World Tourism Blog

Thousands of couples honeymoon here each year, but why not make it a complete event and let Cancun host your ultimate destination wedding? The beaches couldn’t be more romantic, and the all-inclusive resorts offer every service you could ever possibly need.

Cancun is the ultimate vacation and resort destination whether your idea of a good time is surfing, kayaking, fishing and swimming or just laying in the tropical sun. On the lagoon side, there is an abundance of water sports equipment for rental for one day or an entire vacation. On the Caribbean side, enjoy great swimming, surfing and sunbathing.

For divers and snorkelers, Cancun is a paradise. The crystal-blue Caribbean waters hold an abundance of underwater wildlife, and most of the resorts have trainers who can show you which end of the fin to flap and how to handle the equipment.

And should you want to catch the magnificent fish you see on your dives, there are sportfishing options from rowboats to huge charter expeditions that will have you “on the fish” in no time.

Want to taste the Caribbean nightlife? Downtown Cancun is your hot spot, with numerous world-famous bars and nightclubs that drive the night to the beat of everything from salsa and cumbia to club mixes and world sounds. Whether you want a neon and strobe-lit dance club or a quiet cigar bar or romantic hideaway, Cancun’s nightlife options have you covered.

If you would prefer an intimate beachside villa, or perhaps a private home or more traditional Cancun hotel be your base, the options for lodging in Cancun are limitless. If your marriage is a happy memory and now you’re looking for a family vacation or resort destination, Cancun has you covered. One look at the beaches, water parks and abundance of other amusements and the kids will never want to leave, whatever their age.

By Allaboutcancun

Cancun, Mexico

Hotels, airlines slash rates in attempt to lure back tourists

As more oil from the Gulf of Mexico washes up on surrounding beaches, tourism in many Southeastern states is fading — even in areas far away from the gooey mess. But hotels from Texas to Florida and some airlines like Spirit are eager to drum up business driven away by oil fears — which means bargains aren’t hard to find.

Prices for hotel rooms are down by as much as 30 percent across the Gulf Coast and some spots in the Caribbean, as worries spread about where the oil will wash up next. Hotels in some cities as far away as Miami and along the eastern coast of Texas are seeing bookings affected by the spill, even though the likelihood of oil appearing there is small.

Airline ticket prices to the Gulf region have fallen slightly since the spill. In general though, flight deals are harder to find because airlines can move planes to other routes if passenger numbers drop.

Room prices for New Orleans in July have plunged by about 30 percent over the last six weeks, Travelocity senior editor Genevieve Shaw Brown said. Prices in Ft. Myers, Fla., are down by about 16 percent. They’ve dropped by about 10 percent in Miami.

Some resorts are getting inventive. Sterling Resorts, which manages vacation properties along the Gulf Coast, is offering a “clean beach booking guarantee.” Guests can get their deposits refunded or reschedule their vacation if they’re concerned about the oil.

The Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Destin, Fla., is offering a “buy three nights, get one free” deal this weekend. It’s also constructing a massive inflatable water park for visitors that are concerned about going into the ocean.

Although the summer is the “low season” for many hot Florida spots, a number of Gulf cities rely on the peak summer tourist season. They’re hurting, and no one is sure when they’ll get a foothold again.

While hotel deals appear to be growing, you can’t fetch a bargain everywhere. In Pensacola, Fla., for example, prices have remained flat over the past six weeks for rooms in July. Brown said that’s due in large part to all the workers that have converged on the city since oil first leaked in April. Oil first washed up on Florida beaches earlier this month.

But because workers don’t spend the kind of money that tourists do on activities like eating out or buying souvenirs, many businesses are still being hurt. Hotel prices are also holding up in more inland cities like Orlando — home to Disney World.

If you want to take advantage of these deals, you’d better jump fast. Because of the uncertainty surrounding the spill, the deals might go quick. That makes more sense for people within driving distance of the coast who don’t have to worry about buying an airline ticket in advance.
Still, flight deals are out there.

People looking for a last-minute trip to the Florida panhandle from New York can snag a package for just $400 per person this weekend on Lastminute.com. That includes a flight on US Airways and two nights hotel. The same deal is $637 with American Airlines.

