The insiders’ guide to the Caribbean | Canada Voices

What’s the best way to retreat, relax and recharge in the Caribbean? Here are some tips from the people who live and work there.

MARTINIQUE

Where Caribbean meets Continental. Arrive in five hours, non-stop from Montreal. Your insider guide: Valerie Vulcain, hospitality and tourism consultant

Back in the 1700s, when Acadian settlers were driven from their homes in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, 400 families ended up in the Martinique city of Morne-Rouge. Earlier this year the city celebrated the 260th anniversary of their arrival by naming a street Le Chemin Des Acadiens. But that’s not the only reason to visit the French-Caribbean island, says Martiniquain and local tourism consultant Valerie Vulcain. “Although we’re only 417 square miles [1,080 square kilometres], there’s so much here to explore,” Vulcain says. And to really get to know it, she suggests planning to stay for at least a week and that you rent a car. (“We’re part of France and our roads, signage and infrastructure are built to European standards.”)

Vulcain recommends visiting one of the nine distilleries here that manufacture rhum agricole, a variety that’s unique to the French Caribbean, made with fresh sugar-cane juice instead of molasses. And Martinique is the only country in the world to have its own AOC-designated rum. “At Habitation Clement you can taste our AOC rum, shop for local items in the épicerie and then visit Fondation Clement, the free, on-site art gallery. That’s my favourite way to spend a rainy day.” In Tartane, the oceanview Rhum Hardy distillery is smaller and draws crowds to its rooftop for happy hour.

When it’s time to soak up the sun, Vulcain makes a beeline for the north coast town of Le Carbet. “I love its setting, with views of Mount Pelée volcano, and it’s also my favourite spot for sunset.” (While you’re there, snap a selfie in front La Coeur de Carbet, the straw heart created by local artist Chris Hustler). On the south coast, Anse Figuier and Pointe Marin top her list.

Martinique’s capital, Fort-de-France, is chock-a-block with things to do, and Vulcain warns that visitors will need to be selective with their limited time. Priorities, she says, should include visiting Bibliothèque Schoelcher – a metal library constructed in Paris, dismantled and reassembled on the island more than a century ago – as well as shopping for local rum, chocolate and calissons (fruit candies) at Avenue des Caraibes. The terrace at Hotel L’Impératrice (established in the 1950s and one of the oldest on the island) is where visitors should try accra (fried codfish cakes) and ti punch, the traditional island welcome drink made with rhum agricole, sugar and lime.

“My new favourite restaurant is Ginger, run by chef Vladimir Francois-Maïkoouva,” says Vulcain. “It’s in a majestic mansion just outside the city and serves a fusion of Caribbean, French and Asian food.” As in France, meals can run long and leisurely here. Tété Dwèt’s 2.5-hour-long food tours, Vulcain says, are an efficient way to get a culinary overview of the island, focusing on traditional dishes and sweets.

Where to stay: In a garden setting in the village of Tartane, Hotel French Coco has 17 Creole-themed suites, each with its own plunge pool.

ANGUILLA

Where it starts – and ends – at the beach. Arrive in three hours, non-stop from Miami. Your insider guide: Trudy Nixon, publisher, True Anguilla magazine.

Anguilla isn’t at all like Aruba or Antigua, those other more familiar Caribbean islands whose names also start with “A.” Unlike Aruba, there are no casinos or all-inclusive resorts here. And no waving fields of sugar cane welcome passersby, as they do on Antigua. The British Overseas Territory is a low-lying island that, until American Airlines launched direct flights from Miami into Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport four years ago, could only be accessed by ferry from St. Maarten (30 minutes away). The other option is puddle-jumper flights from neighbouring islands, including the equally high-end (but far flashier) St. Barts. Arriving at Blowing Point ferry terminal, the flat, largely featureless terrain isn’t impressive. Yet Anguilla has long been a favourite escape of wealthy vacationers and celebrities, including Beyoncé and Robert DeNiro. They’re drawn not by its inland topography but to its 33 beaches, all pristine, none crowded.

One of those beaches also drew British branding consultant Trudy Nixon, who first set eyes on Anguilla from the deck of a tall ship. “We docked and took a taxi to Shoal Bay East, where I put my toes in sand as fine and white as icing sugar and instantly fell in love,” she says. Twenty-one years later, the now-naturalized Anguillian has several other strands in her rotation, and regularly recommends Rendezvous Bay and the beaches at offshore islands Prickly Pear and Sandy Island to guests at her West End Airbnb, Hummingbird Villa.

Anguilla has a robust music scene, with live performances every day of the week. “Sunday’s always ‘funday’ here, when we devote ourselves to beach-hopping and listening to live music until the sun sets,” Nixon says. “Take in some jazz at Johnno’s in Sandy Ground; listen to a local ‘string band’ on Shoal Bay; and don’t miss the Dune Preserve on Rendezvous Bay, where legendary local musician Bankie Banx rules the beachfront roost and the stage.”

