From traveller-now

The islands of the Caribbean Sea or West Indies are an extensive archipelago in the far west of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly strung between North and South America. They've long been known as a resort vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement toward eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open up the Caribbean to more independent travel. With year-round good weather (with the minor exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fares from Europe and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for almost everyone.

Understand

The Caribbean islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Unfortunately, neither could appreciate their victory forever, although the Arawaks may have had a quiet reign of nearly two millenia. Then the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, Danish, and British arrived, after which the Carib population steeply declined due to various factors. The islands have known many historic battles and more than a few pirate stories.

Regions

Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico, often grouped as Greater Antilles, are by far the largest countries in the area and the most visited by travellers. The Caribbean also includes the Lesser Antilles, a group of much smaller islands to the east.

Greater Antilles

• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Puerto Rico

Lesser Antilles

The Lesser Antilles can be divided into three groups.

Leeward Islands

• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• British Virgin Islands
• Dominica
• Guadeloupe
• Montserrat
• Saba
• Saint Barthelemy
• Sint Eustatius
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Martin
• U.S. Virgin Islands

Windward Islands

• Barbados
• Grenada
• Martinique
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

ABC Islands

• Aruba
• Bonaire
• Curaçao

Other islands and territories

These countries are not part of the Greater or Lesser Antilles but are variously close to it, and are commonly associated with the Caribbean (e.g. members of CARICOM, the Caribbean Community).

• The Bahamas — a cluster of islands north of the Greater Antilles and southeast of Florida

• Bermuda — some distance to the north of the Caribbean, but commonly associated with the region

• Cayman Islands — a small island close to Cuba that functions as an offshore financial centre

• Navassa Island — uninhabited wildlife refuge, part of the United States, also claimed by Haiti

• Turks and Caicos Islands — a cluster of islands south of the Bahamas

• French Guiana, Guyana and Suriname — culturally and economically a part of the region, but geographically on mainland South America

• Several countries in Central America, South America and Mexico have shorelines — and islands — in the Caribbean

Cities

• Havana — world-famous capital of Cuba and largest city of the Caribbean
• Kingston — capital of Jamaica
• Nassau — capital of the Bahamas
• Port-au-Prince — capital of Haiti
• Port of Spain — capital of Trinidad and Tobago
• San Juan — capital of Puerto Rico
• Santiago de Cuba — Cuba's second largest city
• Santo Domingo — capital of of the Dominican Republic
• Willemstad — capital and largest city of the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao

Other destinations

• Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park
• Citadelle Henri Christophe and Palais Sans Souci
• Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes
• Jardines del Rey
• Maracas National Park
• Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario
• La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site
• Viñales

Get in

By plane

• From Europe to:
  • Antigua and Barbuda (ANU) from London (LGW),Manchester (MAN) by British Airways, BMI, Virgin Atlantic and from Frankfurt (FRA) by Condor
  • Barbados, Bridgetown (BGI) from London, Manchester by Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Caribbean Airlines and from Frankfurt by Condor
  • Cuba from London (LGW) by Virgin Atlantic, Air Jamaica, from Madrid (MAD) by Iberia, from Paris (CDG) by Air France and from all three by Cubana
  • Grenada, Maurice Bishop International (GND) from UK by Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Excel from Germany Condor
  • Saint Lucia, Hewanorra (UVF) from London (LGW) by Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Caribbean Airlines and from Manchester (MAN) by Virgin Atlantic
  • Martinique Fort-de-France (FDF) from Paris by Air France, Air Caribes
  • Tobago (TAB), from London (LGW) by British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and from Frankfurt (FRA) by Condor
  • Trinidad, Port-of-Spain (POS) from London by Caribbean Airlines
  • Turks & Caicos Islands (PLS), from London (LHR) through Nassau, Bahamas

• From United States to:
  • Curaçao (CUR), Bonaire (BON) from Miami (MIA) - by Insel Air [1]
  • Curacao, (CUR) - by American Airlines [2]
  • Aruba, (AUA) - by Delta Airlines, AirTran, American Airlines, Jetblue Airways, US Airways, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Continental Airlines and SLM

• Airlines:
  • Air Caraibes [3]: from Paris to Guadeloupe, Martinique
  • Air France [4]: from Paris to Guadeloupe, Martinique
  • Air Jamaica[5]: London to Jamaica and Cuba
  • American Airlines [6]: from Miami to; Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Jamaica, Kingston, Montego Bay, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Trinidad
  • British Airways [7]: from London (LGW) to Antigua, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Tobago and from Manchaster to Saint Lucia.
  • Caribbean Airlines [8]: from London to Barbados, Saint Lucia, London - Antigua, Belfast - Tobago (see BWIA Route map [9])
  • Cayman Airways[10]: from the Cayman Islands to multiple gateways in the US
  • Condor/Thomas Cook [11]: from Frankfurt (FRA), see Condor Route map [12]
  • Cubana [13]: To Cuba from Madrid, Paris, London
  • Iberia [14]: from Madrid to Havana, San Juan de Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo.
  • Insel Air [15] Direct flights from Miami and Inter-Island travel. Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Haiti, Las Piedras, Miami, Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, St. Maarten, Suriname, and Valencia.
  • JetBlue [16] to Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Saint Lucia and Barbados mostly to New York and Boston and some also to Washington DC, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale.
  • Virgin Atlantic [17]: from London to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Havana, Jamaica, St Lucia, Tobago and from Manchester to Barbados and St Lucia

Get around

Numerous companies offer cruises, charters, and boat tours in the Caribbean.

By plane

• LIAT [18] has connections between most caribbean islands
• Caribbean Airlines [19] offers flights between islands and Canada, US, Europe and other airport in South America
• American Eagle is another notable air carrier between islands