Bridgetown to Miami

Bridgetown, the captivating capital of Barbados, combines faded colonial history, captivating tradition, and vivid white beaches plucked directly from your richest imagination of Caribbean perfection. Recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, thanks to its beautifully preserved colonial architecture, Bridgetown’s mask of modernity covers a core of complex history and fascinating culture. Sherbet coloured buildings line up to overlook the waterfront of the Constitution River at the ‘The Careenage’ - where gleaming ships bob on the blue water, and peaceful strolls along a wooden boardwalk await. Stop for a sobering moment at the commemorative plaque honouring the people traded at this spot, when Bridgetown was the British Empire’s most important harbour, and first stop on the Transatlantic Slave Trade crossing. Just five minutes’ stroll from here is Carlisle Bay - a postcard-perfect place where you'll find crystal-clear, turquoise seawater glowing in the Caribbean sun, and a mile of soft white powder sand. A treasure trove for divers, the shipwrecks scattered below the shallow water’s waves are now inhabited by turtles and swirling, rainbow-coloured tropical fish. Head to the backstreets, where street food vendors serve up spicy chicken soup, barbecued pigtails and thirst-quenching coconut water. There are bargains aplenty to be had on Broad Street, where duty-free malls and souvenir stalls cram together, vying for your attention. Roebuck Street is the spot where one of the Caribbean’s favourite drinks, rum, was discovered - having been created here from the by-products of the island’s booming sugarcane trade. Nowadays, it’s lined with bars splashing every variety of the deliciously spicy dark libation imaginable into glasses. For a touch more culture, visit one of the oldest synagogues in The Americas - Nidhe Israel Synagogue, which was built in 1654. The adjoining museum tells the story of Barbados’ Jewish immigrants, who were instrumental in the island’s development.

An almost mythical utopia of virgin beaches, rustic rum shacks and bays so scenic you feel like you’re intruding - Bequia Island is an island mirage of Caribbean perfection. This is the real, unspoiled experience - and with just 6,000 locals living here, you quickly start to recognise the same smiling faces, welcoming you with outstretched arms. Offering glorious - often deserted - beaches of pure golden sand, and hillside sweeps of forest and almond trees, Bequia Island is an extraordinary feast for the senses. Unlike some of the flashier Caribbean islands, Bequia - a part of the Grenadines - is a rustic, unassuming and off-the-beaten-path choice. The staggeringly picturesque natural harbour, Admiralty Bay, greets you on arrival, and is peppered with day-tripping yachts bobbing on the gentle waves. The island’s tiny capital, Port Elizabeth, sits behind, with its bustling fruit and vegetable market, turtle sanctuary, and stalls selling hand-crafted model ships. This tiny, pretty island is ridged along the centre, and you can earn your beachside bliss with a gentle hike to the top of Mount Peggy, looking out over views of Grenada and St Vincent. At just seven miles long, you can discover the whole island in a few hours – but that would be to miss the point somewhat. Bequia Island coaxes you in to slow the pace and soothe your soul on blissful beaches, where you can revel in the uncomplicated joys of sitting, reading and swimming in heavenly shallow waters. The royally approved Princess Margaret Beach is one of the finest - an arching band of soft sand and cobalt-blue waters. As evening sets in, you may find you’re beckoned to share with communal barbecues of the day’s fresh catch with the locals, or to indulge in rum-heavy cocktails at beachside bars, lashed together from sea-blanched wooden limbs.

Bonaire's small, tidy capital city (population 3,000) is five minutes from the airport. The main drag, J.A. Abraham Boulevard, turns into Kaya Grandi in the center of town. Along it are most of the island's major stores, boutiques, and restaurants. Across Kaya Grandi, opposite the Littman’s jewelry store, is Kaya L.D. Gerharts, with several small supermarkets, a handful of snack shops, and some of the better restaurants. Walk down the narrow waterfront avenue called Kaya C.E.B. Hellmund, which leads straight to the North and South piers. In the center of town, the Harbourside Mall has chic boutiques. Along this route is Ft. Oranje, with its cannons. From December through April, cruise ships dock in the harbor once or twice a week. The diminutive ocher-and-white structure that looks like a tiny Greek temple is the produce market, where one can find plenty of fresh produce brought over from Venezuela. Pick up the brochure Walking and Shopping in Kralendijk from the tourist office to get a map and complete list of all the monuments and sights in the town.

