Setting Sail

February marks the beginning of regatta season in the Caribbean — pictured is a shot from the St. Croix Regatta, running from February 19 to 21 — and as a total sailing neophyte, I’m eagerly reading every tidbit I come across regarding these sailing spectacles. In 28 short days I’ll be testing the waters, so to speak, when I head to St. Maarten to participate in the 30th annual Heineken Regatta from March 4-7. Growing up in landlocked Kansas, I had little exposure to the big blue sea, neither did I get into sailing in Wisconsin, where I went to school, and I've yet to be on a boat here in Florida. Which seems ridiculous. I suppose it took the lure of getting to sail in an actual race, all the Heineken I can handle (believe me, they'll be sorry) and a trip to beautiful St. Maarten to convince me to climb aboard. I'm not sure if I'll make captain in my days on board or I'll be swabbing decks, but either way, I can't wait. If you want to join in the fun, the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino is offering a "Regatta Retreat" special where you'll get a free night for stays from March 3 to 8, as long as you book four nights. Rates start at $290 per room, per night. Surf over to www.sonesta.com/stmaarten and use booking code HR10. See you there!

Guest Blog: Cancun Celebrity Golf Invitational

Don't get me wrong. We CT+L editors would love to be in the islands all the time. But of course, duty calls back here in the office sometimes, so we can't always make it to cover certain Caribbean festivals and events ourselves – like this year's Cancun Celebrity Golf Invitational. Luckily, freelance travel writer Craig Zabransky, frequent contributor to Cheapflights.com and featured guest on Fox & Friends and Sirius radio, was on the ground covering the event, and he provided this special guest blog just for CT+L. Take it away, Craig...

Mexico. Many remain cautious, and some tourists still seem hesitant to travel to its beautiful beaches, experience its colorful culture and enjoy its “mañana” mantra. But just this last weekend, Dec 3-6, over twenty world-recognizable athletes, actors, and Olympic champions traveled to Mexico’s Caribbean coast to join amateur golfers for four days in the sun.
Known best for its resorts, clear blue water and nightlife, the Riviera Maya is also home to some of the best golf courses in Mexico, and it was the perfect setting for the first annual Cancun Celebrity Golf Invitational, an event that essentially (and unofficially) reopened tourism to one of Mexico’s most important travel destinations.

The event selected Los Playa Mujeres Golf Course to host both the Friday skins game and the main Pro-Am on Saturday.  The challenging links course, designed by Greg Norman, proved difficult at times, but the hospitality and camaraderie established in the foursomes created a festive atmosphere.

I camped out on the par three 11th hole. There I watched as each foursome (comprised of one celebrity and three amateurs) designated one player to hit for the official 197-yard “hole in one.” The prize: A $450,000 condo in Cancun. A difficult shot. Most foursomes selected the celebrity guest to take the chance and actually Bob Beamon, the US Olympic Gold Medal Long jumper from the ’68 Mexico City games gave it the best ride. But, no condo. In fact, only one participant (an amateur) came close. He left it just six feet from the hole.

The Hacienda TresRios opened its doors to host the celebrities and all of the invitational’s related events. A pioneer on the Riviera Maya, the resort and spa has earned numerous environmental and sustainable awards including the Green Global Certification. Constructed on land that was once a national park altered by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the recently opened luxury Hacienda did not forget its roots. Today, guests can snorkel, kayak or even just learn about the resort's three rivers, ten Cenotes and diverse ecosystem.

Each night, the all-inclusive provided an idyllic setting for the event's many cocktail receptions, the Texas Hold’em tournament, and the final awards dinner. All elegant. All enjoyable.

Now, after the successful tournament (which had an impressive list of celebrities in attendance including actor Chris Tucker, NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, Olympic Gold Medalist Dan Jansen, and the tournament champion Darryl Talley among others), I expect the event to grow.  Next year’s 2nd annual tournament might just be that special weekend to circle on your calendar and head to the Caribbean coast of Mexico. – Craig Zabransky

To read more from Craig, you can follow him on Twitter: @StayAdventurous – and don't forget to follow us too (@CaribTravelLife) for travel deals, contest announcements and more!

