2022 Travel Guide to the Caribbean

The Caribbean remains as coveted as ever by eager travelers and while the COVID-19 pandemic has made accessing its spectacular islands a bit more challenging than in years past, the region has largely reopened to tourism and is welcoming visitors back with enhanced health and safety standards in addition to excellent travel deals. Here's a helpful guide for travelers planning a getaway to the Caribbean in 2022.

The U.S. State Department continues to advise Americans to reconsider or avoid travel to the vast majority of Caribbean countries this winter due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions. Nonetheless, destinations such as the British Virgin Islands, Cuba, Grenada, Montserrat and Saba are among the few around the world to receive Level 1 or 2 travel advisories, which recommend visitors exercise normal precautions or increased caution due to various threats such as COVID-19 and crime.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to advise against international travel until you're fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and encourages travelers to check the latest entry requirements and restrictions in their destination. Travelers returning to the U.S. from another country will also need a negative COVID-19 test taken within one day of boarding their return flight.

Travelers can't go wrong in the Bahamas, particularly Nassau. The destination is incredibly easy to access from North America, features a wide range of award-winning accommodations to choose from including Atlantis Paradise Island and Baha Mar and, most importantly, has something for everyone, whether you're idea of a vacation is relaxing on the beach with a cold drink in your hand or diving into a destination's local history and culture on a guided tour. Jamaica is another tourist-friendly destination offering travelers a diversity of experiences in the new year. Plus, the island has been at the forefront of establishing elevated health and safety protocols in the wake of COVID-19, forming "Resilient Corridors" for tourism and earning the World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) Safe Travels stamp as far back as June 2020.

The Happiest Island in the World, Aruba, is another fantastic destination for Caribbean travelers in 2022. Aruba recently won gold for Best Caribbean Destination at the 2021 Travvy Awards, an award voted on by leading travel advisors. Americans will have plenty of convenient and affordable flight options to this sun-kissed island boasting a slew of white-sand beaches, natural pools, protected lands and wildlife sanctuaries. But that's not all. Delectable dining, thrilling water sports and much more await visitors to Aruba.

When it comes to the must-visit sites in the Caribbean in 2022, Jamaica's Dunn's River Falls is at the top of the list. "Described as a living and growing phenomenon, it continuously regenerates itself from deposits of travertine rock, the result of precipitation of calcium carbonate from the river, as it flows over the falls," Visit Jamaica points out.

One-of-a-kind wildlife experiences also await visitors to the Caribbean. Stingray City in the Cayman Islands is one of the region's most sought-after attractions, allowing tourists to swim with, feed and even pose for photos with friendly southern Atlantic stingrays in shallow waters. Meanwhile, travelers to the Bahamas can visit the famous swimming pigs of the Exumas.

Can't-miss attractions showcasing the region's unrivaled landscapes include Dominica's 115-mile-long Waitukubuli National Trail and The Pitons of Saint Lucia. The former passes over mountains and through rainforests and is the Caribbean's only long-distance hiking trail while the latter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site rising more than 2,600 feet above the Caribbean Sea.

The Caribbean knows how to put on a party. Over the next 12 months, visitors throughout the region can look forward to lively Carnival celebrations as well as food and music festivals. Trinidad Carnival is among the biggest events on the calendar and will take place from February 28 to March 1, 2022, featuring tons of costumes, parades and music competitions, among other entertainment. May's Saint Lucia Jazz Festival is another premier event and cultural showcase not to be missed by Caribbean travelers in 2022. Two months later, Reggae Sumfest will take over Montego Bay, Jamaica for four days from July 20-23, 2022. Other marquee events include Antigua Sailing Week in early May, Barbados' Crop Over Festival in July-August, which begins with weeks of pre-carnival events, and the Cayman Islands' annual Pirate Week celebration taking place in November.

Families visiting the Caribbean will have a blast in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where Americans won't have to worry about packing a passport. The islands of St. Croix, St. John and St. Thomas provide visitors with a plethora of exciting experiences, from snorkeling alongside sea turtles and dolphins to ziplining through the rainforest. The Bahamas is also ideal for kids and families who will want to book a stay at Atlantis Paradise Island, which is home to a variety of pools, water slides and even Dolphin Cay, one of the largest marine-mammal habitats on the planet.

The Dominican Republic is another excellent Caribbean destination for families who can choose from a ton of kid-friendly all-inclusive resorts including Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana where guests' favorite shows and characters come to life by way of five-star amenities such as a water park, kids club and a gourmet dining village, among other highlights. Families will also want to consider Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages, an award-winning all-inclusive resort in Providenciales offering a 45,000 square-foot water park, 21 gourmet restaurants, a 12-mile beach and as many as 10 pools.