Bright and brilliant colours coat the waterfront buildings of Willemstad, gleaming attractively below the generous Caribbean sun. The capital of the Carribean island Curacao, Willemstad is famous for its technicolour UNESCO World Heritage Site city centre, and a narrow channel connects the sea with the Schottegat harbour, which expands inland like a blooming flower. Settled by the Dutch in the 1630s, they brought colourful architecture, lavish red-roofed mansions, and gorgeous European-style waterfront buildings to this beautiful Caribbean island. Watching over the entrance to this luxurious port is Rif Fort - a 19th-century fortress, which looms above the Sint Anna Bay channel. From here, wind your way to the Queen Emma Bridge - a pontoon bridge known as the Swinging Old Lady, which was built in 1888 to connect Otrobanda and Punda. Enjoy the wonderful views of Willemstad's lavish, pastel-coloured Punda waterfront set before you. Visit the small boats that pull up side by side to sell juicy fruits and vegetables, in a floating market on the waters below. At sunset, the gingerbread stretch bathes in lights, glowing evocatively as the last of the evening's light ebbs away. Wander Willemstad to discover the lemon-shaded Mikve Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, said to be the oldest synagogue in the Americas, see the historic liqueur distillery or head for Queen Wilhelmina Park - where the letters 'DUSHI' are spelt out in a standing sign. You'll hear this word a lot - the island's favourite way of describing the little things that make life worth living. The beaches of Curacao are certainly 'dushi', with tempting sandy curves on practically every corner. Snorkel in the turquoise waves, among dashing fish life and sleek sea turtles.

Stroll multi-coloured Oranjestad - the capital of enchanting Aruba - and feel the sun’s bronzing kiss, on the shores of one of the sunniest islands in the Caribbean. Settle in for a day on the beach, to relish the stunning weather on some of the region's finest shores - where white sands glow, gentle waves sparkle, and knotted divi divi trees lean. Offering sensational diving and snorkelling, you can swim in the shallow, warm waters, or head out on a catamaran or submarine to investigate further and deeper. If you can drag yourself away from the sparkling beaches and glowing turquoise waters, venture inland towards Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins, which lie on the route to Aruba Natural Bridge. The vast natural arch collapsed in 2005, but picturesque Baby Bridge remains to take the plaudits at this scenic spot. The island takes its form from the looming, 165-metre-high volcanic hill called Hooiberg - named after the Dutch for ‘haystack’. The volcano's cone is omnipresent as you traverse the island, and if you’re up for a challenge, you can take the wheezy rise up the 650 steps to the lookout. You’ll climb among sunbathing iguanas, and reaching cacti, to views that unravel as far as Venezuela’s coastline on clear days. Visit the island's farms of butterflies and ostriches, or explore amongst Oranjestad's Spanish and Dutch flavours. Pick out bargains from the fancy shops of the colourful boutique-lined streets, or choose from local makers selling hand-crafted wares. The multicultural blend extends to the cuisine that’s cooked up, with a tantalising fusion of the best of Dutch, Asian and Caribbean flavours.

Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and one of the Caribbean's oldest cities. Its walled, cobblestoned historic core, the Zona Colonial, has buildings that date to the 1500s, including the cathedral, which was the first built in the New World. On the cafe-lined Plaza de España is the Alcázar de Colón palace. It’s now one of the city’s many museums, displaying notable medieval and Renaissance art

Tropical forests and aquamarine seas with kaleidoscopic diving opportunities abound at Samana. A place of salsa rhythms picturesque beaches and scenic layers of coconut palm trees the peninsula is a highlights reel of the Dominican Republic's best experiences. Choose to hike the mangrove forests of Los Haitises National Park or enter caves adorned with ancient art from the Taino Indians which plunge into the earth nearby. Pound through jungle trails on horseback seeking out towering waterfalls skim across the waves on powerful jet-skis or nurdle inland at your own pace in a sea kayak. Samana offers all of the snorkelling and diving that you would expect from a stunning Caribbean destination but it’s also renowned for the larger sea creatures that dwell in its waters - with mighty humpbacks visiting the bay during winter’s months. Set away from the lavish all-inclusive resorts Samana has an authentic feel. Stroll streets of shacks stacked with rosy fruits - sampling the freshest juices - and head to renowned beaches like Rincon. Just offshore the beautiful speck of an island Cayo Levantado waits. Here you'll find rich snorkelling with extraordinary visibility below the crisp clear waters. Get a closer view of the teeming reefs where tiny fish dart back and forth. Or simply lie back and let the sun gently bronze your skin in the embrace of the brilliant bright white sand.

Miami is one of the world’s most popular holiday spots. It has so much to offer; from its countless beach areas, to culture and museums, from spa and shopping days out, to endless cuban restaurants and cafes. Miami is a multicultural city that has something to offer to everyone.