Saint Martin is an island in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 240 km to the east of Puerto Rico.
The island, with a surface area of 98 km2, is divided in two: the southern side belongs to the former Netherlands Antilles (called Sint Maarten), while the northern side is the French overseas Collectivity of Saint Martin, which was formed in 2007 after its secession from the overseas department of Guadeloupe.
Together, the two territories are known as St. Martin/St. Maarten. The principal cities are Marigot, on the French side, and Philipsburg, on the Dutch side.

There are two airports on the island: the Princess Juliana International Airport on the Dutch side, and Grand Case Airport on the French side.

For a long time, Saint Barthélemy (or St. Barts) was considered to be a playground for the rich and famous, and it is known for its lovely beaches, gourmet restaurants, chic bars, and high-end stores.
It has some 25 hotels, the majority of which have 15 rooms or less. The largest has 58 rooms. The hotels use the traditional French classification system: 3 Star, 4 Star, and 4 Star Luxe.

Of the 21 beaches on the small island, a few are considered especially cozy. On the southern side of the island is Saline, a lovely undeveloped beach. On the western side of the island is Colombier beach, which is only accessible by boat or hiking trails. St. Jean, Flamands, and Grand Cul de Sac beaches are also popular and attractive, with hotels and other establishments on them. Shell Beach is popular for families with children, as it has little surf.

Saba is a small (13 km²) island in the former Netherlands Antilles, located 250 km to the southeast of Puerto Rico. The regional capital is The Bottom.

The island is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The majority of the surface area of Saba is occupied by the 888-metre inactive volcano Mount Scenery, which is also the highest point in all of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Saint Eustatius (in Dutch, Sint Eustatius), is a 21-km2 island in the former Netherlands Antilles in the Leeward Islands archipelago.
The island is joined to The Quill, a volcano which rises 602 m above sea level.
This territory is part of the Overseas Countries and Territories of European Union member states.

Ecotourism is the main source of income for the small island. Its virgin beaches and its mountains offer the visitor unique beauty.

Saint Christopher is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the two main islands which form the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. It is extremely arid in comparison with the majority of tropical islands. It has two seasons: a dry season and a rainy season. The temperature behaves peculiarly, as for every 100 m of elevation it drops 1 °C. The rainfall also varies from 350 to 1800 mm at altitudes from 0 to 700 metres above sea level.

One of the principal economic activities is tourism, especially ecotourism, which is tourism which places a high degree of importance on contact with nature.

The predominant crops in the agricultural areas on Saint Christopher are fruits (oranges, pineapples, papayas, bananas, lemons, etc.), vegetables, and coffee.

Nevis has at least three volcanoes, with the most recent eruption having occurred between six and seven thousand years ago; its capital is Charlestown.

It has a surface area of 93.3 km², and its highest point is Mount Nevis (985 m). The population is around 12,106 inhabitants, and it has one of the highest literacy rates in the Western Hemisphere, at approximately 98%.

Redonda is a small, uninhabited island in the Leeward Islands which is a dependency of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a surface area of a little over 1.6 km2.

On his second voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus discovered the island and named it “Santa María la Redonda”. As written by his son, Fernando Columbus, in his biography Life of the Admiral, the indigenous people called it “Ocamaniro”. However, as the island is a rocky outcrop of a little over a square kilometre, it was of no interest for the powers involved in the colonisation of the Americas, and for centuries it was a haven for pirates.

Antigua is a Caribbean island which belongs to the country of Antigua and Barbuda. It has an approximate population of 68,000 inhabitants, of which more than 24,000 live in the capital of St John’s. The island has a perimeter of 54 miles and a surface area of 280 km². The surface is mostly flat and there are not many elevations, as is common on other islands in the area. However, in the southeast, the land does rise to around 1000 metres above sea level.

Montserrat Island is an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. It is one of the 16 non-autonomous territories under the supervision of the United Nations Decolonization Committee, with the goal of eliminating colonialism. The island takes its name, which was given to it by Christopher Columbus in 1493, from Montserrat Mountain (near Barcelona, in Spain).

The entire island is mountainous and volcanic and its highest point is the volcano Soufrière Hills (914 m), which is currently active. There are some small beaches on the coast.
The climate is tropical with little temperature variation and from June to November, the island is battered by hurricanes.

Guadeloupe is a small archipelago in the Lesser Antilles, in the Caribbean Sea, which is an overseas department of France. It is located 600 km north of South America and to the southeast of the Dominican Republic. It was originally called Karukera, which means “island of beautiful waters”. It was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who gave it its current name in honour of the Virgin of Guadalupe of Extremadura, Spain. It is popularly called “Gwada” in Creole culture.

The population of Guadeloupe, which is broadly mixed-race, is the product of the meeting of the Amerindians, Europeans, Africans, and Hindus, who together over the course of time shaped a culture called Creole.

