Tag Archives: Anguilla

Valentine's Day In The Caribbean On Beach
Anguilla, Bahamas-New Providence, Barbados, Caribbean, Dominica, Grenada, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Martin/St. Maarten, U.S. Virgin Islands

10 Romantic Caribbean Escapes

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Don’t settle for the same old flowers and candy routine this Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself and that special someone to a romantic interlude in the Caribbean. These premiere properties are offering special packages that are sure to fan the flame.

Suite Love

Rekindle romance in a Love Nest Suite at Sandals on Barbados. These private enclaves of intimacy provide all the elements, from four-poster beds to balcony soak tubs with ocean views. Personal butler service brings indulgences right to the room, but should you wish to venture out, all the amenities of Sandals Barbados await. For Valentine’s week, the resort will offer special couple’s nights presentations such as a chocolate themed buffet. 

Barbados Sandals Resort

A swim-up suite at Sandals Barbados includes a private veranda with a soak tub that blends indoor and outdoor spaces, while still providing the ultimate in privacy. Photo: Sandals

Wine and Dine

If the way to the heart really is the stomach, there’s love aplenty at Nassau’s Graycliff Hotel. This historic and casually elegant five-star property serves up a three-night Romance Package that begins with a chilled bottle of champagne and a sampler of Graycliff chocolates. Later, you’ll be indulged with a four-course chef’s tasting menu and wine. Another night is highlighted by a Caipirinha and dinner at the Churrascaria Humidor. There is also a culinary lesson with an executive chef, a chocolate and spirits tasting and a day at the Blue Lagoon Beach.

Nassau Graycliff Chocolatier

Signature chocolate creations from Graycliff Chocolatier. This historic Nassau hotel combines five-star service with a casually elegant atmosphere. Photo: Graycliff

Stay Together, Play Together

Sugar Beach’s Sweet As Sugar package starts off with champagne and a long-stemmed rose at a luxury villa. But this isn’t your usual boudoir-centric getaway. Over the course of four days you and your special someone will bond over an introductory dive in the crystal waters of St. Lucia’s national marine reserve, hike up Gros Piton, and experience the Sulphur Seduction tour, which includes a visit to an active volcano and a soak in therapeutic mineral springs. There’s also relaxation in the mix, including a sunset cruise, breakfast in bed and a romantic candlelit dinner served beachside or in a garden setting. 

St. Lucia Sugar Beach Viceroy

A hillside villa at St. Lucia’s Sugar Beach takes in expansive views of the Caribbean Sea. Native fruit trees grow on the landscaped grounds. Photo: Sugar Beach

Spice It Up

Escape to Grenada, the island of spices, where your private luxury suite opens to spectacular Grand Anse Beach. You don’t actually have to be newlyweds to enjoy the Spice Up Your Honeymoon package at Spice Island Beach Resort, which welcomes you with tropical flowers, fresh fruit, chocolate truffles, and champagne on ice. Dine on your private patio or take in spectacular ocean views and the sounds of a steel band at Oliver’s. Relax with a couple’s massage at Janissa’s Spa and leave with a basket of spice scented body oils. Cap off a memorable day at the beach with a sunset sail along the island’s scenic Caribbean coast. 

Grenada Spice Island Resort

Spice Island Beach Resort is Grenada’s premier all-inclusive property. The resort occupies a prime location on Grand Anse Beach. Photo: Dehoog/Spice Island

Let Love Linger

Why settle for a day of romance when you can stretch a Valentine’s Day treat to a full week of togetherness. An ideal way to keep that special feeling going is with the Sea of Love package at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa on Anguilla, where luxury accommodations are set against a dazzling crescent of white sand on Rendezvous Bay. Couples can begin the day with al fresco offerings at Café Med or enjoy in-room breakfasts. There’s golf and beach time, but food often takes center stage, as the package includes select meals at three additional signature restaurants, plus cooking classes, private beachside dining and a chef’s table experience. Also in the mix are massages and spa packages, and a day’s use of a rental car to explore the island. 

Anguilla Cuisinart

Beachfront rooms and suites at Anguilla’s CuisinArt resort provide sweeping views of Rendezvous Bay. Fine dining is a hallmark of this upscale property. Photo: Joe Rahm/CuisinArt

If you love Piña Coladas…..

The song may be kitsch, but the setting is not. Puerto Rico’s Caribe Hilton actually is the birthplace of the Piña Colada, but there are many more reasons to visit this landmark property. Occupying a prime beachfront location on Condado Lagoon, and just a short distance away from the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, the Caribe Hilton is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The property has kept up with the times, and offers a full range of modern luxuries. Couples who book a three-night Valentine’s package will enjoy special perks and pricing. 

Puerto Rico San Juan Caribe Hilton

The pool at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan. For more than 60 years, this resort has been a favorite with vacationers to the island. Photo: Don Riddle/Caribe Hilton

Natural Attraction

Reconnect with nature and each other at the Caribbean’s premier eco- resort. The Tropical Romance package at Dominica’s Rosalie Bay is a five- night immersion in the island’s natural beauty, and a relaxing indulgence for body and mind. Enjoy healthful, savory cuisines based on locally sourced foods, wander a surf-washed black sand beach and enjoy a private five- course dinner served on the banks of a scenic river. The package also includes a couple’s massage, a day trip to Dominica’s famous Champagne Reef, and a relaxing soak in the hot sulphur springs. Rooms are lavished with fresh flowers daily, and gifted with natural island-related aphrodisiacs at evening turndown.

Dominica Rosalie Bay

A view from the porch at Rosalie Bay. Sitting next to a nature preserve, this upscale eco retreat overlooks a black sand beach and the surf-washed Atlantic. Photo: Rosalie Bay

Love on the Rocks

Perched on a rocky seaside bluff at the entrance to Charlotte Amalie’s harbor, Frenchman’s Reef provides a romantic setting where couples can watch the ships come and go from a private balcony, and take in the lights of St. Thomas at night. The resort’s Ultimate Romance Package is ideal for a Valentine’s getaway, and includes requisite perks such as champagne, couple’s spa treatments and special dining credits. An added attraction of stays at Frenchman’s is immediate access to the quiet sands of Morningstar Beach.

