The "Islands With A Flair" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Opened my email and found a list sent to me telling of the top 10 islands that are on quite a few travelers "want to do" schedules.  I must agree with most of them, and it seems that the #1 island on the list of favorites is the location that Carol and I, along with our traveling friends Jerry and Just Sue, will be off to come fall.  As the saying goes, "So much to see, so little time."  Check out the list with me and see if you can find an island that would suit you.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

10. The British Virgin Islands

Perhaps it’s the fact that no one is from the BVI that keeps our users’ interest piqued. The term “belongers” actually exists because there are so few natives. Who’s up for a move?

9. The Dominican Republic

Decadent beaches? Check. Pulsing Reggaeton? Check. Coming home happily drained from rum- and sun-filled days? Check! But if you really want to see what makes the DR tick, take in a baseball game. The locals will love you even more.

8. St. Lucia

It’s obvious why Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott wrote consistently about his native St. Lucia. He called the island his “virginal, unpainted world”, and one cruise through the rustic, unpaved hills and you’ll definitely agree.

7. Grand Cayman

The Cayman Islands are not just the Caribbean’s rival to the Swiss banking system. Our users love that they’ve taken another cue from their European counterpart: a supremely high standard of living.

6. St. John, USVI

Say the words “Virgin Islands” and visions of billowing masts immediately come to mind. Yet, for an archipelago notorious for its nautical nature, there’s a new way to take it in: from your stand-up paddleboard.

5. Jamaica

Compared to the rest of the Caribbean, Jamaica seems to have the best of everything: iridescent waterfalls, dense peaks, vibrant metropolises, world-class cuisine…and who could forget all that culture! No wonder our users can’t get enough.

4. Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda are about twice the size of Washington, D.C., so needless to say, you can cover it in a day. After a trip, you too can call it Wadadli, the local derivative of the Amerindian name, meaning "our own."

3. Aruba

With topography unlike most of the typically lush Caribbean, Aruba is an anomaly: it has wind-whipped desert dunes and the waves to match, so our more adventurous users have the perfect playground.

2. The Bahamas

Variety and ease, it’s what we all want, and with 700 islands and being only 50 miles off the coast of Florida, it’s a given that The Bahamas made number two.

1. The Turks and Caicos

Branson Schmanson, you don’t need to be a British billionaire to have your own island. With only eight of the 40 islands and cays inhabited, this clear winner lets our users hop on a sailboat and claim one … if only for the day.  And, we will be hitting the beach pictured above in a few months.  Can hardly wait!!