Blissful beaches

Stretching in an arc from Florida to Venezuela lie some of the most beautiful islands, offering lush landscapes, golden coral sand beaches and calm turquoise waters. Each island has a character of its own from the simple and relaxed, to the exotic and sophisticated. A fabulous year round destination. Barbados has a wonderful climate, great beaches and a variety of good quality restaurants and bars as well as the lively nightlife in the South of the island. Barbados is the most easterly island in the Caribbean chain and as a former British colony, it retains many familiar characteristics. Don’t be surprised when you stumble across Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Square of strangely familiar place names such as Hastings or Scotland! The famed west coast offers white sand beaches lapped with warm, turquoise waters and some of the most sophisticated hotels in the Caribbean. South of the capital, Bridgetown, the coast boasts palm fringed beaches and foaming surf, a combination favoured by windsurfers and beachlovers alike. The east of the island provides a dramatic contrast with the rugged beauty of the treacherous Atlantic coast. Antigua is part of the Leeward Islands and boasts a spectacular choice of 365 picturesque coves and palm-fringed bays, with fine sand, blue seas and some of the best watersports in the Caribbean. As a beach destination, it's hard to beat with one of the driest climates in the whole Caribbean region, making it particularly popular among sunseekers. The landscape of the island is not particularly varied but there are other attractions of interest: For sightseeing, English Harbour is worthy of a visit, a former British naval bastion used since Nelson's time. The capital St. John's has duty free shopping, a lively public market on a Friday and Saturday and an interesting 19th century cathedral.