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Caribbean islands that adapt to your lifestyle

Choosing the right island can definitely make all the difference in your vacation experience. Many travelers assume that the Caribbean islands are all the same, with beautiful beaches, lots of sunshine, and warm turquoise waters. . . and most islands offer plenty of the above. I say most because the islands of Dominica and Saba are not on any beach lovers list.

In addition to spending time at the beach, most vacationers enjoy a particular lifestyle or activities such as: Shopping, Gambling, Nightlife, Tranquility and Seclusion, Hiking, Golfing, Photography and Nature, History Buffs and archeology, Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing, All inclusive, Islands for the whole family, and the list goes on.

Just remember that when you spend your hard-earned money, choosing the right Caribbean island will ensure you have the “perfect” Caribbean vacation.

SHOPPING IN THE CARIBBEAN: You can shop on any island, but if you’re looking for a “shop ’til you drop” experience, head to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands or Curaçao (pronounced cura-uh-sow). . Both islands boast extensive shops, stores, and designer boutiques that rival any American or European city. Other islands that offer a variety of shopping are Barbados, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico and St Martin/St Maarten.

GAMBLING CASINOS IN THE CARIBBEAN: The largest gambling casinos in the Caribbean are located in Aruba, The Bahamas (Cable Beach and Paradise Island), Curacao, San Juan, St Croix and St Maarten.

Barbados and Jamaica only have slot machines. Antigua, Belize, Bonaire, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Kitts, St. Vincent, and the Turks and Caicos Islands have much smaller gaming operations.

NIGHTLIFE IN THE CARIBBEAN: Lots of fun can be found when the Caribbean sun sets in Barbados, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin/Saint Maarten and St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands.

QUIET & SECURED – Travelers looking for a quieter, more secluded vacation will find it at Parrot Cay, which is located in Turks & Caicos, St Kitts, St Vincent & The Grenadines, and Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands.

HIKING IN THE CARIBBEAN – Dominica – Valley of Desolation and the Boiling Lake; Dominican Republic – Ascent to Pico Duarte (the highest peak in the Caribbean); Grenada – Mount Qua Qua; Guadeloupe – La Soufriere volcano; Jamaica-Blue Mountains; Puerto Rico-El Yunque National Forest; St. Kitts-Bloody Rivers Creek; Tobago-Little Tobago Cay; Trinidad – Asa Wright Nature Center; and the US Virgin Islands – 2/3 of the island of St John is a nature reserve.

GOLF – The best golf courses in the Caribbean are located on the islands of Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Nevis, Puerto Rico, St Croix and St Thomas.

PHOTOGRAPHY AND NATURE OF THE CARIBBEAN – Dominica, Jamaica, St John, St Lucia are wonderful islands for lovers of photography and nature. In fact Dominica is called the natural island of the Caribbean.

HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY buffs will find the Caribbean islands of Barbados, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico quite interesting.

SNORKELING – Antigua, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Curacao Marine Park, St. Martin, The Grenadines, Tobago, St. Thomas, Turks and Caicos, St Croix and St John offer some of the best snorkeling in all of the Caribbean islands.

DIVING: Caribbean diving enthusiasts prefer Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Saba, The Bahamas, St Croix, Turks & Caicos and Virgin Gorda.

SAILING – The best sailing in the Caribbean can be found in Antigua, Barbados, St. Maarten, The Grenadines, the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

ALL INCLUSIVE CARIBBEAN – Both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic do not have an infrastructure enabled for tourism. That is why both islands offer a large number of all-inclusive hotels and resorts. Jamaica is the largest island in the Caribbean and has many points of interest, however the roads are extremely bad. It should be noted that Jamaica is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, and travelers should be careful when choosing which part of Jamaica to visit. English is spoken in the tourist areas, however once you enter the Dominican countryside, Spanish is required.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY CARIBBEAN ISLANDS: Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Tobago, and Turks & Caicos. Additionally, the Four Seasons on the island of Nevis offers an excellent children’s program, and all Hyatt Regency resorts throughout the Caribbean offer family vacations.

Hopefully, this will give travelers a guide to choosing a Caribbean island to suit any lifestyle.