Recommend May 2014 - (Page 53)

Calendar of Must-See Events Festivals abound all around Martinique, from Fort-de-France, Le Marin to le Prêcheur and Sainte-Marie. For more events, see the Martinique Specialist Program at edu.recommend.com/martinique. Street parades, marching bands, Carnival queens, puppets, and floats under the gaze of King Vaval, the giant Carnival king. May in Saint-Pierre + Emancipation Day (May 22) A full month of lectures, presentations, art/photo exhibitions, and special tours of the Pompeii of the Caribbean. Annual Tour de Martinique des Yoles (YAWLS) Rondes (end of July, beginning of August) A week of races featuring crews dangling from the balancing poles of locally built yawls. On land, nonstop partying. La Belle Martinique (November, second weekend) What's great about this around-the-island bike ride is that amateurs may participate. A splendid way to see the island. Martinique Jazz Festival (end of November into December) The Caribbean's longest running jazz festival, it has showcased both local artists and stars like Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Paquito d'Rivera. Essential Facts Location: Tucked between Dominica to the north and Saint Lucia to the south, Martinique lies 1,965 miles from New York and 425 miles southeast of San Juan. Size: The 425-sq.-mile island measures 50 miles by 22 miles at its widest point. Topography: Mountainous in the north with plains in the center and hills framing beaches in the south. Climate: Temperatures average 79°F at sea level. Variations between "summer" and "winter" temperatures are less important than changes in altitude. Capital City: Fort-de-France. Languages: French and Creole; English and Spanish are spoken in resort areas. Population: 400,000; 100,000 of whom live in Fort-de-France. Currency: The Euro. Banking hours vary, but in general, Fort-de-France banks are open 7:30 a.m. to noon and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Bank-operated 24-hour ATMs can also be found throughout the island. Electricity: Voltage is 220 AC. Visitors traveling with hair dryers, shavers and other appliances made in the U.S. will require international power adapters. Water: Tap water is safe to drink throughout the island. Religions: Roman Catholic, Seventh-Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witness, Methodist, Evangelical, Baptist, Jewish, Hindu and Islamic houses of worship. Taxes and Tipping: The hotel VAT is 10%, and most hotels add another 10% service charge. Restaurants tack on 15%. Getting There: 2013 was a watershed year for Martinique because new nonstops connected the island with North America, making it much easier to visit. American Airlines flies nonstop on Saturdays from Miami to Martinique International Aimé Césaire Airport (FDF), and a seasonal Wednesday flight is currently scheduled from June 11 to Aug. 13. KATSUYOSHI TANAKA Carnival (begins the Sunday before Ash Wednesday) Yoles race. American Airlines also has codesharing with Seaborne Airlines, which now flies four times weekly betweeen SJU (San Juan) and FDF. Air Canada offers weekly flights from Montreal on Sunday and an additional, mid-week seasonal flight as well. Weekly charter flights are also operating out of Montreal during the winter months. Air Caraïbes, Air Antilles and LIAT connect FDF with multiple islands, including St. Martin. Air France flies from Miami to Fort-de-France. Private and chartered flights are available through Taxi Caraïbes Air, Airawak, ATIS, ACF, and Jet Aviation Service. L'Express des Iles offers ferry service from Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia. Tour operators offer packages to Martinique that include air. For more information, see the Martinique Specialist Program at edu.recommend.com/martinique. Getting Around: Both local and international car rental services (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz) operate in Martinique, as do taxis and car services. In Fort-de-France, taxi stands in areas of touristic interest make it easy for people to find an empty cab. Specialist Program To become a Martinique Destination Specialist and participate in the new incentive & rewards program, visit edu.recommend.com/martinique 19 http://edu.recommend.com/martinique http://edu.recommend.com/martinique http://edu.recommend.com/martinique

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend May 2014

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Le Meridien
Tour Talk: Contiki Vacations
Tee Off in Spain
Tee Off in Scotland
Jerusalem & Tel Aviv: A (Short) Tale of Two Cities
AmaWaterways Sails into Myanmar
American Cruise Lines is on a Roll
Venturing Through Bordeaux With Viking
Martinique Travel Planner
Ecuador Goes Luxe
Mexico Destination Weddings & Honeymoons
Saint Lucia
Australia
Salamander Resort & Spa, Virginia
PGA National Resort & Spa, Florida

Recommend May 2014