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Travel update from Dominica

Caribbean DTA Team

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More and more divers are discovering the wonder of one of the best-kept secrets in the Caribbean – the island of Dominica. Here’s an travel update from the beautiful so-called Nature Island…

Updated entry requirements – antigen tests now accepted
All visitors entering Dominica can now upload a negative Antigen or PCR test prior to arrival in Dominica. The recent acceptance of Antigen tests makes entry to Dominica even easier for the UK traveller. Vaccinated travellers are then free to explore the island without any further quarantine measures or restrictions. Unvaccinated travellers are required to book a Safe in Nature certified property for the first 5-7 days of their trip and then are free to explore the island with no further restrictions after a negative result on the 5th day. For latest entry requirements please visit https://discoverdominica.com/travel-advisory-for-dominica

Coulibri Ridge – new luxury eco-hotel to open in 2022 
Coulibri Ridge is due to open in 2022. Perched on a hillside on Dominica’s south coast overlooking neighboring island of Martinique, the hotel features 14 sea-facing rooms within a sprawling 200-acre tropical estate. A pioneering eco-project decades in the making, the property is entirely off-grid, using solar power as the main source of energy, and filtered rainwater as the primary water source. Guests at the hotel can relax by one of the two swimming pools, indulge in spa treatments, enjoy yoga, or explore the tropical gardens that surround. For more information, please visit www.coulibriridge.com

American Airlines launches first direct flight to Dominica 
UK visitors hopeful of travelling to Dominica will now have additional flight options and connectivity. American Airlines now operates direct flights out of Miami on Wednesdays and Saturdays, with plans for daily flights from April 2022. This is the first regularly scheduled direct flight between the U.S and Dominica. With connecting flights via Miami on the same day, these additional flights make travelling to Dominica much easier for UK visitors and allow for more time to explore the Nature Island. For further information on available airlines, please visit discoverdominica.com/en/airlines

Dominica launches new brand identity
The Discover Dominica Authority has launched a new destination brand to position Dominica as a competitive tourism destination in the global tourism market. The new logo is unambiguous and clear, and can be clearly identified when used in smaller applications such as digital advertising and social medial. The new Dominica logo is as unique as the island itself. It has the feel of the rising Morne Trios Pitons; and the various shades of green depict the lush, verdant landscape covering the country. The rich purple accent colour comes from Dominica’s beloved Sisserou parrot and the vibrant red connotes the island’s Creole culture and Kalinago heritage. “The Nature Island” tag line was retained as a competitive advantage. It helps reinforce Dominica’s position as a leader in climate resilience and sustainability.

Discover more about the island of Dominica at www.discoverdominica.com.

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Seahorse National Park announced on Eleuthera in The Bahamas

Nick and Caroline Robertson-Brown

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This week has seen the announcement of the designation of Seahorse National Park at Hatchet Bay Cave and Sweetings Pond on Eleuthera. This monumental announcement comes after years of efforts from the BNT and its partners in advocating for the protection of Sweetings Pond and its surrounding areas as an official national park under the BNT’s management.

Sweetings Pond is a large, land-locked saltwater pond in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera. It has many unique natural features, but the most notable of them all is its incredible seahorse population, which is believed to be the densest population of seahorses in the world. The new 548-acre national park protects the entire one-mile-long pond and the surrounding terrestrial area. The land surrounding Sweetings Pond is a blend of intact coppice, mangroves, and farmlands. In addition, the new national park includes the extensive Hatchet Bay Caves system. This historic cave system is a popular attraction and contains a number of impressive geological features. It is one of the longest dry cave systems in The Bahamas.

Since 2014, the BNT has been leading efforts to have the area declared as a national park. This included years of public outreach and stakeholder consultations in communities across Eleuthera; education presentations in local schools; science and research efforts; and engaging consecutive government administrations. In 2018, the BNT submitted the “20 by 20 Marine Protection Plan” to the government, which included the recommendation to declare Sweetings Pond and other areas in The Bahamas as protected areas.