Antigua and Barbuda is one of the best honeymoon destinations you'll find in the Caribbean, boasting more than 360 beautiful beaches and a number of exceptional adults-only all-inclusive resorts to choose from. Elsewhere in the Eastern Caribbean, Saint Lucia stands out as well, earning gold for Best Honeymoon Destination in the Caribbean at the 2021 Travvy Awards. The island's breathtaking Jade Mountain Resort features remarkable views and open-air amenities while the couples-only Serenity at Coconut Bay is well-equipped for romance. The Dominican Republic and the Bahamas are also phenomenal places for couples in 2022. Other recent Travvy winners for Best All-Inclusive Adult/Couples Resort in the Caribbean in those countries include Sanctuary Cap Cana and Live Aqua Beach Resort Punta Cana, Sandals Emerald Bay and RIU Palace Paradise Island.

The Dominican Republic is also an ideal destination for groups visiting the Caribbean in 2022, offering no shortage of budget-friendly all-inclusive resorts in places like Punta Cana and Puerto Plata in addition to tremendous history and culture to explore in the capital city of Santo Domingo. The enhanced Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana is one of the biggest party hotels in the Caribbean. However, the DR isn't the only awesome landing spot for groups. Live entertainment, energizing bars and nightclubs, pulse-pound expeditions and all-night parties can also be found in places like San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Aruba and Jamaica. The latter even offers visitors a clothing optional resort in the form of the famous Hedonism II.

Traveling to a new country on your own can be challenging but equally rewarding, especially in the Caribbean. Some of the best islands for solo travel in 2022 include Aruba, Martinique and St. Barts. Each is among the safest islands in the Caribbean and offers visitors gorgeous beaches in bunches in addition to unparalleled nature. Solo visitors will also find lots of shopping opportunities and chances to make new friends whether on the resort, at a laidback beach bar or on a guided tour of either of the islands' many natural and cultural sites.

Any proper foodie tour of the Caribbean has to start in Anguilla, which has been dubbed the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean as it boasts dozens of restaurants showcasing cuisine from all over the world prepared by renowned or up-and-coming chefs. Visitors won't want to miss the iconic Blanchard's on Meads Bay or Le Bon Pain, a gem in the Island Harbour area serving up unbeatable breakfast. Barbados is another splendid setting for foodies, blending delicious flavors with charming traditions, whether it's chowing down on fresh grilled fish with the locals on Friday or indulging in macaroni pie and other Bajan favorites to soothe the soul on Sunday. Experience some of the best flavors this island and the rest of the Caribbean has to offer during the Barbados Food & Rum Festival in October.

The Caribbean is brimming with opportunities for adventure. And perhaps no destination is as well-suited to wow adventure seekers as Dominica, also known as the "Nature Island." Dominica boasts a slew of jaw-dropping sites, including Boiling Lake and Trafalgar Falls. You'll find these gems and much more inside of the UNESCO World Heritage Site designated Morne Trois Pitons National Park.

The "Spice Isle," Grenada is another excellent option for thrill-seekers, providing visitors with opportunities to dive and snorkel while exploring an Underwater Sculpture Park at Molinere Bay as well as the chance to reconnect with nature and view a range of wildlife while traversing a number of popular hiking trails inside of Grand Etang National Park.

Sports fans and enthusiasts have lots to choose from in the Caribbean, including magnificent championship golf courses such as Half Moon in Montego Bay, Jamaica as well as renowned clubs and courses in countries like the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. Fans of other traditional sports can look forward to the annual Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's college basketball tournaments at Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas in late November in addition to college football's Bahamas Bowl in Nassau in December. Travelers to the Dominican Republic can also take in America's pastime and perhaps catch the next Major League Baseball superstar in person during the Dominican Winter League.

The islands of the Caribbean also play host to popular endurance events all year long, including marathons, triathlons, cycling races and Ironman events. Unique to this region are celebrated sailing events, including Antigua Sailing Week, which will take place from April 30 through May 6, 2022. Now in its 53rd iteration, ASW is considered among the "preeminent yacht racing events in the Caribbean and one of the most prestigious worldwide," with more than 100 yachts participating.

There are many things that set the Caribbean apart from other regions around the world but its people and tropical climate stand out above all else. Travelers to these islands will encounter friendly locals, fascinating cultures and mesmerizing landscapes enhanced by seemingly endless sunshine, year-round balmy temperatures and crystal-clear waters meeting white-sand beaches and lush rainforests and jungles in some cases. Factor in an ever-growing list of flights and accommodations and you have the ideal vacation destination.