Top 10 Caribbean Island Destinations
According to The Orbitz Insider Index, a monthly, in-depth look at travel trends from an industry insider’s perspective, the most popular Caribbean island destinations are:
- Puerto Rico
- Bahamas
- St. Thomas
- Dominican Republic
- Jamaica
- Aruba
- St. Maarten
- British Virgin Islands
- St. Croix
- Barbados
Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. Photo by Michael Buck
In order to help travelers plan the perfect vacation, Orbitz also released its “Staff Insider Picks” for Caribbean island destinations. This list of outstanding locations can have travelers gazing at colorful coral reefs or climbing giant waterfalls, depending upon their fancy.
- “Best Scuba Island” – Turks & Caicos
- “Best Beaches Island” – Barbados
- “Best Gaming Island” – Aruba
- “Best Natural Wonders Island” – Dominica
- “Best Shopping Island” – St. Thomas
- “Best Historic Island” – Puerto Rico
- “Best Adventure Island” – Jamaica
Orbitz is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and purchase a broad array of travel products, including airline tickets, lodging, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages.
Over the summer, my family and I visited Aruba and had the time of our lives. It was an incredibly beautiful place and we highly reccomend it for any vacation-seekers. If you go, the Jolly Pirates Cruise is a must. Great food, “pirates”, and amazingly fun. The snorkeling spots are gorgeous. I also reccomend the Divi all inclusive resort most of all. We will definitely be going back.
wow this place looks amazing
My husband and I visited St Croix for our 10yr wedding annivers, and it is amazing! The people are so friendly and every day was gorgeous. The sites and history are amazing!
Most of all the beaches were stunning….
We visited in Novemeber and as I stated that trip was amazing and we had a blast! So much fun, and so much to see.
I agree that Turks and Caicos is the best island for scuba diving. I went there about four years ago and snorkeled. The snorkeling was unbelievable, so I know the diving must be gorgeous!
St. Maarten!!! TOTALLY AWESOME!!! I WANT TO GO BACK SOON.
ok i recently went to the island of jamaica i was hesitant at first because of all the rumors i have heared about the crime but i wanted a vaciation of the work load i had so i packed up my bags and went at when i landed at sangster i have to say it was one of the most modernized airports i have been in seriously and the people were so friendls but i the only thing i did not like was the person who carry ur bags i only had one bag so i did not need one and when i said ok let him carry it he demanded 5 dollors so i was like what are u serious and he so p.s carry ur bags urself unless ur traveling heavy and make sure u have 5 dollors ok lol but we went to negril and it was a beauty i was so relaxed the water was clear and the beaches was so clean and the i was in heaven then after we stayed at negril for the night we went to the famous ochio rios home of dunns river nad trust me its not easy climbing that falls trust me its like 1,078 feet up and the rocks are so huge they are hard for u to climb but trust me i had fun and the food and service was great but the sad part about it i had to return 5 days later to work trust me i was pissed and i did not want to go back but i did enjoy myself and trust me i highly recommend u if u want adventure u need to go to JAMAICA i have been to barbadoes and aruba and it does not compare to JAMAICA its a island like no other and they have a nice night life also but i ill be back very soon to that island i hope u enjoyed reading it and felt a rush to go there trust me u will not regreat it
one love JAMAICA
If people like simplicity I recommend Dominicican Republic, St.Maartin, and Aruba. These places are all great to go to. Here you can see and learn the many languages that these Islands have to offer. Aruba has Dutch influence but they speak spanish. St.Martin is French & Dutch they speak spanish as well. Santo Domingo DR,is great You can stay with locals and get close an personal.
i luv puerto rico its such a beautiful place to visit and to live !!!!!!!!!!!!
I JUST LUV PUERTO RICO IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND IT IS FUN TO LIVE IN! AND IT IS SO AMAZING!
My wife and I have been to both St. Martin and Barbados. Of the two, I would say we had a much better time in Barbados. Part of the reason was the resort we stayed in on St. Martin was terrible. The room was ugly, the resort was dirty, and the staff was not very friendly. I will say that St. Maarten has that awesome airport that is literally on the beach!! Check it out on YouTube.
my boyfriend and i are thinking of instead going around europe to go and visit lots of tropical islands we need good surfing spots and good shopping and markets anyone able to recommend some or a string of places from western australia to leave from thanks kez
what about antigua and barbuda
VISIT PUERTO RICO, IS EASY IF YOUR AMERICAN… NO PASSPORTS!
