Highlighting Responsible Tourism Week

Voluntourism -  Good, Bad or Ugly?

With just 5 days to go until our event we are hosting with fellow responsible tourism friend Thomas Armit of West Africa Discovery, I have been drawing up some questions for our speakers Chris Hill – Hands Up Holidays and Ben Keene of Tribewanted.

In the past there have been some scathing reports and articles about the conduct of certain organisations and practices with unclear management and evaluation. I have several questions I would like to ask.

How do we guarantee that host communities are not exploited? Come to think of it how do we make sure that volunteers are not exploited?

Is there a code of conduct for volunteer organizations?
It is so important that communities and volunteers alike are cared for with the benefits and goals outlined. Organisations need to be transparent, matching skills and matching expectations.

How can short term volunteering deepen a relationship, making connections with a community and then leaving them, be helpful?

What does Bad and Ugly volunteering look like? Racism or classism? Does it create dependency?
I am looking forward to understanding what organisations can do better and what is already being done well.

Please join us for our event to highlight Responsible Tourism Week 2012 on Wednesday 15 February in SW London, UK at 7pm. We will be live streaming, so if you can’t be there in person, join us online.

When I first met Adam Gobat, one of the three brothers whose family built and own the Cap Maison estate on the North West tip of St Lucia, I was interested to hear about his marketing ideas and how he intended to bring more visitors to this beautiful island. With the mention of chocolate and rum, (anyone who I am acquainted with knows I have a penchant for quality chocolate), my attention was very much his.

So one cold January evening, on accepting the invitation to the Rabot Estate in London, I learnt from Adam (who was born and raised) in St Lucia, that this West Indian island is one of the most fertile Caribbean islands where anything will grow. It’s volcanic fertile soil is supreme for sustaining fruit and vegetables and the infamous cocoa bean.

St Lucia's green and fertile land

The cocoa plantations of St Lucia have slowly been taken over by the banana plantations which are sold as a commodity. However, that evening, I was introduced to Angus Thirlwell who is the co –founder and CEO from the Hotel Chocolat at the Rabot Estate in Soufiere, St Lucia. He and his team have worked tirelessly to encourage the cocoa plantation farmers to understand the true value of the cocoa beans.

The beautiful view of the Pietons from Hotel Chocolat

Hotel Chocolat was founded with a mission to make chocolate exciting again. Authenticity, originality and ethics are central to the brand.To their credit, given the disparity between those who enjoy fine chocolate and the subsistence cocoa growers  - who nurture the beans, Hotel Chocolat wanted to do something to make a difference, which led to creating their Engaged Ethics programme in 2002. This programme has gained real momentum and is delivering sustainable benefits to cocoa communities in both Saint Lucia and Ghana.

The cocoa farmers on the plantation

So what has all this got to do with Cap Maison Estate?

Cap Maison, St Lucia

Well, between Cap Maison and the Hotel Chocolat, this holiday with a difference is designed to showcase St Lucia’s rum and cocoa heritage. By joint collaboration, they provide a seven day holiday of pure indulgence. Your experience will be enriched by engaging with the true essence of what St Lucia has to offer. And with Cap Maison currently leading the fine dining scene on the island with its award winning, cliff top restaurant ‘The Cliff at Cap’, this really will be a very special holiday.

Cap Maison

Highlights of this holiday include a rum appreciation evening at Cap Maison and a scenic full day excursion to Hotel Chocolat. This starts with a boat cruise along the west coast of St Lucia, stopping at the picturesque Marigot Bay en route. Guests travel further south, taking in the majestic Pitons to Soufriere where they will discover the Rabot Estate, home to Hotel Chocolat and Saint Lucia’s oldest cocoa plantation. Here you can learn about the chocolate making process, create your own chocolate bars with the guidance of the cocoa farmers. You will also enjoy a cacao cuisine lunch at Hotel Chocolat’s Boucan restaurant and learn how to make ganache for decadent chocolate truffles.

