NEW YORK, New York, December 17, 2014 (AMG) — As the Caribbean prepares to welcome a record number of tourists for the winter season, the island of Puerto Rico has been ranked by Business Insider as the best Caribbean island to visit. The Spanish-speaking territory topped the list of 25 Caribbean destinations ranked by Business Insider for the variety of attractions they offer, beach options, and distance from the flight hub of New York City.
In Puerto Rico’s favour was its ease of access from New York City, with a flight time of 2 hours and 40 minutes from New York City. The island also offers 348 attractions, including the Spanish colonial district of San Juan and the rainforests’ ziplining parks, while its Flamenco Beach is rated on TripAdvisor as one of the best in the world.
The islands of the Bahamas took second place with “pristine beaches, golf, duty-free shopping, gambling, nature parks, and 368 total attractions.” Saint Barthélemy’s “absurdly high beach density score” pushed it to third on the list, despite there being no regularly-scheduled direct flights to the tiny island. Saint Barths offers 17 attractions, including the isolated and sunny Anse du Gouverneur beach and a historic district where the French first settled, Business Insider noted.
The twin colonies of St. Martin/Sint Maarten were next on the list, described as the perfect marriage of French and Dutch cultures, with 44 attractions. Curaçao rounded out the top five, named as the ideal destination for serious divers. “More casual beachgoers will find heaven on its sugar-fine sands as the island has the third highest beach density score on this list,” the article stated.
Other countries included in the top 10 best Caribbean Islands were the Dominican Republic, Cayman Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, Jamaica, and the US Virgin Islands. The ranking factored in each island’s average hotel room cost according to Hotels.com; the distance from New York City; the number of attractions listed on TripAdvisor; and the amount of coastline per square kilometer, referred to as the beach density score.
The 2014/2015 winter tourist season starts on December 15.
See the complete list of 25 Best Caribbean Islands on Business Insider
Credits: Cover image: Puerto Rico-Jorge Quinteros; St. Barth’s image – Ning Ham
