« CARIBBEAN • Destination Caribbean
Discover the magical Caribbean Islands
The Caribbean Islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Unfortunately, the Caribs could not appreciate their victory for long, for the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British, colonised their lands. The islands have known many historic battles and more than a few pirate stories.
» Antigua & Barbuda
English Harbour on the south-eastern coast of Antigua is famed for its protected shelter during violent storms. It is the site of a restored British colonial naval station called Nelson's Dockyard after Captain Horatio Nelson. English Harbour is a popular yachting and sailing destination …
» Aruba
Aruban citizens hold Dutch passports. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, Aruba has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny weather. Aruba lies outside the hurricane belt …
» The Bahamas
The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is an English-speaking nation consisting of two thousand cays and seven hundred islands that form an archipelago. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Florida and the United States, north of Cuba and the Caribbean …
» Barbados
Shopping districts are popular in Barbados, with ample duty-free shopping. There is also a festive night-life in mainly tourist areas such as the Saint Lawrence Gap. Other attractions include wildlife reserves, jewelry stores, scuba diving, helicopter rides, golf, festivals, caves …
» British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. Approximately fifteen of the islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is situated on Tortola, the largest island …
» Cayman Islands
As a result of the island's mellow charms, resorts and condos have sprung up all over the Cayman Islands, and you can count on air-con, cold beer and ESPN. But if you want to get away from it all there are lots of places to escape satellite dishes and slickness, not least of them underwater …
» Curacao
Curacao is an island in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea off the west coast of Venezuela. The island is the largest and most populous of the three so-called ABC islands (for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) of the Lesser Antilles and belongs to the Netherlands Antilles …
» Dominica
Dominica was first discovered by the Spanish, then colonized by the French and British before finally obtaining independence in 1978. Dominica has been nicknamed the 'Nature Isle of the Caribbean' for its unspoiled natural beauty …
» Dominican Republic
The Taíno people inhabited what is now the Dominican Republic since the 7th century. Christopher Columbus landed on the island in 1492, and it became the site of the first permanent European settlement in the Americas, namely Santo Domingo, the country's capital …
» Grenada
Grenada is known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. Its capital is St. George's. The national bird of Grenada is the critically endangered Grenada Dove …
» Jamaica
Christopher Columbus claimed Jamaica for Spain after first landing there in 1494. Columbus' probable landing point was Dry Harbour, now called Discovery Bay. St. Ann's Bay was the Saint Gloria of Columbus who first sighted Jamaica at this point. One mile west of St. Ann's Bay …
» Puerto Rico
Originally populated for centuries by the aboriginal people known as Taíno, Puerto Rico was claimed by Christopher Columbus for Spain during his second voyage to the Americas on November 19, 1493. Like Cuba, Puerto Rico remained a Spanish colony until 1898 …
» St. Kitts and Nevis
Between February and May, the slightly drier conditions and decadently hot highs of St. Kitts and Nevis, usually around 30°C (87°F) will trump your tropical dreams. Other months can get quite wet, with a hurricane season from August to October …
» St. Lucia
The volcanic island of Saint Lucia is more mountainous than many other Caribbean islands, with the highest point being Mount Gimie, at 950 metres above sea level. Two other mountains, the Pitons, form the island's most famous landmark. They are located between Soufrière and Choiseul …
» St. Maarten
In 1493, Christopher Columbus embarked on his second voyage to the New World. According to legend, Columbus sighted and perhaps anchored at the island of Saint Martin on November 11, 1493, the feast day of Saint Martin of Tours. In his honor, Columbus named the island …
» Trinidad & Tobago
The island of Trinidad was a Spanish colony from the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1498 to the capitulation of the Spanish Governor, Don José Maria Chacón, on the arrival of a British fleet of 18 warships on 18 February 1797 …
» Turks & Caicos
You might have heard that the Turks & Caicos islands are a beach lover's dream retreat, and that's true, but what many people don't know is that the Turks and Caicos also offer some great outdoor activities that involve more than just laying on the beach …
» U.S. Virgin Islands
The U.S. Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John and Saint Thomas, along with the much smaller but historically distinct Water Island, and many other surrounding minor islands. The total land area of the territory is 133.73 square miles, and a population over 100,000 …
« CARIBBEAN • Destination Caribbean
