The popular 90’s advert for Bounty chocolates was filmed in several locations, and one of them was the Caribbean islands. There is nothing to be surprised about: the phrase “paradisiacal pleasure” eloquently describes a holiday on the Caribbean islands. The seascapes here are so picturesque that Instagram filters can only spoil them.
This article will be your guide to the Caribbean basin and archipelagos. There are over 700 islands in the Caribbean, each of which is worthy of a visit and a tourist’s attention.
The Caribbean Sea is called semi-enclosed because of one feature: it is framed by islands and continents. In the south it borders with Latin American countries (mainly Venezuela), in the west – with the “baby” countries of Central America, in the north – with large islands: Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti. The east is the most interesting: there are many tiny islands, some of which are sovereign states, others are dependent territories. There are even disputed uninhabited territories: for example, the US and Haiti have a long-standing but uncontested dispute over Navassa Island.
The Caribbean Sea communicates with the Atlantic Ocean as well as with the Gulf of Mexico through the Strait of Yucatan and with the Pacific Ocean through the man-made Panama Canal. The average depth of the sea is about 2,500 metres, with a maximum depth of 7,700 metres in the Cayman Trough. Many people would like to visit this depression, and the brilliant James Cameron not only visited but even shot one of his first films here (“The Abyss”).
The Caribbean is the leader among the seas in terms of endemics, i.e. animals and plants that cannot be seen anywhere else in the world. The region counts:
13,000 plant species — about half of which grow exclusively in the Caribbean;
450 species of fish. For example, the Caribbean catshark, the safest shark for humans, can be found;
500 species of reptiles. Among them are huge sea turtles, which once fascinated Columbus so much that he named an archipelago after them (now the Cayman Islands);
90 species of mammals. Even seals are found off the coast of Jamaica.
There are plenty of unusual birds in the Caribbean, too. For example, the blue-faced amazon lives only on the tiny island of St Lucia and is considered its national symbol.
Neil Walters, acting secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, delivered a report in March 2023 that made it clear that the Caribbean tourist destination is recovering from COVID-19 faster than any other. There are now 32 million annual visitors to the Caribbean islands. The magnitude of this figure is realised in comparison: the combined population of all countries in the Caribbean as of January 2023 is 44.5 million.
We cannot show every Caribbean island on the map and tell you about it in detail — there are too many of them. Therefore, based on the rating of the travel website Caribbean Journal, we will present the top ten Caribbean countries where it is most comfortable to live.
Barbados is “mini-Britain”. The British ruled the island from 1620 until 1966, when Barbados declared independence. This, of course, left a mark: most tourists here are from the UK and USA. The coastline is dotted with comfortable hotels, the town is full of pubs, and popular sports include golf and cricket.
If you prefer comfort, peace and security, this is the place to be. For the peace of mind of tourists, Barbados has even banned camouflage clothing.
This state is the Caribbean’s leader in per capita income. But if you’re travelling around the Bahamas on your own, be careful: you may find yourself on private property without even realising it. Celebrities like Beyoncé, Johnny Depp and Shakira own entire islands here.
Antigua and Barbuda is known as the land of 365 beaches. Locals say that you can change your holiday location every day – and be delighted every time.
Antigua and Barbuda is the opposite of the Bahamas. It is not about luxury holidays in expensive villas, but about being one with nature. Fans of diving, snorkelling and fishing go here. On many Caribbean islands, fishing is allowed only for locals, but Antigua and Barbuda is an exception. You can legally cast a rod if you head out to sea on a boat with a captain. We bet you don’t have a swordfish on your record yet.
As the name suggests, the country consists of two islands. For a tourist holiday it is better to choose Antigua, as Barbuda has no attractions at all.
Trinidad and Tobago, like the Bahamas, is not a poor country – thanks to the fact that it has oil. The oil fields are located mainly in the south of Trinidad and as far away as possible from the resorts that are located in the north, as well as on the island of Tobago.
The country is popular with fans of eco-tourism. There is, for example, the Asa Wright Centre in the Arima Valley, where there are 40 species of hummingbirds alone. Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism boom is usually in February, when an annual costumed carnival is held to celebrate the abolition of slavery.
Liberty Island is the most famous Caribbean nation and yet the largest. Cuba is larger than Hungary, Portugal and Serbia. But Cuba is not among the richest countries. Since the 1960s, it has been under a U.S. economic blockade, which has taken a heavy toll on the well-being of its citizens. Cuba responds with counter-sanctions: it is officially forbidden to pay with the American dollar on its territory. So, if you think of visiting this island, it is better to stock up on euros.
In the latest ranking of the best Caribbean islands, published in the authoritative Conde Nast Traveller magazine, Nevis took the honourable second place (after Bermuda). This is not a bad result for an island you have hardly heard of before.
St. Kitts and Nevis is now seen as a tropical paradise. The wealth of its citizens has grown along with the tourism industry: the country ranks third in the Caribbean in terms of average salary.
The national flag of Grenada is asymmetrical: in its left part you will see…nutmeg. The fact is that nutmeg has long been the basis of the economy of this state. Grenada covers 20 per cent of the world’s nut exports and is the second largest producer, second only to Indonesia.
