best places to visit in the caribbean
More than 7,000 islands await you in this slice of sunny, sandy paradise.
The Caribbean is known throughout the world as a gorgeous, idyllic destination for a luxurious holiday with guaranteed good weather, stunning beaches and all the rum you can sip. This is true for pretty much all of the countries in the group bordering the Caribbean Sea, but the islands have so much more to offer than beaches and piña coladas. Although obviously you’ll want to make time to enjoy a few of those too while you’re out there!
Many of the Caribbean countries’ economies are geared towards the tourism trade, so there are plenty of hotels, watersports and tours on offer, providing a range of choices in where to stay, what to do and how to do it. However, if you’re keen to discover the real, authentic Caribbean then you do have plenty of options as well on the less famous islands.
As a starting point on your Caribbean journey, you could do an awful lot worse than following in the footsteps of Christopher Columbus. When he set sail to attempt to discover a western sea route to Asia, he stumbled across The New World first landing on San Salvador part of The Bahamas. There is a statue on the island commemorating his arrival in 1492 as well as a white cross marking the spot where he first stepped foot in the country. The Bahamas may be significantly different from Columbus’s time, but there are few better places to begin your Caribbean voyage. One essential stop is the unique and stunning Pink Sands Beach. This is exactly what its name suggests it is a glorious 4.8-kilometre (three-mile) stretch of beach where the sand is less golden and more pink, due to the red shells of tiny marine organisms called foraminifera that reside in the reefs. This natural wonder simply has to be seen to be believed.
On the subject of reefs, the diving opportunities are plentiful around the Caribbean, but few places are as good as The Bahamas. The Andros Coral reef is the third-largest barrier reef in the world, and is teeming with exotic fish and beautiful, unspoiled coral. Tick something off the bucket list by swimming with dolphins in Dolphin Cay, or, if you fancy something a little more daring, sharks in Stuart Cove. The Bahamas is also home to the Lucayan National Park, which features the world’s longest underwater cave system. In the capital, Nassau, you’ll find a collection of colonial buildings, instantly transporting you back several centuries, while John Watling’s distillery is well worth a tour given that it is known as the ‘spirit of The Bahamas’. Last, but certainly not least, is Big Major Cay, 132 kilometres (82 miles) southeast of Nassau. The name Big Major Cay may not be familiar to you, but you’ve almost certainly heard of Pig Beach. With its soft, golden sand and clear turquoise waters, it is stunning enough in its own right but it separates itself from the myriad other idyllic beaches in the Caribbean by having around 20 pigs that love to splash in the shallows. No one quite knows how the pigs got there, but to swim with pigs in the crystal waters of The Bahamas is truly a once-ina-lifetime experience.
Jamaica is another of the Caribbean’s most well-known islands, thanks in part to two iconic sporting disciplines. First is Olympic sprinting, second is the bobsleigh. A statue of multiple Olympic-gold-medal-winning sprinter Usain Bolt can be found in the capital, Kingston, while his hometown of Sherwood Content is worth a visit as the locals are more than happy to discuss one of their country's most famous world stars. And anyone who has seen Cool Runnings is surely still in love with the Jamaican bobsleigh team. You can re-create their famous journey with a one-kilometre (0.6-mile) bobsled run that speeds through the Dunn River Falls. You should also take the time to visit the falls themselves - a travertine waterfall that you are able to climb if you're feeling adventurous, or relax in if you're feeling more chilled.
On the subject of chilling out, Jamaica is the home of reggae, and they sure are proud of it. Reggae music pours out of so many of the bars and restaurants on the island, but it’s always fresh, always fun and matches perfectly with the pace of life out there. Bob Marley is one of the island's greatest exports, and you can visit the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston. One more Jamaican gift to the world is Blue Mountain coffee - so don't miss out on a cup or two of java straight from the source. Jamaica is a relaxed, serene island that is a great spot to relax in, so a trip to the Floyd's Pelican Bar is a must. This is a driftwood shack 1.25 kilometres (0.75 miles) out to sea, where you can eat, drink and relax to the sounds of the waves lapping against the wooden struts - an experience unlike any other in the world.
Barbados is yet another stunning island that your Caribbean trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting. It’s one of the smallest of the Caribbean countries, but packs an awful lot of character and history into its modest form. For British travellers, Barbados is something of a home from home just with an awful lot more sunshine. The Queen is still head of state in Barbados, and her portrait sits proudly at the airport as you arrive. The post boxes in Barbados are bright red, and everything from the greens to the quaint churches just scream Little England.
Barbados is truly a nature-lover’s paradise, as there is so much to see and do both inland and on the coast. Hunte’s Garden is a highlight of the island a wonderful botanical garden set in a gully, full of plants unique to the island. Anthony Hunte, the horticulturalist behind the design, is often available for a chat and drink, providing visitors with a superb insight into this attraction. The capital of Bridgetown is home to a true natural wonder: a huge baobab tree that is so wide it takes 15 people to surround it. The tree is over 1,000 years old so be sure to drink in the age and majesty of this ancient tree while you’re in Bridgetown.