During the lease signing ceremony for Seahorse National Park, Minister Clay Sweeting, said, “This lease agreement for Sweetings Pond has been a long time coming. It represents a milestone in our journey towards sustainable development. It symbolises our collective responsibility to safeguard our natural heritage and create a harmonious relationship between economic progress and environmental preservation.

“I would like to express my gratitude to all stakeholders in this process of drafting and finalising this lease agreement. Their dedication, expertise, and commitment has been crucial in ensuring that this agreement falls in line with our vision of creating a thriving ecosystem while promoting responsible usage. Let us continue to preserve the jewel that is Sweetings Pond for many generations to come.”

The BNT invites the public to stay tuned for more news about its plan for the country’s newest national park: Seahorse National Park at Hatchet Bay Cave and Sweetings Pond!

To learn more about the role the BNT plays in managing terrestrial and marine national parks, conserving wildlife, and informing environmental policy, please visit its website: www.bnt.bs

Follow/subscribe to its various social media channels: FacebookInstagramTwitter, and YouTube.


Banner Image: A lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus), female, clining to algae in an alkaline pond in The Bahamas by Shane Gross

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PADI Club invites Ocean Lovers on exclusive dive trip to Bonaire this September

Caribbean DTA Team

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Following the popularity of the PADI Club trip to Belize at the end of July, a second “dive trip of a lifetime” has just been announced by PADI Club to Bonaire this  September 23-30, 2023.

Offered exclusively for PADI Club members as part of their yearly benefits, attendees will get to seek adventure while staying at the all-inclusive Buddy Dive Resort, one of PADI’s premier members on the island. Other PADI Members in Bonaire – including Toucan Divers, Divi Flamingo, Wanna Dive, Dive Friends and Scuba Do – will also be hosting various dive experiences throughout the week.

“Bonaire is a unique and beautiful gem in the Dutch Caribbean and we want to show our Club Members this little island looms large as a dive destination,” says Zach Pavkov, PADI Club Operations Manager. “This trip offers participants a chance to not only explore a world-class diving destination but do so through some of the very best PADI Operators.”

PADI Club members will receive a generous discount for this seven-day diving adventure, with packages starting at $1,739 per diver for double occupancy.

Included in the package are:

  • social events that include hosted dinners, cocktail parties and live music
  • transportation in Buddy Dive Resort’s famous pick-up truck
  • daily shore diving and boat diving
  • accommodation, with the option to share a room with another solo diver or rent out one, two and three-bedroom apartments to host larger groups of divers
  • surface interval activities that include PADI Seminars and island excursions like hiking and bird-watching.

“Because the water surrounding Bonaire has been an established marine park for 44 years, Bonaire is now a top-ranked destination with abundant marine life that includes scorpionfish, flounder and frogfish, moray eels, hawksbill turtles and eagle rays, ” continues Pavkov.

With limited spots available, the list of participants will be decided on a first-come, first-served basis. Those who are not yet PADI Club Members but are interested in joining the trip can sign-up, which will also give them access to:

  • 20% of PADI eLearning® programs and PADI Gear™
  • a free ReActivate® online refresher
  • a free DAN® Prepared Diver course
  • a subscription to Scuba Diving® magazine
  • access to the PADI Club Celebrity Speaker Series webinars
  • brand partner benefits from GoPro, Uber, Salt Life and more

To further support ocean lovers to create positive ocean change, five percent of the PADI Club membership fee will go towards supporting conservation efforts around the globe.

“PADI Club benefits are designed not just to empower divers to explore the ocean, but also enable them to play a pivotal role in saving the ocean too,” says Pavkov. “This year’s additional expedition to Bonaire gives our community the chance to come together and explore our shared blue planet in a truly meaningful and connected way.”

Click here to sign up for PADI Club and reserve your spot here to join the Bonaire dive trip.

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