Three tropical destinations, but only one vacation: So, which one do you choose?
The Caribbean is one of the most in-demand tourist destinations in the world drawing in up to 26.3 million visitors yearly into its Islands of beautiful beaches, rich culture, and abundant sunshine. Barbados, the Bahamas, and Aruba are three of the most popular Islands in the Caribbean which means travelers might have a hard time choosing one over the others. But not to worry; This three-way face-off will help make the decision-making process easier.
Barbados
Barbados is an Islands located in the Southeastern region of the Caribbean Sea. The Island is characterized by clear blue skies, lots of plantations, beautiful beaches with turquoise waters, and soft white sands. Its waters are not just great for swimming, and scuba diving, but also surfing and fishing as well. Barbados has a lot in common with Britain as it was once a British colony. In fact, it had Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state until November 2021 when a new head of state was elected. The numerous golf courses, and English-inspired games such as - cricket, and horse racing even make it even more appealing especially for English-speaking travelers. One of the most enticing things about this island is that celebrities love it. By the way, Rihanna - the amazing pop star, is Barbadian and Westbury New Road - the street where she lived till her teenage years has even been named - Rihanna Drive. A nice bragging right that is!
Reasons To Visit Barbados
So Much Sunshine: Barbados is blessed with so much sunshine. It makes the Island so bright and beautiful that one could easily see the depths of the crystal clear waters on a normal day. Dream Beaches: Barbados is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean therefore there are so many unique beaches on the Island. From beaches with calm waters and secluded atmosphere to those with challenging waves, crowded spaces, rich marine life, travelers have lots of options to choose from. The waters are excellent for all the water activities one can think of and the surf is incredibly satisfying. Finger-licking Delicacies: The cuisine of Barbados is one of the most diverse in the world as it takes flavors from African, Indian, Portuguese, British, Irish, and Creole cultures. Expect lots of seafood mixed with vegetables, spices, and herbs. Be sure to try out some favorites such as - Cou-cou, Chicken Curry, and flying fish.Cons
Very expensive Vulnerability to natural disasters from summer to Fall. The increasing crime rate in some parts of the IslandRelated: The Best Kept Secrets In Barbados
Bahamas
Captivating white sand beaches, mesmerizing turquoise waters, and rich culture are some of the characteristics of this archipelago located in the northwestern West Indies. The Bahamas is made up of 700 smaller islands and thousands of Cays which consists of hiking trails, lots of palm trees, adventurous parks, so much greenery, and long endless views of the blue atmosphere. Nassau - the island's capital even hosts some museums that reveal the lifestyle of pirates who once occupied the Bahamas.
One of the Island's appealing characteristics is its sunny weather which makes the beaches more enjoyable. Besides its beaches, there are Zoos, Gardens, and golf courses, spread across the islands of the Bahamas. The Bahamas is one of the best places on earth to swim with unique marine creatures such as - Dolphins, sharks, and swimming pigs. It is also worth noting that it is the richest country in the West Indies.
Why Visit The Bahamas
There is so much to love about this large Island but these are some of the most enticing ones:
Unique Beaches: The Bahamas cannot be separated from its beaches. Not with their soft sands, turquoise waters, excellent diving opportunities with underwater caves and blue holes. Unique Experiences: To begin, Dean's Blue Hole - the second deepest blue hole in the world is located in the Bahamas and it presents one of the best scuba diving experiences in the world with its 202 meters depth. The Island also offers one of the most unique underwater cave-diving in the world which presents views of beautiful ocean caves filled with unique marine creatures, unique passages, and an incredibly diverse ecosystem. Swimming with pigs in Exuma is also an experience unique to the Bahamas. Lots of Sunshine: Enough said!Cons
Related: Incredible Attractions That The Bahamas Has To Offer (According to Stars)
Aruba
Aruba is a territory of the Netherlands located on the Caribbean sea. This small island is on the southwest side of the Lesser Antilles and presents a laid-back vacation experience with pristine beaches and amazing sunsets. The Island is dry and sunny which makes the beaches more enjoyable. While the beaches are its most popular attractions, there are mountains nearby for hiking. Water activities such as - Snorkeling, sailing, scuba diving, and surfing in the waters are by far the most popular things to do on this Island.
Aruba has museums for history lovers and parks for outdoor activities, wildlife, and birds exploration. Arikok National Park - one of the best parks to visit on this Island features hiking trails, unique plants and animals, and some of the best beaches on the Island. The park is so large, it makes up 18% of the entire island of Aruba. One of the most unique qualities of Aruba is that it features an arid climate, unlike its other counterparts. This causes the Island to experience less rainfall even during the rainy season thereby resulting in a dryer atmosphere and hotter temperatures but even this is not enough to stop the Island from having a slogan that says - One Happy Island.
Reasons To Visit Aruba
Beautiful Beaches: Despite being smaller than the other islands, Aruba is not short of beautiful white-sand beaches. Eagle beach - one of its most unique beaches is characterized by soft pristine sand, crystal clear waters, and stand-alone fofoti trees that combine with the bright blue sky to create a view that feels like a dream. At the Flamingo beach, visitors can even get the chance to feed flamingos while enjoying the sunset. Amazing Shipwreck Diving: There are lots of opportunities for shipwreck diving in Aruba. The Antila shipwreck dive is the largest in the Caribbean with a length of up to 400 feet and what an excellent diving stage that presents. Safety: Even while gambling is legal in Aruba, the Island remains one of the safest destinations in the Caribbean but that does not mean one can go waving a bunch of dollars at a lonely spot at night. Like many other safe countries in the world, it's still safer to avoid dangerous situations. Less Vulnerable To Hurricanes: While the lack of rainfall might be an inconvenience to the Island, it is one of the reasons why the island rarely experiences hurricanes. The other reason is that Aruba is situated outside the hurricane belt.Cons
Very windy Expensive So many lizards and IguanasIn Conclusion
Clearly, every Island offers its own unique experiences and the decision on which to go for will ultimately depend on the expectations of the traveler. For unique experiences, go to the Bahamas; For delicious food, Barbados is a great option; and for less worry about hurricanes plus amazing shipwreck diving, then head over to Aruba.
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