While beach safaris and enjoying island tunes are worthy ways to spend your time, Nixon believes dining should also be a priority. And with more than 80 restaurants on the 90-square-kilometre island, there’s plenty to choose from. Fortunately, despite Anguilla’s pricey reputation, it is possible to eat well without breaking the bank – or straying too far from the sand.

There’s a thriving food truck scene in The Valley (Anguilla’s capital), where, every weekend for more than 25 years, Ken’s BBQ has been serving racks of ribs on the roadside for less than $10. “Elodia’s Beach Bar and Grill is an affordable watering hole on Shoal Bay. And our resort restaurants are also really good,” Nixon adds. “I’ve enjoyed many a delicious meal at Aurora Anguilla’s Japanese restaurant, Tokyo Bay. At Malliouhana, check out Celeste by Kerth Gumbs for tasty seafood and views of Turtle Cove.” Another of Nixon’s go-to’s: Jacala, which serves French-inspired fish accompanied by superb beach vistas.

Where to stay: Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel sits on Maunday’s Bay, where a crescent of white sand gives way to calm turquoise water and views of St. Maarten.

PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

Where more islands equal more fun. Arrive in four hours non-stop from Toronto. Your insider guide: Stacy Cox, CEO, Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association

3-D printing isn’t (yet) capable of creating the perfect beach destination. But if/when it is, the result will likely look a lot like the Turks and Caicos, a 40-island archipelago suspended in warm, Windex-blue waters. Providenciales (“Provo” to those in the know) is the nation’s tourism hub, and, at 98 square kilometres, the largest of the country’s eight inhabited islands. World-class beaches and a plethora of high-end resorts make the destination an easy sell for Stacey Cox, a naturalized “Belonger” who moved here from the Bahamas 27 years ago and now heads the hotel and tourism association.

“We are one destination with multiple islands, so you can easily go from the ‘city’ of Providenciales to our most authentic, organic islands like Middle and North Caicos,” she says. Which means that bums in search of beaches needn’t confine themselves to Provo’s marquee sweep, 19-km-long Grace Bay, or to the south coast strip at Long Bay, where constant breezes beckon kiteboarders and wind surfers. Easily accessible via a 30-minute public ferry, Cox’s favourite strand is Bambarra on Middle Caicos, a broad, white-sand beach possibly bearing the name of a community of illegally enslaved Africans who were shipwrecked in the 19th century. “You can walk pretty far out in crystal-clear, knee-deep water,” she says. “But I like to just relax under the shade of the casuarina trees.”

Although Provo’s beaches get all the attention (Grace Bay is a fixture on best beach lists), foodies will be just as satisfied as sand-seekers. “We have 91 nationalities here, so there’s the luxury of having several types of cuisine and dining experiences,” Cox says. Beyond iconic beach bars like Da Conch Shack – which serves ceviche-style conch salad made fresh with live mollusks held in ocean cages just steps from your table – Cox praises Indigo, the Caribbean restaurant at Wymara resort (“They never have an ‘off’ night”). She’s also a regular at Sunday brunch at the Farm at Seven Stars Resort & Spa, an open-air eatery where the fish and grits is a family favourite.

Locals and visitors mingle at the Thursday evening fish fry at the park in The Bight. It’s a “lime” (casual hangout), complete with food stalls, craft vendors and live music, that Cox considers a Provo must-do. It’s also the perfect place to sample Bambarra rum and Turks Head beer, blended and brewed on island. (Hour-long tours of Turks Head brewery are offered Monday through Saturday, and include tastings of their IPA, ale and the delightfully named I-Ain-Ga-Lie lager.)

To truly earn their “local card,” however, Cox encourages visitors to do what Belongers do and take advantage of the fast and reliable public ferry service to neighbouring islands. “Take a day trip to North and Middle Caicos. Stop for lunch at the restaurant at Mudjin Harbour and afterward, explore the caves or swim out to Dragon Cay.”

Where to stay: On Long Bay, the Shore Club suits families and groups, with plush beachfront villas that sleep as many as 14 people.

GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS

Where cosmopolitan vibes meet Caribbean soul. Arrive in four hours, non-stop from Toronto. Your insider guide: Isy B, designer.

Grand Cayman is perhaps best known as home to Seven Mile beach, the white-sand sweep that borders its west coast (for a little less than 10 kilometres, but who’s counting?). It’s also home to more than 50,000 expats, who now outnumber Caymanians. One of them is Isy B, a designer and visual storyteller whose work is now in the permanent collection of the Islands’ National Gallery. She touched down on the largest of three Cayman Islands back in 2005, only intending to stay for a year. “It’s an island that has all the modern amenities and infrastructure you need to live comfortably, and it also has Caribbean soul.”

Until the 1960s, when the tourism and finance industries took off, Grand Cayman was largely undeveloped and life here revolved around the sea. The designer recommends spending a few hours at the National Gallery of The Cayman Islands to learn more about Grand Cayman’s transition from hardscrabble to high-end.

