Caribbean
For Dummies, 3rd Edition
Darwin Porter and
Danforth Price
Wiley
Publishing
548 pages,
$21.99
What this book is not: An exhaustive guide
to the Caribbean. Dont look for the Grenadines or Trinidad or the
Dominican Republic or little islands in between. (The Bahamas is
covered in its very own Dummies book.)
Caribbean for
Dummies covers nine of the most popular sun-and-fun destinations:
Aruba, Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, Grand Cayman (but not
Cayman Brac or Little Cayman), Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St.
Maarten/St. Martin and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The information
is basic -- where to stay, eat and have fun.
Within the
basics, however, is a lot of good stuff to help the reader decide
where, why and when to go and the best way to get there, from
package deals to airfare specials.
The authors list
14 categories of best, from beaches to golf courses to restaurants
and nightlife.
Separate
chapters, which include detailed maps, explore each island. Special
icons alert readers to kid-friendly attractions and warn of
potential disasters with a Heads Up graphic.
The book is but
one in the global phenomenon of the For Dummies series. Its full of
practical advice and straightforward recommendations written in a
breezy, readable style that appeals to dummies and the
not-so-dumb.
Caribbean
Escapes, First Edition
Caribbean Escapes
Cooperative Marketing
400 pages,
$40
Holding this oversized book is akin to
cradling a newborn after a very long gestation, labor and birth.
The sizable volume represents far more than the collaboration of a
team of Caribbean-savvy writers penning personalized descriptions
of 100 top Caribbean resorts in 25 islands and
countries.
Caribbean Escapes
is the focal point of the Caribbean Escapes Cooperative Marketing
program, founded in 2003 by Glenn Harris to promote luxury travel
to the Caribbean.
The program
includes a Web site with a booking engine as well as a series of 15
television episodes that showcase the resorts and destinations
covered in the book. Each resort in the book gets a two-page
spread, accompanied by stunning photographs; the authors personal
appraisal and observations; plus fun-to-read details and contact
information.
The review of the
Golden Lemon Inn and Villas in St. Kitts, written by Paris
Permenter and John Bigley, is a typical example. In describing the
dining options, the authors wrote: Its at dinner that the Golden
Lemon truly radiates the atmosphere of a beautiful tropical home.
Evenings begin with drinks and discussion on the front terrace ...
and progress to either the chandelier-lighted dining room or the
garden aglow with candles, the strains of a classical symphony and
the accompaniment of tree frogs.
About Curacao,
Greg Oates wrote: I always seem to end up in Otrabanda at the Cafe
Gouverneur de Rouville, a traditional Dutch pancake house, says the
menu. Ive never had a pancake here, but the lamb kebab with curry
and cumin salsa is very tasty.
Personal insights
and nuances based on having dined at the resort, slept in the bed,
walked on the beach and probably downed a glass of rum or two with
other guests at the bar sets this luxury compendium apart from many
others. Its a great read and well worth the price. And if you like
the book, youll love the TV show.
Order online at
www.caribbeanescapes.com. Special pricing is offered
to travel agents and industry professionals. -- Reviews by
Gay Nagle Myers
To contact
reporter Gay Nagle Myers, send e-mail to
[email protected]