St. Thomas Frenchman's Reef

A view from the hillside terrace at Frenchman’s Reef take in the harbor of Charlotte Amalie and the island of St. Thomas. Photo: Corey Weiner/Frenchman’s Reef

Fragrant Memories

A dozen red roses set the tone when you arrive at Belmond La Samanna, where rooms open to fresh sea breezes and the sapphire blue waters of Long Bay. During the month of February, the resort’s Valentine’s Package provides perks such as a Tijon VIP gift bag, couple’s Swedish massage and a unique dinner experience at La Cave, the resort’s on-site atmospheric wine cellar. For a sensory reminder of their time together on St. Martin, couples are treated to a perfumery tour, where they can create their own handcrafted fragrance.

Belmond La Samanna St. Martin

Whites and warm wood accents complement the blues of the Caribbean at Belmond La Samanna. This St. Martin resort is known for good food and fine wines. Photo: La Samanna

Say I Still Do

Anguilla’s Cap Juluca is a stunningly beautiful setting where it would be hard not to fall in love—or fall in love again. To facilitate romances new and old, the resort is offering several Valentine’s themed specials during the month of February. The Romantic Rendezvous pampers couples in a luxury oceanfront room or suite, and adds in extras such as couple’s massages, daily libations and a special private beachside dinner under the stars. During Valentine’s week, couples can reaffirm their commitments with the I Still Do package, which begins with a beach or lawn ceremony, complete with photographer, bouquet and boutonniere. This is followed by champagne and cake, and the day ends with a private three-course dinner with wine on the beach.

Cap Juluca Anguilla

The distinctive Greco-Moorish architecture of Cap Juluca resort complements the white sands and blue waters of Anguilla’s Maunday’s Bay. Photo: Mark Welland/Cap Juluca

Turks & Caicos Shore Club
Anguilla, Bahamas-Out Islands, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Stay, Trip Ideas, Turks & Caicos

Five New Caribbean Resorts with Amazing Beachfront Views

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A highlight of any beach vacation should be… the beach. That’s certainly the case for the latest round of luxury resorts to open in the Caribbean. These five featured properties place guests in the heart of the best beaches in the Caribbean. They also provide luxurious rooms and suites, grand lobbies, a variety of culinary experiences and a selection of water and beach activities—all delivered with over the top service.

The Reef by CuisinArt, Anguilla

Following in the tradition of the flagship CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, The Reef commands a prime stretch of waterfront on an island known for its beaches. This brand-new, all-suite property overlooks Merrywing Bay, a quarter mile to the west of the original CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, and next door to the iconic Bankie Banx’s Dune Preserve. The Reef offers just 80 suites, with 50 in the main building overlooking the sea or the golf course and the remainder in four beachfront clusters that deliver up-close views of sand and water. The style is clean and contemporary, with large expanses of glass that highlight the setting. Guests have access to a Greg Norman-designed golf course and a state-of-the art spa and fitness center, along with fine dining options that showcase local- sourced ingredients and items from CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa’s own hydroponic gardens.

Anguilla the Reef

At The Reef, a contemporary, minimalist decor combines with floor-to-ceiling windows to showcase expansive water views. Photo: Envision Works/The Reef

Zemi Beach House, Anguilla

Tucked into six beachfront acres on Shoal Bay, this boutique property delivers contemporary luxuries in a setting that is often ranked among the world’s most beautiful waterfronts. In addition to 54 beach view rooms, the resort offers two and three-bedroom suites that include penthouses with terraces, kitchens and rooftop plunge pools. On site is the Zemi Thai House Spa, a 15,000 square foot oasis of relaxation inspired by the ancient healing traditions of the Taino people. There are both fine and causal dining options, with menus that showcase local seafood, sustainable- sourced ingredients and international delicacies. Not to be missed is the Rhum Room, which offers some 100 varieties of small batch rums. The powder-fine white sands of Shoal Bay East are just steps away from rooms, inviting guests to enjoy a range of water sports, discover local beach bars or simply relax in one of the Caribbean’s most memorable settings.

Zemi Beach House Anguilla

The pool deck at Zemi Beach House is just steps away from the powder fine white sand beach and blue waters of Shoal Bay. Photo: Dylan Cross/Zemi Beach

The Shore Club, Turks & Caicos

Well away from the resort district of Grace Bay, a quiet spot on the east end of Providenciales recently became home to the $100 million Shore Club. The property is a study in off whites and light blues that mirror the tones of sand and water. The elegant simplicity of a modern Caribbean design incorporates natural elements and furnishings inspired by the island environment. The resort’s ocean view suites and luxury villas provide exclusive access to the two-and half-mile stretch of Long Bay Beach, with no other resorts in sight. Guest will find everything they need on property with three restaurants and bars, a spa, a kid center and three pools. There are options for an active vacation of yoga, biking, snorkeling and kayaking or a quiet getaway spent under a poolside cabana.

Shore Club Turks Caicos

Balconies at the Shore Club overlook Long Bay Beach, which is known for its shallow flat waters making it ideal for swimming. The resort encompasses a full range of on-site amenities. Photo: Shore Club

French Leave Resort, Eleuthera, Bahamas

One of the finest pink sand beaches in the Bahamas has become the location for one of the most charming small resorts to come to the Out Islands in decades. Near the picturesque town of Governor’s Harbour, a 270-acre beachfront reserve is home to a limited number of cottages, with more than 90 percent of the property slated to remain in its natural state. One or two bedroom villas are built to resemble architecture of the British Colonial style, with spacious living areas, high ceilings and covered verandas overlooking the Atlantic. The property has a freshwater pool, fitness center, special events lawn and a wedding pavilion, two yacht slips and the 1648 An Island Restaurant. This is the Bahamas without cruise ships or casinos, where days can be spent swimming and walking the beach, exploring a historic seaside village and mingling with locals at nearby taverns.

French Leave Resort Eleuthera Bahamas

The infinity-edge pool at French Leave Resort seems to merge into the ocean, but actually sits on the edge of Eleuthera’s finest pink- sand beach. Photo: Sarah Corbett/French Leave

Amanera, Playa Grande, Dominican Republic

The second Aman resort to come to the Caribbean, Amanera maintains the brand’s promise, which is to create relaxing spaces that blend naturally into the existing landscape. The resort is surrounded by 2,170 acres of pristine jungle flanked by the Cordillera Septentrional mountain range. A horseshoe of casitas, 25 in all, hover above the golden sands of Playa Grande, where deep turquoise waves break along the shoreline. Each guest has ultimate privacy, as the casitas are freestanding and reached by private pathways that wind through verdant gardens. Once in their personal space, guests enjoy a design that blurs the distinction between indoors and outdoors, and provides grand views of the magnificent northern shore of the Dominican Republic.

