The 25 Best Caribbean Islands to Travel to in 2025, From Foodie-Favorite Fishing Villages to Culture-Rich Cities
The Caribbean is evolving, just as its visitors are evolving. For every visitor looking to savor the region’s natural beauty, there’s another seeking out authentic cultural experiences, musical odysseys or wellness journeys.
Then there are the hotels: the region’s accommodations have never been better or more different, whether it’s the continued growth of all-inclusive resorts or the welcome development of personality-rich, unique boutique hotels. And then there’s the food — a reminder that this is also the world’s most diverse culinary destination. But the scope of the Caribbean can also be intimidating. There are so many places to choose from, so many hotels, so many cities, so many beaches, so many islands, so many possibilities.
Where to start? We’ve been covering the region exhaustively and comprehensively for a decade and a half, and our editors have been traveling to the Caribbean for a half century. Every day, we try to tell the story of that experience, based on year-round trips to the Caribbean, on-the-ground resarch and hotel stays across the islands. But if you want a place to start as you plan your 2025 trips, this is it: our annual list of the best islands to visit in the Caribbean includes our favorite hotspots and under-the-radar gems to check out as you look for travel inspiration. This year, we’ve gone deeper, focusing on specific areas within each destination.
Here are our favorite places to go right now, including, of course, some places that are not actually islands but simply cannot be missed. This is your Caribbean guide for 2025.
Antigua and Barbuda What is the Caribbean fantasy? For everyone, it’s different. But if you polled 100 people, they’d probably describe a place like this: splendid white-sand beaches, toes-in-the-sand hotels, fun-loving beach bars and abundant, intoxicating natural beauty. There’s a reason that Antigua and Barbuda has been the fastest-growing destination in the Caribbean in the last decade — it’s just that good, from its enviable collection of authentic hotels and resorts (from Hammock Cove to Galley Bay to Keyonna to Jumby Bay) to its 365 beaches to the increasingly fascinating destination that is Barbuda (Nobu, anyone?) to its buzzing food scene (Sheer Rocks is in the pantheon of great Caribbean eateries).
But there’s also so much beyond the beach: you can journey through the centuries at Nelson’s Dockyard or enjoy one of the Caribbean’s greatest culinary festivals, explore the legendary rum collection at Papa Zouk’s or try some world-class snorkeling. It’s all here, at your pace, at your choice.
But what’s so remarkable about this island is that despite its growth and success, it remains blissfully, captivatingly uncrowded – you can always find your pristine corner of sand, your quiet slice of perfect. And that’s no small feat. It’s the Caribbean fantasy, but it’s your fantasy.
Exuma, The Bahamas It might have begun with the Swimming Pigs, but Exuma has skyrocketed to the top of many travelers’ radar for its indescribably beautiful water, pristine beaches and unmatched boating. Lots of places like to throw around the term “bucket list,” but Exuma is very much a box to be ticked – you can travel around the world and back and never see water like this. Exuma is also heating up in other ways, from new-look hotels (the historic Peace ’n Plenty just got a facelift) to a new Beaches resort in development, and a brand-new airport on the way. It’s an exciting time to visit this Bahamian archipelago, from the charms of Great Exuma to the south to the pilgrimage stop at Staniel Cay to the north.
San Ignacio, Belize Belize is its own universe on the western edge of the Caribbean, from offshore hotspots like Ambergris Caye to private-island retreats and blue holes. But in the lush, rich interior of the country, you’ll find manifold wonders, including in the pristine Cayo district, a green, naturally magnificent area that includes everything from Maya archaeological sites to a 300,000-acre forest reserve. That makes it the perfect place to find your fantasy eco hotels, from Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge to the decidedly lovely Gaia Riverlodge.