7 nights’ accommodation in a Courtyard Villa Suite (based on two sharing)

A day excursion to Hotel Chocolat and activities at the Rabot Estate Cocoa Plantation in the south of the island

Scenic boat transfer from the north to the south of the island from Cap Maison to Hotel Chocolat

Daily breakfast at the acclaimed ‘Cliff at Cap’ restaurant, under the direction of Executive Chef Craig Jones

1 x two course lunch at Cliff at Cap for two people with a complimentary bottle of wine

1 x special pairing dinner with selected rum and wines served at The Cliff at Cap and in the wine cellar

Rum appreciation evening at Cliff at Cap’s rum bar

Authentic seafood BBQ on the private Smugglers Cove beach

Complimentary bottle of Chairman’s Reserve rum and a selection of St Lucian favourite’s in a mini hamper

Return transfers to and from Hewanorra International Airport

The price for the Rum & Chocolate Holiday Package is £4,400 per person when staying between 3^rd January and 13^th April 2012 or £3,300 during the summer period of 14^th April to 19^th December 2012. This excludes 10% service and 8% government tax.

Back in London, after tasting the Chairman’s Reserve, authentic Caribbean rum and gold medal winner at the International Spirits Challenge in 2011, my imagination has wandered and I am far away on the West Indian shores enjoying the Caribbean climate.

With a flying time of less than 3 hours from London, Iceland is the perfect short break destination for those of you that like something a little unique.

What’s on offer?  Well Iceland has spectacular landscapes, hot springs, geysers, warm volcanic thermal baths and whale watching this is a fantastic destination winter or summer. Parts of Iceland seem unchanged since the Viking settlers arrived here more than 1000 years ago.

The Great Geysir or Stori Geysir

For me, it was going to be a weekend of pure adventure!  On arrival at Reykjavik airport, the temperature was a mild minus 6 degrees (thank God I packed my thermals) a quick dash to our waiting transfer, we were on our way.

After settling into our hotel, the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, we spent our first afternoon enjoying a cocktail or two. A quick change into our many layers and we were ready for dinner at a local restaurant. Our transfer for tonight and the rest of our stay was provided by Ragnar and his fleet of Super Jeeps http://www.superjeep.is/

Ragnar and his fleet of Superjeeps

The restaurant in question was Laekjarbrekka, which offers traditional Icelandic cuisine, housed in one of the cities oldest buildings, built in 1834 by a rich Danish merchant. Laekjarbrekka offers a unique fine dining experience and could well be the most romantic restaurant in Iceland, with piano music in the background, fresh roses and candles on every table it was perfect.  The food was excellent with lots of traditional dishes on the menu like reindeer, puffin and lamb plus the freshest seafood. http://laekjarbrekka.is/

Just after desert (fantastic timing) out guide Ragnar got a call to say Aurora Borealis was putting on a fine performance, we downed our coffees and quick as we could, we replaced the many layers of thermals that we had been wearing. We headed out of Reykjavik into the wild and freezing countryside in search of them. To see the Northern Lights in one’s lifetime is an unforgettable experience.  They seem to dance across the sky and the search for them is both adventurous and romantic. 

Sadly, by the time we arrived the show was over!  The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are one of the most spectacular shows on earth and normally seen in Iceland from September to April but as we discovered sightings are not always guaranteed.

The Northern Lights

Day 2

After an early breakfast, Ragnar and his team in their Super Jeeps met us at our hotel for our Golden Circle Tour.

Well, what can I say! This is the absolute classic Iceland excursion and is a must for all first time visitors to Iceland. It’s a full day (max 10 hours) you’ll experience some of Iceland’s greatest natural phenomena with one of the friendliest, highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides you will ever meet.

We visited geysers, waterfalls, national parks, walked on glaciers, drove through rivers, up and down mountains and experienced the best off roading ever!

All too soon, my Icelandic adventure came to an end and it was time for our final dinner.

Reykjavik, Iceland

No matter the season, there is no place like Iceland!

Catherine’s trip to Jordan back in June will be a good holiday guide to Jordan and the Rose Red City of Petra. Give her a call if you want to discuss your travel plans to Jordan.

Jordan and the Red Rose City of Petra have been on my wish list of places to visit for a long time. Having read so much about this magical and intriguing Kingdom, I was full of excitement at the prospects of visiting the lowest point on earth The Dead Sea, the infamous Rose Red City that is Petra, the jewel in Jordan’s crown and to follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia as I cross the desert landscapes of Wadi Rum.

My first stop Jordan’s capital Amman after a four-hour flight delay from London and a slow process through immigration, I finally reached our hotel tired and hungry.  A quick call to room service and a few hours of sleep set us up for what was to become one of the highlights of our trip.

A friendly local face

After an early breakfast we took a taxi to the Roman remains of Jerash, no words could prepare me for my visit to this extraordinary sight- one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world.  Once buried for centuries it is hard to believe that this extensive sight was only excavated in the last 70 years.  You will find arches, churches, spacious squares, colonnaded streets, theatres and hill top temples.

