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Honeymoon & Travel | Caribbean
Find information about Caribbean honeymoon destinations.

• Destination: Bliss
  It’s easy to escape to the verdant mountains and pristine white sand beaches of St. Croix in the U.S.V.I. Bonus: no passport required. by Alison RoweSt. Croix is the largest of the U.S. Virgin Islands—clocking in at 28 miles long and 7 miles wide—yet it retains a relaxed, intimate vibe. Abandoned stone sugar mills dot the lush hillsides that border the shimmering patchwork of blue, turquoise and aquamarine ocean waters. The sun shines all year, and with average daytime temps of just 80 degrees, plus the cool trade winds, there’s really no bad time to visit. Beachy KeenA bird's eye view of the perfect love nest—the Carambola Beach Resort.Each of St. Croix’s 34 beaches has its own feel and appeal. For the quintessential Caribbean experience, settle beneath the swaying palm trees on the powdery sands of Davis Bay at Carambola Beach Resort. If you’re a nature lover, head out to Point Udall on the east end of the island. Pack a lunch and follow the winding hiking path to secluded Isaac’s Bay for some private snorkeling. Both beaches are open year-round, but as nesting areas for endangered turtles, they are protected by the Nature Conservancy—so be careful of this spot’s littlest inhabitants! If you want to kick back and while away the hours, visit Beauregard Bay at The Buccaneer resort, which has a relaxed open-air restaurant that offers a simple lunch menu—think burgers and salads—plenty of shady palm trees and comfy chaises for lounging. For live music, ice-cold beer and a game of volleyball, check out Rainbow Beach, just north of the town of Frederiksted.The ultimate don’t-miss is Turtle Beach on Buck Island, less than two miles offshore and accessible by boat from the town of Christiansted. The sparkling water and white sand are only two of the reasons this spot has consistently been rated among the top ten prettiest beaches in the world. (It also made our Bridal Guide Top Beaches list!) You can swim, snorkel and lounge here, or you can take the island’s only footpath from the beach to the reef overlook. The 700 acres of the federally protected Buck Island Reef National Monument is home to more than 250 different species of fish. Big Beards Adventure Tours offers day trips from Christiansted on their 42-foot catamaran; snorkeling equipment, guides and lessons for first-timers are included (excursions start at $60; bigbeards.com). Water WorldA blue haven in Frederiksted.Is scuba diving your passion? If so, St. Croix has more than 50 dive sites located along its northern and western shores. The water here is so teeming with vibrant coral, sponges and tropical fish that even a novice diver can usually get quite a spectacular eyeful. If you want to give it a try, an ideal spot for beginners is the Frederiksted Pier; the waters are clear and brimming with colorful marine specimens. For experienced divers, the spectacular Cane Bay Wall off the north shore is a good bet. Here, a natural sea wall descends more than 13,000 feet, and you can follow along its gentle slopes and sudden nail-biting 180-degree drops. On the west shore, you’ll find five shipwrecks all within a hundred yards of each other. But the real show is at night off Frederiksted Pier, when more elusive critters come out to play. Go with a guide who can point out the little guys—the seahorses, octopuses and comical-looking batfish that all give off an awesome bioluminescent glow (equipment rental starts at $42; diversvirgin.com). If you’d rather be on the water than in it, try deep-sea fishing, for which St. Croix is famous. A number of charter companies offer excursions from Christiansted and, depending on your skill level, can help you wrangle marlin, yellowfin tuna, wahoo or mahi mahi (private three-hour tours start at $300 per boat; fishwithcarl.com).The sweet life indeed—an insider's view of Carambola Beach Resort.Happy TogetherFancy a romantic couple’s massage? Go on and treat yourselves to a memorable experience. Ambrosia Body Care, based in Christiansted, offers treatments right in your hotel room or even on the beach, beneath a shady palm tree of your choice (treatments start at $75; massagestcroix.com). More active types can get into the swing of things at the 72-par Carambola Golf Course, built in 1966 by Laurence Rockefeller and ideal for players at all levels (green fees are $85 and include a cart; golfcarambola.com). Town TimeThe historic harbor town of Christiansted boasts colonial architecture in vibrant shades of pink, blue, purple and green. For an overview of the island’s rich history, explore a few of the area’s museums, such