Amanera DR

A terrace view from a casita at Amanera takes in expansive sections of Playa Grande, which is one of the most scenic and secluded shorelines in the Dominican Republic. Photo: Aman Resorts

 

 

 

Aruba Saint Nick
Anguilla, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Plan, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Trip Ideas

Caribbean Christmas Traditions

 

They may not hang stockings with care, or watch for a jolly fat guy breach the chimney, but celebrants throughout the Caribbean have their own holiday traditions. Each island celebrates the season in slightly different ways, but food, fellowship and song are sure to play a central role. Here are some of the ways to ring in the holidays, island style.

Grenada

On the Spice Island, the holiday season is the time for parang music, where groups of singers and musicians go house to house to serenade friends and family with folk songs that often include ad-lib lyrics with a personal note. The week before Christmas, Grenada’s sister island, Carriacou, hosts the annual Parang Festival, where tunes may take on social and satirical overtones. The sounds of steel pan music also fill the air, as musicians put a tropical riff on holiday classics. Holiday bunting takes a tropical turn in Grenada, as the halls may be decked with bamboo, palm, or coconut, and Christmas trees adorned with nutmeg, cinnamon, or sea shell ornaments. A favorite treat is black cake, which is flavored with dried fruits and infused with spices and the rich flavors of rum. Christmas ham is a must for each household, and seasonal refreshments include sorrel tea, ponch-de-crème and ginger beer.

Grenada Christmas Music

On islands such as Grenada, the uniquely Caribbean sound of a steel pan orchestra transforms traditional Christmas tunes into lilting island melodies. Joshua Yetman/Grenada Tourism Authority

Barbados

In December, holiday lights brighten the historic buildings of Bridgetown; music fills the air as speaker-equipped trucks take to the streets to spread Christmas music. Two of the season’s most anticipated concerts are the Christmas Jazz Festival and the Carols by Candlelight celebration, which takes place at the gardens of Ilaro Court, the residence of the Barbadian Prime Minister. After the observance of a midnight mass or Christmas morning service, many Bajans flock to a concert in Queens Park for musical performances from the Royal Barbados Police Force Band, Tuk bands and gospel performers. Food is an important part of the season, and visitors can sample an array of Barbadian favorites. Must try dishes include great cake, jug jug and baked ham. Great cakes blend dried fruit and spices with a liberal infusion of Barbados’ famous rum. Harking back to Barbados’ Scottish heritage, jug jug is a porridge-like dish made from green peas, guinea corn flour, herbs and salt meat. The most important part of a Bajan Christmas meal is the baked ham, basted in a pineapple and sorrel glaze.

Barbados Bridgetown Holidays

Holiday lights along Wharf Road are reflected in the still waters of Barbados’ Constitution River. Through December, the island’s capital is resplendent in seasonal décor. Photo: Andrew Browne/Barbados Tourism

St. Lucia

St. Lucia’s holiday season kicks off with the Festival Lights, an annual celebration honoring the island’s namesake Saint Lucia, the Patron Saint of Light. Residents and visitors are encouraged to make colorful and creative lanterns, which then decorate towns and streets. Another favorite Saint Lucian Christmas tradition is bamboo bursting, which involves the making of homemade fireworks from hollow bamboo canes. In the nights leading up to Christmas, the booms of exploding bamboo stalks can be heard on village streets. Holiday feasts center around roasted lamb or turkey, complemented with local yams and plantains. The traditional desert is the St. Lucian version of fruitcake, made with dried currants, raisins and fruits soaked in red wine for several months before being mixed into the pudding to create spicy, fruity taste. The signature drink is the Caribbean favorite known as sorrel, a refreshing spiced drink that is often mixed with rum and enjoyed during a stroll along the beach.

Aruba

Seasonal music and special foods are a big part of any holiday celebration, and in Aruba this means Gaita and ayacas. Several weeks before Christmas, Aruban families gather to make a traditional holiday food called ayacas. Though no two family recipes are the same, ayacas are made by smearing plantain or banana leaves with a cornmeal dough; adding a mixture of chicken, pork, or ham, along with a potpourri of spices, prunes, raisins, olives, pickles, cashews, piccalilli, and pearl onions; and folding the assemblages into neat little packets to be boiled in salted water for an hour. These hearty treats can then be kept ready for last-minute holiday parties or served to impromptu visitors.

Ayacas came from Venezuela, and so did Gaita music. Arubans have adopted this Venezuelan Christmas music and made it their own. Gaita bands are typically made up of a line of female singers accompanied by musicians playing the furuku, cuarta, base, piano, tambu. These groups perform at public venues across the island from October through December, with festive rhythms that put passers-by and partygoers into the holiday spirit. Another musical tradition unique to Aruba is Dande, which occurs after Christmas. Dande means “to revel” or “to carouse” in the local language, Papiamento. These small groups of singers and musicians travel to the homes of friends and families, serenading with wishes of success and happiness in the coming year.

Aruba Dande

In Aruba, Gaita bands perform during the holiday season at homes and in public areas, passing a hat that the audience fills with coins to ensure prosperity in the coming year. Photo; Julien de Bats/Aruba Tourism Authority

Cayman Islands

The annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Camana Bay marks the beginning of the Cayman Islands’ holiday. The Island is transformed into a tropical version of a winter wonderland with the hallmark 40-foot tree, musical performances by the Cayman National Choir, a Christmas craft market, and a special visit from Santa. The Parade of Lights brings a fleet of colorfully lit boats into the harbor, as thousands watch from shore, and the evening ends with an over-water fireworks show. Throughout December, the island’s National Trust hosts a Christmas Lights Bus Tour, where guests can sample Christmas beef and cassava cake during a guided tour of local houses and gardens beautifully decked out for the season. Musical highlights of the season include the Christmas Carol Concert at Elmsie Church and the Singing Christmas Tree, a pageant which highlights the story of Jesus’ birth depicted through a 25-foot Christmas tree encased with over 5,000 lights, and featuring more than 60 local and international performers. Also popular with locals and visitors are the Christmas Moonlight Movies, which are family friendly flicks shown on a big screen under the stars in Camana Bay.

