Palm Island, The Grenadines

Palm Island, a private island resort in the southern Grenadines makes today’s entry for our ever growing Caribbean Destination Wish List.

Although we were fortunate enough to spend an afternoon on Palm Island during a week long sail on a Lagoon 440 in the Grenadines in 2008, the short visit made us wish we had a week or more to explore, enjoy and relax on the gorgeous private island with 5 spectacular white sand beaches.

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Palm Island offers just 43 accommodations, ranging from guest rooms and suites to villas and the all-inclusive price includes three wonderful meals a day at two restaurants, lounges and bars and beach barbeques.

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Palm Island is accessible only by boat and, as they say on their website, getting to Palm Island is just part of the adventure! Guests fly to Barbados and then take an inter-island flight to nearby Union Island.

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In contrast to the striking white sand beaches, the water is some sort of magical blue hue that’s hard to look away from.  Palm Island makes getting out on the water easy with a wide variety of excursions such as a sail to beautiful Mopion Island,  Mayreau or the Tobago Cays, or take a Hobie Cat ride over to Happy Island.

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So, what would we do if we had a week to spend on Palm Island? Well, in addition to spending a LOT of time on those gorgeous beaches and in the almost too blue to be true water, we’d love to explore the hiking trails on foot and bike, check out every one of the many hammocks on the island, golf, sail a Hobie Cat, enjoy some private beach dining and definitely find out what the Palm Island specialty rum drinks are!

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Have you been to Palm Island yet? Tell us about it!

To find out more about Palm Island Resort, check out their website.

Find Palm Island on our St. Vincent and the Grenadines Map

To see more posts on The Grenadines and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

 

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Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

National Rum Day

Today is National Rum Day. Rum. That’s right, Rum has it’s own day.

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Finding the Rhum on St. Barths

When we started the company Rum Therapy in 2010, we knew little more about rum than it was an ingredient in some of our favorite island cocktails; piña coladas, rum punch and painkillers, oh and bushwackers – can’t forget bushwackers… And that rum appeared in the lyrics of many Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett songs. And that wherever you go in the islands, there’s rum.
That’s it.

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Painkillers at the Soggy Dollar, Jost Van Dyke

See our list (and recipes!) of the 10 Best Tropical Rum Drinks

Since then, we’ve learned a lot more. I mean, when you start with virtually no knowledge of a subject, you’ve got a ways to go. We’re not experts by any means, like our friend Dave Russell of Rum Gallery, but we’ve learned more about how rum is distilled and different types of rum and what rums are good for sipping or mixing in cocktails and although it’s not our goal to become rum experts, we’re certainly up for the challenge of learning more about this spirit with a long and storied history.

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Rum Punch at Happy Island, The Grenadines

So, we’ll continue to do the research (best done in the islands on beautiful beach or at a great beach bar or on a boat, don’t you think?) with the hope of continuing to provide the best rum experiences possible (cocktail recipes, best beach bars, best locations to sip tropical libations, distillery tours, etc., etc., etc.)

In the meantime, be sure to check out the plethora of rum recipes available on our website either by category or by picture (prepare to drool just a little):

Rum Recipes by Category

Rum Recipe Picture Directory

So today, let’s lift our glasses (of rum) to Rum.
Cheers Rum!

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Rum Drinks at Hog Heaven, Virgin Gorda

Happy Island, The Grenadines

How can you not be happy at Happy Island? A work in progress built in a shallow area in Clifton Harbour, Union Island – part of the Grenadines chain, this colorful oasis is challenging to reach – but well worth it.

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The owner/builder, Janti Ramage, built this unique place, which is also his residence, out of conch shells found in the area.

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A shallow bottomed boat is needed to get to Happy Island as it sits on a reef in just a few feet of water.

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Visitors arriving from Palm Island

We visited Happy Island during a sail on the Daimant (Island Windjammers) which made a stop in Clifton Harbour during our sail and dinghied guests to Happy Island for an afternoon of fun.

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Sand, Palms and the Happy Island Bar

Janti is quite the host and loves to visit with and show guests the entire compound which now includes a separate apartment which he resides in.

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Janti giving a tour of Happy Island

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View of Clifton Harbour and Union Island from Happy Island

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We ordered the Happy Island Rum Punch

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Rum with a view of Clifton Harbour

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Such a unique experience and good rum punch topped off with a show by kiteboarders in Clifton Harbour sailing right over Happy Island.
Awesome.

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Have you been to Happy Island?

To find out more, connect with Janti and Happy Island:

Facebook – Happy Island, The Grenadines
Or by email: [email protected]

Find Happy Island on our St. Vincent and the Grenadines Map

To see more posts on The Grenadines and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

 

Copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC

Island Windjammers

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by….
Sea Fever by John Masefield

For those of you that have followed us for a while, you know that not only do we love beautiful tropical beaches, island vacations and rum, we have also grown to love sailing…so, when we got an invitation to participate in a week long sail on the Tall Ship Diamant through Island Windjammers, we jumped on it! The Diamant sails from Grenada through the Grenadine Islands on a 6 day sail for most of the year, but also offers several longer cruises.

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The Diamant has 6 cabins for 12 guests and a crew of 6. Meals and most beverages are included – and believe me, you are well fed! During our 6 day sail, we covered 144 miles and saw 9 different islands – some of them completely uninhabited. The sailing was incredible, the food was amazing and the sights were…well, indescribable.

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Tobago Cays, The Grenadines

We boarded not knowing any of our fellow passengers or crew, but left with lots of new friends!

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Our shipmates and new friends enjoying some Rum Punch on Happy Island

We took, oh, about 2,000 pictures during our sail and so we thought we’d give you the highlights of our trip through pictures. As they say, take only photographs and leave only footprints!

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Our berth for the week, Cabin #2. Diamant Deck Configuration: Roll your mouse over the diagram to see pictures of cabins.

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A beautiful beach on Carriacou

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Carriacou Sunset

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Princess Margaret Beach – Bequia

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Enjoying  Lobster Pizza at Mac’s in Bequia

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Conch Fritters for Happy Hour

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A great cheese plate (complete with jalapeño mice) for the wine and cheese party.

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Had a great time gettin’ happy at Happy Island.

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Kite surfers giving us a show at Happy Island

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Enjoying the cultural walk, er – bar crawl on Mayreau

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Shopping, island style, on Mayreau

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We were treated to a rainbow over Sweezle Time – the name of the new dinghy

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Enjoyed a picnic and an afternoon in the sun in Tobago Cays

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Snorkeling with the turtles in Tobago Cays – awesome experience!

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Captain Nervo demonstrating the proper rope swing dismount. Apparently he’d done this a few times before…

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Every evening during Happy Hour, Brandon served up the infamous Diamant Rum Swizzles (or Sweezles as Capt. Nervo calls them). I asked for Brandon’s recipe and he said, oh, just a bit of this juice and that juice and some rum. Hmmm…code for TOP SECRET RECIPE??  Anyway – they’re delicious!

One last day of sun, sand and snorkeling on beautiful Sandy Island. We look pretty stressed, huh?

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One last sunny sail back to the island of Grenada. Great adventure, great time.
Thank you Island Windjammers!

To find out more about Island Windjammers, check out their website:
http://www.islandwindjammers.com/default.aspx
Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/IslandWindjammers
Email them at:
[email protected]
Or call:
877.772.4549

To see more posts on The Grenadines and other islands, check out our Island Blog Directory

 

copyright©Rum Therapy Beaches, Bars & More, Tropical Travel Guide, 2013
Pictures and other content may not be re-used without written consent from Rum Therapy, LLC