Caribbean Islands Villa Rentals By CARIBIQUE®
When you think of the Caribbean, your thoughts are probably of soft, white, sandy beaches, the Carribean Sea in every imaginable shade of turquoise and palm trees swaying gently in a cooling breeze. Yes, and you would be right. However, the islands of the Caribbean are far more diverse than that.
Each island has its own distinct character, culture, geography, geology, history and highlights! Whether you want to relax under a palm tree on the beach, explore beautiful coral reefs, participate in active sports on land or in the sea, or discover tropical rainforests, mountains and volcanoes, the Caribbean can offer you all of that. Actually, on some Caribbean Islands you can do all of that in one day!
Anguilla Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Anguilla is the perfect choice for a quiet romantic vacation. The gorgeous sunsets, easily accessed uncrowded beaches, spectacular restaurants, and intimate Caribbean villas make this a perfect getaway for two. Families will find the pace of Anguilla charming, and the abundance of watersports will keep anyone from getting bored!
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Antigua and Barbuda Caribbean Vacation Rentals
With 108 square miles, Antigua is a relatively large island. It’s also different from some of its neighbours in that it boasts a peak elevation of a respectable 1,319 ft. With annual rainfall of just 45 inches, Antigua is the sunniest of the Leeward Islands. 30 miles due north lies Barbuda, a low lying coral island of just 68 square miles. The small island nature preserve of Redondo is also included in the nation, but is uninhabited and just 0.6 square miles!
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Aruba Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Aruba is a perfect sun filled vacation island, out of the range of Caribbean hurricanes and with just 20 inches of annual rainfall. With a lengthy history, the approximately 69 square mile island has been attracting visitors since around 2500 BC. Colonisation began with Spanish missionaries who brought Christianity to the Indians of Aruba in the early 1500s, at the same time teaching them the Spanish language. In the 1600s the Dutch acquired control of the island, and then in 1986 Aruba was granted the status of an autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
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Bahamas Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
With an archipelago consisting of more than 2,000 islands and cays, it’s impossible to accurately describe what awaits visitors to The Bahamas. If you like exploring, choosing The Bahamas will provide plenty of opportunities for island hopping and unique excursions such as swimming with pigs in the Exumas! The islands of The Bahamas are great for family vacations, with a large choice of family friendly accommodadtions, including villa rentals.
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Barbados Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
One of the larger islands of the Caribbean, Barbados is 166 square miles and has a current population of approximately 290,000. A relatively low lying coral island, the elevation rises slowly to create some rolling highlands in the centre of the island. Coral reefs ring the island creating terrific opportunities for snorkelling and SCUBA diving. The island is actually made up of two separate land-masses that merged aeons ago. This interesting geological anomaly has created interesting coral cave systems and underground lakes which provide a cache of pure fresh water, something usually in short supply within the Caribbean.
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Bonaire Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
Bonaire is part of the ABC Islands together with Aruba and Curacao. It’s a riverless island, which contributes to the exceptional clarity of the sea surrounding Bonaire and makes it an excellent destination for SCUBA diving. Politically, Bonaire is a “special municipality” fully integrated in The Netherlands proper, but the official currency is the US Dollar.
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British Virgin Islands (BVI) Caribbean Holiday Villas
Although the true name of the country is simply, The Virgin Islands, the word ‘British’ is commonly added to distinguish it from neighbouring US Virgin Islands, to which the economy is closely tied, making the US dollar the official currency in the BVI. The economy is driven by both tourism and a thriving offshore financial services industry. There are approximately 15 inhabited islands and cays in the BVI and the capital, Road Town, is located on Tortola which is also the largest island, and is where almost all the 28,000 residents live.
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Cayman Islands Caribbean Vacation Rentals
The beautiful Cayman Islands comprise three small islands just to the South of Cuba. Grand Cayman, the largest and most developed of the islands, is a popular offshore banking jurisdiction with a large expatriate population who work mostly in the areas of offshore finance and insurance. The island is well developed and, although it is certainly easy to tap into a laid back island vibe and to find yourself a spot on one of many deserted beaches, Grand Cayman is a simple destination to visit. Little Cayman and Cayman Brac provide more off-the-beaten-track Caribbean charm.
