One of the reasons that I am so pumped about our new tour company, Island Routes, is because it allows me to share with you, and with all the guests at Sandals and Beaches resorts, so many of the Caribbean’s most incredible experiences. I’ve grown up practically living outdoors—swimming, fishing, off-roading and exploring every inch of these islands and their waters. Up until now, most of these experiences have been unavailable to anyone but natives like us, people who know the best spots and the easiest ways to get there. But Island Routes has changed all of that. We’ve opened up the doors and made all these unbelievable encounters accessible for everyone who loves a thrilling adventure in the midst of tropical nature.
 

To give you an idea of what a typical Island Routes tour might be like, I thought I’d take you along on one of my recent off-road excursions up into the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Many people might not be aware that these mountains are incredibly high—with some peaks reaching up to well over 7,000 feet! They are also truly beautiful, with impossibly green hillsides and valleys, plus clouds that can come right down and cover everything in mist. This place has to be one of the most spectacular spots I’ve ever seen.
 

Yet, before now, it’s been virtually unknown to most tourists. Why? Because there are very few good roads; the terrain is difficult to navigate and many of the most gorgeous sites are hard to get to, unless you know where you’re going and what you’re doing. So, basically, up until this point, if you wanted to really check out the Blue Mountains and you weren’t a local who knew these mountains well—like we do—you may have had a hard time accomplishing your goal.
 

But, luckily, Island Routes has arrived to save the day! With our fleet of off-road vehicles, like the Land Rover I was riding in on this trip, and our amazing native tour guides, you too can see and feel these hills and these islands just like we do. I am so excited about Island Routes because I know that it’s going to open up a whole new side of the tropics and give everyone who’s interested an insider’s view of the Caribbean, one that you’re absolutely going to love.

Here I am with my super-cool vehicle of choice—ready to tackle the Blue Mountains and explore some tough and breathtaking terrain.

Behind the wheel, stopped for a few minutes to figure out where to head next and also to take in the silence and the scenery. By the way—no roads in sight….

A convoy of me and my buddies makes our way along a dirt road deep in the mountains. (I’m in the Land Rover with the Island Routes logo on the spare tire.)

Don’t even ask me where I was going! All I know is I was having a really good time getting there. Island Routes will take you places in the Caribbean that you never thought existed.

Check out the angle of my Land Rover. Is there anywhere that Island Routes can’t take you? I seriously doubt it.

When you go in search of great off-road experiences, this is the perfect transportation. At Island Routes we believe that only the very best will do!
 

In my job there’s never a dull moment. I had a real blast recently when I got to meet and hang out with 60 of the world’s most cutting edge social media journalists at the amazing White Nite Fantasy Party, which Sandals hosted at Sandals Cay, the private island off Sandals Royal Caribbean.
 

The journalists, who were from industry leading organizations like ABC, AOL, Newsweek, the New York Times, Cosmo, Esquire and People Magazine, were all down in Jamaica as part of the top secret JetMystery Weekend trip organized by JetBlue Airlines, the Jamaica Tourist Board and the online magazine, Thrillist.
 

The White Nite Party was one of the highlights of the whole weekend. Over 300 people dressed in white came out to eat, drink, dance, see and be seen. The music was jumping, with dancehall beats from Craig “Serani” Marsh. The food was delicious, provided by our incredible Sandals chefs. The drinks never stopped flowing. And all the while, all the action was being tweeted and facebooked in real time. It was an unbelievable night!

Check out all the smiles as I pose with John Lynch, Chairman of the JTB; Ben Lerer, the CEO of Thrillist; Chad Myerson, the Head of Caribbean & Latin American Sales; and Adam Rich, Editor in Chief of Thrillist.

Ciao Bella’s Michelle Rousseau and interior design stylist Gillian Henry show the rest of us how to look really cool in white.

Stilt-walker Errol Rowe gives a big thumbs-up, as he soaks up the party vibes with Unique Vacations’ Executives Ryvis Sierra and Yoni Epstein and Sandals Lifestyle’s Lisa Lake.

People Magazine Editor Amy Keith looks like she’s really enjoying her evening on Sandals Cay!
 

Here I am giving everyone a warm welcome and inviting them to let go, take in the chic, tropical vibes and enjoy the party!

Serani wows the crowd with some of his most smokin’ hits.

There’s been a lot of buzz lately around the opening of a brand new adventure tour operation in the Caribbean, Island Routes, which offers excursions designed by natives of these islands—like myself and my family—who grew up finding and playing in the best and most beautiful spots in the whole region.
 

