What is the most beautiful island in the Caribbean? Million Euro question. With dozens of islands scattered around the Caribbean Sea and all different from each other, choosing just one is difficult: the vibrant Jamaica, the diversity of islands even as close as St Kitts and Nevis, the peace of Aruba? How to juggle, in short, between so many islands and dreamy Caribbean beaches?
Palm tree in the wind on Anguilla beach ©Photostravellers/Shutterstock
Small or big, near or far, urban or remote are some of the features to consider when choosing a Caribbean island for your trip, because they could turn a carefree holiday into a daunting task.
Fortunately, our Caribbean island experts can relieve you of the agony and help you choose the right one for you. We have analysed the most visited islands and compiled a comprehensive list of the best each has to offer, categorising them by ease of access, so that if you don't have a lot of time on your hands, you can spend more time on the beach than at the airport. If you are undecided, you can always choose to visit more than one, perhaps by taking a sailing cruise.
Aerial view of Aruba at sunset, Caribbean. ©Steve Photography/Shutterstock
Easy-to-reach Caribbean islands
Aruba
Arid and almost monotonous, Aruba's main attraction is the ribbon of beaches lined with large international resorts, large shopping centres and family-friendly restaurants and bars.
- Perfect for: a carefree holiday
Bahamas
The 700 islands of the Bahamas offer all the myriad options of the Caribbean in a microcosm close to the US, with remote hideaways and luxury mega resorts.
- Perfect for: island hopping, diving, partying.
Cayman Islands
Grand Cayman is reminiscent of South Florida, but tidier and traffic-free. It offers resorts of all kinds, famous diving spots, snorkelling and the chance to swim among schools of stingrays.
- Perfect for: a hassle-free watersports holiday.
Dominican Republic
A vast nation with a dominant Hispanic culture, the Dominican Republic offers luxury resorts on fine beaches, a rich colonial history and unspoilt areas in the country's interior with prominent peaks.
- Perfect for: resort and adventure seekers
Jamaica
The quintessential Caribbean cliché, known through Bob Marley songs listened to over uncorked beer bottles, vast Jamaica offers resorts ranging from the lurid to the luxurious and an atmospheric urban culture.
- Perfect for: spicy food, resort holidays, urban and nature adventures.
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The beach in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic ©Preto_perola/Getty Images
Puerto Rico
The ancient city of San Juan is one of the region's major centres of interest, with a vibrant colonial flavour. Large beach resorts, casinos, tangible history and a rich Hispanic culture are its strengths.
- Perfect for: exploration beyond sun and sea.
St-Martin/Sint Maarten
Two different cultures, the Dutch and the French, share this tiny, vibrant island. Like a brain, these two hemispheres offer their best in the sum of their parts: the French offer a reserved holiday, while the Dutch know how to party.
- Perfect for: a mid-budget hotel holiday, day trips to France or Holland while staying at the heart of Creole culture, the world's wildest airport.
US Virgin Islands
The first Caribbean stop for many Americans offers many comforts. St Thomas is commercial, but St John and St Croix have more natural and cultural appeal.
- Perfect for: Americans without passports, mega-resort lovers and nature lovers.
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Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Netherlands Antilles. ©Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Caribbean islands most difficult to reach
Anguilla
In an ocean of beaches that represent the standard of the perfect beach, those on this tiny island are the ultimate version. Small, with a pleasant local culture and villas scattered around the island.
-Perfect for: luxury holidays but away from the crowds and isolation.
Antigua
The many small beaches surround this medium-sized island and are lined with resorts small and large, modest and luxurious. The English harbour offers adventures for yachties and a carefree colonial heritage.
-Perfect for: a resort holiday with a couple of day trips
Barbados
A medium-sized, tidy island with a British flavour. Numerous beaches that are perfect for surfing, wind surfing, tourists looking for beaches that don't cost a fortune and traditional travellers who like to dress up for dinner. This very cosy island is connected, like the other former British hills, by numerous flights from London in the high season.
- Perfect for: all kinds of budgets, activities and even the linen-suit type of traveller.
Bonaire
One of the most interesting islands in the Southern Caribbean, tiny Bonaire is only famous for its spectacular dive sites. But it also has a fascinating history and the main town, Kralendijk, is beautiful and pedestrianised.
