To explore the Caribbean, you’ll need to decide what you’re looking for: adventure, an incredible meal, something that won’t break the bank, or just a nice, strong glass of rum and ocean view. Travel writer Kristin Braswell offers a few picks based on different interests. JohnGollop/Getty Images Anguilla: The country’s 33 beaches are so stunning, they even give the famous stretches of sand in the Maldives a run for their money. Located on one of the island’s most beautiful beaches, Meads Bay, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla is the perfect home base for any ocean lover. The stunning five-bedroom beachfront villas include infinity pools that overlook Anguilla’s Barnes Bay. Four Seasons Resort & Residences Anguilla Anguilla: Diners can get up close and personal with Anguilla’s turquoise ocean at SALT restaurant. This blufftop hotspot offers seafood dinners where you can sip vintage rum and listen to live music. Nearby, the adults-only pool has some of the most sensational sunsets on the island. On Sunday nights, Gwen’s Reggae Bar & Grill has love music and a great rum punch on the sands of beautiful Shoal’s Bay. Four Seasons Resort & Residences Anguilla Dominica: Secret Bay’s Tibay Beach is where the rainforest meets the sea, and serenity reigns supreme. From the beach, guests can kayak, paddle or swim in the shallow turquoise waters. Secret Bay St. Barths: Here, you can get a slice of the French Riviera right in the heart of the Caribbean. Le Barthelemy Hotel & Spa enjoys the benefits of its location in the serene Grand Cul de Sac and is ideal for travelers who want the feel of an intimate luxury hotel without pretension. There are 48 rooms and two restaurants on the property. Le Barthelemy St. Barths: Whiskey Tango FoxTrot offers clever cocktails and views of St. Barth’s verdant hillsides. The capital, Gustavia, has a number of international restaurants to enjoy with very lively crowds. In St. Jean, Nikki Beach is the perfect spot to really see how St. Barths can come alive. To avoid getting seasick on the ferry ride, Tradewind Aviation offers nonstop flights to St. Barths from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The landing onto the island is thrilling – as it is one of the shortest in the world. Le Barthelemy Saint Lucia: This island’s tranquil hillsides and couples oriented resorts make it an ideal location for travelers in the mood for romance. There are a number of chocolate tours, hikes, and couples spa treatments all around the island. For a little relaxation, Sugar Beach’s Rainforest Spa’s Romantic Escape Ritual includes a couples massage, champagne, and truffles. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Hotel St. Lucia: A view of St. Lucia’s famous Piton mountains from one of Sugar Beach’s hillside villas. Visitors to the island can hike these volcanic spires, or just enjoy them from afar with a cocktail in hand. Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Hotel Puerto Rico: Budget travelers can enjoy the beauty of this U.S. territory without breaking the bank. In Old San Juan, take in the 500-year-old architecture of Old San Juan, as well as some shopping for incredible Puerto Rican coffee and a piña colada from Barrachina. Discover Puerto Rico Cuba: Music lovers’ cups will overflow with the sounds and movement of Havana. AfroLatino Tours offers an intimate look into Havana’s rich and complicated African culture and spirituality. You’ll spend the day touring a Yoruba museum, followed by a private dance and drumming performance. Kristin Braswell/Special to USA TODAY Cuba: It goes without saying that this Caribbean island’s complicated relationship with the U.S. has kept many of its advancements at a standstill – but one thing that always thrives is Cuban culture. Kristin Braswell/Special to USA TODAY Ambergris Cay: If “do not disturb” is one of your favorite mottos, Ambergris Cay is definitely the island for you. This private island in the southeastern chain of Turks and Caicos is about a 20-minute plane ride from the capital Providenciales, and once you arrive, you’ll truly feel like you have the whole island to yourself. Ambergris Cay
Here are some picks that will get you closer to your ideal Caribbean getaway based on what you want out of your trip.
Following months of lockdowns, curfews and closed borders due to the coronavirus pandemic, the sunny Caribbean is readying to welcome back tourists. As restrictions, rules and regulations give way to new health and safety protocols, several islands are reopening their borders to travel from the U.S. while others take a wait-and-see approach.
With wildcards in the deck like airlines restoring flights and the hurricane season that continues through the end of November, comebacks are gradual with social distancing, health screening and sanitizing the new normal and face masks as necessary as swimsuits and sunscreen.
“Thus far, the region has effectively minimized the spread of COVID-19, “said Frank Comito, CEO and director general, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. “Health and safety protocols are being put in place, mirroring the international standards which have been recommended and adding more stringent measures to help build traveler confidence; there’s every reason to believe we will be resilient once again.”
Check out our guide and find out when you can return to your favorite island (or try a new one) and swap those virtual happy hours for a rum punch by the water’s edge.