Downtown Nassau, The Bahamas It’s one of the biggest transformations in the region in recent years. It’s taken about a decade, but the downtown corner of the Bahamian capital of Nassau has been dramatically reimagined into a walkable, exciting, fun neighborhood that is arguably the top downtown anywhere in the Caribbean. That ranges from the stunning work the team at Graycliff have done to create their Heritage Village to the artistic efforts of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and local artists like Antonius Roberts to The Pointe, the hotel complex that includes the excellent Margaritaville Beach Resort, its One Particular Harbour residential-style sister hotel. Then there’s the newest addition: the marvelously restored, revamped British Colonial Nassau, the city’s first hotel that has been lovingly and exquisitely upgraded in a way that honors its history and exemplifies the new Nassau. Nassau is, plainly, better than ever.
Grand Case, St Martin Do you like food? This is for you. There’s simply nowhere in the entire Caribbean with a greater concentration of world-class restaurants than this beloved fishing town on the French side of St Martin, where you can spend a week eating out and just scratch the surface of what’s here. The culinary powerhouse is Le Pressoir, a regular at the top of the list of best restaurants in the Caribbean, and the local hotpot is the collection of grill-stands called the Lolos, but this is a gastronomic tapestry that will wrap you up and redefine your appetite. Even better? The area’s best hotel, the Grand Case Beach Club, is in the midst of a new upgrade that includes a stunning rooftop pool and bar.
Southeastern Peninsula, St Kitts The moment you make the initial approach in your car and drive up to the lookout, you appreciate just how spectacularly beautiful a place this is. The southeastern peninsula of St Kitts is the island’s party piece, a green-hilled wonder that begins with one of the Caribbean’s most scenic drives and takes you everywhere from a true beach bar capital to one of our favorite luxury resorts: the Park Hyatt St Kitts. (There’s also a Ritz, Carlton on the way).
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Really since its inception as a tourism destination, the epicenter of Provo has been Grace Bay Beach. But while Grace Bay is still an undisputed anchor, many of the newest joys on the island are to be found in different, burgeoning corners. That includes everything from Long Bay, the deliciously shallow, satin-turquoise beach that’s home to world-class resorts like the Shore Club to the increasingly hot Blue Mountain area. But our favorite discovery of the last year was Kokomo, a wellness-focused botanical resort that is a full-fledged oasis in the heart of Provo, lushly landscaped, with sleekly-designed cottages and some of the best food on the whole island.
Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe We’ll get to the point: Guadeloupe is fabulous. It’s a vibrant, dynamic archipelago with one of the most diverse, rich travel offerings anywhere in the hemisphere, let alone the Caribbean: from island hopping to hiking to volcanoes to a remarkable rum industry to some of the best food in the region. But it’s never been easy to get to, it has very few international-standard hotels (though it does have some lovely villas). That should change with the launch this year of Accor’s new Pullman Royal Key, a wellness resort that is the first new-build hotel in the French Caribbean department in years, set on the beachy, tourist-friendly island of Grande Terre. You can make it here on American Airlines and Air France, but just make sure you look at the schedule, because service is not frequent nor year round.
Cape Santa Maria, Long Island, The Bahamas The first time we visited this beach, one of our editors said it might be the most beautiful beach he had ever seen. And if you come here, you’ll find it hard to disagree. It’s so beautiful, so blue, so brilliant that pictures really don’t do it justice. But when you get here, you’ll find it hard to leave. Long Island is one of the great undiscovered places in The Bahamas, with just a handful of flights (including just one, on the excellent Makers Air, from the United States) and exceedingly few tourists. But this is the Grande Dame, home to a lovable bungalow hotel that is designed for stepping right out onto the sand and spending all day there. (The best part is the price: you can often find rooms here for under $400 and sometimes $300 per night).
Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, The Bahamas It’s less than two square miles. But there’s something here that can’t be measured. This little outpost in the electric-Blue Abaco chain of The Bahamas will have you instantly fall in love, whether you’re strolling through the streets of the old town of New Plymouth or checking into one of its beloved little hotels like the friendly Green Turtle Club or the enchanting Bluff House. But it’s actually rather easy to get here: fly from Miami or Palm Beach to Marsh Harbor, hop in a cab, then take a super-quick ferry from th mainland and you’re immediately transported into a different world.