Colonnaded Street Jerash

After leaving Jerash, we headed back to Amman to discover this modern, lively and ancient metropolis and one of the world’s oldest inhabited places.

With its contracting old and new quarters the city has much to offer, the Archaeological Museum houses the Dead Sea scrolls, the impressive Citadel is a highlight as is the 6000 seat Roman theatre which is carved into the hillside and still in use today.

The Citadel Amman

After Amman, we travel south along the Kings Highway, once part of the Silk Road visiting Madaba ‘The city of Mosaics’ believed to have the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land. The Monastery at Mount Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land with fantastic views of the Dead Sea the Jordan River, and, on a clear day Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The Baptism Site, where Jesus is believed to have been baptized by John the Baptist, and the Castle of Kerak before arriving in Petra.

Mount Nebo

Petra, at last we arrived at our home for the next three nights, the Movenpick Resort Hotel located right at the entrance to Petra.  We had planned our time in Petra carefully so that we had the opportunity of visiting the Rose Red City both during the day and at night.

Nothing can prepare you for what has to be one of the world’s most famous walks The Siq. The walk is 1km through this narrow gorge with towering pink cliffs on either side.

The Treasury by day

As you start to reach the end of the Siq I found myself filling up with anticipation getting ready to hold my breath and as my the first glimpse of the spectacular Treasury came into sight that’s exactly what I did as one of the greatest wonders on earth unfolded in front of me, truly breathtaking.  I shall always keep with me my first sighting of this amazing sight. The sheer scale of its construction and the many shades of pink were simply awe-inspiring.

The Tombs of Petra

To witness Petra by day truly is spectacular but Petra by night is also a very magical experience, as night falls this desert setting takes on a completely new personality. Approximately 2000 candles will light the way as you walk through the Siq and everyone talks in a hushed voice as they make their way to the Treasury.

Once you reach the Treasury, you are greeted by this amazing scene of low candle light, which light up the entire area whilst people sit sipping tea, listening to a local Bedouin who tells us tales from the past, then suddenly a lone flautist plays a haunting tune. Magical!

The magical Petra at night

A quick visit to Wadi Rum and then on to the Dead Sea where we spend our final three nights just chilling out.

The Mekong Delta features the Mekong River, the twelfth longest river in the world. This beautiful region, with its network of tributaries and canals is a busy thoroughfare of rowing boats and cargo boats, all plying their trade. The Mekong Delta covers a vast area to the south west of Vietnam’s buzzing Saigon.  It can be experienced as a day trip, but it is a long drive each way in a day.

Inspired by Asia have discovered a great way of seeing the Mekong Delta and using the river as a means of getting to Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh and from there to the inspirational setting of Angkor Wat.

In January this year I decided to try out this route for myself.  With the assistance of our local agent in Vietnam; Buffalo Tours I travelled south the Mekong Delta region. First stop was the small town of Cai Be, around a 3 hour drive from Saigon. On arrival at the broad river I boarded a long-tailed boat for a very pleasant cruise to the town and the small canals that lead off from the river. Cai Be features a floating market which gave some great photo opportunities. The town also features a Catholic church, rather surprisingly. It’s steeple standing in stark contrast to the surrounding water-side houses.

Angkor to Saigon

We disembarked the boat at a local village, followed by a short but pleasant walk through the village to a series of workshops that specialise in rice paste making, rice pop corn, coco candles and more. Normally a demonstration like this would have me watching the time until we can move on but I did find the process fascinating and the chance to taste the end product was worth it too!

Lunch was taken at a beautiful French colonial style restaurant. You take a path overgrown with tropical plants, through a large wrought-iron gate and into the gardens of a stunning property, complete with open balconies and colourful shutters. Friendly, immaculately turned out restaurant staff are there to greet you and see you to your table.

Afterwards there was a further 2 hour drive to the city of Can Tho. This is one of the largest towns in the Mekong. This is where all of the population descend with the goods to be sold or bought.

Situated on a bend in the river, just a 10 minute boat ride from the centre of Can Tho is the Victoria Can Tho Resort. This was my accommodation for the first night. Set in lush tropical gardens, this is a quiet retreat offering a large outdoor pool, a spa, restaurant and bar.

