See full version: The 26 Most Popular Islands In The Caribbean, 2019: Who goes where
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To help you plan your trip, we’ve used data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to round up the most and the least-visited islands in the Caribbean – based on annual international tourist arrivals in 2019. So what are you waiting for? [links]
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CEOWORLD magazine - Top Stories - Business Travel - The 26 Most Popular Islands In The Caribbean, 2019: Who goes where?
Unsurprisingly, the Dominican Republic is the most popular islands in the Caribbean, attracting over 6.6 million international travelers per year, that’s according to a study by the CEOWORLD magazine, while Cuba (4.7 million) and Puerto Rico (3 million) placed second and third, respectively.
Jamaica may be your entry into the Caribbean, be it on spring break or an exclusive trip to GoldenEye, the former estate of Ian Fleming and now one of our favorite resorts in the world. You can also come just to eat. and eat. and eat.
This twin-island nation is bursting at the seams with charm. St. Kitts, the larger of the two, is best first explored on a open-air train along the south coast. Nevis is almost perfectly round with gentle slopes rising to the peak of its dormant volcano. more
Vibrant and multicultural, this is as far south as you can get in the Caribbean, only seven miles from Venezuela. This dual-island nation has a lot going for it, but most tourists stick to the beaches on Tobago (and the majority are British). Annual Carnival celebrations are world renowned.
Grenada is short on bad views. No matter where you stand on the island, it is invariably green, moody, and pulsing with plant life. A multitude of spices, grown and harvested here, are sold in colorful markets and directly from small farms along country roads.
The country's main airport is Hewanorra International (UVF), at the very southernmost tip of the island. Inter-island propeller-driven flights use the George F.L. Charles Airport (SLU) at the northern tip.
Aruba is a tiny Dutch Caribbean island, known as part of the “ABC islands” in the region. The quintessential Caribbean island features glorious white-sand beaches and many all-inclusive, luxury resorts. One of the main things that draw visitors to the island is the capital town, Oranjestad, which is filled with pastel facades, landmarks, and shops that make you think you’re in a European country. In true Caribbean fashion, the outskirts of the capital town are lined with miles of beautiful beaches and cosy villas.
Saba, a Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles chain, is truly one of the hidden gems of the Caribbean. The island is called “The Unspoiled Queen” due to the protection of its unique ecosystem and purity. The five-square-mile island is one of the few territories in the Caribbean that have not been touched by fast-food restaurants and cruise ship lines. Saba has an impressive marine park, the Saba Marine Park, which is home to coral formations, dolphins, sharks and sea turtles. There are also underwater mountains that were created by volcanic activity on the island. If you want an untainted, authentic Caribbean experience, then Saba is your next destination. more
It’s no secret that the Caribbean has some of the most beautiful islands in the world. Many people will mention popular islands such as The Bahamas, Jamaica, The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, but there are others throughout the region that are just as beautiful and adventurous. Here are 10 underrated Caribbean islands that you need to visit.
Antigua, also known as Waladli by locals, is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region. The small island is known for its coral reefs, 365 sandy beaches and exceptional food and drink. Antigua experiences windy weather at different times during the year which is perfect for when they celebrate Sailing Week on the island. Snorkellers and divers also fly to the island to experience its magnificent coral reefs.
There are many reasons why you should visit St. Lucia. The small island, located in the eastern Caribbean, is filled with natural attractions, historical sites, exotic wildlife and lush greenery, making it a wonderful place for both relaxation and adventure. The island is home to the Piton Mountains which cradles many of the beaches in St. Lucia providing spectacular scenery, especially at sunrise and sunset.
Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of 40 low-lying coral islands, located south of The Bahamas. Turks and Caicos is particularly known for its miles of uncrowded white sandy beaches and vibrant coral reef. The popular gateway island of Providenciales, called “Provo” by locals, is the hub of culture and commercial activity on the island. Providenciales is home to many luxury resorts, shops and the best restaurants on Turks and Caicos. Popular sites for adventure include a massive underwater wall off Grand Turk island and a 14-mile barrier reef in Providenciales. more
Much like neighbouring Punta Cana in neighbouring Dominican Republic, the main resort towns of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are pretty soulless; instead try Negril in the west, which has a hip, easy vibe and is home to Seven Mile Beach, one of Jamaica’s best stretches for white-sand beaches lapped by turquoise waters. Treasure Beach, in the southwest, is quieter but equally laid-back. And at the other end of the island is Port Antonio, for more than a century a favourite jungle hideaway for artists and hedonists — including Rudyard Kipling and Errol Flynn. Leave time to roam the John Crow Mountains, a Unesco World Heritage Site that drapes over 10,000 acres and is home to no fewer than 200 species of resident and migrant birds.
It’s that vaguely familiar, small-scale duo — the cricket-mad, cruise-ship regular (St Kitts) and its sidekick (Nevis) — on which life slows waaaay down. Welcome to quiet, civilised Caribbean life — a mellow itinerary of golf, delicious meals and lazy beach days, led by a regular crowd who like their hotels five-star and their drinks order memorised. It’s still lush and adventurous — you can hike through rainforest and spot green monkeys — but, like Antigua (which is only a 20-minute flight away), it feels uncannily British. Manicured St Kitts has most of the big resorts, while wilder Nevis’s boutique hotels are heavenly. A quarter of the size of Barbados , lost- in -time Nevis is compact enough to explore on foot. Chic independent hotels have transformed its grand old plantation houses, but consider, too, the candy-coloured clapboard bungalows of Oualie Beach . If you tire of lounging on golden sands, you can climb Nevis’s sole misty peak in search of crystalline waterfalls, wander around botanical gardens spotting mango-stealing monkeys, or sip potent ‘Killer Bee’ rum punches at Sunshine’s bar. Whereas you need to cover considerable distances to reach other tiny islands in the region, getting to this little Eden involves only a short flight from Antigua to St Kitts (on the plane you flew on from the UK), then a drive to your water-taxi: next stop Nevis.
Nearly all the resorts, attractions and golf courses are along the west coast (as are the two main cities, French-influenced Soufrière and the more British-feeling capital of Castries) — so if you want the wild, more jungly scenery, take a drive along the east coast to be impressed by the animal tally the island offers. Its rugged profile, wild, black volcanic beaches and spaced-apart towns requiring longer airport transfers also discourage families, so you look forward to fewer boisterous kids. Locate the white sands at Sugar Beach resort, set between the twin Piton peaks, and chill.
St Lucia’s natural beauty had European powers fighting over it for centuries — ‘Seven times British, seven times French’, as any local will tell you. Now one of the Caribbean’s independent nations, it’s among the friendliest and most peaceful of the bunch. While other islands look postcard-ready, with sandy stretches of coast in every direction, St Lucia’s appeal is earthier — the terrain varies so much you could be in a tropical rainforest one minute and the belly of a volcano the next.