Author: Susan Campbell

Susan Campbell is a freelance travel & lifestyle writer based in Montreal. She enjoys writing about her beautiful home country Canada, but as soon as the first snowflake falls, she becomes a heat-seeking missile bound for Caribbean getaways and island comforts in an effort to stay warm. Susan specializes in the Dutch Caribbean with hundreds of articles to her credit covering every facet of their boundless attractions, but has every tropical island on the planet emblazoned on her bucket list. Follow her on twitter via suectravel.

I’d always figured I wouldn’t be much of a cruise person; I’m the kind of traveler that wants to really get to know a place with boots on the ground. However, the only way to find out if I’d enjoy a cruise was to take one. So, a few years back, I did. I sailed with Holland America’s Eurodam throughout the Eastern Caribbean. But though there was some very enjoyable highlights- the majority of the

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The little Dutch Caribbean island most famous for its colorful waterfront and famous blue liqueur has been busy developing an exciting new bounty of offerings.

Curacao has always been a favourite for history buffs with its colorful culture and iconic architecture, in fact the entire city of Willemstad is a UNESCO World Heritage site. And with over 40 beaches and year-round ideal temperatures, the island  has also always been a popular sun worshipper’s choice.

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This has been the coldest, longest, snowiest and most depressing winter I can recall. And as a sixth-generation Canadian living in one of the coldest places in the country, I’ve seen more than my share. So when the opportunity came up to come out of hibernation for a few days by hopping a plane to glorious Grace Bay Beach on the Turks and Caicos island of Providenciales (locally known as “Provo” ) I couldn’t  …

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So Many Marvelous Mini-Adventures!

Truth be told, I did not know that the Abaco Islands were part of the Bahamas called “Out-Islands” nor did I know that the Bahamas are not considered part of the Caribbean, but are a separate region with some 700 islands in the archipelago ( some inhabited and some not) and none of them in the Caribbean Sea! But I had heard that the Abacos – a 120-mile–long chain that covers …

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Beyond the historic handelskade lies an island full of surprises!

Chances are good if you have ever looked up the Caribbean island of Curacao, you would have seen a photo similar to this one above- a rainbow of restored 18th century Dutch colonial buildings lining the harbor. It’s certainly this island’s most famous landmark in its capital city of Willemstad. They call it the “handelskade”- meaning waterfront harbor- and  it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. …

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Enjoy Primal Pampering at Surfer’s Beach Playa Bocana

On a recent trip to the remarkable region of Huatulco, Mexico we got to experience a lot of upscale luxury and exciting eco-adventures, but one of our favorite  afternoons was the ancient mud ritual at Playa Bocana. 

We were staying at Secrets Huatulco Resorts & Spa– an upscale adult- only all-inclusive in its own private cove in Conjes Bay, and though we thoroughly enjoyed their  Unlimited Luxury …

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     It’s been thirty years since I last visited Puerto Vallarta, but in retrospect, that trip in my early 20’s turned out to be a life defining one. I credit the time spent among the locals there –so welcoming and eager to include us in their daily lives- for my later foray into travel writing as a profession.

Located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast where Jalisco and Nayarit meet, the town is tucked among the lush rainforests …

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Located about 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela Bonaire is the “B” of the Dutch Caribbean “ABC Islands” (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and has long been known among scuba enthusiasts as a diver’s paradise. (In fact, that slogan is emblazoned on their licence plates!) Due to the island’s forward thinking preservationists, all of its surrounding waters have been strictly environmentally protected which makes for resplendently healthy reefs and thriving marine life. Bonaire’s diving is …

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If you’re considering a tropical beach vacation for your summer family holiday, but were wondering if the tropics might get too scorching hot, think again. Though some islands are victims of changing seasons, Aruba isn’t. In fact, it has a consistent pleasant average hovering around 85 degrees with constant cooling trade winds all year-round and scant annual rainfall. It’s also one of the few Caribbean islands located outside of the hurricane belt. More importantly, when …

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If you want to hit the slopes in the famed Laurentian Mountains, check out Quebec City’s cool Winter Carnival, or celebrate snow in magnificent Montreal, you need not leave your four-legged friends behind! Here are some spots where pets are as welcome as human guests…

Domain Summum
This lovely little resort on a private lake less than an hour from Montreal is not only dog-friendly, but a pet owner’s dream! The owner Birgit Shultz has …

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Though best known for their colorful Carnival, Aruba has all kinds of cool festivals, annual events, and visitor-inclusive celebrations happening all year round!

Though Carnival lasts for three months, it really doesn’t matter when you visit Aruba as there are all kinds of gala events going on all year-round. And you need never worry about the weather for outdoor festivals: Aruba is outside of the hurricane belt and boasts a balmy average of 85 degrees …

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Antigua’s small sister island  Barbuda is truly unspoiled Caribbean at its finest, and we were enroute to Lighthouse Bay Resort www.lighthousebayresort.com sandwiched on a thin sandbar that snakes for some 17 pristine, private miles and accessible only by air, (small plane or helicopter) or a  long ferry ride (three hours) and water taxi.  But we were arriving in high style via Caribbean Helicopters http://caribbeanhelicopters.com/, as complimentary return passage by whirlybird is included with a seven …

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Aruba is best known for its spectacular beaches and surf side sun and fun, but there are many cool and offbeat activities well worth seeking out that you’ll rarely find anywhere. Here are a few of them…

Adopt a Donkey

Donkey Sanctuary Aruba (www.arubandonkey.org ), on the skirts of Arikok National Park, is a non-profit, fully volunteer foundation dedicated to providing a safe haven for wild, injured, and unwanted donkeys on the island. You can …

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A-listers seeking to go off-radar are drawn to this awesome oasis in droves…

Though St. Barts might be best known in the Caribbean for attracting the jet set, it also attracts the paparazzi that follow them. But Anguilla is well known among the elite as an idyllic refuge where they can totally escape the global spotlight to relax, kick back, and just be on barefoot holiday. Of course, the 33 glorious beaches of powdery white …

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