News
Dominica showcases ‘all-inclusive, island included’ experience – first in the Caribbean
Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort, the “Nature Island’s” landmark, waterfront hotel on the edge of Dominica’s capital, Roseau, has announced the introduction of the Caribbean’s first-ever “All-Inclusive, Island-Included” resort experience. Beyond the offerings of a traditional all-inclusive, like food and beverages, the All-Inclusive, Island-Included experience will give guests access to activities and offerings beyond the hotel — from a lionfish catching expedition, to hiking and exploring some of the island’s best attractions like Trafalgar Falls and Titou Gorge, to enjoying tropical beaches — providing an unrivaled, immersive and memorable Nature Island holiday.
Not only will guests enjoy city, land and/or sea adventures each and every day, but off-property island activities will also include a community touch point — whether it be a sweet treat or cocoa tea from a local restaurant or rum shop, a local arts and craft offering or a cultural experience. By involving independent tour providers and local food and beverage outlets, the new model will cater to guests while also supporting the community at large.
“Fort Young has always been a gateway to Dominica’s incredible sights and landmarks, so it was a natural evolution for us to introduce this All-Inclusive, Island-Included offering,” said Dinesh Kissoon, Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort’s general manager. “We wanted to offer travellers to Dominica a truly seamless, effortless and authentic way to experience the local culture, land and sea unlike ever before. Doing an all-inclusive with island included is a way of engaging our community and gives guests a more robust and immersive experience, creating a more sustainable and symbiotic environment.”
The All-Inclusive, Island-Included package requires a minimum five-night stay and includes:
- Daily breakfast, two-course lunch, afternoon snacks and three-course dinner
- Unlimited house beverages and alcoholic drinks from 10am – 10pm
- Welcome pack in-room minibar
- A selection of daily scheduled water or land adventure experiences
- Cocoa tea, juices and cakes at local eateries
- Beach discovery visit
- Round-trip airport transfers
- 60-minute massage twice per stay for one or two based on occupancy
- 60-minute yoga twice per stay for one or two based on occupancy
- Unlimited unguided shore scuba diving
- Kayak and other non-motorised watersports
- Daily housekeeping and turndown services
- High-speed Wi-Fi
- National park and entrance fees
- All taxes and charges
Among the numerous included excursions are:
- Hiking to Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge, the Middleham Falls and Hot Springs, Spanny and Jacko Falls, Freshwater Lake and Boeri Lake
- Lionfish hunting and snorkelling by boat
- Guided Roseau city walking tour
- Mero Beach discovery
Further, guests will also have the opportunity to donate to a local charity at check-out.
Rates for the All-Inclusive, Island Included start at US$349 per person per night based on double occupancy in a newly reimagined Oceanfront room. Upgrades are also available to experience even more of the island’s adventures, such as swimming with Dominica’s resident sperm whales, canyoning, night snorkelling, hiking to Boiling Lake, and exploring Kalinago Territory. Terms and conditions apply.
The resort is also offering three alternative packages: a breakfast, beverages and island-included package starting at US$286 per person per night (five-night minimum stay); a standard all-inclusive meal plan starting at US$255 per person per night (two-night minimum stay); and a breakfast and beverage plan for US$190 per person per night (two-night minimum stay). Prospective guests can also book standard room rates without a meal plan.
Fort Young Hotel recently unveiled 26 fully refreshed Oceanfront Deluxe Rooms. Replete with panoramic seaside views, exceptionally stylish furnishings and a bright colour palette, the reimagined guestrooms are designed to make guests feel even more warmly welcomed while expressing Dominica’s vibrant spirit. These refurbished rooms are part of the resort’s new master plan that also calls for eight more rooms to be updated this autumn alongside the introduction of a brand-new waterfront spa, 24-hour gym and six all-new Oceanfront Junior Suites with en-suite bathrooms, kitchenettes and interconnecting rooms; 60 forthcoming Fort Rooms; a state-of-the-art fitness center featuring eco-friendly equipment; business center; new bar and lounge; 200-seat conference room; 250-seat sun deck for weddings and other events; art gallery, wine and rum cellar, gift shop, and three new meeting rooms. Upon completion, Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort will be a 4+ star property.
The new Zemi Spa features two private treatment rooms and two manicure and pedicure stations where certified and therapists conduct a variety of services and treatments, including Swedish, Deep Tissue and Volcanic Rock massages, Body Treatments and Signature Rituals featuring indulgent, locally-inspired products. Guests can also book a package of multiple services. Spa visitors can also make use of the 24- hour Compass Gym overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
For more information, visit www.fortyounghotel.com/, call 767-448-5000 or email info@fortyounghotel.com.
CCMI brings the ocean directly to classrooms around the world through live-stream lessons from underwater
In 2018, the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) launched Reefs Go Live, their innovative, flagship education programme that live-streams directly from underwater on the coral reefs in Little Cayman to students in classrooms around the world in real time. For the 2022 season, the four episodes of Reefs Go Live reached more than 107,000 viewers in 22 countries. CCMI’s Reefs Go Live team hopes to expand their reach with four new episodes and supplemental teaching resources to help integrate the material into classroom lessons.
Science Communications & Development Manager for CCMI, Beth Chafin, is excited to be part of another year of Reefs Go Live:
“Knowing we have an audience that spans the world, our team is energised as we plan and implement our Reefs Go Live season for 2023! We feel that creating a connection to the ocean and sharing the beautiful coral reefs of Little Cayman with others, both locally and abroad, is one of the most important ways to increase support for critical, timely issues such as marine protection and sustainability. At CCMI, we are fortunate to have these stunning reefs at our doorstep; not everyone is so lucky to be this connected to coral reefs, but healthy coral reefs are vitally important to everyone on earth. Bringing the ocean into classrooms and homes through Reefs Go Live allows us to share the work we do at the Little Cayman Research Centre, facilitate real-time interactions between viewers around the world and our experts in the field, and inspire the diverse audience to take positive action for the future of coral reefs.”
