It's time once again for the annual onslaught of stories about tropical travel and advertisements for Caribbean resorts that feature enticing photos of turquoise water, white sand beaches, swaying palm trees, and frolicking bikini babes. Hey, it works for us. The first major overview of the Caribbean travel scene for the 2008/2009 season comes our way from the Washington Post, and it must have been a really rough reporting assignment. Their Islands 2008 coverage provides updates on ritzy St. Barts, nature-filled St. John, the French/Dutch island of St. Martin/St. Maarten, and shopper's paradise St. Thomas, as well as a primer on why so many islands are referred to as "saints" or "virgins" when they're actually anything but. (It was Columbus's idea.) Did you know, for example, that Saline Beach on St. Bart's is popular with nude sunbathers? Or that two-thirds of St. John is a protected nature sanctuary, closed to development but open for gentle exploration? Or that the gastronomic capital of the Caribbean can be found in St. Martin (the French side of the island, naturally)? It's looking like a rough period for the travel industry, with new economic calamities unfolding every day, but as long as they keep selling sunshine to the frozen masses up north, the Caribbean will be just fine.

[Photo: Washington Post]

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· Holy Caribbean [Washington Post]
· Caribbean Travel Coverage [Jaunted]]]> Victor Ozols 2008-10-26T14:13:13-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/6/1/45347/36071

It sounds so romantic, getting married on a Caribbean beach, a sun set backdrop, here and there a bird singing, the waves lapping at your feet. And your honeymoon can begin just seconds after you're officially married.

But are you officially married? A British couple who recently "got married" in the Dominican Republic are now unable to prove they're legally husband and wife because a resort clerk spelled their name wrong. On top of that, the travel agent (or someone--nobody wants to own up) lost the original marriage certificate. We reckon they should get a free holiday and a second go at getting married.

Related Stories:
· Dominican Republic Travel [Jaunted]
· Hotels in the Dominican Republic [HotelChatter]
· Beach Wedding Spells Disaster [UK Times]

[Photo: concep007]
]]> amandak 2007-06-01T10:42:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/4/15/224455/273

Our fave budget traveler, Frugal Matt, is back this week with a look at Old San Juan. When last we heard from him, he was in Switzerland, so it's good to see we're back to warmer climes.

He snagged a deal on a room at the Nuyorican Cafe, which has just opened a new boutique hotel: Da House (pictured above). Though from the sound of it, he didn't spend much time there:

The sun was setting, and I was just heading home when Nacho called. A friend of a friend, he'd heard I was in town and wanted to know if I was up for a night out...I can't say I remember very well what followed, but we bounced around, never spending more than $2 for a beer.

Now, that's our kind of town. Matt spent plenty of time grubbing too, with stops at a street-side stand for an empenada and a diner for a ham-and-cheese breakfast sandwich. Though he skipped Tantra--maybe the only restaurant in town with tandoori mofongo--he did finally end up at the Nuyorican Cafe after a long night and a plate of hot wings. The verdict? Sounds like they were amazing.

[Photo: chgosfs]

Related Stories:
· A Cheap Room Puts Old San Juan Within Reach [NYT]
· Nuyorican Cafe [Official Site]
· Da House [Official Site]
· Jaunted's Matt Gross coverage [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2007-04-16T09:50:26-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/3/8/10012/37333
Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban recently took a break in St. Barts, where the stalking opportunities for paparazzi abound. The two were photographed strolling along the waterfront, eating at a cafe, and lounging on a private yacht. The newly rehabilitated Urban got a pole dance from Kidman, plus a bevy of gross kisses--gross when zoomed in on at the wrong moment by a camera lens, at least. The vacation started out as a solo trip for Kidman, before her husband joined her for some couple's quality time.

Urban heads for Europe next month for a tour leg that will take him through Germany and the UK. He'll then take a break before heading to his native Australia, taking another break, and then kicking off a gigantic North American tour in June. The European routing is pretty sensible, and a superfan looking to follow the whole thing could easily snap up budget air tickets or a rail pass (passes, really, because British travel always requires its own product) for transportation between the cities. Then again, the craziest of Keith Urban fans would pay anything and travel any way to see the guy, so sensible routing isn't such a concern.

[Photo: INF/TMZ]

Related Stories:
· Nicole showboats for husband Keith [Daily Mail]
· Nicole and Keith Suck Face in St. Bart's [TMZ]
· Nicole & Keith Heat Up St. Barts [People]]]> djk 2007-03-08T10:00:12-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/3/2/0032/21907
As the #1 Santo Domingo hotel on TripAdvisor, Hotel Atarazana has us interested. While some photos posted by TripAdvisor members make the rooms seem a little less bright than official shots would indicate, that suspicion is offset by the top scores and rave reviews the place has been pulling in since it opened in late 2004. Santo Domingo isn't known for any sort of boutique hotel scene, but Hotel Atarazana fits the bill for travelers seeking small, personal and hip lodging in the Dominican Republic's capital.

This six-room guest house is run by dedicated hosts Susanna and Bernard--the latter a German architect who designed the place. A rooftop garden was completed over the summer and is ready for your vegetating pleasure. The chronically overheated will need to specifically request a room with air conditioning, as it's not yet installed in all the rooms. Everyone gets internet of some sort, though. If you forgo the sticky season and wait until next winter to book, there may be even more amenities to gush about. The place has clearly been built with love.

Related Stories:
· Hotel Atarazana [Official Site]
· Hotel Atarazana reviews [TripAdvisor]
· JetBlue to Santo Domingo [Jaunted]]]> djk 2007-03-02T09:04:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/3/1/16399/20910
JetBlue's still got a few more surprises left, but they just announced the latest in a line of new destinations. Twice-daily service from JFK to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will start on May 24. Introductory prices for a round trip are $337.10 all-in, but after pricing out a few sample trips, we think you're more likely to pay around $372.10 and up. JetBlue currently flies to only Santiago, Dominican Republic, which is not the home of Boca Chica beach (above). That's all Santo Domingo's glory. David Neeleman apologizes for the feet in the picture.

[Photo: concep007]

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· Island Expansion [JetBlue]]]> djk 2007-03-01T16:39:09-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2007/2/23/115350/327

In times like these, when beach destinations are in high season wallet-attack mode, there aren't many places to soak up the sun for cheap. But digging up memories of a stay at Casa Iguana in Nicaragua for big sis site HotelChatter has us fantasizing about heading back. The eco-chic hotel is on the south side of Little Corn Island, probably one of the last deals in the Caribbean. (We're talking $25 hotel rooms and $10 lobster dinners, here people!)

A short flight and then boat ride from the east coast of Nicaragua, tiny Little Corn doesn't have an enormous beach full of umbrellas. But it does have a tiki hut stocked with cold beer right on the water. The Casa Iguana crew runs dive trips if you want to do more than just melt into the sand. (We usually don't.) Hanging out with the locals at the fried chicken stand is pretty fun, too.

[Photo: decidedlyodd]

Related Stories:
· Casa Iguana Probably Not Into "Paris and Her Ilk" [HotelChatter]]]> pbb 2007-02-23T12:49:26-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/