Victoria Can Tho

Rose early the next morning to see the sunrise and embark on a boat ride to the Cai Ring floating market. This is the largest floating market in the area and very impressive. The wide river was packed bow to stern with vessels of all shapes and sizes, selling and buying all manner of goods. A very colourful sight. There was also a chance to leave the boat for a stroll through a riverside market.

We drove on to the town of Chau Doc. Located on the border between Vietnam and Cambodia it has long had strategic importance as a trading post. I stayed the night at the Victoria Chau Doc Resort. This property is within easy walking distance of the town centre, so it was easy to go for an evening stroll to end the day.  Pool and restaurant, both overlooking the river with great views.

On the 3^rd day I boarded the speedboat for the four hour journey to Phnom Penh. The speedboat carried around 20 passengers and offered both covered and uncovered seating. The boat was pretty quick as it skimmed the wide river.  En route we stopped for around an hour at the official border point for the visas and passports to be stamped and verified.

Arriving in Phnom Penh was memorable as the built up waterfront comes in to view.We disembarked and I had a very short transfer to the waterfront-located Amanjaya Hotel. This property offered fantastic views of the city and river from its rooftop bar.

From Phnom Penh it was just a short one hour flight to the northern city of Siem Reap and gateway to the world-heritage listed Angkor Wat.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat, constructed over a period of 30 years, is world famous for its beauty and splendour.

Included was two nights at the Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa and a full days guided tour of this world-famous site.

Tour details

This 7 day private tour is available from just £799 per person, based on twin-share including an English speaking guide, breakfast daily and accommodation as described.

My next stop on this US tour is Rhode Island, the smallest of the U.S states and at its heart the city of Providence, my home for the next few nights.

I fell in love with Providence the moment I stepped off the Northeast Regional Amtrak train, which connects Washington via New York to Boston. Providence has much to offer the first time visitor, steeped in history it was one of the first cities established in the United States.

Start with a stroll down Benefit Street with it mile of history.  Also on offer are rich cultural attractions, colonial houses, churches, and not forgetting the very opulent mansions of Newport.

Providence is also famed for its food, and if like me a coffee fan you’ll be right at home – it has the most coffee shops per capita compared to any other city in the US. The same goes for restaurants, Federal Hill, the areas very own Little Italy will give you plenty of pleasure as you stroll along deciding on where to eat (call me for suggestions).  A must for breakfast is a visit to Eddies and Son Diner this is real 50’s Americano Nostalgia at it best!  You’ll also find several Central American and Asian restaurants, vegetarians, and vegans are also well catered for in this city and along with a thriving arts culture the city truly deserves a visit.

Apart from the coffee and the food the other thing I love about Providence is the friendliness of the residence – it is amazing but true that when crossing the streets drivers on both sides of the road stopped their cars to let us cross imagine that!

Next, stop on this US tour – Newport, RI. Where money talks and a maritime legacy began. Newport offers a one of a kind authentic New England feel, this is where you will find the Summer Cottages of America’s Gilded Age dotted along Bellevue Avenue.  Newport also contains the highest number of surviving colonial building of any US city, its home to America’s Cup and known as the Sailing Capital of the World, its also home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Some of the nation’s wealthiest families spent their summers in Newport, including the Vanderbilt’s, the Astros, and the Wideners. They built the largest houses which they called “cottages”, like The Marble House, Rosecliff where The Great Gatsby and High Society were filmed, Miramar, Rough Point where the owner kept camels in the grounds and the grandest of them all The Breakers – these mansions are a must for any visitor. You might be surprised to know that many of these houses are still privately owned today!

The oldest Catholic Church in Rhode Island, St Mary’s is also located in Newport and witnessed the marriage of John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953.

The ferry crossing from Bequia to St Vincent is one hour. The crossing I took was quite choppy as the sea was rough that day. Read on for more Caribbean island hopping adventures with Karen from Travel Matters…

Leaving the shores of Bequia for St Vincent

I learnt from a very informative gentleman about the new international airport being built,  which is due to open in 2013. The existing airport will close and accommodate a new hospital. Over 120 families have been displaced, one mountain has been excavated, three valleys and a river have had to be re directed to house the 9000 foot runway. It will indeed boost the economy’s tourism and accessibility to neighbouring islands will benefit also.

Next stop – Young Island, St Vincent

On arrival at Kingstown, we took a short taxi drive to the quayside opposite Young Island. A call to the Young Island ferry transfer and we were on the island 5 minutes later.

