Anguilla

Anguilla offers travelers the best of the Caribbean: beaches, sand, clear turquoise waters, and pristine natural resources to explore, without all the extras that you’ll find on some of the other Caribbean Islands. That is, Anguilla doesn’t have casinos, hot nightclub action, tourist shopping malls, nude beaches, and other trappings of developed tourist destinations.

Anguilla is visited mostly by very wealthy and famous travelers. The resorts here are top notch, world-class establishments, and these people pay lots of money to stay at them undisturbed.
But Anguilla is much more than a haven for the exclusively rich and famous. Anguilla is known for fresh lobster grilled right on the beach, a delight not to miss if you have the chance.

If you tire of the beaches and fabulous watersports, an in-town stroll in Anguilla is also a delight. The architecture is a wonderful mix of mediterranean-style villas, wooden caribbean bungalows, and Greek island style white and blue resorts. You could say the architecture of Anguilla is a mix of styles from the best resort spots in the world.

Traditionally, residents of Anguilla have been fishermen and builders of boats. Their boats are painted in bright Caribbean pastels and are capable of venturing way offshore for the best fish.

Also in town you can visit the Anguilla Natural Trust Museum. This museum focuses on the natural beauty of Anguilla, and some cultural history like the Anguilla Revolution. Also learn about the Salt Industry and the coral reef that lies just beyond the sandy beaches of Anguilla. The Ambylhryza, or giant prehistoric rat is also explored here, if you like wildlife.

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Martinique

Martinique is officially part of France, like Hawaii is part of the United States only separated by miles and miles of ocean. There are French products for sale in all the stores, the bakeries sell baguettes, and many of the beaches are nude beaches. Beauty queens have emerged from Martinique for centuries, starting with Napoleon’s Josephine. Her home is a tourist attraction these days. Other historical beauties have come from Martinique as well. This is where Paul Gaugin painted lovely tropical beauties in the nineteenth century, after all, and the beauty of Martinique continues to inspire artists and travelers to this day.

Paul Gaugin’s paintings made Martinique famous. They conjured tropical paradise and beautiful women, much like today’s travelers hope to find on this lovely island. His seascapes and landscapes are on display in the world’s best museums and can also be found in any art book. Many Gaugin artifacts are on display where he painted his famous works. You can look down from his old studio and see an old village below that was destroyed in 1902 when volcanic Mount Pelee exploded and covered the village, Pompeii style, in ash and lava.

The standard of living on Martinique is much higher than on other Caribbean islands. Citizens of Martinique have social and civil benefits of French citizens such as universal healthcare, long paid vacations, maternity and paternity leaves and more. The capital city of Fort-de-France is tres chic. It faces a bay, on which a ferry runs, taking visitors to tourist attractions and beaches across the way.

Although Martinique is part of France and the islanders are Tres Chic, they haven’t forgotton their West Indian Creole heritage. Zouk music, and cuisine will remind you that you aren’t actually in mainland France.

Things to see include Empress Josephine’s birthplace, a former sugar estate, now a museum. Called Musée de la Pagerie, it’s a beautiful stone building containing her childhood things, love letters from Napoleon, and antique equipment for the sugarcne business. Hear about her life as you tour the grounds.

Another sight in Martinique worth visiting is Les Ombrages. This is a botanical garden set on a former rum distillery. By the way, Martiniques are in love with rum! Walk the trail past bamboo, ginger, and an old mill.

La Savane is Martinique’s wonder central park full of bamboo, tall trees and benches. Buy souvenirs from the vendors and visit the statues around the park dedicated to early settlers and fallen soldiers. The park is off Rue de la Liberty, and you will see Empress Joesphine holding a locket with Napoleon’s portrait inside. The head was chopped off years ago and red paint was poured over the statue to the former empress. Many Martiniques believe that Josephine convinced Napoleon not to end slavery in the French West Indies so that her family’s sugar plantation could continue to prosper.

Whether you come to Martinique for the history, the beaches or the watersports, you’re sure to have the best Caribbean vacation ever, French style!

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Barbados

Once part of the British Empire, Barbados is now independent but you wouldn’t know it!  Remnants of British culture remind you at every turn this tropical Caribbean island was once part of the vast network of colonies owned by England.  Once known as Little England, Barbados only declared independence as recently as the twentieth century.  And although Barbados is independent, the citizens of Barbados are fond of the elements of British society left behind, such as cricket, high tea, and lots of statues of British military hereos around the island.

Barbados was actually part of the British Empire for about three hundred years, and during that colonial era of Barbados’ history, Bajans absorbed a lot of British culture.  Bajans, which is what people of Barbados call themselves, have kept up lots of things left over from that era.  You will find that dress is not typical tropical island apparel of flip flops and t-shirts.  Formal attire is common, and you won’t see a swimsuit unless you’re on the beach. 

As with many of the former British colonies in the Caribbean, the education system is very top notch.  Literacy is extremely high in Barbados.  You will find the towns in Barbados to be neat and orderly, and the locals to be polite and friendly. 

But let’s get to what you came for, a Barbados vacation!  Vacationers will find plenty of things to in the sun and on the water as well as  in town.  There’s windsurfing, fishing, snorkeling, diving, and kitesurfing.  Like any Caribbean island, Barbados offers sun and beach, watersports and excursions to fill up your entire stay. 

On top of all that fun and exitement, Barbados has some surpises as well.  Ther are caves to explore, so you can go spelunking!  Visit Harrison’s Cave and see an amazing array of stalactites.  There are underground lakes here.  Visit a historical sugar mill, fancy huge restored mansions, and museums full of colonial artifacts.  There are so many attractions in Barbados they have their own Seven Wonders.  There’s also a zoo, a crafts center, and Orchid World! 

To fully explore Barbados, you need plenty of time.  If you’re here just for a week, soak up the sun on the fabulous pristine beaches and stroll through the capital, Bridgetown.  Barbados has won awards in several categories, like Best Airport, Best Caribbean Travel Destination, and more.  If you visit, you’ll see for yourself why Little England is number one in the world of Caribbean Vacations. 

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