The collection of life-sized human casts resemble an underwater Pompeii

Ah, Cancun. The sun. The beaches. The shopping. The tequila shots. The drunken college kids on spring break. The massive underwater sculpture park?

Even those familiar with what Cancun offers above sea level will soon to be surprised at what they can find underneath it: a museum.

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Quiz question: What’s the difference between a cave and a cavern?

In common usage the two terms are mostly interchangeable. But, technically, there’s a difference. Pretty much any underground chamber qualifies as a cave. To be a cavern a cave must 1) have formed naturally out of rock; and 2) be able to produce speleothems, which are those icicle-shaped mineral deposits created by dripping water.

There are several bars and restaurants around the world that are in caves. There are only two on the planet that are in caverns. Both of them are in the Caribbean:

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Every month Spot Cool Stuff selects travel bargains for our readers. Here’s our collection for May 2010. As ever, you can see our latest bargains by . . .

• going directly to our travel hot deals page;

• or, getting a Kindle subscription to our travel blog;

• or, perhaps best of all, subscribing to our RSS feed and get all of our travel posts delivered directly to your email inbox or to your RSS aggregator;

or—why not?—act on all three of those options.

Please note that all of the offers below are for a limited time. And with that, here’s to happy, high-value travel!

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For most travelers heading to Jamaica the beach is, understandably, the prime attraction. But those who limit their trip to the country’s coastline will miss out. The hilly and lush interior of Jamaica provides its own kind of special vibe. More than that, it is where true quiet and peace is found on the island. And if you are heading to the Caribbean in the summer months you’ll also find the climate in Jamaica’s scenic hills more agreeable.

Here’s a rundown of our three favorite hilltop hotels in Jamaica. At each a swimming pool, a peaceful environment and an amazing views will await guests.

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James Cameroon with all the latest CGI special effects could not concoct a waterfall more perfect than the one at Dunn River in Jamaica.

In a lush jungle filled with beautiful birds and red rhododendron, crystal waters cascade along smooth sculpted rocks until finally splashing upon a bone white beach and a stark blue Caribbean Sea. The planet has more dramatic waterfalls (Iguazu and Victoria come immediately to mind) but per square meter none may be more beautiful.

And none is more crowded.

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Spot Cool Stuff has not seen the movie How Stella Got Her Groove Back. But we’ve seen where Stella got her groove back. At My Time ‘N’ Place, a wonderful little cottage bed and breakfasty type of place on the northern coast of Jamaica.

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Spot Cool Stuff is currently reporting live from Jamaica. It’s a tough assignment, we know. But we stand willing to risk horrible sun burns, potent rum drinks and dangerously rhythmic reggae to bring cool Caribbean travel ideas to our readers.

This trip will be the first we’ll make with an i-gotU GPS Data Logger, a surprisingly small and simple gadget that not only tracks the route of one’s travels but also geo-codes photos.

Currently published posts from Spot Cool Stuff’s most recent Jamaica trip:
Beach Cottages For Getting Your Groove Back
Dunn River: The World’s Most Beautiful, Crowded Waterfall
3 Hilltop Hotels with Wonderful Views Upon Jamaica

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The Bamboo Treehouse is not the only place to sleep at the Rosalie Forest Eco-Lodge on the Caribbean island-country of “>Dominica. Guests can also choose to stay in a self contained cottage or in one of several cabins. There’s a secluded area where campers can pitch a tent. The lodge can arrange a local home stay too.

But of all those accommodations options the Bamboo Treehouse is the coolest.

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