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General Information on the Caribbean Islands

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As for some of the other islands, Aruba, once a Dutch possession, seems to hardly have retained much of it's early Dutch influence. The U.S. Virgin Islands, purchased from the Dutch in 1917, has few of the old Dutch culture and has a definite American feel. The Dominican Republic is largely underdeveloped and is sparsely populated, with the exception of the capital of Santo Domingo, a city teeming with two million people. The rest of the island is a sparsely populated, mountainous country whose past is riddled with political turmoil. In contrast, nearby Puerto Rico is the most modern island in the Caribbean. Very evident throughout the island are the Spanish and American influences in this island that is abounding with high-rises and traffic. Guadeloupe which remains a French possession, has some African influences. However, you can still see that many of the French customs, culture, and language prevail.

African Heritage
Old African culture and customs still influence much of the islands that include their basic ways of thinking, religious worship, artistic expression, rhythmic dancing and singing. Spiritual practices such as Junkanoo in the Bahamas, Santeria in Cuba, Voodun in Haiti, and Rastafari in Jamaica are all African-influenced movements that originated in the Caribbean and spread worldwide. Reggae music and jerk cooking are also Africa-inspired gifts that are appreciated all over the world.

Clothing and Attire
Although the warm weather and the carefree attitude of the peoples of the Caribbean, it still seems that some visitors find it hard to anticipate what type of clothing they will require in the islands. Your best bet it to choose comfortable, functional travel attire for the daytime and something a bit more dressy for evenings on the town. You should be sure to pack clothing of lightweight fabric and natural fibers such as silks, light cottons, and linens. You may also want to pack a sweater or light jacket for evenings when the sea breezes can sometimes be a bit cool.

With the exception of the few more arid islands, such as Aruba, most of the Caribbean islands often have typical tropical showers from time to time, normally in the afternoon. These usually come and go quickly and unexpectedly. I find that it is good to carry a small, fold-up umbrella and other light rain gear and all-weather clothing for those occasional showers.

Although the Caribbean is located in the ocean, and beach activities are one of the main reasons visitors flock to the islands, most of the communities in the Caribbean retain conventions from their days as European colonies and this is reflected in clothing etiquette. For instance (generally speaking), beachwear is considered inappropriate attire in shops and on town streets and should only be worn on the beach. Some upscale restaurants may require a dress for female patrons and coat and tie for men.

Currency and Credit Cards
As a general rule of thumb, U.S. currency is accepted nearly everywhere you go in the islands. A couple of the former British colonies still use the pound, but for the most part, independent Caribbean nations have their own forms of currency, such as the Barbadian Dollar, or are grouped together in economic unions that share a currency like the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. Any of the islands that are still territories or departments of other countries, such as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, or Guadeloupe, use the currency of their sovereign nations. For example, Guadeloupe, as a department of France, uses the Euro. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands use the U.S. dollar.

You can exchange currency at all banks and at many Caribbean airports. Many island hotels, particularly the larger hotels and resorts,  will exchange currency for you as well, but you may find that the exchange rate will normally be slightly higher than the standard exchange rate. Automated teller machines (ATMs) are widely available, just check with your bank to make sure your card is ready for use abroad. If you have a personal identification number (PIN) for your credit card, you can also receive cash advances from your credit card at most ATMs.

American and European credit cards are accepted throughout the islands. I always recommend that visitors carry some cash for emergencies. This is also important for bargaining with vendors at Caribbean street markets as you will find that hardly none of them are equipped to accept credit cards.

Tipping is fairly standard throughout the Caribbean, and, as with any tourist destination, you may encounter various industry-specific taxes and service charges. Carefully read your bills and the fine print, and don’t hesitate to query the friendly island staffers about unfamiliar charges.

Economy of the Islands
In the 18th and 19th centuries it was the sugar plantations, supported by the slave, that made the islands a major trading partner because of the high demand of sugar from countries like Spain, Portugal, Britain, and the Netherlands. During an uprising in Jamaica in 1831, many sugar plantations were burned, and soon after, the British Parliament called for all British colonies of the West Indies to end slavery. However, the slaves were not actually emancipated until 1838.

The abolition of slavery, along with the development of the sugar beet, there was a great drop in the importance of the islands as a source of sugar. The islands' financial growth slowed considerably for more than a century. It was not until the influx of tourism in the 1990s that the economy of the islands began to rebound. The rise of tourism has sparked an indirect growth in many other domestic industries such as construction and many other service- and tourism-related enterprises. Aruba, for example, currently has five times the hotel capacity it had in 1985. While sugar is still an agricultural export, the economy of the islands is not nearly as dependent on sugar production as it once was.