Christiansted, St Croix There’s just something cool about the historic streets of Christiansted. In recent years, enterprising hoteliers and restaurateurs have helped turn what was once a somewhat sleepy downtown into a fun, delicious, walkable, colorful destination, with everything from a high-level waterfront tiki bar to a growing number of sleek, creative boutique hotels like the King Christian and the Company House, along with top eateries like Savant and Too Chez. If you like food, drink, history and sea, this is for you.
Anguilla Anguilla has always been very good at two things: beaches and food. The culinary culture that its original hotel, the Mallioiuhana, spawned, created one of the true restaurant capitals in the Caribbean, with an impossible surfeit of top-level eateries for such a tiny place. The island is also home to some of the best beaches anywhere, from Shoal to Meads to Maundays. But very quietly one of the island’s hotels has been turning into one of the Caribbean’s new destination resorts: Aurora Anguilla, which has adding new amenities left and right, from a stunning waterpark to a revamped Greg Norman golf course (and adjacent golf center and academy) that just might have the best views of any course in the region.
San Nicolas, Aruba It was the old capital in Aruba, and in recent years the little town of San Nicolas has been finding new life as an art destination, with some of the Caribbean’s most stunning street art and a fun, entrepreneurial vibe. But San Nicolas is about to get on the map in a whole new way with the imminent debut of the new, long-awaited Secrets Baby Beach, just a short drive from the town and set on one of the best beaches on an island famous for its sand.
Roseau, Dominica We’ve written much in these pages about the north of Dominica and its world-class luxury hotels, led by Secret Bay and the InterContinental. But on the other side of the island is Dominica’s fascinating historic capital, Roseau. And the crown jewel of the city is the Fort Young, the unique all-inclusive hotel (it comes with complimentary excursions to some of the island’s greatest natural attractions) that just completed a massive renovation and re-imagining, blending a centuries-old fort with a fun, fresh, culture-focused concept.
Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia If you haven’t actually been to Saint Lucia, you’ve probably seen the Pitons, the rainforest, the legendary three-walled resorts like Jade Mountain (the island’s bucket-list adults-only hotel). But you may not know about Rodney Bay, our favorite part of the island, a fun, always-bustling, culture-filled destination that’s also home to the beloved Bay Gardens hotel collection: an ever-expanding, locally-owned portfolio of hotels ranging from luxe villas to classic, breezy toes-in-the-sand resorts. (And with another one on the way, too).
Portici Beach, Grenada Grenada is wonderfully hard to categorize. It’s cool, it’s beautiful, it’s sustainable, it’s laid back, it’s foodie-friendly. But this lovely little corner of beach tells the story rather well: on one side, there’s Laluna, the Mediteranean-inspired boutique hotel that’s a rustic, bohemian retreat perfect for serene beach getaways. Right next door is Silversands Beach House, a striking, modern boutique hotel that’s the essence of modern Grenada: hip and fun but still gloriously relaxed. They’re just a slice of the story on this magnificently beautiful, lush Eastern Caribbean island, but they’re a wonderful place to start.
La Romana, Dominican Republic There’s still one major reason to come here: Casa de Campo, the hotel and villa resort that remains one of the legendary places to stay in the whole of the Caribbean. There’s everything here: an unmatched golf offering, a new, state-of-the-art wellness center, a sparkling resort-within-a-resort concept called Premier Club; and an action-packed events calendar that includes some of the region’s new must-visit culinary festivals. Casa de Campo, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, isn’t just a hotel: it’s a whole destination unto itself. But the most notable development is the new American Airlines flights from Miami to La Romana — which take you directly to the grounds of the resort.
Willemstad, Curacao At some point, you have probably seen the colorful buildings that dot the waterfront in Curacao’s sublime capital of Willemstad. But if you haven’t actually visited the capital, you’re really missing out. It’s a remarkable place: walkable, fun, filled with bars, stores, restaurants, art galleries, museums and more (along with the best French Fries you’ll find in the Caribbean) and some terrific hotels, from bigger options like the Renaissance to the great-value Brion City Hotel. And it’s not just a place for a day trip from some other part of the island – this is a city to be lived in, to be enjoyed, to be savored, from evening strolls in the Rif Fort to cocktails at the Saint Tropez.
