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Bahamas, Caribbean islands or not

2.7K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  pmalter  
#1 ·
I've often heard people refer to the Bahamas as Caribbean islands even though they are in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea.
What's your take and why?
 
#2 ·
Bahamas are not in the Caribbean, as you say, and I don't lump them together. They are not as warm at the height of the winter either, but still pretty nice, if one is escaping frozen winters. As I say that, the Bahamas also stretch across a lot of latitude, so northern and southern island in the chain can have measurable differences.

How about Turks and Caicos?
 
#4 ·
It doesn't seem so by this definition, but perhaps there are others?
The Caribbean Sea is bordered by Venezuela, Colombia and Panama to the south, Central American countries (Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Belize) on the west; with the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico) on the north and the Lesser Antilles on the east.
 
#8 ·
Who cares? What's in a name anyway... borders are imaginary really. I think of "the Carribean" as the Windward and Leeward ISLANDS and it extends (IN MY MIND) to HAITI) these are for the most part volcanic islands. Bahama Islands are flat shallow surrounded by reefs.
 
#10 ·
I'm sure it's just a conversation starter, not a serious analysis by the OP. Border are man made, for sure. However, communication can be important. If I said Westchester County was in Connecticut, I'm sure there would be swift correction.

In your mind, what do you consider Cuba, Jamaica and the Caymans, if you stop at Haiti?
 
#13 ·
A while ago, a similar question was posed. MarkJ was adamant that the Caribbean nations consisted mostly of the Eastern Caribe islands (including PR and DR), with Jamaica and a few others thrown in. His point was that the rest of the countries bordering the Caribbean Sea were parts of South and Central America. He had a point, but not one I totally agreed with, since I had a broader view of "Caribbean".

However, I don't think either of us considered Bahamas or Bermuda as part of the "Caribbean".

It is semantics, and not really important outside of treaties and other political things. Do any of the "Caribbean cruise" ship itineraries include Bahamas and Bermuda as stops?

Mark
 
#16 ·
Tropics have a pretty tight definition. It's every where between 23°26′11.9″ North and 23°26′11.9″ South.

Pretty sure the Carribean is defined by geography, as being the land and islands that border the Carribean sea including Cuba, but also including places like Eastern Panama.

To me the Bahamas and Bermuda are in the Atlantic Ocean, but I certainly wouldn't lose any sleep over it if some one called them the Carribean.
 
#19 ·
Truly don’t get including Bermuda. The Bermuda races are in June. Often it’s cold. Occasionally stormy. Have had on full foulies, fleece and gloves for that race on occasion. Truly not tropical. Also its just halfway to the eastern Caribbean. The weather even in season is totally different as well. You can be ghosting for days around it. Nothing like the trades exist. Nor is it effected by the WAVES that sit on the northern edge of the Caribbean. A wholly different world.