Since I first told you about the formation of Island Routes—an independent company that is affiliated with Sandals and Beaches—earlier this year, I’ve been truly looking forward to the moment that we could get the ball rolling and officially kick off this incredible venture. And that’s just what we did earlier this week with a three-day extravaganza of touring, dining and celebrating throughout the North Coast of Jamaica. We invited local and international members of the press to come and participate in Island Routes’ grand opening events and it definitely seemed like a good time was had by all.
 

During the days, people could choose from a whole range of unbelievable excursions, like swimming with the dolphins, deep sea fishing or river tubing. And at night we all got together and had a blast. One of the evenings we all took a sunset cruise on a catamaran and ended up dancing on the beach to some totally authentic Caribbean vibes. At the end of the three days, I think everyone was blown away by the range of choices and the quality of the thrilling adventures that Island Routes has to offer. Island Routes really allows us to show off the magical sights and experiences of the Caribbean—something I never get tired of doing. You should definitely come and check it out for yourselves!

Carmen Munoz of Casa Naranja Media Group in New York and James Ruggis, Executive Editor of Modern Agent, wave to the camera as they enjoy one of Island Routes tours—being poled down the Martha Brae River on an authentic bamboo raft.
 

Here I am pointing out something interesting to Peter Zaremba, the travel writer from the New York Daily News, as we sail along on a sunset cruise.

Striking a pose and sharing a laugh aboard the sunset cruise catamaran with Dominique Peterkin, the General Manager of Island Routes and Roberta Garzaroli, the President of the Atrebor Group, the PR Agency that’s representing Island Routes.
 

Island Routes General Manager, Dominique Peterkin, shows off some stylin' moves, as she shares a dance on the sand with Walter Greene, the Travel Editor for Carib News.

Showing some real commitment to her job (and some impressive rhythm), Island Routes GM, Dominique Peterkin and a group of Island Routes Team Members lead the whole crowd in a traditional Jamaican dance during the launch party.

I know that I say this all the time, but the truth is: sometimes I absolutely have the best job in the world. Not too long ago some of the most beautiful women on the planet arrived in the Bahamas, one of the most breathtaking places on the globe, to take part in the Miss Universe Pageant. And I got to meet and hang out with many of these inspiring people—including the eventual winner, Miss Venezuela.

As part of the festivities leading up to the actual contest, Sandals threw a party for the contestants and for all those involved with putting on this incredible function. The Chairman personally hosted the evening at gorgeous Sandals Cay, our offshore island at Sandals Royal Bahamian, and an amazing time was had by all. Between the natural beauty of the sea, sand and tropical surroundings and the unbelievably good-looking contest participants, it was a really dazzling night.

Then, on the occasion of the pageant, itself, the Chairman and I were proud to attend and represent Sandals and Beaches. After the judging was over and the tough decisions were made, it was our privilege to congratulate the newly crowned Miss Universe, Stefania Fernandez!

From start to finish, the Miss Universe Pageant was a truly impressive event and we at Sandals and Beaches were very excited to be a part of the celebrations. From a personal standpoint, I have to admit, I enjoyed every minute of it!

Representing the island of Jamaica…. The Chairman and Miss Jamaica share a moment at the party for Miss Universe contestants at Sandals Cay, the gorgeous offshore island of Sandals Royal Bahamian.

Big smiles all around from the Chairman and some of the lovely Miss Universe participants at the function at Sandals Cay.

The Miss Universe Pageant contestants take a pause from having fun at Sandals Cay to strike a pose holding a Sandals banner.

As you can tell from our happy expressions, the Chairman; Joe Cinque, the President of the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences; and I were thrilled to pose with the brand new Miss Universe 2009, Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela.

I’m really excited to officially announce—although most of you already have heard about it—our acquisition of a totally amazing vacation getaway destination in the Exumas, the soon-to-be-opened Sandals Emerald Bay resort. This former Four Seasons property is in impeccable shape. However, we’ll still be spending the next few months Sandalizing every aspect of the resort.

And, when we’re done, you’ll be thoroughly wowed by all the extra-special touches and luxurious amenities this place has to offer, such as a state-of-the-art, championship golf course, designed by world-famous PGA pro, Greg Norman; a 133-slip, full-service marina that can accommodate yachts of up to 300 feet; 24-hour room service for everyone; and our unparalleled English Guild Butler Service for each and every room. So, mark your calendars for January 22, 2010, when we’ll be celebrating the debut of Sandals Emerald Bay!