Ambergris Cay, Turks and Caicos No, not the one you’re thinking of (that one is spelled Ambergris Caye and is in Belize, a lovely destination in its own right.) This one remains something of a delicious secret, a private island just a short hop of a flight from Providenciales and home to one of the Caribbean’s most romantic, most beautiful, most luxurious all-inclusive resorts: Ambergris Cay, with just 17 bungalows, along with a handful of villas, and a new level of all-inclusive comfort.
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman We love just about every inch of Grand Cayman, from the Eastern Districts to West Bay to Cayman Kai. But if you’ve been following Seven Mile Beach, you know how one of the world’s best beaches is, well, getting even better. New restaurants, new hotels (including the lovely Hotel Indigo, which just opened across the street from the sand) and new bars (the rooftop Pom Pom is the island’s new destination watering hole) have helped turn the Seven Mile Beach District into an even deeper, more layered place to go. Where to stay? We still love the Seafire for its unique take beachy luxury, but we were rather impressed with the Indigo when we checked in last year – and it may be one of the best values on the island.
Saint Pierre, Martinique Martinique isn’t for everyone. You have to be a sophisticated, intrepid traveler, one who has no qualms about renting a car and just exploring; you have to be someone who loves travel and the art of travel. In other words, you have to be a Caribbean Journal reader. If you venture there, you’ll be rewarded with a very different, very authentic Caribbean destination, a place filled with history and culture, with art and cuisine, with a palpable, dynamic identity. That’s nowhere more true than in the little town of Saint Pierre, a place that became the Pompeii of the Caribbean when its Mont Peele volcano erupted more than a century ago and is now a charming, almost impossibly beautiful mix of historic ruins, bakeries, waterfront cafes and beach bars. (Not to mention the Depaz rum distillery just up the road). Where to stay? A villa is your best bet, aside from the no-frills but endearing Villa Saint Pierre hotel in the heart of town.
Cape Eleuthera, The Bahamas While North Eleuthera is largely the gateway to Harbour Island, and central Eletuhera is increasingly hot for the charms of Governor’s Harbour, we keep falling hard for the raw, stunning natural beauty of the southwestern corner of Eleuthera, home to the boutique Cape Eleuthera resort, where you have 4,500 acres all to yourself, filled with adventure and blissfully uncrowded. The hotel itself has some lovely toes-in-the-sand bungalows for the perfect beach fantasy.
Gustavia, St Barth You can’t talk about great places to travel in the Caribbean and omit St Barth. It’s just a magical little island, with the best shopping in the Caribbean, some of its most spectacular beaches, restaurants and hotels, and that glamorous, jet-set vibe that’s hard to replicate anywhere else. But it also has Gustavia: the old French Caribbean town has been undergoing a renaissance in the last decade, particularly since the pandemic, with new eateries, new boutiques and new energy on both sides of the harbor. It’s helped turn the town into a 24-7, full-time destination, and not just a place to look for name brands between beach hops. Where to stay? Wimco has outstanding villas across the rim of the town, including some beautiful luxury apartments along the harbor, too.
Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands Now that luxury airline Tradewind flies to the island, it’s easier than ever to get there. And while it’s perhaps most famous for its Rosewood Little Dix Bay resort, we’re rather partial to its beautiful, diverse collection of villas, best booked through top operator Virgin Gorda Villa Rentals. Virgin Gorda has an almost mystical quality, one that begins with the otherworldly rock formation called The Baths; there’s a palpable energy here, one that pervades every corner of the island, from the sought-after North Sound to the street food in Spanish Town.
Kingston, Jamaica A decade ago, Jamaica’s capital never would have made this list. But the city has undergone a rather remarkable transformation and, while it’s still finding its way as a full-fledged tourism destination, it’s the perfect place to carve out a unique urban getaway, from new hotels like the ROK and the AC Hotel (the latter a partnership between Marriott and Sandals) to a burgeoning street art scene. Even better? Caribbean Airlines just brought back its once-popular route from Fort Lauderdale one of the best connections to the capital from the US.
