A typical vacation to Caribbean islands conveys a stereo typed idea of an exotic land remembered by images of blue sunny skies, Havana Cigars, carnivals, voodoo magic and palm trees! But there is more to this group of islands than just a conventional picture of booze and fun! Or those classical pictures of James Bond and Dr.No; The Three Blind Men and the seductive Honey Rider! It is just only one of many that make up the real Caribbean. One of the most striking and amazing things about the Caribbean region is its diversity and cultural speciality. Every island is unique and every region is special with contrasting landscapes, ecosystems, ethnicities, and foods.

Every Caribbean island has some thing of its own to offer to travelers! If you're looking for that special, erotic swinging nightlife, peaceful tranquility, golfing, diving, sailing, gambling or camping, some are found on a few islands while in others you do not find them. In total, the Caribbean islands are about 90,000 square miles of landmass of small islets, half of it hilly or mountainous and the other half flat land. Most of them are a great scenic combination of the water and earth, circled by sandy beaches, blue lagoons and pristine coves. With more than 20 Island nations to choose and visit, one needs to be very wise and prudent in identifying. What ever the choice, this is a magnificent region overall, has a lazy paced life style, numbers of activities and recreation options to choose from and a year round tropical ambience. The more one knows about these finer details, the more one becomes infatuated with the islands! Caribbean vacation has thousands things to offer and million things to learn!

Caribbean vacation displays a benevolent Mother Nature who is extraordinarily diverse and a great artist. It is perfect picture post card sceneries all over the region, almost on the verge of the work of a Renaissance master! Back drop of cool mountains, like a drapery screen with tall palm trees to give company. Clear blue skies with occasional cotton like white clouds! Crystal clear seas with numerous bays, lagoons and shallow beaches with palm tress dotted all over!Which ever the region one chooses, get stunned by what is seen --from volcanic mountains to stretches of tropical forests, clear streams to wild ocean, mangrove swamps to sand dunes, huge rock formations to colorful coral reefs. Get excited by limestone hillocks and caves, rivers both over ground and subterranean, waterfalls, rainforests, lakes and teeming wild life. And always there is the ubiquitous sea. Spectacular is the metaphor for all encompassing seas and beaches!

Caribbean vacation can bring the other darker side of life too! Rare earth quakes and violent spewing volcanoes can make one tremble with fear up their spine, while gusty winds and torrential rains of a destructive hurricane can be a sight in fury! Look out for all those tiny sand islets created and destructed at the mercy of Mother Nature. The amazingly panoramic grandeur of the Caribbean defies one's imagination. One needs to be a true spectator to get immersed in the glory of the Caribbean vacation. The radiating beauty of the natural Caribbean is practically inescapable and beyond comprehension. No one is far from the panoramic sight of undulating hills, lovely gardens and clear blue seas. Just take a peep out of the window and take a look at the eternal sea. Or gaze beyond the wide expanse of lovely mountains! Most of the visitors get immersed in the splendor of these chains of exotic islands even before they know it.

A well earned Caribbean vacation is dream come true for nature buffs! Providence bestows its favor to all these lovely islands with what seems to be an endless number of species of plants and animals, many of them indigenous and more endangered! Myriads of varieties of plants and animals dot from high hills to low seas. Islands full of strange creatures; some exotic like butterflies and humming birds and others captivating like Sharks and turtles! Besides more well-known species like flamingoes, terns, and pelicans, bird watchers will have all the luck to have a glimpse of a Barrancoli, a Flautero, or a Bananaquit. Garden buffs might well recognize and relish Bougainvilleas, Hibiscus and Orchids, while food buffs will taste exotic tropical fruits and sea dishes. Due to paucity of information on the flora and fauna, it is best left to a traveler to do his own research and compilation and get ready for an experience of a life time.

Intriguing people, rich and diverse culture, exotic and delicious cuisine, and intoxicating reggae music; there's plenty to see and experience on the islands. While Grenada can be quiet and somber, lively San Juan can be too boisterous and active. The tiny islets of Barbuda and Barbados are full of sports while the sugar fields of Cuba can be a nostalgic colonial experience. The Caribbean vacation also offers a wide variety of physical landscapes; if one wants to relax on some of the prettiest beaches in the world, Aruba is an automatic choice, but if one wants to explore and trek the rain forests, Puerto Rico is the natural selection. The whole region has its own menu to offer! There are high mountains to climb and lush rain forests to explore. There are sandy deserts too sprinkled with scrub-trees, cacti, and boulders and that unbearable heat! Gently undulating hills covered with brilliantly colored grass and sugarcane fields surrounding those majestic 19th-century plantation mansions are like fresh whiff of wind.

A Caribbean vacation can be a visit to an unspoiled paradise full of vibrancy and life! Enchanting spots, lovely beaches, risky trekking trails, exotic food and gyrating reggae are all part of a heaven begging to be visited and explored! Lovely faces and cute braids are always high points of attraction. Home cottages, cold beer and delicious sea food are words of hospitality. The islands of Caribbean always remain the jewels in the crown of world tourism.