by Carole Hill

Created on: November 10, 2008   Last Updated: December 10, 2008

I would never have known about Labadee if it wasn't for a Royal Caribbean cruise I sailed on recently.

The way I understand it, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has land rights to this charming paradise located along the northern coast of Haiti. Not only has Labadee provided endless enjoyment for the tourists but it has also provided local revenue for Haitians with employment and sales of hand-made goods. I read somewhere that RCCL pays something like $6.00 per tourist to the Haitian government. So the passengers who book a Royal Caribbean cruise that include Labadee as a Port stop are the lucky ones (as I was) to reap the benefits of a wonderful fun-filled day in Labadee.

As for my personal experience on Labadee, I couldn't have asked for more. The stop in Labadee came toward the end of that particular cruise and I knew nothing of this place prior to the cruise, other than the standard "blurb" I read in the travel brochure. Nevertheless, I must say that those brochures and minimal descriptions do not paint the picture as lustrous as it really was.

We had read in our "Daily Compass" to take along our beach towels (provided to guests in their cabin) and any personal items needed for the day, so we went prepared with our towels and backpack filled with sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, etc. Of course being the girlie girl I am, couldn't leave behind my hairbrush and lipstick, and off we went for the day's adventure.

As we debarked and made our way towards the beach, the sounds of local island music filled the air and added to the ambience. I stopped to listen for a moment, looking at each musician's dark and lined skin, wearing faded floral shirts that I figured must've been brightly colored when new.

I was fascinated to see so many palm trees growing out of the sandy beach, which provided a tropical vista and yet served as wonderful shady spots to sit and bask in the heat of the sun. There were beautiful flowers and greenery everywhere. A warm sun overhead, a pristine sandy beach and a gentle breeze confirmed in my mind this place was paradise.

We moved on and passed a myriad of little tented stands, one after the other, displaying souvenirs; glazed wooden plates and bowls, hand carved masks, brightly colored paintings, jewelry and lots of other little trinkets. Other tourists were crowding around the stands beginning their shopping brigade, while children anxiously ran to the water with parents to play. Some people were already swimming and snorkeling in the sparkling sea.

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