The Caribbean is a popular holiday destination with people from all over the world. The best Caribbean islands mix a variety of different cultures to form an area that is both culturally and biologically diverse. Easily, these islands are one of the most beautiful places in the world. Sailing in the Caribbean has become more popular. Many crave the opportunity to recreate Pirates of the Caribbean with their own nautical adventure!
Bonaire
Bonaire, whose capital city is Kralendijk, is one of the few Caribbean islands to lie outside of Hurricane Alley. So you can enjoy the sun and not be affected by tropical storms that plague the rest of the Caribbean. Bonaire has one of the richest ecosystems in the Caribbean, cementing its position as one of the best Caribbean islands to visit.
Bonaire’s Wicked Wildlife
Bonaire is a coveted destination for travelers due to the wide range of wildlife. There are over 203 bird species on the island! Only found in Bonaire and certain parts of Venezuela, the Lora is a yellow-shouldered parrot. You can also see the grey and pink Chilean flamingos in their natural habitat on this island. There are plenty more birds to spot while you’re visiting Bonaire. This makes it one of the best islands in the Caribbean for travelers! Aside from the birds, the island is also home to eight different species of bat, iguanas, land snails, lizards, donkeys, and goats.
Even if you have no interest in the wildlife on land there are plenty of other things to do. If you’re more interested in the fauna present in the sea than on land, you can go snorkeling. In the waters surrounding Bonaire, you might be lucky enough to spot turtles, rays, and even the occasional baby octopus.
Otherwise, you can visit Downtown Kralendijk. The concrete waterway offers you a unique way to stroll along by the sea before grabbing a bite to eat in one of the cafes or restaurants. You can also visit one of the many cultural sites, which includes many local art galleries, Fort Oranje and Terramar Museum.
The Bahamas
The Bahamas is a rather unique place, being made up of 700 islands. It is this uniqueness that makes it one of the best Caribbean islands to visit. This island has an enviably rich ecosystem and is one of the best places to swim with dolphins. You can also swim with an assortment of different sharks including Caribbean Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks and Hammerheads! These species are non-aggressive to humans, however we recommend to read more about the risks with swimming with these types of sharks.
Underwater Statues
The other thing that makes the Bahamas one of the best Caribbean islands to visit is its underwater statue. The Ocean Atlas statue in particular is quite a sight to behold. This underwater giant is the largest underwater statue in the world, weighing 60 tonnes and reaching 5 metres in height. In fact, it is so big that it had to be assembled underwater. The best thing about this statue is that you don’t have to dive in order to appreciate its beauty. The statue is so tall that you can admire it while snorkeling, or even from the safety of your boat charter if the open ocean makes you a little nervous.
The British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands are made up of 60 islands in total: 4 main ones and 16 smaller uninhabited ones. The capital of these islands is Road Town and, located on the largest island, Tortola, there is plenty to do even just in this one city.
Road Town
Road Town is the commercial and culinary centre of the BVI. It also has most of the best shops and restaurants can be found on Waterfront Drive and Main Street. This means you can do all of your shopping and grab a bite, while looking out at the harbour. The harbour is often crowded with an assortment of boats. You can also venture out to the many historic forts and sugar mills in the area. Some of these forts are around 200 years old. Another thing you definitely don’t want to miss while you’re in the area is the J.R. O’Neal Botanic SGardens where you can find koi ponds and fountains among acres and acres of tropical flowers and palms.
Diving Opportunities
If you’re an avid scuba diver, you’ll want to visit the Rhone National Marine Park. This Marine Park was born of a hurricane in 1867, which caused the Rhone to crash against some rocks, killing 124 people. Some good did come out of the tragedy though, as today the wreck is one of the best diving sites in the Caribbean, with schools of snappers, parrotfish and many more. Rich ecosystem aside, the wreck also has two coral caves and Blonde Rock, another fantastic diving site not far away.
Wreck Alley is another unique diving site in the BVI. Four separate wrecks occurred there, the most recent one happened in 2009, giving you many places to check out. Looking to snorkel with a sunken ship broken in half? Now is your opportunity!
If you found the information in this blog interesting, we hope you’ll check out one of our top picks for the best Caribbean islands aboard your very own boat rental soon. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us and in the meantime, check out the following blogs for more information. [insert blog links here]
