Joseph "Rich" Francis is a travel writer and full-time traveler of more than 10 years. He's lived on multiple continents and in a hodgepodge of different destinations, from the beach towns of the Mexican Pacific to the idyllic isles of southern Thailand, the ski centers of the Alps to the historic cities of Central Europe. He's a niche expert in surf-travel and adventure travel, and has published work in leading travel brands like Lonely Planet, The Culture Trip, and Seeker.
Today, you can find him blogging about the latest in surf destinations over on The Surf Atlas or about the latest bars in Krakow on KrakowBuzz. You can also find his portfolio site at JosephRichardFrancis.com.
From the boulder-spattered east coast to the shimmering stretches of sand that line the western shore, the pretty colonial bridges and statues of Nelson in Bridgetown to the crumbling plantations and fishing towns of the north, Barbados is a truly enthralling and fascinating Caribbean destination to say the least. Steeped in tales of piracy and …
At once French and Dutch, lively and laid-back, graced with pretty beaches and rising to palm-studded hilltops, famed for its shopping and sweet guavaberry rums, seaside beach bars and casino-lead nightlife, there are many sides to little St. Martin. It’s hardly a wonder that so many cruise ships opt to drift into the harbours of …
Strewn out in stretched cays and specks of land between the shimmering beaches of the American Sunshine State, the verdant coastal mountains of Cuba, and the gorgeous Turks and Caicos, the iconic Bahamas remain one of the most coveted holidaying and travel destinations in the entire Caribbean region. And with so much diversity, things to …
Why not kick things off with a lazy day on the powdered sands of iconic Grand Anse Beach, where the lapping Caribbean waves wash over the mangroves and the beach bars alike? Or, head to the hills around Mount Qua Qua for a glimpse at the wild and volcanic hinterland of this Caribbean gem, where …
A splattering of gorgeous tropical islands nestled between the lands of Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, the USVI have long been famed for their silky-white beaches and wild inland hills of rainforest, cacti groves and banyans. But this little enclave of America in the heart of the Caribbean chains is much more than …
St. Lucia is a bubbling, brooding volcanic mass of an island that rises from the middle of the Lesser Antilles in a medley of rugged coastal coves and mountainous peaks. Dressed in jungle and rainforest from head to toe, the landscapes here are amongst some of the most celebrated in the Caribbean. That means St. …
One of the more beach-heavy destinations the Caribbean has to offer, the irresistible duo of Antigua and Barbuda is said to have one stretch of sand for every day of the year! And while no one’s quite sure if the count is accurate (we doubt anyone’s managed to check out all the beaches), there’s no …
First-time visitors to miniature little Aruba in the midst of the ABC Islands could be forgiven for thinking they weren’t actually in the Caribbean. With its rugged coastal reaches of chiselled cliffs and salt-sprayed headlands (particularly along the wild east coast), sweeping areas of windswept sand dunes and cacti groves in place of lush rainforest, …
Ah, Jamaica; the land of jerk and jackfruit, of the roaring Dunn’s River and beaches to die for. A veritable jewel of the Caribbean region, Jamaica boasts its own unique Carib come Creole come African come colonial come Latin culture and heritage. There are gorgeous mansions with an English edge next to earthy beach huts …
The so-called Pearl of the Antilles and the largest island in the entire Caribbean Sea, Cuba can seem a world apart from the refined paradisaical holidaying spots that surround it. For one, its history is still very much alive. Revolutions and communism are still fresh on the mind, and the museums showcase weapons that helped …