What makes each Caribbean island unique? Jo Cooke outlines their distinct personalities
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Caribbean islands are a little like cupcakes. They comprise the same basic ingredients – sun, sea and sand – and then assert their individuality with an array of toppings.
There are those with a sprinkling of historical sites and golf courses or a sugar coating of rainforests and waterfalls. Then, for some, a swirl of animal encounters and thrill rides is their pièce de résistance. Help clients select their island and, once you’ve added the crowning glories, they’ll feel like they can have their cake and eat it.
Sensational Saint Lucia
This volcanic island, with its rainforest interior, is a beauty to behold. Saint Lucia’s twin Piton peaks rise above the ocean, a mesmerising vista much photographed by passing sunset catamaran cruises.
While nature trails through the verdant landscape will please walkers and birdwatchers alike, kite surfing enthusiasts should make for Sandy Beach on the southern tip of the island, one of the best spots in the Caribbean to practise this exhilarating sport. It’s best to mention to clients that beaches here are as often made up of dark, volcanic sand as classic white.
Must do: Check out Saint Lucia’s volcano and fishing villages on the Magical Soufriere tour. From £56 with Attraction World.
Diary date: Saint Lucia’s Jazz and Arts Festival 2015 runs from April 30-May 10. stluciajazz.org
Book it: Seven nights’ room-only at Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort, costs from £1,706 with ITC Luxury Travel.
Beguiling Barbados
With colonial architecture, delightful resort areas and hotels for all budgets on glorious white-sand beaches, it’s perhaps no wonder Barbados has more repeat guests than any other Caribbean island.
Among them, celebrities tuck themselves away in luxury villas up in the rolling hills, or base themselves at the legendary Sandy Lane. An efficient and frequent public bus service loops the island for easy sightseeing and options include rum distilleries, animal parks, botanical gardens, caves and more.
Must do: Glimpse the homes of the famous, then finish up with some high-end shopping on the Celebrity’s Lifestyle tour. From $60 with Island Routes.
Diary date: Motor-sports fans won’t want to miss the annual Sol Rally Barbados taking place on May 30 and 31 this year. rallybarbados.bb
Book it: A week’s bed and breakfast at Tamarind by Elegant Hotels costs from £1,259 per person with Travel 2.
Awesome Aruba
Part of the Dutch Antilles, this island offers a touch of European flair and a focus on frivolity. A host of hotels boast casinos and then there are music bars, nightclubs and restaurants located behind the high-rise accommodation properties on Palm Beach and packing the resort centre.
This expanse of white sand is also a hub for watersports, boat cruises and beach sports. Those who seek a quieter base might prefer the low-key and less busy, but equally stunning, Eagle Beach and the low-rise hotels that back it.
Must do: Explore Aruba’s highlights on a half-day jeep safari, from $75 with Island Routes.
Diary date: The 21st Annual Aruba International Pro-Am Golf Tournament runs from August 20-24 this year. tierradelsol.com
Book it: Seven nights with breakfast at the Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts costs from £1,777 with Kuoni.
Dandy Dominican Republic
The affordability of the Dominican Republic makes this paradise accessible even to those on a budget. Large-scale, all-inclusive hotels dominate and clients will find more facilities than they can shake a stick at, making this an ideal choice for families and groups of friends.
Plus, the beaches in both the main resorts of Punta Cana and Puerto Plata are some of the most picture-postcard perfect of anywhere in the Caribbean.
Must do: Take the cable car to the top of Mount Isabel for sweeping views of Puerto Plata, from £32 with Do Something Different.
Diary date: The Procigar Festival, from February 15-20, is a collection of entertainment and educational events promoting the island as the leading cigar exporter in the world. procigar.org
Book it: Seven nights’ all-inclusive at Barcelo Bavaro Palace costs from £1,199 with Travel 2.
Alluring Antigua
Antigua has the air of a yacht club about it. It’s a popular base for sailing fans, plus the historic marinas and natural harbours make great photo opportunities. Clients can find the best views of these ports, plus the 365 beaches dotted around the island’s coastline, aboard a catamaran cruise.
Nightlife also centres around these marinas, with a good selection of restaurants and bars. However, the ultimate Caribbean knees-up is to be found at Shirley Heights, a hilltop lookout where you can watch the sunset while dancing to local bands playing live.
Must do: Sign them up for a day trip to Antigua’s sleepy sister island Barbuda, from £98 with Do Something Different.
Diary date: August is carnival time. antiguacarnival.com
Book it: Seven nights with breakfast at Blue Waters costs from £1,455 with Virgin Holidays.
