The Caribbean, sometimes known as the West Indies, is a collective of island countries in the Caribbean Sea just beyond the Gulf of Mexico. The literally thousands of islands that make up the region are owned by many countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France. There are also many sovereign states.

The cultural diversity in the "West Indies", so named because when Christopher Columbus landed here he thought he had reached the South West corner of Asia known as the Indies, has created a wealth of opportunities for locals and visitors alike, and the Caribbean has become famous as a vacation destination for both the adventurer and the leisure tourist.