Labadee - the Island Paradise

Labadee sits on the northern coast of Hispaniola surrounded by beautiful mountain slopes and exotic foliage. It is a privately owned paradise which the Royal Caribbean Cruise lines controls; they provide access to this hideaway only to those who journey to sea on one of the company' cruise ships. I was privileged to bask on the shores of this delicious getaway while on an Eastern Caribbean seven-day cruise on the Millennium.

Being on this beach was the most enjoyable part of my entire trip. Although the Magens beach in the Virgin Islands is touted as one of the world's wonders I believe Labadee holds that coveted title. The water was warm and inviting. You get into the water and you do not feel like coming out because it felt so good. The day we were there the wind was a bit strong and foam crested waves grew bigger by the hour and tossed us back and forth a little but all in good fun.

Pristine beaches, breathtaking scenery, spectacular warm water and a man made Water Park for children and adults are what greet you as to step off the shuttle steamer from the Millennium onto the shore. It is like stepping into a wonderful fairy tale where the world is safe, secluded and free. People wander about in slippers, little motorized tramcars intermittently cruise by to take you around the island if you are so inclined, or you can just chill out in one of the hammocks strung between two palm trees and have a little nap fanned by the cool sweet breeze ricocheting off the water.

The nice thing about this beach is that it is not crowded. Only the tourists on the Millennium were there. It felt spacious. This is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. No kidding. There is a relaxed atmosphere here. You are not hounded by anyone trying to sell you anything while you are at the beach. There is a special souvenir hut where you can go and buy what you want. The cruise line takes good care of you. There is someone always around to help you e.g. if you want your lawn chair moved from one place to the next. I traveled with a person who uses a wheelchair and the service was excellent. There was a person dedicated to helping just her. I am sure she felt like royalty.

The Millennium cruiseline treated us to a barbecue of hotdogs, hamburgers, drinks etc. and entertainment by the local Haitians. They were friendly and invited guests to join them in their dance. The most amazing dance was the fire dance. The dancer stomped his feet on the hot coal and kept it there for a couple of seconds or so.

You cannot leave Labadee without a souvenir. That would be cruel because the people are in dire straits and buying something will go a long way to feeding a family. But I warn you, going through the souvenir hut is like going through a mill. People pull and tug you from every direction begging you to patronize them. There are good deals to be made. The sellers start out with a high price but as you walk away you could get the same thing for less than half its original price. A lot of the art works appear to be mass produced - they look so much a like but if you are diligent you can get some unique and original pieces of art. There is also a hut where you buy your duty free booze. As you can imagine, many people hovered around there.

We spent the entire day on this glorious beach and when it was time to leave, there was a pinch of sadness in my heart