For the most part, the Caribbean islands are generally open to free trade and although their export bases are fairly limited, many islands are beginning to diversify their industries. Sugar, bananas, eggplant and flowers are exported from many islands and other crops are still grown exclusively for domestic use. The distillation of and export of rum, a well-known island product, is also an important part of the economy of the area.

Offshore banking is also an important part of commerce, particularly in The Bahamas and Aruba. St. Croix has one of the world’s largest petroleum refinery facilities, as does Aruba. However, none of the other economic factors are as important to the islands as is the tourism industry. The U.S. Virgin Islands, just as an example, tourism provides 70 percent of the island's jobs and accounts for more than 70 percent of the Gross Domestic Product.

Electricity
Electricity is readily available on every major island of the Caribbean. Some islands are serviced with 110-volt, 60- cycle electricity, as in the United States. Others operate on a 220-volt current so European-made appliances should work in these places. Be sure to bring a transformer and adapter for appliances that don't fit into either of these categories, and keep in mind that if you're island hopping, some of your appliances could work on one island and not another. Although you will find that some hotels and resorts provide adapters and transformers, it is best to call ahead to confirm availability. However, the safest option may be to bring your own converter equipment to ensure your electricity.

Food and Dining
General Information About Food and Dining in the Caribbean
Culinary Styles
Beverages
Seafood
Spices
Restaurants

General Information About Food and Dining in the Caribbean
You will find that the dining options of the Caribbean are indicative of the area's diverse cultures exhibiting a wonderful blend of ethnic influences. Much of the food is actually a reminder of the origins of the peoples who make up the Caribbean. Along with the European colonial influences, and the African flavors that were introduced by the slaves along with the indigenous tastes of the native Arawak and Carib Indians. Dining in the Caribbean can be one of your longest lasting memories of your visit here.

Of course, as this is a large collection of island nations, seafood is a natural specialty. However, the Caribbean's rich soil bears many treats as well. You will find a wonderful Creole mix that is one of the most widespread cultural exports of the Caribbean. In fact, the cuisine of the West Indies is enjoyed all over the world.

You will find that there are some changes from island to island, with the largest change sometimes being the ambiance and price range. On some of the islands, you will find that a meal at one of the roadside stands, like the jerk shacks Jamaica is known for, is just perfect. However, some of the islands are known for their finer fare. In fact, the French and some British islands are well known for their posh atmospheres -- and sometimes higher prices.

On nearly any island, men may be required to wear a collared shirt and slacks to a lavish restaurant, and in some cases, even a tie. And, at some of the best restaurants, you might find that they  will be strictly black-tie affairs. For the ladies, although resort wear is fine almost everywhere for daytime meals, it is often expected that you dress for dinner in most restaurants. Reservations may not be necessary at the finest spots on more laid-back islands, at least not in the off-season, but it always best to check ahead first.

Of course, just as it is for dress, the kind of island (and restaurant) can also make a difference in the cost of a meal. While some places offer meals as low as about $2(USD), others, like Anguilla, have entrees that run as high as $50(USD). Just to make sure, it is always good to check with reception at the hotel for advise. What I do, is always to ask to see a menu before I am escorted to a table. You will find that the Dominican Republic has some of the lowest meal prices, with an average meal being no more costly than $10(USD). At the other side of the scale is Aruba where meals generally start at about $35(USD) for gourmet cuisine.

The one thing you will surely want to do is -- try it all. Check out everything from the roadside stands to the small mom-and-pop, local establishments, and reserve an evening or two to dress to the nines for a night out. You will find that the foods will differ from island to island as well. But whatever your fancy, from the savory spices of Latin cuisines to the stylish French fare, you're sure to find something different every night. Of course, just about like anywhere else in the world, you can still find fast food and pizza, among other international styles dining choices.

Culinary Styles
Although there is definitely a "Caribbean Taste," when it comes to cooking styles, each island of the Caribbean has its own unique variation with different methods of preparation and spices. Just as anywhere else in the world, the heritage of the peoples pretty much define the culinary style. However, because of the colonial heritage of the islands of the Caribbean, there are many distinct styles of cooking. For instance, in the French West Indies,  you're likely to encounter both classic and modern French cuisine as well as fine wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Chefs in the Caribbean will often infuse old world cuisine with local specialties and Creole flair.

You will find that, just like in many countries of Europe, "fast food" is not the norm. You will find that the peoples of the Caribbean tend to dine at a leisurely pace. This goes right along with the easygoing lifestyle of the islands. But that is okay. After all, you are on vacation and this should carry over to dining. Relax, take your time and give yourself a chance to savor the authentic cuisine.

