White-sand beaches, crystal-blue seas and palm trees swaying in a warm breeze are the elements that make a Caribbean holiday. There are Caribbean hotels for all budgets and tastes. This archipelago of over 30 countries and several languages has hundreds of hotels for the beach-combing, sporting, family, romantic or just lazy holiday you are looking for.
All major UK airports have direct flights to the main English-speaking Caribbean islands. Barbados is a favourite destination and is the island with the highest number of hotels in the Caribbean. The Platinum Coast on the west of the island with its famous Sandy Bay beach is the best place for luxury, celebrity-spotting and golfing. The Sandy Lane Country Club and the Royal Westmoreland golf courses are close by. The sea is calm and clear on the Barbados west coast so for exciting surfing and beachcombing travel to the east coast at Cattlewash and Bathsheba. Here, the pounding sea is good for wading and expert surfing, but not for swimming. You can stay at a beach house at the fraction of the price of the west coast.
Grenada is the destination for a quieter and more exotic holiday. You can sit on secluded beaches, go fishing and take a trip inland to see the Grand Etang Lake and Lake Antoine in the shadow of an extinct volcano. The Spice Island and Calabash beach resorts on the Grand Anse Beach in the south west of the island are the top attractions.
Tobago, the smaller island of Trinidad and Tobago, is another good destination for a lazy holiday. Hotels range from beach resorts, self-catering and guest houses to luxury. This island is a magnet for scuba divers, who can explore the curved Buccoo coral reef around the coast between the Pigeon Point beach and Bon Accord Lagoon.
The honeymooner's favourite island of St. Lucia has a huge range of accommodation, from cheap rooms to luxury hotels. Go mountain biking around the volcano in the middle of a rain forest or enjoy the annual Jazz Festival during the first half of May. Antigua is an ideal spot for family holidays. The island has more beaches than there are days in the year. There are hotels for every budget, ranging from cosy home-from-home guesthouses to five-star luxury.
St Kitts and Nevis are destinations for those seeking activity holidays in the Caribbean. The two volcanic islands are linked by frequent ferries. Hike through the rain forest to Mount Liamuiga, an extinct volcano that reaches 3,800 feet. Go scuba diving to explore the reefs and shipwrecks offshore. As with the other Caribbean islands, hotels here range from sprawling beach resorts to guest houses and self-catering villas. For luxury and privacy, try the old plantation mansions inland on St Kitts.
The Bahamas are best for island hopping and have the widest price range for accommodation. You can stay in a luxury breach resort or a small inn. The Cayman Islands are a diver's paradise, whether for coral reefs or shipwrecks. The famous Seven Mile Beach boasts luxury boutique hotels as well as modest guest rooms.
Jamaica is the Caribbean destination for rum, reggae and beaches. Stay at a beach resort and go deep-sea fishing or hike to the top of Blue Mountain Peak, taste the exquisite coffee grown there and stay at a holiday cottage nearby.
You will change at Parisian airports for flights from the UK to the French-speaking islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and St. Martin. Beach resorts on Martinique, known as the "Flower Island" and famous for its frangipani, cassias and poincianas growing on every roadside, lie on both the east and west coasts of the islands. But most of the hotels are at Trois-Ilets in the west. These are usually 3- and 4-star accommodation though there is a range of self-catering apartments. Enjoy the island's Creole cuisine and zouk music.
Guadeloupe is the heart of Creole culture in the Caribbean. There are cascading waterfalls inland, as well as the famous La Soufriere volcano. Beaches vary in colour from white to ebony and the island has the largest aquarium in the Caribbean region. Guadeloupe is shaped like a butterfly, with most beach resorts on the western wing and northern coast. There are many 3- and 4-star family-friendly hotels, golfing hotels and small guesthouses.
Saint Martin is another family-friendly destination with boutique hotels, guest houses and 4-star beach resorts. Most of the hotels are along the beach or coastal hills.
Flights to Cuba and the Dominican Republic are plentiful from the major British airports. Cuba has a unique history and attractions. The capital, Havana, with its renowned Malecon seafront and its old town, is a tourist magnet. Explore old Havana and learn about the island's colonial and modern history. Hotels in Havana range from boutique luxury in restored colonial buildings to budget hotels for backpackers near the city's bus station and central park. Havana Beach is just 15 minutes drive from the city and boasts 2-, 3- and 4-star hotels for all tastes.
Cuba's beach resorts of Matanzas, Cayo Largo and Varadero have luxury hotels with supermarkets and shopping malls. Most of the hotels are family friendly, though some of the five-star hotels are only for adults.
The Dominican Republic is a year-round holiday destination with white beaches for sun worshippers and coral reefs and shipwrecks for scuba divers. There are hotels to suit every taste and budget, whether they are families, singles, executives or golfers. There are four- and five-star luxury hotels at the beach resorts and homes to rent inland close to the mountains.
Change at Schipol airport in the Netherlands to visit the Dutch Antilles of Curacao, Bonaire, Aruba and St. Maarten. You will hear the language of Papiamento on these islands, which is a mixture of English, Spanish, Dutch, French, Portuguese and African languages. There are classic luxury beach resorts at Willemstad, Curacao, La Sammana Beach on St. Maarten and cheap bed and breakfasts on all of the islands. Hotels here have frequent discount offers.
These islands are some of the best stopping-off points for tourists heading to Venezuela and Colombia.
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