Harrison’s Cave is a fascinating excursion, as a train takes you through a network of caves and tunnels, where you can gaze in awe at the stalagmites and stalactites that line its ceiling and floor. A trip to the Mount Gay or Foursquare Distillery is also something that should be high up on your agenda, as the sugar plantations and story of how rum became the national drink of the Caribbean is interesting and enjoyable.
It’s difficult to talk about Barbados without mentioning its spectacular cricketing heritage. Despite having one of the smaller populations of the countries that make up the West Indies cricket team, it has produced many of its stars, including Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Sir Garfield Sobers and the famous Three Ws: Sir Clyde Walcott, Sir Everton Weekes and Sir Frank Worrell. The Kensington Oval is one of the most beautiful Test grounds in the world, and is an essential location on any self-respecting cricket fan’s bucket list. Barbados truly is a gorgeous slice of Britishness thousands of miles away, so somewhere certainly worth considering if you like your home comforts.
Saint Lucia maybe isn’t quite as well-known across the world as The Bahamas, Jamaica and Barbados, but it’s certainly one of the most glorious of all the Caribbean islands. If you only have the time for one stop, then you simply have to head to Soufrière. It may be small but it’s home to two of Saint Lucia’s most famous landmarks: Sulphur Springs (the world’s only drive-in volcano) and the Pitons. The Gros and Petit Pitons are the original twin peaks, rising 798 metres (2,619 feet) and 743 metres (2,468 feet) respectively, and are said to be the Caribbean’s most photographed site. Those who like a challenge can hike Gros Piton, while Petit Piton, despite being smaller, is more of a struggle. Once you’ve enjoyed the sights of the Pitons, head to Sulphur Springs, where you can drive your car right through the heart of the awe-inspiring volcano. Don’t worry, it’s a dormant volcano, giving you a danger-free view of the inside of one of nature’s most destructive forces. You can then finish off your trip with a mud bath in the mineral enriched pools in the shadow of the volcano before washing yourself down underneath the Toraille Waterfall. Soufrière is the only place in the whole of the Caribbean where natural wonders like these exist.
There are more than 7,690 hectares (19,000 acres) of gorgeous rainforest in Saint Lucia, packed with tropical plants and amazing views. And depending on your level of love of adventure, you can walk, take a gondola or even zipline through the lush land. After a long day of island adventure, take time to enjoy some of St Lucia’s delicious French and Creole-inspired cuisine.
With so many countries and islands available to see and experience, we could go on forever explaining the sights, sounds and tastes available across the 7,000 islands, but what else is there to see and do around the Caribbean?
The Dominican Republic is the region’s largest chocolate-producing country and a world leader in Fair Trade chocolate, so it’s definitely worth sampling the local delicacy.
Trinidad and Tobago is one of the most developed Caribbean islands, with the thirdhighest GDP in the Western Hemisphere, which makes it a wholly different experience to the rest of the area. It’s well-known for its delicious street food at reasonable prices (given the country’s wealth), and it’s also renowned as a birdwatcher’s paradise.
One of the Caribbean’s prime locations for foodies is Saint Martin, which has a range of more than 40 restaurants stretching the length of the beach front in Grand Case. On the subject of food and drink, most islands will have a main rum distillery, and many of those will offer fascinating tours of the rum production process, plus a trip through row upon row of sugar cane. Fish fries are also a Caribbean-wide tradition, with stalls lining up every Friday to whip up delicious fried fish and shellfish. They’re wonderful community occasions with music and dancing as well as delicious food. If you fancy working for your supper, you can go for a ‘dive and dine’ experience on the small island of Nevis. Scuba dive for lobster and if you’re successful learn how to cook it for a delicious dinner.
Puerto Rico underwent a transformation in the wake of the devastating 2017 hurricane. New restaurants, hotels and activities have sprung up, attracting the holidaymaker types who like their modern luxuries.
Pretty much every island in the Caribbean is awash with miles of beautiful beaches, but the best surfing is found at Eleuthera Surfer’s Beach in The Bahamas, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, Rincon in Puerto Rico, and the ‘Soup Bowl’ in Barbados.
The brochures for the Caribbean inevitably focus on the sandy beaches and luxurious resorts that make the area one of the biggest summer holiday destinations in the world. However, that is most certainly doing the islands that make up the Caribbean a huge disservice, given the wealth of culture, food, history, greenery, topography and activities. The Caribbean is vibrant, fascinating, temperate, welcoming and reasonably priced, as well as being visually stunning. Certainly, it is one of the world’s mustvisit destinations as there truly is something for every kind of holidaymaker, whether you are in the market for trekking, exploring the islands’ history, kicking back to some reggae music, or just relaxing on the beach with a piña colada. Just make sure the swimming pigs don’t steal your drink!