~ Top 10 Most Visited Caribbean Islands ~

[MysteRy]

Top 10 Most Visited Caribbean Islands

The Caribbean Islands have long been a great vacation destination and there are so many great islands to choose from knowing which island is right for you and yours during a trip to the Caribbean may not always be so quite cut and dry. This top 10 list will make you aware of at least 10 of the exceptional islands of the Caribbean that people love to visit and they are some of the most popular as well as the grandest of the islands. One thing is sure about every island in the Caribbean and that is that they all have incredible beaches to lie out on and water so clear it seems as though you can see forever but the islands all have their unique tourist features. The land features all vary on the islands as well.



1. St Maarten



St. Maarten Island may be one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean to visit and it actually is divided by two owning countries, the Netherlands and France. The island is almost split perfectly in half by these two competing countries. There are many unique lands and even some limestone shores that are located on the island. The French side of the island is known for its nude beaches, wild nightlife and the good eating and boutique shopping. Both side of the island have their unique lifestyles but both of them cater to the tourist industry and the island is small enough to travel from one end to the other within a day. The island has many timeshares, luxury resorts and even some great holiday homes for visitors to spend their time on the island at. There are many opportunities for water sports too and some of the resorts include access to rentals right from their beach areas.

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2. Aruba



"Aruba, Jamaica, ooh, I want to take ya, to Bermuda, Bahamas, come on pretty mama...”, from this song is how many people have first heard of the island known as Aruba. The island is located about 27 km north of the country of Venezuela and it has long been a popular resort island for much of the worlds travelers. The island has many fun activities to take part in such as hiking, kayaking and of course everything else beach related. The small island is only 33 kilometers long and is mostly dry and arid in weather and in fact, this is why it is so popular with tourists as the weather can always be expected to be comfortably warm and sunny almost year round. The great weather is not the only thing that the island has that draws in its visitors is its also the snow white sands and the more than accommodating resorts as well as the numerous options of rental properties vacationers an stay in while on the island.

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3. Bahamas
 


Off the coast of Cuba and is part of the Cuban chain of islands, it is also close to the Turks and Caicos Islands. The great thing about the Bahamas is that it is a great place to catch a cruise to or from as many of the United States and other big countries have major cruises that either set off from the islands or land in the islands for their patrons to explore and hang out in for a few days and sometimes even weeks depending on the scale of the cruise. One interesting fact of the Bahamas is that it is the third wealthiest country following behind |America and the country Canada in the Western hemisphere. It is believed that Christopher Columbus visited some of the islands of the Bahamas in 1492 on his second voyage to the New World. The islands deep rooted histories and their local hospitality make them a great place to visit aside from the great time you can spend on the beach.

[MysteRy]

4. St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
 


For Americans to visit the US virgin Islands there is no passport required and this is one aspect to the islands that make them popular for American travelers. St. Thomas is one of the most commonly traveled of the US Virgin Islands and even though it is only 32 square miles in total size it attracts more than 1,000,000 visitors a year. Although the island is not very large and brings in so many visitors each year it still maintains its un-crowded feeling with all the wild lands to hike in and wonderful accommodations. There are very many things to do while you are on St. Thomas Island such as diving, snorkeling and every other imaginable watersport. There is also a great selection of fine restaurants and more than spoiling spas to lounge in. the island is one of the best places to relax your stresses away.

[MysteRy]

5. Puerto Rico



Puerto Rico is a great place for party people and those who just want a relaxing escape to make their stay at. The Island of Puerto Rico has a blend of just about everything people enjoy to do while on vacation and there is truly something for all ages to take part in. The country of Puerto Rico is actually an unincorporated territory of the United States but it has maintained its Spanish roots and heritage, not really becoming westernized. Christopher Columbus made a stay on the island during his voyages in the area. The area was inhabited for many years by aboriginal peoples but the ancient history of the land is not known before the great explorer Christopher Columbus landed on the island. The island of Puerto Rico is filled with many places to sunbath and many clubs and discos or bars to go out to at night. The Puerto Rican cuisine is to die for as well and there are many small diners where you can experience the real cooking of Puerto Rico.

