It can be taxing to say goodbye to the Caribbean

11-03-2002

Especially now that US Airways has inaugurated service to half a dozen islands, thousands of travelers will make their way to the Caribbean this winter. With hundreds of islands making up more than three dozen independent nations, protectorates and colonies, the Caribbean offers a crazy quilt of choices.

At least two worlds of travel experiences exist within the balmy reaches of the Caribbean Sea.

One is a realm of pastel-hued, all inclusive, beach-side resorts that tower above swaying palm trees; of neon-lit casinos that clatter late into the night, of familiar foods and steel drum bands that are always playing "Hot, Hot, Hot."

Seductive and accessible, this Caribbean is also increasingly generic, one island's ambiance seeping seamlessly into the next. Travelers tend to only pass through this world, entertained and pampered perhaps, but not particularly enriched and experiencing little of the varied geographies or indigenous cultures that give each island its unique flavor.

The other Caribbean is getting more elusive. It's a realm where the sameness of the developed tourist experience hasn't yet occurred, where all of the big attractions are home-grown, where nature and the local population have co-existed in harmony for centuries, where each day presents possibilities for serendipitous surprise.

Apart from these differences, the islands of the Caribbean can also present travelers with confusion over local customs and bureaucratic regulations. These differences can make a journey to each new island an adventure.

For example, there is no one rule when it comes to entry and exit requirements, not even for casual travelers from North America.

Cuba is the only destination for which American tourists must obtain advance documentation, and that regulation is imposed by our government, not theirs. Other islands, such as the Dominican Republic, require tourists to register upon entry. In general, however, only nontourists, people traveling on business or for other purposes, must obtain visas in advance.

Such differences are why it's essential for travelers heading for the Caribbean to take proper documentation.

In most cases, that can be a government-issued photo ID or proof of U.S. residence or citizenship, such as a driver's license, voter's registration card or certified birth certificate. While not mandatory anywhere, passports are always the best proof to take.

Many islands also ask travelers for proof of their intent to leave their balmy climate, such as an onward air ticket.

Virtually all of the islands also charge a departure fee. Often, this is included in the price of the airline ticket or cruise passage, but that's not the case everywhere. In those cases, the departure tax must be paid for each passenger when leaving, often in cash. In several places, they even tack an airport fee on top of this departure tax.

That's why it's always a good idea to familiarize yourself in advance with the departure charges of the island you'll be visiting. That way, there will be no rude and expensive shocks at the end of your stay. In general, these taxes apply to every traveler over the age of 12, so make sure you've kept enough cash on hand. Otherwise, you just might miss your flight home.

Not that you'll really want to leave.

With that in mind, here is a list of the Caribbean's primary islands along with the taxes they charge to say goodbye, (Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos are in the South Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean, but we include them here), along with numbers to call for more information.

Antigua and Barbuda: $20 -- 1-212-541-4117 or www.antigua-barbuda.org.

Aruba: $34.25 -- 1-800-862-7822 or www.aruba.com.

Bahamas: $18 from Freeport; $15 from Nassau and Out Islands -- 1-800-422-4262 or www.bahamas.com.

Barbados: $13 -- 1-800-221-9831 or www.barbados.org.

Bermuda: $20 air; $60 ship -- 1-800-237-6832 or www.bermudatourism.com.

Bonaire: $20 -- 1-800-266-2473 or www.infobonaire.org.

British Virgin Islands: $10 air; $7 ship -- 1-800-835-8530 or www.bvitouristboard.com.

Cayman Islands: $25 -- 1-800-346-3313 or www.caymanislands.ky.

Curacao: $20 -- www.curacao-tourism.com.

Dominica: $19 -- 1-212-949-1711 or www.dominica.dm.

Dominican Republic: $10 -- 1-800-303-1336 or www.dominicanrepublic.com.

Grenada: $19 -- 1-800-927-9554 or www.grenada.org.

Guadeloupe: $20 -- 1-410-286-8310 or www.frenchcaribbean.com.

Jamaica: $27 air and $15 cruise -- 1-800-233-4582 or www.jamaicatravel.com.

Martinique: $15 -- 1-800-391-4909 or www.martinique.org.

Montserrat: $16 -- 1-212-635-9530 or www.visitmontserrat.com.

Nevis: $19 -- 1-866-556-3847 or www.nevisisland.com.

Puerto Rico: No tax -- 1-800-223-6530 or www.prtourism.com.

St. Barths: $20 -- 1-410-286-8310 or www.st-barths.com.

St. Eustatius: $12 -- www.statiatourism.com.

St. Kitts: $19 -- 1-800-582-6208 or www.stkitts-tourism.com.

St. Lucia: $22 -- www.stlucia.org.

St. Maarten (Dutch): $20 -- 1-800-786-2278 or www.st-maarten.com.

St. Martin: (French): $15 -- 1-900-990-0040 (95 cents per minute) or www.st-martin.org.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines: $25 -- 1-800-729-1726 or www.svgtourism.com.

Trinidad and Tobago: $15 -- 1-212-682-7272 or www.visittnt.com.

Turks and Caicos: $23 -- 1-800-241-0824 or www.turksandcaicostourism.com.

U.S. Virgin Islands: No tax -- 1-800-372-8784 or www.usvitourism.vi.

For other information regarding entry requirements and safety, visit the U.S. State Department Web site at www.travel.state.gov foreignentryreqs.html.

Or check with the Caribbean Tourism Organization at 1-212-635-9530 or www.doitcaribbean.com.

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