per person.
Cellar Maison’s Casual Tutored Wine Tastings

This is a fun learning experience that allows guests to taste both Old World and New World Wines. Offered daily, reservations are required and the cost is $75 per person.

Cellar Maison’s Fine Wine Tastings
Prepared and conducted by Sommelier Robinson George daily. Reservations are required and the cost is $100 per person.
Visit Cap Maison for more information on the resort’s wine programs.
Cap Maison debuted on Travel + Leisure 2014 World’s Best Awards with an impressive ranking of #2 in the Caribbean. A member of Virtuoso and Preferred Boutique Hotels, and a Fodor’s 100 World’s Best Hotels 2014, Cap Maison is set on a dramatic four-acre cliff just north of popular Rodney Bay and features 50 artfully appointed suites and guest rooms. Cliff at Cap, the resort’s signature restaurant with breathtaking panoramic views of the Caribbean, holds 3 consecutive Awards of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine. Under the direction of Executive Chef Craig Jones, the white table cloth, oceanfront restaurant serves a French West Indian-inspired contemporary menu. The resort’s newest dining venue is The Naked Fisherman Beach Bar & Grill. The resort features a serene 2,000 square foot spa and a private 46-foot luxury yacht, Cap Maison 1. For bookings and more information, guests may call Reservations toll free at 1-888-765-4985 or send an email to reservations@capmaison.com, or visit the website at www.capmaison.com.

St.Kitts breaks Ground on Agro-Tourism Demonstration Farm.

St. Kitts Breaks Ground on Agro-Tourism Demonstration Farm

20-Acre Farm Designed to Become A Local Tourism Attraction


Pictured: At left, artist rendering of the Sugarcane Labyrinth at the Agro-Tourism Demonstration Farm; At right, Minister of Health, Culture, Community and Social Development and Gender Affairs, the Honourable Marcella Liburd; Minister of Public Works, Housing, Energy and Utilities, the Honourable Dr. Earl Asim Martin; Minister of Tourism & International Transport, Senator Ricky Skerritt; St. Kitts & Nevis’ Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil L. Douglas; Senior Minister and Minister of International Trade, Industry, Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, Marine Resource and Cooperatives, the Honourable Dr. Timothy Harris; and Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), His Excellency Miguel Li-Jey Tsao conducting the ceremonial groundbreaking on the Agro-Tourism Demonstration Farm.

 

Basseterre, St. Kitts (February 2, 2012) – The groundbreaking ceremony for a 20-acre Agro-Tourism Demonstration Farm took place on January 31, 2012. The farm is located on the site of a former sugar cane plantation, Sir Gillies, and is scheduled for completion in two years. The project is a collaboration between the Governments of St. Kitts & Nevis and The Republic of China (Taiwan).

 

“This project is unlike any other in this part of the Caribbean,” said Senator Ricky Skerritt, Minister of Tourism & International Transport. “It is entertaining while also being educational, and represents a unique marriage between agriculture and tourism.  The Farm is an opportunity to showcase and promote community tourism and I commend it.”

 

In keeping with St. Kitts’ commitment to sustainability, the Farm will incorporate various “green” elements in its construction and upkeep.  It will feature local indigenous fruits and vegetables alongside crops originating from Taiwan, so that visitors can appreciate the crop diversity of both countries.  A Botanical Garden will have medicinal plants from both St. Kitts & Nevis and Chinese medical herbs.  Also gracing the gardens will be a traditional tea-house.  A visual highlight of the Farm will be a “Sugarcane Labyrinth” in the shapes of both St. Kitts and Taiwan, commemorating the sugar industry that once was an economic driver in both nations. 

 

Once operational, the Farm will conduct workshops and seminars for local youths who want to pursue opportunities in agriculture.  The design of the Farm was created by Taiwanese landscape and architecture experts who were sent to St. Kitts to compose a blueprint for the project. 

 

To commemorate the groundbreaking, the Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, the Right Honourable Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, joined with Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan), His Excellency Miguel Li-Jey Tsao, in planting a memorial tree.  The ceremony also included the opening of the preparatory office of the Farm.

St. Kitts was named one of the “Top 12 Spots that should be on your list for 2012” by Caribbean Travel + Life magazine and the island’s Brimstone Hill Fortress was named one of “10 Great Places To Explore The World’s Best-Kept Secrets” by USA Today.  As of summer 2011, the destination also ranks #1 on a list of the 16 Best Caribbean Vacations by US News & World Report.  Last year, St. Kitts was named a top destination for 2011 by both AOL Travel and British Airways Located in the northern Leeward Islands of the Caribbean, it offers a diverse tourism product developed from the destination’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich history.  The island’s stunning variety of tourism attractions include hiking through the tropical rainforest, riding the scenic railway that connects the island’s former sugar plantations, visiting the Caribelle Batik factory, touring Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, the only man-made UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Eastern Caribbean, and more traditional vacation pastimes such as watersports, golf, shopping, tennis, gourmet dining, gaming at St. Kitts’ exclusive casino or simply relaxing on one of the island’s sandy beaches.  Accommodations range from intimate plantation inns to larger hotels and resorts. 

For more information about St. Kitts, please contact the St. Kitts Tourism Authority toll free from the US at 1-800-582-6208 or from Canada 1-888-395-4887, e-mail info@stkittstourism.kn, visit www.stkittstourism.kn, or connect on Facebook, Twitter and/or YouTube

 

List of properties for overnight in Antigua

With the high season approaching please see attached a list of properties in
Antigua where persons coming to and from Montserrat can overnight. 
 
These properties have been inspected by our Antigua office and also in some
cases have offered special rates.  Also note that this is not an exhaustive
list but meant to provide a range of accommodation choices.

ANTIGUAN PROPERTIES FOR OVERNIGHTING

Sailing to Montserrat from Antigua

See below from OnDeck regarding sailing trips to Montserrat from Antigua during St. Patrick’s Week Celebrations.

Please circulate to as many persons as possible.

Cheers

Ishwar 

St Paddy’s Day Knees-up in Montserrat? You gotta be kidding!

Montserrat is the only country outside of Ireland to declare St Patricks Day a National holiday and boy do they do it big time with a week of cultural events, music, parades and parties. If you haven’t been there then there is no better time to experience the warmth of the people and the spectacular nature of the island all washed down with a drop of the “The Devil’s Buttermilk “(Guinness!)

Make the adventure a truly memorable one by sailing the 5 hour passage there and back on board Ondeck’s spectacular Farr 65’s round-the-world ocean going yachts

Itinerary (all optional apart from the sailing)


Monday 16th March

0800 Set sail from AYCM Falmouth

1200-1300 Arrive Montserrat

Afternoon sightseeing

Evening events available including live music

Tuesday 17th March St Patrick’s Day

0600 Freedom Run/Walk

0700 Community fun sports and breakfast

1030 Legends and folktales

1300 St Patricks Day Parade

1400 Heritage Day & Feast

Sunset Ole Time Bingo

Evening Party!

Wednesday 18th March

Sightseeing

1200 Meet back at the port for return trip

1800 + arrive back in Falmouth

Return sailing rate = $189USD per person

Passports required 15th March for clearance

Full list of events on www.visitmontserrat.com

To book your Sail please call +1 268 562 6696

To find out more about Ondeck go to www.ondeck.co.uk or email Antigua@ondeckoceanracing.com