DESTINATIONS

Luxury travelers are always searching for spectacular landscapes and unparalleled experiences with unique flavors. Often the Caribbean lives up to those high expectations. These islands provide places of solace, of rest and relaxation and adventure – all things that are desperately needed right now. There is no better time to cross some items off your Caribbean bucket list than right now. Here are five Caribbean destinations that will make every moment of your time count in big ways!

Anguilla

You can get off the grid totally without sacrificing one bit of luxury. You just have to pack your bags and head to Anguilla. The island is in close proximity to Antigua and Barbuda, between Guadeloupe and Puerto Rico in front of the island of St. Martin. It’s just a wee island (16 miles long by three miles wide), but spectacularly popular with the jet-set crowd due to its privacy, hospitality and utter beauty. There are no high rises, no cruise ships, no casinos and no shopping malls. And there is always something to do and but you can choose to do nothing at all and enjoy the island all the same.

When to visit: For the most part, the Anguillan climate is hot and humid. From January to June, the weather is hot and dry. From July to November, you’ll get much more humidity accompanied by a little less heat.

A must-see: The Amerindian Fountain Cavern in Shoal Bay East is Anguilla's new national heritage site. This incredible underground cave –15 meters below the surface of Anguilla – was long ago a place of pilgrimage and worship. It is an exceptional pre-Columbian archaeological site housing one of the world's most complete examples of primitive Native American art so beautifully lit by natural light from an entrance hole in the cave ceiling, that it will take your breath away. This cave is the oldest known and longest used ceremonial cave site in the Caribbean. Visitor and interpretation centers display artifacts and provide information so you can get the most out of your visit. When you are planning on jetting away to Anguilla, you will want to stay in the lap of luxury. Villa Veronica is all that and then some. You will have a stunning private beachfront and an infinity pool. Add to that a hot tub, outdoor dining area, gym all in a sumptuous home perched on a tropical hillside overlooking the azure blue water.

Bahamas

The bewitching Bahamas is made up of more than 700 pristine subtropical islands and 2,400 cays, most of which are uninhabited and surrounded by spectacular sea life and bottomless ocean trenches. From Nassau, with its funkiness, to the boundless mangroves of Andros, there are many beaches, forests, reefs and historic towns for you to discover. Two of the most popular white-sand spots are spectacular Cable and Cabbage beaches. Also, you can head over to the Big Major Cay Island, to find a beach that’s home to dozens of adorable, friendly pigs that will just love to welcome you by accompanying you on a swim! The best place to see some of the islands’ wildlife is Inagua National Park, where the world’s largest flock of flamingos makes its home! You can also go fishing on the island of Bimini, hike at the Lucayan Caverns in Grand Bahama or go snorkeling or diving to explore one of the islands’ many spectacular coral reefs.

When to visit: The best time to visit the Bahamas is from mid-December to mid-April. Though temperatures are great year-round (they rarely dip below 60 degrees), the islands fall within the hurricane belt, so hurricanes may be a factor between June 1 and November 30.

A must-see: You can’t leave the Bahamas without a trip to Pink Sand Beach at Harbour Island – one of the most incredible natural wonders in the Caribbean. The light pink sand gets its color from thousands of broken coral pieces, shells and calcium carbonate left behind by foraminifera that live in the coral reefs surrounding the beach.

One of the most stunning Bahamas luxury homes happens to be Villa Marina and it could be your home away from home when you’re visiting the Bahamas. This palatial seafront residence can accommodate up to 17 guests. On the shores of a pristine beach, Villa Marina has a private path leading to the tepid waters of the Caribbean. It’s brimming with modern amenities and is ideal for intimate or lavish all-day celebrations.

St. Barth

St. Barth, also known as Saint Barthélemy or St. Bart’s, is hands-down one of the most gorgeous islands in the Caribbean. It is a go-to destination for society’s elite to unplug and recharge and it’s brimming with gourmet restaurants and luxury boutiques. This French island is actually a volcanic rock just eight miles square and is home to 9,000 residents. The lovely atoll has retained its character and charm with Creole-style cottages and mountainous landscapes that hug bright white sand beaches caressed by waves of the bluest of blue water.

When to visit: The best time to visit St. Barth is from April to June. These three months are before the storm-prone fall months.