as Christiansvaern, an imposing fort built by the Danes in the 18th century to guard them from pirates. Or stroll among the town’s boutiques and chat with local artisans. Be sure to pick up the popular St. Croix hook bracelet—you wear the hook facing your heart to indicate you’re taken. Then have some lunch at RumRunners, a fun local spot overlooking the harbor that serves up deep-fried conch fritters, ice-cold beers and views of fishermen bringing in the daily catch. Do leave room for dessert! The homemade St. Croix rum cake is sticky, yummy and delicious (lunch for two is about $25; rumrunnersstcroix.com). Road TripMotoring past the pretty pastels along Christiansted Harbor.For a great island experience, take a tour of the St. Croix Heritage Trail, a 72-mile route that crisscrosses the island. This easy-to-follow road takes you past more than 200 popular historical and cultural sites that date from the 17th and 18th centuries, when cotton was king, to the present day. Check out abandoned sugar plantations and mills ruins, the Cruzan Rum Distillery, historical forts, Mt. Eagle—the highest spot on the island—and Point Udall, the easternmost bit of land in the United States.Or you can drive yourselves if you’re comfortable navigating on the left side of the road. But be­ aware that you may have a hard time judging distance from the median strip, since not only are you driving on the left, but your steering wheel is also on the left—just as it is in the States.You can also have someone else do the driving. Tan Tan will take you off the beaten track to areas accessible only by four-wheel-drive vehicles. You’ll get unobstructed views of pristine Jack’s Bay from Goat Hill in the east and a leisurely look at the lush forest on Mount Victory. There’s time, too, for refreshing dips in tidal pools along the way. All itineraries start from Christiansted and may be personalized (excursions start at $60 per person; stxtantantours.com). Pedal PowerSightseeing by bike is guaranteed to get your heart pumping. As you cycle around the island, you’ll notice the diversity of the landscape: The eastern side is arid and dry, while the interior is mainly fertile farmland. The farther west you go, the lusher the vegetation and the denser the forests. If you do take to the hills, beware “The Beast”—a grueling 600-foot climb near Carambola that challenges even the most serious cyclists. Just don’t forget that cars are on the left here, and you should be too. Horsing AroundThe grotto pool area at The Buccaneer.If you’re ready to saddle up, arrange for a guided horseback tour at Paul and Jill’s Equestrian Stables, located just outside Frederiksted. The tour takes you across gorgeous beaches, to historic ruins and into the Rain Forest, (not to be confused with “rain forest”) a woodsy area is filled with Rain Trees, whose leaves fold up when the sun disappears. Along the way, you’ll learn about local flora and fauna as well as something about the history of the island. Sunset and moonlight rides can also be arranged (1 1⁄2 hour tours are about $75 per person, cash only; paulandjills.com). Local FlavorsSt. Croix’s restaurants...
• Caribbean Music Festivals
  For an unforgettably romantic (and sexy!) honeymoon soundtrack, take in one or more of these vibrant music festivals happening on islands all over the Caribbean. by Brenda FineEveryone knows that the islands of the Caribbean rock with music, in styles that include everything from reggae and calypso to salsa, rock and jazz. Even better, music festivals abound all across this beautiful region. For a honeymoon that strikes just the right note, get ready to listen to these suggestions. (And remember to pack your dancing shoes.) Turks & Caicos"Beautiful Flower" India Aire performs in Turks & Caicos.On Provodenciales (Provo), the main isle of this 40-island archipelago in the eastern Caribbean, the sonic spotlight shines on the Music and Cultural Festival, held every summer. The weeklong extravaganza highlights a combination of international music stars and local favorites, plus popular cultural happenings. Past performers have included recording superstar Alicia Keys, five-time Grammy award-winner John Legend, multiple award-winner Michael Bolton and the American soul artist India.Arie. The celebration also highlights soca, a calypso-type dance music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago. Big-name rap acts (think LL Cool J and Ne-Yo) have also stopped by the festivities. Other local happenings: the Miss Turks & Caicos pageant, a regatta to the Turtle Cove Marina area on Provo’s north coast and a golf classic hosted by the country’s chief minister (single tickets start at $75; event packages start at $275; musicfestiv