How to Travel the Caribbean Successfully With
TEENAGERS By Lisa Kadane
The golden ticket for a great trip for youths means having limited Wi-Fi, an unlimited buffet and a full slate of awesome activities Before our family flew to Puerto Rico to catch a weeklong cruise around the Caribbean Sea’s southern islands, we believed the cruise portion of our twoweek holiday would come in second to the time spent exploring Puerto Rico post-cruise. Family friends who were joining us – and bringing their own two adolescents – agreed. All four teenagers rolled their eyes at the mention of the ship’s ‘Teen Club’ and went back to staring at their phones. But something marvellous happens when we board the ship in San Juan. Without Wi-Fi access (we refuse to pay the high daily rate), the kids soon discover the swimming pool, all-you-can-eat buffet, 24/7 ice cream machine and gym. And when the ship arrives in port, we disembark for teen-approved shore excursions. With no digital distractions and full bellies, the teenagers are totally down to swim, snorkel, take a mud bath and kayak their way around the Caribbean. Here are our top picks for what to do on each island to keep your minors maximally engaged. IMMERSE IN ST. LUCIA’S VOLCANIC MUD BATHS At Sulphur Springs in St. Lucia, plumes of steam rise from vents in the ground at the base of the dormant Soufrière volcano. Despite the prehistoric setting, it still takes a bit of convincing to get four teenagers to voluntarily submerge in hot muddy water. Once they’re immersed in the brown sulphurous morass, they revel in the calming and therapeutic experience. (Truthfully, we’d sold the excursion as a ‘hot springs’ visit rather than a ‘mud bath’ soak.)
Take the plunge in St. Lucia’s fountain of youth.
12 Ultimate Family Vacations | 2021
AFTERMATH OF THE MUD BATH, SULPHUR SPRINGS, ST. LUCIA
© BLAKE FORD
When we finally emerge, the real fun begins. We decorate each others’ exposed skin with muddy hand prints, war stripes and Jackson Pollock-inspired splatters, before rinsing off beneath a nearby
