The Caribbean isn’t just hot – it’s hotter than ever. More flights, affordable resorts, and stunning scenery are luring American travelers more than ever.
Many destinations in the Caribbean have been setting new tourism records, with all of the following islands receiving an all-time high number of visitors in 2023, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.
If you’re dreaming of a tropical beach getaway, these are the top 5 most popular Caribbean destinations that travelers are loving right now.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is the most popular tourist destination in the Caribbean, with a whopping 10 million visitors in 2023.
The majority of those visitors went to Punta Cana, although other beach destinations like Puerto Plata and the capital, Santo Domingo, have become increasingly popular as well.
You can’t beat the white sand beaches and clear azure waters of the DR. It’s also an excellent destination for affordable all-inclusive resorts, being one of the cheapest islands in the Caribbean.
It’s not hard to see why this is far and away the top destination in the Caribbean. And with new resorts opening this year like the St. Regis Cap Cana and the Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resort, you can bet that 2024 will be another year for the books!
Puerto Rico
Another Caribbean island that’s having a major moment right now is Puerto Rico.
It’s a territory of the United States, so American travelers don’t even need a passport to visit this slice of paradise in the Caribbean.
Puerto Rico set a new tourist record in 2023 with 6.1 million visitors. It has great beaches and one of the best capital cities in the Caribbean. San Juan is a vibrant, colorful city packed with history and culture.
Since Puerto Rico is affordable and easily accessible from the rest of the United States, it makes for a perfect long weekend getaway.
Jamaica
More than 4.1 million travelers visited Jamaica in 2023, a new all-time record for this island nation. It’s not hard to see why so many people love Jamaica.
It has beautiful beaches, friendly people, a laidback atmosphere, amazing reggae music, and best of all, it’s one of the cheapest destinations in the Caribbean.
There’s currently a “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” advisory from the U.S. State Department about Jamaica, but despite this, the country continues to soar in popularity.
This is because despite elevated levels of crime and a lack of medical services, tourists staying in Jamaica’s many beach resorts are largely insulated from these issues and it remains a safe destination for tourists.
Aruba
Nicknamed “One Happy Island” because of its friendly and welcoming people, Aruba is another popular destination in the Caribbean that set a new tourism record last year.
Over 1.2 million tourists visited Aruba last year. Aruba is located in the Southern Caribbean and is part of the ABC Islands, along with Bonaire and Curacao.
It is a destination that offers a lot to travelers, from beautiful beaches to a rugged interior (I recommend taking a 4×4 tour of the island to explore it more!) to a fun and colorful capital city, Oranjestad, where you can enjoy shopping, dining, and nightlife.
It’s also one of the safest islands in the Caribbean.
Turks & Caicos
Finally, Turks & Caicos is a trending Caribbean destination that received a new record high of 1.2 million visitors in 2023.
Turks & Caicos, a British Overseas Territory, is actually made up of 40 coral islands, but Providenciales is the most popular island and home to the only international airport.
If you’re a fan of pristine beaches (Grace Bay in Providenciales was named one of the best beaches in the world recently), excellent scuba diving and snorkeling, and fantastic luxury resorts, you will love Turks & Caicos.
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