Baby Beach in Aruba is unruffled in a sheltered lagoon. Aruba Tourism Authority Aruba is one of just a handful of islands where you’ll find cactus and wild black donkeys Aruba Tourism Authority Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St. Thomas reopens on July 1. Bolongo Bay Beach Resort Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is an adults-only resort in Aruba. Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Comfort Suites Paradise Island in The Bahamas is an affordable choice for families. Comfort Suites Paradise Island Couples Negril in Jamaica reopens on July 1. Jeff Herron, Couples Resort Dining on Eagle Beach at Aruba’s Elements Restaurant. Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Grace Bay Beach in Turks and Caicos Islands is one of the most photographed beaches in the world. TCI Tourism In Anguilla, CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa reopens in the fall. CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa In Antigua, 72-room Curtain Bluff on the south coast reopens on Oct. 24. Curtain Bluff In Antigua, Spa Pool is a popular perch at Curtain Bluff, which reopens on Oct. 24. Curtain Bluff In French St. Martin, Grand Case Beach Club reopens on July 1. Grand Case Beach Club In Grenada, Caribali Villa at Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel is ideal for social distancing. Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel In Ocho Rios, Jamaica Inn fronts a peaceful beach. David Massey, Jamaica Inn In Ocho Rios, Jamaica Inn, with plenty of privacy on the cottage decks, is tentatively looking at a July reopening. Jamaica Inn In Saint Lucia, Jade Mountain Resort, which is reopening on July 1, salutes the majestic Piton Peaks. Jade Mountain Resort In Saint Lucia, Coconut Bay Beach is a 250-room all-inclusive for families. Richard Hallman, Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa In Sint Maarten, adults-only Sonesta Ocean Point reopens on July 1. Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten In Sint Maarten, sunsets are magical at Casa Blue restaurant at Sonesta Ocean Point, which reopens July 1. Sonesta Resorts Sint Maarten In the Bahamas, Atlantis Paradise Island reopens on July 1. Atlantis Paradise Island In Turks and Caicos Islands, Colonnade Pool at The Shore Club is spectacular at night. The Shore Club In Turks and Caicos Islands, villas offer social distancing at The Shore Club. The Shore Club Luxury villas at Round Hill Hotel & Villas in Montego Bay, Jamaica, reopen on Sept. 1. Round Hill Hotel & Villas Magens Bay in St. Thomas is home to a large white sandy beach ideal for swimming and water sports. U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism Ocean views all the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino in Puerto Rico. Dan Ham, San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino On Grande Anse Beach in Grenada, Spice Island Beach Resort reopens on Nov. 1. Spice Island Beach Resort Sandals Grande Antigua is open on Dickenson Bay. Sandals Resort Sandals Royal Bahamian is an all-inclusive in Nassau, Bahamas, adhering to the new Sandals Resorts “Platinum Protocols of Cleanliness.” Sandals Resorts Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino is next to the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan. Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino Social distancing is a breeze at Jade Mountain Resort in Saint Lucia opening on July 1. Jade Mountain Resort
This Caribbean islands and island resorts are working to welcome back tourists.
Puerto Rico
As part of its four-phased plan, the island opened for business on May 26 with face masks mandatory in public and enforced social distancing. According to the travel advisory issued by Discover Puerto Rico, the island’s destination marketing organization, new rules include screening on arrival at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan where passengers might be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days, regardless of symptoms. A boatload of safety measures include restaurants operating with a maximum capacity of 25% and beaches open for surfing, jogging, swimming and kayaking (but no sunbathing). Golf courses are open with safety protocols in place. Many of the hotels are open as are malls and shops although trying on clothing is a no-no. Pool facilities are open at 25% capacity, within curfew hours, though spas and casinos remain closed. As a U.S. territory, no passports are needed for American citizens arriving from the U.S. mainland. For those who enjoy the path-less-taken, you’ll have to wait a little longer to visit the islands of Vieques and Culebra.
U.S. Virgin Islands
With much anticipation, the U.S. Virgin Islands reopened to leisure travelers on June 1. Safety rules are in place for hotels, resorts, restaurants, bars, taxis, and a “No Mask, No Service,” mandate is required by the government. Visitors to the trio of popular islands, St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, are asked to travel with masks, sanitizers and wipes and will be screened upon arrival via thermal imaging.
Many of the hotels and resorts are open with the exception of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St. Thomas, reopening on July 1; Margaritaville Vacation Club by Wyndham – St. Thomas on July 2 and Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas on July 15. What you’ll notice are no more mini-bars or buffets and six-foot-apart seating separations in restaurants. As a U.S. territory, no passports are needed for American citizens arriving from Puerto Rico or the U.S. mainland.
Saint Lucia
It’s all hands on deck for the June 4 reopening. Included in a laundry list of protocols, visitors are required to present certified proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of boarding a flight, face masks must be worn upon arrival, and safety measures in taxis will separate drivers and passengers. Before resorts and hotels can open, they’ll need a COVID-19 certificate from the government that shows they’ve met more than a dozen criteria for sanitization.
