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Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun

Here are some great places for fun in the sun

Looking for a guaranteed dose of sunshine as the monsoon season starts? Head to the Caribbean this year end, where the sun is shining and the sea is shimmering.

ST BARTHELEMY

November through to January is the best time to visit as the island's weather is at its finest.

With rolling hills surrounded by coral reefs, crystal clear waters and turquoise lagoons, St Barths is renowned for its peace and quiet, beautiful beaches and exclusivity, making it the perfect destination to escape the winter blues.

The luxurious Eden Rock - St Barths (from €900, or S$1,360, a room a night), one of the most iconic hotels in the Caribbean, reopened its doors last month following an extensive two-year renovation, after the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma in 2017.

Expect a complete transformation, including three new rooms with sea views that have been built on top of the Sand Bar area, while three additional suites - two of which come complete with private swimming pools - have been built on the Rock.

Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun
PHOTO: PEROWNE INTERNATIONAL/EDEN ROCK - ST BARTHS

GRENADA

Head to the spice island of the Caribbean and stay at Silversands Grenada (from €800 a room a night), the island's first contemporary-designed luxury resort which celebrates its first birthday this month.

Expect heartfelt service, locally driven cuisine and ultra-sleek design, including its 100m swimming pool - the longest in the Caribbean.

Grenada itself is the perfect destination for groups of all ages, with its lush mountain ranges, powder-soft white sands, warm turquoise waters and balmy temperatures.

Silversands Grenada has partnered with local tour operators and guides so guests can embark on rum distillery tours, waterfall hikes and visits to chocolate-making factories.

Travellers can also book a selection of boat trips on luxury yachts or traditional Carriacou sloops to visit Grenada's famous underwater sculpture park.

Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun
PHOTO: PEROWNE INTERNATIONAL/SILVERSANDS GRENADA

BARBADOS

The newly refurbished Cobblers Cove (from €400a room a night) is one of the Caribbean's finest family-owned hotels.

Claiming 400m of white sand beach in a quiet cove, the boutique hotel is encompassed by a coral stone wall and 1.2ha of lush tropical garden.

The 40 suites are spread over nine two-storey cottages set in the garden surrounding the original house.

Those after something a little more challenging will love nearby surfing hot spot Bathsheba and the new series of guided hiking experiences across the island including a 12km east to west coast hike and a 10,000-step hike directly from Cobblers Cove to Holetown.

Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun
PHOTO: PEROWNE INTERNATIONAL/ COBBERS COVE

MEXICO

Visit between now and April for near-perfect weather every day, or from May to August to catch the sea turtle hatching season.

Set on the unspoiled ivory sands of the Riviera Maya, on what is widely considered the most beautiful stretch of beach on Mexico's Caribbean coast, Hotel Esencia (from €700a night in an entry-level Jungle Room Suite) was originally built as the private holiday home of an Italian duchess.

This year saw the launch of two spectacular Penthouse Suites - each designed to be like an "apartment in the sky" with sweeping ocean and jungle views, perched three levels above the hotel's palm garden - and Master Beach Suites, located mere seconds from the sea and built right on Xpu Ha beach.

Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun
PHOTO: PEROWNE INTERNATIONAL/HOTEL ESENCIA

ANTIGUA

Jumby Bay Island (from €1,895 in a new Beachside Suite) is a private island of simple pleasures located in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, 3.2km off mainland Antigua.

Ringed with coral reefs and reachable only by boat with no cars in sight, it comprises three stunning white-powdered beaches and countless winding bicycle paths, to create a one-of-a-kind hideaway known as the finest resort in the Caribbean.

It has just completed phase two of an inspired renovation of 28 suites, which makes this winter season the optimal time to visit.

Surrounded by lush tropical foliage, Jumby Bay Island spans 121 secluded hectares and is home to over 7km of pristine shoreline, with the main resort presiding over some of the most spectacular and fiercely protected beaches in the Caribbean.

Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun
PHOTO: PEROWNE INTERNATIONAL/JUMBY BAY ISLAND

HARBOUR ISLAND, BAHAMAS

Home of "the friendly people", Harbour Island is one of the Bahamas' most colourful and laid-back islands.

Bahama House (from £470, or S$840, a person a night) seamlessly combines its colonial-style architecture with modern design and Caribbean flair, and is available for guests on an exclusive basis.

It is a series of separate buildings arranged around a central pool, sleeping up to 22 people and offering beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces.

Bahama House's experience manager will be on hand throughout the trip, taking guests on the ultimate water-based adventures on board the 11m Scorpion Silurian Rib, including premier bone fishing, deep sea fishing, paddle boarding, diving, kite surfing and snorkelling.

Those looking for more relaxation can dip their toes in the turquoise waters off the island's famous pink sand beach.

Head to the Caribbean for a guaranteed splash of sun
PHOTO: PEROWNE INTERNATIONAL/BAHAMA HOUSE

 

TOURISM & TRAVEL