If you're planning a trip to the Caribbean, it helps to know where you are going. Sure, the weather in much of the Caribbean is pretty similar, but there are some regional differences you should be aware of. Unlike most of the tropical Caribbean with its palm trees and lush foliage, for example, Aruba and Curacao are desert islands; on the other hand, their southerly position also keeps them outside of the hurricane zone. Barbados also puts you outside of hurricane territory, and in fact, hasn't seen a hurricane in about 20 years. As you can see from the map, the Bahamas and Bermuda aren't actually in the Caribbean -- but parts of the coast of Colombia and Venezuela are.
Also, flight times (and airfares) can vary widely depending on how far south you are heading, which is an important point to ponder as you budget your time and money.
If you're cruising, it's helpful to know what is meant by the Eastern Caribbean versus the Western Caribbean. Other terms you'll hear used when describing locations in the Caribbean include the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles, the Windward Islands, and the Leeward Islands.
01of 02
The World Atlas also has a useful Caribbean map, and of course, Google Maps and Google Earth are excellent resources for travelers, too. And here's a topographic map of the Caribbean and it's islands. Want to test your knowledge? Try this Caribbean geography quiz!
Check Caribbean rates and reviews atTripAdvisor.
Continue to 2 of 2 below.
02of 02
The Caribbean has been well-traveled for 300 years, and this historic map by Herman Molls is surprisingly complete and accurate. Geographicus, a seller of fine antique maps, explains:
"This is Herman Molls small but significant c. 1732 map of the West Indies. Moll's map covers all of the West Indies, eastern Mexico, all of Central America, the Gulf of Mexico, North America as far as the Chesapeake Bay, and the northern portion of South America, commonly called the Spanish Main. Typical of Moll's style, this map offers a wealth of information including ocean currents and some very interesting commentary.
"Additionally Moll, most likely through his acquaintance with pirates William Dampier and Woodes Rogers, offers a wealth of information on the traffic of silver bearing Spanish treasure fleets en route from the Mexican port of Veracruz, through the islands, to Spanish ports in Europe. Following the dotted line, Moll identifies the Spanish treasure fleet's entrada into the Caribbean via the passage between Grenada and Trinidad. The fleet then sailed westwards, skirting the Spanish Main until they reached Cartagena, where they rested and reprovisioned before heading northwards, rounding western Cuba and stopping in Havana.
"Using the strong Gulf Stream current -- shown here -- ships would sail northwards from Havana while being steadily forced to the southeast thus alighting at the deep-water port of Veracruz. On the return, laden with silver from the mines of San Luis Potosi, the Spanish fleet took advantage of eastward blowing trade winds, which helped to overcome the strong current on the sail to Havana. From Havana, they would travel northwards via the narrow passage between Florida and the Bahamas before cutting eastward and out to sea at St. Augustine. It was here, in this crucial passage between the English dominated Bahamas and Spanish Florida, where the most nefarious pirates and British privateers lay in wait for their profitable prey."
With such a long history and such an important role in international trade, it's no surprise that the Caribbean islands have long been a point of interest for world travelers and map-makers alike. On your next Caribbean trip, consider researching your island destination and learn more about its part in the early days of ocean and sea travel, and what unique part it has had to play in the developing of the island culture, community, economy, and tourism industry. You just might be surprised!
See the rest here:
Comprehensive Map of the Caribbean Sea and Islands
- Cheap Caribbean - December 9th, 2016 [December 9th, 2016]
- Caribbean - Lonely Planet - December 12th, 2016 [December 12th, 2016]
- Caribbean Sea | sea, Atlantic Ocean | Britannica.com - December 13th, 2016 [December 13th, 2016]
- Caribbean travel guide - Wikitravel - December 22nd, 2016 [December 22nd, 2016]
- Caribbean Information Office - January 9th, 2017 [January 9th, 2017]
- Holidays to the Caribbean 2016 / 2017 | loveholidays.com - January 9th, 2017 [January 9th, 2017]
- Caribbean Cruises | Caribbean Vacation Packages | Norwegian ... - January 9th, 2017 [January 9th, 2017]
- Caribbean - New World Encyclopedia - January 9th, 2017 [January 9th, 2017]
- 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Actor Brenton Thwaites to Star in Thriller 'Ghosts of War' - Variety - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- New Kokomo bar has Caribbean theme - Kokomo Tribune - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Michael Perry: Caribbean work day | Recent columns by Michael ... - Madison.com - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Orlando Bloom Returns as Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean 5 First Look - MovieWeb - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Link-Caribbean Awards US$125000 To Five Caribbean Firms - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Johnny Depp Finally Appears In Dynamite 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' Super Bowl Spot - Forbes - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- RORC Caribbean 600 attracts Classics - Scuttlebutt Sailing News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Caribbean dancer N'Jelle Gage-Thorne visits Allen Hall - Daily Illini - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Norwegian, Royal Caribbean expand Cuba sailings through end of the year - Orlando Sentinel - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Why Disney's 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' Had The Best Super Bowl Movie Ad - Forbes - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- The 'baseball island' is taking on water at the Caribbean Series - ESPN (blog) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- World's Smallest Biennale Drops Anchor on Caribbean Islet - Hyperallergic - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Obama kiteboards in Caribbean with billionaire Richard Branson - Reuters - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Crime Costing Caribbean Billions | Caribbean360 - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- Classics Gather in Caribbean - Sailing World - February 8th, 2017 [February 8th, 2017]
