The Allure of the Caribbean

We celebrate the unique qualities of nine islands that are perfect for indulgent escape

Craving turquoise tides, the feel of powdery white sand, year-round sunshine, and a touch of magic in the air? Escape to the Caribbean’s most captivating islands. From the Bahamas to Dominica, we’re unveiling nine divine destinations where barefoot bliss meets high style, and you’ll want to stay a while.

A kaleidoscope of contrasts, color, and culinary delight, most of the 700 islands and cays of the Bahamas are uninhibited, but the picturesque main islands are famous for their wild beauty, white-sand beaches, and infinite activities: exploring shipwrecks, snorkeling, and shopping at open-air markets and high-end boutiques.

While Nassau serves up colonial grandeur and nightlife, the Out Islands – Eleuthera, the Exumas, and Harbour Island – are quieter, with heavenly hues of aquamarine and blush. Harbour Island, with its rose-colored sand and English-meets-island aesthetic, is a favorite of savvy travelers. Sip sky juice (gin, coconut water, condensed milk) at The Landing, swim with pigs in the Exumas, then plunge into Dean’s Blue Hole and lounge on its lagoon in Long Island. Charter a yacht past deserted cays to find your own private sandbar.

Every day offers appetizing cuisine, from flavorful street food to beachside fine dining and candlelit dinners under the stars. Dine on conch salad, fresh grouper, Bahamian stew fish, iguana stew, and traditional sides like peas n’ rice and Johnny cake. 

Jamaica is heart and soul – a bassline of reggae, a flash of bold color, and warmth that wraps around you like sunshine. This is an island of friendly locals, vibrant music, natural majesty, and refined pleasures. Visits are all about pacing. Mornings might begin with a hike in the Blue Mountains or a visit to Green Grotto Caves. Afternoons are for water sports and beach-lounging in Montego Bay or cliff diving at Rick’s Café in Negril. Arrive just before sunset to avoid crowds. Night is for the Luminous Lagoon or dancing at the Hip Strip, dancehall street parties, and reggae scenes.

For rum lovers, Hampden Estate offers tastings of the golden nectar aged with Jamaican funk. Foodies will love the local coffee and cuisine. Try ackee and saltfish (a signature dish), Jamaican patties, and local favorites callaloo and sweet potato pudding.

In summer, reggae festivals pulse with energy. Winter brings breadfruit roasted over open fires, holiday markets brimming with handwoven crafts, and Grand Market, an all-night Christmas Eve celebration of dance, food, and pageantry.

An archipelago of more than 40 small coral islands and cays, this is splendor in its purest essence. With calm aquamarine waters, elevated experiences, and world-class diving amid the world’s third largest barrier reef, every moment feels like an indulgence.

Grace Bay Beach is the star, with its silken sand and translucent sea, but the secluded shores of Parrot Cay are also favorites. Snorkel coral gardens off Bight Reef, kayak through mangroves in Leeward Channel at twilight, or charter a catamaran to remote islands. See a Long Bay sunrise – it’s like stepping into a J.M.W. Turner painting – and walk a puppy at Potcake Place K9 Rescue.

With no high-rise hotels or big crowds in this British territory, it’s a peaceful place. Enjoy feasting on local fare, from fine dining to barefoot beach bars: local conch salad at Da Conch Shack, seafood fettuccini at Coco Bistro under a palm canopy, cliffside cocktails at Infiniti Bar, and local fish fry evenings with locals.

Exceptional hospitality and exquisite beauty abound year-round, but winter brings live jazz under the moonlight, seafood feasts, and the vibrant Maskanoo festival. 

The Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola, is a land of contrast and charisma: colonial cities and mountain valleys, sugarcane fields and beach clubs, merengue rhythms and soft sea breezes. It’s as lively or languid as you desire, and its culture pulses with joy.

Santo Domingo charms with cobbled streets, baroque cathedrals, and historic facades of the Zona Colonial. By day, sip a Coco Loco Dominican drink on the beach; by night, dine alfresco under banyan trees, enjoy aged rum at a rooftop lounge, and dance the salsa, merengue, or bachata at the discotecas.

Head north to Jarabacoa for river rafting and coffee farms nestled in pine forests. See unspoiled Playa Rincón, a sweep of white sand where jungle meets the sea and mojitos are made with cane juice pressed before your eyes. Charter a sailboat out of Puerto Plata to hidden coves, ride Paso Fino horses on the beach, and go canyoning at the 27 waterfalls of Damajagua.

Each season is spectacular, with spring harvests of cacao, fall jazz festivals, and winter villages sparkling with lights, nativity dioramas, and aguinaldo serenades. Whether you seek history, high-end hideaways, or heady cultural fusion, this destination delivers.

With the pulse of a vibrant city mixed with the carefree ease of an island, this US territory with Spanish soul combines Old World elegance with cosmopolitan verve and natural wonder. The exquisite beaches range from urban to secluded, including Flamenco Beach on Culebra, with its white sand and turquoise water, and the surfer-favorite beaches of Rincón.

