Alexander Britell

The sugar-white-sand beaches in Aruba. The endless beach bars in St Martin and St Maarten. Two bucket list destinations, two Caribbean islands, two brand-new routes for Delta Air Lines.

The colorful streets of Willemstad. The pristine, uncrowded beaches on the west coast. The party scene at Mambo. The floating bridge. Those Dutch Treat fries. The blissfully refreshing batidos. The unique, authentic hotels, from luxury resorts to dive spots.

The history. The music. The food (perhaps the most underrated thing about the city, actually). The art scene. San Juan, Puerto Rico is as vibrant and dynamic a place as you’ll find in the Caribbean. But for years the beloved capital has been missing something: a true ultra-luxe hotel.

It’s one of the hottest eateries on the Caribbean’s most glamorous island: Bonito, the world-class restaurant and bar in the heart of Gustavia.

It’s not quite like any other destination in the Dominican Republic: Miches, the secluded, pristine spot on the Bay of Samana that’s quietly become the country’s hottest hotel development haven.

We’ve been ranking the best beaches in the Caribbean for more than a decade, in large part because we know how essential beaches are to the Caribbean travel experience (and we’ve visited more Caribbean beaches than any other publication on the planet.)

The offshore islands off the coast of Honduras. The five-hundred-year-old streets of the Caribbean’s oldest city. The captivating charms of Antigua, Guatemala. They’re some of the most fascinating places to visit in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean, and now they’re getting a big boost from JetBlue.

A mangrove preserve. An endless white-sand beach. An adults-only hideaway. Private plunge pools. On the road between Cancun and Playa del Carmen is the heart of the Riviera Maya, a place filled with large all-inclusive resorts of varying quality. But for years, this particular one has been the undisputed leader. And in a few weeks, the legendary Paraiso de la Bonita resort is relaunching as a luxury all-inclusive under Marriott’s Luxury Collection brand.

If you know Aruba, you know Palm Beach. It was the original home of tourism on the island, and, in many ways, it remains the “town square” of the island’s tourism district, from its most iconic hotels ( including the lovely Boardwalk, one of our favorite stays on the island ) to a number of its most popular restaurants. It’s also a spectacular stretch of sand in its own right, with shimmering white sand and deliciously calm turquoise water.

Pristine, uncrowded beaches. Stunning turquoise water. World-class sailing and yachting. Vibrant music. A dynamic arts movement. The Caribbean’s hottest culinary scene They’re just a few of the reasons why The Bahamas is seeing “tremendous growth” in tourism, according to Chester Cooper, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister.