By: Jennifer Tzeses - Excerpt from Yahoo Travel
Few places capture a get-away-from-it-all feeling quite like the Caribbean. From sandy shores and bath-warm waters to multicultural flavor and laid-back living, the islands here satisfy every sense. Part of the magic is the warm welcome once you settle in.
The hardest part isn’t actually getting there, since most islands make it easy with direct hops from major cities. It’s choosing where to go. There are so many choices, and each has its own personality and pace. For inspiration on narrowing it down, I turned to a few travel pros for their take on the top islands.
Barbados
Few places capture a get-away-from-it-all feeling quite like the Caribbean. From sandy shores and bath-warm waters to multicultural flavor and laid-back living, the islands here satisfy every sense. Part of the magic is the warm welcome once you settle in.
The hardest part isn’t actually getting there, since most islands make it easy with direct hops from major cities. It’s choosing where to go. There are so many choices, and each has its own personality and pace. For inspiration on narrowing it down, I turned to a few travel pros for their take on the top islands.
Barbados also has a unique limestone geology, which has formed some awe-inspiring caves. Go underground to see Harrison’s Cave, then head above ground to the adventure park with a zipline, aviary and obstacle course for kids. For another kind of natural wonder, the Scotland District in the parish of St. Andrew produces unique red clay, and many studios host workshops where you can try your hand at pottery.
When it’s time to turn in, Jacobs’s favorite place to stay is O2 Beach Club on Dover Beach along the south coast. “You get the best of both worlds: beautiful beachfront relaxation during the day and lively nightlife just steps away at night.”
Puerto Rico
Five hundred years of history, lively culture and an incredible restaurant scene collide in Puerto Rico — and all without a passport required, says Sarah Phelps of FORA Travel. She suggests visiting El Yunque National Rainforest for its misty peaks and waterfalls, strolling the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, and checking out La Fortaleza, the oldest governor’s mansion in the Western Hemisphere still in use. Another must: the 16th-century fortress of El Morro, with hidden tunnels and epic ocean views.
If you’re staying in San Juan, skip the beachside hotel chains and stay at El Convento, a former 17th-century convent-turned-boutique hotel. “It’s one of the most atmospheric places to stay anywhere in the Caribbean,” Phelps says.
Also on her Puerto Rico itinerary: Vieques, which is just a quick 30-minute flight from San Juan. Phelps suggests night kayaking through Mosquito Bay, one of the world's brightest bioluminescent bays, and staying at Hix Island House, set on a 13-acre hillside refuge. “No AC, open-air rooms — just the occasional gecko. It’s not for everyone, but for the right person, it’s one of the most memorable stays in the Caribbean.”
Turks & Caicos
Turks and Caicos is where to go if you want to lounge in front of some of the prettiest beaches in the world, says Mariette Williams, Caribbean editor for Travel Weekly. “The quiet island is the perfect place for a long weekend for two or a family vacation without distractions,” she says.
Fun fact: Turks and Caicos has one of the largest cave systems in the Caribbean. And among the best to explore is Conch Bar Caves in Middle Caicos, which is a maze of thousand-year-old limestone tunnels, chambers and stalactites. Take a boat to Little Water Cay, also known as Iguana Island, to meet the nearly 3,000 namesake reptiles that call it home.
While all the beaches here are postcard-worthy, Grace Bay Beach ranks as one of the most beautiful in the world, with its powdery, pristine white sand. Williams recommends staying at Beaches Turks & Caicos, which she says “feels like it has a million amenities.” They’ve expanded the resort to include Treasure Beach Village, which offers two- to three-bedroom suites and six new dining outlets.
The British Virgin Islands
If you’ve ever thought about chartering a boat, the BVIs are where you do it, thanks to protected waters, steady trade winds and dozens of anchorages spread across Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and beyond, Phelps says. As you cruise, stop at The Baths at Virgin Gorda, a surreal landscape of cathedral-sized boulders and turquoise tide pools.
In between sailing excursions, she recommends hitting Willy T’s, a legendary floating pirate ship bar anchored off Norman Island in the middle of the ocean. She also loves Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke, accessible only by anchoring offshore and swimming up with cash in hand (or tucked into your bathing suit). “Spend a week on a catamaran out here, and sleeping on land will feel like a downgrade,” Phelps says. “If you don’t know how to sail, you can add a skipper or, if you’re ambitious, an instructional skipper who can teach you how to sail for the next time,” she says. She recommends renting a catamaran from TMM Yacht Charters or Moorings.
Grand Cayman
There’s a reason families with young children come back to Grand Cayman year after year. “Seven Mile Beach is one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the Caribbean and, more importantly, its calm, shallow waters are safe enough for the littlest swimmers,” Phelps says. The beach is also lined with great restaurants and easy amenities that make a day with kids feel effortless rather than exhausting.
But the real magic, she says, happens when you get off the beach. “At Stingray City, you can wade into waist-deep water on a natural sandbar surrounded by enormous stingrays who glide right up to you (and sometimes give a giant hug).”
At the Cayman Turtle Centre, kids can get up close and personal with the residents. For a rich local experience, Phelps suggests driving to the East End of the island, “where the tourists thin out and the food gets real.” Here, you get a completely different side of the Caymans that most visitors never see: beachfront spots selling local cuisine and shops with handicrafts. For a home base, Phelps likes the family-friendly Kimpton Seafire, which has a splash pad, waterslides and Camp Seafire for kids ages five to 12.
Saint Lucia
St. Lucia is a natural wonder. “The island is so lush, and for me, time just seems to slow down when I’m there,” Williams says. Its iconic twin volcanic peaks, known as the Pitons, dramatically rise from the water. On land, explore the dense rainforest on foot, by aerial tram or by zipline, and take a walk through beautiful botanical gardens to reach Diamond Falls, a mineral-rich waterfall fed by underground volcanic springs. For a taste of local life, head to the capital city of Castries, where you can shop the market for crafts, souvenirs, spices and street food. The island’s rich volcanic soil is ideal for growing cacao, and at plantations like Morne Coubaril Estate, you can take a chocolate-making tour to see how it's produced — and make your own bar. When Williams visits, she loves staying at BodyHoliday St Lucia for its spa and wellness treatments.
Jamaica
Jamaica has a pulse, Jacobs says. “The music, the laughter from patios and roadside bars, domino games, smoke rising from jerk pans — it all becomes part of the experience.” Outdoor enthusiasts can make the most of the region’s diverse landscape. There’s Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios, where you can climb the terraced waterfall and take a dip in the pools. For a more tranquil trip, take a leisurely raft ride along the Martha Brae River.
As for the big beaches, Montego Bay and Negril both offer unique experiences. Montego Bay has a calmer resort-style vibe with lively music and nightlife, while Negril “feels [more raw] and more breathtaking; people seem to move with the rhythm of the island itself,” she says. Jacobs suggests visiting Negril’s Seven Mile Beach, where “the sunsets almost don’t look real and the water is so clear and blue it barely looks natural.”
And when you get hungry, there’s no need to leave your stretch of sand. “In Negril, I’ve had fishermen walk straight into the sea and come back carrying fresh lobster to choose from. Even the simplest meals feel full of flavor in a way that’s hard to recreate back home.” Along with jerk cuisine, Jamaica is also known for its coffee — the region’s rich soil and high altitude produce bold brews. Savor the flavor while learning about how java goes from bean to cup on a coffee tour of the Blue Mountains.
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