The Caribbean, also called the West Indies, is a group of islands, countries and territories in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of many islands, islets, reefs, and cayes. The region has the South American coast to its south, the Central America coast to its southwest, and the Gulf of Mexico to its northwest. It was named after the Carib tribe, one of the dominant Amerindian inhabitants at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. It is a region surrounded by the sea and is world renowned for its myriad of white sandy beaches, amazing reefs and wonderful people, a true tropical paradise. The Caribbean serves as a biodiversity hotspot with its diverse ecosystems which range from high-altitude forests to cactus scrublands that provide sanctuaries to some of the rarest animal species on earth.
Historically, the Caribbean islands were at some point (or some are still are) colonies of European nations including Spain, France, England, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden. Culturally diverse, the region is home to several indigenous tribes that has immensely contributed some of their rich heritage to modern-day culture, including religion, music and dancing which has influenced world music greatly. Caribbean music is a subtle blend of Afro-European elements, the most famous styles being the Calypso, which originated in Trinidad in the 18th century and Reggae which originated in Jamaica and has a blend of Calypso, rock and blues made popular by Bob Marley. Dancing is also a popular form of cultural heritage, where many locals claim that Rumba and Mamba originated in this region. Voodoo, an overjoyed religion which aims at instituting contact between its followers and the spirit world also has attracted substantial attention from western press.
Besides the white sandy beaches, the Caribbean is also world-famous for its island parties and celebratory events including the Carnival, which includes elaborate costumes and street parades with colorful floats, the Jonkonnu festival in the island of Jamaica and The Bahamas, the Crop Over festival in Barbados and many other religious festivals throughout the islands. In many of the islands, musical events are a treat with jazz festivals being the most popular especially in Puerto Rico, St. Lucia and Barbados.
Being surrounded by nothing but water, the Caribbean is also home to some of the most popular sailing and fishing tournaments. In fact, Martinique – located east of the Caribbean Sea, is home to one of the region’s longest races – the Transat des Passionnés, happening twice a year from Europe to the Caribbean. The region also hosts a wide variety of local and world-class sporting events including windsurfing, kiteboarding, water-based triathlons, swimming and yachting races.