They’re hard to get to and harder to leave, where you fall in love the moment you land (or step off the boat). We all dream about these tiny places scattered across the Caribbean, with few people, few hotels and infinite tranquility. 

We’ve gathered some of our favorite minuscule destinations in the Caribbean for your holiday planning, with a range of “little” islands as far north as The Bahamas and as far south as the edge of the Caribbean Sea. 

None of them can be reached directly; they all require either a second flight or a boat ride from the “mainland.” But journeys like these always reward travelers. 

Here are 9 “little” Caribbean islands for your imminent Caribbean getaway. 

Green Turtle Cay, The Bahamas It’s a short ferry ride from the “mainland” of Great Abaco: Green Turtle Cay, less than 1.5 square miles and long one of the best-kept secrets in The Bahamas. There are beautiful beaches, a pair of lovely hotels (The Bluff House and the Green Turtle Club) and a colorful town called New Plymouth with rich history — including the birthplace of the Goombay Smash. 

Terre de Haut, Guadeloupe Few travelers are familiar with the French Caribbean department of Guadeloupe, and even fewer realize it’s actually an archipelago. The crown jewel of the island chain is Terre de Haut, the headquarters of an even smaller archipelago called Les Saintes. It’s a slice of Brittany in the French West Indies, with a fishing-village vibe, terrific bars perfect for a ti’ punch and a quiver of secluded, stunning beaches, most notably the Caribbean’s minuscule “Sugarloaf.” 

Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands It is most famous for the world-renowned Soggy Dollar Bar, but this three-square-mile jewel is far more than just a beach bar. Sugar-white-sand beaches, lovely little eateries and, most importantly, a growing stock of boutique hotels, from the soon-to-debut Sandcastle (yes, you can actually sleep at Soggy) to the spectacular new Hideout, which in just a few months is one of the best hotels anywhere in the British Virgin Islands.

St Barth There’s no more luxurious — or glamorous — place in the Caribbean than St Barth, a slice of the French Riviera with a Caribbean soul. While you may know the super yachts and the luxury brands, tiny St Barth is an endlessly playful, fun-loving, breezy place, whether you’re at the island’s top hotel, Le Barthelemy, or tucked away in a WIMCO villa. It’s notoriously difficult to get to, with a tiny runway that doesn’t facilitate direct flights — but thankfully there’s luxury airline Tradewind Aviation that flies scheduled and charter service out of San Juan. 

Little Cayman, Cayman Islands Yes, they mean it when they say little. There are less than 200 people living here full time, the sort of lovable place where chickens roam the runway and the there’s only one road. You’ll fall in love immediately with its elevated level of chill, and two beloved resorts: the Little Cayman Beach Resort and the Southern Cross Club. If you’re a diver, this is as good as you’ll find anywhere on earth. If you just want to laze on an empty beach all day with a cold beer, it’s just about perfect. 

Harbour Island, The Bahamas Set just off the coast of north Eleuthera (and five minutes from North Eleuthera International Airport), this is The Bahamas’ capital of chic, a place where you get around on a golf cart, spend your afternoons on the world-class Pink Sand Beach and your evenings with breezy, water’s edge seafood dinners. Whether you’re at the legendary Dunmore resort or the historic Pink Sands, there’s no place in The Bahamas quite like it. 

Bequia, St Vincent and the Grenadines It’s just seven square miles but it feels far larger. Bequia is a bucket-list destination for many Caribbean aficionados, and when you get here, you see why. The people are almost impossibly friendly, the beaches (and the beach bars) are superb and the island’s maritime history and centuries-old maritime history gives Bequia an almost New England-meets-the-Caribbean vibe. 

South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Turks and Caicos has been one of the hottest Caribbean destinations since the onset of the pandemic, but that demand is still almost exclusively concentrated in Providenciales. Venture farther off into the remote islands of TCI and you’ll discover an entirely different universe — like 18-square-mile South Caicos, home to three resorts, from the luxe Sailrock to the family-friendly East Bay Resort. It’s a secluded, raw, stunning island. 

Culebra, Puerto Rico This isn’t the Puerto Rico you know. Far from the bustle of San Juan, this gem of the so-called Spanish Virgin Islands (along with Vieques) is a place to turn down the volume on your life. There’s just one notable hotel, Club Seabourne, and a cluster of villas scattered across the island. And then there’s the centerpiece: Playa Flamenco, the ultra-calm, impossibly white beach that’s among the best anywhere in the Caribbean. 

The post 9 Little Caribbean Islands For Your Next Vacation appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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The Dominican Republic is a big country, and sometimes it can feel like everything about the DR’s resort areas can seem super-sized, too: big beaches, mega resorts, and all-inclusive hotels with giant buffets and endless dining options.

There’s nothing wrong with any of that—choices are good! But there’s also a time and place for an intimate vacation with low-key vibes, personalized service, and the sense that this getaway was designed just for you, not for you and 1,000 other people at the same time.

