BARBADOS

 Barbados is for people who want to relax in sophisticated way. The air of British civility - stately homes, rolling green countryside, colorful cottages, afternoon tea and cricket matches - permeates the island. Beaches along the south, southeast and west coasts are seldom crowded, and that is where you'll find beachfront resorts. Tennis and golf are popular. Fine restaurants abound. And there's also an array of historic, cultural and natural spots to explore. For a real taste of island life, visit in the summer and celebrate the end of the sugarcane harvest with the Bajans during the month-long Crop-Over festival.

West Coast Beach

 

Barbados is famous for its endless miles of superb, white-sand beaches along three wonderfully diverse coastlines, its sophisticated atmosphere, devoid of crowds or any raucousness. It also offers a wide variety of popular outdoor pursuits, including windsurfing, yachting, deep-sea fishing, diving and golf. Think of paradise, think of Barbados. With its sixty miles of shimmering shores, swaying palm trees, soft white sands and inviting seas all just waiting to be discovered.

 

 

Caribbean Tourism Organization 

CASTRIES

 Mountainous and lush, St. Lucia offers a wide range of things to do amidst great tropical beauty. Dive, hike, shop or sightsee and enjoy the tasty local cuisine at the end of the day. Here and all over the country, the warm St. Lucian people will welcome you, and the island's fine resorts will spoil you. The weather is remarkably consistent all year round fabulous sunshine. Ever present trade winds make for perfectly comfortable days and nights.

  CASTRIES, ST. LUCIA, WEST INDIES

St. Lucia is the perfect place to come do nothing at all. Here, you'll find some of the world's finest beaches. In all shapes, sizes and colors. Some dotted with plush resorts - others simply with palm trees. Some stretching for miles and miles - ideal for endless hand-in-hand walks. Others cozy and crescent shaped - just the thing for hiding away. And the soft as powder sand comes in white, salt and pepper, gold and coral pink.

Caribbean Tourism Organization  

VIRGIN GORDA

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF PARADISE

 
Where the Caribbean meets the Atlantic there's a chain of sixty islands called the British Virgin Islands. With hundreds of secret bays and hidden coves, they've been a haven for seafarers for centuries. The British Virgin Islands hold many attractions. Deserted white sand beaches where you can soak up the sun or lie in the shade all day. The green, cedar-covered hills. Shady mountain trails to be hiked. Sophisticated shops. Friendly people to welcome you.

 
Virgin Gorda 

 
Measuring just eight-and-a-half-miles long, Virgin Gorda is the third largest in the island chain. Dramatic slopes plunge from Gorda Peak to the turquoise waters far below. Columbus named it Virgin Gorda, "The Fat Virgin". By mid-morning in Virgin Gorda, the sun-worshippers have settled down on one of the many deserted beaches that fringe the island. The unique rock formations at The Baths call out to the nature lover. The pace of life is slow here. The choice of restaurants will please the most discriminating palate. 

 

The British Virgin Islands Tourist Board

Caribbean Tourism Organization 

PARROT CAY

Parrot Cay, the only private island resort in the Turks and Caicos, combines unspoilt nature with relaxed luxury, beachside villas and estates, a mile of pristine white sand beach. It is one of the most secluded and exclusive resort islands in the northern Caribbean. Here you'll have no choice but relax. Aside from just plain basking in the sun, major attractions are diving, snorkeling, fishing, boating, golfing and bird-watching.
The island was originally named Pirate Cay because of a local legend that famous female pirate Anne Bonny camped here in the 1720s. It was renamed Parrot Cay as to not frighten visitors. The island is a popular retreat for celebrities who have fallen in love with the altruistic hospitality which is as exceptional as the natural beauty of Parrot Cay.

 

Received from Thomas Goatherd, Northamptonshire

PUERTO RICO

The island provides a blend of the best of all worlds - Latin vivaciousness and stateside conveniences, colonial charm and contemporary living, big-city excitement and countryside tranquility. Old San Juan  has more than 300 restored historical sites, monuments and attractions. Only 45 minutes from San Juan is El Yunque, a 28,000-acre rain forests filled with exotic tropical ferns and flowers.Puerto Rico is covered with beautiful mountains and beaches with gently swaying palm trees, idyllic sandy coves, and even has phosphorescent waters.

Puerto Rico is the perfect place to come do nothing at all. Here you'll find some of the world's finest beaches. In all shapes, sizes and colors. Some stretching for miles and miles and miles-ideal for endless hand-in-hand walks. Others cozy and crescent-shaped-just the thing for hiding away. And the soft-as-powder sand comes in white, salt and pepper, gold and coral pink.

Postcrossing Postcard PR-1853

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

This twin island country, known for its incredible flora and fauna, is equally renowned as the birthplace of the steel band, limbo, calypso and Carnival - the biggest and most famous Caribbean festival, celebrated each year 40 days before Easter.  Carnival frenzy and its colorful extravaganza of dance, music and costumed parades take place during the pre-Lenten season in February and March. Trinidad combines an energetic pace in its capital, Port of Spain, with the tropical lushness of its interior.

Pristine and laid back, Tobago is a great place to unwind. Its waters offer divers and snorkelers an amazing variety of dive sites. Other attractions include Little Tobago Island, one of the most important seabird colonies in the Caribbean, the Main Ridge Range Forest for excellent hiking, and the Mount Irvine Golf Club for championship golf.