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Cuba Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Cuba is by far the largest Caribbean island. It lies 145 km (90 miles) south of Key West, Florida, with the Cayman Islands to the south and the Bahamas to the north. Although Cuba is an increasingly popular Caribbean destination for all-inclusive tourism, it is not yet an established destination for villa rental vacations. Also, some countries do not permit their citizens to travel to Cuba and you should check with your government for any restrictions and advice.
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Curacao Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
Curacao is one of the ABC Islands along with Aruba and Bonaire in the Caribbean. Curacao is located north of the coast of Venezuela and is considered to be outside the Caribbean’s “hurricane zone.” This means that vacations to the island are very rarely disrupted by such tropical storms.
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Dominica Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Dominica is often called “The Nature Island of the Caribbean” due to its spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected by an extensive natural park system. Dominica is the most mountainous island of the Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are the cones of lava craters and include Boiling Lake, the second-largest thermally active lake in the world.
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Dominican Republic Caribbean Vacation Rentals
The Dominican Republic is diverse in geography and in what it offers travellers. The capital city, Santo Domingo, is the heart of the island, but other smaller cities and towns make wonderful destinations. Cabarete on the North Coast, for example, is a kite-boarding paradise and has a bohemian vibe, while the cooler mountain retreats of Jarabacoa and Constanza offer white-water rafting, horseback riding and canyoning. The Dominican Republic truly offers a wide variety of holiday options, and will appeal to beach bums and adventure seekers alike. Additionally, history fans will have no shortage of opportunities to explore historical sites from those of the Taino to European and African.
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Grenada Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Columbus made his way to Grenada in 1498, but foolishly didn’t hang around! It remained uncolonised until the French arrived in the 17th century to set up sugar plantations, they brought African slaves along with them. In 1762 Britain seized Grenada and continued sugar production until the 1800s when cacao became the main export - followed by nutmeg in the 1900s. All this, along with fertile soil and fresh water, earned Grenada the title of, “Spice Island.” When slavery was abolished, large numbers of indentured servants were imported from India to work on plantations. The result is an interesting mix of culture that gives Grenada a distinct feel. French, British, African and Indian influences can all be seen in language, cuisine and dance.
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Guadeloupe Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
Guadeloupe is a French Caribbean island located within the Leeward islands, in the Lesser Antilles. As an overseas region of France the island is part of the European Union and the Eurozone, so the currency of the island is the Euro, and the official language is French, though most locals also speak Creole. Beaches on Guadeloupe are beautiful and scenic. In addition to the lovely white sandy coastline, because the islands are volcanic, you will find some stunning brown and even black sand beaches.
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Haiti Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Travellers who are unsettled by grinding poverty should seriously consider another Caribbean destination. However, for those with patience and an open mind, Haiti reveals a rich culture that is unique among post-colonial nations.
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Jamaica Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
The rich cultural experience of Jamaica can be attributed to the Taino, African, Spanish, Indian and Chinese inhabitants whose descendants have all influenced the flavours and sounds of the island. Jamaica gained full independence in 1962, though it remains a Commonwealth Realm. Jamaica is the third largest English speaking Nation in the Americas, however the musical Jamaican Patois is the common language of the people. The official currency is the Jamaican Dollar, however most businesses will accept US dollars.
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Martinique Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Martinique is a Caribbean island and overseas department of France in the Caribbean Sea, north of St. Lucia and south of Dominica. The island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants. In the South of the island, there are many beautiful white sand beaches and in the North, rain forests and black sand beaches. The interior of the island is mountainous.
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Montserrat Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory and was once a popular get-away destination, but has been hit hard by the four elements. First in 1989 the wind and waves of hurricane Hugo swept through damaging 90% of the island’s infrastructure. Then in 1995 the Soufriere Hills volcano errupted forcing the long-term evacuation of 2/3 of the island’s population and closing the airports and seaports in June 1997. The capital of Plymouth was covered by 40 feet of ash and much of the southern part of the island is now uninhabitable. Government offices have been moved to Brades on the northwest coast of the island.
