Divi Resorts Newsletter - 2017 04.Fall

ON ISLAND TIME news

&

views

from

under

the

divi

tree

Foodie Fall Festivals

f a l l

2017

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT It’s hard to believe that 2017 will soon be coming to an end. Divi Resorts has had an incredibly productive year, introducing many enhancements across all of our properties. Here are just a few highlights: • Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort has undergone a total property upgrade.

Modernizing and enhancing units and all pools.

We added a brand new check-in building and enhanced the grounds and lighting around the property.

• Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort completed the renovation of its Tower elevators. We added new pool furniture, beach showers and patio furniture to Phase 1 and 2. We’ve started the renovation of buildings A, B, C, and D, and now offer new high speed Wi-Fi access.

• Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort saw the enclosure of Mulligan’s for air conditioned comfort and the renovation of Windows on Aruba. We’ve replaced roofs on buildings A, B, C and D and Golf Villas Phase 3 & 4. Our Infinity Pool, Villa Pool, Seabreeze Pool and Infinity Grill were all refreshed.

• Divi Southwinds Beach Resort received a new roof, railings and replacement of its elevators.

We’ve upgraded and refreshed bathrooms, bedroom furniture, replaced kitchen appliances, and added new lighting and drapes in our units.

All three pools and the beach received new furniture.

bar received a new deck, bar and equipment. All the docks were replaced with tropical hardwood and pureocean restrooms were renovated.

• Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort & Casino moved the gym to the clubhouse and completely renovated the space. We’ve also fixed up the property cosmetically, improving the grounds and facilities with general maintenance.

We’ve been pleased to hear all of the positive feedback about this year’s resort upgrades from our valued owners, members and guests.

• Divi Little Bay Beach Resort added a new Everyone in our company is committed to dock, which is being used to launch day trips innovation, and this commitment will continue to and sunset sails. New furniture was added to enhance your vacation experiences for years to pureocean terrace and Bayview Café. All three pools received new furniture and Seabreeze pool come. Lastly, I’d like to thank all the thousands of loyal Divi staff for their ongoing commitment to was resurfaced. Lobby restrooms and parking excellence throughout this year. area upgrades were completed.

Sincerely,

• Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino added washer/dryer facilities to its timeshare units.

We added a lateral trainer, StairMaster and free climber to the fitness center. Pureocean beach

Marco Galaverna President and COO of Divi Resorts

2

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DIVI GM

Gerrit Griffith, GM, Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, catches up with Divi Vacation Club President’s Elite Member Mrs. Mary Padula at pureocean.

Melissa Hilgers, GM, Divi Flamingo Beach Resort & Casino, spent some quality time with owners during a recent Timeshare Happy Hour Party.

Alvin Jemmott, GM, Divi Southwinds Beach Resort, enjoyed meeting guests Mr. and Mrs. Debano (right) and Mr. and Mrs. Loomer (left) during a Manager’s Cocktail Party.

Celine Van Meer (left), GM, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, enjoyed meeting Budget Marine’s Ellen Little at a recent Client Appreciation Event.

Patrick Franssen, GM, and Carol Jansen, AGM, Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort and Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort, enjoyed hosting the Patriots Cheerleaders during their recent stay on Aruba.

3

3 Reasons to become a divi vacation club member today!

1 PURE FUN The Divi Vacation Club was created especially for you, our valued owners and guests. It’s bursting with endless savings and benefits at incredible destinations around the Caribbean and the world.

3 PURE FLEXIBILITY

2 PURE VALUE Divi Vacation Club members enjoy endless travel deals and substantial discounts on bonus getaways, accommodations, airfare, rental cars, cruises, plus lastminute travel getaways and short stay packages!

With a Divi Vacation Club membership, you choose the accommodation size that fits your needs.

Midweek or weekend arrivals let you travel at your convenience. Planning your vacations has never been easier!

Join now & receive Club Loyalty Benefits*

P L AT I N U M

Our new loyalty benefits program delivers valuable savings on: GOLD

club services – save money each time you travel on reduced fees, special discounts and more!

PRES

IDEN

T’S E LITE

club recognition – as an elite member, you’ll always be treated like a VIP, ensuring that you feel like a priority the moment you arrive at any of our Divi Club Destinations.

LOYALTY SHOULD ALWAYS BE REWARDED

club amenities – fantastic savings at Divi Club Destinations on dining, shopping, golf, spa, water sports and more!

learn more about the divi vacation club today!

