Travelers Best

Jamaica is a sprawling island paradise that is known for its eclectic and exotic charm. The Jamaican holiday experience is not just about pristine beaches, as there are a whole lot of reasons why Jamaica is hailed as the best choice among all the Caribbean holiday getaways.

Jamaica has got all the Caribbean holiday stereotypes and everything is in their proper places. Its coastline boasts of the one of the best white sand beaches, with palm trees along their fringes. It is definitely the picture-perfect setting for your dream Caribbean holiday. Of course, there are the ramshackle bars by the beachfront where you will get a treat of jerk chicken while the familiar Bob Marley music is being played in the background.

Going inland, you will discover the other aspects of the island’s natural treasures – soaring mountains with lush and verdant vegetation, hidden waterfalls and sprawling banana plantations. Jamaica is actually a complete holiday package. On top of the usual treats that we want to experience and enjoy during our holiday break in the Caribbean, this exotic and charming island paradise features a diverse range of world-class hotels, guest houses, villas and inns. The lively and colorful local life and its rich history and culture are among the other reasons why you will surely love to spend more of your time in Jamaica.

History

It comes as no surprise when we wax lyrical when it comes to the things that we love about Jamaica. This famous North Caribbean island resort is perfect for sun worshippers and those who enjoy engaging with the locals. Jamaica has been the favorite destination of holidaymakers for centuries.

This exotic Caribbean island started out as an exclusive watering hole of the moneyed class. In the past, Jamaica can only be accessed by an elite circle of wealthy individuals and the privilege to experience and enjoy the pristine tropical treats of the island is reserved only to a few individuals. Today, the western and northern coastlines are now bristling with a lot of fun activities. The island’s natural attractions gradually absorbed commercial activities, although such developments to cope with the demands of the growing tourism industry have not spoiled the natural allure of the Caribbean island.

The island’s name was derived from the term “xaymaca” of the Arawak Indians, the pre-colonial inhabitants in region. There are only a few traces of the ancient culture that remain and after the discovery of the island in 1494 by Christopher Columbus, Jamaica came under the rule of Spain for the next 150 years and then followed by Great Britain for another 300 years. Jamaica became an independent state in 1962. It is now known for its elegant mix of various cultures and while it is predominantly African due to the influx of imported slaves during the Spanish and British rule, its local traditions and culture remain strong and pervasive in the daily routines of the locals.

Major Attractions and Things to Do

When it comes to your typical holiday in Jamaica, the experience evokes scenes involving rum, reggae music, bobsleighing and Bob Marley. Kingston, the capital city of Jamaica located on the southern coast, is normally the center of all action and fun activities for holidaymakers. The city hosts some of the best and topnotch hotels and other accommodations in this part of the Caribbean. It is also the best destination for fine dining, topnotch entertainment fare and upscale shopping options.

The main tourist attractions are found on the northwest part of the island, which is incidentally the favorite destination of beach lovers. Montego Bay is easily the most popular beach resort in Jamaica and your Jamaican holiday is not complete if it is not included in your itinerary. Jamaica also offers some of the best hiking trails in all of the Caribbean and among the best choices are Port Antonio and Ocho Rios. Adrenaline junkies should also check out the hiking trails at Mandeville, which is perched at about 610 meters above sea level.

Jamaica also offers a diverse choice of historical sites to visit, and these include the fascinating set of Jamaican churches that were built during the 19th century by imported slaves and local residents. In addition to these important religious landmarks, Jamaica also hosts several 17th century ancient houses and fortifications, some of these historical landmarks were restored to museum standards while others remain in their ruinous state.

Among the must-see tourist attractions in Jamaica are the Bob Marley Museum and Bob Marley Mausoleum, Kingston’s Spanish Town, Rose Hall, Marine Park at Montego Bay, Dunn’s River Falls, Green Grotto Caves and Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios and the site of the Blue Lagoon movie, which is located just a few miles from Port Antonio.

Weather

Jamaica is a popular holiday destination because of its tropical climate, and the Jamaican weather is typically hot all year round, although low temperature ranges prevail in the central highlands of Jamaica. Wet season in this paradise Caribbean island is generally characterized by brief and scattered precipitation during the months from May to November. The rainiest period is usually during the months of September and October.
M.A.H.

Trinidad and Tobago is all about an authentic Caribbean experience. This exotic holiday destination offers fun and adventure like no other. This Caribbean jaunt highlights the rich history, culture, natural allure and biodiversity of these exotic islands.

Trinidad and Tobago achieves a seamless fusion of contrasting beauty. Trinidad is known for its frenzied activities while Tobago is more focused on amazing resorts and stunning beaches. The islands are popular archipelagic tourist destinations and occupy the southern region of the Caribbean Sea, on the northeastern side of Venezuela and just a few nautical miles from Guyana and the island of Barbados.