Cayman Islands Christmas Santa

Santa makes a much-anticipated appearance on the island of Grand Cayman. The downtown waterfront at Camana Bay is a focal point for many holiday events, from concerts to boat parades. Photo: Cayman Islands Department of Tourism

Bermuda

Christmas traditions brought from Olde England take on a tropical flavor in Bermuda. In the historic district of St. George’s, historical re-enactors roam candlelit streets, and the sound of classic carols fills the air. Private homes, some dating from the Colonial era, are resplendent in lavish displays of holiday lights, and historic churches are filled with singing and lights on Christmas eve, The mood lightens at the Hamilton Christmas Parade, and goes full tropical on Christmas Day, when hundreds of ex-pats and visitors gather at Elbow Beach for a festive day of food, drink and music. December 26—Boxing Day—puts yet another unique spin on the season with the arrival of the Gombies, traditional troupes of colorfully-attired dancers who move to the sounds of goatskin drums, beer bottle fifes and tin whistles.

Bermuda St. George Christmas

Holiday lights fill the historic district of Bermuda’s capital, St. George’s. Each December, a tradition known as the walkabout brings islanders into the streets for singing and mingling. Photo: Bermuda Tourism Authority

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, Christmas celebrations start early and keep going into the middle of January. Starting the first days of December, groups stage impromptu parrandas, which are a local version of caroling. In late evening, the parranderos gather quietly at a chosen home of a friend or relative, then burst into song to surprise and wake the occupants. The parranderos are invited in and refreshments, music and dance follow. Christmas Day is the time to gather for lechón asado, the roasting of a whole pig over a fire pit. The cooking begins well before dawn, and continues through the day as friends and relatives gather to gossip and sing. Santa is a recent addition to Puerto Rican culture, and long before the man in the red suit was imported to the tropics, island children looked forward to El Día de Reyes on January 6th, which honors the arrival of the three wise men in Bethlehem. On the evening of January 5th Puerto Rican children fill boxes with grass for the king’s camels, and go to sleep with the anticipation of having the grass eaten, and exchanged for candies and presents. Traditional holiday celebrations continue with a pair of weeklong festivals known as the Octavas and the Octavia, which stretch the season through late January.

Puerto Rico Arroz Con Dulce Holiday

Arroz con Dulce—sweet rice pudding—is a favorite end to a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas dinner that typically centers around lechón asao, a fire-roasted whole pig. Photo: Olaf Speier/iStock

Anguilla

One of the most anticipated holiday observances on the quiet island of Anguilla is the Festival de Noel, which takes place December 18 – 19. This gathering on the grounds of the Old East End School kicks off with competitions and pageantry, caroling, a visit from Santa, and the distribution of food baskets to the elderly. Another island-wide holiday tradition is the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, which kicks off the Festival of Lights display along Coronation Avenue, the main street of the island’s capital. A relatively new tradition on Anguilla is the South Hill Christmas Experience, which is a celebration of holiday traditions and culinary treats hosted by a local village. Like a number of other Caribbean islands with a British heritage, December 26, Boxing Day, is a public holiday.

 

Frangipani Anguilla Pool
Anguilla, Caribbean, Nevis, St. Barts, Stay, Trip Ideas

Best Caribbean Family-Run Boutique Hotels

 

It’s great to be treated like family. And though many resorts will make that claim, the places that are best suited to deliver that special brand of warm, familiar service and welcome are those small hotels that are, in fact, family owned and operated. These are the places where the owners not only know your name, but also may stop by your table at dinner to share conversation and a drink. Here are three of our favorite family-owned Caribbean resorts.

Hotel Le Village, St. Barth

The red-roofed cottages of Le Village perch on a terraced hillside overlooking Petite Baie de St. Jean. A short walk from this scenic enclave brings you to St. Jean Beach. This lively strand is lined with trendy restaurants, casually elegant beach bars, and the fashionably chic shops that St. Barth is all about. It’s a great place to people watch as you soak up the sun. When its time to reconvene to your hideaway, Le Village offers peace and solitude, something the hotel has been known for since it first opened in 1969.

St Bart LeVillage Cottage

Rooms at Hotel Le Village open to hillside terraces that welcome sea breezes and provide a private retreat for guests who value both privacy and the intimacy. Photo: Le Village

The property is a 25-unit enclave of one- and two-story rooms and suites, each individually decorated in island colors. Each offers a kitchen and a large covered terrace that doubles as living and dining spaces, all opening to outdoor sundecks. Guests relax in the gardens that surround their cottage, lounge by the pool or head for renewal at the Well Being Cottage. This glass-enclosed space offers massages and yoga classes set against panoramic views of the bay. The Charneau family has been receiving guests—some famous, others not so much—in a relaxing yet elegant manner for decades, and happy guests keep coming back year after year.

St Bart Le Village Pool

Hotel Le Village provides elevated views of St. Barth’s St. Jean Beach and its namesake bay. Just a short walk down the hill, a collection of chic cafes and shops awaits. Photo: Le Village

The Hermitage Plantation Inn, Nevis

Guests of the Hermitage Plantation Inn are treated to cooling afternoon breezes, and monkeys. The inn sits near the base of rainforest-clad Nevis Peak. These forests are home to vervet monkeys, who come down from the slopes in search of sweet mangos, and their whimsical presence is a guest favorite. The scene is bucolic, with horses in the pasture and an English-style garden filled with fruit, flowers and herbs. This is what Maureen and Richard Lupinacci visioned when they arrived in Nevis in 1967 and discovered the property. This husband and wife team fell in love with the location and nurtured it into the splendid village it is today.

Hermitage Nevis Great House Living Room

Nevis’ Hermitage Plantation features furnishings and artwork from around the island. This meticulously restored structure is the oldest wooden building on the island. Photo: Hermitage

While the keys have since been handed to son Richie Lupinacci, the inn maintains a loving family essence with a bit of Italian heritage. Wednesday night’s West Indian pig roast spread is still hands-down the best on the island, and Friday nights now ring in the weekend with pizza and cichetti, as guests mingle around the bar and wander the great house filed with antiques and curios. Staying at the Hermitage is recasting the past, as each chattel house features a different motif. Furnishings and artwork collected from around the island are brought together in 15 individually decorated retreats, each of which feels like a private home. And being at home is exactly how you will feel when spending time on this family planation.

Nevis Hermitage Campus

Cottages at the Hermitage began as dwellings known as chattel houses, which were used to house farm workers. Today, they sit in the inn’s lushly landscaped grounds. Photo: Hermitage

Frangipani Beach Resort, Anguilla

On an island known for spectacular beaches, you’ll want to stay in a waterfront property. Frangipani is located in the center of Meads Bay. This mile long stretch of shore has powder-white sand so soft you’d think it could be used to bake a cake. The resort includes just 19 rooms and suites, sets just steps from the sand. The active young couple running the resort, Scott and Shannon Kircher, were married at the resort and now live and love it. When time permits they share their love of watersports with their guests.