If you are staying at a divi resort on Aruba…

If you are staying at divi little bay in St. Maarten…

Guests at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort – Call ext. 7002 or 7004. Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Please visit or call the Membership Office. Call ext.

2401 and 2404. Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Guests at Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort – Call ext. 4652 or 4653. Hours: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Guests at Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort – Call ext. 793. Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

If you are not staying on Aruba or St. Maarten, please call 1-888-863-6822/1-919-419-3484 or visit www.divivacationclub.com. *Availability and savings on Club Services, Club Recognition and Club Amenities differ by Club Loyalty Benefit level.

4

FEATURED MEMBERS Meet our featured President’s Elite members for this issue, James and Brenda Dubilzig from Perrysburg, Ohio.

They became members of the Divi Vacation Club in February 2016, converting their traditional Divi vacation ownership weeks to Pure Points. They travel twice a year to Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort—often with their adult son, daughter and their significant others—so James and Brenda were looking for more flexibility.

On one of the Dubilzigs’ recent trips to Aruba, we sat down with them to learn why the Divi Vacation Club fits their needs so well.

“The flexibility is truly a great benefit to the whole family,” James says. “We enjoy being able to choose differentsized rooms depending on how many we have traveling with us. It’s also convenient for us to take advantage of midweek arrivals. We often choose to travel Wednesday to Wednesday, for example.”

The Dubilzigs have visited Divi Little Bay Beach Resort on St. Maarten—“It’s so beautiful,” Brenda says—and on Aruba, they enjoy playing golf at The Links at Divi Aruba, the course surrounding Divi Village Golf

& Beach Resort. Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort is still their true home-awayfrom-home. “Phoenix has everything you want, without being a huge, touristy spot,” says Brenda. “The beach is right there; the pool is right there. You really get to know the staff. When we’re here, we love just relaxing, reading, trading stories with the family and going out to restaurants.” Pureocean, the upscale chef-driven restaurant on the resort grounds, is a favorite— especially when they want to dine and watch the sunset right from the beach.

When they visit Divi Aruba Phoenix in the fall, the

5

Dubilzigs enjoy watching college football from the swim-up bar at purebeach, the resort’s casual dining restaurant. “It’s become a family tradition to watch the Michigan-Ohio State game every year here,” James says.

Since their children went to the University of Michigan and the Dubilzigs live in Ohio, the famous rivalry is an absolute must-see for the entire family, especially on vacation. The staff at purebeach is always more than happy to devote one of their TVs to the big game.

“Everyone at Phoenix is so welcoming and accessible,” Brenda says. “It really does feel like home.”

ISLAND ADVENTURER When you’re dreaming of a past vacation, the easiest way to relive it is to bring out a few mementos. Souvenirs can help you recall the good times and the great stories from your trip. The best souvenirs communicate something about the spirit and the personality of the place you visited. We gathered a few suggestions of great souvenirs you can bring home from the Caribbean. Each of these islands is home to at least one of the Divi Resorts—we hope you have an opportunity to check them all out!

aruba aloe products

Aruba Aloe (arubaaloe.com) is the oldest aloe company in the world.

Founded in 1890, it’s also the only aloe company in the world that grows, harvests and manufactures its products right on-site. Its products are sold pretty much everywhere in Aruba. You can also visit the Aruba Aloe Museum & Factory Store.

bonaire cactus liqueur

Cadushy Distillery (www.cadushy. com), located in Rincon, is the only distillery on the island of Bonaire.

It’s most well-known for Cadushy of Bonaire, a cactus liqueur with a cooling lime taste, the earliest entry in the distillery’s Island Liqueurs line.

Sign up for a tasting and learn firsthand how the spirits are produced.

Don’t forget to bring home a few bottles of your favorite flavors.

6

Earthworks Pottery (earthworkspottery.com) is worth the short trip to the Edgehill Heights section of the St. Thomas parish. Everything at this workshop is authentically Caribbean, handcrafted by local artists. It offers a range of plates, bowls and vases, available as unique pieces or as part of beautiful sets. Earthworks is also happy to ship fragile items back home if you’re worried about their survival in your suitcase.

barbados pottery

st. maarten

Although the wild-growing guavaberry can be found elsewhere in the Caribbean, locals speculate St. Maarten is the only place it truly thrives. It’s a central part of local folklore and traditional cuisine. The juice of these berries (no relation at all to guava) is mixed with rum and sugar and then aged to create guavaberry liqueur. Sample the sweet, light concoction and bring home a few beautiful bottles from Guavaberry Emporium (www.guavaberry.com) located on Front Street in Philipsburg.

