Who doesn’t love the idea of sitting under a palm tree on a Caribbean beach, enjoying the tropical warmth, turquoise sea and a hit-the-spot rum punch? With direct flights available from the UK to 13 islands, and onward connections to many more, it can be hard to decide where is best to take your sun hat.
I’ve had the good fortune to visit the Caribbean dozens of times over the past few decades. And so to make this delicious choice easier for you, I’ve assessed every island and territory in the region, taking into account factors such as ease of access, the quality of accommodation and the range of sights, experiences and world-class attractions that make a trip worthwhile.
I’ve also analysed crucial issues like safety, crime rates and the threat from hurricanes, along with the current travel advice from the Foreign Office. Here’s my pick of the 31 Caribbean islands and territories, from best to worst.
1. Anguilla
Reached via Antigua or St Maarten, this safe, tiny and low-lying British Overseas Territory tops our list because it delivers the archetypal Caribbean dream: a wealth of fabulous beaches that are clean and uncrowded and backed up with exceptional luxury hotels (ivisitanguilla.com).
Book it: Elegant Resorts offers seven nights B&B, staying at Malliouhana, with flights from Heathrow for £2,775 pp (elegantresorts.com)
2. British Virgin Islands
Aerial view of a catamaran at the picturesque Sandy Spit in the British Virgin Islands
Like to sail? This is a prime reason to visit this gloriously scenic archipelago of 60 isles that is also a British Overseas Territory. Get ready for deserted beaches, castaway bars, luxurious private islands and a rich marine life that will thrill snorkellers and divers (bvitourism.com).
Book it: Rooms at Wyndham Tortola BVI Lambert Beach Resort from £240 per night (wyndhamhotels.com). Flights with BA and interCaribbean Airways, via Antigua, from £689 (ba.com, intercaribbean.com).
3. Grenada
Inner harbor in the capital St George’s with Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception beyond
Grenada is a magnificent island that lives by tourism but has still kept its soul. With a mountainous, forested interior, it’s a destination for exploring rather than flopping with attractions that include spice plantations, rum distilleries and underwater sculpture parks (puregrenada.com).
Book it: Trailfinders offers seven nights all-inclusive, staying at Spice Island Beach Resort, for £2,999pp including flights and transfers (trailfinders.com).
4. St Lucia
Best known for its spectacular twin peaks, the Pitons, super-scenic St Lucia is an enjoyable cook-up of French, British and Creole cultures with plenty to do from golf and rum-tasting to diving and hiking (stlucia.org).
Book it: Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights all-inclusive, staying at Zoetry Marigot Bay St. Lucia, with direct flights from Heathrow for £2,567pp (virginatlantic.com)
5. Bonaire
Small is beautiful on this tranquil Dutch isle near Venezuela. Lying outside of the hurricane belt, Bonaire has terrific snorkelling and diving in waters protected since 1979. Fly via Amsterdam (bonaireisland.com).
Book it: Doubles at the boho-chic Sorobon Luxury Beach Resort from £315 (sorobonbeachresort.com). Return London-Bonaire flights from £1,070 via Amsterdam (klm.com).
6. St Barths
You can have a ball on this glamorous and très petit French island reached via Antigua or St Maarten. Expect smart hotels, well-kept beaches, topsy-turvy hills and superb cuisine – but don’t look at the bill till you get home (saintbarth-tourisme.com).
Book it: Four nights in a suite at the super-plush boutique Eden Rock hotel from £3,500 B&B (oetkercollection.com). Return flights from £1,050 via Paris and Sint Maarten (airfrance.co.uk).
7. Barbados
With ties to England stretching back to 1625, Barbados feels like our second Caribbean home with its parish churches, cricket pitches and family-run beach hotels. If you’ve never been to the region, start here (visitbarbados.org).
Book it: TUI offers seven nights B&B at the stylish Crane Hotel from £1,304pp including flights from Manchester (tui.co.uk).
8. The Bahamas
Scenic view of the Atlantis Caribbean beach resort at Nassau in the Bahamas
Stretching southeast from Florida, this dazzling sprinkling of 700 islands and 2,400 cays runs for 760 miles with its highest point, on Cat Island, a mere 206ft. Beyond the mega-resorts and cruise ships of New Providence (Nassau) lies a plethora of relaxing escapes including Harbour Island and Eleuthera (bahamas.com).
Book it: Doubles at the huge Grand Hyatt Baha Mar spa hotel from £352 (hyatt.com). Return Heathrow flights from £579 (ba.com).
9. Antigua and Barbuda
A red phone box facing the Caribbean at Siboney Beach, Dickenson Bay, Antigua
Good beaches, plentiful flights and a wide choice of all-inclusive resorts make Antigua our top pick for a straightforward fly-and-flop holiday. English Harbour, home to the Georgian-era Nelson’s Dockyard, is the most attractive area to stay (visitantiguabarbuda.com).
Book it: Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights B&B at the stylish, well-located Antigua Yacht Club Marina Resort from £759pp including Heathrow flights (virginatlantic.com).
