By Justin Burch

Though most travelers escape to the Caribbean during the winter months, the summer travel season can offer families with tighter budgets a chance to experience the most exciting islands. While many people assume that the Caribbean is too hot and humid to be enjoyed in the summer, the truth is that temperatures are consistent year-round throughout much of the region because of the prevailing trade winds. Instead of high temperatures, visitors can expect an incredible array of festivals and local celebrations wherever they travel. Most importantly for many families, room rates and recreation fees are typically much lower during the summer months, allowing conscientious travelers to plan an exciting and affordable Caribbean vacation.

With reduced room rates and smaller crowds, the summer season can be one of the best times for families to visit the Caribbean. Generally speaking, families with children will find that hotel reservations and airfare will be easier to secure for a summer vacation versus the peak travel season of November-April. Furthermore, many hotels and resorts also feature special travel packages for families that allow visitors to engage in exciting water sports, enjoy exceptional meals and participate in plenty of activities as part of their hotel stay or offered at a discount rate. Furthermore, after the end of high tourism season in April, many Caribbean islands feature exciting events such as jazz festivals, celebrations for local holidays and water sport competitions to entertain the locals and entice off-season travelers. Best of all, many of these events are free or priced very affordably, allowing families to stretch their travel dollar and enjoy vacations that may not have been possible during the winter months.

As one of the biggest draws of the Caribbean is the weather, the reasonable temperatures of the summer season will not scare off any visitors. In fact, just as many families visit the Caribbean in the winter to escape inclement weather, smart travelers have realized that the region’s summer weather is often more comfortable than the conditions at home. Throughout the year, high temperatures throughout the Caribbean typically range from 75°F and 85°F, while the nights and early mornings remain remarkably cool regardless of season. Based on your destination, you may experience different levels of precipitation and humidity, but most islands experience the beautiful weather the Caribbean is known for year-round.

Much like the misconceptions about the summer weather in the region, many tourists also avoid the Caribbean in the summer out of fear of hurricanes or tropical storms. However, there are many ways to travel during the summer months and avoid the inconvenience of tropical storms. While the hurricane season has occasionally posed problems for summer vacations in the Caribbean, it should be noted that forecasting prevents tourists from being in any danger and some of the most desirable islands – such as Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao – rest completely outside of the storm area. Furthermore, most hurricanes travel far north of the most visited Caribbean islands, meaning the threat of summer storms on islands like Grand Cayman and St. Thomas is actually far less serious than many travelers believe.

However, summer travel in the Caribbean might not be the best choice for every tourist. As not all Caribbean islands receive enough tourism business during the summer, travelers may find some restaurants, shops or other tourism-related businesses closed during their vacation. Also, many tourists enjoy the exciting atmosphere present throughout the region during the winter. In general, the summer off-season has become a popular for families to visit the Caribbean, while couples and more adventurous travelers often prefer to visit the region during the more-desirable winter months.

The time has come to throw your misconceptions about Caribbean summers out the window. Though everyone will have their favorite time to visit the Caribbean, there is no denying that the region has become an excellent year-round destination. While many people still believe that the Caribbean is hot, humid and boring during the summer, plenty of cost-conscious travelers have already found that the summer off-season offers incredible opportunities for affordable and exciting vacations.

About the Author: Justin Burch writes articles about travel in the Caribbean for the Marriott Resorts.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=237429&ca=Travel

By Jason Law

A Bahamas Honeymoon sounds like a great idea, but an even better idea would be to also have your wedding there. The beautiful beaches of Andros, and the wonderful Kamaleme Cay could be the perfect double destination for both your wedding and your romantic honeymoon. It was recently described as a small slice of heaven on earth, and as such is a great choice for any romantic vacation.

Kamaleme Cay is a 96 acre all inclusive private island hideaway just off the coast of Andros Island. It has over three miles of beautiful soft sand beach, and is reachable only by the resort’s own ferry or seaplane, so this is a real hideaway for a wedding or a honeymoon, set as it is in one of the most beautiful parts of the Bahamas. For a romantic vacation, a honeymoon or a wedding in the Bahamas, what more could you want than great Caribbean cuisine, beautiful beaches, a freshwater pool, and some of the best fishing and diving in the Bahamas if not the whole Caribbean. Add to the mix a way of living whilst you are there that doesn’t need shoes, this being a barefoot sort of place.

In terms of your wedding in the Bahamas, then Kamaleme Cay has a reputation of hosting them quite brilliantly with as much publicity or anonymity as you could wish for. It isn’t only weddings that this Cay close to the island of Andros specialises in, because Kamaleme is also a great place for a Caribbean Honeymoon Vacation or just a romantic vacation for two. Amongst the many reasons are the small handful of beautifully and gracefully decorated private villas which are spaced out over the island, all facing the sea and within earshot of the waves crashing rhythmically onto the beach.