guavaberry liqueur

st. croix

When you visit St. Croix, you’ll notice many local women wearing a unique type of bracelet. The St. Croix Hook or the Crucian Hook (www.gotostcroix.com/st-croix-blog/ show-love-crucian-bracelet/) is a bandstyle bracelet with a horseshoe-shaped clasp. This clasp (or “hook”) represents true love on St. Croix. These bracelets come in a wide variety of styles, and you can find them in most local jewelry shops.

crucian bracelets

7

TASTE OF THE ISLANDS DINEVI http://dine.vi October 27-November 12 Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Resort & Casino’s StarLite Grill will be one of the participating restaurants of DineVI. The U.S. Virgin Island’s 3rd Annual restaurant week promotion returns this fall on all three islands, St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas. It’s a celebration of the local restaurant scene and the culinary diversity of the islands.

Visitors and local foodies alike can indulge in cuisine inspired by traditional fare and dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Three-course menus, at some of the best island restaurants, are priced from $35-$55 (excluding gratuities).

BARBADOS FOOD & RUM FESTIVAL https://www.visitbarbados.org/foodand-rum-festival November 16-19 The 8th Annual Barbados Food and Rum Festival is back November 16-19! This festivals impressive line up includes Thursday’s Opening Oistins Bay Gardens Cook Off, where once again, Divi’s very own award-winning Executive Chef, Henderson Butcher, will be representing pureocean and local chefs! The event continues on Friday and Saturday with The Signature Rum Event, Polo Rum Spirits and a special Cook Off between international and local chefs. On Sunday, the event concludes with a Flotilla & Beach Party, and a final fine dining dinner at the Tides Restaurant featuring UK Master Chef, Tom Aikens.

BONAIRE BLOND RESTAURANT WEEK http://bonaireblond.com/ October 30 – November 6 Divi Flamingo Beach Resort’s Chibi Chibi restaurant, will once again be participating in Blond Restaurant Week. This foodie week, one of the islands biggest culinary events of the year, is named after its famous “blond” beer. The event supports local Bonaire restaurants and breweries while showcasing the talents of its island chefs.

Restaurants all over the island create inventive three-course menus at very reasonable prices.

You’ll be surprised and delighted by the local culinary skill and delicious dining options.

8

CULINARY NEWS CHEF JERMAIN DE ROZARIO VISITS WINDOWS ON ARUBA

Windows on Aruba, the upscale restaurant at Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort, was pleased to welcome Chef Jermain de Rozario from the Netherlands this summer. Chef presented a series of three-course lunches and five-course dinners to lucky guests, who, while dining, received a detailed explanation of each course

and the thought process behind each dish.

Chef Jermain is a former judge on Top Chef and has worked at The Lindenhof, a 2-star Michelin restaurant in the Netherlands. He also recently opened his own restaurant, De Rozario. Thanks for showing Divi your culinary chops, Chef Jermain!

Congratulations to Team Barbados on another CHTA Win! Executive Chef Butcher!

We are proud to announce that the winners of this year’s Caribbean Hotel Travel Association’s Taste of the Caribbean event went to team Barbados!

Divi’s very own Executive Chef Henderson Butcher, guided the team to yet another outstanding culinary performance.

Congratulations on another win, Team Barbados!

9

TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT of the Divi Resorts, except for Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort on St. Croix. Divi Flamingo on Bonaire is my favorite. I really just fell in love with the coziness of the resort and the friendly locals. And you can’t forget the amazing diving.

What is a typical day like for you on the job?

A large part of my day is dedicated to overseeing the travel details for groups I have confirmed. I am passionate about making sure every group has everything they need to have a great time—plus a little extra! I love working with people and making personal connections with groups. I’m also busy all day answering phone calls and emails from new groups interested in confirming travel with Divi. If you’re thinking about booking group travel with Divi, you and I will most likely have a chat—or two or three!

What do you enjoy most about your work?

It’s hard to say! I really enjoy helping scuba diving groups plan their next adventureseeking vacation. I also love the opportunity to assist excited couples with planning their dream wedding.

Hearing our guests’ delight as they talk about their completed group travel vacation experiences with Divi Resorts is very rewarding. I truly enjoy making sure all goes well, and that all guests are completely satisfied and looking forward to their next visit to Divi.

