Caribbean

Candy-colored cocktails sipped in seaside watering holes. Carefree days followed by calypso-flavored nights. These are the siren songs that lure anyone with a yacht and a yearning to escape to the incomparable Caribbean Islands. Whether you're sailing through turquoise waters, lazing on powdery white beaches, the glamorous harbors and unknown coves of this area remain a hidden treasure.

While Cuba has been off-limits to most American travelers since 1963, in recent years cruise ships have started calling again and flights from the United States have resumed. Most visitors today are drawn not only by the island's mild climate and beautiful beaches but also its cultural riches. Havana has a wealth of colonial buildings and vintage automobiles, as well as intimate paladares that serve local dishes and street parties that move to the rhythms of mambo and salsa. On the country's southern coast, Cienfuegos has elegant mansions and a 19th-century street plan that earned it a place on UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites.