Caribbean Islands
From World travel guide
The Caribbean islands or West Indies have long been known as a vacation destination for honeymooners and retirees, but a small movement towards eco-tourism and backpacking has started to open the Caribbean up to independent travel. With year-round good weather (with the minor exception of hurricane season in the late summer and early fall), promotional air fare from Europe and North America, and hundreds of islands to explore, the Caribbean offers something for everyone.
Contents |
Understand
The Caribbean islands were first inhabited by the Arawak Indians, then were invaded by a more aggressive tribe, the Caribs. Unfortunately, the Caribs could not appreciate their victory for long, for the Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British, colonized their lands. The islands have had many historic battles and even some pirate stories.
Greater Antilles
- Puerto Rico
- Cuba
- Hispaniola -- shared by The Dominican Republic and Haiti
- Jamaica
- Navassa Island -- Uninhabited wildlife refuge.
Lesser Antilles
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados -- the "little England" of the Caribbean
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guadeloupe
- Martinique
- Montserrat
- Netherlands Antilles
- Saint Martin
- St Barthelemy
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Virgin Islands
Bahamas
- The Bahamas
Parts of Central America, Mexico, and the United States also border on the Caribbean Sea.
See
Get In
By Plane
- From Europe (Germany) to:
- Antigua and Barbuda(ANU) from London (LGW), Franfurt (FRA) by BA, Condor
- Barbados, Bridgetown (BGT) from London, Manchaster by BA, BWIA, Frankfurt by Condor
- Saint Lucia, Hewanorra (UVF) from London by BA, BWIA
- Martinique Fort-de-France (FDF) from Paris by Air France, Air Caribes (cheapest from Germany ?)
- Tobago (TAB), from Frankfurt, London by BA, Condor
- Trinidad, Port-of-Spain (POS)
- Airlines:
- BA: British Airways: London (LGW) - Antigua (ANU), London (LGW) - Bridgetown/Christ Church (BGI), London - Staint Lucia Hewanorra (UVF), Manchaster - Staint Lucia Hewanorra (UVF)
- BWIA: BWIA West Indies: from Manchester, London - Barbados, London - Barbados, London - Staint Lucia, London - Antigua, Belfast - Tobago (see BWIA Route map)
- Condor: Condor/Thomas Cook from Frankfurt (FRA), see Condor Route map
- Air France from Paris
Get Around
You can find information about the local airliners at Caribbean Airliners.
There is an Air Pass to travel between most of the islands of the lesser Antilles delivered by the regional company LIAT Airlines, it costs about 500$ for one month and is unlimited, but you have to pay each airport taxes. Air Jamaica also proposes a hopping program for about the same price.
EasyCruiseOne will be sailing in Barbados and the surrounding Caribbean islands in the winter of 2005/06. The first day of the Barbados and the Caribbean itinerary will be 12 November 2005 until 29 April 2006. You can board & depart anywhere along the route as long as you stay on the ship at least 2 nights. Route: Barbados (saturday, sunday), St-Vincent (monday), Martinique (tuesday), The Grenadines (wednesday), Grenada (thursday), St.Lucia (friday) and back to Barbados (saturday). The cruise is mainly aimed at independently minded people in their 20s, 30s & 40s. The price per cabin per night (not per person per night) is about 30€, including port taxes. Meals and refreshments are not included.
Do
Sleep
- Hostel Happy offers a sailboat hostel (quite possibly the only one of its kind) for hosteling and chartering all over the greater Caribbean. The boat will be in Clarkes Court Bay, Grenada, from December 2004 through February 2005. http://www.hostelhappy.net
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