Boutique hotels, with limited numbers of rooms and plenty of staff on hand to take care of guest needs, are perfectly suited for such vacations, and the Dominican Republic has a fine collection of small luxury hotels to choose from whether you’re looking for a beach stay or a base for exploring the history of the national capital, Santo Domingo.

Tortuga Bay Hotel, Punta Cana

Designed by Oscar de la Renta, this boutique hotel is an enclave within an enclave, located within the Puntacana Resort and Club complex. With just 13 luxury villas, the Tortuga Bay Hotel puts the emphasis on attention to detail, from VIP service that speeds passage through the airport to private car service and a personal concierge to get you checked in when you arrive. All 30 resort suites have views of the ocean and golf course along with kitchenettes, and guests have easy access to the excellent restaurants, entertainment, and activities in the surrounding Puntacana Resort.

Amanera, Rio San Juan

Guests at this luxuriously private Aman resort will have the remote Playa Grande beach pretty much to themselves when they’re not seeking solitude in one of the 24 casitas and villas spread along the beach and up in the hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Some villas have private pools, but the infinity-edge main pool is no slouch, either. Restaurants and bars are all on the beach, which is also the site for moonlight yoga sessions, spa treatments, and a natural fitness circuit.

Eden Roc at Cap Cana, Punta Cana

This 65-room Relais & Chateau hotel — the only one in the Dominican Republic — combines fine dining with luxurious accommodations just like the best boutique hotels in Europe. Some thatch-roofed villas are arrayed at cliff’s edge along the Caribbean shoreline, while others overlook gardens or lagoon pools. Dining options include Mediterraneo, one of Punta Cana’s top restaurants, as well as the show kitchen at Blue Bar & Grill and the locally seasoned La Palapa.

Le Sivory, Punta Cana

With just 55 rooms, this boutique hotel turns the image of a Dominican Republic adults-only all-inclusive on its head. A AAA 4-Diamond property, Le Sivory has all of the amenities you’d expect from an all-inclusive resort — 24-hour room service, beach cabanas, use of non-motorized water sports, dining and drinking at your choice of 4 restaurants and two bars — in a small package. Rooms have soaking tubs and furnished lanais, some with plunge pools and ocean views.

Zoetry Agua, Punta Cana

Like Le Sivory, the all-inclusive Zoetry Agua is located in the quieter Uvero Alto district of Punta Cana, on the beach but well removed from the high-rises. A private helicopter speeds guests from the airport to the resort, where you’ll find four a la carte restaurants, a spa (with a 20-minute treatment part of the inclusive package), unique included activities like horseback rides on the beach, and 96 rooms with Taino-inspired decor, ocean-view and swim-up accommodations, and private terraces or balconies.

Casa Colonial Beach & Spa, Puerto Plata

A restored colonial estate is the setting for this boutique beach hotel in Puerto Plata, which has all-suites accommodations, a full-service spa, a pair of restaurants that includes the acclaimed French-Caribbean Lucia, and a rooftop infinity pool. When you’re not on the beach you can relax in the resort’s quiet orchid garden.

Billini Hotel, Santo Domingo

The Dominican capital is known for its colonial architecture and history dating back to the 16th century, but the Billini Hotel is decidedly modern with its avant-garde design, suites with a mix of Asian, Nordic, and midcentury furnishings, and secret spaces like a rooftop sun deck and Moon restaurant, with views of the Colonial Zone.

Bannister Hotel & Yacht Club, Samana

The Samana Peninsula, known for whale watching and parks with spectacular waterfalls, is home to this 30-room boutique hotel, located at a bustling marina on Samana Bay. Popular with both boaters and land-based travelers, the hotel lacks a beach but makes up for it with a beautiful infinity pool hugging the ocean’s edge, a freeform pool, and a variety of waterfront accommodations with plunge pools of their own. Guests can sample Dominican food at a waterfront restaurant, Italian cuisine at Le Regatta, and Mediterranean dishes at Le Deauville.

Saman Boutique Hotel, Samana

Tucked into lush gardens in Las Terranas, this 24-room boutique hotel blends seamlessly with the natural surroundings of Samana with its rustic decor (rooms make rich use of local wood, and some even include whole trees), a rooftop sunset bar and pool, and the Albizia restaurant, where the culinary journey ranges from local picapollo to shrimp tagliatelle.

Casas de XVI

Multiple formerly private residences in the heart of Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone have been combined to create a unique boutique hotel full of luxury suites and private courtyards that provide a respite from the urban cacophony, while still making a great starting point for exploring the old town’s cobblestone streets and ancient churches. Guests can book a room or a whole house, each individually decorated to accent the historic setting of exposed stone walls, arched passageways, and intimate outdoor spaces.

