Maybe you’ve been to the Caribbean a dozen times. Maybe you’re planning your first Caribbean vacation. The Caribbean continues to reinvent itself, to rewrite its story. The Caribbean just keeps getting better.

As the region comes off what was a record-breaking year for just about every destination in the Caribbean, most projections show an even better year ahead.

So where should you choose for your next Caribbean vacation? Our latest annual edition of the Best Caribbean Islands to Visit takes you on a journey through volcanic towns, blue holes, fishing villages and gourmet hotspots, telling new stories of destinations you may think you already knew. From the inspiring rebirth of St Thomas’ capital to charting new routes through the Grenadines, here are 24 new ways to think about the most beautiful place on earth.

Nassau Paradise Island, The Bahamas Plainly, Nassau Paradise Island has it all. The two greatest large resorts in the Caribbean: Atlantis Paradise Island and Baha Mar (along with a host of terrific independent hotels from Graycliff to the Paradise Island Beach Club); a booming foodie scene; countless white-sand beaches; a reinvigorated downtown; great golf, we could go on and on. But if you’re looking for a complete Caribbean vacation, this is your spot. Hotels we like: Atlantis, Baha Mar, Goldwynn Resort and Residences; Graycliff; Paradise Island Beach Club.