around town

Clockwise, from top

left: One of hundreds
of tiny cayes off
Placencia, Belize;
dining out in Cabarete,
Dominican Republic;
sandy beaches give
way to jagged cliffs
in Negril, Jamaica;
board shopping in
Rincón, Puerto Rico.

the
caribbean’s
coolest
beach towns
Opposite, Clockwise from top left: DeAgostini/Getty Images; James Schnepf; Heeb Christian/age fotostock; Debbie Snow
there’s a lot to be said for tranquility, but sometimes
you crave a bit of action with your beach getaway.
that’s when you follow the cult of the endless summer
to outposts like these, where you can make the
scene and have the best of both worlds.

42 Caribbean Travel + Life  j u n e / j u ly 2009 C AR I B B EAN T RA V E L M A G . c o m  Caribbean Travel + Life 43

go there Puerto Plata
International Airport is
25 minutes’ drive from
Cabarete and is served
from North America by
Air Canada, American
Airlines, Continental, Delta,
JetBlue and WestJet. cabarete, dominican republic
stay there
Velero Beach Resort
Rooms at this 22-suite
boarding school
beachfront condo resort THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS AN ENVIABLE collection of sweeping palm-
start at $83 in low season
($122 high). 809-571-9727;
fringed beaches that demand studious contemplation of every bone-white grain from
velerobeach.com the comfort of a water’s-edge chaise. But if you seek a bit of buzz with your beach
more info 888-374-6361; time, you’ll love Cabarete, where sun and sea are served with a heaping side of high-
godominicanrepublic.com; energy water sports and rugged adventure. Set against a backdrop of emerald hills,
activecabarete.com
the bohemian north-coast enclave attracts an international contingent of footloose
beach athletes to a golden-sand playa that unfurls for three unbroken miles, blessed
with some of the world’s best conditions for kiteboarding, surfing and windsurfing.
G E T B U S Y Wiry kiteboarders and windsurfers pit their skills against the bay’s year-

round eastern trade winds at the breeze-blown Bozo Beach and the aptly named Kite
Beach; dreadlocked surfers ride the waves at Encuentro; and neophytes master the
basics with morning lessons at one of the dozen schools in the area.
But the cosmopolitan oasis offers plenty of active pursuits that don’t involve boards.
Fuel up with the $3 Dominican breakfast at local hangout Dick Café House, then
mountain-bike along the numerous mule trails that crisscross the hilly interior or
brave a breathtaking, almost vertical teleferico (cable car) ride to the 2,500-foot-high
summit of Mount Isabel de Torres. Fearless travelers can join outfitter Iguana Mama
for a white-knuckle adventure traversing rivers and scaling waterfalls on an excursion
to Rio Damajagua. It’s certainly not for the acrophobic, but expert guides lead the way,
and the buffet feast at the end of the trip is a welcome reward.
TA K E I T EA S Y Cabarete’s half-mile-long Calle Principale is lined with a profusion of

small and comfortable hotels, such as Velero Beach Resort, where suites with kitchen-
ettes and spacious living areas face the bay. Tucked in between the hotels are a variety
of handicraft and souvenir stores, and worthy mementos can be found at Fred, a tiny
boutique with an eclectic assortment of jewelry made from conch shell, turquoise,
locally harvested amber and the indigenous aquamarine stone larimar.
D I NNER & DAN C I N G The town’s large expat community migrated with its cuisine in

tow, and visitors can enjoy a global array of flavors steps from — and directly on — the
sand. Try Indian specialties at La Boca, North African favorites at Miró and shrimp at
Papi’s, which at more than 20 years of age, is the oldest restaurant on the beach. The
curiously named 7:36 p.m. restaurant in the nearby Pro Cab neighborhood opens only
on Thursday evenings, and the intimate eatery in the candlelit garden of a vine-covered
private home has a uniquely romantic and relaxed ambience.
If daytime activities don’t deplete your energy reserves, Cabarete’s happening
night life just might. Its epicenter is an atmospheric strip of hip beachfront bars Clockwise from Right: James Schnepf (2); Peter Dennen/aurora

and restaurants lit by the glow of flaming tiki torches and colorful lanterns strung
summer breeze between coconut palms. Much like the town itself,
Above: High fliers
stalwarts such as Lax, Casanova, Bambu and Blu
at the aptly named
Kite Beach. Right: have a casual and worldly ambience that owes as
An open-air art much to the multinational clientele as to the wait-
gallery. Opposite:
staff, many of whom are smitten adventurers who
Chilling at one of
Cabarete’s myriad decided to stay. On any given night, barefoot revel-
surfer hangouts. ers in the unofficial Cabarete uniform of tank tops
and drawstring pants, or bikini tops and flowing
skirts, drink and dance till the wee hours with the
carefree abandon of those blissfully unfettered by
a 9-to-5. It’s a chilled-out beachfront bacchanal,
and if only for a brief moment, you’re right in the
thick of it. — Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

