THE BAHAMAS

Calm waters and cooling tradewinds have rightfully earned The Bahamas an international reputation for sailing, with regattas and races held year-round. The islands are actually the birthplace of the Gulf Stream, a phenomenon that also accounts for their astonishing variety and abundance of marine life. Legendary gamefish draw sport fisherman in search of the "big one," and more than 50 international fishing records have been set in these waters. The great writer / fisherman Ernest Hemingway considered the Bahamian island of Bimini a home. The same conditions that make these islands so amenable to sailors and fisherman draw visitors to the vast and diverse underwater parks. With more than 5% of the planet's reef mass, The Bahamas offer inexhaustible pleasures and challenges to snorkelers and divers. The natural beauty of the water extends to the thousands of miles of shoreline, which has some of the world's most stunningly beautiful and unsullied beaches. From the pink sands of Harbour Island and Eleuthera to the deserted strands of the Exumas and San Salvador, there is a lifetime of beaches to experience. Further inland are gardens and National Parks with rare and endangered species, such as the exotic Abaco Parrot and the Bahamian Iguana. Although The Bahamas are as diverse and numerous as the days of the year, the reassuring unifier is the charm and hospitality of its people. The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism offers a People-to-People programme; an opportunity for visitors to experience a genuine and informal taste of Bahamian hospitality and culture. Volunteers holding interests similar to yours give you a taste of Bahamian life and potentially a lifelong friendship. Bahamians will be more than happy to introduce you to the richness of their history, folklore, culture and cuisine. Over a succulent dish of cracked conch and guava duff, you'll hear tales about the nefarious pirate Blackbeard and the mysterious blue holes of Andros. They'll tell you about the original Eleutheran Adventurers, the playful the Junkanoo troupes. You can start exploring the Islands of the Bahamas by using the clickable map. Please sign our guest book and let us know what you think, share some stories of the Bahamas, or leave a hot tip. You can also read the tales of other readers on our Bahamas Browser's Page. Finally, we hope that this presentation convinces you to leave that computer screen behind and come visit us in person.

CUBA

Epic colonial architecture, libidinous young salsa dancers, Che Guevara murals, white-powder sandy beaches, swaying fields of sugar cane - the images of Cuba are as transfixing as they are timeless. This is an island of unique historical heritage floating amid a sea of encroaching globalisation.

Travel in Cuba can involve anything from sipping mojittos at an all-inclusive resort in Varadero to scraping the spit and sawdust off your shoes outside the Casa de las Tradiciones in Santiago. The burgeoning tourist sector rubs up against the Cuba of communist myth.

Cuba is blessed with perfect lucidity in its over 200 beaches, in which Varadero Beach, the Eastern Havana Beaches (Playas del Este) or the unexplored keys (Cayo Largo, Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo,...) are good examples.

Out of the 588 kilometers of the beaches of Cuba, 256 of its foreshores are comprised in the country’s twelve major tourist circuits, all of them outfitted with great hotel and nautical facilities, plus an assortment of development plans in place for broader recreational choices.

Besides being the right spots for basking in the sun, reading a good book under the shadow of an umbrella, or simply taking a catnap, Cuban beaches are equipped with the right infrastructure to practice a variety of water sports such as sailing, Cuba scuba diving, Cuba sailing, aqua bikes, kayaking and water skiing, with gear provided by a number of nautical centers.

BEACHES
The Dominican Republic's beaches are widely celebrated as being among the world's best, and for good reason. Here, more than 1,000 miles of sugar-colored sand is gently lapped by warm waters so clear and blue one has to see to believe. Depending on location, the beaches offer a gentle lullaby for an oceanside nap or enough wind to keep a Technicolor kiteboard adrift.

Super fine white sand sprinkled with coconut palm trees line the east coast while golden sand defines the beaches of the north coast. Adding a third color to the palette are the grey sand playas of Barahona in the west. Some of these areas are populated with resorts featuring a full array of watersports, food vendors, people watching and other activities. While others take visitors to another world of pristine tranquility with peaceful, uninhabited beaches. Here, the only intrusions are a towering coconut palm and the swaying breeze.