A visit to the Caribbean today offers far more than the world's best beaches. As the islands have grown into international travel destinations, their individual features and strengths have emerged. Many traditional cultures have been preserved, and the astonishing ecological treasures of the islands are now among their most celebrated features. The region's rich history is also gaining a more appreciative audience among vacationers. Today, the Caribbean offers a more diverse and vibrant travel experience than ever before. There are a lot of popular Caribbean resorts.
Once Great Britain's most important Caribbean base, Antigua and Barbuda today claim to have "a beach for every day of the year." The centrally located islands are also host to "Sailing Week," one of the world's great annual maritime events.
Folks who visit Aruba like to come back. The island's gorgeous southern beaches, its great windsurfing, and its well-developed infrastructure are some of the draws that have helped the island develop a loyal following.
An archipelago of thousands of islands, The Bahamas offers an unparalleled range and variety of destinations--from the historic pirate haven of Nassau to the isolated naturalist's paradise of Inagua.
Bonaire has achieved international renown as one of the very finest dive and windsurfing destinations. It's incomparable Marine Park is among the best managed in the world, and the island's terrestrial attractions include a flamingo sanctuary and its fascinating national park, Washington Slagbaai.
Curacao is coming into its own as a great all-around destination. It has great diving, windsurfing, and some of the Caribbean's best cuisine. Its capital city, Willemstad, is legendary for the beauty of its Dutch Colonial architecture.
When Christopher Columbus visited our island in 1492 he called it Gran Bajamar - 'Great Shallows,' from which the name Grand Bahama was derived. However, the name of the island's capital city, Freeport/Lucaya, is probably better known to the world today than the name of the island itself.
The luscious spice islands of traditional Grenada offer some of the Caribbean's best deals. Many visitors remark that these volcanic islands offer a glimpse at the Caribbean "the way it used to be," and people are always struck by the beauty of the capital, St. George's.
Jamaica, particularly the Ocho Rios area, is well known for its waterfalls, like Dunn's River Falls, one of the more popular ones. But, there are many other sites that attract visitors.
With forested peaks that are often veiled in mist, the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis appear more like visions from the South Pacific. The islands were of invaluable strategic and economic importance during the colonial era, and its landscape seethes with its remarkable history.
St. Lucia, one of the region's lesser known islands, is a cultural and tropical delight. The ethnic mix here is dynamic, and the island has produced two Nobel Prize winners. The interior is lush and mountainous -- superb for trekking and eco-adventures.