Four Awesome Caribbean Islands To Experience in 2023
Virtually every Caribbean island has lifted restrictions after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic has passed, although in some cases there are specific requirements that travelers can quickly meet.
These four island destinations have opened their doors for millions of travelers and stand out as can’t-miss destinations ahead of the new year.
Anguilla
This island, located off the coast of St. Maarten, welcomes tourists with an excellent hotel infrastructure and a wide range of activities to enjoy its extraordinary nature and first-class cuisine in restaurants that offer international dishes with Caribbean fusion.
Little Bay is one of the most popular places on the island. There, visitors enjoy hours of snorkeling and swimming in crystal-clear waters. However, it should be noted that this spot does not have any services for tourists, so it is recommended to bring the necessary towels and drinks to spend the day and avoid using sunscreens that are not friendly to the environment.
In addition, several tour operators in Anguilla offer day sailing trips with lunch included in fabulous locations such as Prickly Pear Cays, a pair of protected islands classified as Wildlands by the Eastern Caribbean Natural Management Programme.
For history and culture lovers, there are two must-see sites, the James Ronald Webster Memorial and the Heritage Museum. The latter is located near East End Salt Pond and features an extensive collection of artifacts and photographs telling the island’s history, including the eras of slavery and phosphate trade.
Cayman Islands
This beautiful Caribbean spot has regained momentum after the pandemic. It is again visited by tourists from all over the world, especially from the United States, as its just an hour away from Miami.
Tourists can dive among incredible reefs, participate in water sports and tour cultural attractions designed for couples and families. Plus, the hotel and restaurant infrastructure of the Cayman Islands is world-class, which ensures a very comfortable stay for visitors.
In Grand Cayman, one of the three islands that make up this fabulous destination, visitors can enjoy the appeal of the famous Seven Mile Beach and North Sound, where there is a large colony of rays that can be seen snorkeling or diving. In Cayman Brac, visitors will find impressive stone caves and an abyss, where they can dive along a sunken ship. This island also has a beautiful forest ideal for bird watching as tourists walk the paths through lush nature.
Saint Lucia
This Caribbean island, recovering from the effects of the pandemic, has traditionally been one of the most visited destinations in the world, with a rate of 2.3 tourists per resident. The extraordinary island combines fine white sand beaches, rainforests, flower fields and other scenic landscapes.
Located next to the islands of St. Vincent, the Grenadines, and Martinique, this volcanic island has, in addition to its beaches and jungles, great mountains such as the famous Peter Piton and Gros Piton, ideal places for excursions and trekking along its lush trails. Most of Saint Lucia’s hotel infrastructure is located on the west coast, where visitors enjoy extraordinary views of the Caribbean and volcanic landscapes.
The island offers plenty of places to enjoy outdoor activities and water sports, especially diving in the Marigot Bay area, where visitors can discover abundant marine life with long snorkeling sessions. Other experiences available are windsurfing and kayaking.
In addition to these activities, tourists can tour the island on foot or by bike to enjoy the nature, including banana, coconut, mango, and guava trees. Soufrière is one of the most recommended cities for those visiting Saint Lucia due to its popular tourist areas such as Sulfur Springs, a place full of natural pools, and the Toraille Waterfall, where tourists can cool off during the day.
Grenada
This inviting Caribbean island is a paradise for lovers of nature exploration due to its many natural waterfalls and rainforests that are home to a wide variety of animal species, such as wild monkeys, birds and reptiles, among others.
In addition to boasting extraordinary beaches, Grenada is a historic place visitors can tour. Saint George, the capital, is a cozy setting full of colonial architecture inherited from England and France, like the Fort Saint George, built by the French in the 18th century on a high mountain providing an extraordinary view of the island.
Saint George also offers excellent markets for handicrafts and fruit and vegetables, as well as restaurants serving local specialties and international cuisine made with fresh local produce. Here, visitors can enjoy beautiful views of the Bay, surrounded by Georgian-style houses, sailboats, and private yachts.