Jamaica: A Piece of Paradise
If you want to travel to the
Caribbean, you certainly have no shortage of wonderful destinations from
which to choose. One of the most popular places for tourists in the
Caribbean, however, is Jamaica. The country of Jamaica is about 150 miles
long and 50 miles wide, so it isn’t huge, but it is mighty in the world of
tourism, and is actually the third largest island in the Caribbean. It is
found less than 100 miles south of Cuba and a little over 100 miles from
Hispaniola, the island on which Haiti and the Dominican Republic as found.
It was formally a possession of Spain, and late of the United Kingdom, but
is now its own nation.
Although Jamaica is small, it has
had a large cultural influence on the world. Reggae, ska, dancehall, and
ragga are just a few of the many musical genres that originated in
Jamaica. Jungle music in the United Kingdom and hip-hop in the United
States are also largely accredited to the Jamaican immigrant population.
The Rastafari movement also began in Jamaica.
When you are visiting Jamaica,
there are a number of fun activities for you to do. Of course, like most
other Caribbean islands, Jamaica is home to a number of beautiful beaches,
so it is a real island paradise. While there, you can try diving,
parasailing, boating, swimming, snorkeling, jet and water skiing, and
surfing. Fishing is also very popular in the Jamaica, and you can see a
variety of great planets and animals when you are visiting this island.
For those who are not interested
in fun in the sun, the nightlife in Jamaica is also great. You can dance
the night away in a number of clubs and visit bars to try some of the
local drinks. The restaurants here serve both foreign and cultural
cuisine, and shopping is great for tourists who want to pick up lots of
gifts to take home.
If you plan to go to Jamaica on
your next vacation, you can fly directly there or you can take a cruise
through Caribbean islands. Make sure that you check with your airport to
see what kinds of travel paperwork are required to visit Jamaica from your
country and be prepared to experience this fun island culture by reading
up on the many things you can see and do while there. Jamaica can be your
own island paradise when you visit, so the vacation is definitely worth
making the travel plans.
Beaches in Barbados
The Caribbean holds many great
treasures when it comes to island destinations. Barbados is just one of
these great places. This single island is its own independent country and
is located close to South America, a bit over 250 miles from the coast of
Venezuela. It is east of Saint Lucia and north of Trinidad and Tobago. The
island itself is only about 165 square miles of low-lying land, but the
tropical trade winds, beautiful rainforests, and, of course, lovely sandy
beaches make it popular for tourist travel. You too can enjoy a vacation
in Barbados.
According to the United Nations,
Barbados is the fourth most developed of all the developing countries in
the entire world. It may be small, but almost every resident of this
island nation enjoys a very high standard of living, and this extends to
the tourists who visit the country every year, so you can expect your
travel in Barbados to be nothing short of fantastic.
If you plan to travel to the sunny
beaches of Barbados, you will probably fly into the single major airport
on the island, Sir Grantley Adams International Airport. Many major
airlines fly into this airport from almost everywhere in the world, and it
is actually a major hub for the Caribbean, so no matter where you are
traveling in this region of the world, you may fly into Barbados to catch
a flight or cruise to another island.
Some of the best things to do
while you are in Barbados are centered on the beach. Surfing is very
popular because the waters here are perfect for it, with the Soup Bowl,
located near the town of Bathsheba, being a popular surfing destination.
The western and southern coasts are most popular, and you’re sure to be
able to enjoy a number of sunny days lying on the pink sand if you like to
sunbathe.
However, if the beach isn’t your
thing, you can also enjoy the shopping in the duty-free tourist centers.
You can also check out the fun and exciting night life, the wildlife
reserves, and the festivals that take part all over the island in July and
August. Popular tourist destinations include Farley Hill National Park,
Animal Flower Cave, Hackleton’s Cliff, Sharon Moravian Church, Orchid
World, Gun Hill Signal Station, Garrison Savannah, and Barbados Historical
Museum. Large towns that in Barbados in which you can stay include
Bridgetown, Speightstown, Holetown, and Oistins. You can also stay in any
one of the small local towns dotting the island while visiting this
beautiful country.
|
