The Ultimate Guide To Your Caribbean Vacation

The western Caribbean is home to some of the most popular islands in the world, including Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Mexico's Cozumel. It's also where you'll find the rugged Central American standout, Belize. But there are also beautiful, lesser-known gems — such as Roatán, Honduras — that are ripe for exploration.

I lived in Jamaica for decades, so excuse me if I'm biased (#sorrynotsorry) when I say that the Caribbean's largest English-speaking island is the total package. Jamaica cruises are the perfect introduction to the land of rum, reggae and Rastafarianism. Fuel your Jamaican jaunt with a piping-hot patty, which can come filled with chicken, beef or vegetables. Island food lovers are staunch fans of either those from Tastee or Juici bakeries (I'm forever Team Tastee, but you should try both and decide for yourself).

The crystal-clear turquoise waters surrounding Grand Cayman are where scuba diving first became popular as a recreational activity, so divers, snorkelers and swimmers will love it here. Whether you're a swimmer or not, don't leave the island (the largest of three Cayman Islands) without a visit to Stingray City, a nearby sandbar where you can stand knee-deep in the shallows, feeding chum to Southern Atlantic stingrays that weigh as much as 200 pounds. Good luck is said to follow those brave enough to smooch them, so pucker up!

In Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, the approximately 185-square-mile island of Cozumel boasts the world's second-largest barrier reef, making it another must for snorkelers and divers. More of a landlubber? Hop on a 45-minute ferry over to Playa del Carmen, a boho beach town on the mainland, where you can chill shoreside and stroll Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue), checking out its bars and boutiques.

Headed for Costa Maya? I have fond memories of this Mexican port, where I hopped on the ship's shuttle to the beach at Mahahual and spent the day lazing on sugar-fine sands and eating my body weight in guacamole and chips at beachfront restaurants. Trust me, on Mexico cruises, this is time well spent! Conversely, Belize City is a jumping-off point for people who want to do much more than bask on the beach. Active and adventurous types can zipline through the jungle and tour ancient Maya ruins. Or swim and snorkel with (friendly, I swear!) nurse sharks and stingrays at the appropriately named Shark Ray Alley.

Adventure? Check. History? Mouthwatering cuisine and rummy cocktails? Check and check. The southern slice of the Caribbean ticks all the boxes.

No doubt you'll be hitting a Caribbean beach (or three) on your Caribbean cruise, but beyond the sand, a rip-roaring adventure awaits. On Aruba, for example, you can tour Arikok National Park's sprawling and cacti-studded desert landscape on horseback or in an all-terrain vehicle. Bring sunglasses and a hat, because things will get dusty. At Labadee — which is on a small number of southern Caribbean itineraries — you can get a bird's-eye view of Haiti's palm-fringed coastline on the half-mile-long Dragon's Breath Flight Line, which zips you through the trees at up to 50 miles an hour. On the neighboring island of Curaçao, the Ostrich Farm is one of the Caribbean's most unlikely adventures. But where else will you have the chance to stand on an ostrich egg to find out that it won't crack under your weight? The Scenic Railway, also known as the "sugar train," on St. Kitts circumnavigates the island on tracks formerly used to transport sugarcane from plantations to the port. It offers a beautiful ride through the island's interior.

History also comes to life in Puerto Rico at the Spanish colonial fort of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, where you can tour the more-than-500-year-old bastion and snap a selfie in one of its iconic sentry boxes, called garitas. There's also St. Kitts's Brimstone Hill, which took more than a century to build and is considered one of the finest examples of military architecture remaining today.

After a day of exploration, you'll need something to quench your thirst. In the Caribbean, you can do way better than plain water. Visiting Bonaire is the perfect opportunity to try Cadushy, a cactus liqueur made here from a succulent known locally as kadushi. It'll make a great addition to your home bar, as will guavaberry liqueur from St. Maarten. Pick up a bottle of this island spirit — made from aged rum, cane sugar and local guavaberries — when the ship pulls into Philipsburg for a flavorful souvenir. In Martinique and Guadeloupe, connoisseurs will appreciate rhum agricole, a potent and funky cousin of the classic Caribbean spirit. It's made from sugarcane juice rather than molasses. Raise a glass and toast to your Caribbean dreams come true!