- CCGA enters partnership with Caribbean college - The News (subscription) - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Caribbean Charm Enjoying New Location - Hartford Courant - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- World Bank Appoints New Country Director for the Caribbean - St. Lucia Times Online News (press release) - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Caribbean reports record of 29M visits - The San Luis Obispo Tribune - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Puerto Rico edges Mexico for Caribbean Series title - MLB.com - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- LGBTQI coalition gears up in eastern Caribbean - Erasing 76 Crimes - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Caribbean Series artifacts to be displayed in Hall - MLB.com - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Pros and Cons of Royal Caribbean's unlimited drink packages - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- AP PHOTOS: Editor Selections From Latin America, Caribbean ... - ABC News - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Caribbean reports record of 29M visits - Beloit Daily News - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Humanitarian Bulletin Latin America and Caribbean Volume 30 | November December 2016 - ReliefWeb - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- All inclusive Caribbean trips with nonstop flights hit the vacation spot - The Tennessean - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- US, EU Food Standards Major Hurdle for Caribbean Exporters - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Cruises that cater to the Chinese on Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas - Miami Herald - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- St. Croix Restaurants Named Among Top Ten In Caribbean By USA Today - VI Consortium (press release) - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- Caribbean Brothers Bar & Grill opens along Route 30 in Lancaster Family Resort - LancasterOnline - February 11th, 2017 [February 11th, 2017]
- FATCA hurting Caribbean: Revoke it, Mr Trump - Jamaica Observer - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Book review: 'Island People' brings Caribbean's humanity, color to life - Fredericksburg.com - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Caribbean/American leaders want strong stance against Trump's immigration policy - Jamaica Observer - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- 10 Ways MSC Cruises is Elevating the Caribbean Cruise Experience - Cruise Fever - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Caribbean hoteliers concerned over poaching - Jamaica Observer - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Caribbean all-inclusive resorts: Top spots for families, foodies, more - USA TODAY - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- This Unknown Caribbean Island Should Be Your #1 Vacation Destination In 2017 - Huffington Post - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Belize among the Caribbean countries recording strongest tourism growth - Amandala - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- You can take a family vacation the Caribbean - AZCentral.com - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Caribbean-style lagoon coming to Houston-area development - Chron.com - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Royal Caribbean CIO Sets Sail For Digital Innovation - Forbes - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- 2000 Royal Caribbean passengers stranded after ship fails life jacket inspection - Fox News - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Caribbean's Carnivals Tip Their Hats to Trinidad - New York Times - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- New shark of the Caribbean - Deutsche Welle - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Caribbean labour ministers to meet in Jamaica - Jamaica Observer - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Record Fleet for RORC Caribbean 600 >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News - Scuttlebutt Sailing News - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Caribbean hoteliers predict positive tourism performance for 2017 - Amsterdam News - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Venezuela promotes trade with Caribbean - St. Lucia Times Online News (press release) - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Disney World announces expansion at Coronado Springs, Caribbean Beach resorts - Orlando Sentinel - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- AP PHOTOS: Editor selections from Latin America, Caribbean - SFGate - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- UK weather to get hotter than Barcelona as Caribbean blast 'heatwave' keeps temperatures soaring into next week ... - The Sun - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Black Caribbean Immigrants In The US Today 10 Things You Should Know This Black History Month - News Americas Now Caribbean And Latin America Daily... - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- The 8 Most Memorable Island Cocktails To Try On Your Next Caribbean Adventure - Huffington Post - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Caribbean air will send February temperatures soaring in Cornwall - Cornwall Live - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- New LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean sets revealed at New York Toy Fair 2017, coming in May [News] - The Brothers Brick - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Caribbean/American legislator dispels rumours about immigration sweep - Jamaica Observer - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Lego's New Pirates of the Caribbean Ship Can Open Itself Up Like a Skeleton's Ribcage - Gizmodo - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Royal Caribbean cancels all cruise stops in Turkey in 2017 - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Caribbean trained attorneys are taking over the judiciary in the region - Stabroek News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Caribbean Nations Concerned President Trump's Immigration Policy Will Slow Tourism - South Florida Caribbean News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Woman suffering diabetic shock airlifted by Coast Guard from Royal Caribbean cruise ship - ABC News - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Johnny Depp is in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales', Apparently - Bloody Disgusting - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Dozens Starve to Death in Caribbean Prison - Newser - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Horses on the Caribbean Track - Scuttlebutt Sailing News - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- SXM Festival on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin announces 2017 edition - Mirror.co.uk - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Navigator of the Seas Live Blog - Day 5 - Curacao - Royal Caribbean Blog (blog) - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Jamaica Commended For Its Economic Initiatives At IDB - South Florida Caribbean News - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- RORC Caribbean 600: It's Never Like This >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News - Scuttlebutt Sailing News - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- More Caribbean illegals in line for deportation - Trinidad & Tobago Express - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- CHIEF and Taste Of The Caribbean To Be Held In Miami In June ... - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Caribbean islands offer Carnival travel choices: St. Lucia, Barbados and more - Newsday - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]