In San Juan, visit museums with artifacts from pre-Columbian times, wander cobblestone streets past candy-colored colonial homes and 500-year-old forts, and then duck into La Factoria – a cocktail bar with a speakeasy soul – or dance at open-air clubs. Outside the city, the magic deepens: paddle glowing bioluminescent bays in Fajardo, go horseback riding, or traverse the emerald folds of El Yunque rainforest, where waterfalls and orchids await.

Come for summer’s vibrant fiestas patronales, fall’s coffee harvest, or the music festivals that pop up year-round. The winter Navidad season stretches from November through the New Year with parranda street parties, roasted pork feasts, and bomba dancing until sunrise. 

The British Virgin Islands (BVI) may be synonymous with yachting, but that only scratches the surface. The sailing is sublime – more than 60 idyllic islands, cays, and inlets to explore – but dig deeper and you’ll find a sense of laidback sophistication, a pristine paradise, and islands untouched by mass tourism.

Explore treasures like Anegada, a coral island with flamingos in salt ponds, premier diving at Horseshoe Reef, exhilarating kitesurfing, and fresh, grilled lobster at the Lobster Trap. Then sail on sparkling waters to Cooper Island, known for its serene beaches and vibrant coral reefs.

Virgin Gorda’s Baths are a must; go before 9am, when the light filters like liquid gold through the boulders and the pools are yours alone. Then relax on beautiful beaches like Cane Garden Bay, Smuggler’s Cove, and the more isolated Cow Wreck Beach. Traverse rainforests, go fishing, partake in the vibrant nightlife on Jost Van Dyke, and sample rum at Callwood Rum Distillery.

A small island with big appeal, Anguilla’s mystique and understated elegance appeals to those who value authenticity, privacy, and serenity. Framed by ethereal turquoise waters and dramatic cliffs that plunge into the sea, the island delivers its magic subtly, with powdery bays to claim as your own, barefoot fine dining under a thatched palapa, secret caves to explore, and stunning, secluded beaches. Little wonder it’s a consistent winner of elite travel awards.

Visit Meads Bay or out-of-the-way Little Bay – accessible only by boat or rope descent from a cliff – to share crystalline shallows with curious pelicans. Charter a sleek catamaran for a sun-drenched day of island hopping or snorkeling around Prickly Pear Cays. Go ashore to eat at legendary Scilly Cay where grilled lobster and rum punch is served on a tiny private island reached only by a skiff. 

A French-speaking island where Riviera glamour meets Caribbean casual, this is where yachts gleam, champagne flows, and haute fashion is as spellbinding as the views. St. Barths’ relaxed elegance and breathtaking beauty make it a favorite of celebrities and world travelers alike.

Arrive by yacht or a flight from a nearby island, then spend a day beach-hopping. Colombier is a favorite – reachable only by boat or a rugged coastal path. Bring a picnic of local baguettes and cheese. Saline offers unspoiled placidity, and Shell Beach is a must for seashell lovers. Nikki Beach is the place to see and be seen, especially during the festive winter season.

Gustavia, the capital, offers enchanting European charm – flagstone streets, boulangeries, designer boutiques, exciting nightlife, and resplendent harbor views. Have lunch at Le Tamarin under a canopy of tamarind trees and dinner at Bonito with a beautiful bay view (try the fresh catch-of-the-day dishes). At night, stop by Baz Bar for live music, or Le Ti St Barth, renowned for its exotic cabaret atmosphere.

Whether you visit during spring’s culinary festival, summer’s boat races, winter’s holiday superyacht soirees and gourmet feasts under fairy-lit palms, or New Year fêtes with fireworks over the harbor, this is a place to indulge and delight.

Enchanting Dominica – not to be confused with the Dominican Republic – is the Caribbean’s lush, wild soul with the nickname of Nature Island. The lush rainforest isn’t a day trip, it’s the island’s backyard, with sparkling lakes, hidden waterfalls, natural hot springs, and black sand beaches. Home to 365 rivers, there’s an earthy mix of jungle and sea, with a rhythm more elemental than resort-driven.

Adventure and tranquility go hand in hand. This is a favorite destination for hiking, diving, snorkeling, and exploring pure landscapes. Hire a local guide to take you to the lesser-known Trafalgar twin falls (there’s a back route few tourists use) and float in sulphur springs with hummingbirds fluttering nearby.

Tour the Kalinago Territory, home to the last Indigenous people of the Caribbean, with bustling local markets, beautiful handwoven baskets, canoe-carving traditions, and hearty Creole food. Island cuisine is diverse and delicious, with must-try dishes like sancocho stew, callaloo soup (the official national dish), and fresh seafood. Visit anytime for laid-back energy, but in December expect an island-wide buzz as Carnival preparations begin early and markets brim with spiced rums, fresh cacao, and the warm, buttery aroma of Creole holiday baking.