Frangipani Breakfast On Balcony Anguilla

Frangipani Beach Resort’s private balconies open to expansive views of Meads Bay. This west-facing beach provides spectacular sunset views. Photo: Thierry Dehove/Frangipani

Water sports are a focal point at the resort, and all equipment is complementary for guests. Spend your days sailing a Hobie, waterskiing, paddle boarding or just float on a raft. Head directly from room to the sand, find your personal palapa and let the day unfold. In addition to the beach, there is an infinity pool backed by the salmon-tinted Spanish Mediterranean enclave from which the sea is always in view. The island’s famed Straw Hat restaurant is now located in the resort. Owned and operated by another husband and wife team, it serves breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days a week. Another marriage made in heaven.

Anguilla Frangipani Night View

Frangipani Beach Resort is a boutique property of just 19 intimate rooms and suites. On site is one of the island’s favorite restaurants, the Straw Hat. Photo: Thierry Dehove/Frangipani

Dominican Republic La Romana Casa de Campo Pool Cabana
Anguilla, Caribbean, Dominican Republic, St. Martin/St. Maarten, Stay, Trip Ideas

Three Best Caribbean Pool Cabanas

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There’s an art to enjoying a day at the pool, and it’s all about location and accessories. You’ll want a spot with enough personal space to stash your bag, book, lotion, sunglasses and hat. And while the sun is nice, there are times when shade and a cool breeze are equally desirable—especially if you want to take a quick snooze between dips. What you want is a poolside cabana, and we’ve found three of the best the Caribbean has to offer.

Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic

The sprawling resort complex of Casa de Campo is a tropical playground for activities from big game fishing, snorkeling and windsurfing to tennis, horseback rides and championship golf. And if you just want to chill out for the day, the hotel pool is the coolest spot at the resort. Sun worshipers can recline on waterside lounges dressed in subtle tones of creams and whites, or settle under an umbrella. For the ultimate in shaded relaxation, cloth-shrouded cabanas offer both privacy and convenient access to the water. If you want to combine a cooling dip and a cocktail, there’s a swim-up bar. La Caña Restaurant and Lounge is just above, with outdoor seating if you choose to leave your spot. If not, just lie back, order a cocktail and watch the day unfold.

Dominican Republic La Romana Casa De Campo Pool

At Casa de Campo, the pool is flanked by a row of linen-draped cabanas that sit on an elevated deck. Butler service brings libations right to chaise lounges. Photo: Casa de Campo

Sonesta Ocean Point, St. Maarten

This adults-only, all-inclusive property offers a choice of two pools, both with cabanas reserved solely for guests of Ocean Point. The Point Pool is centrally located and surrounded by a deck dotted with cabanas, while the Edge Pool takes you to the beach without ever leaving the hotel. The pool is lined with silica- based sand, and the surrounding area is sculpted and landscaped to resemble a beach, with chaises lined up by the simulated shoreline and cabanas scattered about, right on top of the soft granules. The spot exudes serenity, with tropical gardens that fill the air with fragrant frangipani and sea breezes. Find your cabana, settle in, order food and drinks—it’s all included. You can curl your toes in the sand without leaving your cabana.

Sonesta Ocean Point St Maarten

No need to go down to the beach, as the Edge pool at St. Maarten’s Sonesta Ocean Point resort brings the sand and palm trees to an exclusive oasis on the bluff. Photo: Sonesta

Malliouhana, Anguilla

Malliouhana dazzled guests on it’s opening some 30 years ago, and it has remained one of the most iconic properties in the Caribbean. In 2014, the resort unveiled a fresh new décor, and is still known for its high level of service. It doesn’t hurt that the hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking a pristine stretch of sand on Meads Bay, delivering astonishing views from rooms, restaurant and the pool area. The double-tiered design of the infinity-edge pool creates a lower level that hosts families, while the upper level is reserved for adults. Grownups can settle into chaises set among marigold-yellow umbrellas, or relax and indulge on day beds set under indigo-and-white striped cabanas. The Sunset Bar is close by, tempting one to order aged Caribbean rum on the rocks with a twist of lime, and then relax in style.

Anguilla Malliouhana Pool

At Anguilla’s Malliouhana resort, the two-tiered pool features a family-friendly lower deck and an adults-only upper area that includes private cabanas. Photo: Malliouhana

 

Anguilla Malliouhana
Anguilla, Aruba, Caribbean, Nevis, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts, Stay, Trip Ideas

Five Top Caribbean Luxury Resorts

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Luxury means different things to different people. It could be about the setting, the service, the food or the amenities. Whatever your definition of a luxurious Caribbean vacation, you’ll likely find it at one of these new or recently-refurbished properties, which represent the epitome of island-style indulgence.

Ritz-Carlton Aruba

Luxury rose to new heights when the Ritz-Carlton opened on Aruba’s fabled Palm Beach in November of 2013. The entire top floor of this 320-room property is devoted to an exclusive Club Level. Here, guests enjoy unrivaled views of the powder-white beach and the Caribbean Sea, both from private balconies and from the Club Lounge, where floor-to-ceiling windows provide a stunning backdrop, complementary meals and snacks are available throughout the day, and a dedicated concierge is always on call.

Aruba Ritz Bar

The Ritz-Carlton sits on Aruba’s Palm Beach, where white sands and bright turquoise waters create stunning panoramas. Floor-to- ceiling windows in the lobby bar take in the view. Photo: Don Riddle/Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton is home to the island’s largest spa, offering both traditional and locally influenced treatments that feature aloe, coconut and cactus blended with healing components of herbs and rich earth minerals. Dining options include the signature BLT Steak restaurant, serving a world-class selection of USDA choice meats. Four additional dining experiences add Italian, seafood and an Argentine grill to the mix. The property also includes a 24-hour casino, fitness center, beach club, children’s programs and a full range of waters sports through Red Sail Sports.

Belle Monte Farms at Kittitian Hill, St. Kitts

Luxury meets sustainability at St. Kitts’ $600-million Kittitian Hill project. The visionary team behind this development describes it as a community where guests can immerse themselves in the vibrant beauty of the West Indies, enjoy fresh food foraged from the land and sea, and connect with the island’s rich culture. The first phase of this development, Belle Monte Farms, includes a collection of stand-alone guesthouses and villas, each built by island craftsmen to honor the region’s vernacular styles. Set amid lush natural landscaping, dwellings offer private infinity pools, garden baths surrounded by tropical foliage and private verandahs with mountain, garden and sea views.

