The southern Caribbean includes many coastal ports of South America and the small islands just off of the coast. From the wonder of Harrison's Cave in Barbados, to jeep safaris on Curacao, many of these small islands have excellent adventure opportunities for those looking to get off the beaten path.
In a very quiet way, the Southern Caribbean, probably the least known part of the broader Caribbean region, is becoming one of the most interesting.
Southern Caribbean cruises offer the choice of more island destinations for the inquisitive. Embarking in San Juan, ports of call may include Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Tortola/Virgin Gorda, Curaçao, Grenada, Martinique, St. Barts, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, and sometimes St. Thomas/St. John or St. Martin/Sint Maarten.
Aren’t these islands all the same? Not a bit. Each has its own personality and style—some derived from their colonial culture and geography. Most are home to friendly residents and offer pleasant diversions and enough shopping for even the most addicted shop-aholic. It’s quite possible to take as many as four or five Caribbean cruises and “repeat” very few islands.
Caribbean Cruises (Southern) ports
North of Venezuela, the island of Aruba is famous for its stunning blonde
beaches, wind-sculpted desert landscapes, and some of the best wreck diving in
the Caribbean. Aruba is a relatively dry island with consistently fine weather.
Its ...
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Guadeloupe belongs to the Leeward Islands, the island chain directly north of the Windward Islands, where Martinique is found. Dominica separates the two cousin islands, but they are often thought of as neighbors. Guadeloupe is actually com...
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Bequia (pronounced ‘beck-way’) is the most perfect island in the whole
Grenadines. Stunning beaches dotting the shoreline, accommodations to fit most
budgets and a slow pace of life all help to create an environment that is
unforgett...
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Kralendijk is the largest town on the Caribbean island of Bonaire. It's
also the island's capital. Bonaire may be the marine existence capital of the
Caribbean, a "Diver's Paradise" replete with offshore treasures. For diving and
scuba d...
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Tropical Island Barbados Bridgetown cruise port is a
beautiful located at a faraway distance from most Caribbean hotspots. It is
about a thousand miles to the east of Netherlands. The Portuguese discovered
this island in the 16th cent...
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Off late, St. Lucia, and Castries particularly, is becoming probably the
most popular locations within the Caribbean for vacationers. The lodging and
facilities are top quality, and also the restaurants and activities are
fabulous. Nearl...
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Culebra, a 12-square-mile
island in a corner of the Caribbean that was quiet even in mid-January, with
news of the polar vortex reaching us like word from a distant, far less
habitable planet. During the 80-degree days, my family and I h...
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Martinique, within the Windward Islands, is
among the more distinct islands within the Caribbean, both topographically and
culture-wise. For just one, it stands at the merging of two water bodies, the
Atlantic Sea at the northern and eas...
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Grenada is a perfect Caribbean cruise hotspot, that is as vibrant and
verdant as it is laid-back and varied. An abundantly gifted destination filled
with natural splendor, Grenada features cacao, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and
ginger root...
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Guadeloupe is located at the southern tip of the Leeward Islands, to
the northern end of the Windward Islands. While Dominica cuts Guadeloupe from
Martinique, the dual islands are often regarded as next door
neighbors.Guadeloupe was init...
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If you’re looking for a quiet and unruffled cruise vacation port as retreat,
then Isla Catalina is your place. Not to be confused with Catalina off the
California coast. This is merely forty-five-minutes from a Casa de Campo boat
rid...
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Ninety-two miles to the north of Caracas is Venezuela’s largest group of
islands -- the Los Roques archipelago. It consists of more than 330 islets and
reefs and combine to form one of the nation’s most beautiful national parks. Its
...
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La Isla Margarita, referred to as "Gem from the Caribbean", is located
about 38 km north east of the Venezuela landmass. Its location being an island
within the Caribbean ocean offers plenty of beaches to understand more about,
many of t...
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Isla
Providencia or Old Providence is really a mountainous Caribbean island laying
half way between Panama And Nicaragua, and Jamaica. It's located roughly 60
miles north of the San Andres Island, and about 400 miles to the northwest of ...
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Kingstown, St. Vincent, situated within the British Windward Islands, is
really a gorgeous tropical paradise set far from other Caribbean islands. It's
nearly a hundred miles east in the Netherlands Antilles chain. The British
culture is...
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Nevis is a small island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner
arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. It is located near the
northern end of the Lesser Antilles archipelago, about 350 km (217
mile) east-southeas...
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Guadeloupe may be the southernmost from the
Leeward Islands, just off the north from the Windward Islands, at Martinique.
The area of Dominica splits the two islands, but they're always considered as
next door neighbors and bundled toget...
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Ponce is the second largest city in Puerto Rico, situated on the south
coast. The city is rich in history and unique architecture, and has a charming
laid-back atmosphere. Ponce's downtown is a single quaint city square around
which most...
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Lying nine miles from the coast of Venezuela, Trinidad is a Caribbean
hotspot and the southernmost connect in the Antillean islands cluster. Trinidad
is part of the two-island state known as Trinidad & Tobago. Yet, although
these two sis...
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Portsmouth Dominica
will be a dream destination for travelers who are looking to escape other
tourists. Smaller than Roseau, with only about 3,000 inhabitants, Portsmouth is
a laid-back and non-touristy town with excellent opportunities ...
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Dominica belongs to the Windward Islands. The Windwards comprise four
primary islands: Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and also the
Grenadines. These islands aren't regarded as the heavy tourist points of
interest, as in co...
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With little cruise traffic and a single all-inclusive resort, St.Vincent is
among the Caribbean's least visited islands -- which makes going to this small
volcanic island concurrently exciting and challenging for travelers looking for
of...
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A major port of call on both the Eastern and Southern Caribbean itineraries
-- as well as a turnaround port for several ships -- San Juan is really a place
where nearly all cruisers are likely to find themselves. San Juan is the urban
hu...
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Santo Domingo is the Capital of the Dominican Republic and it is a
exuberant and friendly community. It’s not innately touristy compared to other
neighboring hotspots, but there's a good amount of treasures to be unearthed
here if visi...
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Scarborough Tobago most cruise ships visit the deep-port cruise terminal,
Scarborough, around the southern coast of Tobago. The cruise-ship terminal, that
is in the heart of town, rules the harbor. Most ships meet in the pier, however,
m...
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Grenada comprises the big island of Grenada, along with a couple of islands
around the southern fringe of the Grenadines, with Carriacou and Petit
Martinique being the most important. The main city of Grenada, St George's, is
around the ...
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The "C" from the ABC Islands from the Nederlander Caribbean (Aruba and
Bonaire composed of the A & B), Curaçao is situated just thirty-five miles
off the north of Venezuela and is easily the most inhabited island within the
Netherlands ...
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