Set smack in the center of the Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda, a two-island nation, offer visitors the best of England’s charm, great diving and a wealth of enticing resorts.

Antigua, a 108-square-mile island home to 76,000 people, is the largest of the two, and of the Leeward Islands. Its capital, St. John’s, is the hub of tourist activity with a bustling cruise-ship terminal, duty-free shops, full-service dive shops, fast food and gourmet restaurants. Formerly a thriving sugar cane producer, the island has given way to a booming tourist industry since its independence from the British ... [read more]

Barbados, a tiny island just 21 miles long and 14 miles wide, offers remarkable contrasts, from its boulder-strewn northern coast to its serene Caribbean coastline. Inland, hilly forests slope down to golden fields of sugarcane, corn, sweet potatoes, and yams. Stunning white sand beaches rim the island.

The eastern-most island of the Lesser Antilles, this little England combines Caribbean life and English living. It boasts a unique range of natural and historic attractions, from its exquisite plantation “great houses” to vast caves filled with prehistoric formations. Its quaint colonial capital, Bridgetown, surprises visitors with ... [read more]

Bermuda is cricket matches and neighborhood pubs, afternoon high tea and regimental guards – all blended with sunny island charm. Hear it in the rhythm of calypso music. See it in the pastel-painted cottages. Feel it in the soft pink sand under your feet.

Home to the triangle, white sandy beaches and plenty of rum, this popular cruise stop is only a hop, skip and jump away from mainland North America. A top wedding, honeymoon, golf and scuba-diving destination, this island’s a place for fun in the sun. The list of actitives continues ... [read more]

Martinique has traditionally been called “the Paris of the Antilles” and “a little piece of France in the Caribbean.” Evidence of this truth is everywhere and, although there are other French Caribbean islands, Martinique radiates more of the culture and charm of cosmopolitan Paris. Restaurants serve haute cuisine, stores display haute couture and people speak haute Français. However, in true West Indies fashion, you’re just as likely to be served spicy Créole at a beach-side café by an islander wearing madras and speaking thickly-accented patois.

Escape civilization and hike past historical plantations, fantasizing about the ... [read more]