Oozing Romance — The Five Caribbean Islands Honeymooners Need to Consider

If you’re looking for a romantic destination for your honeymoon, the Caribbean islands are difficult to top. The region isn’t far from the United States, offers beautiful weather and beaches and offers a French, Dutch, British or Spanish colonial flavor, depending on the island. However, not all of the Caribbean islands are alike. In fact, each of the region’s more than 1,000 islands (big and small) has its own unique personality. Below are just a few islands that we think are particularly well-suited for honeymooners.
1. Grand Cayman Island. Grand Cayman, the largest of the Cayman Islands, combines the best features of a small and a large island. Located just south of Cuba, Grand Cayman can be reached in 90 minutes by air from Miami. This island is renowned for its excellent snorkeling and diving, its indigenous turtles and its sparkling white Seven Mile Beach. Make sure to sample the turtle soup, see how rum is made at the local factory and swim with the stingrays and other marine life at Stingray City.
2. St. Barts. Formally St. Barthelemy, this small French island is famous for its romantic cove beaches, its excellent cuisine, its beachside cafes and its Gallic charm. Hotels here are small and remote, making them ideal for a honeymoon retreat. There are also a number of hillside villas for rent here.
3. Jamaica. Those it is one of the largest islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica is really a collection of regional outposts. Since traveling around the island can be difficult, this is a great island to settle in and enjoy the beauty surrounding your hotel or villa. The pace here is relaxed, the food delicious and the lilting Jamaican accent charming.
4. Puerto Rico. One of the easiest islands to get to, Puerto Rico is accessible via non-stop flights from all over the United States. This former Spanish colony is now a U.S. territory, so you don’t need a passport to fly here. Old San Juan offers historic 16th century buildings, sidewalk cafes, casinos and even outlet shopping. Just outside of town, you’ll find some of the best beaches and golf courses in the Caribbean.
5. St. John. The smallest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, more than half of this island is made up of national park land. That, plus the fact that it is accessible only by ferry boat from St. Thomas and St. Croix, makes this an uncrowded–and lovely–place to spend a honeymoon. The Rockefellers called it home for years. Now there are a handful of small hotels, all with gorgeous beaches.
Going on a romantic honeymoon doesn’t have to mean flying half way around the world. The Caribbean islands, some of which are less than two hours away from the U.S. mainland, offer beautiful scenery, exotic cuisine and customs and plenty of places to just be together.