St. Kitts Belle Monte Farms

The Kittitian Hill development blends luxurious accommodations into a natural environment where there is an emphasis on sustainability and respect for the island’s traditional culture. Photo: Kittitian Hill

Set on a former sugar plantation, the 400-acre Kittitian Hill project is home to a working organic farm that supplies much of the produce served at onsite restaurants, where cuisines are inspired by executive Chef Cristophe Letard’s farm-to-table philosophy. In the works is the 18-hole Irie Fields golf course, which provides challenging play in a setting that encompasses gardens and fruit trees—it’s being called the world’s most edible golf course. Additional elements of the community include a spa with indigenous treatments and a village with more eateries; shops, galleries and artisan’s studios will open as the development unfolds.

Condado Vanderbilt Hotel San Juan, Puerto Rico

Luxury meets tradition at San Juan’s Condado Vanderbilt and takes guests back to the days of the Roaring 20’s. This historic hotel opened in 1919, and over the years attracted visiting dignitaries, royalty and celebrities like Bob Hope and Errol Flynn to the shores of the vibrant Condado district, where iconic nightclubs and lounges heated up the tropical nightlife. Nearly a century later today’s guests will find nostalgic elements mixed with modern amenities and ongoing updates. The hotel’s culinary scene rose to new heights when Michelin-starred Chef Juan Jose Cuevas took the helm at the acclaimed 1919 restaurant. Most recently, a second internationally acclaimed dining spot opened in the form of Ola, where local ingredients are the focus.

San Juan Condado Vanderbilt

Dark leather furnishings, iconic artwork and spiral staircases set the tone at San Juan’s historic Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. A roaming champagne cart delivers tempting libations. Photo: Magda Biernat/Condado Vanderbilt

A sweeping $200 million revitalization of the hotel was completed in December 2014, with more than 400 elegant guestrooms and suites re-imagined with inspirations from the hotel’s oceanfront setting and eclectic history. A sleek décor features dreamy neutral hues and textures representing ocean tides, dark wood furniture and plenty of brass accents. The on-site spa includes an aromatherapy bar and the island’s first Hammam. In addition to the beach, guests can take in the trade winds from a palm-lined roof top pool with butler service.

Malliouhana, An Auberge Resort, Anguilla

Luxury kicks off its shoes as one of the Caribbean’s favorite getaway resorts returns after a major renovation and a three-year closure. Anguilla’s Malliouhana, known for its intimacy, open-air setting and stellar service, is now under the Auberge Resort umbrella. The location can’t be beat, with 360-degree views of the sea and a gorgeous stretch of sand at Meads Bay, one the island’s best beaches. The renovation transformed the property’s 44 ocean view rooms and suites with a fresh island palette of mango, mint, saffron and white to blend the spaces with the environment.

Anguilla Malliouhana Beach

Anguilla’s Malliouhana resort overlooks Meads Bay, which is one of the island’s finest beaches. Water and beach views abound, both from guest rooms and the top-rated restaurant. Photo: Malliouhana

Guest rooms also showcase some of Malliouhana’s original treasures, which include a collection of animated jungle scenes depicting the Garden of Eden, and painted by distinguished Haitian artist Jasmin Joseph. Also new are a pair of infinity-edged swimming pools and a signature Auberge Spa, which is cloistered in a setting of ponds, tropical vines and flowering plants. On an island known for its culinary expertise, the signature restaurant sets new standards in an open-air space situated on the bluff overlooking the sea. Under the direction of Executive Chef Jeremy Bearman, the menu embraces Caribbean flavors and traditions such as jerk spices, passion fruit, tamarind and guava.

Paradise Beach, Nevis

Luxury becomes personal at Paradise Beach. This new arrival to Nevis takes in a small, all-villa property that delivers the ultimate in private settings for extended families or groups of friends. The resort’s seven Balinese-style thatch-roofed villas include dramatic details such as 20-foot vaulted ceilings, outdoor dining areas and ocean views. Each three or four bedroom home also includes spacious common living area, full kitchens and private patios with pools.

Nevis Paradise Beach

Designed for families, friends and small corporate retreats, the garden and beach villas of the Paradise Beach Resort combine privacy with a wealth of on-call personal services. Photo: Ken Haydent/Paradise Beach Resort

Kitchens are outfitted with everything needed to prepare memorable meals, but if cooking isn’t on your agenda, the on-site concierge can arrange a visit from one of the island’s accomplished chefs, who can prepare a multi-course dinner or whip up appetizers and cocktails for the entourage around your pool. Your personal butler can summon a masseuse, or a certified personal trainer for those who want to maintain their fitness program. If not, a private beach bar awaits, and it’s just a short walk down Pinney’s Beach to Sunshine’s, where one of their famous Killer Bee cocktails is guaranteed to put you in that relaxed island state of mind.

 

 

St Kitts Music Festival
Anguilla, Aruba, Caribbean, Curacao, Dominica, Jamaica, Nevis, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago, U.S. Virgin Islands

Best Caribbean Music Festivals

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There’s more to the Caribbean music scene than reggae and steel drums. All across the region, a growing number of festivals and concerts are added to the calendar each year. Initially, jazz was the focus of many such events, now world music is part of the mix and famous artists are heard in a diverse array of musical styles that include blues, dancehall, soca, new age jazz, fusion, R& B and more. Each event and each successive year out does the previous, upping the ante on talent, parties and attractions.

March

Moonsplash Music Festival, Anguilla

The year 2015 marked the 25th year for this local event turned international extravaganza, which takes place every March during the full moon. Hosted by local musician Bankie Banx at his beachfront bar, The Dune Preserve, the party pulls in big names in reggae, along with upcoming local talent. For more information and the lineup for next year visit www.bankiebanx.net

April

Nevis Blues Festival, Nevis

The premier of this three-day event on Nevis took place in 2015 with a stellar line-up of local and international talent. Nevis is a natural, intimate and relaxed island and the organizers created the Nevis Blues Festival to complement that vibe. Guests are immersed in island culture and enjoy local cuisine while relaxing to sounds of blues at the Sundowner Stage on Oualie Bay. For more information and tickets for the Nevis Blues Festival, visit www.nevisbluesfestival.com

