A taste of the Caribbean

For many people luxury holidays come few and far between and therefore when we do decide to let loose the purse strings a little and enjoy an exclusive break we want to know that our experience is going to be something special, something memorable and something out of the ordinary.

As a luxury holiday destination the Caribbean is perhaps unrivalled across the planet. A region of the world rich with history and myth; these are lands shrouded in tales of buried treasure, pirates, rum and far flung adventure. The area was of course originally referred to as the West Indies, a famous miscalculation by Christopher Columbus who believed he had arrived in Asia, west of the Indies. Today the Caribbean is one of the most popular and sought after tourist hotspots attracting a global audience of discerning travellers.

The region itself which geopolitically is often regarded as part of North America lies largely in the Caribbean Sea, South East of the United States and east of the Gulf of Mexico. Although categorisation of the islands is often considered as a rather complex collection of groups there are actually on three main communities of islands that make up the Caribbean; the Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles (including three sub groups the Leeward Islands, Leeward Antilles and Windward Islands) and the Lucayan Archipelago. Overall the Caribbean consists of 7,000 separate islands, cays, reefs and islets that arc around from the south eastern tip of Mexico and the Straits of Florida to the coast of Venezuela.

Islands across the Caribbean have become synonymous with exotic seclusion and natural beauty; the likes of Cuba, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, Barbados and St Lucia to name but a few have all established reputations as prime holiday destinations. It is no surprise then that representatives of the Caribbean tourist industry swept through the gongs at last year’s World Travel Awards triumphing in such categories as World’s leading beach destination, leading cruise destination, family all inclusive and family resort; World’s leading golf resort, honeymoon destination, private island resort and the most romantic resort. With such a accreditation it is easy to see why this collective remains such a favoured luxury holiday destination. There is something here for everyone, whether you are looking for romantic intimacy or family fun, want to explore the stunning flora of dense tropical interiors or dive into warm turquoise waters and discover a kaleidoscope of coral gardens.

Caribbean people are renowned the world over for their friendly dispositions and welcoming nature and no doubt you will feel right at home as soon as you touch down in the Caribbean. West Indies culture generally follows a fun, vibrant and laid back ethos with each island and each community injecting a unique sense of life and joviality.

West Indians are hugely proud of their heritage and take every opportunity to celebrate the islands they feel blessed with. Caribbean cooking also offers a fascinating and delicious blend of spices herbs, fresh fish meats and vegetables that will no doubt influence your cooking long after you have left the region

The only difficulty arrives when you have to decide where in the Caribbean you should travel to. With so many renowned and highly regarded destinations to choose from Antigua to Aruba; Trinidad and Tobago to the Turks and Caicos Islands the choice really is up to you.