What’s better than vacationing on a Caribbean island? Vacationing on two! These paradise pairings offer distinctly different but equally appealing experiences clients can enjoy without buying another flight. Just hop on a ferry and sail away to your “second” getaway!
Guadeloupe + Terre-De-Haut, Guadeloupe Islands
Most people don’t know that the French Caribbean territory of Guadeloupe is actually an archipelago of several islands, including the butterfly-shaped “big islands” of Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, linked by road. All the other islands, however, are within 20- to 45-minutes of each other by ferry, including another archipelago called Les Saintes. My favorite “Saint” is Terre-De-Haut. Your clients can rent a scooter or golf cart to explore this charming 2-sq.-mile island in just a day. But just strolling around the main town, Le Bourg, will reveal quiet streets lined with colorful fretworked cottages; boutiques selling everything from madras-plaid kaftans to locally produced rhum; and waterfront restaurants, where the traditional Guadeloupean guava or coconut tart tourment d’amour is a fittingly French-Caribbean finale.
Antigua + Barbuda
From the historic buildings of Nelson’s Dockyard to the sugar-fine sands of Dickenson Bay and the colorful art galleries of St. John, Antigua has a lot to offer. But so does its little sister, Barbuda. Visitors can take the 90-minute Barbuda Express ferry (flights are also available) over to the smaller (just 62 sq. miles) and quieter island sibling, where the pace of life is appropriately leisurely. Birdwatchers should definitely visit the frigate bird sanctuary, an offshore rookery where jet-black frigate birds mate between September and April. And beach bums should make hanging out on one of the island’s spectacular pink-sand (really!) beaches a priority. Grab lunch at the beachfront Barbuda outpost of Nobu, then ferry back after a day well spent.
Anguilla + Sandy Island
With its impressive array of international restaurants, plush villas and luxurious resorts, there’s a lot to love about Anguilla. No doubt clients will be tempted to put their bums on all 33 of its white-sand beaches. But before they rent a car to see them, they should know that one the destination’s best strands is actually a boat ride away. Hop a skiff from the dock at Sandy Ground and they’ll soon be at Sandy Island, a tiny offshore oasis, which is just a 20-minute ride away yet feels a world apart. On the agenda: Kicking back with a rum punch; feasting on grilled Anguillian crayfish; and then a blissful afternoon chilling on the beach, to the sound of the “wind and waves band.”
Want even more of the 411 from the Caribbean, check out all the Caribbean Dispatch columns.
