Planning a vacation? Thinking of traveling to a place without worrying about carrying a passport? The Caribbean islands below offer you just that. One does not need a passport to travel to these islands but can do so with a government-issued form of identification, such as a driver’s license or a birth certificate.
For U.S. citizens, visiting the following islands comes with no stress. There is even no need for a COVID test for U.S. citizens to return to the mainland after visiting these islands, according to travel magazine AFAR.
St. John
St. John, one of three main U.S. Virgin Islands, is the smallest and least developed. To get onto the island, travelers would have to fly into nearby St. Thomas, another U.S. Virgin Island, and ferry over to the island, which takes about 45 minutes, according to AFAR. Close to 60 percent of the isle is a designated national park and according to AFAR, St. John is a quiet island for travelers. The island is great for water activities like snorkeling, kayaking, and windsurfing.
St. Thomas
It is home to the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie, and it is the most developed of the three major islands. The island can also be reached by regularly scheduled flights from the U.S. mainland. Enjoy amazing views of St. John from Sapphire Beach or get to Drake’s Seat which offers a panoramic view of Magens Bay, a tropical paradise offering stunning beaches and native trees. There is also the Fort Christian fortress, which is the oldest standing structure on the Virgin Islands and has served as a government building and a prison.
St. Croix
It is the largest U.S. Virgin Island and can be accessed via direct flights from several cities on the U.S. mainland. It has one of the world’s most beautiful beaches and festivals with dozens of amazing places to stay such as The Buccaneer, the Caribbean’s oldest hotel.
The island is also best known for its fine dining, gambling and golf sites.
Puerto Rico
It is the ideal destination for fun-loving tourists who want to experience diversity and rich cultural celebrations. The island sees millions of visitors each year. Many go to San Juan, the island’s capital, which is home to the 16th-century Spanish colonial fortress Castillo San Cristobal and other UNESCO World Heritage sites. The island also has amazing restaurants like Santaella, which offers modern twists on traditional Puerto Rican dishes.
According to CNN, the island’s casinos and El Yunque rainforest are also top attractions that stretch beyond the water activities at the island’s many beaches.