Love City Live, St John, USVI

This weekend-long celebration is filled with music, plenty of beach parties and boatloads full of revelers. A reggae concert kicks off an in-town block party. Later in the weekend the party moves to Cruz Bay’s beachfront and continues on boats that head to the British Virgin Islands. Local food, chef soirees and visits to local bars and restaurants are all on the agenda. Current dates, tickets and more information visit www.experiencelovecitylove.com

Tobago Jazz Experience, Trinidad & Tobago

The quiet island of Tobago is surely on the map after the 2015 concert, which featured a stellar lineup of international artists including recording star and actress Jennifer Hudson, singer- songwriter Jill Scott and legendary R&B band Kool and the Gang. Performances take place on the coastal town of Speyside and move to Pigeon Point Heritage Park as well as other coastal spots around the island for a full week of music, culture and gastronomy. For the 2016 lineup and more information visit www.tobagojazzexperience.com

May

Soul Beach Music Festival, Aruba

This five-day festival takes in the holidays around Memorial Day and combines Aruba’s tropical charms with rhythm and blues performances. The action takes place both day and night, with parties bouncing between the Moomba Beach and the Renaissance Aruba Resort. The majority of concert performances take place Friday through Sunday, leaving Memorial Day free for one last dip in the surf. The Soul Beach Amphitheater, the Havana Beach Club, the Hard Rock Café-Aruba are some of the main performance venues. For more information visit www.soulbeach.net

Aruba Soul Beach

During the annual Soul Beach Music Festival, the island of Aruba moves to the sounds of Rhythm and Blues. Celebrating its 15th year, this event has been named one of the best celebrations in the Caribbean. Photo: Aruba Tourism Authority

St. Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival,  St Lucia

The St. Lucia Jazz Festival started the trend of music festivals in the Caribbean over 20 years ago, and today it remains one of the most popular in the Caribbean, drawing crowds from both Europe and the United States. Since it inception in 1992, the festival has added a mix of popular acoustical, fusion and new age jazz, as well as soca and R&B. Once centered in the capital of Castries, the festival is now a week-long celebration of local culture, fashion and food, staged at venues across the island. The main stage is set on the peninsula of Pigeon Island National Park, with the sea as a backdrop. For more information visit www.stluciajazz.org

Curacao International BlueSeas Festival, Curacao

New on the circuit in 2015 was the inaugural Curacao International BlueSeas Festival. Attracting a veritable “who’s who” of modern blues artists, the event was labeled a celebration of “traditional and gentrified” jazz music. Performances were staged at Kleine Werf in downtown Punda, and a free two-day street festival in the historic Pietermaii district. With this entree into the world of the blues, Curacao has staked its claim in the Caribbean music festival scene. For more information visit www.curacaoblueseasfestival.com

June

St. Kitts Music Festival, St Kitts

Another longtime favorite event that will hit the 20-year mark in 2016 is the extravaganza that takes place at Warner Park Stadium on the island of St. Kitts. The lineup includes a range of musical styles including R&B, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, rock, calypso, gospel and contemporary. Past performers include John Legend, Lionel Richie, Michael Bolton, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Damian Marley and Shaggy. For more on this event go to stkittsmusicfestival.com

St. Kitts Music Festival

The jazz/reggae fusions of Arturo Tappin fill Warner Park Stadium during the 2015 St. Kitts Music Festival. The performance lineup includes everything from gospel to hip-hop. Photo: Jawanza Bassue/St. Kitts Tourism

July

Reggae Sumfest, Jamaica

This Montego Bay event attracts tens of thousand of reggae fans and includes music born out of Jamaica. Reggae pulls in the masses but hard-core lovers of the island’s many musical styles will be in heaven when they hear and move to ska, dub and dancehall. Top Caribbean bands and international talent headline the event. Evening events take place at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex, which is an outdoor arena. The final day is a beach party. For more information visit www.reggaesumfest.com 

Jamaica Montego Bay Reggae

At Jamaica’s Sumfest, Damian Marley carries on the musical traditions of his father, reggae legend Bob Marley. Staged at Montego Bay, the festival encompasses the full range of Jamaica’s music scene. Photo: Jamaica Tourist Board

September

Caribbean Sea Jazz Festival, Aruba

This annual event begins with a four-day warm up of performances staged at smaller venues, all leading up to the weekend’s main event. Come Friday, a full-on lineup of international and local jazz, Latin, soul and funk musicians take over the Renaissance Market Place in Oranjestad. Local bars, restaurants and food stands join in the fun with special festival menus and libations. Past events have featured George Benson, David Sanborn, Willie Garcia, Roberta Flack and Chakan Khan. This year the first band to ignite the festivities is Earth Wind & Fire. For additional information and tickets visit www.caribbeanseajazz.com

North Sea Jazz Festival, Curacao

This popular event has been pulling in talent and crowds for the past several years. The event draws enthusiasts from all over the world and has been praised for showcasing an eclectic mix of sounds to please pop revelers and die-hard jazz fans alike. This year’s line up will include John Legend, Enrique Iglesias, Usher, Wyclef Jean, Lionel Richie, legendary salsa vocalist Oscar D’León, British soul sensation Emeli Sandé, and the R&B group, The Pointer Sisters. Performances take place at Curacaos’ World Trade Center in Piscadera Bay. For tickets and more information visit www.curacaonorthseajazz.com

October

World Creole Music Festival, Dominica

An eclectic mix of music comes to the Nature Island with a festival that has been steadily increasing in size and popularity since its inception in 1997. The festival includes local celebrations and takes place during the island’s Independence Day, so everyone gets involved. Music traditions such as zouk, soukous and bouyon join reggae, calypso and soca tunes to keep crowds dancing and grooving through the three-day event. Outdoor venues such as the Botanic Gardens and the Layou River often become the site of free performances and family-oriented activities for both locals and visitors. For tickets and schedule visit www.wcmfdominica.com

St. Thomas Iggies at Dusk
Anguilla, Aruba, Caribbean, Eat, St. Kitts, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Five of the Caribbean’s Best Beach Bars for Live Music

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No island experience is complete without at least one night of we-be-jamming. And the best nights happen when you find just the right mix of atmosphere, energy, potent cocktails and bands so lively that you can’t sit down. We traveled, listened in and danced all night to find the best Caribbean joints delivering colorful atmosphere, good crowds and, of course, live music that keeps you in the party spirit until the wee hours. Read on to rock on.

Dune Preserve on Anguilla

Ladies, watch out: Bankie Banx is the famous founder of this open-air reggae joint on Anguilla, but it’s his son, Omari, who’s the main act now—and his looks are every bit as luscious as his voice. The wooden boat-like venue at Rendezvous Bay is cozy. Every seat is a good seat for watching the acts and the impromptu dancing happening in the aisles and in front of the stage. During the day, the beachside bar crowd is mostly tourists— many straight off cruise ships—but at night, it’s a mix of locals and visitors of all ages.