Captivating Cuba
In recent times the authorities have relaxed rules around tourism, making more rental cars available and allowing the Cuban population to operate private enterprises. As a result, holidaymakers now have greater freedom to explore this intriguing island beyond the main haunts of Varadero and Havana.
Spanish colonial architecture abounds, with entire towns preserved, such as Santa Clara and Cienfuegos, which are perfect for history buffs, while beach bums will certainly find a dose of unspoiled coast at Cayo Santa Maria, a resort set within a nature reserve.
Must do: Take in a floor show at Club Tropicana or the Copacabana in Havana.
Diary date: Santiago de Cuba is famed for its colourful carnival celebrations that kick off at the end of July every year.
Book it: Kuoni offers seven nights with breakfast at the Melia Cohiba in Havana from £799.
Jumpin’ Jamaica
Brimming with character, Jamaica’s reggae music scene and cheerfully cheeky inhabitants give this, the third-largest island in the Caribbean, a colourful kick that’s equal to the rum-soaked cocktails served up by the bartenders.
Topographically diverse, nature lovers can check out Jamaica’s wetlands, limestone escarpments and sinkholes full of jade water, as well as waterfalls and rainforest-cloaked mountains. The big three resorts of Montego Bay, Negril and Ocho Rios offer myriad craft markets, duty-free shops, golf courses, nightlife and acres of white-sand beachfront.
Must see: Take a tour of the birthplace of reggae music legend Bob Marley, from £82 with Attraction World.
Diary date: Early December sees the annual Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K races take place in Negril. reggaemarathon.com
Book it: Couples Swept Away, Negril, costs from £1,569 on an all-inclusive basis with Kuoni.
Mellow Anguilla
On Anguilla, clients can feel like castaways but enjoy access to fine dining and luxury accommodation. This upscale isle is peppered with chic retreats and blessed with extensive white-sand beaches free from crowds and bustle.
Anguilla is for those who have only two items on their agenda: pampering and relaxation. The island has few attractions to speak of, but there are top-notch spas and around 100 eateries.
Must do: Book clients a day trip to neighbouring St Martin for shopping and exploring. It’s less than an hour away.
Diary date: The island’s seafaring tradition continues each May at Anguilla’s annual big boat regatta.
Book it: Seven nights with breakfast at Cap Juluca costs from £1,849 with Caribtours.
Bahamian Beauties
A nation made up of around 700 separate isles, the Bahamas is the destination to suggest for those who fancy a spot of island hopping.
With a network of ferries and airlift connections at your disposal, you can create a bespoke itinerary for clients that combines the buzz and bustle of the capital Nassau and resorts such as Atlantis, with sleepy, rustic Harbour Island and its swish beachfront boutique hotels.
Must do: Sign up clients for an addictive Bahamas Bonefishing Expedition which costs from $235 with Island Routes.
Diary date: The annual All Andros Crab Fest, held in the second weekend in June, celebrates the crustacean with traditional music and crab cook-offs.
Book it: Funway offers seven nights at Sandals Royal Bahamian Spa Resort from £1,799.
Super St Kitts and Nevis
History buffs and those seeking old-school Caribbean charm would do well to consider this twin island nation. St Kitts is home to Brimstone Hill Fortress, an extensive Unesco World Heritage Site and arguably the finest example of a 17th-century military stronghold in the West Indies.
A short ferry ride away is the unhurried and refined Nevis, where great house-style accommodation encourages games of croquet, afternoon tea and dressing for dinner.
Must do: Plan a three-hour 30-mile tour for clients aboard the St Kitts Scenic Railway, originally built to transport sugar cane.
Diary date: The Easter Sunday Horse Racing Event on April 5.
Book it: Seven nights’ bed and breakfast at Montpelier Plantation and Beach costs from £1,813 with ITC Luxury Travel.
Gorgeous Grenada
Variety is both the spice of life and what the Spice Island, as Grenada is known, has to offer its visitors. Guests can witness turtles hatching on virgin beaches, seek out mona monkeys in the rainforest interior and follow walking trails to waterfalls.
There are also working plantations and rum distilleries to visit, offering a glimpse of the West Indies’ agricultural past. The capital, St George’s, meanwhile, is a showcase of colonial architecture, with Georgian warehouses set around a pretty horseshoe-shaped harbour. Add the uncrowded, broad and long white-sand beaches and Grenada is an ideal introduction to all the good things the Caribbean has to offer.
Must do: Snorkel or kayak through the Underwater Sculpture Park.
Diary date: On April 21, England will play the West Indies at the National Cricket Ground in the capital St George’s. windiescricket.com
Book it: Western & Oriental offers seven nights with breakfast at True Blue Bay from £895
