The Caribbean is one of the world’s most popular and best vacation destinations, for understandable reasons. With its gorgeous climate, amazing scenery, and wonderful cushion and culture, there’s nothing quite like the Caribbean when it comes to planning a summer getaway.

Choosing to leave California on a cruise down the Mexican Riviera or up the Pacific NorthWest is undeniably exciting, but sometimes nothing beats the dreamy, laid-back luxury of a Caribbean getaway. With its stunning golden beaches, incredible atmosphere, and warm welcome wherever you go, a Caribbean vacation is the classic cruise experience for a very good reason.

So whether you are cruising down from Miami, island-hopping from Puerto Rico, or even living in Central America on a Panama retirement visa and planning to explore the islands of Aruba, Curacao, or Bonaire, here are some of the best spots to visit for a perfect Caribbean getaway.

Bathsheba Beach, Barbados

Flung out on the furthest eastern reaches of the Caribbean, Barbados is one of the most remote islands in the archipelago. Its status as a British Commonwealth nation is easy to spot thanks to the colonial architecture (including red mail boxes!), and a love for cricket and afternoon tea. Bathsheba Beach is one of the highlights of this gorgeous little island – a stunning, pristine, and rugged spot a little off the beaten track, with wild waves and vast boulders to finish the picture. It’s a must-see spot, and quite unlike anywhere else on Barbados.

Arikok National Park, Aruba

The dramatic natural beauty of Arikok National Park in Aruba is highlighted by two sights, the Sero Arikok, and the Natural Hole. The Sero Arikok is the island’s second highest peak, a towering, majestic sight that offers extraordinary views of the entire island from its summit. The Natural Hole is a wave-battered rock formation that has eroded the rocky limestone coastline to form a wonderful, protected natural swimming pool. It is the perfect spot to lie back and enjoy the remarkable landscape of this fantastic little island.

Blue Holes National Park, Bahamas

Formed over thousands of years by collapsing prehistoric limestone plateaus, the landscape of the Bahamas is quite unlike the volcanic islands of most of the rest of the Caribbean. Blue Holes National Park is the best spot to discover one of the most amazing and surprising features of this landscape, the sunken swimming holes formed when the thin layer of surface rock falls in on itself. With over 40,000 acres the national park is a gorgeous spot, a wonderful opportunity to explore Caribbean pine forests, but the mysterious sinkholes (more than 50 at last count) are the true attractions. Dive in, swim, and even snorkel – the clear, cool water offers amazing visibility, and you might even spot an elusive cavefish …

It is important to be careful with superlatives when describing an area as full of truly gorgeous spots as the Caribbean, but it is not hyperbole to say that Trunk Bay in the Virgin Islands is up there with the most beautiful places in the entire archipelago. Tucked away in the north of the Virgin Islands National Park, Trunk Bay is a picturesque curve of stunning golden sand, backed by cliffs covered with lush greenery and the crumbling remnants of abandoned cane fields. Explore the waymarked underwater snorkeling trail or just lie back on the beach and drink in the peace and quiet.

Trunk Bay, St. John, Virgin Islands

It is important to be careful with superlatives when describing an area as full of truly gorgeous spots as the Caribbean, but it is not hyperbole to say that Trunk Bay in the Virgin Islands is up there with the most beautiful places in the entire archipelago. Tucked away in the north of the Virgin Islands National Park, Trunk Bay is a picturesque curve of stunning golden sand, backed by cliffs covered with lush greenery and the crumbling remnants of abandoned cane fields. Explore the waymarked underwater snorkeling trail or just lie back on the beach and drink in the peace and quiet.

Citadelle Laferrière, Haïti

Haiti doesn’t always make it on to Caribbean itineraries, which is a great shame as it boasts a wonderful history and culture that sets it apart from much of the rest of the region. One spot on the island absolutely bursting with history, atmosphere, and charm, is the ruined fortress of Citadelle Laferrière, a relic of the island’s French colonial past. It is a stunning sight, perched on a hilltop overlooking the village of Milot, and offers breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean to Cuba.

Blue Mountain, Jamaica

Jamaica is usually spoken of as a lively, vibrant, party destination, full of music, food and drink, dancing, and excitement. And it absolutely is that! But there is another side to the Caribbean’s most famous island, an amazingly beautiful interior that is best showcased by the stunning peak of the Blue Mountain. Taking on the summit is a challenge, as it rises to 2,256m above sea level, but watching the sunrise from the top after an early morning trek is a transcendental experience that makes the pre-dawn wake-up call totally worthwhile.

Grande Anse des Salines, Martinique

There are a lot of great beaches in the Caribbean, but Grand Anse des Salines on the tiny French island of Martinique can easily lay claim to being one of the very best. A flawless stretch of ivory-white, sugar-soft sand backed by swaying palms, it lacks the tourism and development of many other Caribbean beaches and offers a truly peaceful, rustic, back-in-time beach experience that puts the finishing touch on any Caribbean getaway.