Picture a coastline that runs for miles without a single high-rise in sight, water so clear you can count the shells on the seabed, and evenings warm enough to sit outside until ten. The Caribbean delivers all of it, and the local markets add a jolt of color that no photograph quite captures.
Sunshine arrives here in every month of the calendar, which makes planning easy. Wander a coconut-lined shore in the morning, then sit down to a plate of grilled snapper and fried plantain at a roadside table. Whether you're planning a honeymoon for two or a slow family escape, the islands tend to exceed what you imagined.
Idyllic Islands.
If your idea of a good day involves lying flat on warm sand, Barbados has about 70 beaches to choose from, and the stretch at Crane is one of the finest. Order a rum punch from the beach attendant, or pull on a wetsuit and drift over the reef in water that stays around 27°C most of the year.
Antigua and Barbuda move at a gentler rhythm. The islands count 365 beaches between them, one for every day if you're keeping score, and English Harbour has a restored dockyard where you can watch the yachts come in. Stay beachside or in the harbour village, and either base puts you minutes from the water.
Paradisiacal Bliss.
Beaches aside, Trinidad and Tobago suit anyone who likes a gallery in the afternoon. Port of Spain holds the National Museum and Art Gallery along with a handful of smaller spaces, and the temples around Tunapuna reward a slow drive. Bring the camera, though a phone will do.
White sand is only the start. Puerto Rico packs historic volcanoes and the rainforest of El Yunque into one island, and a zip-line course there carries you 50ft above the canopy. Look for the coast through the leaves on the return leg.
Water sports cover the rest of the week. Learn to surf at a beginner break, or dive down to the reefs where marine life moves in numbers too dense to tally. The Bahamas runs shark dives for anyone who wants a story to bring home.
After dark the islands get lively. Rum cocktails appear at every turn, and festivals fill the calendar. Beach bars keep their doors open late with reggae drifting from the rooftops on the trade winds.
