Caribbean Travel Guide: Destinations

Every island, city, beach and landmark covered in this guide, in one index.

Jamaica

4.7Dunn's River Falls · The 180-metre terraced waterfall you climb hand-in-hand near Ocho Rios.

4.8Seven Mile Beach, Negril · Jamaica's famous white-sand stretch: calm water, sunsets, cliff diving at Rick's Cafe nearby.

4.7Bob Marley Museum · Marley's Kingston home at 56 Hope Road: the studio, the bedroom, the bullet holes in the wall.

4.8Blue Mountains · The misty peaks above Kingston: Blue Mountain coffee, hiking to the 2,256m summit.

4.5Doctor's Cave Beach · Montego Bay's famous clear-water beach, swum since the 1920s.

4.6Port Antonio · The wild northeast: Frenchman's Cove, the Blue Lagoon, Reach Falls.

4.4Rick's Cafe, Negril · Cliff diving and sunset rituals on Negril's West End.

4.4Devon House · The 1881 Kingston mansion: history plus the island's most famous ice cream.

4.3Martha Brae River · Bamboo rafting down the calm river near Falmouth.

4.2Rose Hall Great House · The restored 1770 plantation house and its White Witch legend.

4.4YS Falls · Seven cascades on the south coast, reached by tractor-pulled jitney.

4.3Treasure Beach · The low-key south-coast fishing villages: Jack Sprat, Frenchman's Bay.

Kingston · Kingston City Guide

Montego Bay · Montego Bay City Guide

Ocho RiosNegrilPort AntonioFalmouthMandeville

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The Bahamas

4.8Exuma Cays · The swimming pigs of Big Major Cay and the Thunderball Grotto.

4.7Harbour Island · Pink Sands Beach: three miles of blush-coloured sand.

4.6Dean's Blue Hole, Long Island · The 202-metre blue hole, a freediving mecca.

4.4Queen's Staircase, Nassau · The 66 steps carved from limestone by enslaved people in the 1790s.

4.3Atlantis, Paradise Island · The mega-resort: Aquaventure water park, the Dig aquarium.

4.5Andros · The largest island: blue holes, bonefishing, the third-largest barrier reef.

4.5Eleuthera · The long thin island: the Glass Window Bridge, surfer beaches.

Nassau · Nassau City Guide

FreeportGeorge TownGovernor's HarbourMarsh HarbourDunmore Town

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Dominican Republic

4.8Colonial Zone, Santo Domingo · The 1496 old city: Calle Las Damas, the Cathedral, the Alcázar de Colón.

4.6Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana · Miles of white sand and palms on the east coast.

4.9Samaná Bay whales · Thousands of humpbacks calve here January to March.

4.7Pico Duarte · The Caribbean's highest peak at 3,098m: a two-day trek from Jarabacoa.

4.5Alcázar de Colón · Diego Columbus's 1510 palace in the Colonial Zone.

4.5Cabarete · The north coast's windsurf and kitesurf capital.

4.7Bahía de las Águilas · The remote southwest: eight kilometres of untouched beach.

4.627 Charcos de Damajagua · The 27 waterfalls you jump, slide and swim down near Puerto Plata.

4.4Jarabacoa · The mountain town: rafting, paragliding and cool air.

4.5Saona Island · The postcard cay off the southeast: day boats from Bayahibe.

4.4Catedral Primada · The oldest cathedral in the Americas (completed 1540).

4.5Los Haitises · The mangrove national park: Taino caves, pelicans, karst mogotes.

Santo Domingo · Santo Domingo City Guide

Punta Cana · Punta Cana City Guide

Puerto PlataSamanaLa RomanaCabareteLas TerrenasBayahibe

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Puerto Rico

4.9Old San Juan · Blue cobblestones, pastel houses, the city walls: 500 years in one neighbourhood.

4.8El Morro (Castillo San Felipe del Morro) · The 16th-century fortress guarding the bay: lawns, garitas, ocean views.

4.8El Yunque National Forest · The only tropical rainforest in the US Forest Service: La Mina Falls, the Yokahú tower.

4.9Mosquito Bay, Vieques · The brightest bioluminescent bay in the world.

4.7Flamenco Beach, Culebra · The white-sand beach with the old tank on the sand.

4.6Castillo San Cristóbal · The larger, later fortress: tunnels, dungeons, the Devil's Sentry Box.

4.6Ruta del Lechón, Guavate · The pork highway: whole roast pig, mofongo and live música jíbara.

4.5Rincón · The west coast surf town: Tres Palmas, sunsets at the lighthouse.

4.5Camuy caves · The Río Camuy cave park: one of the world's largest cave systems.

4.3Ponce · The Pearl of the South: the Parque de Bombas firehouse, the art museum.

4.4Caja de Muertos · The offshore island reserve: the lighthouse hike and empty beaches.

4.4La Placita de Santurce · San Juan's market square turned nightlife strip, best Thursday to Sunday.

San Juan · San Juan City Guide

PonceRinconFajardoViequesCulebraLuquilloBoquerón

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Cuba

4.8Old Havana (Habana Vieja) · Four baroque plazas, the Capitolio, the fortresses across the bay.

4.7The Malecón · Havana's 8km seafront promenade: sunset, classic cars, fishermen.

4.8Trinidad · The UNESCO-listed 1514 colonial town: Plaza Mayor, the yellow church, cobbles.

4.8Viñales Valley · Tobacco fields and limestone mogotes: horseback, caves, the Mural de la Prehistoria.

4.4Varadero · 20km of white sand on the Hicacos peninsula: the classic beach resort.

4.5El Capitolio · The domed 1929 capitol building, restored and reopened.

4.6Fábrica de Arte Cubano · Havana's art-and-music factory in Vedado: galleries, clubs, courtyards.

4.5Santiago de Cuba · The eastern capital: Casa de la Trova, the Morro castle, carnival in July.

4.4Cienfuegos · The Pearl of the South: French-founded, the Prado, the bay.

4.4Topes de Collantes · The Escambray mountains above Trinidad: waterfalls and coffee.

4.3Cayo Coco and the Jardines del Rey · The northern cays: flamingos, causeways, resort beaches.

4.5Baracoa · The first Spanish settlement (1511), cut off by mountains until the 1960s: cacao and El Yunque table mountain.

Havana · Havana City Guide

TrinidadVinalesCienfuegosSantiago de CubaVaraderoSanta Clara

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Barbados

4.7Bathsheba · The east coast's rock formations and surf: the Soup Bowl.

4.7Oistins Fish Fry · Friday night: grilled marlin, flying fish, rum and dancing.

4.5Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison · The UNESCO-listed capital: Parliament, the Careenage, the Garrison Savannah.

4.5St. Nicholas Abbey · The 1658 plantation house: rum distillery, the steam mill.

4.6Platinum Coast beaches · The calm west coast: Paynes Bay, Sandy Lane, Mullins.

4.3Harrison's Cave · The limestone cave system toured by tram.

4.5Mount Gay Distillery · Rum distilled since 1703: the Bridgetown visitor centre tour.

Bridgetown · Bridgetown City Guide

HoletownOistinsSpeightstownBathshebaSaint Lawrence Gap

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