Three beautiful islands in the Caribbean are perfect for visiting on a cruise ship.
The ABC Islands are a physical grouping of the three westernmost islands of the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao.
It combines beautiful beaches, desert landscapes, lively resorts, and some of the best diving in the world.
As a territory of the Netherlands, its citizens have Dutch nationality and the former suzerain enjoys preferential rights in trade, minerals and natural resources.
The Telegraph reported that the islands have “strongly felt Dutch roots and a unique blend of Spanish and African influences”. The newspaper adds that they are “a delight to visit as a gorgeous and colorful trio” and can easily be visited on a cruise.
The islands' dry climate attracts travelers seeking warm, sunny weather year-round. It is also located outside the main area of tropical cyclones.
The ABC Islands are often overlooked, but the headlines of Caribbean hotspots like Barbados, Jamaica, and Antigua dwarf them.
Aruba is the best known and has a solid place on cruise line itineraries. Passengers are drawn to casino resorts, shopping malls, white sand beaches, and the vast desert landscape of Arikok National Park.
The island's main attractions include the natural pools, Eagle Beach, Archaeological Museum, California Lighthouse, Andikuri Beach, and the top of Hoiberg.
Bonaires is home to boulevards lined with candy-colored Dutch houses and Delft shops selling the city's namesake blue-and-white china.
Popular with snorkelers and scuba divers, the uninhabited coral island of Klein Bonaire lies half a mile offshore, with no shops or bars, just white sand beaches and turquoise waters filled with iridescent fish. .
Curaçao is the most populous island and is the largest island with increasing tourist numbers due to new hotels and cruise ports.
The waterfront of the historic center is lined with distinctive buildings from the Dutch colonial era, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is home to Mikveh Israel Emanuel Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in the Americas.