The Caribbean, or the West Indies as it is also called, is the 1,000,000 square miles of the Caribbean Sea and the countries in it. The island surface area is 90,000 square miles. This region is bounded by the Greater Antilles in the north, by the Lesser Antilles in the east, by the coasts of Venezuela, Columbia and Panama in the south and by the eastern coasts of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the Mexican Yucatan peninsula in the west. By this definition, countries such as the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands are not in the Caribbean as they are in the Atlantic. They are, however, considered part of the Caribbean for reasons of similar culture and for being in the same tourist market. Furthermore, you can add Guyane, Suriname and Guyana to the Caribbean. These three ex-Guianas are more Caribbean than Latin American in outlook, despite being in South America. Indeed, Guyana has the only Test Cricket ground in South America - and cricket, as every Caribbean fan knows, is the greatest sport in the British West Indies.

Former colonial, trading and other influences are very strong and can be seen everywhere. Most obviously, perhaps, are the main languages - English, Spanish, French and Dutch - of those who were engaged in colonialism, sugarcane growing, slavery, fighting, mining and trading. And politically, here are some examples: British crown colonies are British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and Turks & Caicos Islands; British dependent territories are Anguilla and Montserrat; the British Monarch is head of state of the independent countries of Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia; Guadeloupe (with its arondissements (divisions) St Martin and St Barthelemy), Martinique and Guyane are French overseas departments; and Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles are autonomous members of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

So, why do people go to the Caribbean?  Well a couple of major reasons come to mind: the weather, the beaches, the sea and the relaxed, laid-back lifestyle.  For gays and lesbians the choice of island is important and will be fundamental to how enjoyable the holiday will be. St Lucia, the Netherlands Antilles and the Cayman Islands are known to be leading the way in gay hospitality.      

"You don't go to a Caribbean island for a gay vacation." Period. So warns 2005's Spartacus guide--and, if asked, few gay and lesbian travelers might disagree. The guide's authors have a point, because let's face it, Grand Cayman is not Palm Springs. And ne'er the twain shall meet.

Or will they? There are signs the Cayman Islands--infamous for denying docking fights to a 1998 Atlantis Events all-gay cruise--are set to join a handful of other Caribbean destinations in, if not openly courting gay travelers, at least challenging reputations for rampant homophobia.

Even in Jamaica--which Amnesty International describes as "suffering from an appalling level of homophobia"--there's been some movement, though incremental: The couples-only resort chain Sandals, with several locations in Jamaica, lifted its longtime shunning of gay couples in 2004.

Still, if by "gay vacation" one means a tropical holiday in a seaside resort town packed with gay clubs, saunas, a Hamburger Mary's franchise, and same-sex couples openly engaging in PDAs, the Caribbean region offers slim pickings. And the March barring of a gay cruise to St. Kitts and Nevis highlights the ongoing struggle of gay tourism in this diverse region.

The closest Caribbean approximations of gay life will probably be found-ironically enough--in American territories such as Puerto Rico or St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, or on French or Dutch-speaking islands, including the "ABCs" (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao), St. Maarten, and Guadeloupe. But even in these chore hospitable destinations, resorts and nightlife that are gay-specific or-exclusive tend to be few and far between, perhaps with the exception of Puerto Rico's capital, San Juan.

However, it is possible to be "gay" and to "vacation" (if not "gay-vacation" per se) happily and safely in much of the Caribbean--provided you're realistic about your expectations and reconcile yourself to the cultural, social, and political realities of your island destination.

Generally speaking, the gay-friendliness (or, more accurately the degree of homophobia) of each Caribbean island today is largely tied to its cultural heritage. To paint with admittedly very broad strokes: French or Dutch equals friendly; Spanish less so; British not at all--in fact, often openly hostile.

Politics also plays a role. Islands ruled from abroad, such as U.S. territories or the Dutch dependencies, tend toward tolerance. Mother England has also called on her commonwealth islands to be more tolerant. But independent or home-ruled islands sometimes spell oppression fbr local Caribbean homosexuals and can pose problems--and possible peril--for out gay and lesbian travelers.

THE GOOD Some destinations that buck the homophobic Caribbean stereotype and get an A for gay-friendly effort include Puerto Rico, St. Maarten, St. Croix, and (new to the pack) the Netherlands Antilles island of Curacao. Earlier this year the Curacao Tourist Board teamed with 11 local hotels and resorts--five of them openly members of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association--to launch www.gaycuracao.com, a resource-packed Web site aimed at courting gay and lesbian vacationers. "Our society is used to different cultures and approaches to life, and part of that broad acceptance is a specific acceptance of the alternative gay lifestyle," says Curacao's executive director of tourism, Jim Hepple.

THE BAD Here we'll find most of the English-speaking Caribbean--save the U.S. Virgin Islands--and Cuba. Despite the best advocacy efforts of mother country Great Britain, gay sex--if it's between males, mostly--remains illegal in most "English" islands. But enforcement is said to be lax; in fact, Atlantis Events includes Grenada on cruise itineraries. However, in March of 2005, a gay nudist Windjammer cruise was stopped from enterting the English-speaking country of St. Kitts and Nevis. Jamaica, with some of the region's best landscapes and cultures, is at the bottom of the tolerance pile. Homophobia is rife: in religious discourse and lyrics for popular "dancehall" music. The murder last June of outspoken gay activist Brian Williamson, founder of the gay rights group J-FLAG, was met with official and public indifference. Public beatings of local gays have also occurred, so out gay and lesbian visitors should be cautious. Yet surprises abound even there: Huge private gay parties for locals happen regularly, and a well-known but discreet lesbian couple runs a respected local hotel and eco-tourism company.

Cuba is a separate case; despite a booming underground gay scene, its communist penal code makes "public displays" of homosexuality illegal.

THE EVOLVING The Cayman Islands would have once been a sure bet for the rotten-apple list. But the country's new director of tourism, Pilar Bush, has made it her one-woman mission to undo the damage to her islands' reputation.

Where can you start with travel information for the whole region?

There are a large number of Caribbean islands with international airports, including Barbados, Puerto Rico, Antigua, and St Martin.  However, getting to the other islands is relatively easy with several Caribbean airlines such as Winair and LIAT providing a relatively reliable and efficient air service throughout the region.

It is also possible to take ferries between the islands or if you are feeling flush then you might prefer to charter your own boat to explore.

Getting around the islands themselves can be interesting.  The ease of travel depends on the island in question - some have efficient and cheap public buses...others do not.  The easiest ways to get around are generally taxis and rental cars.