Business Insider ranks top 25 Caribbean islands – Grand Cayman makes top 10

By Talia Avakian and Andy Kiersz From Business Insider
Melia Robinson contributed to an earlier version of this post.

The Caribbean islands are bursting with adventurous activities, clear waters, and stunning natural sites.

Though each island has its own unique appeal, some have advantages over the others.

We’ve ranked the best islands in the Caribbean, based on the costs of hotel bookings, their accessibility, and the range of activities they offer.

To rank the islands, we factored in each one’s average hotel-room costs using data from Hotels.com, the flight time from New York City, the number of attractions listed on TripAdvisor, and the amount of coastline offered per square kilometer.

To read our full methodology, click here: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-caribbean-islands-methods-and-sources-2016-2

25. St. Vincent and the Grenadines
24. Haiti
23. Anguilla
22. Grenada
21. Dominica
20. Guadeloupe
19. British Virgin Islands
18. Turks and Caicos
17. Trinidad and Tobago
16. St. Lucia
15. Montserrat
14. Antigua and Barbuda
13. Martinique
13. Martinique
12. Barbados
11. Aruba

10. St. Kitts and Nevis
Shutterstock/Ivan Cholakov

Distance from NYC: 4 hours and 10 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $257 per night

The two-island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis abounds with palm-fringed beaches, soaring mountains, and lush jungle terrain. There are 173 different activities here, which range from natural sites to historic attractions like sugar plantations. St. Kitts hosts a more bustling atmosphere filled with nightlife venues and resorts, while Nevis offers a calmer atmosphere. The sister islands have a high beach-density score of 0.52.

9. US Virgin Islands
Shutterstock/byvalet

Distance from NYC: 4 hours and 31 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $246 per night

The main islands of the US Virgin Islands — St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas — are home to historic colonial buildings, prime sailing, bustling shopping and nightlife, and hidden coves to explore. Although it has a low beach-density score of 0.1, it has 779 different activities to choose from and ferries that make island-hopping easy.

8. Cayman Islands
Flickr/katiethebeau

Distance from NYC: 3 hours and 50 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $281 per night

There are 443 different activities to choose from on the three islands of Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman is the largest and has a cosmopolitan feel to it, thanks to its array of gourmet restaurants, malls, and the beautiful Seven Mile Beach. Cayman Brac has some fantastic diving sights and plenty of serene trails. Little Cayman has uncrowded beaches and one of the world’s best wall dives at Bloody Bay Wall. The islands have a high beach-density score of 0.61.

7. Saint Barthélemy
7Shutterstock/Stacy Funderburke

Distance from NYC: 5 hours and five minutes

Average hotel room cost: $305 per night

Saint-Barthélemy (also known as St. Barts or St. Barths) has a variety of designer boutiques, fine-dining restaurants, and breathtaking scenery, like stunning mountains, green hills, and glistening bays. Most of its beaches remain crowd-free, making them the perfect place to unwind after exploring all of the 51 activities on the island. The island also has an incredibly high beach-density score of 1.52.

6. Jamaica
Flickr/Chris Ford

Distance from NYC: 3 hours and 45 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $220 per night

Despite a low beach-density score of 0.09, Jamaica is home to sandy beaches, bountiful banana groves, and 763 activities that range from hiking and bird-watching to snorkeling and shopping. Sample authentic Jamaican cuisine before heading to Rick’s Cafe in Negril, an iconic drinking institution known for its epic sunsets and cliffside views.

5. The Bahamas
Flickr/BID Ciudades Emergentes

Distance from NYC: 2 hours and 55 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $328 per night

With around 700 islands and incredible beachside properties, the Bahamas is paradise waiting to be explored. It was recently dubbed the No. 1 Caribbean destination for wealthy travelers, with around 703 activities. It has a moderate beach-density score of 0.26.

4. Curacao
Flickr/navin75

Distance from NYC: 4 hours and 30 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $171 per night

A favorite destination for divers, Curacao is also home to beaches with calm waters and 253 activities to choose from. Of those 253 activities, 75 are water sports alone. If you’re not a water enthusiast, try exploring the Hato Caves, an elaborate network of stalactites and stalagmites, or hiking the trails of the Christoffelpark. Curacao has a high beach-density of 0.82.

3. St. Martin/Sint Maarten
Shutterstock/Sean Pavone

Distance from NYC: 3 hours and 55 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $202 per night

St. Martin is split into two sides: the Dutch half of Sint Maarten, which is filled with bustling nightlife, shopping centers, and gleaming beaches; and the French half of St. Martin, which has a quieter ambience, with white-sand beaches and charming mountainside scenery. The island has a very high beach-density score of 1.09 and 388 different activities to enjoy.

2. Dominican Republic
Shutterstock/Daniel-Alvarez

Distance from NYC: 3 hours and 40 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $184 per night

The Dominican Republic is home to some of the Caribbean’s most diverse landscapes of mountains, desert terrain, colonial buildings, and beaches. There are a whopping 1,036 activities to choose from here, despite its low beach-density score of 0.03. Indulge in prime seafood at its beachfront bars or witness four of the five highest peaks in the Caribbean that rise above Santiago.

1. Puerto Rico
Shutterstock/ARENA Creative

Distance from NYC: 2 hours and 40 minutes

Average hotel room cost: $183 per night

Puerto Rico takes the No. 1 spot thanks to its affordable hotel rates and a staggering 1,056 activities travelers can enjoy. Despite its low beach-density score of 0.04, it’s home to tropical terrain that has helped it earn its “Island of Enchantment” name.

For more on this story go to: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-25-best-caribbean-islands-ranked-2016-2