The Bahamas is an English-speaking country consisting of 29 islands, 661 cays, and 2,387 islets (rocks). It is located at the north-east of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cuba. Originally inhabited by Arawakan Taino people, The Bahamas were the site of Columbus’ first landfall in the New World in 1492. Although the Spanish never colonised The Bahamas, they shipped the native Lucayans (as the Bahamian Taino settlers referred to themselves) to slavery in Hispaniola. The islands were mostly deserted from 1513 to 1650, when British colonists from Bermuda settled on the island of Eleuthera.

The Bahamas became a Crown Colony in 1718 when the British clamped down on piracy. Following the American War of Independence, thousands of pro-British loyalists and enslaved Africans moved to The Bahamas and set up a plantation economy. The slave trade was abolished in the British Empire in 1807 and many Africans liberated from slave ships by the Royal Navy were settled in The Bahamas during the 19th century. Slavery itself was abolished in 1834 and the descendants of enslaved and liberated Africans form the bulk of The Bahamas’s population today.

More than 60% of the Bahama’s GDP is tourism! With that kind of statistic even people who afraid to travel can be confident that they will be getting their money’s worth with a trip to the Bahamas. These islands have a deep, rich history that is a must see for every person. If you want to book your trip today, click here or contact us at tropicaltravel.net! Look forward to hearing from you!

While economic times are tough life can be just as tough. Sometimes it is necessary to escape all of the hassles of the world and take some time out for yourself. Whether that time is by yourself, with your partner, or with your family it is an important aspect of life. But the problem comes when all of the good deals for travel cost an arm and a leg for seven nights. The trick is to find a good deal on a vacation for a weekend. Two or three nights is the ideal length of time for the budget and work schedule. 

With that fact in mind, the next question would become where to take these two or three nights so that you can really get your moneys worth. One good option could be the Hotel RIU Montego Bay, located in one of Jamaicas hottest vacationing spot the RIU is a great option for any single, couple, or family to enjoy life on the beaches for a weekend. The RIU has something for everyone in the family! The kids can enjoy a action-packed day full of swimming, both in the ocean and in the pool, dancing, singing, and playing games all supervised by trained staff while their older brothers and sisters enjoy the chill teen area complete with an inline skate park, a non-alcoholic bar, and hammocks on the beach. But while the kids are off enjoying their day, mom and dad can be enjoying a lovely day at the spa, sitting on the beach, or even playing beach volleyball with some newly met friends! The RIU can be as relaxed and chilled as a person wants with its hammocks, spa, and pools, but it can also be the catalyst to a action packed weekend with nights full of drinks, dancing, and new acquaintances! Two or three nights at the RIU could be just what you need! Check out TropicalTravel.net to book your budget weekend today!  

If you are planning a trip at all this year, then maybe you should consider taking a fun-filled excursion to Costa Rica! In 2008 more than two million people decided to take that small step in visiting Costa Rica and that did not just happen by chance! Costa Rica is a tropical oasis with over half of its land mass protected by natural reserves! It has been deemed politically stable and economically prosperous making it a hot-spot for those business men and women looking for a good getaway from the hustle and bustle of North American culture.

Even with all of these facts stated, a person cant help but wonder what to do once you get off the plane. After you get off the plane, what you do depends on which direction you set off in! The trip from the West coast of Costa Rica to the East coast takes about three to four hours on land and only 45 minutes by air. But in that small distance a person could tour a coffee plantation, go rafting on the beautiful tropical rivers, or even climb a volcano! Taking a pit-stop in San Jose, the Costa Rican capital city, would be a must for any serious sightseer. Experiencing things like the National Symphony Orchestra, the Marriott Costa Rica, eyeballing the 1880 piece gold collection at the Gold Museum or even touring the National Museum that is built within the former Buenavista fortress.

But if big cities arent your thing, you could easily find some of the most relaxing, tropical hideaways in the area within a couple of hour from San Jose. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve would be the place to go in February to witness not only the mating habits of the beautiful Quetzal but also the 2,500 types of plants, the 399 other species of birds, and the 110 different kinds of mammals! Or you could visit the Arenal Volcano Nation Park for a hiking excursion, the Caribbean coast to visit the Tortuguero Lodge that is placed inside the exotic Tortuguero National Park, or even the Manuel Antonio National Park that is found on the Central Pacific Coastline. There really is something for everyone that can be found in Costa Rica!

Book your trip today at TropicalTravel.net!

In Riviera Maya and Cancun there have been countless, All-Inclusive resorts built on the beach front. Most of them built as close to the beach as the government allowed and then connected to the road with private drive-ways and made into beautiful beach hotels and resorts. But the only downside to all of these beautiful, All-Inclusive resorts being constructed is that the ecosystems in the Riviera Maya have been destroyed and polluted. For instance, there is a plant called the mangrove that grows on the coastlines of most tropical locations that help protect the coasts from erosion, surge storms, and tsunamis and they do this through their root systems that work to dissipate wave energy. This plant has largely been removed from the areas that the resorts have been built to make room for pools, hotels, and driveways.

But as always there is an exception to this enviromental incident caused by all of the construction and tourism. The Mayakoba Resort and the Tres Rios Hotel have been constructed without destrying the enviroment, and have actually been built in such a way that they have helped encourage the aquatic ecosystems found in the Riviera Maya! For instance, instead of removing all of the mangroves and underground rivers that are so vitally important to the ecosystem, the Mayakoba resort has simply uncovered some of these underground rivers and has used them as the center piece of the resort creating an atmosphere of being in the jungle instead of being on the beach. But never fear! The beach is still only a few minutes away, and is actually connected to the resort via the new uncovered river systems.

