high cay off the coast of san salvador
HIgh Cay off the coast of San Salvador in The Bahamas.
Caribbean

The 23 Best Caribbean Islands to Visit in 2023

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - January 2, 2023
1 of 23

Can you believe it has been nearly three years since the world changed? In that span, the destinations of the Caribbean have undergone a tumultuous, frantic, whirring upheaval, one that turned from total static to what is today an abundant, pulsing, dynamism. When Caribbean islands began reopening just a few months after the onset of the pandemic, they started a new travel movement, as travelers were quickly reminded why they fell in love with the region in the first place — a movement that has only strengthened in three years. 

Today, after a few years of navigating changing health restrictions and global supply chain issues and global travel industry in flux, the region has, quite simply, never been more popular. Indeed, most of the islands in the Caribbean are seeing higher volumes of tourism than they saw even before the pandemic — which were already record highs.

The Caribbean has returned to its place as the world’s premier warm-weather destination, and we have returned with our annual guide to our preferred travel destinations for 2023. We’ve curated a list of tiny beach-filled islands, spirited culinary destinations, burgeoning beach towns and adventure hotspots across the region, from The Bahamas to the north to Bonaire to the south.

Here are the best Caribbean islands and destinations to visit in 2023. Where are you heading this year? Tell us at news@caribjournal.com with the top islands on your travel itinerary. 

caribbean islands best
The southeastern peninsula of St Kitts is a stunner.

St Kitts You can feel it hiking in the foothills of the Mount Liamuiga volcano, or cruising the curves of the Southeastern Peninsula, or rum punch hopping on Cockleshell Bay. This is just a cool place. St Kitts is the buzziest place in the Caribbean right now, spotlighting a small but vibrant destination that’s all about locally-focused, authentic, organic travel, whether you’re at the region-leading Park Hyatt St Kitts or the upstart cliffside Sunset Reef. St Kitts has a remarkablly broad offering for a smaller island, a place where the adventure – and the serenity — abound. 


1 of 23
Popular Posts caribbean travel

The Caribbean Travel Awards 2025

More than 32 million people visited the Caribbean in 2023, and that number should be eclipsed by the end of this year. In other words, the Caribbean is more popular than ever — deepening its position not just as the world’s […]


Aruba’s New Adults-Only Resort Has Swim-Up Suites, a Rooftop Bar and One of the World’s Greatest Beaches 

eagle beach cj photo

Eagle Beach. If you know Aruba, you know it. That wide, white, shimmering stretch of sand in the northwestern corner of the island is one of our favorite beaches in the Caribbean — and inarguably among the best beaches, well, anywhere […]


Royalton Just Reopened These Punta Cana All-Inclusive Resorts After a $32 Million Upgrade 

punta cana all-inclusive royalton

One is family-friendly. The other is an adults-only escape. They’re both part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, both set on a beautiful stretch of beach in Punta Cana.  And they both just reopened after a sweeping $32 million upgrade.  The adjacent […]


Related Posts st vincent caribbean islands

American Airlines Just Launched Two New Flights to These Tiny, Under-the-Radar Caribbean Islands

It’s one of the great island-hopping paradises in the wider Caribbean, famous for its pristine beaches, out-of-the-way green-hilled cays and brilliant turquoise water: St Vincent and the Grenadines, one of the region’s under-the-radar destinations, a place that has only recently […]


Cancun and Turks and Caicos are Hilton’s Top Caribbean Destinations Right Now  

the resort on the beach

Cancun is the hottest Caribbean destination for Hilton guests right now, according to a new report from the hotel giant.  Cancun is the second most-searched-for destination for travelers on Hilton’s platforms for the festive season, according to the report.  That […]


Slight Decline for Caribbean Hotel Occupancy in Shoulder Season 

jamaica negril

Caribbean hotel occupancy declined for the second straight month in November, according to new data from analytics from STR.  The region’s hotels were 66.8 percent full last month, a 1.4 percent reduction from the same month in 2023.  Average daily […]