The location—on Georgetown, Great Exuma—is one of the reasons that makes this resort so special. Set one a one-mile stretch of the most beautiful beach you’ll ever see, Sandals Emerald Bay is surrounded by spectacular azure waters, with some of the best fishing and boating you’ll find anywhere on the planet. I am constantly amazed at the fact that, even though the island is just a short, easy flight away from the US, you still feel like you’ve found a real, secluded hideaway. Make no mistake about it, Great Exuma is a true out island with a touch of Old-World, British-Colonial charm and the simplicity and freshness of an untouched paradise mixed in with the sophistication of an exclusive destination that offers the very latest in modern pleasures and conveniences.

No matter how hard I try, it’s impossible to really describe this spot in a way that does it justice. To actually feel its impact you simply have to go there and surround yourself with all the sights and sounds of the Exumas and the resort. That’s why, last week, I took a group of executives down to the property to introduce them to this newest and most incredible Sandals. As you can imagine, everyone was absolutely blown away.

We swam, ate, boated, fished and checked out some neighboring island landmarks. We water-taxied across to the Chat ‘N’ Chill (http://www.chatnchill.com/about.html) where we spent the day chowing down on ribs at the beach, petting stingrays over by the conch shack and hanging out with the incredible owners, K.B. and Kwanza. We tried the special, secret cocktail concoctions that the bartender at the island’s first hotel, Peace and Plenty (http://www.peaceandplenty.com/en/resorts-club.html), has been whipping up for over three decades! And we ate what was, in my opinion, the best conch I have ever tasted at Big D’s (Phone #: 242-358-0059). Everywhere we went, we got to experience firsthand the friendliness and warmth of the people who live on these islands. And believe me they are all as excited and happy as we are that Sandals is coming to town!

Along with us for our grand tour of Great Exuma was the newly appointed General Manager of Sandals Emerald Bay, Teresa Alfonso, a highly recognized and industry-accomplished professional who we’re happy to have as Sandals’ newest Vice President.

I can’t wait until all of you can come down and see for yourselves the unmistakable awesomeness of Sandals Emerald Bay—a true gem that will take your breath away and announce, in no uncertain terms, that Sandals is determined to exceed even the most demanding expectations and define a whole new meaning to the word perfection.
 

The gang gets ready for a day of adventure in the Bahamas aboard the bus that will take them into Georgetown and all over the island of Great Exuma.

The team waits to sample some mouthwatering conch right on the beach.

Welcome to an afternoon meeting--Sandals style--on the beach at the Chat 'N' Chill, a local hangout spot over at a nearby island that we reached by water taxi. You can tell we're all in a good mood, especially the chairman waving at the camera. It doesn't get any better than this!

Miles away from reality and yet really close to home, these islands are the ultimate getaway just a short flight from the coast of the US. Check out the perspective from Chat 'N Chill Beach.

Sampling the specialties and having a cool drink at the Chat 'N Chill. They look pretty happy to me.

Watching the master at work at the Conch Bar on Chat 'N Chill Beach—two team members look on as the local expert chef prepares a fresh conch salad, a true Bahamian favorite.

Recently, I’ve been getting some questions about Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa closing its doors. I wanted to reassure everyone that coming December 18th, our resort on Jamaica’s untouched South Coast will be back, even more magnificent than ever before!

In keeping with Sandals Resorts’ commitment of ensuring that each one of our guests has the most unforgettable and best vacation of their lives every single time they stay with us, we’re constantly refining, upgrading and improving our resorts. As the industry leaders, we’re always in search of something even better than perfection. We simply won’t settle for anything less.

So, that’s why we decided to temporarily close Whitehouse and spend the next few months taking this property to new heights. We’re leaving no stone unturned in our mission to create a completely renewed and spectacular resort for two people in love. Some of the major enhancements we’ve planned include totally spruced up public areas, improvements to our beachfront rooms and suites and a revamped and even more incredible Red Lane® Spa including an unbelievable health and wellness concept guaranteed to take your client’s vacation experience to a whole new level.

So get ready… in a few short months, for a brand new Sandals Whitehouse that will literally take your breath away!

Sandals Whitehouse is sure to make a BIG Splash when it reopens on December 18th, 2009

Tables for two under the stars around the Venetian piazza or at one seven gourmet specialty restaurants make for a perfect dining experience!

The endless stretch of beach at this five star diamond resort is second to none!

I’m so excited to talk about a new addition to the Sandals and Beaches family…as if we didn’t already have enough Stewart’s in the clan, we’re unbelievably proud to welcome another Stewart to our line-up, Martha Stewart that is!

