Caribbean Destination Guide
The place
Whether you are looking for miles of white sandy beaches or a secluded cove, the Caribbean has it all! It is the ultimate beach destination offering more than you could possibly imagine.
Made up of over 7,000 islands delightfully dotted between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, the main islands have become hugely popular and blessed with a year round tropical climate, stunning white sandy beaches, shimmering blue waters and lush vegetation.
Each island is unique and amazes with its diversity – in climate and landscape, in language, religion and customs and in their history.
Each of the Caribbean islands offer something different to the next. All however, offer stunning beaches, beautiful scenery and friendly locals with a warmth and charm that is world renowned.
The culture
The Caribbean culture is a blend of different people and backgrounds. The modern day Caribbean is as likely to be a descendant of an African slave as a Chinese or Indian labourer or a European colonial or a Middle Eastern trader.
As you might expect from such a diverse heritage, there is a huge range of religious belief. What you will notice, though, regardless of the actual religion, is that church-going on a Sunday morning has an importance all of its own.
The Caribbean’s other religion is music! Even though the islands are unique they all share a passion for music. Musical traditions that date back to the time of slavery are maintained, whilst Gospel music reflects the colonial past and the influence of American culture. Bob Marley exported reggae across the globe and that was followed soon after by salsa and merengue. Whatever your taste, you’ll find it more than satisfied in the lands of rhythm and melody!
The nightlife
The Caribbean is most definitely a destination of lazy days and lively nights. With rum and reggae a plenty and a wide range of entertainment and nightclubs on offer, you can easily party till dawn.
Most of the islands have casinos and if you plan to pay one of them a visit, note that dress codes tend to be quite formal.
Eating out is a delight with a wide variety of cuisines to sample from the typical American to the local Creole style. As you might expect from sea-faring islands, the fish is excellent.
The facts:
Language: English, although most islands have their own dialects as well.
Passports: You will need a full 10 year passport valid for 6 months beyond your date of return.
Visas: Not required for UK passport holders for stays of less than three months as long as you have a return ticket
Vaccinations: Vaccinations are strongly recommended. For further information, please consult your doctor.
Climate: The Caribbean climate is fairly constant with variations in temperature and rainfall from month to month relatively minimal. High season is generally considered to be from December to April and the hurricane season extends from July to October. Early warning systems and modern weather forecasts mean that information about approaching hurricanes is available several days in advance enabling visitors to prepare or move on. Hurricanes and high winds are possible during this time, but less likely in Barbados, Jamaica and Tobago than St Lucia, Grenada and Antigua.
Travelling time: British Airways and Virgin Atlantic fly direct to most of the Eastern Caribbean islands, although some flights may involve a short stop en route. Non stop flying time is around 8 hours.
Local time: Jamaica and Turks & Caicos GMT -5 hours. Other islands GMT -4 hours.
Currency: US dollars are widely accepted throughout the Caribbean although each island has its own currency.
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