Seniors Check Out Some Caribbean Islands

The Caribbean is a body of water adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. Did you know, senior travelers that the complete area of the Caribbean Sea, including its numerous islands, is known as the Wider Caribbean that includes 35 states and territories?

It is bordered by Venezuela, Colombia and Panama to the south, Central American countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize) on the west; with the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico) on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the east.  

What makes the area so special is the fact that these tropical waters average 27°C and it varies no more than 3°C.  That’s great for senior swimming, snorkeling and diving!  The economies of its island countries, are greatly dependent on tourism; the region is one of the world’s principal winter resort areas.

Is There “A Best And Richest Island?”

Looking for the “Best Island?”  Seems that depends on where you are and who is deciding. When you first touch foot on Anguilla and gaze around, your immediate impression is… “unassuming.” No majestic volcanic mountains. No hustle, no bustle. Calm. Some claim that it’s the best.

Tropical forests, exotic wildlife, verdant plantations, hypnotic rhythms, delicious cuisines and a plethora of activities, all make the Caribbean the ultimate senior vacation paradise.  Top ten richest islands are: 1 Trinidad and Tobago 2 Bahamas 3 Barbados 4 Antigua and Barbuda 5 Saint Kitts and Nevis 6 Dominican Republic 7 Saint Lucia 8 Jamaica 9 Cuba 10 Grenada.

 A trivia question: How many islands are there in the world?  Take a wild guess. Tough call to make since islands are born and disappear, split up and break apart. If you count all the sandbars and such as islands, then there are millions. However, people live on over 100,000 islands throughout the world. There are more than 2 million islands, but as previously said, islands appear and disappear all the time.

The name “Caribbean” is derived from the Caribs, one of the dominant Native American groups in the region at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. Actually, the Caribbean Sea was an unknown body of water to the populations of Eurasia until 1492, when Christopher Columbus first sailed into Caribbean waters on a quest to find a sea route to Asia.

Seniors, Do You Have A Top Pick?

Between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, the sea floor dips to 7,686 m (25,220 ft) below sea level. There is an “official Caribbean Sea” website with lots of information on the entire area. Senior travelers can select from a long list of islands to obtain specific information on each.

TripAdvisor picks their Top Ten Islands.  Maybe you will agree, maybe not.  #1 is St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.  I enjoyed Howard Hillman’s website on the Islands and his ratings for classy living, casinos, food and so forth.

Enjoy your search for the best, the most attractive, the most welcoming, the most….  jeb