Meeting News - February 2, 2009 - (Page 34)

Island Incentives Edited by Terri Hardin terri.hardin@nielsen.com Look Around: Puerto Rico Goes Wild Groups that have hit the beach at Isla Verde, strolled through the colonial precincts of Old San Juan and savored heady spirits at the Bacardi Rum Plant may be not be familiar with Puerto Rico’s other wild side. Little do they know that it begins upon landing at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport, where iguanas frequently sun themselves on the tarmac. According to Ana Maria Viscasillas, president of the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, they are among the indigenous species (like the tiny coqui frog, often heard but not seen) that have the run of the island. Visitors most likely to encounter iguanas, which can grow to seven feet long, are golfers playing the island’s resort courses. This is especially true at the courses near the El Yunque rainforest, such as the Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa— a Wyndham resort—and the El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa, now part of the Waldorf=Astoria Collection. But though they enjoy the greens and water hazards, iguanas let duffers play through without interference. For those eager for a better view of the cloudy head of El Yunque, the anvil-shaped peak for which Puerto Rico’s rainforest is named, guided tours with or without four-wheel-drive vehicles are available. El Yunque is responsible for the area’s unique weather, drawing all moisture toward its pinnacle and leaving the beaches sunny and dry. At night, adventure outfits Akuadventures and Kayaking Puerto Rico take groups kayaking in the bioluminescent lagoon at Las Cabezas de San Juan National Reserve, near Fajardo. There, the lagoon water lights up as the kayak paddles churn, or a fish darts through the billions and billions of dinoflagellates—tiny plankton that, when startled, give off an eerie glow. (For those not up to paddling, an electric boat is available.) Because these adventures are no more than a couple of hours away from San Juan, groups can easily wash off the mud and lagoon water to join the crowds reveling in the city’s casinos and nightclubs. Wildlife, and wild life—what more could you want? —Terri Hardin Your Ticket to Paradise Top 10 Islands Favored by International Meeting Planners 1. Bahamas 50% 45% 32% 27% 26% 19% 17% 16% 11% 10% Belize Offers Exclusivity Two hours south of Houston and west of Miami lies Belize City, the launching pad for some of the Belize’s most idyllic island escapes, which are mere minutes away. Known as cayes, these popular Belizean islands are short on travel but will leave incentive winners pampered and feeling remote in a tropical paradise just south of Mexico, off the Gulf Coast. Spanning 25 miles long, Ambergris Caye is the largest of Belize’s islands, located 15 minutes from Belize City’s international airport via domestic carriers Maya Island Airways and Tropic Air. San Pedro, the major hub on Ambergris, has a variety of hip restaurants, lively bars, and stylish boutique hotels. Groups looking to get away from the bustle can venture a few miles south to the beachfront Victoria House. The luxury property has a mix of 42 rooms, suites, and villas tucked between lush gardens and tall palm trees, including Casa Azul, a 3,500-sf, five-bedroom villa with a private pool overlooking the Belize Barrier Reef, the world’s second largest coral reef system. For a more exclusive feel, incentive groups can 34 MeetingNews February 2, 2009 2. Puerto Rico 3. Virgin Islands 4. Jamaica 5. Dominican Republic 6. Aruba 7. St. Kitts & Nevis 8. Cayman Islands 9. Barbados 10. St. Lucia Source: 119 MeetingNews respondents stay at Cayo Espanto, a private island that accommodates up to 16 guests with five one- and twobedroom villas, plus an over-the-water bungalow. Cayo Espanto is three miles from San Pedro. When not enjoying the resort’s beach barbecue or trying their hands at fly-fishing, guests can explore Caribbean sea life around the reef on snorkeling trips in Belize National Marine Park, or follow the resort’s dive master on private dives at the world-famous Blue Hole, an underwater sinkhole that drops several hundred feet through the reef. “The options are infinite for guests who seek a little adventure,” said Cayo Espanto’s owner, Jeff Gram. Ten minutes by plane from both Ambergis Caye and Belize City is the Caye Chapel Golf Resort, a par-72 championship course situated on its own private island, available for day trips to guests looking for a one-of-a-kind golfing experience. The island also has a 25,000-sf clubhouse with a full bar and restaurant, conference facilities, a large swimming pool with a bar, and over two miles of white-sand beaches. Private rentals of the island’s full facilities for up to 40 guests are available with a minimum three-night stay in the resort’s six oceanfront villas and 11 marina-view casitas. A trip to Belize, however, is not complete without at least one day spent exploring the mainland’s exotic wildlife sanctuaries, along with the ancient Mayan villages. The 102-room, waterfront Radisson Fort George is among Belize City’s most suitable group properties, offering a large number of half-day and full-day island tours. Popular activities include bird-watching at Crooked Tree Wild Life Sanctuary and guided tours of Altun Ha, a carefully restored former Mayan trading center dating back 2,000-plus years. —Phillip Hennessey www.meetingnews.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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