In addition Kamaleme takes great pains to make sure that every guest has this indefinable intimate and personal experience that you will only realize you have had, when you stay at a hotel which doesn’t give you this. It is almost subliminal, it is so well carried out.

You can have special menus, firework displays, Junkanoo parties, almost anything is possible , because Kamaleme strives to make sure your every expectation is not only met but if at all possible exceeded. In fact for the real romantic vacation there is nothing like a candlelit dinner for two on a starlit beach, ringed by flaming torches with your own personal chef, or what about a picnic for two on an uninhabited island. Kamaleme knows what a Bahamas Honeymoon should be like. The food by the way is spectacular, and not only that but so well presented, and is one of the things that makes Kamaleme almost the ultimate vacation spot.

As a recent summary said the location is gorgeous, the accommodation amazing, the staff not only friendly but very efficient and more importantly effective. There are enough activities to keep you occupied, but the urge to relax with no urge at all to use your mobile phone will be overwhelming. You come here to relax and enjoy the lush setting, the great private beach, the spa on the water, and an atmosphere quite unlike anywhere else.

If you have a decision to make choose not only a Bahamas honeymoon here at Kamaleme, but your wedding here in the Bahamas, and if you’re not the marrying kind, it is the perfect spot for a romantic vacation.

For more information about Bahamas Vacation Spots go to http://www.bahamas-vacationspots.com/pages/Site-Map.html

About the Author: Jason Law writes about Bahamas Vacation Spots as well as authoring several articles about Worldwide Vacation Spots and he recommends Caribbean Vacation Spots although The Bahamas is his favorite place on Earth

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=238192&ca=Travel

There may be great advantages to leaving from Tampa Bay rather than the more traditional Miami, Florida. The most likely advantage is cost. Since Tampa Bay is farther north on the Florida peninsula, logic dictates that your cost to get to this port should be lower. Unfortunately, logic never seems to be a driving factor with airline prices!

The other major advantage is that it is easier to got to western ports of call from Tampa Bay rather than Miami. This can result in more exotic places to visit such as Cayman Islands, Mexico, and Jamaica. While other cruises from Miami may get you to these exotic locales, it will surely take longer and likely will include a stop at a “boring” place like the Florida Keys.

It is important to do a lot of price comparisons when looking for a cruise. Balance all of your costs as well as balance the hassle of getting to your debarkation port. Tampa Bay may just fit the bill when you balance all of this out.

At some point in the future, I will write about individual cruise itineraries.

Technorati Tags: cruise,Carnival,Grand Cayman,Mexico,Jamaica

There are quite a few places to stay on Aruba but the best place by far is the Marriott. This hotel is small by Marriott resort standards but it is still a great place to stay for a quiet, relaxing vacation on a peaceful island. The Marriott is at the end of a long series of hotels that dot the beach on the West side of the island. It comes complete with its own casino so there really isn’t a need to leave the resort.

The best part of the Marriott has got to be the beach and the pool. The pool is beautiful with a swim-up bar that has very friendly and personable barstaff. Just outside the pool is a beautiful beach with plenty of staff to set up your chair, provide you with towels and bring you food and refreshments. Due to the man-made reef, the water is quite calm and it is easy to float for hours in the ocean.

Aruba is blessed with great weather. Due to its very southern location, it rarely gets hit by hurricanes so it is one of the few islands where you can safely vacation in September and October with little fear of the massive storms. There is some industry on the island but for the most part the island depends on tourism. Make sure you help the local economy by buying a few souvenirs to take home and please tip generously.

There are actually two places in this small resort – the one is up the hill and the other is directly on the beach. The beach is not overly large and is covered with palm trees to hide under in the intense heat of the Caribbean sun. The waters off the beach are almost always flat and calm due to the geography of this small bay. This allows for easy and relaxing swimming in the water. You can easily snorkel right off of the beach but you will need to swim out a fair distance to really see a great deal of fish. The reefs that protect this part of St. Thomas are very far out and that is where the prettiest fish are hanging out.

There is a small and romantic restaurant on the grounds with very friendly staff and good food. The prices are reasonable for the island and you will have a relaxing evening watching the sunset and listening to the waves. Occasionally, a local artist will entertain you with a soft melody – tip generously to your artist and your wait staff as the island depends on tourist dollars to survive.

St. Thomas is the stop for many cruise ships and therefore the island is abuzz with tourists during the day. The Secret Harbour can be a quiet escape in this small Virgin Island chain.