The mere mention of the Caribbean is enough to conjure an image of immaculate white beaches, exotic cocktails served from a coconut and a laid back, easy going attitude. This alone is a great attraction, but as lots of holidaymakers who hop on the freely available cheap flights to the Caribbean know, there’s much more to the Caribbean than this.
The Caribbean is a collection of islands, and therefore the sea is intrinsic to much of their culture and cuisine. One of the most popular islands for holidaymakers looking for bargain flights is Barbados, as no matter what your budget is, you can find a great place to stay. It’s one of the most developed islands in the region and therefore has plenty of amenities close to hand. It’s not all about cocktails, calypso and snoozy hammock-bound afternoons – Central Barbados has some excellent museums documenting the island’s colonial past, and it prides itself on the surfing, diving and hiking activities available.
For another fantastic water sport adventure, the Bahamas are hard to top. The Bahamas has a rum-soaked history of pirates and other salty sea-dogs, and Abacos is the go-to destination for sailing and acting out your Long John silver fantasies. Andros has pristine waters just made for diving, and Exumas has many cays waiting to be explored by kayak.
Since 2008, Cuba has really opened up to tourists. The home of the world famous Montechristo cigar goes against the grain of the other Caribbean islands, and demands that visitors have a sense of humour, adventure and flexibility. Although knowing some Spanish words can help you, Cuba is an easy place to get around and staying at one of the many cheap ‘casa particular’ – similar to a bed and breakfast – means you get a chance to interact with local Cubans.
The Caribbean is a popular place for tourists to flee the harsh winters, with many choosing to take cheap flights to Aruba. Aruba offers miles of excellent beaches, and the Arikok National Wildlife Park has plenty of deserted gold mines to explore. However, Aruba is an island that encourages you to do sit back and enjoy the hospitality.
With all this in mind, there is little wonder that the Caribbean is such a popular holiday destination.


