Christmas in the Caribbean: 5 places to make the holiday unforgettable

Want to add a new kind of joy to your holiday season? Escape to the Caribbean for Christmas and swap snow for sun, sand and tropical drinks.

December weather in the Caribbean is particularly dry, with a “Christmas breeze” that locals wait for all year. Add in easy flights, affordable lodging, unique cultural festivities and an ideal party-relaxation balance, and there’s little reason you wouldn’t want to spend Christmas this year in these Caribbean destinations.

1. Puerto Rico: parties, historic charm and wild beaches

Best for parties, historic charm and wild beaches

For either parties or seclusion at an affordable price, head to Puerto Rico come December. It’s an easy flight from the US, with no passport required for US citizens. Spend the first night in Old San Juan to explore its charming streets for shopping, history and food – then dance the night away to live salsa or bomba.

The island of Vieques is an easy hop on the ferry from Fajardo; arrive early to ensure availability. You should also book your rooms and car rentals in advance. Continue the holiday party vibe on the busier side of Vieques in Esmeralda, or escape into the hills near wild black-sand beaches.

2. The Bahamas

Best for Junkanoo, shopping and seclusion

The Bahamas’ annual Christmas Junkanoo Festival on Boxing Day is reason alone to visit this beautiful archipelago for the holidays. The colorful parade in Nassau, the largest on any of the country’s islands, is an excuse for everyone to dress up and dance in the streets.

Christmas shopping attracts arts-and-crafts vendors from around the islands to the capital; visit Festival Place at Prince George Wharf for locally made items. When you’re ready to escape the crowds, hop over to Eleuthera, Bimini or any of the Out Islands to lie out of the beach.

Proximity to the US and numerous nonstop flights make visiting the Bahamas for Christmas a no-brainer.

3. Jamaica

Best for fresh sorrel, fruit cake and reggae fests

The best part of Christmas in Jamaica is the food. The markets are livelier than ever, with the season’s favorite fruit – sorrel – in high demand. Feast on seasonal specialties like curried goat or ham with rice and beans, fruit cake and sorrel juice made with a hint of ginger and rum.

4. Dominican Republic

Best for waterfalls, free concerts and nightlife

The holiday season is particularly festive in the Dominican Republic, where it’s celebrated through music, shopping and food. In Santo Domingo, malls are beautifully decorated and host indoor arts-and-crafts markets featuring locally made products. In the Zona Colonial, you’ll find live music daily, with free concerts beside Plaza Espana’s giant Christmas tree every weekend evening.

In Puerto Plata, beaches and resorts are less crowded and outdoor adventures are plentiful. Hike to waterfalls in the countryside, tour a chocolate factory and take part in the Christmas Eve ritual of an overnight pig roast. Dancing merengue and bachata until sunrise is also tradition – so head to a few local bars or nightclubs before the big night for a little practice.

At your resort or in town, you can sample Christmas dishes like pasteles en hoja, plantain dough stuffed and wrapped in a green plantain leaf. And don’t forget to order a class of Dominican ponche.

5. Belize

Best for rainforests, culture and cays

Christmas in Belize is a chance to experience some of its unique cultural events, in between island hopping and rainforest hikes. Lodging remains reasonably priced during the season, as more tourists visit in January and February.

Check into a riverside lodge in the towns of Burrell Boom or Crooked Tree Village (outside Belize City) to enjoy a traditional Kriol Christmas dinner of turkey with cranberry jelly, rice and beans, ham, potato salad, black cake and rum popo. On Boxing Day, head to the Burrell Boom horse races or to the Brukdong Bram celebration in Gales Point.

In Dangriga, Christmastime draws junkanu and charikanari dancers to the streets. A hunting dance, charikanari features participants wearing headdresses that resemble a cow’s head (including real horns), and hunting a “two foot” cow, which dances and teases the crowds in the street.

Afterward, head to affordable Tobacco Caye for snorkeling and relaxation along Belize’s Barrier Reef.