Recommend January 2012 - (Page 46)

haiti Port-au-Prince Haiti’s rich Creole culture has long been overshadowed by natural disaster, most recently an earthquake in January of 2010 that destroyed much of the gateway city of Port-au-Prince. Most of the international visitors to the country who now travel there do so for charitable and volunteering purposes. But despite these recent events, Haiti remains a vibrant destination unlike any other in the world. About an hour north of Port-au-Prince, a serene beach area is home to several resorts. The Labadie area is a resort catering to cruise tourists and home to another stunning stretch of sand. The beaches are also spectacular at Cap Haitien in the north, home to the Citadelle Laferriere, the largest fortress in the Americas. This large fortress at the top of a mountain— a UNESCO World Heritage site—is one of Haiti’s most iconic attractions, built by slave rebellion leader Henri Christophe after Haiti gained independence from France in the early 1800s. From the heights of the Bonnet a L’Eveque mountain—rising to 3,000-ft. above sea level—visitors can see as far as the eastern coast of Cuba. The French never tested the strength of the structure, but it’s withstood the test of time and natural disaster, still standing nearly unchanged from its completion in 1820. Visitors can still see stockpiles of cannonballs sitting at its base. Nearby, the Sans-Souci Palace once served as the royal residence of King Henri I (formerly known as Henri Christophe), his queen and their daughters. Today it’s another UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can explore the ruins of its once opulent grounds, including gardens, artiﬁcial springs, rooms used for extravagant feasts, and a system of waterworks. Facts • Best time to go: November to May • Fun Fact: Haiti’s national language is Creole, a mix of French, African and several other languages • getting there: Delta ﬂies from New York (JFK) to Port-au-Prince • entry documents: Valid passport • currency: Haitian gourde • must-try local Food: Rum punch • Best Buys: Rum, local handicrafts • inFormation please: Haiti Tourism—haititourisme.org m B amaica Facts • Best time to go: November to May • Fun Fact: Ian Fleming, the author who created James Bond, lived in the north coast town of Orcabessa; and his home there has been restored as part of GoldenEye resort • getting there: Delta ﬂies from Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis and New York (JFK) to Montego Bay • entry documents: Valid passport • currency: Jamaica dollar (U.S. currency is widely accepted.) • must-try local Food: Jerk chicken • Best Buys: Blue Mountain coffee, jerk seasonings • inFormation please: Jamaica Tourist Board—visitjamaica.com With a distinctive culture and a diverse tourist market, Jamaica ranks among the Caribbean’s most iconic vacation destinations. The north coast attracts the most visitors to hotspots like Montego Bay and its nearby Rose Hall area, where a historic 18th century greathouse sits side-by-side with challenging golf courses like the famed White Witch course at The Ritz-Carlton, Rose Hall. At Ocho Rios, also located on the north coast, visitors have a wealth of activities at their ﬁngertips. Mystic Mountain is a mountaintop attraction boasting a cliffside swimming pool and waterslide, a thrilling zipline course and a unique bobsled-themed rollercoaster that zooms and twists through the lush tropical forests of its slopes. This is also where you’ll ﬁnd Dunn’s River Falls, which lets daredevils climb along the slippery, 183-ft. waterfall. And the waterfront Dolphin Cove park offers dolphin encounters, nurse shark demonstrations, and swimming with stingrays. The north coast is also home to a wealth of large resorts, from luxury properties like Half Moon to all-inclusives—this is, after all, the birthplace of Sandals, Beaches and SuperClubs chains like Breezes. West coast towns like Negril, on the other hand, are more populated with boutique-style resorts and villas that appeal to the laid-back travelers who frequent attractions like Rick’s Cafe, a cliffside bar, restaurant and music venue known for the daredevils who get their kicks leaping from the top of its tall cliffs and plummet into the sea below. To the east, the Blue Mountains produce highly prized coffee at quaint plantations tucked into small villages. And beyond, on the island’s east coast, Jamaica’s capital of Kingston is the country’s cultural center, commemorating its pirate history at Spanish Town Square and paying homage to native music legend at the nearby Bob Marley Museum, the reggae star’s former home. D26 january 2012 recommend.com http://haititourisme.org http://visitjamaica.com http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend January 2012

Editor's Note
Hotel Desk: Hard Rock Hotels and Resorts
Tour Talk: Lindblad Expeditions
Holland America's Veendam
Delta Air Lines' 2012 Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America Travel Guide
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Las Vegas' 2012 Offerings
Hot European Tours for 2012
Hokkaido, Japan
Egypt's Antiquity Attractions are Eternal

Recommend January 2012