The first episode of 2023 will take place on Friday, 31st March at 10 am Cayman time (UTC -5h). The episode, ‘Finding Hope on our Reefs’, will feature what CCMI’s long-term monitoring of Little Cayman’s reefs shows us. The data from the annual surveys reveals important trends in reef health over time that reflect global threats and the benefits of strong local protection. Reefs Go Live hosts will explain why this annual monitoring is important and what the results tell us about the future of our coral reefs that we all depend upon. Viewers of each episode will be able to ask questions of the diver and participate in polls through the online platform to make Reefs Go Live an interactive experience.
Additional episodes for this year will run at 10 am (UTC -5h) on the following dates:
Thursday, 11th May: Adaptation on Coral Reefs
Wednesday, 24th May: Reef Resiliency & Restoration
Thursday, 8th June: World Ocean Day – 25 Years of Coral Reef Research
Registration for Reefs Go Live is free and is only required once to receive access to all episodes: https://donate.reefresearch.org/rgl2023.
Reefs Go Live provides an opportunity for students from all over the world to engage with the stunning ocean environment in its most natural format. As coral reefs around the world face unprecedented pressure, generating increased engagement with these precious ecosystems creates an opportunity to promote marine sustainability in a positive and fun way.
Reefs Go Live utilises streaming technology with underwater video and audio equipment to enable real time broadcasting from Little Cayman’s stunning coral reefs. Little Cayman, a Mission Blue Hope Spot, hosts one of the healthiest reef ecosystems in the Caribbean, which overall remains healthy and shows resiliency to climate change impacts. The broadcasts and education materials draw connections from CCMI’s current research conducted in Little Cayman to the national science curriculum and key ocean literacy principles, making CCMI’s work relevant and accessible to students and viewers of all ages, and emphasizing the relationship that we all have to coral reefs, no matter where we are.
Reefs Go Live is a free education programme that is made possible by the generosity of The Edmund F. and Virginia B. Ball Foundation. To register for the broadcasts and teaching resources, please visit: https://reefresearch.org/what-we-do/education/reefs-go-live/
In this ongoing series, we speak to the people who run dive centres, resorts and liveaboards from around the world about their businesses and the diving they have to offer…
What is your name?
Ben Williams and Kay Van Leuven
What is the name of your business?
Sunchaser Scuba
What is your role within the business?
Owner/operator
How long has the business operated for?
32 years in total and we have been here since 2010, working for the previous owner, then bought the current company from him starting in 2015.
How long have you dived for, and what qualification are you?
Ben since 2003 and he is a PADI MSDT and SDI instructor
Kay since 2010 and she is a PADI MSDT and SDI instructor
What is your favorite type of diving?
Ben loves pinnacle dives; Kay loves shallow coral dives
If you could tell people one thing about your business (or maybe more!) to make them want to visit you, what would it be?
We offer valet diving for a trip of your lifetime. Personal service is key in our business, together with small groups.
What is your favourite dive in your location and why?
Ben favorite dive is the Invisibles because of the amount of marine life; Kay favorite dive is the wreck of the Rhone, because of it’s historical value, marine life and the amount of coral growth on it.
What types of diving are available in your location?
We offer reef and wreck diving, rendez vous diving with your charter boat so we can pick you up straight off your boat.
What do you find most rewarding about your current role?
Being able to dive every day and show the underwater world of the BVI
What is your favorite underwater creature?
Ben’s favorite is sharks and for Kay it is dolphins.
As a center what is the biggest problem you face at the moment?
Ever rising supplier prices.
Is your center involved in any environmental work?
Yes, we do treatment for STCLD, shark sightings and beach clean ups
Are there any exciting changes / developments coming up in the near future?
The hotel we work out of is still recovering from the 2017 hurricane so more places to stay will be coming along in the future. We have an amazing local non profit called Beyond The Reef in the BVI who are always making new artificial reefs.
How do you see the SCUBA / Freediving / snorkeling industry overall? What changes would you make?
We feel it is a great industry and it is very rewarding being able to teach people to dive and therefore increase awareness. One of the biggest changes that would be great to change is to be able to make things cheaper so it is more accessible to our local kids/divers and therefore increase the number of divers in our local community.
Finally, what would you say to our visitors to promote the diving you have to offer?
The BVI is very underrated and untouched, making it a great destination for both novice and
experienced divers.
Where can our visitors find out more about your business?
www.sunchaserscuba.com
info@sunchaserscuba.com
+12833442766
https://www.instagram.com/sunchaser_scuba/
https://www.facebook.com/sunchaserscuba/
Reefs Go Live returns for new season
Diving with… Ben Williams and Kay Van Leuven, Sunchaser Scuba, British Virgin Islands
Lovin’ Saint Lucia: Two wreck dives and a wedding (part 3)
Lovin’ Saint Lucia: Kids and Critters (Part 2)
Top 5 Caribbean Wreck Diving Destinations
Barbados – The Shipwreck Capital of the Caribbean
Caribbean Conservation in Action: Coral Conservation during Covid
Caribbean Conservation in Action: Tagging Turtles in the BVI
Curaçao Dive Site of the Month – Smokeys (Watch Video)
Jeff chats to… Dr Katey Lesneski from Coral Vita, winners of the Earthshot Prize (Watch Video)
Reefs Go Live 2021 launches with special Quiet Oceans event
Caribbean Conservation in Action: Coral Conservation during Covid
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