A hypnotic calypso isle, Barbados is the ultimate Caribbean dream. And at just 21 miles by 14 miles, the island really is your oyster. Of course, it’s most famous for its palm-fringed beaches, but there’s more than talcum powder sands here. We’re talking a duty-free shopping scene and sights that are second to none. In a coconut shell, it’s the small island with a big fan base.

• Take a tram ride through a labyrinth of underground caverns at Harrison’s Cave in St Thomas. A natural phenomenon that has to be seen to be believed, it’s all sparkling streams, playful waterfalls and stalactites and stalagmites that shimmer in shady tunnels.
• Go snorkelling in search of hawksbill and green turtles. Once endangered because of over-fishing, these creatures are now protected and monitored throughout the island.
• Take it easy on Carlisle Beach, one of the island’s best stretches of sand. Or, if you’re feeling energetic, slip on a pair of flippers and propel your way past the underwater shipwrecks just off the shore.
• The Atlantis Submarine lets you scuba dive without getting wet. As this underwater ship descends into the ocean, you can look out the portholes for tropical fish and sea turtles.

A bustling city seeped in history, Tobago’s capital offers up a snapshot of days gone by. Sprawled over the hillside, it’s overlooked by the Fort King George, a 17th-century hideout that sits proudly at the summit. Wander through the town to Upper Scarborough and take a look at the House of Assembly – it’s one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in the Caribbean. Head down by the port, and you’ll find colourful houses lining the harbour and lively markets dominating the streets. Here, you can pick up island favourites like fresh coconut milk and syrup-coated ice-cream, as well as arts and crafts.

• Hike up the hillside to Fort King George. You’ll find a museum in the Barrack Guard House, filled with Amerindian artefacts and military relics. The view of the harbour from up here is well worth the legwork, too.
• Lose yourself in the Scarborough Botanical Gardens. Spread over 17 acres and filled with exotic plants and shrubs, it’s definitely worth a look. Make sure you pay a visit to the native orchid house, as well.
• Spend some time relaxing at Pigeon Point. With its white sands, nodding palms and turquoise waters, it’s arguably the most beautiful beach on the island. Plus, it boasts a restaurant, a cocktail bar and all sorts of watersports.
• More than 200 species of mammals and birds call Tobago Forest Reserve home. Hummingbirds, armadillos, and tiny tree frogs camouflage themselves among the streams, waterfalls and waxy plants.

Grenada can’t fail to spice things up. It’s known as the ‘Spice Island’ after all. Wherever you head, the fragrant scent of ginger, almond, nutmeg and vanilla follows you. Plus you can see cinnamon, cocoa beans and every tropical fruit imaginable growing here. Alongside its basket of goodies, this lush landscape hides Bounty-like beaches, mountain ranges and thick rainforests. And don’t miss a wander around St George's, one of the Caribbean’s prettiest harbours, with its pastel-coloured buildings, cobbled streets and even the odd lipstick-red London phone box.

• Don your walking boots and set off on a highland hike in the Grand Etang National Park. Taking pride of place in Grenada’s mountains, the star of the show is Grand Etang Lake, which fills a volcanic crater. And there’s plenty more to see along the walking trails that criss-cross through the rainforest.
• Cool down with a refreshing swim at Annadale Falls. Incredibly pretty, it cascades nine metres to a grotto surrounded by lush plantlife.
• Take a break from sightseeing and kick back on the island’s Grand Anse Beach. Not only does it have wow-factor white sands that melt into turquoise waters, but the watersports are first class and it’s got some great bars and restaurants, too.

Somewhat unfairly, St Vincent is often overlooked in favour of its little brothers and sisters – the neighbouring Grenadines. But those who do stop here are in for a treat. Deserted beaches and untouched forest stretch for miles, interrupted only by the occasional cobbled town or dormant volcano. Kingstown is the main hub, its arched stone doors and covered walkways giving a nod to days gone by.

• Head over to the island of Bequia where you can alternate shopping with sunbathing. This tiny uncrowded island is just 15 kilometres from Kingstown, and the best way to reach it is on the sun-drenched decks of a catamaran.
• Take a trip around Fort Charlotte in Kingstown. This British Garrison was built in 1806 and it’s now home to a selection of local paintings and handicrafts. Later, head north and take in the oldest botanical gardens in the western hemisphere. Among all the trees, shrubs and flowers, you’re likely to spot the island’s multi-coloured national bird – the St Vincent Parrot.
• Follow in the footsteps of Johnny Depp and Kiera Knightly with a visit to Wallilabou Bay where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed.
• Hop on a boat in search of dolphins. Eleven species of the mammal live off St Vincent’s coasts, so you’ve got a good chance of seeing a pod in action.