Leading the pack with a July 1 reopening, Jade Mountain and sister resort Anse Chastanet have added enhanced hygiene measures, distanced seating in restaurants and touch-less interactions. Other hotels to open between July and October include Windjammer Landing, Coconut Bay Beach Resort, Ladera Resort, Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort and three Sandals Resorts.
Antigua
Marking its tourism comeback on June 4, the island will reopen as the first of daily American Airlines flights from Miami touches down at the V.C. Bird International Airport. Safety and health protocols announced for arriving passengers include health declaration forms, screenings and thermal checks. They may also be asked to take a rapid antigen test at their hotel. Social-distancing rules must be adhered to in public areas, and face masks must be worn island-wide with the exception of at the beach. Many hotels are open now, including Sandals Grande Antigua; others will reopen later this month, during the summer and throughout the fall.
Jamaica
During a digital address to the nation, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced ‘the borders will be open to international travelers on June 15. Health screenings will be conducted upon arrival, and face masks will be mandatory at the airport, in taxis and at the hotels and resorts. With stringent safety protocols in place, some hotels have announced reopening dates, including Sandals Resorts, Beaches Negril and Beaches Ocho Rios tentatively looking at a July reopening; Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios at the end of June; Couples Negril, Couples Tower Isle, Couples Sans Souci and Couples Swept Away on July 1; Sunset at the Palms Resort in Negril on July 9; and Round Hill Hotel and Villas in Montego Bay on Sept. 1.
Aruba
The Dutch island that sits below the hurricane belt is aiming to reopen sometime between June 15 and July 1. However, the government says this timeframe is tentative and may be subject change in order to “consider additional precautionary measures as needed.” In order to reopen, hotels, taxis, restaurants, casinos, stores and tour operators must earn and display an Aruba Health & Happiness Code gold certification seal, a rigorous hygiene program put forward by the Aruba Tourism Authority and the Department of Public Health. At the airport, expect to find temperature checks, and at the hotels and resorts, you’ll find Plexiglas barriers, digital keys and contactless check-in. At the popular Arikok National Park, virtual guided tours will respect social distancing rules, and fATVsare banned. Voted the Best Caribbean Resort in the 2020 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort never closed – instead housing medical personnel and a KLM flight crew. The hotel is ready to welcome guests with contact-less check-in via a personal tablet and ionizer technology that removes bacteria in the air .
The Bahamas
July 1 will mark the reopening of the borders to tourism under the guidelines of the “Tourism Readiness and Recovery Plan,” unveiled by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation. At the airports, temperatures will be checked, and travelers must wear face masks in “any situation where it is necessary to enforce physical distancing guidelines, while navigating security and customs screenings, and at baggage claim.”
Face masks will be required in taxis, and beach chairs must be arranged to allow six feet of physical distancing. “We must remember that we are living in a new normal, and a lot is going to change across the tourism sector, “said Joy Jibrilu, director general, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation. Resorts on stream to open include Meliá Nassau Beach, Atlantis Paradise Island, Baha Mar, Sandals Royal Bahamian, Bay View Suites Paradise Island, Comfort Suites Paradise Island, Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort and Grand Isle Resort & Spa in Great Exuma.
Sint Maarten and St. Martin
Aiming to kick-start the summer tourism season, the island is “looking at welcoming travelers back as soon as July 1,” according to Ludmila de Weever, minister tourism in a statement to USA TODAY, “the final touches on the country’s health and safety protocols are being worked on to ensure that both resident and visitor alike are safe and remain safe once international travel resumes.” Reopening on July 1, Sonesta Ocean Point and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa have discounted rates on weekday all-inclusive stays. On the French side of the dual nation island, Grand Case Beach Club in St. Martin is also targeting a July 1 reopening, pending the airport is open and protocols are in place.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Home to some of the swankiest resorts in the Caribbean and the recipient of umpteen best-beach awards, Turks and Caicos Islands will reopen to tourists on July 22. In a statement issued by the Turks and Caicos Islands Tourist Board, new protocols will be shared in the coming weeks. Private jet terminals will also open on July 22 in conjunction with the reopening of Providenciales International Airport. The Grand Turk Cruise Center remains closed until August 31.
Grenada
Although no date has been confirmed, the island is eyeing a sooner-rather-than-later reopening. “The Government of Grenada is working towards June 30 as the possible date for the reopening of the country’s borders,” Patricia Maher, CEO, Grenada Tourism Authority said in a statement to USA TODAY. “A number of protocols are being implemented to ensure the health and safety of residents and visitors.” Hotels that have announced reopening dates include Calabash Luxury Boutique Hotel welcoming tourists back on Oct. 3 and Spice Island Beach Resort on Nov. 1. The summer carnival celebrations called Spicemas have been canceled.
Anguilla
The British territory across the sea from St. Maarten is a work in progress as it considers when to reopen the borders to international travelers. Safety protocols under consideration include online immigration processing and virtual check-in and check-out at hotels. Updates will be issued in the coming weeks once protocols have been finalized. Hotels including the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla and CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa aim to reopen in the fall.