Hiking through the rainforest in the French West Indies

Eighteen Year 2 BTEC National Diploma Travel and Tourism students and Beauty Therapy students travelled to the Caribbean in February 2010 on a residential study visit. The students enjoyed a two hour hike from the top of Paradise Peak on the French/Dutch Caribbean island of St Maarten down through the rainforest to the town of Phillipsburg. On the way they saw mango trees, cacao bean trees, some wild iguanas and a mongoose. During the week-long trip the Beauty Therapy students spent time in the beauty salon onboard the ship, whilst the Travel and Tourism students spent time with the excursion and reception staff.

The whole group visited the island of St Lucia, where they spent an afternoon on Captain Jack Sparrow’s Black Pearl, and Grenada where they visited a spice farm. En route, by catamaran, to Tortola they saw the original Treasure Island, and whilst on Antigua they enjoyed Runaway Beach on a free afternoon. Three Beauty Therapy students are now considering working abroad and are taking advice from their tutors, of whom two have worked on cruise ships. The Travel and Tourism students are in contact with cruise lines about job opportunities on cruise ships and on shore, working with excursions. Two of the students are planning to return to the Caribbean at the end of their course.