[MysteRy]

6. Bermuda
 


The island of Bermuda is a place of many legends and folklore tales of spirits and paranormal activity mainly due to the nearby Bermuda Triangle but it is quite far from a bad place to visit in the Caribbean. The island is one of the best islands to visit for most that have visited the land at least once. The island was first discovered buy the Spanish in 1505 giving a long standing past and Spanish influence. The islands biggest industry is the off-shore financial industry and that is followed by tourism. The financial market of the island has brought in a very affluent range of residents and the community of the island is quite influential when it comes to the financial industry of the world. The island is believed to have the highest per capita income in the entirety of the world although this is very difficult to officially verify. The wealth of the island has led to the development of many of the worlds most luxurious and prestigious accommodations.

[MysteRy]

7. Cayman Islands
 


The Cayman Islands are another one of the Caribbeans well-known islands and it has been part of the tourism movement since travel by boat first came about, well not literally but it seems so. Another one of the worlds offshore financial centers is found on the Cayman Islands and the name is well-known in the financial industry around the world. The islands are known as a tax haven and are a place where many launch their offshore companies from. As far as tourism goes the islands are a great place to chill out for a wonderful day on the sand and the affluent population of the islands has brought light to many museums on the islands that highlight everything from the performing arts to Modern Art exhibits. Of the chain of islands that make up the archipelago, Grand Cayman is the most populated and has a very wide choice of accommodations to choose from. 

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8. Jamaica



Everything is legal in Jamaica as the saying goes, of course this is not a fact but the laws are quite flexible and this is how the saying came about. When many think of the island they may picture the Rastafarian culture and the reggae music from the great artist Bob Marley but aside from the peaceful Rasta culture there is much to Jamaica that should be experienced such as the great culinary flavors and the go all night scene. Although the island of Jamaica is small is presence in the world of music impacts the whole world and it may not be quite known but the country had a lot of influence to the now popular punk rock music scene. There is something that is not great about the country though and that is that the residents have been known to be aggressive toward homosexual couples and there have been many crimes against same sex partners in the country, this has led to the belief that the country is one of the most homophobic in the world today.

[MysteRy]

9. Trinidad and Tobago



Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad is the largest and most populated of the main islands of the archipelago. One thing that the islands are known for tis there many contributions to the art of dance and their unique blend of cuisine flavors. The most traditional of dishes is curried foods including curried duck, pork and rice. Trinidad and Tobago are actually the place where the limbo and many other forms of party dances were created. |the islands are very popular for their many festivals many of which happen in the streets of the main city, where dancing and live music are big aspects to the celebrations. Throughout the islands visitors will get many chances to experience the cultures of the lands and have plenty of opportunities to just spend some time on the beaches. Aside from the festivals, beaches and food there is also an abundance of wild land to hike in and discover the beautiful tropical plants of the islands.

[MysteRy]

10. Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands



The third largest of the islands in the British Virgin Islands archipelago is the island Virgin Gorda, it is the second most populated in the archipelago though. The island is the perfect place to take in the sight of some very unique and interesting beach grottoes. The grottoes of the island are made of giant piled up granite boulders that form water accessible grottoes. At the part of the beaches known as "The Baths” there is the presence of volcanic activity that you can see firsthand. The landscapes and geological formation of the island is very intriguing and it is what helps the island draw in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Seeing sunset from the Baths is something no traveler should miss while on the island. Christopher Columbus is said to have given the island the name "The Fat Virgin” and this was due to how he perceived the island from a distant as the sunset, the island features seemed to give the island the shape of a fat virgin girl laying on her side, at least that is how he saw the profile of the little island.


If you travel to the Caribbean anytime soon definitely check out some of these great islands and your trip is sure to be a good one. Just remember to bring a good quality camera and one that is waterproof if possible so you can take home many postcard-like photos to show off to coworkers, friends and family members when you return. No matter what your tastes in travel are there is an island in the Caribbean for you and yours, from quiet and calm to wild and loud. The Caribbean delivers when it comes to the beach scene and this is just one aspect to all of these islands. So even if you arent much into a booming and all night party scene during the day you can lie out on the sands of any of these islands and find your peace of mind.