44 Caribbean Travel + Life  o ct o b e r 2009

 go there Fly American,
Continental, Delta or Taca
to Belize City, then hop a
half-hour flight to Placencia
on Tropic Air (tropicair
.com) or Maya Island Air
(mayaairways.com).
Placencia, Belize
stay there

EXPLORERS’ HUb Seaspray Hotel

Rooms with kitchenettes
and sea-view porches
IT’S LATE IN THE AFTERNOON that Placencia Village reveals itself as a frontier from $50 in low season
($60 high). 501-523-3148;
beach town, a small, sandy outpost dangling between jungle and deep blue sea at seasprayhotel.com
the tip of a 12-mile-long peninsula. Wander down the beach — mainland Belize’s Inn at Robert’s Grove
best — to its southernmost point and sip a cold Belikin as the boats return to the Beachfront suites from
town docks after a day of offshore adventures. There you’ll catch a contact high $155 in low season ($189
high). 800-565-9757;
from divers who’ve just explored the hemisphere’s greatest barrier reef or swam with robertsgrove.com
humongous whale sharks. The snorkelers and fishermen in smaller boats were out more info 800-624-
amid the Belize Cayes — idyllic dollops of sand surrounded by corals and flats — 0686; placencia.com;
travelbelize.org
surveying reef creatures or stalking game fish. Later tonight you’ll meet all these
sportos reliving it up at Cozy Corner and Barefoot Beach Bar — they’ll be the ones
with “raccoon eyes” sunglasses tans.
P I ER RE V I EW As the sun falls toward the Maya Mountains, the spot for your next

beer is Yoli’s on the pier, a great vantage point for toasting the sunset and meeting
cruisers off the sailboats that bob at anchor in the lee of Placencia Caye. Any boat you
see still heading in from the west (the mainland side) either spent the day watching
black howler monkeys and crocodiles along the serpentine shores of the Monkey
River, or it’s a late crossing of the Hokey Pokey, the taxi boat out of Mango Creek that’s
ferrying backpackers. Even with new luxe condos and second-home sites putting
down roots north of town, Placencia is still a good bet for budgeteers.
RU S H H OUR Life in Placencia mainly runs north and south, paralleling the lagoon,

the beach and the two main streets — one an actual road; the other the town’s famous
sidewalk thoroughfare just behind the beach. Dusk, however, brings crosstown traf-
fic and a flurry of flip-flops as foragers — both temporary townies and guests of the
resorts a few miles north on the peninsula — shuffle back and forth trying to choose
between the joints lining the main road and those on the sidewalk. For a Central
American village of just 800 residents, the dining selection is dizzying. If breakfast
was the lobster omelet at Omar’s and lunch Cozy Corner’s lobster burger, should you

Clockwise from Left: Jim Klug; Alexander Nesbitt/aurora; Robert Harding World Imagery/Corbis
keep the crayfish theme and see if De’Tatch has lobster as tonight’s seafood special?
Or should you try the creole fish at Wendy’s, something fancy at French Connection
or maybe just grab a pizza and eat it on the beach?
N I G H T FAN TA S T I C After dinner, the choices become easier. First, a beach-town stan-

dard with a local twist: genuine Italian gelato in Belizean flavors (pineapple, coconut,
banana, etc.) at Tutti Frutti. Then the party hats go on. The Placencia Breeze is the
official ear to the ground, but after a couple days, you’ll know the skinny. Barefoot
Beach Bar offers live music four nights a week; Sunrise Restaurant and Bar might have
the karaoke machine cranked up; and down at the dock, you’ll hear if Tranquilo out
on Placencia Caye has a band playing. Late action what’s cookin’?
Above: At Omar’s
is at Tipsy Tuna sports bar and D’Eclipse, where
Diner, in the center
bashments break out regularly. of the village, find
By morning, Placencia is once again an adven- communal tables
and great local fare
ture base, hawking trips to the rainforest, Maya
beachfront dive at budget prices.
The SeaHorse Dive ruins and Garifuna settlements, along with the Left: The view from
Shop offers a variety siren call of the Cayes. The beach itself seems the Rum Point Inn’s
of snorkel, scuba breezy restaurant.
like a bonus — except after late nights, which is
and fishing tours,
including whale- when you really appreciate Placencia’s superlative
shark excursions set of beach-town essentials: breakfast burritos,
and trips to the warm water for a wake-up swim, cool breezes,
Great Blue Hole,
the world’s biggest and long stretches of soft sand just steps away
oceanic sinkhole. from laid-back beach bars. — Bob Friel

