2006 Travel News Archive – Page 5

Caribbean spas to meet in Bayahibe

The Caribbean Spa & Wellness Association will meet at the Canoa Coral by Hilton Resort in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic this coming 3-6 December. The 2006 Caribbean Spa & Wellness Conference provides an avenue for spa and wellness industry partners to come together and exchange information and ideas in interactive presentations and panels. The trade show …

Samana highway moves ahead

Parallel with the construction of the new Samana-serving airport at El Catey, work is progressing on the construction of the new Santo Domingo-Samana highway. The toll-based highway will halve the time it takes to travel to Samana from Santo Domingo, reducing the journey to around two hours. The 106km highway connects Las Americas Expressway with …

Cabarete Laser regatta

Cabarete will once more be hosting the Caribbean Laser Midwinter Regatta. The regatta takes place on 12-14 January 2007, announced Ari Barshi, event organizer and national Laser champion. He explains that the event is the only Olympic class regatta held in the Caribbean. The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) governs the event and the results count …

Passports needed for US air travel

The US State Department has announced that as of 8 January 2007, US citizens and US legal residents using air travel for re-entry to US territory will need to carry passports. This is a change in requirements for air travelers to the Caribbean, Mexico and Bermuda. The US already requires passports for travel to other …

Holidays 2007

While tourist area stores, banks and businesses will remain open on holidays, take note of the Dominican holiday schedule for 2007: Monday, 1 January, New Year’s Day; Saturday, 6 January Epiphany Day; Sunday, 21 January, Day of Our Lady of Altagracia; Friday, 26 January, Duarte Day; Monday, 27 February, Independence Day; Friday, 6 April, Good …

Playa Dorada Festival

The Playa Dorada Hotel Properties, Condominiums and Commercial Establishments Association is announcing the first annual Playa Dorada Festival. The festival will be held from October 14th to November 25th and will include a range of activities targeted at promoting this famous beach on the country’s north coast. Visitors can expect events such as music concerts, …

African, Caribbean, Pacific Cultural Festival

Dominicans are in for a refreshing treat of little-known African, Caribbean and Pacific cultural events as part of October’s Second Forum of ACP Ministers of Culture. The cultural celebration will take place from 14-21 October in Santo Domingo. 79 former European colonies in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific have been invited. As of this …

Get those passports

Air travel re-entries to the United States will require passports as from next January. While the US Congress approved a last minute postponement of the passport rule for land and sea until 1 June 2009, this will not apply to travel to the Caribbean by air. The last-minute revision, which was inserted into a Homeland …

Zoe Saldana honored in People Magazine

Zoe Saldana, daughter of Dominicans, and who grew up in the US and Santo Domingo, was honored with a Best Dressed 2006 distinction in People Magazine this week. In the Style Watch section, she was praised for wearing a Greek revival dress. “Zoe Saldana looks like a modern-day goddess in her velvet-belted J. Mendel column …

Damajagua made easier

The visitor’s center at the Natural Monument of Damajagua, an adventure tourism site that features 27 levels of natural pools and waterfalls, was inaugurated last week. Damajagua (Los 27 Charcos) is located three kilometers south of Imbert, Puerto Plata. Damajagua is co-managed by the Association of Guides of Damajagua and the Ministry of Environment. A …

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