You may find that many Caribbean foods are enhanced with local chilies and other exotic ingredients. If you are not accustomed to this, or if you overindulge, the best way to "put out the fire" is simple bread and butter, with perhaps a bit of milk.

Beverages
Although I do not drink anything alcoholic myself (just a personal preference), including any beers or wines, I have it from some very reliable sources that the drinks of the Caribbean are unique and varied.

You will find that most Caribbean mixed drinks are characterized by their sweet, fruity taste. Add to this the wonderful bright, tropical colors, and they can seem to be gently beautiful, just as is the scenery of the islands. However, I have been told that these concoctions can be deceptively strong and pack a punch.

Staples through the islands are beer and rum. Several of the islands produce their own beer. The Carib brand, for example, has breweries on several of the Caribbean islands. Hairoun Lager of St. Vincent and Banks of Barbados are both popular brews. Dragon Stout is made in Jamaica and is best know for its unusual sweet and spicy taste. Familiar brands such as Miller or Heineken are also widely available.

Many believe that Caribbean drinks are not complete without rum. Originally discovered in Barbados, this sweet liquor is distilled from sugarcane and you will find a multitude of varieties on the islands: dark, amber, white, or spiced. Rum punch, or "planteur" as it is called in the French islands, is a blend of sugary fruit juices. The more subtle punches combine light and dark rum with a little lime juice and ice. Each Island seems to have its' favorite rums, which are often tied in with loyalty to a local distillery.

Below are just a few of the specialty Caribbean drinks you might want to try:
►Irish Moss or "Sea Moss - made by extracting gelatin from seaweed. A sweetener is added and combed with milk or ginger.
►Coconut Water - not to be confused with coconut milk or coconut cream. It's found on virtually every corner of every island market. Coconuts are abundant, inexpensive, and safe and fun to drink.
►Ginger Beer - actually a thick, gingery soft drink.
►Mauby - made from the bark of a tree, tastes a bit like an exotic sarsaparilla.
►Ting - a grapefruit-based sweet drink.

Seafood
The Caribbean islands are filled with opportunities to try some of the best seafood you will ever find. Be sure to enjoy some of the regional seafood. You will find that there are so many delicious options, the only challenge will be deciding which one you like best.

The Caribbean's ocean surroundings makes the seafood exceptional on the islands. You can choose from large game fish such as mahi-mahi and marlin, to the smaller grouper and red snapper, one of my favorites. The seas of the Caribbean do indeed provide many delicacies. You should also be sure to try conch  which can be grilled, deep fried or cooked in chowder. Crabs are plentiful and come boiled or stuffed.

You will find the seafood here prepared just about any way it could be: served grilled with butter and garlic, steamed, fried or boiled. Just a few of the tasty items you will find on menus include spiny lobster, a clawless, warm-water crustacean also known as "langouste" or "rock lobster"; crayfish, known to Americans as "crawfish" or "crawdads"; prawns, also called Florida or Caribbean lobsterette; and shrimp. One of the more interesting dishes in Barbados is "Flying Fish." On the French-owned islands of the Caribbean, you can expect many of the seafood dishes to be traditionally rich sauces.

Spices
The cultural influences, tropical innovations and savory spices Caribbean cooking it's signature kick. Of these, I believe the spices used are the most important ingredient. It is these spices that are the most distinguishing element of West Indian cuisine. Pimento, or what we refer to there in the States as "allspice," combines the essentials of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pepper and is one of the most  common seasoning used, as is ginger. On many of the islands, you will find that nutmeg is also popular, especially in Grenada which produces nearly a third of the world’s crop of nutmeg. When you add the various peppers, hot sauces and "dry rubs" are frequently featured in island specialties, you can really get some mouth-watering combinations of flavors. Jerk, a fiery spice rub that employs the extremely hot Scotch Bonnet pepper along with ginger, pimento and nutmeg, is a popular method of marinating chicken, fish, and pork in Jamaica. You will not want to leave Jamaica without trying some jerked meat.

If you are not into hot and spicy, not to worry. Not all of the food you will find in the Caribbean with be hot and spicy. But you will still find that all of the more traditional Cuban cuisine, though often well-spiced and infused with lime and garlic, is considered mild. Each of the different island nations has its own specialized flavors that add to the variety and  "spice" of enjoying dining in the Caribbean.