We’re always looking for new ways to raise the bar on our product and reinforce our position as innovators in the industry, and that is why beginning January 2010 we’ll be ready to welcome your clients with all-new and exclusive Sandals and Beaches Weddings by Martha Stewart.

Martha and her team have personally designed the 5 customizable wedding packages, along with over-the-top enhancements like rose petal pathways, bonfire beach parties, tailored wedding gifts and welcome amenities, just to name a few, that will make any destination wedding experience at Sandals or Beaches Resort second to none.

And if this news wasn’t already exciting enough, we will introduce Martha Stewart craft classes for couples at Sandals Resorts to make your romantic vacation last a lifetime and craft camps for families to enjoy at Beaches Resorts!

I got to hand it to Martha and her team – after spending the weekend with her at Beaches Turks & Caicos, even I was feeling a little bit crafty.
        It was a feast fit for kings and queens, Caribbean-style, at the all-new Barefoot by the Sea Restaurant in the new Italian Village at Beaches Turks.

                                         There I am with our Chairman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart; Darcy Miller, Editorial Director for Martha Stewart Weddings, and of course, Martha Stewart.

Getting out onto the open waters of the Caribbean Sea in my boat and fishing with my friends is one of my favorite things in life. That’s why it was such a blast to be able to combine fishing with work, recently, when I took a crew from Florida Sport Fishing Magazine down to Royal Plantation Island at Fowl Cay in the Exumas, Bahamas. They were on-hand to shoot some pictures and do a story about the incredible fishing off of our amazing, 50-acre, private island retreat.  We spent hours fishing in waters so clear that, most times, you can see all the way down to the seafloor. The sun was bright, there were hardly any clouds in the sky and the fish were biting—just another perfect day in the Exumas.
 

Of course, after you’ve had a great day out at sea, there’s nothing quite like coming home to Fowl Cay and all of that unbelievable Royal Plantation service and luxury.
 

Boating, fishing and swimming in the Bahamas—now that’s what I call a fun day at the office!
 

Check me out in the “fighting chair” of my boat, Stew Fish. Doesn’t it look like I’m just about ready to reel in a big one?

Sometimes, you just have to jump in and cool off. As you can see, I was definitely loving life. Can you believe how clear the water is!

Scott Peiffer, Senior Designer from Unique Vacations in Miami and Creative Director behind Island Routes and Sandals Lifestyle, was on hand to help out with the shoot.

The whole gang poses with our catch. Judging from our big smiles and the size of those fish, I guess you could say it was a pretty successful day!
 

I always love to hear stories about how much our guests enjoyed their stays at Sandals and Beaches. So, I thought it was really cool when I heard about how much fun a really special guest recently had at Sandals Dunn’s River.
 

Big-time star and recording artist, Sean Kingston, took time from his busy schedule to come home to Jamaica and attend his mom’s wedding at Sandals Dunn’s River. Out of all the places they could have chosen to have this wedding Sean and his mom, Janice Turner, decided on Sandals Dunn’s River. And, they were really happy that they did!
 

Sean’s mom got the wedding of her dreams. And Sean loved the food, the staff and especially the Butler Service, which made sure he never had to lift a hand the whole time he was at the resort.
The other guests who were at Sandals Dunn’s River at the time also had a blast, when Sean got up on stage and sang some of his hit songs. Plus, he even signed autographs and posed for pictures with the guests and resort team members!
 

It sounds like good time was had by all. Just another incredible Sandals success story! Sean says he’ll “definitely come back and stay at Sandals Dunn’s River soon.” And we’ll be waiting to welcome him home.

It’s special wedding smiles all around, from Sandals Dunn’s River General Manager, Louis Grant; bride, Janice Turner; groom, Marvin James; and proud son, Sean Kingston.

Sean gets a kick out of posing with a Hobie Wave on the beach as his Billboard Top 5 hit song, “Fire Burning,” booms in the background.

Flashing a sign to let us know that everything is cool, especially him, Sean chills out in front of the pool at Sandals Dunn’s River.

Signing autographs for guests and team members, Sean shows some love to Wedding Attendant, Jermaine Hart, who made the wedding so perfect for Sean, his mom and his entire family.

Sean strikes a pose in between the two butlers who took such good care of him, Alshane Bailey, on the left, and Tamon Allen, on the right.

Sean Kingston in da house! Sean dances and does his thing up on stage for the lucky guests of Sandals Dunn’s River.