Marie-Galante is an island which belongs to the French overseas department of Guadeloupe, located 30 km from the island of Guadeloupe, and which has a surface area of approximately 158 km2.

It was named “María Galante” by Christopher Columbus on 3 November 1493, as this was the name of one of his ships, on his second journey to the West Indies.

It was initially colonised by the French in the 17th century, who brought with them slaves and developed an economy based on the cultivation of sugarcane (the current most important economic activity is tourism).

The Commonwealth of Dominica is an island and country in the Caribbean Sea between the French overseas territories of Guadeloupe (to the north) and Martinique (to the south); it belongs to the British Commonwealth of Nations. It should not be confused with the Dominican Republic, which is another Caribbean country. We will spend two days on this beautiful and interesting island, resting before beginning the 4-5 hour trip to Martinique.

El progreso económico de Granada, debido a las reformas fiscales y una macroeconomía prudente ha disparado el crecimiento anual del país al 5%-6% en 1998-99. El incremento de la actividad económica ha estado liderado por la construcción y el comercio. Las instalaciones turísticas se han aumentado, debido a que el turismo es la principal entrada de capital extranjero en el país. Granada es conocida como una "isla de las especias" y es una fuente natural de nuez moscada,macis, clavo, jengibre y canela. El material enrejado rojo de la foto es el macis. Se encuentra entre la fruta de la nuez moscada y la propia nuez (la cascara exterior).

Located to the north of Saint Lucia in the Caribbean Sea, Martinique Island belongs to the group of islands called the Lesser Antilles, and within that, to the Windward Islands. It is mountainous, having been formed by a volcano.

Like all of the islands in the Caribbean, it is ideal for tourism, whether you are looking for the white-sand beaches of the south, the black sands of the beaches of the north, the coves where you can go diving, swimming, fishing, visit reefs, discover thermal water springs, walk in the mountains, see narrow passes, enter into wild areas, appreciate beautiful flowers such as lilacs or orchids, or savour tropical fruits, such as coconuts, pineapples, and papayas.

Saint Lucia is a volcanic island with 158 kilometres of coastline. Its highest point is Mount Gimie, which is 959 metres above sea level, but its most famous mountains are the Pitons, whose silhouettes are representative of the region and were the inspiration for the design of its flag. The largest city is the capital of Castries, where more than a third of the population lives. Other relatively important cities are Soufrière, which has sulphur springs and emissions from the volcano Qualibou, and Vieux Fort, where the international airport is located. The climate is tropical and the rainy season lasts from May to August.

Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean Sea, and the largest territory of the country Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located between Saint Lucia and Grenada, and is made up of partially submerged volcanoes.

During the 18th century, France and Great Britain disputed over control of the island, and it was ceded to Britain in 1783. Saint Vincent achieved independence on 27 October 1979. The capital is Kingstown, which has 19,300 inhabitants.

The highest point of the island is La Soufrière volcano, at 1,220 m above sea level.
Saint Vincent’s economy depends largely on agriculture; the production of bananas makes up 60% of its employment. International tourism is the other important source of income for the island.

The island of Bequia is the second largest island in the Caribbean archipelago of the Grenadines, with an estimated surface area of 18 km². It belongs to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and is approximately 15 km from the capital of this country. Bequia’s capital is Port Elizabeth.

Its main feature is its navy shipyard. Bequia is so isolated that it has maintained ancestral practices in ship construction. In fact, you can observe the fishermen at work; they are the only remaining in the world who still use hand harpoons. But Bequia is best known for whaling, their long-time speciality. Don’t miss the numerous “kitsch” pontoons on the lagoons and the many-coloured Creole houses on the island.
The centre of the island has trees, and offers excellent views of the beaches (covered in fine, white sand) and the clear, turquoise water.

Baliceaux is another of the Grenadines islands which is located between the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and Grenada. This island was the place where the English army exiled some 5000 Caribs after the fall of Carib Chief Joseph Chatoyer in the 1790s. Half of them died in this concentration camp, while the others were deported to the island of Roatán, Honduras. Today their descendents live as the Garifuna people in Honduras, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and the United States. As a sign of respect, Baliceaux is visited annually by Caribs and Government officials to remember these events.

Despite this, the island has marvellous Caribbean beaches and stunning views.

Mustique, a 5.7-km2 paradisiacal island with a population of approximately 500, is owned by the Mustique Company, which has two hotels on the island, and rents the 89 private villas which are located on the island. Due to its luxury and isolation, Mustique has attracted a fair number of famous people, amongst whom are Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon; Mick Jagger; and David Bowie.

Canouan is located approximately 25 miles south of St. Vincent.
A barrier reef stretches the entire length of the island on the Atlantic side. The highest point on the island is Mount Royal. Two bays, Glossy and Friendship, separate the southern side of the island.

