Caribbean Vacations - How to Choose the Best Destination

Planning a Caribbean vacation starts with choosing a destination, but not every island is the same.

Some have great beaches while others have beaches that aren't so great. Some have famous attractions, but other islands are small enough that vacationers go there mainly to spend time on the beach.

People who have never been to the Caribbean before often aren't sure which destination to choose, or they choose one that isn't appropriate for a first trip. They might also not be sure if it is best to take a cruise or pick a place to stay for a week or more.

A starting point is knowing that the Caribbean region can be divided into east, south and west. One reason for the division is that cruise lines often offer eastern, southern and western cruises.

Eastern Caribbean.The eastern area extends as far north as the Bahamas, and for some people, as far north as Bermuda, which actually lies off the east coast of North Carolina. Other destinations in this part of the region include Turks & Caicos, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and possibly as far south as St. Maarten.

The Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are popular stops for many cruise lines. Dominican Republic is one of the most popular destinations because of beautiful beaches and all-inclusive resorts. British Virgin Islands are mainly visited for quiet, longer-term stays.

Eastern destinations tend to have cooler winter weather with average daytime high temperatures in the low 80s and water that will be cool or uncomfortable for swimming. It is best visited in the spring and summer.

Southern Caribbean.Think of the southern area as an extension of the eastern area. Beyond St. Maarten lie St. Kitts, Antigua, Dominica, Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada and Trinidad. More to the west of this group, just off the coast of Venezuela, are Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, otherwise known as the ABC islands.

These smaller islands are popular with both southern Caribbean cruises and with long-term vacationers. They are ideal locations for quiet stays compared to much busier places such as Puerto Rico or Cancun. More popular ones include Aruba, Barbados, St. Lucia and St. Maarten. Lesser developed locations, which also are harder to reach by air, include Dominica, St. Vincent and Grenada.

The southern destinations are more popular in winter months because they are closer to the equator and have slightly warmer temperatures than the northern locations. In addition, the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao lie outside of the Caribbean hurricane belt. The annual hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30 with peak activity in September and October. The ABC islands are more popular to visit in the fall than the rest of the Caribbean because they have some protection from tropical storms and hurricanes, but they still do feel the effects from bad weather in the region.

Western Caribbean. Destinations include Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cancun, Cozumel and various Central American nations such as Belize, Panama, Honduras (especially Roatan) and Costa Rica.

Cancun is one of the top five destinations in the Caribbean because of its numerous hotels, restaurants and attractions. Cozumel and Cayman Islands are major cruise stops. Jamaica is well-known for its tropical beauty, interesting people, great beaches and all-inclusive resorts. The Central American nations are growing their tourism popularity in part due to an emphasis on eco-tourism and other outdoor activities.

Like the eastern and southern Caribbean, the western is popular in the spring and summer and unpopular in the early fall because of heavy rains from the hurricane season.

For more information:

Click Caribbean vacation guide for travel tips, weather forecasts, attractions and other advice on planning a trip.