When it’s time to hit the sand, iconic Seven Mile Beach – lined with high-rise resorts, bars and restaurants – is, of course, a must. There’s less development and you’ll find fewer people at Cemetery Beach on Seven Mile’s northern end. Isy B picks local-loved Smith Cove (a.k.a. Smith Barcadere), just a 10-minute drive south of the strip, for her own beach breaks. “It’s small, quiet and full of character. There are no buildings, and all the trees make it feel really wild.”

Local flavour can also be found at several of the island’s restaurants. At the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, Blue By Eric Ripert is the Caribbean’s first Forbes five-diamond restaurant and specializes in seafood tasting menus. For an authentic Caymanian dinner, Isy B says, “Nothing beats Cayman Cabana,” a farm-to-table restaurant on the waterfront in George Town. “The owner is really committed to showcasing Caymanian cuisine. You’ll lick your plate.” Jamaica is just an hour’s flying time from Grand Cayman, and you can also taste its influence on Caymanian cuisine here, in dishes such as the coconut-milk-based stew known as run down, and also in escovitch fried snapper, drizzled with a fiery Scotch Bonnet-pepper-spiked vinaigrette.

Stingray City – a North Sound sandbar where visitors can stand in chest-deep water to pet and feed them – is Grand Cayman’s most popular attraction. Isy B recommends visitors also take the 90-minute tour through the less-visited Crystal Caves, three coral caverns deep underneath the forest canopy on the North Side. To see yet another side of Grand Cayman, drive or sail across the North Sound to Rum Point, where the eponymous bar is the proud birthplace of the Mudslide, a frosty confection of Absolut vodka, Kahlua, Bailey’s Irish Cream and crushed ice.

Where to stay: With pride of place on Seven Mile Beach, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa is a 264-room family-friendly playground with a boutique hotel vibe.

BARBADOS

Where a week is barely enough. Arrive in five hours, non-stop from Toronto. Your insider guide: Patricia Affonso-Dass, CEO and group general manager, Ocean Hotels.

Of all the Caribbean islands you could visit, why choose Barbados? Is it A: Because the coral island has some of the best beaches and clearest water in the region? B: Because it’s so far southeast that it’s beyond the “hurricane belt” and therefore a safer bet during the June-to-November storm season? Or C: Because it’s the birthplace of rum, and you can tour distilleries, tasting the golden nectar to your heart’s content?

Hotelier Patricia Affonso-Dass, who has lived here for 27 years, believes the answer should be D: All of the above. “People have the idea that we’re an expensive destination, but we have hotels and experiences at all price points, and excellent public transport so visitors can get around affordably,” she says. Although the island is only 430 square kilometres, Affonso-Dass suggests planning a stay of at least a week to experience the popular west and south coasts (where you’ll find most hotels and restaurants) as well as the rugged Atlantic-facing east coast, which is tranquil, more rural and attracts wind-watersports afficionados.

No matter how long you’re here for, beaches will likely be top of your to-do list. Rockley Beach is lined with restaurants and bars, so you’ll never have to leave your chaise when the craving for a rum punch strikes. At sunrise, you can watch grooms from the nearby race track bathe their horses in the limpid shallows at Pebbles Beach, a daily ritual that’s become a draw for early-rising visitors. Miami Beach (a.k.a. Enterprise Beach) is Affonso-Dass’s go-to. “It’s the perfect mix of powder-white sand, sunshine and shade, and water that’s every possible colour of blue.”

Joining at least one rum distillery tour in this rum-centric destination is practically required. Mount Gay, which dates from 1703, is the oldest, and runs one of the rare Caribbean rum tours that doesn’t gloss over the labour of enslaved people. On a rainy afternoon, venture 30 metres underground to Harrison’s Cave for an electric tram ride through the 3.2-kilometre-long network of caverns, surrounded by centuries-old stalagmites and stalactites. Despite its modest hills and lack of mountains, Barbados has an enthusiastic hiking community. Avid hiker Affonso-Dass recommends contacting the Barbados Hiking Association for info on their weekly treks.

While there’s here’s no shortage of fine-dining restaurants here, Affonso-Dass feels that some of the best Bajan culinary experiences are the simplest. Don’t leave without sampling a fried fish cutter (sandwich) from Cuz’s food truck on Pebbles Beach or Caboose in Speightstown. And when it’s time for something fancier? Oro, on the ninth floor at O2 Beach Club & Spa (which she manages), is her No. 1 pick for its Caribbean fusion cuisine. “I might be biased,” she admits, “but with stunning 270-degree views of to-die-for sunsets, it’s an experience that excites all the senses.”

Where to stay: On the island’s west coast, Cobblers Cove is a family-owned boutique hotel with 40 suites set amid lush gardens that overlook a pair of white-sand beaches.