If you have Caribbean travel plans you might be contemplating long days lounging on white sand beaches, but you may want to pack more than just a bathing suite for your trip! In fact, the Caribbean offers a lot of activities including snorkeling, sightseeing and shopping and can be vibrant with nightlife so you might want to add a few more items to your suitcase for when you aren’t at the beach.

One thing you want to be aware of is that some items can be very expensive in the Caribbean. After all, your stuck on an island and can’t really go anywhere else to make your purchases so the “tourist price” on some of the regular items can be a bit high.

One thing you want to be sure to pack is sunscreen from home to bring with you on your trip. The sun is very strong in the Caribbean so plan accordingly. Of course, you’ll want to choose a waterproof type if you plan on spending any time in the water.

Insect repellent is another item you might want to pack in your Caribbean travel bag - after all it is the tropics and mosquitoes thrive in that type of environment! If you don’t want to risk putting toxic chemicals all over your body, there is a new patch you can put that has vitamin B1 in it which will be absorbed by your body. The B1 will help mask whatever it is that attracts mosquitoes to humans and they won’t see you as a tasty meal and pass you right by.

Along with your beach going and sight seeing, you might want to pack a good pair of walking shoes or hiking boots. If you are into eco-tourism, there are plenty of places in the Caribbean that offer great hiking and wonderful scenic areas. You can even go to a bird sanctuary and see several endangered species.

Depending on what time of year you will be traveling, you might want to bring along some sweaters and warmer clothes. While we often think of the Caribbean as being rather warm, it can actually get cold in some parts during the winter. Some parts of Puerto Rico can have lows in the 50’s in January and the Bahamas can get into the 60’s - of course this can seem quite warm if you are coming from a place where it is below zero! In the summer months some places can be in the 90’s but for the most part the Caribbean has very pleasant temps in the 70’s - 80’s for most of the year.

When packing your clothes for Caribbean travel, you really need to consider what activities you want to do. Do you like to go out dancing? Then, by all means, pack some fancy clothes and high heels as you will find nightlife on many of the islands. If you prefer hiking, you might want to bring your hiking clothes. If you just like to dine on fine cuisine, then bring something that you will comfortable wearing to a fine restaurant.