Getting there
Direct flights from the US east coast, Canada and London serve all six islands: Havana (HAV), Montego Bay (MBJ), Kingston (KIN), Nassau (NAS), Santo Domingo (SDQ), Punta Cana (PUJ), San Juan (SJU) and Bridgetown (BGI). Punta Cana and Montego Bay have the densest schedules.
From Europe, London and Madrid have the most direct Caribbean routes. From Canada, Toronto and Montreal fly direct to the major resort airports in winter.
Between islands
There is no Caribbean-wide ferry network. Inter-island travel means flying: Caribbean Airlines (Trinidad-based), interCaribbean, Bahamasair, Arajet (Dominican low-cost) and LIAT's successor connect the islands, but schedules are thin and routings often go via hubs.
The practical ferries: Ceiba to Vieques and Culebra (Puerto Rico's islands), Nassau to the Out Islands and Paradise Island, and day boats to Saona Island (DR) and the Exuma Cays. Book inter-island flights early; they sell out and they are not cheap.
Getting around each island
Rental cars work well in Barbados, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (drive on the left in Barbados and Jamaica). In Jamaica, route taxis and the Knutsford Express coaches are the traveller standard; in Cuba, Viazul coaches link the main cities.
Taxis are unmetered in most islands: agree the fare before getting in. In Santo Domingo and San Juan, Uber operates. In Havana, the classic-car taxis are negotiable and photogenic.
