Introducing Caribbean Islands
Think of the Caribbean and inevitably you conjure up clichéd images of white-sand beaches and tropical drinks with little umbrellas. It’s a pleasant thought, but we’re here to tell you the islands offer so much more.
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The contradictions hit you the moment you arrive. With a history built on piracy and sugar, slavery, revolt and colonial identity, the islands support a vibrant mix of cultures. There are cricket players and Rastas, Cuban rebels and lobster fishermen. The shifting sands on sheltered beaches come in impossible hues, from sugar white and salmon pink to coffee brown and charcoal black. While some islands shimmer just above sea level, others jut out like verdant icebergs.
It’s an archipelago intimately tied to the sea and you’ll fall under its spell the moment you taste the salt on your skin. You’ll forever remember seeing your first sea turtle float by and the sensation of grinning with a snorkel in your mouth. You’ll climb high peaks whose forests redefine the word ‘green,’ where tropical birds flit about in flashes of color and fill the air with a symphony of squawks and song. You’ll dance to rhythms of reggae, salsa and soca. You’ll eat fresh seafood and spicy stews, and spend lazy afternoons snoozing in hammocks. And yes, you’ll likely have some drinks garnished with little umbrellas as you watch the sunset from a beautiful white-sand beach.
Last updated: Mar 24, 2010
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Caribbean Islands
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Caribbean Islands Overview
- Places in Caribbean Islands
- When to go & weather
- Practical information
- History
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Our Top Picks For Caribbean Islands
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1 Havana, Cuba
With its faded grandeur, classic cars and pulsating nightlife, Havana never fails to seduce
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2 Cayman Islands
Experience the dazzling natural world and thrilling diving of the 'Sister Islands'
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3 Barbados
Enjoy beautiful beaches, fascinating historical tours and great surfing
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4 El Yunque, Puerto Rico
Stay in an ecolodge and hike the scenic trails of the only tropical rainforest in the US National Park System
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5 Andros, The Bahamas
Dodge poisonwood, seeps and mythical beasts on a hunt for Androsian blue holes
Fast Facts about Caribbean Islands
- 007
James Bond loves the Caribbean; films shot there include Dr No (Jamaica), Thunderball (Bahamas), Live and Let Die (Jamaica) Golden Eye (Puerto Rico) and Casino Royale (Bahamas). Sean Connery, the first Bond, lives in the Bahamas.
- X marks the spot Norman Island, in the British Virgin Islands, is said to be the prototype for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. It fits the bill: Norman is the BVI's largest uninhabited land mass.
- Tastes like chicken
A regionwide delicacy called ‘mountain chicken’ is no kind of fowl, but is actually a crapaud, a local species of frog with unusually large (and delicious) legs.
- Mango a go-go
There are at least 12 kinds of mango widely sold through the Caribbean. That's at least twelve reasons to go.
- Songs about the Caribbean
Once they're stuck in your head you'll wish you'd never heard them: "Montego Bay" (Bobbly Bloom), "Kokomo" (The Beach Boys), "April sun in Cuba" (Dragon), "Dreadlock holiday" (10cc), "Barbados" (The Models), "Caribbean Queen" (Billy Ocean).
