A Fresh Perspective on Travel Every Day
St. Thomas offers a variety of culinary delights for travelers seeking memorable meals and lively atmospheres. From pizzerias and beach bars to seafood shacks and upscale dining featuring Caribbean influences, this vibrant locale has it all. Here are some of the best restaurants in St. Thomas, primarily situated in or around the capital, Charlotte Amalie, its Frenchtown suburb, and the eastside town of Red Hook.
Saba is primarily known for its diving — this tiny (5 square mile) island offers a wealth of scuba and snorkel opportunities that rival those of much larger destinations. However, visitors will also find plenty to do on land on the “Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean,” including challenging hikes and historic villages to explore.
Have you ever envisioned yourself as a pirate, perhaps even as portrayals such as Johnny Depp’s iconic character? Depp vividly embodies Captain Jack Sparrow in thePirates of the Caribbeanfilms, and contemporary adventurers can discover authentic Caribbean locations where these Disney productions were filmed.
If you’ve ever seen someone casually steering a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) down a local river or across a tranquil bay, your first instinct might be to think: that looks easy. I suppose relative to its close cousin, surfing, it is. However, no matter how you slice it, standing up on a platform on the water isn’t always a breeze, as anyone who has ever fallen off a floating dock can attest.
For a destination that has only experienced large-scale tourism for a few years, St. Kitts offers a surprisingly diverse range of attractions and activities for visitors to experience, including a well-preserved British fortress, hikes to an extinct volcano, and of course day trips to neighboring Nevis. Here’s a list of enjoyable things to do while visiting St. Kitts.
If you visit Nevis, you really can’t avoid Nevis Peak. This 3,232-foot, (mostly) dormant volcano is visible from everywhere, and your eye is constantly drawn to the weather playing around the summit. It occasionally clears long enough that you can appreciate its well-defined caldera and imagine the explosive forces that must have been at work when the volcano last erupted perhaps a hundred thousand years ago.
St. Lucia is widely recognized as one of the premier honeymoon destinations globally. From an aerial perspective, its breathtaking landscape is strikingly apparent. In contrast to many Caribbean islands with their lower profiles, St. Lucia showcases a dramatic skyline. The island is flanked by two conical extinct volcanic peaks known as Petit Piton and Gros Piton.
The water park at the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, known as Aquaventure, is the largest and most extensive of its kind in the Caribbean. Moreover, it serves as a standalone destination, arguably the most iconic feature of the Atlantis, eclipsing even its grand casino.
Carnival in Trinidad in the Caribbean is among the world’s greatest parties—a can’t-miss celebration of life that should be on any traveler’s “bucket list.” However, like most festivities, you can’t just show up empty-handed. Here are important tips to ensure your Carnival experience is fun, safe, and enjoyable.
Ferries play a key role in transportation among the U.S. Virgin Islands. Passenger ferries are the main means of traveling between St. Thomas and St. John, and the only way to get to Water Island.
A favorable rate of exchange might be the best reason to visit this pretty, yet developing island off the coast of Venezuela. Margarita Island benefits from the same low rainfall (boasting 320 days of sun per year), varied terrain, and steady cooling breeze from the trade winds as Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao — her cousins to the west — but at a fraction of the price. Therefore, it’s considered somewhat of a diamond in the rough for travelers from the United States.
Traveling to the Caribbean during the off-peak season can offer significant savings. Most resorts provide their best prices from mid-April to mid-December, coinciding with the warm weather in the U.S. Although some may avoid the Caribbean in summer due to concerns about hurricane season, traveling during this period (August through October) can yield even more attractive deals. Furthermore, the traditional slow season right after New Year’s in January also features favorable rates.
Sandwiched between Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras on the Caribbean coast of Central America, Belize is a paradise destination renowned for its lush jungles and postcard-perfect beaches. In recent years, it’s also gained a reputation as one of the region’s most rewarding scuba diving destinations.
The Central American coastal country of Belize is celebrated for its rich Latin heritage, gorgeous Caribbean shorelines, and a variety of unique festivals and celebrations throughout the year, including widely recognized festivities such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Backpacking in Central America offers a unique experience. Each year, thousands of budget travelers discover a lifestyle that goes beyond mere adventure, engaging deeply with local cultures and communities.
It’s hard to imagine someone traveling to Guatemala and leaving unchanged. The mountainous landscape is nothing less than magical, and the people—forty percent indigenous Maya—are cordial and kind-hearted. While Guatemala’s beaches may not steal the spotlight, the country offers numerous inland attractions, making it a favored destination among Central America travelers.
Guatemala’s diverse landscape includes jungles, forests, beaches, and mountains, boasting a rich variety of flora and fauna. The Guatemalan government is actively working to expand sustainable tourism across the nation. With over 30 national parks and preserved areas encompassing 19 different ecosystems, this guide highlights some of the most visited national parks in Guatemala.
Nicaragua, the largest country in Central America, is bordered by Costa Rica to the south and Honduras to the north. About the size of Alabama, this scenic country features colonial cities, volcanoes, lakes, rainforests, and beaches. Known for its rich biodiversity, Nicaragua attracts more than one million tourists annually; tourism is the country’s second-largest industry after agriculture.
Panama is less visited as a destination for backpackers compared to other Central American countries like Guatemala and Costa Rica, and that’s a good thing. Although you’ll find prices higher than the Central America average, backpacking here is still affordable and worth every penny. Positioned as a geographical and cultural land bridge between North and South America, Panama is one of the most diverse countries globally. Its capital city is as modern as many U.S. cities, yet many of its remote islands and rainforests remain entirely unspoiled. Here, we explore some of the top Panama backpacker destinations.
