The Caribbean is a region that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding coasts. Located southwest of the Gulf of Mexico and the North American mainland, east of Central America, and north of  South America, the Caribbean Islands have long been written about in romance novels with pirates and beautiful, headstrong maidens. It consists of more than 700 islands, islets, reefs and cays. Comprised of 13 sovereign states and 17 dependent territories, there is a variety of ethnic groups, religions and languages, all of which make this beautiful part of the world a most desirable , go to destination. While most speak English, don’t be surprised to hear Spanish, French and Dutch being spoken by native islanders. Some of the islands have rather flat, non-volcanic terrain like Aruba, Barbados and the Cayman Islands; while others possess rugged towering mountains like Saint Martin, Jamaica and St. Lucia. The crystal aqua blue waters of the Caribbean Sea host beautiful coral reef formations and in turn draw schools of fish and sea turtles. For snorkeling and scuba diving, the Caribbean Islands are a must do playground.