Bridgetown, Barbados' UNESCO-listed capital, blends colonial history, rich culture, and white-sand beauty. At The Careenage, pastel buildings overlook the Constitution River, with a plaque marking the city's role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Nearby Carlisle Bay offers turquoise water, soft sand, and shipwreck dives with turtles and tropical fish. Explore street food, Broad Street shopping, rum bars on Roebuck Street, and Nidhe Israel Synagogue and museum.

Bequia Island is a rustic, unspoiled Grenadine gem: virgin beaches, quiet bays, rum shacks, and a laid-back feel with only about 6,000 locals. Admiralty Bay is a stunning natural harbor, and tiny Port Elizabeth has a market, turtle sanctuary, and model-ship stalls. Hike Mount Peggy for views, then relax on Princess Margaret Beach or other golden-sand coves. It's a place to slow down, swim, read, and enjoy fresh catch, barbecue, and rum cocktails at beach bars.

Martinique, the largest Windward Island, lies 4,261 mi (6,817 km) from Paris but feels distinctly French with West Indian flair. Its cuisine blends French and Creole influences. The island is lush with tropical flowers, fruit trees, banana and pineapple fields, sugarcane, mountains, and rain forest. Hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving, tanning, and duty-free shopping are popular, and cruises often visit St-Pierre, buried by ash from Mont Pelée's 1902 eruption.

Roseau, Dominica's capital on the west coast, blends Caribbean beauty with a strong colonial past. Enjoy volcanic beaches, great snorkeling and diving among coral, marine life and underwater volcanic activity. Explore banana and cocoa plantations, the lively Old Market Square, and the former British fort for sweeping views. Visit the botanical gardens, rainforest waterfalls, and Boiling Lake in Morne Trois Pitons National Park, then relax in hot springs or with a rum punch.

St. Kitts is a lush volcanic island of crystal-clear Caribbean waters, reefs, white-sand beaches, rainforests, and a laid-back "limin" vibe. Explore vine-tangled trails, snorkel or dive with turtles and wrecks, or ride Basseterre's scenic sugar train through unspoiled landscapes. In Basseterre, see the Berkeley Memorial and Independence Square, and visit Brimstone Hill Fortress, the "Gibraltar of the West Indies," a UNESCO World Heritage Site with sweeping coastal views.

Like much of the Caribbean, St. John was hit hard by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, but rebuilding is restoring normality. Small and US-owned since 1917, it was Danish for nearly 250 years before that. Almost two-thirds is protected by Virgin Islands National Park, thanks to Laurence Rockefeller's 1956 gift of 5,000 acres. Its green hills and white beaches remain stunning, and marine life has thrived, with coral reefs, sea turtles, reef sharks and stingrays abundant.

St Lucia is a vivid Caribbean island of turquoise seas, green volcanic Pitons, jungle waterfalls, and bright coral reefs. Its beaches and dive spots are rich with colorful fish, while marigot Bay, once a backdrop for Doctor Dolittle, adds cinematic charm. Spot parrots in the palms and dolphins offshore, relax on Vigie Beach, and photograph the dramatic Pitons. In Castries, visit the Cathedral Basilica and the lively market for spices, bananas, and mangos.

Bridgetown, Barbados' UNESCO-listed capital, blends colonial history, rich culture, and white-sand beauty. At The Careenage, pastel buildings overlook the Constitution River, with a plaque marking the city's role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Nearby Carlisle Bay offers turquoise water, soft sand, and shipwreck dives with turtles and tropical fish. Explore street food, Broad Street shopping, rum bars on Roebuck Street, and Nidhe Israel Synagogue and museum.