Caribbean & Bahamas from Miami

Miami is a city of perpetual reinvention — the Art Deco jewel of South Beach giving way to the street-art murals of Wynwood, the Cuban rhythms of Calle Ocho, and the glass-and-steel towers of a skyline that has redrawn itself every decade since Julia Tuttle convinced Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south in 1896. Must-dos include strolling the pastel-fronted Ocean Drive at dusk and exploring the world-class collections at the Pérez Art Museum Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay. November through April delivers idyllic weather — warm and dry — while summer brings heat, humidity, and hurricane risk. Miami handles cruise departures elegantly, with the Port of Miami a short taxi ride from the best neighbourhoods.

Grand Cayman is the Caribbean's most refined island — a place where the world's finest offshore finance sits comfortably beside Seven Mile Beach, consistently ranked among the hemisphere's most beautiful stretches of sand. Stingray City, where southern stingrays congregate in the shallow waters of a natural sandbar, offers one of the ocean's most magical wildlife encounters, while the reefs along the island's north wall deliver exceptional diving in crystalline visibility. George Town's duty-free shopping and exceptional dining — particularly fresh Caribbean lobster — complete a very polished package. November through April brings the most reliably sunny, dry weather.

Ocho Rios is Jamaica's waterfall-blessed north coast resort town, home to the iconic Dunn's River Falls and Ian Fleming's GoldenEye estate where every Bond novel was written. Must-dos include climbing Dunn's River Falls, tasting jerk at Scotchies, and sampling Blue Mountain coffee. December through April offers the driest, most comfortable conditions.

Oranjestad shimmers with an unlikely elegance — Dutch colonial architecture painted in ochre, terracotta, and sky-blue lining streets just fifteen miles off the Venezuelan coast, in a perpetual trade wind that keeps the island blissfully dry and golden-skied almost every day of the year. The island's Arikok National Park preserves ancient Caquetío petroglyphs, a rugged volcanic interior, and the dramatic Natural Pool carved from black rock on the windward coast. Eagle Beach, consistently ranked among the finest beaches in the Caribbean, lies minutes from the capital. Aruba's reliably brilliant weather — average 29°C with near-zero hurricane risk — makes it genuinely year-round, though December through April is the classic season.

Kralendijk, Bonaire's compact and colorful Dutch Caribbean capital, is a gateway to some of the hemisphere's most pristine coral reefs and one of the few Caribbean destinations where conservation genuinely shapes the visitor experience. Shore diving along the Bonaire National Marine Park's sixty-three marked sites and exploring the flamingo colonies of Washington Slagbaai National Park are essential pursuits. The dry season from November through April offers ideal conditions, with steady trade winds and virtually no rainfall.

Puerto Plata, cradled between the Atlantic and the lush peak of Isabela de Torres on the Dominican Republic's northern coast, is one of the Caribbean's most historically layered ports. Take the Swiss-built cable car to the mountain summit for panoramic views before exploring the amber mines and the charming Victorian gingerbread architecture of the Malecón. Playa Dorada's golden sands and the kite-surfing mecca of Cabarete offer thrilling contrasts, while Brugal rum distillery tours illuminate the island's liquid heritage. November through April brings the driest, most luminous weather.

Miami is a city of perpetual reinvention — the Art Deco jewel of South Beach giving way to the street-art murals of Wynwood, the Cuban rhythms of Calle Ocho, and the glass-and-steel towers of a skyline that has redrawn itself every decade since Julia Tuttle convinced Henry Flagler to extend his railroad south in 1896. Must-dos include strolling the pastel-fronted Ocean Drive at dusk and exploring the world-class collections at the Pérez Art Museum Miami overlooking Biscayne Bay. November through April delivers idyllic weather — warm and dry — while summer brings heat, humidity, and hurricane risk. Miami handles cruise departures elegantly, with the Port of Miami a short taxi ride from the best neighbourhoods.