With music as one of its societal bedrocks, Barbados revels in a vibrant nightlife. Pristine sandy beaches and glass-clear water are hemmed with palms and vibrant flora on a backdrop of impressive 18th-century colonial streetscapes, like in the capital, Bridgetown. Land-based attractions run from lush botanical gardens and historic plantation houses to sumptuous tropical spas and first-rate golf
Low-lying and volcanic in origin, Antigua Barbuda form part of the Leeward Islands group in the northeast Caribbean and have certainly adopted the notoriously ‘Caribbean' way of life. This is a place to take things easy, stroll around markets, sip the fresh juices of coconuts and pineapple and meet friendly locals.
The third-largest island in the Caribbean is also one of the most colourful. Idyllic white sand beaches and vibrant tropical blooms sit on a backdrop of blue mountain peaks. As the adopted home of the Rasta, Jamaica is also a riot of red, gold, and green. Renowned as the birthplace of Bob Marley, reggae remains at the island’s musical heart. Rice-and-peas, rum, coffee and cricket are its soul. Local pastimes centre on oral traditions, such as discussing an idea to exhaustion, often over a fiercely fought game of dominoes on a veranda or front porch.
Most tourists who come to the island are initially attracted by the magnificent golden sand beaches along its 1,400km (870-mile) coastline. The island’s northern, Atlantic side contains the majority of tourist attractions, hotels and resorts, particularly in the 64km (40-mile) zone between Puerto Plata and Cabarete.
St Lucia is a beautiful volcanic island with lush rainforests, undulating agricultural landscapes and unspoilt beaches. It is also one of the world’s breeziest places, as the trade winds blow in from the sea to the southern shore. Traditionally banana and sugar cane exports sustained St Lucia, however, the government is now focusing its efforts on the island’s fast-growing tourism sector.
