Caribbean
Discover Caribbean
The islands of the Caribbean Sea or West Indies are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly strung between North and South America. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees and are a major area for cruise ships, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more independent travel. With year-round good weather (with the occasional but sometimes serious exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from Europe and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone. Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Puerto Rico, often grouped as the Greater Antilles, are by far the largest islands in the area and the most visited by travellers. The Caribbean also includes the Lucayan Archipelago to the north, which is comprised of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Lesser Antilles, a group of much smaller islands to the east.
What to Experience in Caribbean
Famous Beaches
Taste of Caribbean...
Local cuisine is usually very well seasoned whether the outcome be savory, sweet or spicy. Don't be afraid to ask about what you're eating but be open minded when patronizing rural eateries where the cuisine is not tailored for international palates. The not-so-secret ingredient in much of the Caribbean (including the Caribbean coast of mainland Central America) is coconut and you may be surprised by the huge variety of foodstuffs that can be improved by the addition of coconut. Many Caribbean countries also have large Indian communities due to the fact that many indentured labourers were shipped here from India to work on the plantations instead following the end of the Atlantic Slave Trade. As a result, Indian-influenced dishes like curries as flatbreads are common in countries which received a large number of these Indian indentured labourers such as Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Rum is of course the spirit of choice in most of the Caribbean and some of the most well known and internationally acclaimed distilleries are found in this region. It is also known for rum-based cocktails, such as the mojito and piňa colada, which are considered the official cocktails of Cuba and Puerto Rico, respectively. The most affordable prices for accommodations you gonna find in the Dominican Republic and on San Andrés. Many islands have luxury hotels available specifically for international tourists.
Culture & Religion
Culture
While Spanish influence is strong in many parts of the Caribbean, indigenous, African and non-Spanish European influences are strong or even dominant on some islands. While most of the Caribbean is nominally Christian, indigenous and African rites have been blended with some tenets of Christianity to create new and unique belief systems. There are also many adherents of the Yoruba religion — called Santeria and Vodun — that came to the Americas with enslaved Africans. Some islands have substantial Hindu or Muslim minorities or both, while small Jewish communities on several islands including Curaçao are among the oldest in the Americas. Jamaica is famous as the wellspring of the Rastafarian religion. The Caribbean is known worldwide for its African-influenced music, including charanga in Cuba; merengue in the Dominican Republic; ska, reggae and dancehall in Jamaica; and calypso in Trinidad and Tobago. And of course there are the steel pan performers on quite a few islands.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Caribbean into what it is today.
The Caribbean Islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Neither could appreciate their victory forever, although the Arawaks may have had a quiet reign of nearly two millennia. With the arrival of the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish, and British, the Carib population steeply declined due to various factors, although the inhabitants today have been proven to still possess significant Carib heritage. The islands have known many historic battles and more than a few pirate stories. Unlike the Central American mainland, which was colonized almost exclusively by Spain (with English protectorates on the Caribbean side), the Caribbean has seen various colonizers, who sometimes fought hard over control of relatively minor islands, primarily because the Caribbean was a very profitable place to grow the cash crop sugarcane with slave labor. Ultimately, slavery became untenable due to uprisings like the Haitian revolution, which succeeded in achieving abolition of slavery and independence in one fell swoop, and due to the increasing moral qualms of the European colonizers themselves. Following the abolition of slavery, the British, and later the Dutch, French and Spanish colonizers brought indentured Indian labourers to the Caribbean to work on the plantations instead....