There are two main tourist centres on Canouan, Raffles Resort and the Tamarind Hotel, which are a marked contrast to life on the rest of the island. Outside of the two resorts, wild dogs, chickens, goats, turtles, lizards, and bats roam freely.

The Tobago Cays are an archipelago comprising five small, uninhabited islands in the southeast of the Caribbean Sea; politically, they belong to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and geographically, they form part of the Grenadine Islands.
They are located in the southern part of the Grenadines. They are part of the Tobago Cays Marine Park, a national park and wildlife preserve; they are located nearby Union, Mayreau, and Canouan islands.

Given its great tourist attraction, the islands are visited by cruise ships, yachts, and various other crafts which transport visitors to enjoy the islands’ beauty.
It is impossible to remain indifferent upon seeing this marvellous natural park.

This is a small island (approximately 1.5 square miles) with a population of around 300, concentrated mainly in Old Wall village located on a high point in the southwest of the island. The village has four bars and restaurants and colourful shops which sell local rum, with domino tournaments and billiards tables. As it does not have an airport and can only be accessed by sea, it is an isolated community.

The island is surrounded by magnificent white sand beaches which are ideal for sailing and snorkelling.

Union Island is the southernmost island in the Grenadines. It is located 90 kilometres to the southwest of Barbados, and the islands of Carriacou and the mainland of Grenada can be seen from the south.

Clifton and Ashton are the two major towns. There are approximately 3000 inhabitants on the island. The official language is English, but some merchants in Clifton also speak French and German.

The island has a semi-arid climate, as its hills are not high enough to produce the rainfall which transforms the northern coast of Grenada into rainforest.

When slavery was abolished, the people still lived off agriculture and fishing. As a result, many of the men went to sea to work in order to support their families. Union Island was the centre of some political disturbances in the 1970s when a group of residents were in favour of secession from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and joining Grenada, their neighbour to the south. The insurrection was put down by forces of the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Palm Island is a small island in the Grenadines located just a mile from Union Island, which is only accessible by boat. It has a surface area of 135 hectares (0.55 km2) and has five beaches.

Originally known as Prune Island, Palm Island got its current name when the previous owners, the late John Caldwell (“Coconut Johnny”) and his wife, Mary, planted hundreds of coconut palms, transforming the island from dessert and swamps into one covered in palms.

There is currently a resort on the island and around twenty private vacation residences.

This curious island located very near to Petit St. Vincent sees heavy tourist traffic. It is fun to play and relax on this tiny island populated by just an umbrella.

Petit St. Vincent, known locally as PSV, is an island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines located 40 miles (60 km) south of St. Vincent in the Grenadine Islands. It is composed of gentle hills which are spread over 113 acres (46 hectares) and surrounded by two miles (3 km) of adorable white sand beaches.

The island is privately owned and operates as a resort.

Petite Martinique is an island in the Eastern Caribbean which is part of the Grenadines archipelago and the Commonwealth of Grenada.

It is a volcanic island with a diameter of 1.8 km and an estimated surface area of 2.4 km² (586 acres); its highest point is Piton Peak at 230 m above sea level. The number of inhabitants is calculated to be around 900 people, with a population density of 375 inhabitants per square km. The inhabitants live principally off activities such as fishing and boat repairs.

Carriacou Island is a dependency of Grenada. The largest settlements on the island are Hillsborough, L’Esterre, Argyle, Dumfries, Grand Bay, Meldrum, and L’Appelle. It is separated from St. Vincent and the Grenadines on the north by the Martinique Channel. It is one of the Windward Islands.

The island has a number of natural harbours, many coral reefs, and small islets. The rolling hills slope down to the white sand beaches.

Ronde Island, Grenada is a 2,000-acre (8.1 km2) private island in the Lesser Antilles chain of the Caribbean Sea.

Isolated and untouched by development, fishing or run-off, this island archipelago's marine life is prolific and stunning. Superb visibility typically exceeds 100 feet, and turtles, large pelagics and green moray eels are common.

Grenada is the second-smallest independent country in the Western Hemisphere. It is located in the southeast of the Caribbean Sea, to the north of Trinidad and Tobago, to the northeast of Venezuela, and to the south of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

There is much less French influence on Grenadine culture than on other Caribbean islands. The culture is strongly influenced by the African roots of the majority of the Grenadines.

Due to financial reforms and a prudent macroeconomy, the economic progress of Grenada increased the country’s annual growth by 5%-6% in 1998-99. The increase in economic activity was led by construction and commerce. The tourism facilities have also been increased, as tourism is the country’s main source of foreign capital. Grenada is known as a “spice island” and is a natural source of nutmeg, mace, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. The red net-like material in the photo is mace. It is found between the fruit and the exterior shell of nutmeg.