10. Jamaica
The largest English-speaking island in the Caribbean comes with bags of atmosphere, tremendous mountain scenery and an uplifting reggae soundtrack. Most visitors head for its all-inclusive beach resorts but being 146 miles long it’s also a rewarding destination for a small group tour. Don’t be put off by the high crime rate – tourism is vital to the economy and visitors are made very welcome (visitjamaica.com).
Book it: TUI offers seven nights B&B at the popular, beachside Riu Montego Bay from £1,583pp all-inclusive with Manchester flights (tui.co.uk).
11. St Vincent and the Grenadines
Mountainous and piratical St Vincent is now being discovered thanks to flights with Virgin Atlantic and a new Sandals resort. Its companion island chain, the Grenadines, is a treasury of small and idyllic getaways well known to the Caribbean cognoscenti, including Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Petit St Vincent (discoversvg.com).
Book it: Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights B&B at the boutique Blue Lagoon Hotel & Marina on St Vincent from £1,167pp (virginatlantic.com).
12. Cayman Islands
This safe and prosperous, tri-island British Overseas Territory makes its money from finance but also has plenty to offer travellers, in particular high quality beach hotels, a thriving restaurant scene, top dive sites and an engaging wildlife that includes birds, iguanas and stingrays (visitcaymanislands.com).
Book it: BA Holidays offers seven nights B&B at the Grand Caymanian Hotel on North Sound Beach from £1,176pp B&B including Heathrow flights (ba.com).
13. St Eustatius
The tiny island of St Eustatius in the Eastern Caribbean seen from Fort Brimstone on St Kitts & Nevis
Are there any secret Caribbean islands left? This little-known Dutch one, also called ‘Statia’ and reached via St Maarten or St Kitts, is a good contender. Only six miles long, it particularly appeals to walkers and divers with most accommodation in boutique hotels (statia-tourism.com).
Book it: Seven nights in a charming two-bedroom cottage at the peaceful Golden Rock Resort from £980pp (goldenrockresort.com).Return flights to St Kitts from £571 (ba.com).
14. Dominican Republic
Both TUI and British Airways fly into Punta Cana, which is home to a swathe of large all-inclusive resorts on the eastern tip of the second largest country in the Caribbean. Head to the capital, Santo Domingo, to tune into its Spanish colonial heritage while activities include whalewatching in Samana Bay, watersports in Cabarete and discovering the wildlife of Lago Enriquillo (godominicanrepublic.com).
Book it: On The Beach offers seven nights all-inclusive at the good-value, beachside Melia Punta Cana Beach from £1,339pp (onthebeach.co.uk).
15. St Kitts and Nevis
Served by a British Airways flight into St Kitts, this twin-island state is both relaxed and charming. On the first the chief attraction is the colossal Brimstone Hill Fortress, constructed in the 18th century and a little-known World Heritage site, while quieter Nevis has an old school vibe with small, plantation-style hotels (visitstkitts.com, nevisisland.com).
Book it: Kenwood Travel offers seven nights at Park Hyatt St Kitts, including BA flights from London Gatwick, from £1,710pp (kenwoodtravel.co.uk).
16. Cuba
View of colourful downtown Havana city with old classic cars in Cuba
The Caribbean’s largest island ought to be higher up this list given its richly atmospheric mix of rum, cigars, music, revolution and Spanish colonial architecture – not to mention nine World Heritage sites. Sadly direct flights ended last year and UK travellers who visit are then disqualified from using the United States’ Esta visa waiver scheme. (Instead you’ll need to apply for a more expensive tourist visa that requires a trip to a US embassy.) If that’s not an issue book a tour with a dependable operator like Journey Latin America, flying via Paris or Madrid (cuba.travel).
Book it: Abercrombie and Kent offers a nine night tour through Cuba for £7,285, including flights, accommodation and transfers (abercrombiekent.com)
17. Dominica
If you get bored sitting on a beach try this mighty volcanic isle reached via Barbados or Antigua. The main activities are hiking, diving, birdwatching and boat trips to see its resident sperm whales (discoverdominica.com).
Book it: TUI offers seven nights B&B at Coco Reef Resort & Spa, including BA flights from £1352pp (tui.co.uk)
18. Tobago
Trinidad’s smaller and more peaceful neighbour has long been a favourite getaway for UK travellers and is served by British Airways flights. It offers both lazy beach resorts and small hotels with a focus on walking, birdwatching, diving and wellness (tobagobeyond.com).
Book it: TUI offers seven nights B&B at Coco Reef Resort & Spa, including BA flights from £1352pp (tui.co.uk)
19. Montserrat
Twenty seven miles south of Antigua, this mountainous British Overseas Territory was devastated by a volcanic eruption in 1997 that put two-thirds of the island off-limits – giving it the tag ‘The Pompeii of the Caribbean’. Settled by Irish Catholics, it celebrates St Patrick’s Day and visitors get a shamrock stamp in their passport (visitmontserrat.com).
Book it: Flights with Virgin Atlantic via Antigua from £574 (virginatlantic.com). Rooms at Chez Mango from £217 (chezmangovilla.com).
20. Curaçao
The most characterful of the Dutch islands offers much more than a luridly-coloured blue liqueur – there’s over 35 beaches, good diving and the capital, Willemstad, is World Heritage-listed. It’s also outside of the hurricane belt with flights via Amsterdam (curacao.com).