If you’ve ever traveled to a Divi Resort as part of a large group or for a wedding, you’ve probably met RoseAnne Cengiz-Jenghis, In-House Sales Manager for Divi Resorts. We sat down with RoseAnne to learn more about her background and what makes her job so rewarding.

How long have you been working for Divi?

My desire to travel brought me to Divi Resorts 15 years ago.

I began my career with Divi as a reservations agent, where I found my passion for the Caribbean through many wonderful conversations with Divi owners and guests. After discovering my love for scuba diving on a personal family vacation to Divi Flamingo Beach Resort in Bonaire, I sought out a position as the group coordinator. That gave me an opportunity to focus on helping large groups create and enjoy their own incredible diving vacations with Divi Resorts. In 2010, I expanded my role and became the In-House Sales Manager. I’ve been to all

10

If you’re interested in talking to RoseAnne about planning group travel for weddings, “buddymoons” (honeymoons where friends travel with newlyweds), business conferences, meetings and more, just call 1-800-801-5550 or email groupsales@diviresorts.com. You can also learn more information about group travel at www.diviresorts.com/groups-and-meetings. htm, and find details about our wedding planning services at www.diviresorts.com/ weddings.htm.

NEW & IMPROVED ON ARUBA…

ON ST. MAARTEN…

Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort

Divi Little Bay Beach Resort

• Started renovation of buildings A, B, C, D adding new furniture, air conditioning and appliances • New Wi-Fi high-speed access and new tiered pricing, for those owners and guests who want to enjoy faster speed!

• Enclosure of puredeli, added air conditioning for comfort

• Replaced shower doors in hotel rooms and laid new flooring • Renovated lobby with new furniture • New furniture on pureocean terrace, Bayview Café and all pools • Upgraded parking lot in front of retail and added more lighting • Resurfaced Seabreeze Pool • Renovated lobby restrooms • Added a shade trellis on Gizmo’s deck

Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort • Completion of Phase 3, buildings 11-13 and refresh of the third pool • Opening of the second pool swim up bar • Upgraded landscaping and lighting

Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort • Enclosure of Mulligan’s Café, Bar & Restaurant, adding air conditioning for comfort • Completion of renovation to Windows on Aruba restaurant • Windows on Aruba also introduced a new brunch and specials menu • Roof replacement completed on buildings A, B, C and D and Golf Villas Phase 3 and 4 • Wi-Fi installed in A-B-C-D in each room

ON ST.CROIX… Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort • Fixing up property cosmetically around

grounds, painting, general maintenance to buildings • New gym where clubhouse was located (old gym will be games room for kids)

ON BARBADOS… Divi Southwinds Beach Resort • Completed the new roof, railings and replacement of the two elevators • Upgraded and refreshed unit bathrooms, bedroom furniture, replaced kitchen appliances and added new drapes and lighting • New pool and beach furniture

11

CELEBRITY GUESTS BREANNA STEWART American professional basketball player for the Seattle Storm Team.

JOHNATHAN CYPRIEN NFL player for the Tennessee Titans Footbal Team and his mom enjoyed time on Aruba.

12

AISLY ROOI Well-known singer from Curacao (center) accompanied by Joan Samson (left) and Adeline Gumbs (right).

MIKE PROCTER (left) one of the most revered South African cricket players of all time.

PETER MCDERMONT (right) of Vintage Sport and Leisure, a New Zealand native who started the Golden Oldies Cricket Festival in 1994 as a way of providing an avenue for cricketers to maintain their friendships long after their playing days.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS CHEERLEADERS The cheerleaders visited our resorts on Aruba for their new swimsuit calendar photo shoot.

13

DIVI CARES

ST. MAARTEN Divi Little Bay Beach Resort held the 3rd Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt, a benefit for the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation. Participants dove underwater to search for more than 1,000 boiled eggs, collecting them to redeem them for raffle tickets.

We recognized Earth Day this year with an earlymorning Earth Day ceremony, followed by a group cleanup of the property, T-shirt painting for kids and the showing of an Earth Day-related movie.

14

ARUBA Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort opened its new greenhouse in time for Earth Day. As part of the opening, guests and staff members alike were invited to help plant herbs and vegetables, getting the greenhouse off to a healthy start. Divi Aruba Phoenix staff members also took part in a beach cleanup in honor of Earth Day, and guests were treated to a session of recycled arts and crafts.

The landscaping team at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort, along with a diver from Sea Solutions, participated in a cleanup of the beach and ocean to celebrate World Ocean Day on June 8, 2017.