Some airlines have been more aggressive than others in drawing in the beach crowd. Last week, Spirit Airlines offered a $50 discount on roundtrip flights to certain beach destinations; Fort Lauderdale; Cancun; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Atlantic City.

Two out of four of those spots could be hurt by the spill. Ads that featured a bikini-clad model with the tagline “Check out the oil on our beaches” drew a slew of complaints. Spirit later pulled the ads, but it continued the discount — which works out to be more than half off, considering most Spirit flights are under $100.

Brown said it’s tough to tell whether airfares will get cheaper later this summer to the Gulf Coast and Caribbean. But if the oil spill continues to spread, cheaper airfares will likely start to pop up in larger numbers in September, when the summer crowds subside and airfares typically fall.

A couple more words of advice when booking airfares or hotels in the area: Travel insurance may not cover your loss if you decide to cancel your vacation, since the spill is a known risk. It’s also a manmade disaster, which prevents insurance from paying under most natural disaster insurance clauses.

By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP

People walk past empty beach chairs in Destin, Fla., on Sunday. Some hotels and condominium owners along the Gulf say their business is down by 50 percent.

From Oregon to India, these isles let you kick back, let go.

Warm blue water, pristine white sand, swaying coconut palms: Belize’s South Water Caye is a tropical paradise pared down to the alluring basics. Some 30 years ago, only fishermen inhabited this 15-acre islet; today, because it lies distinctly off the Caribbean’s beaten path, frankly, not too much has changed. You can still enjoy the surf’s rhythmic, soporific whush-shhh over sunset drinks at a sandy-bottomed bar.

There’s something magnetic — almost primevally compelling — about a fleck of land bounded by endless sea. And having to share the space with a crowd of tourists can ruin the magic.

Fortunately, secret islands like South Water Caye still exist. And for those willing to search for solitude, the reward may be your own maritime Shangri-la.

“People rarely follow the road less traveled,” says Kelly Shea, a Travel + Leisure A-List agent who organizes journeys in Greece. “They have their minds set on Mykonos and Santorini.”

But Alonissos — in the country’s Northern Sporades archipelago, in the Aegean Sea — is tougher to access. “Americans have never heard of it,” she says, “and there are no luxury hotels. But it has isolated coves where you won’t see another person all day.”

Alonissos’s primary lure is its marine park — at 875 square miles, Europe’s largest — where striped dolphins and endangered monk seals abound.

The isle also features hiking trails that meander through fields of ruby-red blooms, olive groves and pebble beaches. In the cobblestone streets of the old town of Chora, cheery, Venetian-designed tavernas grill up the catch of the day while live Greek music drifts out of open pub windows.

La paradisíaca isla Bangaram yace como una lágrima en el mar increíblemente exótica de color alrededor de las Islas Lakshadweep, India.

The Caribbean is eternally appealing, but now even more so with new nonstop flights, plum hotels springing up on emerging islands, and unheard-of bargains at pricey hideouts. From well-trodden sands to blissfully obscure isles, here are the top Caribbean islands to check out this year.

Anguilla

Exclusive Anguilla, with its powdery white-sand beaches, gourmet restaurants, and refined resorts and villas, has long been the quiet Caribbean island alternative to St. Barts.

The last 12 months have brought the debut of the slick Viceroy Anguilla (the brand’s first Caribbean outpost); a major makeover of stylish Cap Juluca; and the expansion of the spa at CuisinArt Resort & Spa. At the same time, the global recession has crimped the return of visitors to Anguilla’s shores.

The result? Off-season rates plummeted by more than 50 percent at some hotels, a trend expected to continue this year. For those who have their hearts set on high season (lasting until April), hotels are adding loads of perks (champagne at Viceroy, upgrades at Cap Juluca) in lieu of lowering rates.

Value: It’s all about location at Ku, an all-suite boutique hotel with a happening bar scene on Shoal Bay, one of Anguilla’s best beaches. While the 27 shabby-chic rooms could use an upgrade, they’re quite spacious, especially the top-floor quarters with pitched West Indian roofs. Request a room away from the bar to sleep in peace.

