15 Reasons Why We Love the Caribbean

A summer vacation spot with easygoing locals, amazing scenery and sex on the beach. What more can ask you for?

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  The Sun is Shining. The Weather is Grand

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  There are two main seasons: rainy and dry. While the Caribbean is struck with the occasional hurricane and shaken by the rare volcanic eruption, beautiful warm days abound and a beach [11] is usually never too far away.

  Captions by Nick Charles

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  The People

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  Despite being largely poverty stricken, Caribbean denizens are often considered by tourists to be among the warmest and most welcoming in the world. In Cuba, where food is rationed, many locals will offer part of their strict portion to visitors. Caribbean folks, known for their easy-going demeanor, can make any island guest feel at ease.

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  Fête Fuh So

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  Trinidadians and Tobagonians know how to get down. No disrespect to Brazil, but we will take the Trini Carnival and SOCA [12] (Soul/Calypso) over Rio and Samba any day.

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  Going Green Without Lifting a Finger

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  Eco-tourism is suddenly all the rage worldwide. But the folks at the Hix Island House [13] on the Puerto Rican Island of Vieques have been at it for years and are still doing it better than most. But leave the kiddies at home; no one under 12 allowed.

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  “Bounce Him!”

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  This is island slang for “hit him in the head!” You will hear these calls wherever there’s a West Indian cricket match. Forget the genteel game the English invented; Caribbean folks like to see blood. Best places to catch a first-class match: Kensington Oval in Barbados, Sabina Park in Jamaica and the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad.

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  “I Love You Like Cook Food”

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  If anyone says that to you, they like you bad! As a melting pot (pun intended) of African, Indian, Chinese and Amerindian cultures, the islands of the Caribbean have some of the spiciest and most delectable cuisines in the world. Just add a little pepper sauce to everything.

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  Read a Book

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  Instead of bringing a book from home to the beach, pick up a Caribbean title from a local bookstore. V.S. Naipaul and Jamaica Kincaid qualify, even if they don't think so. And yes, Derek Walcott [14] is a lecherous old sod, but the man can write some poetry. Personal faves include Earl Lovelace, George Lamming, Paule Marshall and Rosario Ferré.

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  Dive, Dive, Dive!

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  There is great diving all over the Caribbean. The Cayman Islands are wonderful for diving, as are the waters around Turks & Caicos. But none is near complete a dive site as Bonaire [15] of the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao). Yes, they speak a hodgepodge language, Papiamento. But you can’t hear them underwater.

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  La Reina Del Caribe

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  When travel to Cuba truly opens up (President Obama are you listening?) so that Americans no longer have to sneak through another country to reach it, the rest of the Caribbean may pale in comparison. Go now before Raul Castro, dour brother and successor of Fidel Castro (El Commandante), does something dumb. There are already a few legal ways to get there [16]. 

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  Big Ship Sailing on the Ocean

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  Cruises and cruise lines have not had the best reputations lately, but a seven-day, five-island sojourn [17] is just what your divorce lawyer and therapist recommend. Just pull yourself back from the buffet or you will become a flotation device.

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  Sex on the Beach

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  It’s not just a drink. Billed as the ultimate romantic getaway for couples and newlyweds, the Caribbean also offers singles many places to get their freak on. Remember each island has its own laws.

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  Robinson Crusoe’s Island

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  The twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago are the supreme chill spots in the Antilles. If you’re feeling sporty, take advantage of world-class golf courses, or go snorkeling at one of the planet’s most beautiful reefs. Grab a Carib beer and plant yourself on a beach. If you’re rich like Smokey Robinson, stay at the Stone Haven Villas [18].

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  Bond, James Bond

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  If you can afford to splurge on this trip, visit the late Ian Fleming’s estate at Goldeneye [19] in Oracabessa, Jamaica. If it’s good enough for the Clintons, it’s good enough for you.

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  When I Drink Meh Rum…

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  It’s a law or maybe a commandment, that when you are in the Caribbean you must drink rum and lots of it! Seven of the top 10 rums [20], according to Forbes, are made in the islands. Two others come from places that have a Caribbean Sea connection. We will order Anguillan Pyrat and the Haitian Rhum Barbancourt every time.

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  Concrete Jungle, Not so Much

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  The large cities and major towns on many of the islands have taken on an air comparable to that of U.S. metropolises. But there is still enough “bush” to feel unplugged from the rat race and connected to nature. Ride a burro up a forested mountain, or explore the open sands on horseback. Observe sea turtles that have traveled from as far away as the Philippines in order to lay eggs on Caribbean beaches and bask beneath island waterfalls.