BY JANET STEINBERG
Turquoise! Although
it is not my favorite color, to me this aqua-blue hue connotes two
things of exceptional beauty…a brilliant aquamarine gemstone and a
brilliant Caribbean sea. For all intents and purposes, when
winter’s frigid breath paints it frosty picture up North, I prefer
the latter.
On one of my cruises to the Southern Caribbean and Lesser Antilles, we began with beautiful beaches and ended with beautiful beaches. And, in between, I was treated to an island that showcases the unspoiled beauty of nature.
ARUBA: Bon bini: Welcome to Aruba. Wherever you wander in Aruba, you’ll find beaches…beaches that are secluded, sexy, windswept, or historic. As to where you choose to throw your towel down, that’s another story. As the saying goes: ‘you pays your money and you takes your choice’.
On one of my cruises to the Southern Caribbean and Lesser Antilles, we began with beautiful beaches and ended with beautiful beaches. And, in between, I was treated to an island that showcases the unspoiled beauty of nature.
ARUBA: Bon bini: Welcome to Aruba. Wherever you wander in Aruba, you’ll find beaches…beaches that are secluded, sexy, windswept, or historic. As to where you choose to throw your towel down, that’s another story. As the saying goes: ‘you pays your money and you takes your choice’.
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| THROW YOUR TOWEL DOWN IN ARUBA |
Palm Beach, the world-renowned stretch of sand located in front of the
high-rise resorts, offers excellent swimming in very calm shallow
water. The Fisherman’s Huts, where you can rent
surfboards, kite-boards, and kayaks, is located just north of Palm
Beach.
Eagle Beach, located south of Palm Beach is a 2-mile area of pure white sand. The long and lovely beaches are perfect for walking sunning, and water sports. There is also a shaded picnic area.
Arashi Beach and Boca Catalina in Malmok, just south of the lighthouse near the northwestern tip of Aruba, are both perfect for snorkeling. The shallow waters and tiny bays are home to a plethora of fish and corals.
The perfect beach for families with small children is the kid-friendly Baby Beach, located in Seroe Colorado. The waters are warm and shallow, and closed off from a deep, choppy area by a rock barrier. Within walking distance from Baby Beach is Rodger’s Beach where the pounding sea is conducive to open-air napping or surfing, whatever is your thing.
If you think the sun shines brightly on Aruban beaches, wait until you stroll the streets of Oranjestad. You ‘ain’t’ seen nothing yet. You’ll practically be blinded by a golden glow, but it’s not from the sun. Dazzling rays of light stream out from the windows of the jewelry shops that line Main Street as far as the eye can see. A veritable pirate’s treasure of gold, diamonds and gemstones, offers a mind-boggling choice of jewelry that is practically irresistible. Believe it or not, I resisted!
Eagle Beach, located south of Palm Beach is a 2-mile area of pure white sand. The long and lovely beaches are perfect for walking sunning, and water sports. There is also a shaded picnic area.
Arashi Beach and Boca Catalina in Malmok, just south of the lighthouse near the northwestern tip of Aruba, are both perfect for snorkeling. The shallow waters and tiny bays are home to a plethora of fish and corals.
The perfect beach for families with small children is the kid-friendly Baby Beach, located in Seroe Colorado. The waters are warm and shallow, and closed off from a deep, choppy area by a rock barrier. Within walking distance from Baby Beach is Rodger’s Beach where the pounding sea is conducive to open-air napping or surfing, whatever is your thing.
If you think the sun shines brightly on Aruban beaches, wait until you stroll the streets of Oranjestad. You ‘ain’t’ seen nothing yet. You’ll practically be blinded by a golden glow, but it’s not from the sun. Dazzling rays of light stream out from the windows of the jewelry shops that line Main Street as far as the eye can see. A veritable pirate’s treasure of gold, diamonds and gemstones, offers a mind-boggling choice of jewelry that is practically irresistible. Believe it or not, I resisted!
