I’ve been to over 20 Caribbean islands. Here are 9 travel essentials I never visit the area without.

• After traveling to over 20 Caribbean islands, I know what essentials I need for every trip.
• Bringing a water bottle helps me ensure I’m staying hydrated throughout the day.
• I always pack travel-sized sunscreen because buying a bottle on the islands can be expensive.

Now that I’ve traveled to over two dozen islands in the Caribbean, I know exactly what I need to bring on each trip. When I first started traveling, however, I was definitely an over-packer and often had to pay extra for my heavy suitcase.

But over the years, I realized I only used a fraction of what I was packing — all I needed was a few versatile clothing pieces and accessories.