Calling the ferryman at Young Island

The lovely Biana Porter is the general manager of this Robinson Crusoe Hideaway. The accommodation is rustic, set on a beach and has rooms which are elevated around the island with spectacular views.  It is perfect for couples looking to get away from it all. The food here is very good.

St Vincent to Grenada – more Caribbean island hopping

Caribbean island hopping is very easy and straight forward. The next island hop is to Grenada. My first impressions of Grenada were a very warm and friendly bunch of people. The airport is very clean, air conditioned and very well laid out. It seemed that customs and immigration staff were very keen to identify us visitors but on no occasion did they make one feel like a criminal (unlike the jobs worth on Bequia at the arrivals gate!)

It is a 10 minute taxi transfer from the airport to the hotel Calabash & Villas. This property is understated elegance. On arrival you walk through the reception area to the restaurant and gardens. It is horseshoe shaped, lawned and flat with palm trees, manicured paths and shrubs. Each of the thirty rooms are named after flowers “Angels Trumpet, Cup of Gold, Ixora, Turks Cap to name a few.

The beautiful manicured grounds of the Calabash hotel & villas, Grenada

The rooms have a generous sized terrace or outside space, where you are served breakfast each morning. You can complete a breakfast menu requesting your desired breakfast and at which time you wish to be served it. There is a small kitchen area used by the house maids to prepare the breakfast for you. As well as complimentary afternoon tea each day, served in the bar area, at 6pm a knock at your door and you will be delivered some canapés to keep you going before dinner. Nice touch!

Breakfast on your own terrace at the Calabash hotel & villas

Lunches are served down at the beach bar, which overlooks a very calm, sandy beach with its own jetty. It was fun to listen to the sounds of a group of young boys chattering and laughing as they did somersaults and threw themselves off the jetty. It was highly entertaining to watch too.

The Rhodes Restaurant has an a la carte menu designed by  Gary Rhodes using locally available and seasonal produce and our chefs Dexter and Dandy (Rhodes trained) did not disappoint. My calalou and shrimp tart as a starter followed by the Dorado fish with christophene and broccoli was absolutely delicious.

I was interested to see that the Calabash has an environmental policy and is a member of CAST – the Caribbean Action for Sustainable Tourism, which is dedicated to protect and preserve the beautiful environment of the Caribbean.

And on to Barbados

The Caribbean island hopping adventure reached its last island.  Our LIAT – leave in anytime flight to Barbados left earlier than scheduled, so we arrived on Barbados earlier than planned. A 45 minute transfer North on the West coast, Cobblers Cove driveway, which was quite tucked away, was suddenly upon us.

This gorgeous small Relais Chateaux property boasts just 40 rooms. It has a real colonial style reminiscent of by gone elegance. Some suites can overlook the stunning gardens. It is such a delight to watch a humming bird come for nectar from the comfort of your balcony.

Cobblers Cove, Barbados

The beaches on the coast of Barbados can change with the seasons, so currently the beach is quite narrow, but despite its size Cobblers Cove beach is beautifully clear and perfect for swimming.

The Terrace restaurant is the place to dine in. The current chef, Bryan Porteus has created an outstanding menu and his dishes are so delicious – your taste buds will be blown away in this gourmets paradise!

Rooms are very spacious with an adjoining living area, separate bathroom and kitchenette area to make hot and cold drinks. The hotel is within close proximity to Speightstown, a small town community with old port, a few shops and restaurants.

Our purpose of this time in Barbados was to visit Andrew Warden’s properties and a 15 minute drive took us to the Little Good Harbour.

This is a perfect retreat for those independent minded travellers to Barbados, keen to have their own self catering facilities yet in the grounds of beautiful gardens, two pools and a spa. The vineyard villas are super for larger groups or families travelling together.

The very charming Graham Dear hosted an exquisite lunch at the infamous Fish Pot restaurant. It is a popular choice on the island. Booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

The Fish Pot restaurant, Barbados

After lunch we headed to the East coast, over the Northern interior part of the island. The coast line resembled wild Scottish countryside (believe it or not).

Our final hotel night was spent in Atlantis hotel. The building was built formerly along the railway track and had a restaurant there. Patrica and Andew Warden have laboured to create a dynamic characterful 8 bedroom hotel with a large restaurant also.