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| GLITTERING JEWELRY SHOPS LINE MAIN STREET IN ARUBA |
If
you’re really not into beaches or baubles, how about bridges and
butterflies? You can head to the Butterfly Farm or to a pair of the
island’s most popular attraction, the Natural Bridges.
Sculpted by wind and the sea (as are the divi divi trees you pass en-route), the Baby Natural Bridge and the Natural Bridge were carved out of natural coral by the relentless forces of nature. Unfortunately, the original Natural Bridge collapsed in September 2005. Only the ruins remain on this charming Dutch island of Aruba.
DOMINICA: Mid-way between our beach-y island stops was the island of Dominica (pronounced dah muh NEE kuh). Dominica is a 290 square mile island that lies between Martinique and Guadeloupe. One does not go to Dominica, called “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”, for beaching. The reason for going to Dominica is to enjoy the beauty of nature.
The island, some 29-miles long and 16-miles wide is a wild one, with towering mountains, dramatic waterfalls, and a luxuriant rain forest. It is also home to the remaining descendents of the original Caribs who settled the island sometime around 1000 AD.
Sculpted by wind and the sea (as are the divi divi trees you pass en-route), the Baby Natural Bridge and the Natural Bridge were carved out of natural coral by the relentless forces of nature. Unfortunately, the original Natural Bridge collapsed in September 2005. Only the ruins remain on this charming Dutch island of Aruba.
DOMINICA: Mid-way between our beach-y island stops was the island of Dominica (pronounced dah muh NEE kuh). Dominica is a 290 square mile island that lies between Martinique and Guadeloupe. One does not go to Dominica, called “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”, for beaching. The reason for going to Dominica is to enjoy the beauty of nature.
The island, some 29-miles long and 16-miles wide is a wild one, with towering mountains, dramatic waterfalls, and a luxuriant rain forest. It is also home to the remaining descendents of the original Caribs who settled the island sometime around 1000 AD.
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A WELCOME TO SINECOU, THE CARIB INDIAN TERRITORY |
Some of the more adventurous passengers on my cruise to Domenica, chose the excitement of exhilarating river tubing on the largest and longest of Dominica’s 365 rivers. Those passengers, who opted for the breathtaking journey down the Layou River, felt a rush of excitement as they cascaded downward and maneuvered through the challenging rapids.
The less-adventurous tourist can take a mini-van ride to the World Heritage Trois Piton National Park, home of the Emerald Pool. The winding path to the small pool, fed by a cascade of water plunging off a fern-encrusted cliff, was my introduction to the rain forest. Or you can ride on Dominica’s Rainforest Aerial Tram that glides you over the treetops, while admiring the verdure of the forest. It has been said that if Columbus were to return to the Caribbean today, Domenica would be the only island he would still recognize.
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| EMERALD POOL IN TROIS PITON NATIONAL PARK |
A $40-million cruise center opened in February 2006 on what was once a U. S. Air Force base. It has a spectacular beach, a free-form pool, shopping, dining, and a world-class Margaritaville where you can get “wasted away again” on 52 different flavors of margaritas. Taxis or rental cars are available to take you into Cockburn Town some 3 miles away.
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| MARGARITAVILLE IN GRAND TURK’S CRUISE CENTER |
At
first glance, a walk down Cockburn Town’s historic Duke and Front
Streets reveals a bunch of old buildings in need of paint and
repair. On closer inspection, one is immersed in the history of
the islands as you stroll along streets lined with 18th century
buildings constructed from local limestone and timber salvaged
from ships. Many believe that Grand Turk, a mere
7-miles long and 1-mile wide, was the first landfall of Columbus in
the New World. My time spent in Cockburn Town revealed no shops, no
glitz, or no fancy restaurants…just a glimpse at what I felt the real
Caribbean once looked like.
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| FRONT STREET IN COCKBURN TOWN...A SHARP CONTRAST TO THE CRUISE CENTER |
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