A must-see: Lorient is one of the oldest villages in St. Barth and is located on the northern part of the island. It has a pristine sand beach surrounding the deep blue waters of the Caribbean. If you’re looking to learn how to ride the waves, there is a small beach hut on one end where guests can get lessons and rent boards. On the other end, the water is calm for swimming, snorkeling, and stand-up paddle boarding. Lorient is the site of the island’s first French settlement. Visitors are drawn to the 19th century Catholic church, historic bell tower, and Ligne Saint Barth, a famous luxury soap, shampoo, and perfume manufacturer.

When it comes to St. Barth luxury homes, you would be pressed to find one more exceptional place to stay in than Villa Wake Up. Incredibly private and intensely picturesque, this breathtaking beachfront home comes with a number of exclusive amenities like a sauna, steam room, cinema room, gym, massage room, hot tub and heated outdoor pool.

St. Martin/St. Maarten

If you’re thinking you would like a little bit of feistiness mixed in with your Caribbean vacation, give St. Martin/St. Maarten some thought. The best part of visiting this dual-governed island is getting to taste two distinct, lively cultures. This 37-square-mile dot in the sea is popular with travelers who like to eat well, party hard and shop in between trips to the beach. The north side, St. Martin, is controlled by the French government. It's home to the island's tastiest restaurants and party beaches. Whereas cosmopolitan St. Maarten shelters the most animated casinos, bars and clubs. A territory of the Netherlands Antilles, St. Maarten takes up the southern 16 square miles. St. Martin and St. Maarten still has a stress-free vibe – starting out with how easily you can pass between both sides. You can catch a few morning rays on a quiet Dutch-side beach and later take a leisurely afternoon stroll on a French-side mountain.

When to visit: May and June or between November and mid-December. Since it has a surface area of less than 40 square meters, the area enjoys stable and consistent weather conditions.

A must-do: The St. Maarten zip line is the world’s steepest, dropping more than one thousand feet in elevation along 2,800 feet of cable and serving up spectacular views of the island the entire way down. The Flying Dutchman is in the Rockland Estate eco-adventure park which also has an inner tube track, and equally-exhilarating canopy tour on-site.

One of the most dazzling St. Martin luxury homes is Villa Rosalind. An ideal home for the elite traveler, Villa Rosalind offers an amazing media room, gym, Moroccan-inspired interiors and a jaw-dropping location right on Baie Rouge beach. The outdoor area is magnificent with a heated pool and pool bar, hot tub, patio, terrace and dining area with a state-of-the-art BBQ.

Turks and Caicos

Turks and Caicos is an archipelago of eight major islands and many small cays in the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Its stunning blue waters and pristine white sand give the island some of the world’s most amazing beaches. Major cities including New York, Charlotte, Boston, and Philadelphia are less than four hours away, while Chicago, Toronto and Montreal are less than five-hour flights. The average direct flight time from London and Paris is about eight-and-a-half hours. You should be prepared to experience spectacular beaches, a pristine marine environment, friendly people and fine dining.

When to visit: February, March and April. You might not wish to visit during hurricane season from June 1 to November 30.

A must-do: The Turks and Caicos is one of the few destinations where it’s possible to snorkel with Humpback whales and the opportunity does often occur. This once-in-a-lifetime magical experience is intended to be as low of an impact to the whales as possible. As is often the case, the boat will stop a distance from the Humpbacks, snorkelers will enter the water, and the whales will approach or pass on their own. Giving birth is one of the primary reasons the Humpbacks make the long migration, so it’s common to see calves. In some unforgettable encounters, whales and calves have spent time around the snorkelers, which in some cases has been for longer than an hour! The whales are in the area from late January to early April.

When you’re visiting a place as gorgeous as the Turks and Caicos, you want to have equal beauty when you are at your vacation place of residence. Villa Charisse is an elegant, contemporary, beachfront oasis with room for 16 guests who will enjoy amenities like a spa lounge, cinema room, gym, heated pool, hot tub and an amazing outdoor dining area.

There is no doubt the Caribbean offers some stellar places to visit. No matter which place to which you would like to travel first, LVH will take care of every travel detail for you. Our goal is to have your vacation be everything you ever expected it would be and more and that entails staying in the lap of luxury, having full services, around-the-clock support and doing those things that give you the most joy. We invite you to contact one of our experienced client relations team members who will get the planning underway. Share your vacation dreams with us and let us work our magic to make them come true!