St Lucia’s skyline is high rise. But it’s not the hotels that make this island look serrated against the sky, it’s the mountains. The Pitons are 2 of the biggest. Both their summits tower at least 2,000 feet above sea level and their slopes are coiffured with a mane of dense green rainforest. At their feet, meanwhile, banana plantations give way to syrup-coloured beaches and some of the best coral reefs in the Caribbean.

• Pick up a bargain in the Castries market, an amazing swirl of crafts, fruits and the hum of Creole conversation. For a more upmarket, but still good value, shopping experience, try Pointe Seraphine, a duty-free shopping centre next to the harbour.
• Get a bird’s eye view of St Lucia’s rainforests at the Treetop Adventure Park in Dennery. You’ll whiz your way through the canopy using a series of zip lines, and look down on the giant ferns and wild orchids that grow here.

Flick through your French dictionary while sipping a Caribbean rum punch – Guadeloupe is where French and African influences fuse. This gorgeous spot is actually a bouquet of islands. There’s a scattering of little ones but the two main players are Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. Together, they’re shaped like a butterfly resting quietly on the sun-blushed Caribbean. As famous for its sugar and rum as it is top dive sites and sparkling sands, this place will sweep you off your feet…

• Dig your toes into the sand at Grande Anse beach, arguably the best in Guadeloupe. You’ll find it on the north coast of Basse-Terre, stretching along the coast for one sun-kissed kilometre.
• Weave a path through the orchid and ginger-rich canopy of Guadeloupe's National Park. The air is thick with fragrance at this 74,000-acre park where a new snapshot appears with every twist and turn.
• Zip up your wetsuit and strap on your oxygen tank – you’ll need all the air you can get because this place is breathtaking. Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve, close to the town of Bouillante, is an underwater paradise. Think reefs, wrecks and rainbow-coloured fish.

A hypnotic calypso isle, Barbados is the ultimate Caribbean dream. And at just 21 miles by 14 miles, the island really is your oyster. Of course, it’s most famous for its palm-fringed beaches, but there’s more than talcum powder sands here. We’re talking a duty-free shopping scene and sights that are second to none. In a coconut shell, it’s the small island with a big fan base.

• Take a tram ride through a labyrinth of underground caverns at Harrison’s Cave in St Thomas. A natural phenomenon that has to be seen to be believed, it’s all sparkling streams, playful waterfalls and stalactites and stalagmites that shimmer in shady tunnels.
• Go snorkelling in search of hawksbill and green turtles. Once endangered because of over-fishing, these creatures are now protected and monitored throughout the island.
• Take it easy on Carlisle Beach, one of the island’s best stretches of sand. Or, if you’re feeling energetic, slip on a pair of flippers and propel your way past the underwater shipwrecks just off the shore.
• The Atlantis Submarine lets you scuba dive without getting wet. As this underwater ship descends into the ocean, you can look out the portholes for tropical fish and sea turtles.

Nature’s the star attraction of Tortola. Ancient rainforests hog the limelight. Beautiful botanical gardens vie for your attention. And opal-white beaches like Apple Bay and Smuggler’s Cove really steal the show. It’s wild. It’s wondrous. It’s waiting.

• Head for Road Town’s pretty Main Street. Here, you’ll find a medley of shops, museums and historical buildings. And you won’t be able to resist snapping away at the brightly-painted bungalows either.
• Soak up the beauty of Sage Mountain National Park. The British Virgin Island’s highest point, it’s an oasis of tropical vines, trees and plants. You can even saddle up and explore by horseback.
• Leave Tortola behind and make tracks for another of the British Virgin Islands – Virgin Gorda. Among the must-sees here are the Baths, a cluster of sea pools where you can swim or snorkel through the tunnels, caves and arches.

Two flags rule over this tiny isle – the French and the Dutch. Philipsburg is the Dutch capital and the place to head for a serious shopping splurge. Marigot, meanwhile, is the French capital, where you can divide your time between bistros and boutiques. Add to the mix dreamy Caribbean coves, kaleidoscopic reefs and lashings of sunshine and you’ve got all the ingredients for tropical bliss.

• Give your credit card a duty-free workout in Philipsburg. From cut-price island crafts to cutting-edge designer gear, you’ll find it all here. Front Street’s your starting point, the town’s main artery that has lanes, alleyways and courtyards leading off in all directions.
• Listen to the flutter of hundreds of tiny wings at the Butterfly Farm in Phillipsburg. This place is home to more than 40 different species, including the Tree Nymph and Blue Morph.
• Get to know the island’s underwater locals on the special Seaworld Explorer. This boat is home to an underwater observatory where you can watch sea turtles, stingrays and barracudas swim by.
• Stand on the deck of a classic yacht as the captain races around a 12-metre course faster than your opponent. The America’s Cup Sailing Regatta has been voted ‘the best excursion in the Caribbean’ for the past 10 years. Alternatively, have a go at driving an inflatable motorboat, known as a Rhino Rider.

