The Bahamas: The sun shines more than 300 days a year here. So to be a lifeguard you're required to sit under a thatched umbrella on some of the world's purest beaches. And sometimes nobody is even using the beach you guard over. | Thinkstock
ByIslands StaffNov. 3, 2011
Some of the best island jobs are in the Caribbean – where else can you find a paid position up in the trees, down on the beach or surrounded by rum? Here are seven of our favorite Caribbean island gigs.
Guadeloupe: It started with dreadlocks. But to be a hairdresser now in the islands means you can turn any locks into braids, weaves, interlocks, microbraids, silky dreads, flat twists or invisible braids. Do they look good on tourists? Um...
Back to first image | ThinkstockSt. Lucia: It takes strength to climb 20-foot coconut palms with no branches to grab. These guys don't cheat by sliding back down, either, and they sometimes have run-ins with rats. To stay fit, they drink what they reap: coconut water. Back to first image | ThinkstockBarbados: What many call the best rum on the planet comes straight from the sugar-cane fields near the Mount Gay distillery. Jobs range from cleaning the barrels with fire to sit-down management positions. Back to first image | ThinkstockTurks and Caicos: Before turning a conch shell into a napkin holder, you'll use a pick, a brush and some baby oil to make it pretty. It feels good to work on the region's only conch farm, which keeps the wild conchs from being overharvested. Back to first image | ThinkstockTrinidad: The world's best cocoa beans – pure Trinitario – need a special touch. The beans are roasted over an open fire to bring out the flavor before they're ground. It could very well be the best-smelling job around. Back to first image | ThinkstockJamaica: Poling a raft on the Rio Grande has its benefits. The water is cool. The pace is leisurely. And the tips from guests include cash and Red Stripes. Back to first image
