The Caribbean Sea is a large body of tropical water in the Western Hemisphere, bordered by Central and South America to the west and south, and by a long chain of islands to the north and east. These islands, often grouped as part of the West Indies, include places like Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas. The sea covers about one million square miles.

Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, mistakenly believing he had reached Asia. For the next 300 years, European powers competed fiercely for control of Caribbean islands because sugarcane grew well in the tropical climate and became very profitable.

Today the Caribbean is famous for its warm, clear blue water, coral reefs, white sand beaches, and diverse marine life. The region has a rich cultural heritage blending indigenous, African, European, and Asian influences. Hurricanes form regularly over the warm Caribbean waters during summer and fall, sometimes growing into powerful storms.

When people say they're “going to the Caribbean,” they usually mean visiting islands like Aruba, the Virgin Islands, or Barbados for vacation, not necessarily sailing across the entire Caribbean Sea itself.