The islands in the Caribbean are a coveted piece of paradise for tourists: white sand, gentle sun and excellent service. Everyone has heard about places like Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and Jamaica more than once. Therefore, we decided to talk about the lesser-known, but no less attractive islands of the Caribbean.
1. British Virgin Islands
The sixty islets in the north-eastern Caribbean are considered British Overseas Territories and retain close ties to the Mother Country, so the service, language and culture are English, but the money is American. To travel here you will need a lot of them: the standard of living on this archipelago is one of the highest in the region.
Many tourists come to the British Virgin Islands by ferry from other nearby tiny states for a day or two. What to do here? Tortola, the main island, is famous for its white beaches and chalk cliffs, small Joost van Dyke has the best restaurants with Caribbean cuisine, the former pirate residence of Anegada attracts diving enthusiasts – more than 200 ships are sunk in the coastal waters, and on Virgin -The Baths are located here – unique natural stone tanks filled with sea water.
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2. US Virgin Islands
The archipelago north of Puerto Rico and south of the British Virgin Islands belongs to the United States and differs little from its British namesakes in terms of prices, service and luxury. San Tomas is the largest island of the archipelago; it is also called Rock City because of its rocky horizon. Entertainment here includes the Ocean Park, diving and numerous festivals, and attractions include the castle of Blackbeard, the famous pirate.
The smallest island, Saint John, attracts celebrities and honeymooners seeking solitude on picturesque, uncrowded beaches, as well as nature lovers with a large nature reserve with hiking trails. The southern island of Santa Cruz is of interest to history buffs: it was home to colonial sugar cane plantations and distilleries, which now house small museums.
3. Saint Lucia
The small, teardrop-shaped island of Saint Lucia, the second largest of the Windward Islands, has become increasingly popular in recent years. The wildlife here is fairly well preserved (unlike many other Caribbean islands) and it’s relatively inexpensive.
In spring, the island hosts an international jazz festival, which is attended by famous musicians. Newlyweds, for whom almost half of all hotel rooms are prepared, love to spend their honeymoon “weeks” here. Outdoor enthusiasts can climb to the crater of an extinct volcano or climb the twin Pitons mountains, jutting straight out of the sea in the southwestern part of the island.
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4. Cayman Islands
One of the most picturesque places in the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands were named so because the first Europeans mistook the blue iguanas that lived there in large numbers for caimans. An archipelago of three islands lies south of Cuba.
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The largest island is Grand Cayman, where the capital is Georgetown and Stringray City, a marine entertainment center named after the stingrays that live in the coastal waters,
which can be fed. Here you can also visit the former capital city of Bodden, next to which there are the Pirate Caves, which they used for centuries for shelter, or a turtle farm, or walk along the Mastic Trail hiking trail in the middle of the island.
On the island of Little Cayman, nature is almost untouched: mangroves in which wild (or feral) animals are found. There is also a bird sanctuary nearby. The island of Cayman Brac has many caves and a national parrot park. Interestingly, all the islands have beaches with both white and black sand.
5. Turks and Caicos
A network of 40 small islands with snow-white beaches, clear azure water, and colorful coral reefs is an ideal place for a quiet, secluded holiday. Most islands have no permanent residents, only staff from hotels and guesthouses
. The largest island, Providenciales, receives huge ocean liners in its pier-like port.
On Grand Turk Island, two hundred meters from the shore, there is a very popular reef among divers, which abruptly drops off to a depth of 2.4 kilometers. The National Museum is also located here, where among the exhibits there is evidence that Columbus first entered the Western Land on this island (although historians dispute this fact).
6. Barbados
Barbados sets the standard for island holidays: pristine sandy beaches, green golf and cricket fields, palace-like hotels, a European level of service (with traditional British tea drinking) and a Caribbean climate. Here they drink first-class local rum, take part in horse racing and dance calypso.
The western and southern coasts are traditionally used for beach holidays, while the eastern Atlantic, which is more restless, is loved by surfers. Bathsheba Beach is especially popular among those who like to catch waves. The cultural program also includes a visit to the Andromeda Botanical Garden and the Pirate Caves Gallery.
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7. Saint Kitts and Nevis
The little-known twin islands in the southern Caribbean offer a choice of black sand beaches and luxury hotels, or the chance to find adventure and visit places with history. The more lively island of St. Kitts is filled with restaurants, bars and nightlife.
On tranquil Nevis, you can stroll and swim on the quiet beaches. There are also attractions on the islands: the ancient Fort Brimstone, which the conquerors of these lands called the Gibraltar of the West Indies.
8. Saint Martin or Sint Martin
Saint Martin or Sint Martin is the smallest of all the inhabited islands, controlled simultaneously by two independent governments, located in the northern Caribbean Sea. The northern part of the island, called Saint-Martin, belongs to France and attracts tourists with gourmet restaurants and fashionable beach parties.
The southern, Dutch part of Sint Martin is famous for its casinos and Maho beach. Above the beach, literally above the heads of vacationers, intercontinental liners come in to land. This attracts spotters (who like to photograph airplanes) from all over the world and surfers.
9. Bonaire
On the southern Caribbean island of Bonaire, almost all of the main attractions are underwater, so unless you’re an avid diver, you might be better off heading to the neighboring islands of Aruba and Curacao, which are more famous and full of tourists. . The coral reef surrounding the island has the status of a National Natural Park, and all living things living up to 60 meters in depth are protected.
If you want to take a break between dives, you can take a land trip: Washington Slagbay National Park is a charming nature reserve with hills and lakes, parrots, pink flamingos and iguanas.
Holidays on the Caribbean islands cannot be called cheap, but when ordering the “Flight + Hotel” package, you can save up to 30% of the cost. Don’t forget about visas – you will need them to visit most Caribbean islands.
