Top Caribbean Holiday Destinations
Tourist Bureau
With its all year round hot climate, beautiful beaches, wonderful hotels and great diversity of cultures and cuisine, there is so much choice when it comes to deciding upon a destination for your Caribbean Island holiday. We have broken down the top 3 and listed the top 10 visited islands for 2011 as holiday destinations.**
1. Dominican Republic (4.3 million visitors)
Located centrally in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic is the second biggest nation in the Caribbean, comprising an island with its westerly bordered nation Haiti.
The ‘Republic was Christopher Columbus’ stepping stone in the New World and its capital Santo Domingo is both lively and steeped in history.
Most tourists head for the high profile all-inclusive resorts on the east coast and luxury villas on the north coasts. Eco-tourism is also thriving in spectacular national parks and the mountainous interior. The local cuisine benefits from a Creole influence and abundance of fresh local seafood. Holiday accommodation varies for all budgets from small guest houses to elegant colonial hotels and luxury villa resorts, making the Dominican Republic a diverse place to visit. The Dominican Republic is Spanish speaking and is an equally popular Caribbean holiday destination with North American, European and rest of World tourists.
2. Cuba (2.7 million visitors)
Situated only 90 miles south from Key West FL, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, measuring over 600 miles from east to west. Famed for its friendly locals, history, culture and musical splendour, Cuba also has a varying and beautiful landscape. The capital Havana is music crazy! You can be forgiven for thinking time has stood still, with its colonial history and state owned residences.
To the east, Cuba’s second city Santiago de Cuba is also music crazy. In between there is an abundance of historical rural towns, beautiful coastline, mountains, forests and desert in between! Easily accessible from Europe and America with direct flights to Havana and the East, Cuba is equally popular as a Caribbean holiday destination with North American and European tourists. Spanish speaking, Cuba is home to salsa, mojitos, Fidel Castro, cigars… need we say more?
3. Jamaica (1.7 million visitors)
Jamaica is a largish sized island (by Caribbean measures) measuring 145 miles in length. Situated centrally in The Caribbean, Jamaica sits to the south of Cuba and West of Haiti. Its capital is Kingston on the south of the island, with 2nd city Montego Bay to the North, the island split by a dramatic mountain range in the middle.
The official language of Jamaica is English, also with local Patwa dialect. The birthplace to the legendary Bob Marley, Reggae and Rasta culture, Jamaica has colonial architectural influences and is blessed with beautiful beaches, flowers, gardens and birdlife. The culture serves up a vibrancy of local life and music, along with the excellent culinary spices – not forgetting the island’s famous local rum! Jamaica offers an intensive holiday experience with something on offer for each traveller. Well served by international flights, Jamaica is mostly popular as a Caribbean holiday destination with North American, plus select European and rest of World tourists.
Remaining top 10 Caribbean holiday destinations:
4. Puerto Rico (1.4 million visitors)
5. Bahamas (1.3 million visitors)
6. Aruba (0.87 million visitors)
7. US Virgin Islands (0.61 million visitors)
8. Barbados (0.56 million visitors)
9. St Maarten (0.42 million visitors)
10. Curacao (0.39 million visitors)
To read more about Caribbean Island destinations and plan your exciting trip – visit the interactive map of Caribbean , an impartial Caribbean travel guide with in-depth reviews showing you the way to the best about the Caribbean with culture, cuisine, accommodation, deals, transport and much more…
**This article includes only visitors arriving at these islands as a holiday destination for 2011, and does not take into consideration visitors arriving as part of a cruise passenger holiday, nor stop over arrivals, nor mainland Latin America countries. With thanks to onecaribbean.org for collating the statistics.
1. Dominican Republic (4.3 million visitors)
Located centrally in the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic is the second biggest nation in the Caribbean, comprising an island with its westerly bordered nation Haiti.
The ‘Republic was Christopher Columbus’ stepping stone in the New World and its capital Santo Domingo is both lively and steeped in history.
Most tourists head for the high profile all-inclusive resorts on the east coast and luxury villas on the north coasts. Eco-tourism is also thriving in spectacular national parks and the mountainous interior. The local cuisine benefits from a Creole influence and abundance of fresh local seafood. Holiday accommodation varies for all budgets from small guest houses to elegant colonial hotels and luxury villa resorts, making the Dominican Republic a diverse place to visit. The Dominican Republic is Spanish speaking and is an equally popular Caribbean holiday destination with North American, European and rest of World tourists.
2. Cuba (2.7 million visitors)
Situated only 90 miles south from Key West FL, Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean, measuring over 600 miles from east to west. Famed for its friendly locals, history, culture and musical splendour, Cuba also has a varying and beautiful landscape. The capital Havana is music crazy! You can be forgiven for thinking time has stood still, with its colonial history and state owned residences.
To the east, Cuba’s second city Santiago de Cuba is also music crazy. In between there is an abundance of historical rural towns, beautiful coastline, mountains, forests and desert in between! Easily accessible from Europe and America with direct flights to Havana and the East, Cuba is equally popular as a Caribbean holiday destination with North American and European tourists. Spanish speaking, Cuba is home to salsa, mojitos, Fidel Castro, cigars… need we say more?
3. Jamaica (1.7 million visitors)
Jamaica is a largish sized island (by Caribbean measures) measuring 145 miles in length. Situated centrally in The Caribbean, Jamaica sits to the south of Cuba and West of Haiti. Its capital is Kingston on the south of the island, with 2nd city Montego Bay to the North, the island split by a dramatic mountain range in the middle.
The official language of Jamaica is English, also with local Patwa dialect. The birthplace to the legendary Bob Marley, Reggae and Rasta culture, Jamaica has colonial architectural influences and is blessed with beautiful beaches, flowers, gardens and birdlife. The culture serves up a vibrancy of local life and music, along with the excellent culinary spices – not forgetting the island’s famous local rum! Jamaica offers an intensive holiday experience with something on offer for each traveller. Well served by international flights, Jamaica is mostly popular as a Caribbean holiday destination with North American, plus select European and rest of World tourists.
Remaining top 10 Caribbean holiday destinations:
4. Puerto Rico (1.4 million visitors)
5. Bahamas (1.3 million visitors)
6. Aruba (0.87 million visitors)
7. US Virgin Islands (0.61 million visitors)
8. Barbados (0.56 million visitors)
9. St Maarten (0.42 million visitors)
10. Curacao (0.39 million visitors)
To read more about Caribbean Island destinations and plan your exciting trip – visit the interactive map of Caribbean , an impartial Caribbean travel guide with in-depth reviews showing you the way to the best about the Caribbean with culture, cuisine, accommodation, deals, transport and much more…
**This article includes only visitors arriving at these islands as a holiday destination for 2011, and does not take into consideration visitors arriving as part of a cruise passenger holiday, nor stop over arrivals, nor mainland Latin America countries. With thanks to onecaribbean.org for collating the statistics.
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