Caribbean and Central America Travel

Fodor.com listed three islands in the Caribbean as the favorite port of call of Caribbean cruises. The winners? Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, the island of Dominica, and the Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos islands.

According to Fodor’s, these islands have the best to offer Caribbean tourists. Curacao with its spectacular dive sites, Dominica with its lush rain forest and numerous outdoor activities making it the perfect destination for adventure travelers, and the Grand Turk with its gorgeous beaches that’s perfect for sunbathing, wading or snorkeling.

Head on over to Fodors.com to see the complete recommendation list.

The United States Virgin Islands, or the US Virgin Islands, are part of the Virgin Island archipelago in the Caribbean. Similar to its British counterpart, they are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.

The Virgin Islands (main islands being St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix), were named by Christopher Columbus on his second journey into the west Indies. Though first inhabited by the Caribs and the Arawaks, European settlers soon came and took over the land. The US Virgin Islands have changed hands throughout the succeeding years, mostly European. First there were the Spaniards, then it fell unto British rule, followed by the Netherlands, France, then Denmark.

It was the Danish who helped in building the islands’ economy, with the settlement of the Danish West India Company on the island of Saint Thomas in 1672. To this day, the US Virgin Islands are often refered to as the Danish West Indian Islands by the people of Denmark.

While the Dutch helped the economy of the country flourish under their rule, it also started its decline while under their control. With the abolition of the slavery in July 3, 1848, the sugarcane industry and the economy was greatly affected. A treaty was proposed to sell the islands of St. Thomas and St. John to the United States in 1867. There was a general consensus, but the sale never pushed through. A second treaty was pushed 35 years later, but it majority of the Danish parliament voted against it.

It was World War I that finally made the Danish Crown sell the islands to the United States. In fears of the islands being taken by the Germans in their attack of the USA. Coupled with the burden of supporting a failing economy, the Denmark finally handed over the islands on March 31, 1917.

Today, the US Virgin Islands are a favorite vacation destination of Americans, specially during the winter months. December to May sees the highest tourist entries, the balmy breeze of the Caribbean offering a warm respite to the cold winds and snow up north. The best time to travel to the US Virgin Islands is between June to August, when the rates drops by almost 30%, and the water is clearer for better visibility when diving.

The Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean are the best beach holiday destination. Enjoying up to 320 days of uninterrupted sunshine a year, these two islands offers pristine beaches and one of the best dive sites in the Caribbean.

The first inhabitants of the islands were the Carib Indians. However, after it was discovered by the Europeans (some say Christopher Columbus, others say Juan Ponce de Leon), these two islands had been under control of various European and Caribbean countries. Today, Turk and Caicos islands are Non-sovereign, Overseas territory of the British crown.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are composed of about a dozen islands and cays. The biggest and most populous island group, the Caicos Islands lays southeast of the Bahamas, seperated by the Caicos Passage. Ninety-six percent of the total land area of the Turks & Caicos Islands are in the northern half, the Caicos group. The biggest population concentration, as well as the urban center of the island group is in the island of Providenciales. Out of the six main islands that make up the Caicos Islands, only four are inhabited.

Separated by the Turks Island Passage from the Caisos Islands, the Turks Islands are composed of two main islands (the only inhabited islands in the group), and several smaller islands.

The islands of the Turks and Caicos are mostly low land, flat limestone, with much marshes and swamps. Though the islands enjoy plenty of sunny days, it is still in the hurricane belt and is frequently affected by hurricanes in the region. Though the island has limited fresh water supply, they are bountiful in spiny lobster, conch and various shellfish.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are famous for the extensive coral reef system that surrounds the islands. Consistently voted as one of the top dive spots in the world, the islands promises divers of excellent visibility, unspoilt reefs, and exotic tropical fishes.

Trinidad and its sister island Tobago, is the perfect example of contrasts. While Tobago is a sleepy small town, Trinidad is just bursting with life. Known largely for its annual Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago can be deserted during the off season.

The carnival, which takes its roots from West African festivals, is celebrated a week before Ash Wednesday. The pre-lenten festival has been adapted in accordance to the Roman Catholic teaching of carne vale - farewell to the flesh. Carnival celebrates life, and Trinidadians & Tobagonians do so with music, extravagant costumes and dancing in the streets.

Calypso is one of the mainstays of the Carnival. This musical genre that originated in Trinidad was the African slaves’ way of communicating with each other, as speaking among slaves are prohibited. Over the years, it evolved as a means of spreading news around the island. It became the people’s medium for expressing their thoughts on island life, current events, and even politics. In recent years however, it was Soca, or soul calypso that has been taking precedent in the carnival. Originating from the calypso, Soca mixes the island beat of the steel pan and electronic percussion which blends into a rich dance music that’s perfect for the festivities of carnival.

Like most islands in the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago’s economy is boosted by tourism. However, unlike the other Caribbean islands, the other pillar of their economy is petroleum, not agriculture.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has its history tied with England, being one of the British colonies in the Caribbean. Today, however, they are now an independent nation and a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Located in the Lesser Antilles, it is composed of the island of Saint Vincent, and two-thirds of the Grenadine group of islands.

Among the 600 islands, these are the Grenadine islands under Saint Vincent:

• Bequia
• Petite Nevis
• Quatre
• Bettowia
• Baliceaux
• Mustique
• Petite Mustique
• Savan
• Petite Canouan
• Canouan
• Mayreau
• The Tobago Cays
• Union Island
• Petit Saint Vincent
• Palm Island

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