- Perfect for: divers, those on a budget, those who want to explore without having too much to explore.
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands are richer, less developed and more isolated than the US Virgin Islands. Yachts and divers can indulge in 40 different islands and the main island, Tortola, offers glamorous distractions.
- Perfect for scuba divers and snorkellers, sunset beach parties, and those seeking the ocean's movida.
The Roseau market, once a slave market. ©Jorg Hackemann/Shutterstock
Cuba
Bizarrely and wildly beautiful: a time capsule encompassing a huge island unlike any other. Cuba offers its famous music, social challenges and self-abandoned urban beauty. Havana alone is worth days of exploration amidst its decadent charm.
-Perfect for: affordable holidays, adventure and bragging rights.
Curaçao
A medium-sized island that has more to offer than tourism. The main town, Willemstad, has a beautiful, historic harbour. Isolated beaches scattered around the island offer good water pleasures.
-Perfect for: a trip outside the usual itineraries, urban excursions.
Dominica
Lacking the rich profusion of beaches that you can find elsewhere, Dominica is the unspoilt gem of the region, with peaks and valleys shrouded in rainforest and lined with waterfalls. Rarely is it listed among the most beautiful Caribbean islands, but we don't understand why.
-Perfect for: climbers, hikers, nature lovers, anyone who wants to escape the Caribbean clichés.
Grenada
You will smell nutmeg in the air in this small former British colony, with one of the most interesting capitals in the region: St George's. Small, inviting beaches will compete for your attention with rainforest-clad hills.
-Perfect for: low-key holidays surrounded by natural beauty and the kindness of the locals.
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe offers a relaxed atmosphere with a French accent for those who want to travel light, laze on the beach and enjoy great food. Vast beaches and tropical nature in one package.
-Perfect for: a day in the sun topless, followed by a seafood dinner.
The English port of Antigua. ©mbrand85/Shutterstock
Haiti
Haiti is the opposite of a carefree holiday. There is no shortage of challenges on this island that has suffered natural disasters and poverty, but if you want to explore a rich culture, the most African in the region, Haiti is the place to be. Recent improvements at Cap-Haïtien airport have increased flights to the north coast.
-Perfect for: those who like to travel to learn and explore.
Martinique
The most French corner of the Caribbean has an expanding centre, Fort-de-France, and a focus that is not limited to tourism. Remote beaches will be the reward for your excursions.
-Perfect for: a French-speaking holiday, beautiful and secluded beaches, nature walks.
St Kitts
St Kitts, paired with Nevis, offers large hotel chains and is in the building boom. It is big enough to enjoy spending the day circumnavigating the island and visiting the pirate fort at Brimstone Hill.
-Perfect for: a comfortable holiday, an excursion to Nevis and playing pirate.
St Lucia
Beaches, fantastic resorts and lush hills are the troika that attracts tourists to the island, long a favourite of French and honeymooners from around the world.
-Perfect for: diving, snorkelling, kite surfing, nature lovers, travellers seeking luxury.
St Vincent & le Granadine
Cruising on fishing boats between the islands fringed with beaches is a typical Grenadian experience. On the main island, St Vincent, rainforest prevails, while the small, idyllic Bequia is a haven of Grenadian tranquillity.
-Perfect for: sailors, explorers, those who don't want organised days on holiday.
Trinidad's carnival celebrated on the streets of Port of Spain. ©John de la Bastide/Getty Images
Trinidad
Vibrant Trinidad eclipses neighbouring Tobago with its Creole culture and nightlife that peaks during one of the world's biggest Carnival celebrations.
-Perfect for: a party worthy of Rio
Tobago
Trinidad's tiny companion boasts everything the larger neighbouring island lacks: unspoilt nature, resorts worth the trip and fun in and out of the water.
-Perfect for: traditional and laid-back beach holidays, diving, bird watching
Turks and Caicos
Turks & Caicos consists of seven small islands with perfect beaches and the requisite turquoise waters that will beg to be explored. There is never any rush or confusion here, even at some of the best dive sites in the world.
-Perfect for: divers, boats, treasure hunters and lovers of persuasive escapes on the sand.
Last updated in March 2017.