Grenada also grants citizenship for investment and is popular with the wealthy as a “second home”. Grenada has a high standard of living and excellent education. For example, a medical degree from St George’s University will be highly regarded in Britain and the States.
St Lucia is a small state, with an area of only 616 square kilometres. Nevertheless, it has much to be proud of. Firstly, St Lucia gave the world two Nobel laureates at once: economist Arthur Lewis and writer Derek Walcott. The second is the spring jazz festival, where big stars (such as Elton John) performed. And finally, the third is the beautiful nature.
Jamaica gave the world the iconic musician Bob Marley, the fastest man Usain Bolt and has a lot to offer the tourist. For example, diving with manatees and seals.
No, it’s not the Dominican Republic. Caribbean Journal ranked the Dominican Republic 11 places lower. Dominica is not inferior in beauty, but it is much less populated. If you want solitude, go to the east coast of Dominica – there are no hotels and equipped beaches, so you can feel like Robinson Crusoe.
Living in Dominica is favourable for yachtsmen. It costs only $1,900 to register a yacht here (regardless of hull length).
In short, making dreams come true. Would you like to surf like Utah in the film “On the Crest of the Wave”? Or do you dream of hooking a barracuda? Or maybe you want to sip mojitos through a tube on a yacht on a warm evening? You can do all of this in the Caribbean during the day.
Here are just a few of the leisure options:
There are many snorkelling spots, but the most original is probably theMoliner Marine Protected Area in Grenada. There they invited English master Jason Taylor, who created the world’s first underwater sculpture park. However, flippers and a mask are not enough to get there – you also need a boat, as the area is remote from the coast.
Bloody Bay on Little Cayman Island is the best place for a holiday. Although the name does not inspire confidence, there is nothing scary here. Bloody Bay was named because of the many pirate battles in the olden days. Divers are attracted here not only by the variety of fish and plants, but also by the remains of sunken pirate ships and the fact that local corals glow impressively.
The island of St. Maarten got some great PR in 2019 when Bloomberg reported that 52 superyachts docked on its shores over Christmas. Yachtsmen come here not only for holidays, but also for regattas, which are held almost continuously throughout the first half of the year. One of the most popular is the Grenada Sailing Week. Anyone can take part in it – a beginner without practice will be assigned to a team with an experienced skipper.
You can ride a wave in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Barbados. What’s more, Barbados is one of the top spots according to cult surfer Kelly Slater. If you’re a fan of extreme surfing, be sure to check out the Soup Bowl surf spot in Barbados.
The Caribbean is a great option for wintering. The most comfortable time to visit the Caribbean is from December to April. The temperature stays at approximately the same level all year round: air – from +25°C to 32°C, water in the sea – from +22°C to +30°C. The problem with Caribbean summers is hurricanes. On average, there are 10 hurricanes in the Caribbean per year, half of which are quite destructive – they destroy trees and break houses. The most dangerous month in this respect is September.
Hurricanes rage heavily in the northern Caribbean Sea. Therefore, Grenada and Barbados, which are close to Venezuela, are most often only mildly affected.
Dominica, on the other hand, has a lot on its plate. That’s probably why it founded CREAD, an association that develops building codes to make homes more resistant to hurricanes and storms. Modern hotels in the Caribbean are built strictly to CREAD standards.
With citizenship for investment, an investor can easily relocate to the Caribbean in case of unforeseen circumstances;
The local economic system allows you to optimise the tax burden of your business;
It is possible at a low cost to provide your children with an education that will be quoted in the US and developed countries in Europe;
A person gets the freedom to travel and can visit up to 156 countries of the world without a visa at all, or having received it under a simplified programme.
A Caribbean passport can be obtained by naturalisation or by marriage to a local citizen. But these options are not suitable for everyone.
It is easier and faster to obtain Caribbean citizenship for investment. There are 5 countries in the Caribbean that offer this option:
Dominica;
Antigua and Barbuda;
St Lucia;
Grenada;
St Kitts and Nevis.
You can obtain a passport by making a non-refundable contribution to the state fund or by buying a property on the island. In the second case, the costs will be higher, but you can get the money back after a few years by selling the square metres.
Take into account that there will be additional costs. You will have to pay government and administrative fees. Mandatory due diligence is also at your expense. Additional costs can amount to 50-60% of the investment value.
First, locate the United States on the map. From the USA, look south to where North America “thins” into Central America. East of Central America is the Caribbean Sea.
The Caribbean Sea is considerably warmer than the Mediterranean Sea. The average annual temperature of the Mediterranean Sea is +20-25°C. In principle, the water in the Caribbean Sea does not drop to a minimum of 22°C. The water temperature in the Caribbean remains at approximately the same mark regardless of the time of year. The Mediterranean Sea “lives” according to a more familiar schedule: warm in summer and cold in winter.
Nowadays you can meet pirates only among animators. However, in the XVI-XVIII centuries, piracy in the Caribbean Sea really flourished. Europeans were exporting gold from the Americas, and their ships were regularly raided.
By the way, another motivation to visit the Caribbean is treasure hunting. Pirates’ gold buried at the bottom of the ocean is by no means a myth. For example, Mel Fisher and his crew in 1895 raised gold and silver bars worth $400 million from the bottom.
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