C AR I B B EAN T RA V E L M A G . c o m  Caribbean Travel + Life 47

go there Jet into Montego
Bay from North America
on Air Canada, Air Jamaica,
American Airlines,
Continental, Delta, JetBlue,
Northwest, Spirit,
US Airways or WestJet.
Negril, Jamaica
stay there
Idle Awhile
Casual-chic beachfront
rooms and suites from
funky town
$130 in low season ($210 FAMOUS FOR ITS FREE-SPIRITED, come-as-you-are attitude and distinctly hedo-
high). 877-243-5352;
idleawhile.com
nistic vibe, Negril was “discovered” by American hippies 30 years ago. The rural
more info 800-233-4582;
fishing village that was once the hang-loose, dropout capital of the Caribbean now
visitjamaica.com attracts couples, families, spring breakers and backpackers in search of their place
in the sun along its seven-mile, white-sand stretch. Relaxed indulgence is the order
of the day on Jamaica’s largest and most famous strand, and if wiling away the day
doing nothing more strenuous than sipping a Red Stripe as you take in the colorful
cast of characters is your kind of thing, you’ll find a carefree flock of like-minded
sun seekers to keep you company. T-shirts, flip-flops and swimsuits are all that you’ll
need to enjoy this chilled-out oasis, where the days unfold to a relentless reggae beat
and a mellow, live-and-let-live vibe endures.
G E T B EA C H ED The intimate, midstrip Idle Awhile is the perfect base camp, with 15

airy and colorful rooms right on the powder-white sand. Its restaurant, Chill Awhile,
offers Jamaican fare on a canopied, beachfront deck. Large and luxurious all-inclusive
resorts dominate the strip, shoulder-to-shoulder with several small, family-run hotels,
humble guesthouses, water-sports concessions, souvenir stalls and restaurants. As
dawn breaks, the beach becomes a hub of activity, with vendors strolling the sand,
offering everything from morning newspapers and fresh fruit to hair braiding, aloe
vera rubdowns and snorkeling excursions. When offered recreational drugs, a firm
“no thanks” will suffice. Perhaps the best thing about Negril’s strand is that, in spite
of its popularity, it never feels crowded, and you can always find a quiet spot.
G E T B U S Y If you decide to stir, there’s no shortage of options. First, get your bearings

with a walk along the sand, during which you’ll encounter guitar-strumming reggae
singers and at least one party promoter with a megaphone trumpeting the night’s show.
Take to the air on a parasail flight, or board a glass-bottom boat for snorkeling and a
lobster picnic on the offshore islet Booby Cay — named for the birds that roost there,
not the nudists who ferry over to its swimsuit-optional shore. Or break for a casual
lunch on a beachfront bench at Cosmo’s (next to Beaches resort), which has been
dishing up heaping plates of curried goat and fried conch for more than 30 years.
F L A S H ’ N ’ S P L A S H Tear yourself away from the strip for the traditional afternoon

pilgrimage to Rick’s Café. Set on the rocky cliffs of neighboring West End, it is the
place to witness Negril’s famous sunsets; look out for the legendary and elusive
green flash, a phenomenon that sometimes occurs as the sun meets the horizon,
and whose sighting supposedly guarantees your return to the island. Rick’s main
attractions, however, are the muscled divers who plunge from the 30-foot-high Clockwise from Right: Zach Stovall (2); Lew Robertson/getty images

cliffs and even higher pine trees into the turquoise water below. Idle Awhile offers
high times a complimentary taxi for the 10-minute trip, but
Above: A strolling
consider taking the long way ’round on a three-
beach troubadour
strums up a fitting hour catamaran cruise aboard Wild Thing, which
soundtrack. Right: stops for swimming and snorkeling.
Couples Swept
Later, head for Pushcart, a new open-air,
Away Resort holds
a prime spot on the cliffside eatery that offers local specialties, live
seven-mile beach at music and a flip-flop friendly vibe. Try the fried-
Long Bay. Opposite:
to-perfection escoveitch fish or spicy pepper-pot
Negril’s West End
cliffs bring out soup, washed down with Pushcart’s house cock-
the daredevils. tail. The blend of pineapple juice, peppery ginger
beer and white rum will have you coming back
for more — whether or not you saw the green
flash. — Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

