If you have already been to the Caribbean Islands and on your next visit want to seek out interesting places, people or attractions, all it takes is a little planning. The Islands you visit have experienced centuries of momentous history, they have a culture and an eductaed English speaking population and they possess extraordinary natural attractions.
Jamaica: By contacting the various offices of the Jamaica Tourist Board in the United States, you can arrange a unique and free of charge port-stop visit with Jamaican counterparts, via that Island’s “Meet the People” program. You can visit schoolteachers, doctors, visit a hospital , meet a Jamaican chef, or even be taken by a Jamaican to one of the Island’s standard sightseeing attractions.
Cozumel: Independent Companies like Shoretrips.com, portpromotions.com and portcompass.com will arrange for a smaller van with driver to pick you up at the dock and take you on a difierent sort of tour to a Mayan site or be driven overland through the jungle on an all-terraine vehicle and taken to caves, then a swim in a geological underground pool and maybe even to a bat cave. Also available is a private tour of Punta Sur Ecological Park, which is a 247 acre nature preserve. Between July and August, visitors can be a part of the turtle program to see nesting behavior of the marine turtle.
Cayman Islands: Taxi service on this Island provides good commentary on the way to a famous turtle farm, which raises turtles for preservation. An impressive scientific lecture is delivered on site. Visit Queen Elizabeth’s Gardens which preserves a segment of the Caymanian lanscape and is home to a vareity of wildlife including the endangered Blue Iguana.
You can transform your Island visits into valid cultural experiences of depth and interest with a little advance planning.
Written by C Kennedy
kennedy@atlastravelweb.com
