Saturday, September 21, 2013

Labadee, Haiti - Zip Line

Labadee, Haiti

Labadee (also Labadie) is a port located on the northern coast of Haiti.  It is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean International.  Royal Caribbean International has contributed the largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti since 1986, employing 300 locals, allowing another 200 to sell their wares on the premises, and paying the Haitian government US6 per tourist.  The resort is completely tourist-oriented, and is guarded by a private security force.  The site is fenced off from the surrounding area, and passengers are not allowed to leave the property.  A controlled group of Haitian merchants are given sole rights to sell their merchandise and establish their businesses in the resort.  Although sometimes described as an island in advertisements, it is actually a peninsula contiguous with the island of Hispaniola.  The cruise ship moors to the pier at Labadee capable of servicing the Oasis class ships, which was completed in late 2009.

postmarked in 2013 from Saint Martin 

(the brown 'circle' you see at the bottom of the postcard is the Labadee Roller Coaster)

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zip line information from Royal Caribbean's website:
Come test the trade winds on Labadee's Dragon's Breath Flight Line. After a flight briefing and orientation, test your mettle on our shorter "Little Dragon" flight line. Then experience a short drive in our custom-made safari vehicles to the take-off point for the Dragon's Breath, 500 feet above the beaches of Labadee. At over 2,600 feet long, this is the longest flight line in the world over water. Enjoy breathtaking views, as you zip down the flight line at speeds of 40-50 mph. Your flight lands at Dragon's Breath Rock where your adventure began.

Saint Martin (St. Maarten) stamp 2011
Maho Beach, 170 C
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Maho Beach is a beach on the Dutch side of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, in the country of Sint Maarten. It is famous for the Princess Juliana International Airport adjacent to the beach.
Arriving aircraft must touch down as close as possible to the beginning of Runway 10 due to the short runway length of 2,180 metres (7,150 ft), resulting in aircraft on their final approach flying over the beach at minimal altitude.

3 comments:

ONeal said...

I'm pretty sure that I would avoid vacationing in a spot that required fencing and being guarded by private security. But, the zip line looks like extreme fun though!

Postcard Blogger said...

I have been here a few times and never felt in danger. You are safer here than in Mexico! I haven't been on this zip line yet, but if you have never been on one, next time you get a chance do it. They are a lot of fun!

ONeal said...

I've never "zipped", would love to try it some day.