Situated in the Caribbean Sea, to the North of Trinidad and Tobago, Martinique is one of the overseas regions of France and is a part of the European Union. The island has been a region of France ever since the 18th century and locally spoken languages include French and Antillean Creole. The island has a tropical Caribbean climate and the island is mountainous for most of the part. There are four extinct volcanoes covered with lush tropical vegetation and the tallest of these mountains is the famous volcano of Mount Pelee.
Martinique like any other Caribbean island is known for its beautiful beaches; however, the specialty of the beaches in the Northern side of the island is that they have black sand! Martinique is noted for its culture which is a mix of the French and the Creole cultures. Macouba is a beautiful Tobacco town that offers some of the best views of the island and the neighbouring island of Dominic. The Creole cuisine is something that any traveler should checkout when on the beautiful island of Martinique.
(Image courtesy of Antoine Hubert)
Located in the Eastern Caribbean is the archipelago of Guadeloupe, one of the overseas region of France. The archipelago consists of several smaller islands and the largest one is the Marie Galante (excepting the mainland). The archipelago was first discovered by Christopher Columbus on his expedition to find America. He also happened to accidentally discover the pineapple in these islands and named it the “pine of the Indians”. Since it is a region of France, the rules of getting there and a Visa is pretty much the same you would do for entering France. It is well connected by air with the Greater Antilles an other Caribbean islands and ferries operate from several Caribbean islands.
Guadeloupe has a subtropical climate and most of the islands are volcanic in origin. The island of Basse Terre as a matter of fact still has an active sulphuric volcano that is the tallest one in the lesser Antilles. Basse Terre also has slush vegetation with tropical forests and hiking through the jungles, you can come up to some spectacular waterfalls. The lovely white sanded beaches in Grande Terre and the beautiful bays in Les Saintes are someplace that shouldn’t be missed by any tourist. The island has a predominant African and Indian population and the confluence of the Indian, French and the African cultures is evident from the cuisine, dance styles and music.
(Image courtesy of rayced)
Jamaica, an island nation in the Caribbean is a part of the Greater Antilles and is located at around 86 miles south of Cuba. The island was named by its indigenous Taina speaking people as Xaymaca,which means the Land of Springs. The island was known to have been inhabited from 4000 Bc by the Tainos and the Arawaks until the British took over the island.
Jamaica is considered to have some of the best beaches in the Caribbean and anyone would want to spend their holiday in the beaches of white sands and clear waters. Jamaica has something for people of all age groups. If you’r someone looking for some adrenaline rush, then you should try the watersports like water skiing or water surfing. If you’r someone who loves to have fun, then you might wanna check out the discos or music clubs which will have a number of reggae bands performing. Also check out the local markets that have a number of traditional goods like hand made crafts or straw items which can be perfect souvenirs!
Dominican Republic is an island nation in the island of Hispaniola and occupies the eastern side of the island. It is considered to be the second largest country in the Caribbean after Cuba. Dominican Republic has become the second largest tourist destination in the Caribbean after Puerto Rico.
The island country has lots to boast about – beautiful beaches with white sands and clear waters, arts, music and breath taking views. You should definitely check out the coral reefs and swim with the dolphins in the clear blue waters. Diving and snorkeling and other activities in the Dominican Republic that are not to be missed. If you are a nature lover, then you might wanna rent a jeep and explore the beautiful country side that has some breath taking views. The Dominican cuisine is predominantly a mix of Spanish,Taino and African cuisines and you should check out the Dominican speciality dishes like Arroz con dulce, Frio frio, dulce de leche etc. When you come to the Dominican Republic, get ready to experience the Caribbean life!
Cuba which is also called the Pearl of the Caribbean is an island nation that includes many archipelagos and is considered to be the largest island nation in the Caribbean. The name Cuba is derived from the Taino language and roughly translates as “where fertile land is available” or “great place”.
The island can be literally called a tropical paradise as it consists of 750 kms of coastline with tropical vegetation and mountains. There are a number of bays and beaches where one can indulge in a number of activities like sailing, snorkeling, surfing or even swimming with the dolphins. When at Cuba, do not forget to catch a glimpse of the famous historical monuments and architecture in Havana. Cuba is also known for the absence of anything that is poisonous to human, both plants or animals. Check out some of the famous Cuban dishes like Ropa vieja which includes black beans, yellow rice and plantains and the famous Cuban cigar too (if you smoke!)
