This hurricane season has been a particularly difficult one for the Caribbean, with the damage wrought by Hurricanes Irma and Maria well-documented. However, while the rebuilding and recovery process in the most deeply impacted islands continues, the vast majority of the Caribbean’s 1,300 miles and 7,000 islands were left untouched by the storms — most of which are welcoming tourists with open arms.

Additionally, even many of the impacted islands are now accepting eager vacationers excited to experience everything each unique island has to offer. We’ve been in close contact with customers currently travelling in the Caribbean, and all have reported that their villas are in wonderful condition and the islands are as beautiful as ever. Here are some of the region’s most popular destinations that are operating normally, and eagerly awaiting your arrival.

Barbados

Located well away from the path of the storms, the nation of Barbados managed to escape September and October virtually unscathed, leading to a welcome, if bittersweet, boon to tourism. With some of the nearby islands to the northwest still not accepting visitors, Barbados, widely recognized as the “birthplace of rum”, expects to see this trend continue as the winter tourism season kicks into high gear.

Turks and Caicos

While a direct hit was predicted, and while some damage was sustained, Turks and Caicos managed to avoid widespread devastation, with North Caicos, Middle Caicos, and Providenciales fairing the best of all the nation’s islands. As of mid-October, rebuilding and recovery efforts are proceeding well — most tourist attractions have reopened, with some still undergoing repairs preparing to re-open in January.

Like Barbados, the Dominican Republic managed to escape serious damage from the hurricanes, which is particularly surprising, given the close proximity of the devastated island of Puerto Rico. Following brief closures of airports, ports, and resorts, the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic seems to be all but recovered, with the Ministry of Tourism reporting that tourist destinations were open and operating normally following the passage of Hurricane Maria on September 22nd.

Jamaica

Jamaica had the good fortune of being far out of the path of both of the devastating storms to this the Atlantic so far this year. Equally famous for her beautiful beaches and classic reggae music, Jamaica continues to attract visitors in search of world-class golf, adventure, relaxation, and more — a trend that is sure to continue through the busy winter tourism season.

Aruba

Situated even farther away from Irma and Maria’s destruction than Jamaica, Aruba remains one of the Caribbean’s premier destinations. Home to Eagle Beach, recently named the 2nd-best beach in the Caribbean and the 3rd-best in the world, Aruba’s weather, food, shopping, and activities continue to be huge draws for visitors.

While these islands are all poised and ready to offer visitors the adventure, relaxation, and rich cultural experiences that are hallmarks of the Caribbean, they are far from the only destinations doing so — St. Lucia, Nevis, the Bahamas, Antigua, and countless others are open for business, with more getting closer to reopening every day.

So are you ready to start planning the Caribbean escape you’ve been dreaming of? Browse our wide selection of properties, and contact one of our villa specialists today.