Family Traveler

1065KAYAKTHROUGHA‘BIOBAY’INPUERTORICOSixmilesofftheeastcoastofPuertoRico,ViequesisaformerUSnavalbasethatisnowaholidayislandwithsome 40 beaches.It’salsoaplaceyoucanadddinoflagellatestoyourvocabulary–atnight,theselight-emittingorganismscreateaglitteringbioluminescenceinabaynearEsperanzathatisbestseenbykayakwithacompanylikeAbe’sSnorkeling&Bio-BayTours(abessnorkeling.com).Norwegian(norwegian.com)fliesdirecttoSanJuaninthewinter,andhoteloptionsrangefromthecoolWRetreat&Spa(wvieques.com)tokids-welcomeguesthouseTradeWinds(tradewindsvieques.com).``````WWFSAYS...Coralreefsarethepowerhousesoftropicalcoastalenvironments,providingimportantsuppliesoffishforcoastalcommunitiesandcoastalprotectionagainststormsurges.Theyarehometo25%ofallmarinespecies,incrediblegiventhattheyonlyoccupy0.1%oftheocean.Butcoralreefsareunderseriousthreatfromfishing,coastalconstructionandpollution.Climatechangeisalsotakingitstoll,asreefsareaffectedbyincreasingwatertemperaturesandoceanacidification,botharesultofcarbonemissions.WWF’sLivingBluePlanetreportwarnsthatifwedon’treduceourcarbonemissionsandmanageoceanswithgreatercare,wecouldloseallourcoralreefsfrommostsitesby 2050 .WWFispushingforstrongermanagementandprotectionofcoralreefsaroundtheworld.Tohelpprotectreefs,pleasesignuptoWWF’slatestcampaigntoprotecttheMeso-AmericanReefinBelizehere:makeyourmark.panda.org/uk/belize6LEARNABOUTCORALPRESERVATIONINJAMAICAJamaica’sreefshavesufferedbadlyfrompollution,overfishing,developmentandclimatechange,andonesolutionistheintroductionofno-fishingzoneswith‘coralnurseries’,wherediversencouragegrowthusingartificialframes.BeachesOchoRios(beaches.co.uk),afamily-friendlyresortonthenorthcoast,liesclosetooneexample,theBoscobelMarineSanctuary.Guestscanmeetthewardens,whoprotecttheareadayandnightandarrangesnorkellingtripstoseehownew,healthycoralisbeinggrownonspecialstructuresasapartofalong-termreplenishmentscheme.VirginHolidays(virginholidays.co.uk)offerssevennights,all-inclusive,from£1, 959 peradultand£1, 669perchild,includingflightsandtransfers.4WATCHWHALESINTHEDOMINICANREPUBLICEveryyear,thousandsofhumpbackwhalesvisitthenorthernwatersoftheDominicanRepublictomateandgivebirth.JanuarytoMarcharethepeakviewingmonths,withdaytripsavailablefromtheSamanáBayarea–thenumberofvesselsisstrictlylimited,andit’sbesttopickalargeoneincasetheseaisrough.Otherecotouristactivitiesavailableyear-roundincludeexcursionstoseecaves,mangrovesandtheLosHaitisesNationalPark.Thomson(thomson.co.uk)offerssevennights,all-inclusive,attheGrandBahiaPrincipeElPortillo(bahia-principe.com),whichhasanactivityprogrammeandeveningentertainmentforkids,from£9 74 pp,includingflightsandtransfers.caribbeann PH``````OTO``````GRAPHS:``````ALAM``````Y,GETTY3TAKESOMENATURELESSONSINSTBARTSSetonaprivate 18 -acrepeninsulabetweenMarigotBayandGrandCul-de-Sac,LeGuanahani(leguanahani.com)isachicandcolourfulhillsideresortwithtwobeachesandglorioustropicalgardens.Everyday,acomplimentaryJuniorClubforages6- 12 runsactivitiesintroducinglocalwildlifeandnature,withthechancetoseepassingturtlesandwhales.There’salsoasnorkellingandkayakingtrailand,sinceeverythingisdoneinFrenchand/orEnglish,yourpetitchéricanalsogetsomefreelanguagelessons.Carrier(carrier.co.uk)offerssevennightsfrom£3,0 55 peradultand£1, 805 perchild,B&B,flightsviaAntiguaandtransfers.