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Nevis and St. Kitts Caribbean Holiday Villas
The islands were home to Carib Indians long before Britain began to build settlements in 1623. St. Kitts and Nevis were granted independence from the UK in 1983, and the island of Nevis continues in efforts to secede from St. Kitts, though the last referendum fell short of the required vote.
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Puerto Rico Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Vilas
The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, whose name is literally translated as “Rich Port” is the smallest island of the Greater Antilles and a formal part of the United States. The island was originally discovered by Columbus and claimed for Spain. In 1898 the island was ceded to the United States after the Spanish-American war. Though Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917, they are not eligible to vote in US presidential elections.
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St. Barts Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
What’s in a name? Officially it’s Saint-Barthélemy, but is most often called simply St. Barts or even St. Barths and is a French Overseas Collectivity (until recently part of Guadeloupe) and is part of the European Union. St Barts has long been considered a playground of the rich and famous and is known for its beautiful pristine beaches, gourmet dining in chic restaurants and high-end designer shopping.
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St. Lucia Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
The island is approximately 238 square miles with a population of around 174,000. Though the official language is English, many islanders speak French or St. Lucian Creole. The accepted currency is the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, though the US dollar is widely accepted. A volcanic island, St. Lucia is famous for the Pitons, two peaks that rise to nearly half a mile above sea level.
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St. Maarten Caribbean Holiday Villas & Vacation Rentals
Sint Maarten and Saint Martin occupy the same island in the the Eastern Caribbean. The Northern portion of the island is French and is known as Saint Martin; the Southern portion is Dutch and is known as Sint Maarten. The two parts remain separate entities under the umbrella of France and The Netherlands. On the Dutch side the currency is the Netherlands Antillean Guilder, while on the French side the Euro is the official currency, however, both nations widely accept US dollars. English is widely spoken and is an official language along with French and Dutch.
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St. Martin Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
Saint Martin and Sint Maarten occupy the same island in the the Eastern Caribbean. The Northern portion of the island is French and is known as Saint Martin; the Southern portion is Dutch and is known as Sint Maarten. Saint Martin remains close cultural ties with its French roots, while the Dutch side embraces its Caribbean location. A visit to either Saint Martin or Sint Maarten means you can explore both nations and experience two very different holidays.
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St. Vincent and the Grenadines Caribbean Holiday Villas
Pirates of the Caribbean, I, II and III were all filmed in St. Vincent & Grenadines, as was the movie White Squall. Because of the diversity of the many islands within the chain, a visit to the country can be many holidays in one. Island hopping is a popular way to get more out of your Caribbean holiday, and visiting each of the inhabited islands is a fascinating way to learn about the culture and history of the region.
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Trinidad and Tobago Caribbean Vacation Rentals & Holiday Villas
Trinidad was a Spanish settlement from the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1498, until the last Spanish governor wisely stepped aside in 1797 when the British sent in 18 warships. During the long period of Spanish reign in Trinidad, Tobago was passed from Spain to Britain, then to the French and Dutch and even to Courlanders!
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Turks and Caicos Islands Caribbean Holiday Villas
Though the Turks and Caicos Islands were orignally inhabited by Taino and Lycayan people, by the 1500s the indigenous people had disappeared. In the 1600s Bermudans began developing salt raking operations on the islands, ruins of large plantations can still be visited. In addition to spectacular white sand beaches and iridescent turquoise waters, the islands are famous for spectacular wall dives. With visibility topping 100 feet and a drop off the Caicos Bank which provides a sudden drop in water depth from around 50 feet to over 7000 feet, it’s no wonder divers visit from all over the world.
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US Virgin Islands (USVI) Caribbean Vacation Rentals
The US Virgin Islands (USVI) were originally inhabited by native Ciboney, Arawak, Taino and Carib people, the islands were claimed for Spain in 1493 and then passed through several hands before settling into the possession of Denmark in 1754. Denmark then sold the islands to the United States in 1916. Though there are numerous islands in the USVI, the main islands in the chain are Saint Croix, Saint Thomas and Saint John, along with tiny Water Island which was not purchased until 1944 when the Department of Defense via the federal government acquired it to protect the submarine base on Saint Thomas. At the time, they paid $10,000 but they sold the island back to the territorial government in 1996 for 25 million!
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