The view from Atlantis hotel - East coast Barbados

A few nights on the East coast of Barbados is a must. The raw and rugged coastline is such a contrast to the polished West coast. The waves crashing against the shore, wind in your hair, it is a great base to place yourself for discovery the real Barbados. There are some stunning coastal walks and world class surfing at the Soup Bowl beach. The rooms are very characterful, spacious and each has been named after an area of the island. Cattlewash and Soup Bowl are a couple I can remember. The lovely Diane, front of house, will look after all you well.

So end of trip. What have I learnt about Caribbean island hopping?

Well I can sincerely say, hand on heart, I feel I know the Caribbean much more extensively. I have learnt the people are extremely friendly. They are proud to be members of the West Indies. They are blessed to live in a beautiful part of the world they have. The islands are rich in diversity and are beautiful in so many aspects. The Caribbean offers so much more than just a beach holiday, the islands interiors are diverse and rich in flora and fauna with ample birdlife. The restaurants I visited during this trip were of a very high standard and offered some of the best fine dining I have ever experienced.

Would I go back?

Yes – absolutely. I would probably island hop and stay on two or three islands over the entire visit.  Island hopping in the Caribbean is very straight forward and not a drag at all. I think that is what surprised me the most – the ease of travelling from one island to the other.

Falling into the Season! New England in the fall with Catherine.

New England in the Fall

The trees are ablaze with brilliant shades of red, russet, orange, and yellow.  Where am I?  I am in New England for the Fall, for a few short weeks form late September into late October New England transforms itself into a carpet of glorious colours.

Pumpkins in Vermont

There is nothing quite like New England in the Fall.  At this time of year all six New England states celebrate harvest time with a fantastic displays of pumpkins, parsnips, apples and corn, every private house and shop will also decorate their front porches showing off their variety of pumpkins both large and small. It truly is a lovely time to visit.

I start my journey in the city, which claims it never sleeps – New York. Though not part of New England, it can and does, act as a major gateway for any visit to New England.

New York is a city that I have visited many times and it is easy to see why it captures the imagination of most people. It is instantly recognisable because of the many movies and TV shows that are shot on location in the city so we feel that instant connection with it!  Whilst I was in the city, I came across Julianne Moore filming scenes for her new movie What Maisie Knew in Greenwich.

New York Skyline

New York has many attractions and way to many for me to mention here, whilst the must see attractions of the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Top of the Rock, Times Square and Central Park will be on everyone’s itinerary, this year I took myself off to visit The High Line. Located in the lower west side of Manhattan, the line was originally an elevated freight railroad which has been out of service since the 60’s, it has now been redesigned and planted as an aerial greenway and offers unexpected views of the city and Hudson River.  With very little green space in this part of the city, I found it a welcome retreat from the concrete streets below and well worth a visit.

The lower West Side is now alive with bars, cafes, restaurants and boutique shopping plus Chelsea Market, which was an old biscuit factory, its kind of New York’s equivalent of our Borough Market and a great place for lunch. I love staying downtown and the area now offer a host of fabulous hotels.

Dining and drinking in New York is always a pleasure, however, you do need to choose carefully!  For fabulous views of the Manhattan skyline, I would strongly recommend that you cross the East River to Brooklyn where you will be rewarded!

If you head over early evening (depending on the season), you can sit and watch the light show that is Manhattan. For dining, it has to be The River Café make sure you book this fabulous restaurant before leaving the UK.

Times Square at dusk

After two nights in the city I was ready to get on the road, actually I got on an Amtrak train! More of this continued tour from Travel Matters soon!

Day two of the Caribbean adventure in St Lucia.

The Caribbean adventure in St Lucia and Bequia continues with the next hotel visit to the wonderful East Winds Hotel.

East Winds hotel

When you arrive at East Winds Inn, you feel you have entered into someones’ Secret Garden. There must be credit to the team of gardens who maintain this beautiful landscape with over 100 different varieties of plants, trees and shrubs. There is a guide book in each room, describing the all the species within the garden and you can walk around and learn heaps with that as your aid.

As I ventured around the gardens I met one of the gardening team taking these incredible 6 inched black and yellow caterpillers from one shrub to another. If he had not transplanted them, they would have devoured the leaves of the plant. They looked scary but were harmless. I have never come across so many sea crabs in a garden also. It was fun watching them scuttle away in their holes once they feel the vibration of your footsteps.

The gardens at East Winds St Lucia

It writes in the East Winds welcome pack “nature is the dream weaver at East Winds”. I can understand even from my short visit what that means.