AND IS THE BERST OF THE CARIBBEAN
what are the most popular islands for watersports the ones with the most tourists?
iv been to jamaica puerto Rico and Barbados. jamaica is quite nasty. especially Montego BAY but the beaches are quite nice.puerto rico is pretty okay in terms of shopping and nightlifebut barbados as small as it is stands out. The beaches are very clean,as well as the town. Shopping is good, nightlife is great on the south coast, streets are clean, locals are friendly,Food is exellent and i would reccomend Barbados to any person. IT siply is the best
i really want to go and sail in the caribbean seas..i love so much.it is one of my dreams to have a vacation with my family..
I would say these places are fun. But, if you are the type who loves adventure and fun whilst geting a cultural experience Belize is the place to go. It’s home to the seconed largest reef in the world, the people are very welcoming and speak english due to its british background. and there are things such as cave tubing, jungle ATV adventures, snorkeling, great food. The best reason to visit though is it’s under rated. Every body goes to these places that are so glamorous but in reality, vanity isn’t a learning cultural experience. I have been to Belize 4 times and will never complain
where in Belize did you stay? We want to go there but online all the accommodations either look quite run down or really expensive.
I was in Dominica recently and this Tropical Island is indeed a paradise! Wonderful people, beautiful sites and clean rivers.
@ Kareem I find it strange that you said Jamaica is “nasty” especially Montego Bay? I am a Canadaian that had lived there for several years because of work and I am wondering were in Montego Bay do you consider nasty? I have worked all over the Caribbean and Mexico and as far as i am concerned there is no place like Jamaica. Every caribbean island has it own problems buddy and if you gonna say some where is nasty surely Puerto Rico could fit that bill as well and even Barbaods that you seem to taken with. The most down to earth friendly people in the Caribbean are in Jamaica and I should know this because i am a chef!!! Say what you want to say about Jamaica but speaking form experience there is no place like Ja in the caribben. For me it is the best island by far!! For those who have not been there don’t knock it until you have been there!
For miss Kelly: I really don’t know why you are spewing all this venom and lie about Montego Bay been nasty if so why is it a top tourist destination.
I am a Jamaican who has travelled to Grenada,Barbados,and Guyana. I disagree with Kareem’s opinion about my homeland, but I have to agree with him about Barbados. You have to go to Bathsheba,in ST. Josephs, along the east coast to inhale some of the cleanest air and watch surfing in the atlantic ocean. The west coast is more developed and has some of the most beautiful beaches. The south, particularly Christ Church, is where the vibrant nightlife is. Barbados is it. Anyone visiting Grenada has to go to Grand Anse beach in St. Georges. That white sand beach with tranquil waters is one of the best I have ever been to in the Caribbean. The food in Grenada wasn’t that tasty to me, but the people are friendy. In Jamaica, I have swam in waters that are turtoise to crystal clear. Some of these beaches can be found on the east coast in the parish of Portland. Jamaica has the most delicious food of any island nation I have ever visited, but Guyana does the best Roti I have ever had.
This list is one of a few worth looking at, since many published in other sites do not include the island of Dominican Republic, because it`s become one of the best destinations in the Caribbean and competitors are feeling it. Investment in the DR has been enormous, with probably the highest numbers of many other smaller islands combined. If the game was fair, everyone would get a slice and tourists would get real, fairly done reviews!
im turning 23 in december so my girls and i wasnt to go on vacation around that time.. i was thinking aruba or st.thomas.. which 1 and y> and where to stay
i meant to say wanted to go
BARBADOS IS SIMPLY THE BEST. PARADISE
I suspect kelly (no punctuation) and Eric are undercover Jamaicans. I’ve seen this MO before. Kelly wrote a poorly written review claiming that other islands don’t compare and claiming that Jamaica is the greatest. And while Kareem’s description of Jamaica as nasty was unfair, Eric’s subsequent attack on other islands was also distasteful. No need for you guys to get aggressive and nasty, or you prove Kareem’s point. I think Mark’s response was much much better. He identified himself as Jamaica, and basically said that all the islands are different and beautiful. Kudos to Mark for keeping a level head!
JAMAICA!!the best
Barbados should not be placed at no.10 you definately need to open those ‘eyes’ of yours , because you seem to be BLIND.Barbados is no.1, then st.lucia should come afterwards
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