Friendly islanders and a slower pace will go a long way in contributing to your trip as well, encouraging you to unwind and take things easy.

With a variety of things to do, see and enjoy, the choice of the Bahamas vs Caribbean islands is about your financial resources and how much time you have to spend before heading back to the office.

The Basics

The Caribbean is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. They lie south of the United States between the North Atlantic Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. There is some overlap, especially with the way cruise ships group the region, but can roughly be divided into Southern, Eastern, and Western regions.

Southern 

The southern region, known as the Lesser Antilles, is broken up into two separate regions, the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands.

Named for the trade winds that merchants and explorers relied on to sail across the Atlantic to the Caribbean, the Windward Islands can include Martinique, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Leeward Islands, where trade winds come after reaching the Windward Islands, tend to include Saba, Saint Martin, the Turks and Caicos, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Dominica, and Guadeloupe.

Eastern 

Islands in this region include the Dominican Republic, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, Antigua, Turks and Caicos, Guadeloupe, St. Barts and Anguilla.

Western 

This area includes the islands of Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, Mexico, Belize and Honduras

The Bahamas is a group of more than 2,000 islands and cays that stretch across 500 miles of the Caribbean Sea. Nassau, on New Providence, is the capital of this amazing archipelago, and there are a few main islands that have beautiful beaches, and amazing culture, history, and activities.

• New Providence
• Paradise Island
• Grand Bahama Island
• Bimini
• The Abacos
• Eleuthera
• The Exumas
• The Berry Islands
• Andros

As you can see from the islands in the Bahamas, many are quite famous. If you choose to go there you will definitely have a lot to do.

The Caribbean island nations have other islands to visit as well. For example, Turks and Caicos has 40 islands alone. It can be a bit overwhelming to think about.

Woven into the fabric of both the Bahamas and Caribbean islands are rich histories, communities, and celebrations. There are stunning beaches, unbelievable mountains, lush rainforests, and mysteries on the Caribbean Sea’s coasts still yet to be discovered. You may find yourself in a hot spring one moment, only to walk past an active volcano the next.

Best Time to Visit 

In the Bahamas, weather is generally warm throughout the year, but it does rain in the fall and late summer, and hurricane season is from June to October. If you aren’t a spring breaker, you may want to avoid the March to mid-April time period.

Similar to the Bahamas, the Caribbean islands have a hurricane season and more rainfall around the same time periods, though some there are a few islands that don’t see much of a hurricane season because they fall outside of the hurricane belt.

Regarding the Bahamas vs Caribbean’s best times to visit, the prices for both will be highest during the winter season, of course. This is when many people from the north, suffering from the cold and snow, head to the warmth and sun the region has to offer.

The Beaches

There’s nothing like the beach when you live in the cold. To compare the Bahamas vs Caribbean beaches, though, feels unfair because there are so many more options within the Caribbean.

That’s not to say that the Bahamas don’t have some of the best Caribbean beaches in the world, because they do – you can even swim with pigs here. There are just less of them to choose from.

In the Caribbean, can’t miss beaches are:

• Bathsheba Beach in Barbados is an adventure beach where you can surf and see the “Soup Bowl,” a natural phenomenon that lures photographers from around the world.

• Grace Bay Beach in the Turks and Caicos is thought to be one of the most spectacular beaches in the world. South Caicos also has some of the best waters for snorkeling and has one of the largest reefs to explore, not too far from Sailrock Resort.

• Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands has a great scene. Some of the biggest all-inclusive resorts are here and there are fun activities of all kinds.

The Bahamas, not to be outdone, offers:

• Pink Sands Beach in Harbour Island is where the sands are actually pink and very gorgeous. Rather expansive, you can find privacy, horseback ride, or soak in the sun.

• Cabbage Beach in Nassau feels like you’ve entered another world entirely, pretty much a paradise island, though the name is a bit off-putting.

• Treasure Cay Beach in North Abaco lets you bond with the marine life and is much less crowded than those on Exuma.

Cruises 

Many times, cruise ships offer certain Caribbean regions that will include the Bahamas or skip it altogether. If you are deciding if you want a cruise ship that only goes to the Bahamas, consider these factors.

• Though they are geographically similar, weather in the Bahamas is more temperate around winter.

• There are only two major ports in the Bahamas so a Bahamas-only cruise tends to be shorter and less expensive, usually lasting 3-4 nights.

• Itineraries that include Southern Caribbean and Bahamas itineraries attract many more repeat customers than those that separate the two completely.

When it comes to the Bahamas vs Caribbean cruises, the vibe you will get is going to be pretty comparable, but a Bahamas-only experience will have much less variation than if you went to islands with different cultures, history, foods, and traditions.

If you want affordable, short sailing trips, the Bahamas cruises are the way to go, but for a more diverse experience and a true winter escape, look for voyages with Southern, Eastern and Western itineraries.

Choose Your Destination! 

There’s really no way to compare the Caribbean to the Bahamas as they share many similarities. No matter where you go, you can find the best Caribbean beaches, swim with colorful sea critters, and take in some of the best food, music, and people.

The only choice to make when it comes to the Bahamas vs Caribbean islands is which region should you start your trip.