ST. CROIX Divi Carina Bay All-Inclusive Beach Resort recently raised funds for the United Way of the U.S. Virgin Islands by hosting a chili cook-off. The daylong event featured chili tastings, family-friendly live entertainment and raffle drawings.

We are also proud to announce a $3,000 annual donation to the Dolphins Swim Team, a St. Croix nonprofit organization that teaches local children water safety, swimming skills, friendly competition and healthy living.

15

DIVI EXTRAS This summer, Divi Resorts hosted a summer contest series. We want to thank all of the hundreds of participants who sent us their great photo submissions.

#DIVIFOOTPRINTS

#DIVIBYMOONLIGHT

#ARUBADERCI

WINNER: HOLLIE VANDER WEIDE PRIZE:

WINNER: JAMAL HAYNES PRIZE:

WINNER:

7-Night Stay at a Divi Resort

Dinner for 2

$100 Shutterfly Gift Certificate

MICHELE MULLER JANOSEK

PRIZE:

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE WINNERS! 16

A VERY CARIBBEAN CHRISTMAS Every island has its own holiday traditions, and we thought it would be fun to share some of the holiday traditions on Divi’s favorite islands!

royalty, cultural activities and fairs that showcase local arts, crafts, food and drinks. The best is saved for last, at the culmination of Carnival: J’ouvert, the Children’s Parade and the famous Adults’ Parade.

ARUBA Christmastime on Aruba is extra special for children, who get treated to not one, but three days of gifts! On December 5th, the children of Aruba welcome Sinterklaas, the Dutch version of Santa Claus, who gives them presents and sweets if they have been good all year. Then, on December 25th, Santa Claus comes to town and leaves gifts under the Christmas tree. Finally, the Three Kings visit the children on January 6th and place presents around the Nativity scene. These three days of gifts are the result of Aruba’s fusion of cultures from all over the world.

Fun Fact: A historic Aruban Christmas tradition is to hang three pieces of aloe bound with bright red ribbon above the windows and doors of your house to welcome the spirits of peace and harmony into your home. The bari drum was used in the times of slavery to share gossip and news without spoken words. Today, musicians honor their heritage by playing it.

BARBADOS A Christmas celebration on Barbados wouldn’t be complete without three signature dishes on the table: great cake, jug jug and baked ham. Great cake is similar to fruitcake in that it contains various dried fruits and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, but it also contains various liquors, including rum, port wine and falernum. Jug jug is similar to Scottish haggis, influenced by Barbados’ Scottish/British heritage. The baked ham is studded with cloves and is often glazed with pineapple, and many Barbadians think the crispy fat (called “crackling”) is the most delicious part of the dish.

Fun Fact: Many Barbadians are big

Fun Fact: J’ouvert is celebrated in many countries throughout the Caribbean, including St. Croix, as part of Carnival celebrations throughout the year. Meaning “dawn” or “daybreak” in French, this celebration consists of calypso or soca bands and their followers dancing through the streets.

ST. MAARTEN

fans of country western music, so the Christmas albums of country stars like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers and George Straight are popular around the holidays.

ST. CROIX St. Croix’s Crucian Christmas Carnival is a modern day revival of long-standing African traditions. In the early 1800s, plantation owners allowed enslaved Africans to stop work to celebrate Christmas, and they made the most of this time.

They dressed up in costumes, held parades, visited other plantations and celebrated with dancing, music and general merrymaking. In 1952, these traditions were revived into an annual festival. While most of the action happens in Frederiksted where the main Carnival Village is set up, many events and venues span the entire island. Festival celebrations include displays and competitions of talented bands and musicians, pageants for Carnival

17

Guavaberry, St. Maarten’s famous island folk liqueur, plays an important role in one of the island’s classic Christmas traditions. In the 1950s, it became customary for carolers to go door to door during the Christmas season and sing in exchange for a shot of guavaberry liqueur. While this practice is not as common today, guavaberry is still recognized as the most popular drink during the holiday season.

Fun Fact: Decorating your house with Christmas lights is very popular on St. Maarten, and the electrical company GEBE holds a competition for this each year, giving a prize to the best decorated home.

BONAIRE The air is full of music during the holiday season on Bonaire, with the Bari Festival lasting on the island from late November until the New Year. During this festival period, musicians celebrate the tradition of sharing news through music by playing the traditional bari drum, named for the rum barrels from which it is made of.

