An explosion of color, fringed by beaches and soaked in rum – the Caribbean is a joyous riot of islands beckoning paradise-hunters. Rocked by music, rolled by change, lapped by turquoise waters, blown by hurricanes – the Caribbean is constantly on the move. It’s a lively and intoxicating profusion of people and places spread over 7000 islands (fewer than 10% are inhabited). But, for all they share, there’s also much that makes them different. Forming a huge swath around the Caribbean Sea, the namesake islands contradict in ways big and small.

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