The Caribbean – Your Final Golf Vacation Destination

Have you thought of dreamed of vacationing in paradise with white sandy beaches, the best Golf Courses you will ever play, alive with vestiges of the past and a sunset that leaves you breathless. You have just found Puerto Rico – Travel to a tropical Island with miles and miles of beaches, plus an unbelievable rain forest, and the most exciting night life you will ever encounter.

Puerto Rico is alive with vestiges of the past – even though the Island is a commonwealth of the United States, it’s hard not to think you’ve stepped into a Spanish colony when you arrive at your hotel in San Juan. In fact, if it weren’t for the American flags waving throughout San Juan, you might as well be in Spain. Music is everywhere – salsa is impossible to avoid, but all music is heard and various other Latin-flavored beats pulsate through the night. For the young at heart, Puerto Rico tourism has also adopted a Cancun-like atmosphere, hoping to attract carefree teens on spring break; but the country especially San Juan, is alive with the country’s history. Few other places in the Caribbean have preserved the past as well – Puerto Rico history thrives in the carefully restored harbors and colonial architecture that remains from its days as Spanish colony.

One small downside to this beautiful Island. San Juan is nothing if not a polarizing city. One of the largest in the Caribbean. San Juan is an urban Jungle. This is, of course, a problem for many vacationers. Most visitors choose the Caribbean to get away. To disappear. And that is unlikely to happen in such a place as San Juan. Instead, the city has welcomed the crowds and aggrandized them as one of the main selling point of the Puerto Rico Tourism industry – thousands and thousands of people certainly cannot be wrong. Regardless, many move immediately from the airport to the Puerto Rico hotels in more remote locations on the Island. But those that ignore the capital city, and Old San Juan in particular, are missing out on one of the most fascinating locales in the sea. Though it has taken its rich Puerto Rico history and diluted with Americana and the carefully insinuated designs of the Puerto Rico tourism industry, San Juan is still a wonder to behold.

The capital city, San Juan also has easy access to some of the best Puerto Rico beaches. Who needs anything else when you’ve got sun and sand and fruity rum drinks at hand? the city beaches of San Juan are an anomaly – the ones closest to the urban areas are often the best Puerto Rico beaches imaginable. City high-rises almost melt into the warm summer sea. Executives on break, interns just off work and mid-level managers mix seamlessly with locals and tourists and there is always a beach side bar within walking distance.

There are plenty of fine Puerto Rico beaches all across the Island. The eastern side is growing in popularity. In fact, many Puerto Rico vacations are based solely on the Island’s Atlantic side, where the sand is more powdery, the crowds thinner and the surfing at its peak. many of the most luxurious Puerto Rico hotels are also located on this end, growing exponentially the further southward you travel.

There are Golf Courses that take your breath away.  Close to San Juan you have the Plantation Golf Club in Dorado Beach and The Embassy Suites Dorado del Mar Beach & Golf Resort.  Swing east, and you will find Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club, Berwind Country Club, Trump International Golf Club Rio Grande, PR, the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort.  Further east you will fine El Comquistador Resort & Golf Club.  Try driving south to El Legado Golf Resort, Where ChiChi Rodriguez make his home.  A little further south you will arrive at Coamo Spring Golf & Tennis Club, then to Ponce, PR, where you will find Costa Caribe Golf & Country Club.  There are many more going West.  You can find them all in the Puerto Rico Golf Course Guide at www.worldgolf.com.  Hit them strait and far, and if not, post a good score.

After Golf and If fine dining is your specialty, while in the San Juan metropolitan area you will find the most exquisite restaurants in the Caribbean. first on the list of fine dining is Pikayo.  Plan to linger for several hours at this formal restaurant, where the dishes are as rich, complex, and deserving of it’s carefully selected surrounding. Chef Wilo Benet, widely regarded as one of Puerto Rico’s culinary rock stars, draws on the country’s African, Indian, and Spanish flavors to create what he calls “exotic criollo” cuisine. The menu is seafood-heavy; three perpetual standouts are the sesame-glazed tuna carpaccio, served with a scoop of wasabi sorbet; the blackened salmon drizzled with caper butter, and the risotto, a must, mama mia!.

The second restaurant that stands out from the rest is Los Chavales, located at FD Roosevelt Ave, in Hato Rey. Here you will find the most in Spanish cuisine. Typically a Spanish cuisine restaurant with an international flare, their menu is complete from seafood to steak to Paella, and their food preparation and presentation is second to non. They pride themselves in their hospitality, friendly atmosphere, and more important, fine dining. Their three perpetual standouts are the rice paella marinara, a combination of fresh fish, clams, lobster, shrimp, and mussels; fried whole red snapper with fried green plantain (tostones), and a NY strip sliced with a special sauce and a rich tasting rice. On Thursday and Friday you may find most of the CEO’s and Excutives from major companies along with some politician, chatting and exchanging views, a great place to socialize.

So, if your thinking of a Golf vacation filled with everything and close to home, think Puerto Rico, a never ending destination. Remember, there are no Passports or visas required for U. S. Citizens.

You will lavish in the most brightest sunshine, white sandy beaches and play the best Golf Courses ever, Puerto Rico your final destination.

The United States Virgin Islands - St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John, is the most popular tourist and golf destination in the Caribbean.

Our long standing, enviable international reputation is not solely based on our pristine beaches, warm weather, and crystal-clear waters — we’re also the most culturally diverse, ethnically rich, and artistically vibrant society in the tropics.  Our biggest asset is our sun-kissed people. Our residents are island-spiced, friendly and quick to smile. Contemporary Virgin Islanders are literally from everywhere. We are as diverse as the peaceful Arawak and fierce Carib Indians—and as culturally rich as the peoples of Africa, England, Holland, Denmark, Spain, France, India and the United States.

Nowhere else in the Caribbean offers such a good vacation value as the US Virgins. Secluded beaches.  National Parks. Duty-free shopping. Campgrounds.   Kayaking. Hiking. Ecological tours. World-class diving.  Superb  sailing. Tropical forests. Local craftsmen. Island art. Sunbathing. Fine Dining. Nightlife.

 Dining in The US Virgin Island

Welcome to the all new USVI ‘Tell It Like It Is’ Restaurant & Bar Guide!

Looking for an upbeat eatery on the beach? A romantic hideaway? An extravagant dining indulgence? The US Virgin Islands have it all — and more. Whether you are in paradise for a day, a week, or a lifetime, why shouldn’t you enjoy each and every dining out experience? With that in mind, this new guide was devised to help you make the best selections — and avoid any nasty unwanted surprises.

A few quick notes:

Each restaurant and bar listed here carries an automatic recommendation. No duds have been included. Food is rated good to excellent. “Good” equals tasty and satisfying. “Excellent” indicates truly superior meals. 

Although price guidelines are indicated, island dining never comes cheap.  Categories have been created to make selecting easier — OR investigate them all before you decide.  A ‘bow tie’ image indicates you may want to ‘sharp up’ a bit — however, island-casual dress is generally accepted everywhere.

If Golf is you desire

Tee-off Virgin Islands’-style amidst a dramatic backdrop of sun, sand and sea.Configured by world acclaimed designers and putted-on by presidents, courses on St. Thomas and St. Croix cater to golf enthusiasts who love to `play a round’ while on vacation
St Thomas Golf Course: Mahogany Run  Ratee: Four Stars

This Tom Fazio-designed, par-70, 18-hole course overlooks the Atlantic ocean with a view of the neighboring British Virgin Islands beyond. Most spectacular is the Devil’s Triangle – a trio of holes so challenging that golfers who play through them without a penalty shot earn a prize in the pro shop. Overall, the course has rolling hills, tropical valleys and greens that are really green, thanks to a recently completed multi-million dollar renovation which included a brand new irrigation system, recently regrassed greens and renovated bunkers.

Call for tee times or come by to play, availability is excellent. Informal scratch tournaments held throughout the year give visitors a chance to pit their skills against local players with hometown course knowledge. Three-day special packages available to golf enthusiasts. Groups are welcome and special tournaments complete with prizes can be arranged. No need to lug clubs from home, Mahogany Run offers Callaway-brand rentals.
 

St Croix Golf Course – Buccaneer Hotel

Set on the grounds of a former sugar plantation and located just east of Christiansted, the Buccaneer Hotel is an island within an island, offering one of the most extensive roster of activities on St. Croix. The 18-hole golf course takes players over sloping hills, right to the edge of the Caribbean sea.

Golf pro Tim Johnston is on duty full-time. Guests and non-guests welcome. Breakfast on The Terrace, with views to Christiansted Harbor, makes a delightful way to start a round of play.  Hotel guests play at reduced rates. One-week golf packages are also available to guests. Discounted 10-play books are available to all golfers.

Carambola Golf Course  Rated Four Stars

Nestled in the valleyed northwestern section of St. Croix, is the Laurence Rockefeller built,

Robert Trent Jones-designed Carambola Golf Course. Since opening thirty years ago, the Carambola has been awarded a gold medal by GOLF magazine for being one of the finest golf resorts  in the world and has been given a four-star rating by Golf Digest.

The par-70 course winds through a deep valley, full of water hazards in the form of spring-fed lakes. Bright tropical foliage makes for an exotic appeal. The rolling terrain and nearly 100 bunkers provide a stern test for the accomplished golfer, but four sets of tee markers and ample landing areas make Carambola a golf course players of all skill levels can enjoy.

In addition to the 26 quaint two-story red-roofed villas of the Westin Carambola Beach Resort, facilities for golfers include an expanded clubhouse, a practice putting green, a driving range and full-time golf pro, Greg McCulloch. The pro shop has rental clubs and lockers.
Carambola’s New York Deli serves super sandwiches and salads at lunchtime daily, catering to golfers and golf widows alike. Sunday Brunch is an island institution.

THE REEF CLUB

This 9-hole mini- golf course on the northeastern part of St. Croix has a casual personality perfect for some carefree putting. Friday afternoon scrambles are an event. There’s also a driving range.  Hit them strait and far.

Whether the subject of a photograph – or a passionate conversation about mother nature’s greatest gifts, the beaches of the US Virgin Islands offer endless topics to one and all.

Swimmers, snorkelers, divers and wanderers alike, find endless bliss in and around these incomparable teal blue waters.

The relatively small size of the islands means that one of its most awe-inspiring natural resources is within easy traveling distance. The beaches routinely rate among the best in the Caribbean, and offer variety unheard of on many islands.

To help you discover the one that’s right for you, here is a brief overview of some of the island’s best beaches. By the way, all beaches are open to the public, including those adjacent to hotel and resort properties. Some may charge a small fee to outside guests wishing to make use of amenities such as lounge chairs and water toys. However, you are sure to find courteous staff members, eager to assist you in arranging the best possible activities for your party.

And it’s all wrapped up in the safety, security, and efficiency of the American flag. The United States Virgin Islands. St. Thomas, St. Croix, and St. John. Three lively islands — one gentle people