History

The Arawaks and Caribs were the early settlers in the island of Trinidad, and they were the only inhabitants in the island until 1498, the year when Christopher Columbus arrived in the island and named it La Isla de la Trinidad, in honor of the Holy Trinity. Spanish explorers followed the route charted by Columbus and converted the island as the veritable source of Native American slaves. They were herded on ships and forced to work in the new Spanish colonies in South America.

Spain did not really give much attention and value to the island of Trinidad, save for its being a reliable source of slave labor. Trinidad lacks gold ore and other precious minerals. It was only in 1592 that the first Spanish settlement in the island, San Josef, was established, which was located on the eastern side of the present-day Port of Spain. And for the next 2 centuries, the island continued to be the destination for the slave labor which was imported by both Spain and France from West Africa. These slaves from the African continent toiled the cacao and tobacco plantations in the island of Trinidad.

Trinidad was placed under the control of British forces in 1797 and slave labor was finally abolished in 1834. This development prompted the British forces to tap indentured labor from India and replaced the thousands of African slaves that abandoned the cocoa and tobacco plantations in the island. The indentured labor was used by the British for their cane fields and essential services of the colony. The labor system persisted for 100 years from the time that the British forces abolished slave labor.

Tobago’s history took a different path, although it was also discovered by Columbus and fell under the control of Spain. The island only became a colony of Great Britain when Charles I chartered the island in favor of the Earl of Pembroke in 1628. Several nations took notice of this development and started to initiate their own moves to colonize the island.

It was during the 17th century that the island fell under the control of the Dutch, French, and English and, for a brief period of time, by the Courlanders or Latvians of the present time. Tobago was declared neutral territory in 1704, and this signaled the entry of pirates and marauders who used the island as their Caribbean base when raiding the ships that passed by this sea route. A colonial administration for the island was finally established by the British in 1763 and in the next 2 decades, slave labor was tapped to operate the indigo, cotton and sugar plantations in the island.

The plantation economy of Tobago floundered after the abolition of slavery. However, rum and sugar industry still remained until the British firm that had controlling ownership of the business went bankrupt in 1884.

Major Attractions and Things to Do

There is a diverse set of attractions and important destinations in the idyllic islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Trinidad is the larger tourist resort between the two islands and is home to nearly 90 percent of holiday resort’s overall population. Holidaymakers heading to this part of the Caribbean will find most of the fun activities and top tourist destinations in the island of Trinidad, with Port of Spain as the main hub and jump-off point for most holiday activities and attractions.

The northern part of Trinidad, which includes the capital city Port of Spain, is the popular converging area of tourists and holidaymakers. It is generally the urban center of the island, although it also boasts of some of the best beaches and verdant rainforest areas in all of Trinidad. Towards the southern region of the island lies San Fernando, the island’s second city. It is nestled around the renowned San Fernando Hill and is one of the top attractions in this part of the island. Other popular cities in Trinidad include Point Lisas, Point Fortin, Pointe-a-Pierre and Arima.

While it is considered to be more laidback than Trinidad, the island of Tobago regularly draws a significant number of visitors and holidaymakers from the adjacent island of Trinidad. It covers an area that stretches from Pigeon Point all the way to Bon Accord Lagoon. The fun and excitement happens at Buccoo Reef, which is an amazing expanse of coral formations and acclaimed to be the best pick in the Caribbean when it comes to scuba diving and snorkeling. In addition to this, one gets to enjoy other water-based activities and attractions in the island of Tobago.

Tourists can also spend their day on pleasure cruises that cover the coastline of Tobago as well as other popular island destinations. This is definitely a must if you want to experience the natural allure of the island’s coastline while catching schools of dolphins cavorting in the azure waters of the Caribbean. And if you want a taste of the rich history of this rustic island resort, then the eastern part of Plymouth should be the ideal choice. This is where you will literally get a taste of the historic sugar plantations of the island of Tobago.

Top historical attractions and landmarks in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago include Fort George, Fort Picton and Fort Chacon. There are also impressive historical structures with religious significance and these include the Roman Catholic Cathedral and the biggest Mosque in the island, which is located in Port of Spain. Trinidad and Tobago is also the dream destination for those who want to commune with nature and among the top eco-tourism destinations in the islands are the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, Little Tobago island’s Seabird sanctuary, Buccoo Reef, Argyle Waterfall and Grafton Caledonia Wildlife.

Weather

Because of the southerly location of Trinidad and Tobago, the temperature range has less variance for most parts of the year and the average temperature is around 80 degrees and average humidity is about 75 percent. The islands of Trinidad and Tobago have 2 distinct climatic conditions – the wet season, which happens in June to December and dry season, which happens in December to May.

The high season for the islands of Trinidad and Tobago happens in January to March and reaches its peak in February. If you are planning to spend your holiday vacation in Trinidad and Tobago during this period, it is best that you make your bookings and travel arrangements well ahead of time. SB