48 Caribbean Travel + Life  o ct o b e r 2009

go there Continental, rincÓn, Puerto Rico

Surf’s Up
Delta and JetBlue fly into
Aguadilla, just under an
hour’s drive from Rincón.
Three hours’ drive away,
San Juan is served by Air LAID-BACK AMERICAN SURF CULTURE meets Puerto Rican warmth in easygoing
Canada, American, AirTran, Rincón, on the westernmost tip of the island. The town is set on a lush and mountain-
Continental, Delta, JetBlue,
Spirit, Northwest, United
ous peninsula famed for its spectacular sunsets and bordered by golden-sand beaches
and US Airways. and teeming reefs, but what really put the enclave on the map are the huge waves that
stay there crash against the northern shore. Back in 1968, Rincón hosted an international surfing
Villa Cofresí competition, and when its few hotels ran out of rooms, residents opened their homes
Rooms at this beachfront
hotel begin at $125 in
to surfers from all over the world; Rincón has since become an essential stop on the
low season ($135 high), Caribbean surfing safari, and in season, it seems as if almost every car in town has a
including breakfast. 787- board or two strapped to the roof.
823-2450; villacofresi.com
Today Rincón is a bustling town of 15,000 with a relaxed year-round scene. Surfers
TRES SIRENAS
BEACHFRONT INN ride swells as high as 25 feet from November to February; visitors come to observe
A four-room, boutique the humpback whale migration that begins in March; there’s an international film
B&B with rooms from
festival every April and a triathlon in June; and in the summer months, the town is
$125 in low season ($175
high). 787-823-0558; a go-to vacation spot for local families. Nevertheless, Rincón has retained its casual,
tressirenas.com small-town charm. There are no megaresorts, just a small collection of guesthouses
more info 800-866-7827; and midsize hotels. In the pueblo, Pilates and yoga studios, health food stores and art
gotopuertorico.com
galleries surround the central plaza; surf shops hang their shingles, as do businesses
with names such as Surf’s Up Coffee and Playa Oeste Surf Art Gallery.
H AN G T EN The surfing action starts where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean at spots

such as Maria’s Beach (look out for the Surfer Crossing street sign); Steps Beach in the
Tres Palmas Marine Reserve; and Domes Beach, named for the abandoned nuclear reac-
tor on its shore. While in the wintertime these strands are best suited to strong swim-
mers, during the summer the waters are calm and the beaches are quiet and ideal for
romantic seclusion. Since it’s less than 10 minutes’ drive from one side of the peninsula
to the other, visitors can beach-hop until they find the one that suits them best.
Even if you’re not a surfer, you can still enjoy the town’s carefree lifestyle and
eight miles of sand. Rincón’s main drag, Route 413, winds through the hillsides
down to the northern border of the peninsula, where there’s calm water and good
snorkeling at Pools Beach, plenty of activity and pickup volleyball at popular Sandy

Clockwise from Left: Zach Stovall; Ryan Gamma; Zach stovall; Debbie Snow
Beach, tranquility and beachcombing for sea glass at Antonio’s Beach, and kid-
friendly tidal pools at River Mouth beach. You can also spot turtles and the oc-
casional dolphin in a kayak or on a stand-up paddle board. In the winter, Rincón
Lighthouse Park is a perfect vantage point for whale watching.
S H ORE L EAV E When it’s time to eat, head back to board games

the sand. You can’t come to Rincón without sam- Top: Pro surfer
Asher Nolan tucks
pling a pirata at Villa Cofresí Hotel & Restaurant. into a Rincón barrel.
Rincón’s original hotel is still going strong — just Above: Slow down
like its signature five-rum cocktail, served beach- and enjoy the ride.
Left: Horseback
front at el Bohio. Make your way to Calypso Café for tours are a popular
a fish burrito and a bird’s-eye view of the surfers at way to explore
Maria’s Beach, and catch the sunset at this popular Rincón’s beaches.
Opposite: Sandy
hangout where reggae bands play on the weekend. Beach near the
Tamboo Seaside Grill at Sandy Beach serves superb Casa Isleña hotel.
food, a great mojito and live Sunday-night Cuban
music, while sushi is on the menu at the Pool Bar
overlooking Pools Beach. — Debbie Snow CT+L

C AR I B B EAN T RA V E L M A G . c o m  Caribbean Travel + Life 51