Caribbean tours & holidays

The countries that are in the Caribbean are:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Cuba
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Grenada
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

The Caribbean is mostly known for its warm, tropical climate. It does, however, have an alternate rainy season that brings tropical showers from around May to November every year. This time of year is known as the wet or summer season because temperatures will get to their yearly peak around July/August and the rainfall will get to its highest monthly average.

There is intense humidity from May to October for most of the region, with tropical storms and hurricanes typically occurring from June to November.

As the Caribbean is an island region, expect moderate to intense windy conditions all year.

Aside from the wet season, the temperatures remain pretty constant throughout the year. Daily highs are likely to sit between 28-32ºC and lows can range from 22-26ºC.

The dry season is from December to April however, the seasons can differ depending on the region in the Caribbean. 

The best time to visit the Caribbean is from December to May for the dry season.

The busiest time of year falls during the months of February and April as the northern hemisphere's winter temperatures and school holidays coincide, bringing in many sun-chasing visitors.

If you're looking for a quieter time, avoid the major holidays and look to go around April before the dry season ends but tourist numbers have lessened. 

With tropical storms and the hurricane season starting from May and running to November, it can be riskier travelling to the Caribbean during the wet season. However, because the weather deters many travellers, it means fewer people around.

Storms and hurricanes are most likely to occur from June to November while the rest of the wet season can have sudden, intense downpours and rained-out days. But not all places will get as much wet weather as others, so it's worth doing a bit of research before you plan.

Whether you need a visa for the Caribbean will depend on your passport, the length of your stay and the countries you are visiting. For many travellers, including those with a UK, US, Canadian or Australian passport, you may need to pay an entry tax or a visa waiver fee or purchase a tourist card for countries such as Cuba, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic. Many countries in the Caribbean may allow foreign travellers to enter as long as they are only staying for a certain amount of time. This can change depending on the country visited and your nationality. Certain countries may also have a fee to extend your stay. Countries that may not require a visa for entry may still require each traveller to have a return or onward ticket.

If you are visiting the Caribbean, make sure you have thoroughly checked the entry and exit requirements specific to your nationality and make sure you do this for each destination you are travelling to or transiting through. 

See visa travel advice for travellers from Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and New Zealand.

The page is for general information only and may be subject to change. It is your responsibility to obtain relevant visa and travel information required for entry, departure and travel to each country or region you visit on your trip. You should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. 

Last updated: 29/08/2023

Tipping in the Caribbean is typically done at the discretion of the individual. If no gratuity has been added to the check, it's customary to add about 10-15% minimum. 

Generally, tips are given to bellhops, housekeeping and room service. You may also tip bartenders, spa workers, barbershops, taxi drivers and waiters, it's up to you.

Internet access in the Caribbean is usually accessible, especially in the tourist areas.

Restaurants and venues may even have their own wi-fi for guests to use; sometimes, this may be for a small fee. 

You can use a mobile device in the Caribbean. However, some areas, mainly rural and remote island areas, may not have coverage. 

Several destinations also have local phones you can rent during your stay, while in other areas, the roaming function on your own device will work to keep you connected. However, ensure you've turned on global roaming before leaving your home destination. If you intend to activate global roaming while in the Caribbean, be sure to check with your service provider to find out about any fees you may incur when using this option, as sometimes this can be expensive.

Toilets in the Caribbean are typically western porcelain flush toilets. Some locations, specifically remote away from major hubs, may use a toilet hose or even a pit latrine if there is no indoor plumbing. You may need to pay to use toilets while travelling in the Caribbean and sometimes toilet paper isn't supplied - so it's a good idea to carry small change and toilet paper while out.

Also, keep an eye on whether you can flush toilet paper, as in some countries, you may not be able to. 

Some countries in the Caribbean do have safe tap water, however, it may be chlorinated and cause stomach upsets.

Countries where tap water is not safe to drink include:

• Cuba
• the Dominican Republic
• Haiti
• Trinidad
• Tobago.

Tap water safety can also vary within countries depending on if you are outside the tourist regions. For this reason, it's not advisable to drink water from the tap in the Caribbean.

For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Fill a reusable bottle or canteen with filtered water if you can – your group leader will provide larger and less disposable water containers for refills on private transport days when they have the resources available.

It's also best to avoid ice in drinks and to peel fruit and vegetables rather than eating washed or unwashed produce.

Major credit cards are widely accepted in the major tourist hubs in the Caribbean. Most countries will also have sufficient ATM access in these popular areas, however, they can sometimes be unreliable.

It's advised to carry cash when visiting more remote islands and destinations just in case card payments are not accepted. 

With so many countries and territories in the Caribbean, public holidays can vary from island to island. Many of these countries include Christian holidays in their calendars, as well as some more regional celebrations like Carnival.

• 1 Jan: New Year's Day
• 7 Apr: Good Friday*
• 10 Apr: Easter Monday*
• 1 May: Labour Day*
• 29 May: Whit Monday*
• 8 Jun: Corpus Christi*
• 25 Dec: Christmas Day
• 26 Dec: Boxing Day 

Carnival celebrations 2024/2025

• Feb: Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and the Dominican Republic
• Apr: Jamaica
• Jul: St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Cuba
• Aug: Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados and Grenada

These dates may vary. See the current list of public holidays for a full list.

Homosexuality is illegal in several Caribbean countries with imprisonment used as punishment for some homosexual acts. These countries include Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago. In these countries, a high amount of discretion is recommended for LGBTQIA+ travellers.

While the other countries in the Caribbean have made homosexuality legal, the general attitudes towards the LGBTQIA+ community in this region are still conservative. It is recommended not to show public affection while travelling in this region as public affection can be uncommon, even among opposite-gender couples. Stigma still remains in some parts of the culture of this region, especially in rural areas. It is strongly advised that LGBTQIA+ travellers be discreet and mindful of local attitudes so as to avoid negative attention.

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex or ILGA before you travel.

If you are travelling solo on an Intrepid group tour, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at the time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travellers who do not wish to share a room.

Last updated 30/08/2023

We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.

Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. It's important to understand that each country you visit may have its own specific entry requirements, and some destinations mandate travel health insurance for all foreign travellers, regardless of their nationality.

We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation, but minimum coverage may differ from trip to trip, so make sure you check the Travel Insurance section in your Essential Trip Information. You will not be permitted to join the group until your leader has sighted your insurance policy number and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number, and these details will be recorded on the first day of your trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is an essential part of every journey.

For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or the USA, the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However, the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form, recognising personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise.

Read more about travel insurance

We take the health and safety of our travellers seriously and take every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and inclusive for everyone. When you travel with us, you have access to our global support network and local on‑ground leadership, and you can rest easy knowing we have a zero-tolerance policy on discrimination.

We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure. The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Travelling from Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to: Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to: UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to: Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to: US Department of State

Learn more about safe travels with Intrepid