Welcome To The Caribbean

The purpose of this page is to give you everything you need to know about the Caribbean. The content will continue to be updated so bookmark the page and come back regularly.

Note that some Caribbean islands are still re-building due to recent hurricanes. If you’d like to help them rebuild. The Caribbean Tourism Organization has setup a fund for you to do so. Check it out.

Activities (What To Do And Where To Do It)

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Activities courtesy of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO).

Caribbean Tours

Where Are The Caribbean Islands

The Caribbean Islands are a string of islands starting with Cuba in the north and actually ending with Guyana which is actually in South America, but considered as a part of the Caribbean as its a part of the Caribbean Economic Community and a founding member. Belize although not an island is also considered a part of the Caribbean due to its colonial history.

Here is a list of the countries/islands that are considered as The Caribbean:
Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands (Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda), Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Barts (Saint Barthélemy), St. Eustatius, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Maarten/St. Martin, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas).

Map of the Caribbean

Aerial view of St. Lucea, Jamaica

Currency

Each of the island has their own currency, which is usually pegged against the U.S. dollar. Some of the islands do use US dollars as some are U.S. territories. All will accept the U.S. dollar, but you should get local currency if the U.S. dollar is not the official currency of record.

Maho Bay Beach St. maarten

You can usually get local currency at an airport ATM or the currency exchange at your departure airport and/or your arrival airport in the Caribbean. Note that the rates will be higher at the airport or any other currency exchanges. Also, the airport may not have a currency exchange or an ATM, so you should arrive with some local if at all possible. They usually don’t refuse U.S. dollar (USD) at the airport though unless you have to take a local bus and the currency is not USD.

Anguilla – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
Antigua and Barbuda – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
The Bahamas – U.S. dollar (USD)
Barbados – Barbados dollar (BBD)
Belize – Belize dollar (BZD)
Bonaire – U.S. dollar (USD)
British Virgin Islands (Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda) – U.S. dollar (USD)
Cayman Islands – Cayman Islands dollar (KYD)
Cuba – Cuban Peso (CUP)
Curaçao – Antillean guilder (ANG)
Dominica – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
Dominican Republic – Dominican peso (DOP)
Grenada – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
Guadeloupe – Euro (EUR)
Guyana – Guyanese dollar (GYD)
Haiti – Haitian gourde (HTG)
Jamaica – Jamaican dollar (JMD)
Martinique – Euro (EUR)
Montserrat – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
Puerto Rico – U.S. dollar (USD)
Saba – U.S. dollar (USD)
St. Barts (Saint Barthélemy) – Euro (EUR)
St. Eustatius – U.S. dollar (USD)
St. Kitts & Nevis – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
St. Lucia – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
St. Maarten – Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
St. Martin – Euro (EUR)
St. Vincent and The Grenadines – Eastern Caribbean dollar (ECD)
Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)
Turks and Caicos Islands – U.S. dollar (USD)
U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas) – U.S. dollar (USD)

Visas

Most islands do not require a visa for Americans, British and Canadian citizens. And as a U.S. citizen, you do not require a visa for visiting Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas and St. Croix). You just have to ensure that you have a government issued ID when you travel.

St. Kitts

This is a huge plus as immediately you save on the visa fees. Do check the health requirements though as depending on where you go, you may be held in quarantine depending on where you’ve visited prior to entering the Caribbean.

Check for health and visa information before you go.

Hotels

There are many hotels in the Caribbean of differing price ranges. I’ve partnered with Trip Advisor so you can get a sense of what deals are out there. Check out the list of Caribbean hotels.

Jewel Grande, Montego Bay, Jamaica

Book A Hotel In The Caribbean

How To Get To The Caribbean

There are several ways to get to the Caribbean. It is primarily by air though. You can see the airlines serving each country from the Activities section above.

Donald Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, Jamaica. You may also, do a flight search from my partner Expedia.com. They will help you to find the lowest fares.

There are a few airlines that flies between islands too. Also, some islands are accessible by ferries from other smaller islands. I’ve included a list of airlines, cruise lines and ferries serving the Caribbean for your review here.

Airlines based in the Caribbean

Air Antilles (3S) based in Guadeloupe

Air Aruba based in Aruba

Bahamasair (UP) based in Nassau, The Bahamas

Bohlke International Airways based in St. Croix (private charters)

Caribbean Airlines (BW) based in Trinidad and Tobago (POS)

Caribbean Air Charter Fly BVI based in the British Virgin Islands

interCaribbean Airways (JY) based in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands

Liat (LI) based in Antigua (ANU)

Monserrat Airways based in Montserrat

Seaborne Airlines (BB) based in San Juan, Puerto Rico (SJU), now Silver Airways

Winward Express Airways based in St. Maarten (SXM)

Winward Islands Airways [Winair] based in St. Maarten (SXM)

Cruise Lines Serving The Caribbean

Carnival Cruise Lines
MSC Cruises
Royal Caribbean
Virgin Cruises

Ferries Serving The Caribbean

Only select islands have ferry service between them. Here’s a list.

Between:

Antigua, Barbuda and Montserrat
- Antigua to/from Barbuda
Puerto Rico, The US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands
St. Maarten/St. Martin and Anguilla
St. Maarten/St. Martin and Saba
St. Maarten and St. Barth
Saba and St Eustatius
St. Maarten and St. Eustatius
St. Kitts and Nevis
- There is Ferry and Water Taxi Service
U.S. Virgin Islands
- St. Croix to St. Thomas
- St. John
- St. Thomas to/from St. John and The British Virgin Islands (Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda) – St. Thomas Water Taxi
- St. Thomas to/from The British Virgin Islands (Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, Tortola, Virgin Gorda and other smaller islands) – Dolphin Water Taxi

Additional Information About The Caribbean Islands

Here are additional bits and pieces I’ve written or pieces by my fellow travel bloggers about the Caribbean. First up is a video about Caribbean food in Jamaica; jerk pork/chicken in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

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A post shared by Kerwin (@cookingwithkerwin)

Antigua and Barbuda – Destination Information and 365 Beaches
Cuba – The low down on visiting Cuba
Guadeloupe – A French Caribbean Hidden Gem
Jamaica – What you need to know when visiting Jamaica
Martinique – A rugged Caribbean beauty
Puerto Rico – Information on what to do in Puerto Rico
St. Lucia – An Unfamiliar Destination