Caribbean | Viator Travel Blog

[contest] Win 20 Free Nights at any Hampton Hotel!

21. October 2009

Editor's Note: The contest is now closed. Thanks again for contributing such fantastic answers, and stay tuned for the announcement of a winner! Enter our Hampton Hotel contest to wins 20 FREE nights at any Hampton Hotel (you'll have 1,700+ locations to chose from... Manhattan to New Orleans, San Francisco to San Antonio, Puerto Rico to Mexico to Canada and beyond!). And you'll receive a $200 Viator.com gift certificate. All you need to do is answer one question: What do YOU wish in life came with a 100% guarantee?

An Open Letter to Complainers

31. August 2009

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Being a frequent traveler has its memorable moments, and one of them occurred recently when I had the chance to dine at a well-known Georgian restaurant in Moscow, Russia. It was a great meal, and the restaurant’s location combined with the balmy summer weather provided the perfect opportunity for a late-night stroll through the streets [...]

Cuba: My Top 5 Travel Picks

23. July 2009

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Why am I fascinated with Cuba? Well there are two Cuba’s as far as tourism goes, and they are quite different. One is the string of beach resorts strung (along Cuba’s best beaches) on the north coast – with direct charter flights from Europe or Canada and all-inclusive resorts. It can probably be compared to [...]

Things to Do in St Lucia

8. July 2009

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A crow taking a trip over St Lucia could be forgiven for having a good belly laugh at the idiots in their metal machines below. The straightest route from A to B simply isn’t an option and a key aspect of driving in St Lucia is winding round hillsides. It’s a spectacular island, but it wasn’t created with road-makers is mind. Once you get over the fear factor (local drivers aren’t exactly renowned for their lane discipline), it’s a magical place to go for a drive.

The Caribbean’s Most Underrated Islands

29. June 2009

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When it comes to the Caribbean, there’s a temptation to just head to whichever island is easiest to get to. After all, they’re all just beaches and cocktails, yes? But sometimes it pays to look beyond the usual suspects, island destinations such as the Bahamas, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. A connecting flight to one of the smaller, less-visited islands can pay dividends for those prepared to spend a little longer in the air.

Cuba, My Surprising New Year’s Eve

13. May 2009

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It is New Year’s eve, a warm balmy evening. I’m at the farm with friends and family, there’s a pig roasting succulently on a spit, and the CD player is controlled by the teenagers. A friend of the family is drunkenly playing a guitar surprisingly well in the corner. But this is not my family, and [...]

Bermuda’s 400th Birthday (On a Budget)

18. March 2009

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I am noticing a strange trend in my travels over the past year. I end up in places turning 400. Are a lot of places celebrating 400 years? Probably not. Nor do I seek out the big birthday celebrations. And yet last summer I found myself in Quebec City for its 400th anniversary. This winter, escaping [...]

Suggested Itineraries in the Dominican Republic

6. March 2009

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Suggested Itineraries in the Dominican Republic

With charter flights pouring into the Dominican Republic at a cost no greater than that of a weekend break in Spain or France, one imagines this land to be little more than one big hotel complex catering to the two-week bronzers. However for the intrepid traveller with a desire to take advantage of these cheap flights, there is a world within this tiny island that is a far cry from the tourist-impacted northern and eastern shores, a world that offers an ecological paradise not yet touched by the packaged-holiday resorts.

The Viator 50: The Year’s Top Travel Destinations

21. January 2009

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The Viator 50: The Year’s Top Travel Destinations

Before we say farewell to 2008, let us take a moment to honor the Top 50 destinations of the year as determined by Viator.com travelers. This is our third annual "Viator Top 50" list, and like last year, 2008 has been a great ride, full of surprises (good on ya Paris, Rome and Las Vegas) and some surprising absences (Mexico, we missed you).

Save Money on Caribbean Cruise Shore Excursions

18. January 2009

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Save Money on Caribbean Cruise Shore Excursions

For a week-long cruise a couple could easily spend the cost of their Caribbean cruise all over again in shore excursion fees. The cruise lines charge a premium for shore excursions - and you can save time and money by not booking the tour through the cruise line. Avoiding the hoards of passengers being organized into the cruise line shore excursions and having a smaller group experience leaves more time for fun, which is why you're in the Caribbean in the first place. Which is why Viator offers shore excursions in Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St Lucia, St Maarten and US Virgin Islands.