Splurge: Along Rendezvous Bay, the 93-room all-white CuisinArt Resort and Spa, owned by the kitchen-gadget company of the same name, evokes a tropical Santorini. Highlights include the spa, two Mediterranean restaurants serving homegrown fare, and a delightful beach bar with frosty cucumber-and-sage martinis.

Antigua

Versatile Antigua has a bit of everything: historic forts, picturesque harbors, 365 beaches, and several sumptuous hotels. Nearby lie the Caribbean islands of Montserrat and Barbuda, ideal for day trips.

Jumby Bay, on a 300-acre island 2 miles off the coast, happens to be one of the Caribbean’s most reachable private-island resorts. The storied retreat is fresh off a revamp that yielded a new open-air spa, an oceanfront infinity pool, 40 redesigned guest rooms, and two fresh restaurants. Continental and American Airlines fly nonstop to Antigua from several East Coast cities, and a private catamaran deposits guests right at the resort’s dock.

Value: Notable newcomer hotel Sugar Ridge opened in late 2009 on a hillside overlooking Nevis and St. Kitts. Its 60 well-appointed rooms are furnished with seaview balconies and most have canopy beds.

Splurge: Colonial-style rooms at Jumby Bay feature four-poster beds, wraparound terraces, private courtyards, and outdoor showers. Its new spa offers five private treatment rooms and dreamy massages in a hammock.

British Virgin Islands

The pristine BVI has long attracted yachties and royalty to its turquoise waters, thanks to posh resorts like Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, and Peter Island. This February, Branson is rolling out Necker Belle, a 105-foot, four-cabin catamaran available for charter. A three-person submersible is provided for an extra fee.

Nearby, the private island resort Scrub Island is slated to open on April 2 after several delays. On Tortola, two notable villas recently became available for rental, which bring the pricey region into reach: U.S. politico Lester Hyman’s art-bedecked, three-bedroom private estate, Arundel Villa, and the elegant three-bedroom Frenchman’s Paradise.

Value: The Frenchman’s Paradise villa sleeps up to six people and features a gorgeous chef’s kitchen, an open-air living room, and a pool with sweeping views. Visitors can add amenities, such as private spa services, a la carte.

Splurge: The 100-room Rosewood Little Dix Bay opened in the 1960s on Virgin Gorda and its perfect strip of beach has hardly changed since. Look forward to spacious rooms (spring for the newer Rosewood Junior Suites), a cliffside spa, and three excellent restaurants.

Curacao

True, Curacao has historically trailed its sister Caribbean islands of Aruba and Bonaire when it comes to attracting vacationers, largely because oil refining and financial services, rather than tourism, dominate its prosperous economy.

Yet clearly some repositioning is afoot: Four new resorts have opened here in the past year alone, including Renaissance and Hyatt Regency hotels; Lodge Kura Hulanda & Beach Club unveiled a tree house “mansion”; and the Avila Hotel introduced 68 more rooms.

In November, American Airlines added a second daily flight to Curacao from Miami. Before the secret gets out, go and explore its capital of Willemstad, where dozens of brightly colored Dutch colonial buildings comprise a UNESCO-protected district.

Value: Newer hotels may have arrived, but Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino (not to be confused with its sister Beach Club property), whose 80 unique rooms are housed in historic Dutch colonial buildings, still offers the island’s — if not the Caribbean’s — most memorable overnight.

Splurge: The 350-room Hyatt Regency Curacao Golf Resort, Spa and Marina, opening April 20 on a sand-trimmed natural preserve, will constitute the island’s first full-scale beach resort. Expect an 18-hole Pete Dye-designed golf course, three pools, and a full spa.

Dominican Republic

In the last decade the Dominican Republic has probably built more resorts on its shores than any other Caribbean island, but not all of them are the mass-market, all-inclusive type that catapulted the island to sun-and-fun fame in recent years.

A recent trove of small hotels is putting that reputation to rest, which is good news for U.S. beachgoers seeking a classy island escape close to home. The biggest rainmaker these days is the intimate Peninsula House that debuted two years ago on the Samana Peninsula, a less-developed area known for its exquisite beaches and small fishing villages.