Book it: TUI offers seven nights room only at Coral Estate Luxury Resort, including indirect flights with KLM from Manchester, from 1,938pp (tui.com)
21. Guadeloupe
Choose your favourite rum punch with a variety of tropical fruits in Guadeloupe
This French archipelago of five islands is known to many as the location for the BBC TV comedy crime drama Death in Paradise (14 seasons and counting). It offers plenty to do from rum-tasting and scenic drives to snorkelling in La Reserve Cousteau and climbing La Soufrière volcano. Fly via Paris (guadeloupe-islands.com).
Book it: Doubles at Le Jardin Malanga Hotel from £263 (jardinmalanga.com). Air France Heathrow returns, via Paris, from £830 (airfrance.com).
22. Saba
A small, quiet and mountainous island with a Dutch heritage, Saba is a place to get truly away from it all. There are no beaches or bright lights – just excellent diving and hiking staying in modest hotels and cosy wooden cottages. Get there via St Maarten (sabatourism.com).
Book it: Doubles at Juliana’s Hotel from £143 a night (julianashotelsaba.com/). Air France Heathrow returns, via Paris and St Maarten, from £832 (airfrance.com).
23. Puerto Rico
Stroll along the brightly painted streets of Old San Juan in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico isn’t the 51st US state but its close ties to Uncle Sam are manifest in a love of baseball and a hectic urban landscape of expressways, shopping malls and fast food outlets. It’s also one of the most exuberant islands in the Caribbean with an indefatigable appetite for music, dancing and fiestas – fly via Madrid (discoverpuertorico.com).
Book it: Doubles at Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve Puerto Rico from £205 (Hyatt.com). JetBlue returns, via Boston, from £431 (jetblue.com)
24. Martinique
A flower vendor balancing most of the blossoms on her head welcomes visitors to the French island of Martinique
Get a hire car if you want to see the best of this towering French isle, visiting the former capital of St Pierre, the south coast beaches and the quiet Presqu’île de la Caravelle. Find time to tour a distillery producing the island’s celebrated rhum agricole, made from sugar cane juice rather than molasses. Fly via Paris (martinique.org).
Book it: Doubles at Le Diamant from £158 (booking.com). Air France Heathrow returns, via Paris, from £723 (airfrance.com).
25. Turks and Caicos
If you like playing in and on the sea, this British Overseas Territory comprising some 40 islands and cays will hit the holiday spot. The white sands of 12 mile-long Grace Bay Beach (pictured), on the main island of Providenciales, is a big draw for travellers from the US while Grand Turk is popular for diving and whalewatching (turksandcaicostourism.com).
Book it: Virgin Atlantic Holidays offers seven nights B&B at Ports of Call Resort, with return flights from Heathrow, from £2,606 (virginatlantic.com).
26. Aruba
This arid and low-lying Dutch isle rests 15 miles north of Venezuela and is outside the hurricane belt. There’s a weekly British Airways flight and it’s popular with North Americans who come for its golf, casinos, high-rise hotels and fine beaches – a fifth of the island is a protected national park (aruba.com).
Book it: BA Holidays offers seven nights B&B at Renaissance Wind Creek Aruba Resort, with flights from Gatwick for £3,697.50 (ba.com)
27. St Martin
This French half of a small and heavily-developed island shared with Dutch St Maarten marries the trappings of the mother country – euros, gendarmes, an obsession with lunch – with the flavours of the Caribbean – rum, reggae, carnival. Fly via Paris or Amsterdam (st-martin.org).
Book it: Doubles at The Morgan Resort & Spa from £314 (themorganresort.com). Air France Heathrow returns, via Paris, from £703 (airfrance.com).
28. US Virgin Islands
Accessed via the US mainland, the islands of St Thomas, St John and St Croix are ‘America’s Caribbean’ – as the car license plates boast. For 163 years they were a Danish colony, which has left an engaging heritage, and there are good but busy beaches (visitusvi.com).
Book it: Doubles at St Olga’s Fancy from £133 (olgasfancy.com). Virgin Atlantic returns, via JFK, from £828 (virginatlantic.com)
29. St Maarten
This Dutch half of a small island shared with French St Martin is a regional transport hub with a major airport and cruise ship terminal. If you’re not into high-rise condos, casinos and duty-free shops, move on. Fly via Paris or Amsterdam (vacationstmaarten.com).
Book it: Doubles at Diamond Gem Residence from £110 (diamondgemresidence.top). Air France Heathrow returns, via Paris, from £703 (airfrance.com).
30. Trinidad
Trinidad makes its money from the petroleum industry rather than tourism and only a handful of UK tour operators sell holidays here. Birds, turtles and a world-famous carnival are good reasons to go – but not now. On December 30, 2024, a state of emergency was declared due to gang-related crime in the capital, Port of Spain (visittrinidad.tt).
31. Haiti
Poor beleaguered Haiti has been off the tourist map for years due to economic instability and a ‘volatile security situation’, as the Foreign Office puts it. Avoid (visithaiti.com).
