The first stop on my Royal Caribbean cruise was the private island of Labadee. This 260-acre private resort has been leased to Royal Caribbean and contributes the largest amount of tourist revenue to Haiti.

This private island has plenty to offer for the modern cruiser. The resort is equipped with four beautiful white sandy beaches covered in lounge chairs and cabana rentals. They also provide an Aqua park for the kids and a free tram around the resort. Some of the more thrill seeking activities include the alpine roller coaster, Dragon Zipline, jet-skiing, parasailing, speed boat adventures and many other excursions offered by the cruise line.

There is also plenty of shopping opportunities in the Artisan’s Village, an open-air market with all local traders selling unique souvenirs like wood carvings, paintings, and hand made jewelry.

So, what did I do during my stop in Labadee?

First, I caught the tram and took a full lap around the resort just to get my bearings of the place. Then I decided to get the souvenir ordeal out of the way first so I wandered around the shops and found my little keep sakes. Just a warning, all of the vendors are locals so make sure you bring cash and be ready for the swarm. They were not at all afraid to be aggressive about trying to sell you their stuff. (Gotta respect the hustle!)

After that was over I found a nice spot on the west side beach, grabbed a Mojito and just relaxed. The water was warm and the weather was beautiful. There are also plenty of bars spread out across the resort so you have plenty of opportunities to grab a drink. Also the west side beach is the location of the swing in the water on the cover photo.

So, if you find yourself in Labadee during a Royal Carribean cruise then I hope you enjoy and have one for me, cheers.