By Chris Leadbeater
There is much more to the Caribbean than the well-trodden delights of the Bahamas or Barbados. And if you fancy a piece of sun-and-sand heaven this year, the following five destinations do both in style - with far fewer crowds.
BEST FOR SCENERY SEEKERS: TOBAGO
You might expect Trinidad's little brother to be as noisy as its larger sibling.
The fact that it is anything but, is a definite reason to be cheerful. Tobago
is one of the less-developed jewels of the Caribbean, a place where life rarely
moves out of first gear. But its main attraction is its beauty. The beaches
along its north coast - particularly Englishman's, Parlatuvier and Bloody Bays
- are palm-fringed slices of paradise, while Tobago Rain Forest Reserve, in
the north-east, is a protected area where birds chatter in the canopy. Then
there is the quiet-yet-dramatic east coast, its calm waters ideal for scuba
diving.
Stay: Coco
Reef Resort & Spa is pitched at Store Bay, another of Tobago's glorious
beaches.
BEST FOR INTREPID EXPLORERS: ST KITTS
St Kitts has
much to interest those who want to visit more than a beach - but, at just 68
square miles, can also be seen in a week. Brimstone Hill Fortress is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site that recalls the days when Britain and France squabbled
over the island - and offers astonishing views from its 800ft bluff. The St
Kitts Scenic Railway used to transport sugar from the plantations, but now makes
for a pretty 30-mile tour. Basseterre is the chocolate-box capital, while Mount
Liamuiga, a 1156-metre volcano, is a challenge for any hiker. Ferries depart
to neighbouring Nevis from Major's Bay.
Stay: Ottley's
Plantation Inn, hidden in the foothills of Mount Liamuiga, is based on a
former sugar plantation, and offers splendid views of the Atlantic side of St
Kitts.
BEST FOR GOURMET SHOPAHOLICS: ST MARTIN
Unsure which country to visit this summer? Then there is always the intriguing
option of St Martin,
the Caribbean outpost that, despite being just 33 squares miles in area, is
two countries in one - as it has been since the 1648 treaty that split the island
between France and the Netherlands. The result is a curious culture clash. The
southern, Dutch half (Sint Maarten), with its casino-dotted capital Philipsburg,
tends to be somewhat livelier - but the northern, French half, with its capital
Marigot, specialises in first-rate restaurants. However, both halves are retail-therapy
heaven, as shopping is duty-free.
Stay: Go Dutch at the Sonesta
Great Bay Beach Resort, which has its own casino. Go Gallic at the Grand
Case Beach Club, which occupies a lovely spot in the French half.
BEST FOR SCUBA DIVERS: TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
They may lurk just 50 miles from the easternmost tip of the Bahamas, but the
Turks
And Caicos Islands could be a whole world away from the Caribbean's most
tourist-magnetic archipelago. Eight main islands and a whole host of smaller
outcrops, many of them flat, marshy and uninhabited, make up this oceanbound
enclave - although Providenciales, the main island (in the northern Caicos group)
has modern resorts on the five-mile stretch of Grace Bay. The chief attraction,
though, is the scope for scuba diving, along 200 miles of coral reef, or around
any of the many deserted tiny cays.
Stay:The Beaches
Turks & Caicos Resort sits at the heart of the action on Grace Bay.
BEST FOR ROBINSON CRUSOE IMPERSONATORS:
ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Its name makes it sound like a late 50s rock 'n' roll band, but St Vincent And The Grenadines has some of the most desirable and secluded beachfront on the planet. St Vincent itself, with its huge volcano La Soufriere, accounts for much of the country's landmass, yet it is the 30 or so islets that stream away to the south, almost like a tail, that call to most holidaymakers. Here are famous Caribbean gems - Bequia, Canouan, Mustique - and others less known. The 135-acre Palm Island is so removed from the beaten track that it can only be reached by boat from next-door Union Island. Paradise.
Stay: The best course of action on Palm
Island is to relax at the resort of the same name and pretend to be Daniel
Defoe's most famous character, With added cocktails.
Fancy a Caribbean holiday? Check out our
latest Caribbean
offers now
Chris Leadbeater is a freelance travel journalist. He writes regularly
for the Daily Mail. His favourite destinations are Cuba, the USA and Paris.