But in addition to the Mayakoba the Tres Rios hotel has also implemented a new, green design that was created to not only preserve but utilize the natural ecosystem of the Mexican beaches. The Tres Rios has been built on more than 400 piles of permeable rock so that the hotel has about 3 yards of clearance between the ground/lagoon and the hotel floor. This was done so that the rivers and plant life could live on without being disturbed. Both of these hotels have actually seen an increase in animal life since being built because of the aquatic ecosystems that have been created. These hotels also utilize multiple systems of using green energy and not letting things go to waste. For instance they sort all of the garbage before it is recycled and their water comes from the ocean and is distilled in a processing machine instead of using the ground wells and depleting resources.

For more information on booking a trip to the Riviera Maya or either of these hotels please contact us at tropicaltravel.net!

 In Tobago you will find many scenic Beaches, Bays and Ports.  The island’s main city of Scarborough is the main drop off point for the ferry service and shuttles, along with the cruise port of the island.  Shops and restaurants fill downtown here, and is the starting point for exploring the rest of the island.

 There are numerous picture perfect beaches on the island of Tobago.  One of the most famous and popular beach, Pigeon Point has gained most of is popularity due to its powder white sands.  Here you can walk among the numerous food stands, watersports kiosks, picnic table and locals selling their arts and crafts.  This beach is very tourist-friendly, and has many facilities such as gift shops, restrooms with showers, small restaurants and a bandstand for live entertainment.  Here you can also sign up for snorkeling excursions that leave from the beach.

 More north from Pigeon Point, you will find many Bays and Beaches, among them are:  Back Bay, which is great for snorkeling and surfing; Great Courland Bay, which is known for the turtles that nest nearby; Englishman’s Bay, is known as the ‘deserted paradise’ of the area, where you can literally get away from it all; Man-O-War Bay, where you can watch the fishermen from the nearby town of Charlottesville fish, and then sell their catch of the day; and couples can find pink sands in a secluded beach at Lovers’ Beach, which is only accessible by boat.

 Charlotte Bay is where you can go off the beaten path.  This small fishing village is located on the northeastern coast along a beautiful stretch of sand and is ideal for diving.  This town is very laid back, and you will usually see the locals just sitting on the pier, beer in hand, listing to reggae and chatting with locals and visitors alike.

 Once a military base, Fort King George offers spectacular views of the ocean and port from its location atop a cliff.  Located here is a small museum which displays weapons, idols and other artifacts from the native Amerindian people.  Along with a fine arts center that displays local artists’ latest works.

 If you are looking for a scenic, relaxing beach, go to Store Bay.  This 640-ft. stretch is ideal for swimming with warm water and gentle currents year round.  There are also many comfortable facilities on the beach, such as changing rooms with showers, seating, local food vendors, and lifeguards that relaxingly police the area.

 Portugal, near the end of Europe on its southwestern tip, is a place of beauty and history.  This area is prone to sudden fogs and blustery sea breezes, which just add to the beauty of the plateau, and make this area a top destination for striking beaches in Europe. 

 The 60-mile coastline of Algarve offers beaches that range from calm shallows to thunderous surf.  And mass tourism has just grown yearly since the 1970’s, and the region’s strip shows it with a large group of towering hotels, pizzerias and Irish pubs.

 The Ria de Alvor offers shallows in its blue lagoon.  On the edge of the Ria de Alvor you will find the town of Alvor, where what was once a quaint fishing village, is now a bustling tourist center, full of great restaurants serving the best freshly caught fish, such as bream, bass and cuttlefish.  Her you will see a ride array of people ranging from bathers of the sea to yachtsmen, and old men hunting shellfish at low tide.

 The four-mile crescent of Meia Praia is where you will find a beautiful stretch of white sand curving toward the city of Lagos.  As the port where the Portuguese explorers set out for their first voyages down the coast of Africa, Lagos is full of locals and tourists alike, and where you will find narrow streets filled with youthful, bar-hopping crowds in the summer nights, partly due to the fact it plays host as a base camp for surfing trips in the summer.  But Lagos is not only for the young partying crowd, but is also rich with culture, with a wide spectrum of art galleries and open air concerts, along with beautiful architecture.  The food here is also something to experience, as the Portuguese are known for eating more fish than any other Europeans.  The resorted market hall offers freshly caught seafood from tiny sardines and baby squid to the great silver scabbard fish or large tuna.  Some of the more popular of hotels in Lagos are MarinaClub, The Tivoli, and The Casa da Moura.

 South from Lagos is where you will find Costa d’Oiro, also known as the golden coast.  This string of sandy coves is an ideal spot for romantic sunsets and walks amongst the saltwater caves and unusual rock formations.

 Farther west is the beach at Martinhal, just before Sagres.  Here the coast gets progressively wider, and you will come across this beach, which rises to a mountainous sand dune.  This spot is popular for windsurfers looking for a challenge with the powerful southwesterlies of the area.  And from here you can climb down the steps that are cut into the cliffs to the Praia do Beliche, a wide triangle of pale sand that is sheltered from the wind by the twin capes of Sagres and Saint Vincent.  In Sagres, some of the more popular lodging is Pousada do Infante, or the more rural Monte Velhho Nature Resort or Muxima.

 If you are looking for the more remote and undeveloped beaches of Portugal, travel to the North of Sagres to the coast, where you will also find some of Europe’s Best beaches for surfing.