|
Travel Guide, Photos and tips for exploring the Caribbean
The Caribbean is an area made up of over 7000 islands, cays and reefs extending over 2500 miles from the eastern shores of Central America to the northern shores of South Americas eastern edge. Lying to the south of North America and extending from off the East coast of the United States. The Caribbean is the 5th largest body of water in the world.
The geography and climate change all thru the chain of islands, from the low terrain of the Bahamas to the high mountains of the Dominican Republic, to the crystal clear turquoise waters of the Turks and Caicos to the Volcanoes of Montserrat.
The climate is considered tropical, yet as in the terrain varies island by island so does the weather. With the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao almost desert like to the lush and green mountains of Jamaica, to the tropical forest of eastern Puerto Rico. Trade winds blowing from the east to the west have a large impact on the weather in the Caribbean, whether from hurricane season during the months of June to October or the cool dry weather of November to May. The region sees an average temperature in the 80’s year round.
Some of the best beaches of the world can be found through the Caribbean chain. Scuba diving second to none, undersea marine life of magnificent beauty only to give way to and abundance of wildlife on land and into the cloud forest to cactus scrublands.
Off of Puerto Rico is the deepest point in the Caribbean, the Puerto Rican trench located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. One can skim along the waters of the Bahamas for hundred of miles with a sea depth of only 6 feet.
The Caribbean is also known as the West Indies, the name given by Christopher Columbus after his discovery of the islands in 1492 and thinking he was in India. Until European contact it was estimate that 750,000 people populated the Caribbean chain of islands. After war and diseases were brought to the area almost wiping out the original inhabitants, the Europeans raised the population with the introduction of slaves from Africa. Today the region is home to over 40 million people. All the Islands in the Caribbean were at one time or are still controlled by European nations.
|
Periodic issues- Free advice and suggestions for making your next travel adventure more enjoyable.