MooMba Beach Bar on Aruba

Dance with your feet in the sand at Aruba’s Palm Beach hot spot. The lineup of local acts playing Friday and Sunday nights constantly changes, but it’s within a category the bartenders jokingly call tropical rock. The scene here starts early, typically around 7 p.m., so you’ll find a more family friendly crowd. But that doesn’t mean the party is tame. Two bars—one big one under the restaurant’s large thatched roof and one out in the sand— make sure you always have a cold one to keep you in the mood to shake it.

Fort Christian Brew Pub on St. Croix

This dockside, open-air venue sees the biggest crowds on St. Patrick’s Day when they bring in five bands to keep the crowd boogieing all day. During high season, they offer live music four nights a week, including Friday and Saturday. Their regular acts include the one-man band of Kurt Schindler, whose music is a blend of calypso and reggae, and DJ Cypha, who spins his own mix of reggae and rap. Expect high energy from the crowd that’s mostly twenty-somethings off duty from the tourism industry. Earlier in the night, you’ll see a wider range of folks who come in for the five beers crafted on site.

Iggies Beach Bar on St. Thomas

Every night of the year, this restaurant, part of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, serves up live music right at the water’s edge. Wednesday is carnival night with steel-pan calypso music and moko jumbies—masked dancers on stilts traditionally believed to ward away spirits. Sunday sees the all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet, and any night is a good night to try the VooDoo Juice. Iggies is popular with visiting families thanks to the quick delivery of conch fritters, sliders and other island-y pub grub. Find the twenty-something set at the joint’s sand volleyball courts.

Mr. X’s Shiggidy Shack, St. Kitts

Frigate Bay on St. Kitts is the place to be Friday night. Pretty much everyone looking to party—the expat community, locals and college kids—flocks to this beachside joint with live music. You’ll hear what’s known as soca music: a mix of calypso, soul and funk. Also, on Thursday, the beachside joint hosts bonfires, and Saturday, it’s karaoke night.

Anguilla lobster- CuisinArt
Anguilla, Caribbean, Plan, Trip Ideas

Anguilla: 10 Reasons to Go

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Anguilla was mapped as a tourist spot in the mid-1980s and has become an island known among the glitterati for luxe resorts, private villas and pristine beaches all sans paparazzi. For the rest of us, we find resorts so close to the sea that you can have your morning coffee with your feet in the sand. It’s a place where you can ride a horse into the surf, dine like a gourmand and sail off into the sunset.

1  Strands of Sand

Considered to have the world’s best collection of beaches, Anguilla is blessed with 33. Each strand varies in degrees of intensity from blinding white sand cast against electric blue water to shades of beige rimmed by turquoise shallows.

2  Ultra-Lux Digs

Anguilla boasts some of the most luxurious resorts in the region, and when money is no object it’s blissful to stay at top-drawer elegance. It’s tough to choose from the lavish seaside settings—all are relatively small and intimate, even the larger glitzy and trendy properties have their share of cozy spots. If you find that your stay takes you to one of the charming and more affordable alternatives, then enjoy a meal or cocktail at one of the swanking top-dollar hot spots and soak up the atmosphere for the evening.

3  Spiny Pleasure

Another touted treasure on Anguilla is the local lobster prepared simply on the grill, dusted with herbs de Provence or the local favorite, marinated in a sweet curry sauce. Restaurants serve delectable presentations of both the common spiny lobster known as “lobster” and the smaller spotted spiny lobster known on Anguilla as “crayfish.” Most restaurants will have at least one if not four lobster-themed entrees on the menu. For appetizers there’s the lobster-and-shrimp cakes at Blanchards, pumpkin-and- lemongrass soup with Thai lobster dumplings at Hibernia or the long-standing lobster spring roll at Straw Hat that comes with lobster, crayfish and other local seafood.

4  Maritime Passion

Island regattas turn into island parties as the time-honored cultural tradition of boat racing is celebrated at every occasion. Wooden and epoxy boats with single sails ply the waters beginning Easter week. The highpoint is the Anguilla Day Regatta, which takes place on May 30, but races run through August, when national holidays begin to wane. Boat racing is Anguilla’s national sport, and a race will manifest on any holiday or for just about any reason.

5  Music on the Move

Chase the island’s music scene, which travels from bar to bar, beach to beach and runs from day to night. Melodic reggae or soothing jazz can be heard at most any beachside bar or resort. Like many Caribbean islands music pulses through the veins of Anguilla.

6  Island Hopping

Whether it’s a day of snorkeling or a break for lunch, the sandy spits of land at Scilly Cay, Sandy Island and Prickly Pear Cay are just a short boat ride from the main island. Scilly Cay can pack a crowd and serves grilled lobster, fish or chicken while Sandy Island’s lean-to of a kitchen will throw out a few plates of lobster. At Prickly Pear Bar & Restaurant (aka Agatha’s) folks satisfy their cravings at its tiki bar—most visits here last the full day unless you come on a private boat.

7  No Wake Zone

Tranquility is the island’s mantra and the absence of jet skis and casinos helps to maintain a calm and peaceful environment, which places Anguilla in a league of its own.

8  Weekend Barbecue

Each weekend, the grills heat up in one of the Island’s favorite traditions. What started out as a family meal has turned into a small enterprise as cooks set up shop on Friday and Saturday evenings to sell chicken and ribs slathered with secret sauces and accompanied by island staples like mac ’n’ cheese, rice ’n’ peas and coleslaw. Once you lock in on your spot (ask around to see who is cooking when you are there), you’ll want to arrive early for a take-away plate of fixings.

9  Get Pampered

Anguilla has some of the best spas in the Caribbean. Whether it’s a relaxing massage at Malakh Day Spa under a gazebo on the sands of Shoal Bay East or a hydroponic cucumber and aloe wrap, a signature treatment at the Venus Spa at the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa, the pampering teams are always on hand.

10  Moonsplash Time

Time your visit to take in Moonsplash, an annual weekend of music, when local legend Bankie Banx hosts musicians from all parts. Music crosses all genres from reggae to blues and soul. The atmosphere is cool, beachy and absolutely magical. Performances take place under the stars and moonlight at his indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant, where an island driftwood décor sets the mood. The party happens during the full moon every March.