Restaurants
In the Caribbean, the types of restaurants to be found and the types of food they offer is colorful and varied, much like the people of the Caribbean  themselves. Along with all of the local restaurants, just as you can find West Indian restaurants in other parts of the world, you can find ethnic and international cuisine options as well as local. Chinese, East Indian and other exotic cuisine types are popular in the larger islands. Several islands feature popular fast-food chains that sell fried chicken, hamburgers, and pizza. As for the price of a meal, or the quality and ambiance of the restaurants of the Caribbean, you will find they runs the gamut, from roadside eateries to gourmet,  five-star establishments. I always find the best deals, and often the best food, in the smaller, local cafés that serve traditional island cuisine in simple surroundings. What I always do when asking about for a good place to eat, is ask a local not where I should go to eat, but where he or she would go and take their family. I have really found some great places all over the world using this method. And, when you are traveling, it is a lot of fun being the only tourist in the place.

History of the Caribbean
The history of the Caribbean is rich with adventurous tales, blended cultures, and natural diversity. The impact of colonialism and slavery can still be seen in many of the island cultures today; so much so, in fact, that travelers often note a sense of living with the near-tangible history that permeates the region. The history of the islands is much too long to go into on this site. If you are interested in the history of the region, the Caribbean Guide provides a great overview, along with numerous links on the subject. http://caribbean-guide.info/past.and.present/history.

Languages
For the most part, Creole is the language of the islands. Creole languages are nearly two hundred years old. The language was introduced to the islands during the first slavery era in the Caribbean. Creole is a "patois" language, a combination of African syntax and European lexicon, or words. Creole evolved out of necessity as slaves strived to communicate with the European plantation owners. Variations of the Creole languages include French Creole, with regional dialects in Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Dominica and French Guyana; Papiamento, a Dutch, Portuguese, English and African blend; and Patwa in Jamaica.

Music and Dance
The music and dance of the islands was probably born from a mode of mental survival for the early slaves of the islands and has developed into a world-wide form of recreational music and dance. Although central to Caribbean culture since the days of slavery, today it is a "soundtrack" that can be heard, not only in the city streets and in the natives' homes of the islands, but can be heard throughout the world. One of the best times to visit the islands is during Carnival when people seem to tirelessly dance for days. The music is  characterized by a natural, easy rhythm punctuated with a traditional African drum beat.

Energetic dancing seems to be everywhere in the Caribbean. This energetic melding of lower-carriage movement, shuffle-stepping, and swaying hips has spread from the islands to the rest of the world. There is a complex cultural blend, or style of dancing, that can be found in nearly every musical style of dance throughout the Caribbean. In Trinidad, Indian sounds round out the melodies of Calypso, while in Cuba and Puerto Rico, the Latin beat feeds the salsa rhythm.

Religion
The dominant religion of the Caribbean is Christianity. Many different sects and cultural adaptations of Christianity can be found throughout the islands. The early Europeans that originally came to the Caribbean brought their own religions: The Spanish and French were devout Roman Catholics, while the British were Protestants. Irish migrants from Britain brought Catholicism with them as well, and the Dutch brought both Catholicism and Dutch Reform beliefs. Beginning with such a mix, it is easy to see how the religions of the area today have become quite mixed in religious diversity. Added to this is the different faiths brought to the islands by slavery and indentured servitude. Slaves from Africa brought their own religious and spiritual practices with them, some of which combined with Catholic practices and became entirely new religions. And then, with the end of slavery, there was a further diversity of religion in the islands. In recent years, Caribbean natives have formed their own religion, Rastafarianism, a form of Christianity with a distinctly Caribbean style. This pro-African religion uses the Bible as its base text but takes a decidedly different reading than that of more traditional Christian sects.

Weather
The temperate weather of the Caribbean, with idyllic temperatures and steady breezes year-round, is a vacation paradise almost any time of the year. However, as much of the Caribbean is located right in the center of the Atlantic hurricane belt, care should be taken to choose a time when you are much less likely to have bad weather. With all of the improved technology providing plenty of advance notice, you should be able to find the perfect time to travel. Even during the season, more often than not, the heavy precipitation of the storm outskirts is the worst that most islands receive. You might choose one of the more southerly islands such as Barbados or Aruba, both of which lie outside the normal routes of most hurricanes and provide virtually no risk of hurricane exposure.

2007 Travel Alert - Passports Needed for Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and Caribbean. Beginning January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport. As early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security. Click here for the State Department Summary.  And, if you need a passport in a hurry, because you forgot to apply months ago when you should have and your trip is almost upon you, click on Passports In A Hurry, or on Passport Visa Express!

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Date this page was last edited: Saturday, August 02, 2008 17:10:43

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