This season its new neighbor is the Balcones del Atlantico, an all-suites RockResort property opening this February with a thatched-roof beach club perched over the sea. Further east, trailblazer Puntacana Resort & Club isn’t idly standing by: This year it debuts two golf courses, including a Tom Fazio creation with six oceanfront holes.

Value: The island’s only Small Luxury Hotels of the World member, the 50-suite Casa Colonial Beach & Spa Resort near Puerto Plata, still impresses some six years after its launch. Book 15 days in advance to save as much as 40 percent.

Splurge: The family-owned, art-filled Peninsula House, set in a Victorian mansion high above the beach, offers just six junior suites and warm, impeccable service.

Grenada

This southern Caribbean island last made U.S. headlines in 1983 when Ronald Reagan ordered an invasion to quell a Marxist coup. Since then, mostly Brits have trod its 50-odd beaches, making it a great choice for American sunseekers who would rather not run into their neighbors on the sand.

A nascent resort-spa crop is one reason to visit now; three luxe options have debuted here over the past two years. Other attractions include Grenada’s capital, St. George’s, which cascades down around a handsome port known as the Carenage, and the island’s bustling markets, where one can purchase some of the dozen-plus domestically produced spices.

The island is also home to the Caribbean’s oldest waterwheel-powered distillery, River Antoine Rum Distillery, whose namesake Rivers Rum is a doozy 152-proof libation too flammable to bring home by plane.

Value: Above-average gratis perks, like spa treatments, one-tank dives, and even archery and fencing lessons, come standard at adults-only LaSource, a 100-room resort on Pink Gin Beach.

Splurge: Boho-chic LaLuna has 16 large one- and two-bedroom cottages, each outfitted with a plunge pool. Guests can meander between beachfront yoga classes, an open-air lounge for watching sunsets, and a fab new Balinese spa. Its superb Italian restaurant is also a draw.

Jamaica

Those who’ve steered clear of Jamaica because of its spring break vibe should reconsider. Last fall, JetBlue, Delta, US Airways, and AirTran launched nonstop flights from various U.S. cities (including New York, Phoenix, Atlanta, Orlando, and Baltimore), making this Caribbean island more accessible than ever. Book a cheap fare, ignore the captain’s exhorter to “race to the beach!” and deplane to one of the island’s distinctive boutique hotels.

Island Outpost’s legendary Goldeneye, Ian Fleming’s onetime private estate, will reopen later this year with 11 new cottages and a beachfront restaurant. Several cool cliffside resorts in Negril provide a laid-back alternative to the Montego Bay fray further up the coast.

And the oft-maligned city of Kingston is experiencing a makeover, centering on the aptly named New Kingston neighborhood northwest of the downtown. Here the capital’s first new hotel in 40 years, the smart 107-room Spanish Court Hotel, opened in June with a hip rooftop bar.

Value: Offering one of the best lodging deals in the Caribbean, Negril’s

Rockhouse presents 34 thatch-roofed units and a new spa in a terrific cliffside setting.

Splurge: Check out Kingston’s new scene from the plush vantage of Strawberry Hill, a 12-cottage compound run by Island Outpost on a former coffee plantation in the Blue Mountains beyond the capital.

St. Lucia

If recent happenings are any indicator, St. Lucia is poised to become the region’s new culinary darling. Last year the hacienda-like Cap Maison welcomed award-winning chef Craig Jones, whose résumé includes stints at several British Relais & Choteaux hotels and St. Lucia’s Royal Rex. Jalousie Plantation, which will be rebranded Tides Sugar Beach by the year’s end, just tapped the chef at Tides Riviera Maya to helm its formal restaurant.

Both The Landings and Jade Mountain recently added innovative agritours that allow guests to work on local farms and join fishing trips. In March, the British chocolatier Hotel Chocolat will open an eponymous six-room hotel on its 265-year-old working cocoa plantation. Thanks to a slew of nonstop flights from the U.S., weekending gourmands can sample this Caribbean island’s burgeoning table by lunchtime.

Value: At the Cocoa Palm 83 casual West Indian-style rooms lie within walking distance of Reduit Beach and offer one of Rodney Bay’s top lodging values. The best (and most expensive) “swim-up” suites have French doors that open right onto a pool.

