One of the most scenic destinations in the world, the Caribbean islands are a must-visit for any nature lover, romantic, or adventure seeker.

However, it's difficult to decide which island to visit, considering the beauty and appeal of each. We crunched the numbers and came up with a list of the 25 best countries, republics, and territories in the Western Hemisphere archipelago.

We evaluated the islands based on their flying time from New York City, the average hotel room cost, the number of attractions, and the Beach Density Index — a score that rewards an island for having a relatively large amount of potential beachfront for its size.

Learn more about each of the islands »

See how we ranked the 25 best Caribbean islands »