Climate
In general the climate of the Caribbean is tropical with little change in temperature over the course of the year, however, rainfall does vary by season and there is also a pronounced hurricane-season with a handful of major tropical storms passing through the region each year. Given the region's colonial past, there are plenty of present connections from many large European cities. The routes do change over time, but generally most islands can be reached via London Heathrow, Frankfurt Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle. There are flights from Madrid Airport to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. The proximity of the United States means that most of the islands have a connection. Miami International Airport serves the area best, but there are also flights from many major airports, especially on the East Coast. There is no direct service to the Caribbean from the West Coast; you will usually need to transfer through Miami.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsGiven the region's colonial past, there are plenty of present connections from many large European cities. The routes do change over time, but generally most islands can be reached via London Heathrow, Frankfurt Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris Charles de Gaulle. There are flights from Madrid Airport to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. The proximity of the United States means that most of the islands have a connection. Miami International Airport serves the area best, but there are also flights from many major airports, especially on the East Coast. There is no direct service to the Caribbean from the West Coast; you will usually need to transfer through Miami. Most Caribbean islands have flights from Toronto and Montreal. Sometimes there are also flights from Ottawa, London (Ontario), Halifax, and Quebec City. Major cities in Latin America have flights to the Dominican Republic and Cuba. There are a few direct flights from major cities in Asia (e.g....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Numerous companies offer cruises, charters, and boat tours in the Caribbean. Express des Iles offers transport between Dominica, Guadaloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia and others for about €67 one-way and €100 round-trip. Sail Caribbean Yachts offers Sailing Boats, Motor Boats, Catamarans and Gulets for exploring the Caribbean sea. With few exceptions transport on the individual islands is by bus or car only with any remaining railways long past their prime and not serving as practical means of transportation. English, Spanish, Dutch and French respectively are spoken on various islands, depending largely on its former colonial power.
Where to Stay
The most affordable prices for accommodations you gonna find in the Dominican Republic and on San Andrés. Many islands have luxury hotels available specifically for international tourists. Larger resorts are also available with ready access to the sea and swimming pools, but with not much freedom for anything else. All Caribbean countries have a Christian majority, with some having significant minorities of Muslims and Hindus, and Jamaica having a significant minority practising the indigenous Rastafari religion. Christians in the Caribbean tend to be more religious and conservative than those in the West, so expect many businesses to close on Sundays, when most of the locals will be at church. Natural disasters that may affect the Caribbean are hurricanes during the summer and autumn, and less frequently but anytime and usually without warning: earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Language & Talk
English, Spanish, Dutch and French respectively are spoken on various islands, depending largely on its former colonial power. However, the majority of the population might not speak the metropole-version of said language but rather a creole, which often incorporates a lot of words from other languages (usually African and/or Native American) and can sometimes differ so much in grammar and spelling as to be unintelligible to even native speakers of the European language the Creole is based on. The well-educated upper class and those who work in the tourism industry will usually be able to speak a version of the national language closer to what European visitors are used to, and they will often be able to hold a conversation in one or several other European languages as well.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Natural disasters that may affect the Caribbean are hurricanes during the summer and autumn, and less frequently but anytime and usually without warning: earthquakes and volcanic activity. The crime situation varies considerably between islands and you should refer to the article on each island for specific information. Most places do experience low level theft such as wallets and cameras from unsuspecting tourists. Homicide levels also vary greatly, from high levels such as in Trinidad and Jamaica to low levels such as Cuba and Bermuda. Many islands with high crime rates often have exclusive resorts where tourists can be kept safe in a luxurious setting, with the obvious disadvantage that you will not do any exploring or see much of the local culture. Fly west to the great deserts of Mexico, or go in the other direction and visit the massive rain forests of Brazil. Or you could go north and visit the impressive USA. Central America isn't far away, either.
Glimpses of Caribbean
Caribbean beach.
Beach Bar, Grand Anse Beach | Grenada, Caribbean
green grass field near body of water during daytime
My Phantom 3 Advanced grabbed this. www.instagram.com/seefromthesky
Island Life
Ile a Vache one of Haiti's satellite islands located in the southern tip. The island is only 8 miles long and 2 miles wide. One of the most popular tourist sites in Haiti and it has some of the best island scenery in the Caribbean. This photo was taken at Abaka Bay Resort.
Sailing yachts in front of a Caribbean island.
Panoramic view from a high vantage point overlooking a vibrant tropical seascape. The foreground shows lush green foliage and a hill sloping down towards the sea. A small, densely wooded island dominates the center of the view, surrounded by the clear turquoise waters of the ocean. The background extends into a vast, deep blue sky with scattered white clouds and a distant horizon where the sky meets the sea. This serene scene conveys a sense of tranquility and natural beauty.
Green mountain and boats
What’s ahead
Caribbean beach.
Beach Bar, Grand Anse Beach | Grenada, Caribbean
green grass field near body of water during daytime