Splurge: A decadent six-night Peak to Beach package combines three nights at the legendary Ladera Resort overlooking the Pitons and three nights in an oceanview villa at Cap Maison.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Before St. Vincent served as the setting for “Pirates of the Caribbean”, this remote island and the whole Grenadine chain was primarily known only to sailors and seclusion-seeking rock stars. Indeed, Mick Jagger and David Bowie discreetly frequent the exclusive Grenadine isle of Mustique.

These days, however, the even prettier, quiet island of Bequia is on the rise, thanks to buzz about newcomer Firefly Plantation Bequia and the halfway complete Bequia Beach Hotel. Canouan Island already boasts a sprawling, superluxe Raffles resort that evokes the South Pacific.

And lush St. Vincent is touching up its popular sights like the panoramic Belmont Lookout and the canopied Vermont Nature Trail. What’s more, JetBlue’s new nonstop flights to Barbados, the unofficial gateway to the Grenadines, makes them (somewhat) easier to reach.

Value: Overlooking Bequia’s spectacular Friendship Beach, the Bequia Beach Hotel has already opened two restaurants, a pool, six villas, and 25 colonial-style rooms and suites, many of them with handsome four-poster beds.

Splurge: On the private island of Petit St. Vincent, or PSV, Petit St. Vincent Resort has 22 stone-clad one-bedroom cottages, all blissfully unplugged. For every guest there are two friendly staff members. Request cottage No. 6 for utter solitude and an outdoor shower.

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Since embracing tourism in 2003 after decades as a U.S. naval base, the tiny island of Vieques (6 miles off the southeastern coast of Puerto Rico) has been the most accessible “uncharted territory” in the Caribbean.

With Vieques harboring more than 40 miles of unspoiled sand and the Caribbean’s largest wildlife refuge, its small hotels and casual restaurants have attracted easygoing, eco-minded tourists.

Thus the W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island, due to launch this spring, is sure to stir things up. This marks the urban brand’s inaugural Caribbean island foray. Secondly, the W will host Alain Ducasse’s first Caribbean restaurant, Mix on the Beach, a major culinary coup for the W. So if you’re the sort to despair of a place being “discovered,” plan a last before the new regime arrives in May. Otherwise, be among the first to sleep in W’s new digs and get a table at what may be the most gourmet beachside restaurant this side of St. Tropez.

Value: One of the Caribbean’s most architecturally arresting hotels, Hix Island House has 13 spare, solar-powered loftlike apartments, with kitchenettes, indoor-outdoor living spaces, and dramatic cutout vistas.

Splurge: On the island’s north coast, the 157-room W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island is accepting reservations for dates after May 1. Set on two private beaches, the hotel will introduce boldly designed rooms (most with ocean views), a glitzy infinity pool, an outdoor fire pit, and an oceanfront spa. Commercial Loan Workout.

About 350 people who got sick a week into a Caribbean cruise were responding well to medicine, the cruise line  said Tuesday.

Celebrity Cruise spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said 326 of the more than 1,800 passengers on the Celebrity Mercury began complaining Sunday of upset stomachs, vomiting and diarrhea. Martinez says 27 of the nearly 850 crew members also reported symptoms.

The ship left Charleston on Feb. 15. State officials said there has been an outbreak in norovirus cases across South Carolina but that it is not possible to say if that’s what led to the ship’s illnesses.

Martinez says the crew is conducting “enhanced cleaning” of the ship to prevent the spread of the illness.

An extra doctor and two nurses came aboard in St. Kitts, in the Leeward Islands, and will sail to Charleston, arriving early Friday.

It’s not clear what caused the outbreak. Norovirus is often to blame for similar symptoms sweeping closed quarters like those on cruise ships, but a determination will have to until samples are tested.

Samples from ill passengers and crew are being sent to the Centers for Disease Control, said CDC spokesman Jay Dempsey. He said workers from the agency’s Vessel Sanitation Program will meet the ship when it arrives in Charleston.

The workers will conduct an environmental assessment of the ship to determine the cause of the illness, he added.

According to the CDC Web site, there were two outbreaks of norovirus, which causes stomach flu, last winter on the Celebrity Mercury. In all, the agency investigated 15 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships calling at American ports.

