Tropical Tidbits – Summer 2024

by Sue C Travel

Summer fun in the Caribbean…
Typically, when most folks think of going to the Caribbean, they are out to escape the harsh cold of winter. But there are plenty of reasons to consider a summer holiday there, and many islands don’t get much hotter than it gets in North America during this season. Plus, you have a refreshing sea and surfside pools to cool off in. It’s also a season when the rates are much lower and the crowds are far smaller, and you’re bound to get some very good all-inclusive deals, too! Here are some other incentives to convince you to consider planning a tropical summer trip…

See sea turtles & whale sharks
One of my very favorite reasons to head to the Caribbean in the summer is because that’s when all kinds of sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. (Including the massive leatherbacks!) Many resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico have programs where you can be alerted to the hatching of the eggs and watch the baby sea turtles scamper off into the sea. It’s an incredible bucket list experience. Another marine-focused delight this time of year in tropical hot spots is the ability to snorkel with whale sharks. They are gentle giants (they are not sharks, they are the world’s largest fish, and they don’t eat other animals or people!) They are filter feeders that love krill. When large amounts of krill are found along the coasts of Mexico’s Yucatan region, they gather from all over the world to feed there. There are many reputable outfits that will take you to snorkel alongside them but do your homework first to make sure they are well-vetted, eco-friendly, and safe. You’ll be absolutely amazed at this adventure if you love the sea. Whale shark season around Cancun is typically June to mid-September, and don’t forget your underwater camera!

Gala summer festivals & carnivals
Though carnival in the Caribbean originated as a pre-Lenten celebration and is most often celebrated just before Easter, there are many other like-minded island festivals of gala music, parades, dance, and festivities that only occur in the summer. One of the most famous is Barbados’ Crop Over in August which signifies the end of the sugar cane harvest. If you go, keep an eye out for native Barbadian Rhianna, she often dances in the parade along with the other revelers. St. Lucia celebrates Carnival in July, as does the tiny island of Saba, and The Bahamas annual carnival style Junkanoo celebrations take place every Saturday in July as well. Antigua has their big Carnival shindig the last week of July to the first week of August, and Anguilla’s August carnival revolves a lot around a sensational sailing regatta. There are also major music festivals to seek out, too. Jamaica’s Reggae Sumfest takes place in Montego Bay in July and it’s a crazy good time, and St. Kitts Music Fest in June has an eclectic assortment of first-rate outdoor entertainment. (Visit each destination’s respective tourism website to confirm their festival and carnival dates for this summer season.)

Incredible kid’s and teen’s clubs & activities
And since school’s out for the summer, if you’re a parent seeking something to do with your kids that you will enjoy as much as they do, consider a Caribbean holiday at a resort that caters to all ages. There are some brands that are a no-brainer for wonderful activities for children like Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts, and Beaches Resorts take it a step further with their ability to also cater to children with special needs since they have garnered their Autism Certification from The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. But many regular resorts also have fabulous kids camps and activities that allow parents ample time to enjoy adulting in paradise. Take a spa day, a romantic sunset sail, or simply lounge peacefully by the pool with a Pina Colada in hand while your kids enjoy all kinds of supervised adventures. On offer are all kinds of activities like pirate treasure hunts, arts and crafts, cooking classes, watersports and wildlife and ocean adventures. I’ve witnessed many excellent activities for kids at many tropical resorts but one of my favorites is the Ambassadors of the Environment programs at the Ritz-Carlton hotels. Their agenda is fashioned by Jean-Michel Cousteau to teach children about the importance of preserving our marine life in the most entertaining way possible.

Sunscape Curacao even has a camp out overnight on the beach as part of their program and they also have a club just for teens. And they are also right next door to the Curacao Sea Aquarium which can also be an educational complex to teach kids about sea life. Grace Bay Club in Turks and Caicos also has a Teen X-treme program that includes mocktail parties, sunset reggae cruises, water skiing and wakeboarding lessons. And Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda, in Dominican Republic has cool supervised activities for babies to teens, including trapeze lessons. Thrill-seeking kids will adore all the crazy water slide towers and zipline routes of the parks that come as part of the package at Xcaret Hotel in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. And in Nassau, Bahamas, the Atlantis kid’s program even hosts a wizardry program. (They are also one of the few resorts that have a later night kids club that goes to 10:30 pm so parents can enjoy the casino and maybe some gourmet dining.) And they have their own waterpark on site, too. In fact, these days on site water parks seem to have become all the rage for family friendly Caribbean resorts. (Parents enjoy them, too!)

But most kid’s clubs are reserved for children ages 4 and up. So, if your child is younger, you might like our recommendation of the ideal toddler-friendly Caribbean destination to check out this post: Holiday Inn Aruba.

Award-winning travel journalist Sue Campbell is based in Montreal but makes it her business to be on top of everything cool, hot, and new under the sun throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.

World Traveler welcomes her as a regular columnist. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @suectravel