Caribbean and Central America Travel

Fodor.com listed three islands in the Caribbean as the favorite port of call of Caribbean cruises. The winners? Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, the island of Dominica, and the Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos islands.

According to Fodor’s, these islands have the best to offer Caribbean tourists. Curacao with its spectacular dive sites, Dominica with its lush rain forest and numerous outdoor activities making it the perfect destination for adventure travelers, and the Grand Turk with its gorgeous beaches that’s perfect for sunbathing, wading or snorkeling.

Head on over to Fodors.com to see the complete recommendation list.

Costa Rica remains one of the most popular and visited countries in Central America. Due to its diverse topography, Costa Rica is the perfect destination for groups with varied interests. Wildlife enthusiasts will certainly enjoy Costa Rica’s biodiversity: over four hundred types of birds have been identified to be living in Costa Rica, as well as over a hundred mammals. Adventure travelers can look forward to white water rafting on Costa Rica’s rapids, or hiking in the dense forests and mountains, or marvel at the majestic Mt. Arenal, Costa Rica’s active volcano. Surfers and sun-lovers are given two choices: the Pacific or the Caribbean sea? Whether they head east or west, the coast is lined with powder white sand beaches, with waves suitable for both beginner and professional surfers.

The name Costa Rica comes from Christopher Columbus, who landed in the country in 1502. He was amazed at the gold ornaments worn by the natives, prompting him to call the land costa rica, which is Spanish for “rich coast.” The Spaniards weren’t able to colonize Costa Rica quite so quickly and easily. Due to the country’s thick and lush forest, the invading Europeans were held back for over six decades. When they finally did come into the country, the population of the indigenous Costa Ricans dwindled, due to the diseases carried by the Europeans to which the natives aren’t immune to.

The Spaniards were dismayed: the much anticipated gold repository never materialized. After this disappointment, Costa Rica was left alone, forgotten by the invaders. Things started picking up again in the 18th century, when settlement in various areas flourished. Costa Rica’s economy boomed with the introduction of the coffee. This commodity was as good as gold for the Europeans and other opportunists who seized this moment to build their businesses and empire.

Coffee brought wealth, status, recognition and eventually, independence to the Costa Ricans. When the US troops came in to invade Costa Rica, then President Juan Rafael Mora, a former coffee-grower, was able to unite the Costa Ricans to repel the invading forces. Costa Rica had its fair share of civil wars throughout its history, but in recent years, the country became the model for peace with the abolition of its army. This brings Costa Rica in such contrast with the ongoing unrest in the neighboring Central American countries.

Formerly known as British Honduras, Belize lies in the American mainland, its eastern shores welcoming the waves of the Caribbean sea. Though part of Central America, Belize’s laid back lifestyle reflects more on its Caribbean neighbors.

It was the Amerindians who first inhabited Belize, but it was the Mayans who propelled its civilization. The Mayan skills was put to good use in farming Belize’s land for crops such as corn, chillies, and cocoa. As time pass, so did the Mayan expertise in architecture and stonework. Remains of the Mayan cities are still intact in Belize: ancient cities of Caracol, Lamanai, Lubaantun, Xunantunich, etc.

Similar to the Caribbean islands, it was Christopher Columbus who was the first European to set his sights on Belize, though he never set foot on land. Spanish shipwreck survivors were the first Non-Mayan to arrive in Belize. Of the twenty people who washed up on the shore, most were sacrificed to the Gods by the Mayans or taken as slaves. It was Gonzalo Guerrero, who became the first to defect to the Mayans and married into a noble family. His three children were the first mestizos in Belize.

Europeans were drawn to Belize because of the country’s abundance supply of logwood (a tree whose sap was used to dye clothing), as well as mahogany and other trees. The Spanish Empire, who had control over Belize, gave the British permission to set up logging camps. In time, the British area slowly grew. Spain and Britain eventually went to war over control of the country, with Britain emerging victorious over the Spaniards. Commonly known as the Battle of St. George’s Cayes, this event in history is celebrated in Belize September 10th of every year.

It was in 1840 that Belize was officially named as the Colony of British Honduras. In 1871, they became an official part of the Crown Colony. It wasn’t until 1973 that the name British Honduras was dropped, and the territory officially became known as Belize.

The United States Virgin Islands, or the US Virgin Islands, are part of the Virgin Island archipelago in the Caribbean. Similar to its British counterpart, they are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

The Virgin Islands (main islands being St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix), were named by Christopher Columbus on his second journey into the west Indies. Though first inhabited by the Caribs and the Arawaks, European settlers soon came and took over the land. The US Virgin Islands have changed hands throughout the succeeding years, mostly European. First there were the Spaniards, then it fell unto British rule, followed by the Netherlands, France, then Denmark.

It was the Danish who helped in building the islands’ economy, with the settlement of the Danish West India Company on the island of Saint Thomas in 1672. To this day, the US Virgin Islands are often refered to as the Danish West Indian Islands by the people of Denmark.

While the Dutch helped the economy of the country flourish under their rule, it also started its decline while under their control. With the abolition of the slavery in July 3, 1848, the sugarcane industry and the economy was greatly affected. A treaty was proposed to sell the islands of St. Thomas and St. John to the United States in 1867. There was a general consensus, but the sale never pushed through. A second treaty was pushed 35 years later, but it majority of the Danish parliament voted against it.

It was World War I that finally made the Danish Crown sell the islands to the United States. In fears of the islands being taken by the Germans in their attack of the USA. Coupled with the burden of supporting a failing economy, the Denmark finally handed over the islands on March 31, 1917.

Today, the US Virgin Islands are a favorite vacation destination of Americans, specially during the winter months. December to May sees the highest tourist entries, the balmy breeze of the Caribbean offering a warm respite to the cold winds and snow up north. The best time to travel to the US Virgin Islands is between June to August, when the rates drops by almost 30%, and the water is clearer for better visibility when diving.

The Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean are the best beach holiday destination. Enjoying up to 320 days of uninterrupted sunshine a year, these two islands offers pristine beaches and one of the best dive sites in the Caribbean.

The first inhabitants of the islands were the Carib Indians. However, after it was discovered by the Europeans (some say Christopher Columbus, others say Juan Ponce de Leon), these two islands had been under control of various European and Caribbean countries. Today, Turk and Caicos islands are Non-sovereign, Overseas territory of the British crown.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are composed of about a dozen islands and cays. The biggest and most populous island group, the Caicos Islands lays southeast of the Bahamas, seperated by the Caicos Passage. Ninety-six percent of the total land area of the Turks & Caicos Islands are in the northern half, the Caicos group. The biggest population concentration, as well as the urban center of the island group is in the island of Providenciales. Out of the six main islands that make up the Caicos Islands, only four are inhabited.

Separated by the Turks Island Passage from the Caisos Islands, the Turks Islands are composed of two main islands (the only inhabited islands in the group), and several smaller islands.

The islands of the Turks and Caicos are mostly low land, flat limestone, with much marshes and swamps. Though the islands enjoy plenty of sunny days, it is still in the hurricane belt and is frequently affected by hurricanes in the region. Though the island has limited fresh water supply, they are bountiful in spiny lobster, conch and various shellfish.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are famous for the extensive coral reef system that surrounds the islands. Consistently voted as one of the top dive spots in the world, the islands promises divers of excellent visibility, unspoilt reefs, and exotic tropical fishes.