Fun Fact: New Year’s Eve is celebrated in a big way on Bonaire, with impressive firework shows lighting up the skies at night.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Aruba Restaurant Week

Aruba's Dande Festival

Barbados Jazz Excursion

ARUBA

11th Edition Aruba International Beach Tennis Tournament

BARBADOS

October:

Beach tennis pros and amateurs travel to Eagle Beach from around the world to compete in the premier beach tennis tournament in the Caribbean.

For more information, visit www.arubabeachtennis.com.

October:

Eat Local Restaurant Month More than 60 restaurants are participating in this opportunity to explore Aruba’s rich culinary heritage, including Windows on Aruba at Divi Village Golf & Beach Resort and pureocean at Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort. To learn more, go online to restaurantweek.aruba.com.

Challenge Aruba Triathlon This triathlon, as well as a sprint distance race, takes place entirely along the beautiful Aruban coastline. For details, visit www.challenge-aruba.com.

November: 15th Annual National Coastal Cleanup Sponsored by the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association, this national cleanup focuses on keeping Aruba’s beaches clean.

December: Sinterklaas Celebrations Join the children of Aruba as they welcome Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) in this Dutch Caribbean tradition. Sinterklaas makes several appearances at daytime events all over the island.

Dande Festival Ring in the New Year with Aruba’s biggest traditional music event, featuring more than 50 musicians singing and performing songs composed in the Dande style.

Surfer of the Year Championships This event hosted by the Barbados Surfing Association decides who will be the 2017 Barbados Surfer of the Year.

4th Annual Barbados Jazz Excursion Join in this weekend-long celebration of jazz artists with several concerts at multiple venues. For details, visit www.barbadosjazzexcursion.com.

November: Barbados Open Water Swim Festival Open-water swim events at this fiveday-long festival include guided 2k, 5k, and “Just for Fun” swim races.

For more information, visit www. swimbarbadosvacations.com.

December: Barbados International Rugby Sevens 12 men’s club and 8 women’s club teams compete in the longest running rugby tournament in the Caribbean.

18

october

2017 - december 2017

49th Annual Bonaire Regatta

Old Year’s Night The Barbadian name for New Year’s Eve, Old Year’s Night is celebrated with live entertainment and a fireworks show in downtown Bridgetown.

BONAIRE October: 50th Annual Bonaire Regatta Sailors from all kinds of sailing divisions from around the world, compete for the championship in their class. For details, visit www.bonaireregatta.org.

Dive Friends Cleanup Dive Dive Friends Bonaire hosts their quarterly Underwater Cleanup Dive. The public are encouraged to join in and participate in cleaning up the coral reefs and beaches.

November: Cultural Market This free market, open the last Saturday of every month, features local arts and crafts, plants and vegetables, and educational presentations. Sample

Concordia Cup on St. Maarten

delicious Bonairean food while listening to talented local musicians.

December: Sinterklaas’ Birthday Celebration Celebrated only in the Dutch Caribbean and the Netherlands, children look forward to this holiday on December 5. Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) brings a present to wellbehaved children who leave out a shoe filled with grass for Sinterklaas’ white horse.

ST. MAARTEN October: Fete de la Cuisine A weeklong celebration of food and wine, hosted in part by Divi Little Bay Beach Resort.

November: Concordia Cup at the Golf Course in Mullet Bay The French side and Dutch side of the island spar in this friendly annual golf competition.

19

St. Maarten's Christmas House

St. Martin’s Day The entire island commemorates its discovery by Christopher Columbus on this day in 1493. Locals and visitors celebrate with live entertainment, music, and cultural heritage events.

December: Christmas House Voted the island’s best tourist attraction for the holiday season, this festively decorated house is open for the entire month of December, and features seasonal music and themed snacks.

Grand Case Night Lights Parade Enjoy this annual parade of bright and colorful floats to celebrate the holiday season.

KEEP IN TOUCH contact website: www.diviresorts.com blog: blog.diviresorts.com reservations: 800-367-3484 or 919-419-3484 reserve@diviresorts.com owner services: 888-863-6822 ownerrelations@diviresorts.com groups: 800-801-5550 groupsales@diviresorts.com loan servicing/collections: 800-649-2853

social facebook: facebook.com/diviresorts twitter: twitter.com/diviresorts instagram: instagram.com/diviresorts pinterest: pinterest.com/diviresorts

news summer 2017: http://dividev.diviresorts.com/summer-newsletter2017-NoCropMarks.pdf spring 2017: divivacationclub.com/downloads/islandtime-spring-2017 winter 2017: divivacationclub.com/downloads/island-time-winter-2017