East Winds beach, St Lucia

East Winds is situated on the West Coast of St Lucia along the bay close to the Windjammer Landing Resort. It is truly authentic in feel. The pace is slow and relaxed. The service and comfort of traditional St Lucian standards are high – staff very friendly. The rooms are private and independently situated around the grounds. This is the place to come for a real off the beaten track experience.

For that exclusive all inclusive boutique hotel East Winds has a quality and charm of its own.

From St Lucia to Bequia…..a Caribbean adventure continues…

Our 8 seater prop plane took off from St Lucia International airport and headed for its 30 minute transfer to Bequia. It was a pretty noisy transfer (no ear muffs but it added to the atmosphere) This is very much part of the Caribbean adventure – real island hopping.

We flew over the Caribbean Sea, passing St Vincent into Bequia to be met by quite a surly customers officer taking his job very seriously. “Anything to declare? What no cigarettes or alcohol?”

We had a 10 minute transfer by open top truck through the streets of Bequia to the hotel. The island has a total of 5000 inhabitants and is only 7 square miles.

The Bequia Beach hotel

The hotel is located in the beautiful Friendship Bay. See Bequia Beach Hotel We were met by the Swedish Guest manager Carina, who personally showed me to my stunning ocean front room. The rooms here are gorgeous, very spacious with beautiful bathrooms. Bengt, the owner of the hotel and Garfield, their very attentive bartender, poured lethal rum punches (not for the faint hearted).

Bequia Beach Hotel Bequia

What is there to see and do on Bequia?

Although the island is small, there is plenty to see and do. You can charter a schooner and head to for neighbouring Tobago Cays or visit the turtle conservation centre. The island has a long sea faring heritage and offers a wide range of activities from sailing, dingy sailing, kayak rental, scuba diving & snorkelling, sport fishing. If not travelling by air to the island, there is a regular ferry service which operates between Bequia and St Vincent with a journey time of one hour.

Our time in Bequia is short but very sweet. Gideon of Gideon Taxis took us on a tour of the island. The small gem is easily explored. We stopped at the white powdery sandy beach of Lower Bay. There is a Princess Margaret bay (named after her when she visited the island and enjoyed that particular beach)

The island of Bequia

A visit to Orton Kings “Old Hegg” turtle sanctuary is a must see. Orton is a retired skin diver and saw the diminishing numbers of turtles in the sea so set up the sanctuary as a project and a real labour of love.

There are amazing sailing opportunities from the Grenadines with easy access to St Lucia or Barbados. We had a short stroll around the port town of Port Elizabeth at Admirality Bay before taking the ferry to the mainland capital of the Grenadines – St Vincent. The adventure continues.

Rush hour in Bequia

After an 8.5 hour flight from London with BA, we arrived at St Lucia’s Hewanorra airport. The southern airport is the main international one (with the airport in the north taking smaller aircraft and helicopters.) As soon as I stepped off the aircraft, it felt like walking into a sauna with 34 degree heat – wonderful! My Caribbean adventure had begun!

Peter, our driver drove firstly up the eastern coast passing banana plantations and villages up to Dennery before crossing the rainforest West to Castries, the capital and up to the Northern tip, passing Rodney Bay and into the  Cap Estate to the Cap Maison Resort and Spa. In the 90 minute transfer, I think I got to learn everything about the island, the people, the culture, the fish, the tropical birds, the lifespan of a banana plant, how the French and the British have each owned the island 7 times eachs – an essential guide before checking in to the Cap Maison.

Our group was greeted by Ross Stevenson (previous GM of Cobblers Cove, Barbados) who met us with pink champagne on arrival with no formal check in required. Home from home and very relaxed indeed.

My room was number 16 -( apparently stayed in by Borat, so Adam, the owner tells me.)  The rooms are outstanding. The property is hardly 3 years old with mature landscaped gardens. It is a beautiful Hacienda style village with luxury of villa living taken very seriously. Designed in an elegant, Spanish Caribbean style, Cap Maison offers guests some of the most spacious and beautifully appointed suites and ocean views in the Caribbean. Reflecting the family’s passion for the Caribbean, attention to detail is evident everywhere: from the highest quality linen to hand-made tiles and chandeliers, iron balustrades and wide verandahs.

I would strongly recommend it for young families who require a full kitchen and independence without compromising the facilities of a resort as this.

I am looking forward to learning more about this perfect Caribbean holiday destination and seeing Soufriere, the Pitons which is an UNESCO world heritage site before we head to the next hotel East Winds.