Beach Tennis in Aruba

I've always been pretty athletically challenged, but that hasn't stopped me from trying every conceivable resort activity known to man whenever I travel. In the name of research, I've spent many a Caribbean trip playing bocce ball, beach volleyball, sand horseshoes – you name it. I'm fairly sure I look equally ridiculous playing all of them, but there seems to be no shortage of new beach games to try, and so I carry on. If you're like me and you feel the need to test your (lack of) coordination against all varieties of beach games, then you'll definitely want to head to the Aruba Marriott Resort next month for the 8th Annual International Beach Tennis Event, held from November 13 to 15 and hosting over 350 participants from more than 10 different countries. What exactly is beach tennis, you ask? I'm told it's a combination of beach volleyball and tennis, played on a sand court with special tennis "paddles" and depressurized tennis balls...and let's be honest, that has a lot of potential to look really silly, so I'm sold.

The Deal: If you're in town for the event, you can take advantage of the resort's Aruba Beach Tennis Tournament Package starting at $339 per night and get your fourth night free, plus daily breakfast for two adults and two kids under 12, a free one-hour beach tennis lesson by an actual beach tennis pro (there is such a thing), and complimentary use of the resort's beach tennis court and paddles during your stay. Want more? Just register for the event – why not? – and you'll enjoy an opening night party with live music, a free BBQ lunch and a commemorative T-shirt so you can brag about your amazing athleticism to all your naysaying friends back home. Just check out the Aruba Marriott for more info and to book your trip.

Diwali, Trini Style

Trinidad's been at the top of my list of "must-visit" Caribbean destinations since I started at CT+L; it's so different from most of the other islands, home to a huge population of East Indian descendants. Brought to the island as indentured servants beginning in 1845, 40 percent of Trinidad's current 1.4 million residents are Indo-Trinidadian. As an India junkie myself, I was desperate to visit for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, held each year in October or November, and I happily got the chance the third week of October. Celebrated on the darkest night of the year, according to the Hindu calendar, families gather all over the island to light deyas, small clay pots filled with coconut oil. There's plenty of food (the food, oh, the food), music and camaraderie. We celebrated in a village called Felicity, at the home of a family who was kind enough to prepare the traditional Diwali curries for us. Yum. The night culminated for me in lighting some deyas for myself, clad in the traditional Indian salwar kameez (watch that scarf by the flames, Becky). The combination of Caribbean and Indian culture was both what I'd expected and a surprise, a fascinating and delicious mash-up. Ever been to Trinidad for Diwali? What did you think?

*photos courtesy of Jon Whittle

News and Deals in the Cayman Islands

I recently blogged about the Peppered Pickled Pirate Party that's coming up in November on the island of Nevis – but for even more swashbuckling action this Fall, don't miss the Cayman Islands' 32nd Annunal Pirates Week from November 12-22. Held across Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, the event includes a staged "pirate invasion" of George Town Harbor, plus street parties, food festivals, a pirate costume competition, and even 5K and 10K runs throughout the week. Most events offer free admission, but to find more information and the full event calendar, just surf over to www.piratesweekfestival.com.


And for all of you pirates out there just trying to save a buck, you're in luck with the new island-wide Free Fallin' promotion. Through December 15, you can cash in on upgrades and savings around the Cayman Islands – like fourth-night-free offers at a variety of hotels; special discounts on Cayman Airways; and a $200 American Express gift check when booking your stay on your American Express card. Fore more information and a full list of participating partners, check out the official site at www.caymanislands.ky/freefallin.

Caribbean News and Events – November

I just posted the November issue's interactive click-map of the Caribbean to our Scribd page, so check it out for a look at all the news and events that are happening in the islands now.

Caribbean Travel + Life November Map

Nevis Pirate Parrrrty

From Blackbeard and Calico Jack to Black Bart and Captain Kidd, pirates and the Caribbean go together like...well, pirates and rum.

For all their dastardly deeds, pirates were the rock stars of their time, and to commemorate the history and culture of these swashbucklers, the island of Nevis will be hosting a quirky new event twice this Fall: the Peppered Pickled Pirate Party! It's a mouthful to say, but the week-long event - slated for October 25 to 31 and again November 22 to 28 - will be packed with peppy pirate pastimes the whole family can enjoy. The celebration will unfold island-wide, including stops at some of our personal favorite hotels - Nisbet Plantation and Hermitage Plantation - and will include interactive games, beach barbecues, rum mixers (!!) and even pirate costume parties.

I don't know about you, but I'll use pretty much any excuse to dress up...throw in an eye patch and a sword and I'm definitely there. To join the festivities yourself, just log on to the official Peppered Pickled Pirate Party web site or email pppptnevis@live.com for more information.