Caribbean Cruises You Need To See

Hey Tourist! The Caribbean is the sweet spot of the Americas when it comes to tourism, with a natural beauty impossible to find anywhere else. The sheer contrast between white sand and the astonishingly blue sea is the first thing that will take your breath away, though this is just the beginning. Not only is the Caribbean graced by splendid climate and scenic views, but it is also the oldest part of the Americas. With this comes a diversity of cuisines and architectures hard to find on the mainland. But then, the Caribbean is no secret, and everybody knows about Kingston or Nassau. With this in mind, however, here are a few of the best destinations you might not have heard of before.

Basseterre, St Kitts

Basseterre means "lower ground" in French, and is the capital of St. Kitts. Some its charm comes from its modernization, which allows the little town of thirteen thousand to 'punch above its weight' against larger destinations. Much of Basseterre's considerable charm comes from the homey, slightly-weathered character that called for modernization in the first place, such as the old paint flaking off rows of lovely Georgian homes and businesses. The town square is known as The Circus, and is named after London's Piccadilly Circus. With its water fountain and green clock tower, The Circus has a purely Caribbean splendor appropriate for an island so blessed with rainforests. The Circus is a fine road transport hub for all St. Kitts inland destinations, just as Port Zante is a fine marine transport hub into St. Kitts itself. The south-east peninsula or Frigate Bay can be reached by taxi, and public buses will get visitors to Molyneux or Saddler's to the East, St. Peter's to the North, and West to Capesterre.

Continue reading to learn about a little known royal destination.

Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas

Named after a Queen of Denmark, Charlotte Amalie has a deep and exciting history, which began with the Island Carib and Taino Indians, who had numerous fishing settlements along the shore. Christopher Columbus landed here in 1493, 9t was a favorite haven for pirates, including the most infamous of all: Blackbeard. Alexander Hamilton grew up here. It was an American submarine base and became the favored American tourist spot in the Caribbean after the Cuban Revolution in 1960. Today, Charlotte Amalie is a center of Afro-Caribbean life and famed for its duty-free shopping options. Nearly ancient by New World standards, it offers a wealth of sightseeing activities. St. Thomas Synagogue, the second-oldest synagogue in all the Americas, heads a list of magnificent architectural treasures. Even children generally too young to be excited by history often find themselves intrigued by Blackbeard's Castle. Charlotte Amalie also has a lot to offer the more adventurous tourist, as it is a center for scuba diving both by day and night, as well as boat tours and yachting.

Head on over to Mexico for the next hidden gem.

Cozumel, Mexico

Cozumel, just off the Yucatán Peninsula, might be Mexico's largest Caribbean island but it's still a compact thirty miles long and ten miles wide. In that little space, it offers an especially rich menu of tourist activities, including Saturday nights of music and dancing in the town of San Miguel de Cozumel, over three hundred fine restaurants, and a wealth of water sports. It's probably most famous for its snorkeling and scuba-diving among some of the world's most beautiful reefs, which, as well as the island's mangrove forests, are home to endemic creatures such as the American crocodile. Cozumel is also home to Olmec and Mayan ruins. One site is especially renowned: the Mayan temple of the Moon Goddess, Ix Chel, which is still visited as a pilgrimage destination by women who seek to become pregnant. Having paid homage to Ix Chel in the morning, they can go kite-surfing in the afternoon, and then dance all night.

Ready for a French twist of a destination? Continue reading to reveal the details!

Fort-de-France

Fort-de-France gives a French twist to the sunshine and clear blue seas, though connaisseurs of old Errol Flynn pirate movies are probably more familiar with its original name: Fort Royal. This is the place to visit for fine French Creole cuisine, which always seems to taste better when served by someone who speaks French Creole. Travelers can even take their vacation home by taking classes in cooking local cuisine at the Atelier Tatie Maryse. As the name of the town suggests, this is also an excellent place to visit centuries-old forts such as Fort St. Louis, built in a not-entirely-successful effort to defend Martinique from enemy incursions. There is also a great natural beauty to behold, such as Jardin de Balata botanical gardens and the romantic Fontaine Didier waterfall.

Ready for a Cuban vacation? Keep going for the next hidden gem in the Caribbean.

Havana, Cuba

It's the most exciting news in all of tourism: Havana is back. It isn't quite the Havana of old, but so much of that Havana is still there, embalmed and slightly withered by history, which only makes it that much more exciting. The surf still breaks against the majestic Morro Castle, and there's still salsa dancing at the Cabaret Tropicana Nightclub. The buildings lining the streets of Old Havana might be a little bit weather-beaten, but they still gleam with bright colors in the sunshine, and the ice-cold mojitos will still send you into a festive mood.