One of the British Leeward Islands, St Kitts is one of the Caribbean’s pearls. Once an illustrious sugar colony, it now focuses its efforts on being a tropical paradise. And it excels in every sense, with its seductive blend of blonde sands and duck-egg blue seas. Away from the shores though, you’ll find plenty of historic sights to tick off your checklist. Or why not pop across to the neighbouring island of Nevis, which is just three kilometres over The Narrows channel?

• Hop on a train at the Needsmust Station, and St Kitts Railway will take you on a tour of the island’s best bits. You’ll chug over ravines 300-feet-deep, circle Mount Liamuiga volcano and take a sneak peek at the island’s black-sand beaches.
• Soak up the jaw-dropping views over lush sugarcane fields from the 17th-century Brimstone Hill Fortress. Once known as the Gibraltar of the West Indies, this major British garrison was abandoned in 1850. Now, it’s been restored back to its grand former self, with cannons, swords and the like all on display.
• Sunbathe your way through the day on one of St Kitts’ beaches. There’s a selection of white sand spots like Turtle Beach and black sand spaces like Pump Bay. Alternatively, see if the grass is greener on the other side of The Narrows Channel. This is where St Kitts’ tropical sister island, Nevis, simmers in the sea.

If you’re a big fan of the beach, prepare to lose your heart to this place. Antiguans like to boast they have a different one for every day of the year. Without doubt, porcelain, palm-fringed sands and still turquoise waters are the star of this island show. But that’s not all Antigua’s got to boast about. Get ready for towns in a rainbow riot of colours. Quiet countryside that slumbers in the sunshine. And cuisine as sublime as those moon-white shores.

• Head out to Great Bird Island - it's great snorkelling territory. In particular, keep an eye out for the starfish and stingrays.
• Sink your toes into soft sand and wade through waters too blue to be true. A good place to head is Runway Beach, where you'll find a long list of watersports and a lively beach bar.
• Hit the shops in St John’s, Antigua’s bright and breezy capital. Plump for island crafts or up the spending in the duty-free complexes.

Known as the island of waterfalls, Dominica is as green as it is unspoilt. Fairly off the tourist trail, this exotic isle is a paradise for nature lovers. In fact, it’s one of the Caribbean hotspots for rainforest trekking. And of course, it’s got some superb beaches. Not the snow-white variety you’d expect, but dramatic volcanic sweeps and secluded coves hidden by greenery. Have your camera at the ready…

• Make your way through the rainforest of canopied ferns and soaring trees in Canefield and you’ll arrive at the Emerald Pool. A sparkling grotto at the foot of a 12-metre waterfall, it’s the perfect place for a cooling dip.
• Don’t miss the chance to river tube down Dominica’s biggest river, River Layou. You’ll climb into what looks like a giant rubber ring, before battling currents, rocks and rapids as you head downstream. It’s great fun, and gives you fantastic close-up views of the island’s jungle-like scenery.
• Trek through the Mome Trois Piton rainforest. It’s crammed with exotic plants and flowers, as well as 172 different species of bird. If you’re really lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of the endangered parrots that call this place home.
• Make a beeline for the famous Trafalgar Falls – they crash down a 220-foot rock face into a shimmering pool.

A hypnotic calypso isle, Barbados is the ultimate Caribbean dream. And at just 21 miles by 14 miles, the island really is your oyster. Of course, it’s most famous for its palm-fringed beaches, but there’s more than talcum powder sands here. We’re talking a duty-free shopping scene and sights that are second to none. In a coconut shell, it’s the small island with a big fan base.

• Take a tram ride through a labyrinth of underground caverns at Harrison’s Cave in St Thomas. A natural phenomenon that has to be seen to be believed, it’s all sparkling streams, playful waterfalls and stalactites and stalagmites that shimmer in shady tunnels.
• Go snorkelling in search of hawksbill and green turtles. Once endangered because of over-fishing, these creatures are now protected and monitored throughout the island.
• Take it easy on Carlisle Beach, one of the island’s best stretches of sand. Or, if you’re feeling energetic, slip on a pair of flippers and propel your way past the underwater shipwrecks just off the shore.
• The Atlantis Submarine lets you scuba dive without getting wet. As this underwater ship descends into the ocean, you can look out the portholes for tropical fish and sea turtles.