My first jaunt into the Caribbean was in 1967 on Holland America Line's SS Rotterdam. This nine-day voyage took us to San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Bermuda. The entire experience set an obsession on fire with ships and oceanic travel. Since my early years I have returned to the Caribbean umpteen times and it was not until 2015 with camera in hand that I began capturing the beauty, fantasy, and allure of several island nations. I prefer the Southern Caribbean as the countries in that region seem to be more exotic and unspoiled. St. Kitts, one of my favorites, will soon be overwhelmed with the addition of new cruise ship piers being hence more ships and many more people. Tortola and Roatan have a curious underdeveloped nature begging for exploration and discovery while Mexico’s Playa Del Carmen offers an off-beat rich- in-culture venue in Mexico’s Riviera. When in Cozumel, I urge the traveler to venture across the bay to Playa Del Carmen on an invigorating 45-minute ferry crossing.

 

The more mainstream islands of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten can be overrun with ship passengers on some days - there can be a explosive increase of 40,000 people added to these tiny nations on a single day. However, there are tranquil spots of absolute grandeur on each island. Barbados has some wonderfully remote beaches; swimming with the turtles was a highlight on one of my journeys. My new home in Aruba is off beat but delivers a more organized sense of being than some of the other island thanks to its affiliation with the Netherlands and Dutch influence. Aruba is vastly unique with its captivating landscapes, calm west coast shores (hotel side) to the rough, remote, and insanely gorgeous east coast.

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The Caribbean is the sum of many parts; rich in culture, history, and beauty. Don't miss the chance to explore the Caribbean. I hear the Grenadines (bucket list) are the bomb! There’s something for everyone including some of the world's finest beaches, rainforests, volcanoes and quaint towns and villages.