This year an estimated 14.3 million passengers are expected to take cruises, according to the Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade group.

The Mercury embarked from a state where health officials have reported twice as many cases of norovirus as normal this winter.

“We have been taken aback at how many people are getting sick with this virus,” said Adam Myrick, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

If it turns out to be the virus, it’s no surprise it spread quickly aboard ship because the virus stays on surfaces like doorknobs, handrails and sink fixtures for a long time, he said.

“Any time you have tight spaces and shared surfaces, this virus can spread fast,” Myrick said.

The South Carolina cruise industry is growing and the Mercury sailing earlier this month began Charleston’s first year-round cruising season. There will be 67 cruise calls in the city this year.

The Celebrity Mercury has six more departures set from Charleston during the coming months, including a 16-night trip through the Panama Canal ending in Los Angeles.

Later this spring, Carnival Cruise Lines will permanently base its 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy in Charleston.

As the industry grows, the South Carolina State Ports Authority is pursuing plans to open a new cruise terminal and open another half-mile of Charleston’s historic waterfront to the public.

A recent study commissioned by the authority shows cruises will mean $37 million to the South Carolina economy this year. Home Security Systems.

Anyone looking for romance at sea should talk to Irene and Jim Manion, who celebrated their 60th birthdays on a Windstar ship cruising the Greek isles last summer. “You could reserve a table outdoors for a candlelight dinner,” says Irene Manion. “And we watched the sunset while looking out at the Greek islands. It was pretty incredible.”

For many, the term “romantic cruise” conjures up cheesy 1970s visions of matchmaking shuffleboard on The Love Boat. But for those who’ve actually sought out romance on the high seas, the reality is a whole lot more alluring.

In fact, cruising can create a memorable experience with your loved one. What’s not romantic about admiring the open sea and holding hands while a crew waits on you hand and foot?

While romance is never guaranteed, choosing a love-inspiring cruising destination is a good first step. Going to Antarctica to ogle penguins is fine, but cruising, say, around the breathtaking volcanic peaks and crystal blue lagoons of French Polynesia on the Paul Gauguin is, well, sexier.

Or go sailing in the Greek isles: whether you’re on small ships (like those of Windstar) or big vessels (like the Celebrity Equinox), it’s easy to see why these islands—with their beautiful sandy beaches, clear seas, and ancient ruins—are a favorite of die-hard romantics.

Constant views and a relaxed vacation ambience only serve to enhance the romance. Whether you choose a big ship with such accoutrements as lavish casinos, theaters, and lounges, or go with a more low-key small ship is a personal choice. But to assure amore on any ship you’ll want to book the biggest cabin you can afford—you don’t want to be on top of each other at all times.

Ships like the über-luxurious Seabourn Odyssey promise space with all-suite accommodations that include separate sitting areas, walk-in closets, and generous-size bathrooms. Look, too, for a cabin with a balcony, which adds a pleasant open-air retreat for private dining (and canoodling).

Further impress your sweetheart on the high seas with a couples’ treatment in the spa (the Canyon Ranch spa on Queen Mary 2 is one of the best). And plan a “date night” shipboard with an intimate dinner for two at a specialty restaurant like the fancy Crown Grill steak house on the Ruby Princess. Fittingly, that’s the same ship christened by reality TV couple Trista and Ryan Sutter (of ABC’s hit television show The Bachelorette) in celebration of their fifth wedding anniversary. Home Security Systems.

This week, as the weak winter sun did its best to warm my home state of Idaho, my husband and I began looking for a place to go with our kids (ages 9 and 11) and my parents over spring break.

The kids want the beach and snorkeling. My husband and I, fancying ourselves to be veteran travelers, will not set foot in a resort. My parents, having suffered adventure travel at our hands before, prefer an experience that is authentic but not life-threatening.

With all this in mind, I turned to 80 Degrees, a new online travel planner from the guidebook publisher Fodor’s.

80 Degrees, uses a quiz to help figure out what destination will deliver the trip you are looking for. The interactive tool asks you whether you want to go off the beaten path, stay safely in a resort, or venture somewhere in between. The quiz also helps define the attractions you seek, such as beaches, casinos, or child-friendly activities. Plug in the type of travelers, be it a romantic couple or a large group, and how much money is expected to be spent on lodging. After a few more questions about where and what, the site delivers a list of appealing options.

Right now, 80 Degrees is only set up to find winter escapes where the temperature hovers around a perfect 80 degrees. The company plans to roll out a European vacation version early this year, and some options for skiers after that, with a different name to reflect cooler climates.

Meanwhile, 80 Degrees directs its users to a host of sunny getaways in Belize, Mexico, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Florida and the Caribbean.

Like all worthwhile travel Web sites, 80 Degrees makes excellent reading on its own, even if a two-week stay in Virgin Gorda is nothing but a pipe dream. The destination ideas come with an online travel guide, and those mini-guidebooks include forums with a wealth of thoughtful reviews that drill down to the minutiae that can make or break a lodging experience at a particular hotel or resort — from helpful drivers to horror stories about bugs in the oven. About 700 writers work for Fodor’s, a venerable travel publisher that covers 500 destinations around the world. The guide’s hotel and restaurant listings are independent of advertising sales, according to Fodor’s staff.

The publisher’s main Web site — http://www.fodors.com/ — is a good place for travelers to learn more about areas they already know they want to visit. 80 Degrees helps the undecided figure out where that is.

“A lot of sites, if you know where to go, they’ll tell you different things to do in a particular location,” said Tim Jarrell, Fodor’s publisher. “We’re trying to inspire you. We’ve done our job if we give you a destination that perhaps you had not considered before you took the quiz.” Home Security Systems.

The Caribbean isn’t exactly known to be cheap, but you can stretch your dollar pretty far on certain islands — even when traveling during the winter high season.

Popular hot spots like the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and others offer great value in terms of easy access and well-priced lodging and dining options. But some off-the-beaten-path islands, from Montserrat to Tobago, are also worth seeking out for the extraordinary bang for the buck that they provide.

All-inclusive holidays dominate the scene on most of these islands — great if you want a worry-free, value-packed vacation, but limiting if you want to experience the destination beyond the resort gates; don’t overlook smaller, locally owned villas and inns for terrific, cost-effective alternatives.

Other surefire money-savers include traveling during the off season (from May to November) and looking to budget carriers for cheap flights — these tips, coupled with our editors’ picks for great-value islands, are guaranteed to leave you with enough cash left over to dole out on those frothy, beachfront pina coladas once you touch down! Hard money training

Cape Verde is a former Portuguese colony that is now an independent country. Cape Verde is compromised of 10 islands and five islets.  Situated on the west coast of Africa and just over an hours flying time south of the canaries, this group of islands has beaches to die for and a burgeoning tourism trade.

In a decade Cape Verde could be a household name for mass tourism. With multi-million pound investment programmes planned for hotels and infrastructure, the property gold rush is still in its infancy.

Presently, about 130,000 tourists visit Cape Verde each year. By the year 2015 it is anticipated that tourist numbers should increase to about 500,000 per year.

The Cape Verde Government are currently offering tax breaks as incentives for investors and because of the political and financial stability of the islands you can even get an international mortgage.

Jamaica, the third largest Caribbean island, was inhabited by Arawak natives. When Christopher Columbus arrived at the island, he claimed the land for Spain. Still, it was not truly colonized until after his death. But only a few decades after Columbus’ death almost all Arawaks were exterminated[citation needed]. Spain held the island against many buccaneer raids at the main city, which is now called Spanish Town. Eventually England claimed the island in a raid, but the Spanish did not relinquish their claim to the island until 1670.

Jamaica became a base of operations for buccaneers, including Captain Henry Morgan. In return these buccaneers kept the other colonial powers from attacking the island. Africans were captured, kidnapped, and forced into slavery to work on plantations when sugarcane became the most important export on the island.

Many slaves arrived in Jamaica via the Atlantic slave trade during the same time enslaved Africans arrived in North America. During this time there were many racial tensions, and Jamaica had one of the highest instances of slave uprisings of any Caribbean island.[1] After the British crown abolished slavery, the Jamaicans began working toward independence. Since independence there have been political and economic disturbances, as well as a number of strong political leaders. National Hard Money Association Conference