 In the late 18th century, the massive fortress of Brimstone Hill was known as "The Gibraltar of the West Indies." Built of black volcanic rock (then called "brimstone"), it was held at times by both the English and French, but was a neglected, almost forgotten legacy when efforts to restore it began in 1965. Today the fort, with one of grandest views in all the Caribbean, is a national park and the island's historical centerpiece.
But you don't have to be a history buff to get caught up in charms of St. Kitts. This is mostly a low-key island, but shoppers can survey duty-free barga...
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Traditional Mai Tai: Recipe from The Royal Hawaiian hotel on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu
1 oz dark rum
1 oz light rum
1 oz orange curacao
2 oz orange juice
1/2 oz lime juice
dash orgeat
dash simple syrup
Painkiller: The official drink of the BVI; recipe from Pusser’s Rum
2, 3 or 4 oz of Pusser’s Rum
4 parts pineapple juice to one each of cream of coconut and orange juice
grate fresh nutmeg on top
Rum Swizzle: Traditional cocktail from Bermuda; recipe from Swizzle Inn, Bermuda’s oldest pub and home of the Rum Swizzle. Serves 6.
4 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum
4 ...
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 Islands of the Bahamas What we think of as Bimini is actually two separate islands, North and South Bimini, separated by a shallow, narrow channel. North Bimini, the focus of the population and activities, consists of a strip of land 7 miles long and no wider than 700 yards. South Bimini, has a small airstrip and two hotels. As a result, it's silent and rustic, while still offering easy access via water to the North Bimini happenings.
Despite the fact that Bimini is the Bahamian island closest to the United States, sitting only 48 miles east of Miami, its easy way of life is reminiscent of the past. The isla...
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 The words on the license plates are a clue: "Diver's Paradise. " From fantastic snorkeling just off the beach (just imagine being dropped into a tropical fish tank) to deep wall dives, Bonaire offers what is arguably the best diving in the Caribbean. Much of the credit goes to its visionary Marine Park – the island waters have been protected since 1979.
Yet Bonaire is no one-hit wonder. Sure, other watersports are popular (windsurfers find steady tradewinds and a conveniently shallow sandy bottom at Lac Bay) and it's not hard to find a secluded beach (the black sands of Boca Cocolis...
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 Honduras Bring your underwater watch. Dive masters have charted more than 100 scuba and snorkeling sites on Roatan, the largest of the three major Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras, and it's easy to see why this island chain has become one of the Caribbean's diving meccas. A barrier reef (which extends north to Belize) lies just a few hundred feet offshore from the northern side of Roatan, and the warm, clear waters are home to nearly all of the tropical fish and corals of the Caribbean. Divers here have a smorgasbord of choices, from caves and canyons to swim-throughs and sand chutes.
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 Like Seychelles, its neighbor to the northwest, Mauritius enters the 21st century as an exotic alternative to more traditional sun-and-fun beach destinations. This Indian Ocean crossroads has seen its share of cultural collisions – Dutch, French, British, Indian, and Creole – and today those influences flavor the island's colorful mix of religious festivals, as well as its spicy cuisine.
French colonial buildings line the streets of the capital, Port Louis (where the Natural History Museum exhibits include a replica of the ill-fated, extinct dodo bird), and hikers can explore a world o...
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 your idea of vacation fun starts with sand, sun, sea, and nonstop action, then you'll love Cancun. It wasn't always that way. In the 1970s Cancun was just a long sandspit and a small fishing village. The Mexican government, however, had a different future in mind for those white-sand beaches and that turquoise water, and now the resort island is dotted with about 100 hotels that can handle some to 2 million visitors a year. Much of the Cancun experience has been crafted to reflect popular American tastes. If you want to party till dawn, it's no problema.
You can also shop till ...
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