The post 10 Small Resorts to Visit in the Dominican Republic Right Now appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s one of the most highly-anticipated hotel openings in The Bahamas in years: the new Goldwynn Resort and Residences, set to debut on Nassau’s Cable Beach early next year. 

The new Goldwynn, a residential resort that’s set on the white sands of Cable Beach, is planning to welcome its first guests in February. 

That includes a Feb. 1 opening date, according to the property’s Web site. 

It’s a different kind of resort for one of the Caribbean’s most popular destination, with a residential concept that means space and comfort typically reserved for condominiums in a luxury package — along with in-suite kitchens.  

That ranges from 530-square-foot studios to the stunning 1,950-square-foot Goldwynn Suite. 

There will be four dining concepts: the signature restaurant, OIA, a Mediterranean-Peruvian-Japanese fusion eatery; the bar and entertainment lounge called Bar Paul; Amara, a “Bahamian delicatessen on the terrace; and Atria, a sleek coffee lounge. 

There will also be in-room dining, from light bites to full meals. 

The resort is billing itself as a new kind of destination: the Riviera Bahama, with a “new beachfront Bahamian resort that celebrates the luxury of leisure.”

That’s along with a signature spa called Rhizophora and a state-of-the-art fitness center powered by Technogym. 

The resort is the brainchild of the Wynn Group of Companies, a family-run company out of Canada. 

It’s another significant boost for a destination that has been at the pinnacle of the Caribbean’s tourism rebound, buoyed by the Atlantis and the Baha Mar. 

For more, visit the Goldwynn Resort.

The post A New Luxury Resort Is Opening Soon in Nassau, The Bahamas  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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It’s been an exemplar for the Caribbean in the post-Covid tourism world, and the US Virgin Islands continues to see outstanding tourism performance. 

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. 

The US Virgin Islands has actually seen the highest increase in visitors from 2019 to 2022 of any destination in the Caribbean, according to global hospitality consulting firm HVS. 

The data was shared by Parr’s Jodan, chairman of the HVS’s CHICOS investment conference, which was held this past week in the Dominican Republic. 

The US Virgin Islands has seen a 31.6 percent increase in visitors since September 2019, the highest rate of any destination.

Puerto Rico was the next-highest, with an 11.5 percent growth rate, followed by the Dominican Republic at 8.1 percent and Curacao at 2.7 percent. 

Aruba, for example, is down 3.8 percent since September 2019, while Trinidad is down 47 percent in the same period. 

The US Virgin Islands is far outpacing the Caribbean at large, which has seen tourism down 16.7 percent overall since September 2019 (That is changing lately, however, with many destinations in the region starting to eclipse their 2019 totals). 

The US Virgin Islands, which has seen a wave of new airlift to the destination since the onset of the pandemic, is also set for a major boost in 2023 with the entry of two new Marriott resorts in St Thomas: the Westin Beach Resort and Spa and The Seaborn at Frenchman’s Reef, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection. 

“The USVI Department of Tourism is working hard to support local businesses and new investors,” said US Virgin Islands Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte, who led a USVI delegation to CHICOS this week. “As part of our ongoing efforts and assistance with tax incentives, financing and brand awareness, we expect to see continued interest and growth in our islands in 2023.”

The USVI’s growth is a testament to its nimble approach to entry protocols during the height of the pandemic, and a continued push to promote both stayover and cruise passengers visits to the territory. 

The post The USVI Is Growing Faster Than Any Other Caribbean Destination appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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There’s another new route to one of the most beloved destinations in The Bahamas. 

Fast-expanding Bahamian carrier Aztec Airways has added another new nonstop route between Fort Lauderdale and the island of Great Harbour Cay in the Berry Islands. 

Aztec Airways, which has long operated service to a host of destinations across The Bahamas, is now operating service to both the private-island destination of Chub Cay and to Great Harbour Cay. 

The routes are operating twice each week. 

Both flights are operating out of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, meaning that while they’re regularly scheduled they’re semi-private — a very good combination. 

It’s a particular boost to Great Harbour Cay, a very popular vacation home destination for Floridians that will soon unveil a brand-new international airport.

“Thanks to our awesome team for another successful launch of a new destination in The Bahamas,” Aztec said in a statement. “We continue to add routes to our scheduled flight service and it’s all thanks to our loyal passengers.”

Aztec is operating the Chub Cay and Great Harbour service on Piper Chieftain aircraft. 

Aztec now offers scheduled service to 11 different destinations in The Bahamas, including Andros Town, South Bimini, Chub Cay, North Eleuthera, Governors Harbor, Eleuthera; Great Harbour Cay, Marsh Harbour in Abaco; Rock Sound, Eleuthera; San Andros; and Treasure Cay, Abaco. 

The Bahamas has been seeing surging visitor arrivals 2022, buoyed by a continued growth in new airlift. 

That now includes these already-popular new routes. 

For more, visit Aztec Airways. 

The post More New Flights to Islands in The Bahamas  appeared first on Caribbean Journal.

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