The best Caribbean islands to visit for ultimate indulgence
Turquoise seas, white sands, adventure blowing through swaying palms and exquisite Caribbean luxury resorts. These are the best Caribbean islands to visit for ultimate indulgence.
We’ve scoured the Caribbean Sea for islands bursting with natural wonder and home to some of the world’s finest luxury hotels and resorts, narrowing down the list to the breathtaking handful of the very best Caribbean islands to visit below.
It’s hard not to choose all of them. Every island in the Caribbean is special, it’s a part of the world that, once you’ve visited once, it’s virtually impossible not to return. But there are certain Caribbean islands you go to when you’re looking for more than a luxury vacation. When you’re looking for the best Caribbean islands to visit for a lavish experience you’ll never forget.
We’ve opted for Caribbean islands that tick all the boxes in that respect and in order to deliver ultimate luxury they have to be home to at least one of the world’s best luxury hotels and resorts, ideally more.
Some of the places to stay on these islands don’t even seem real, and the hoteliers have thought of absolutely everything to ensure guests want for nothing. Each luxury Caribbean resort on this list is unique and exceptional, and you won’t find anything else quite like it anywhere else in the world.
If you’ve decided that you want to go all out, to find a vacation so spectacularly indulgent you’ll even have to think twice before posting on Instagram because your surroundings are almost too good to share, these are the best Caribbean islands to visit.
For more Caribbean luxury travel inspiration you might like to read about our pick of the best beach hotels on Barbados’ famed west coast and our guide to luxurious boutique hotels in St Lucia. And if you’re planning a romantic getaway take a look at our pick of the best honeymoon resorts in St Lucia too.
Have you been to the Caribbean? Where did you stay? If you had the trip of a lifetime let us know so we can add the island and the resort to the list of the best Caribbean islands to visit for ultimate indulgence below. Tell us about your experiences and let’s raise the profile of the places that are truly unforgettable. Contact us and let us know.
Wild Bay Co is as much a celebration of the people who make these incredible experiences possible, as it is a celebration of the luxury resorts and hotels themselves. If you’ve stayed somewhere outstanding that deserves recognition for its exceptional attention to detail as well as its stunning setting then contact us and let us know.
There are very few experiences as special as a stay at Cayo Espanto.
Cayo Espanto
Cayo Espanto is a luxurious world-class private island Belize resort in the Caribbean.
Discover your own private Caribbean island
There are very few experiences as special as a stay at Cayo Espanto, a Belize private island resort surrounded by cerulean blue Caribbean sea where your every wish is catered for with 5 star luxury.
Located three miles off the coast of San Pedro Cayo Espanto’s glorious four acres of soft white sand and tropical palms and exotic flowers is home to seven luxurious, intimately private, seafront guest villas, each with its own plunge pool and private dock complete with sun loungers.
Like everything else on the island the cuisine and dining experience is world class. Award winning chefs from across the globe create new menus daily from the freshest tropical ingredients to perfectly suit your tastes, based on a survey you are asked to fill out before you even arrive on the island. From breakfast in bed to a romantic candlelit dinner on your personal veranda each meal is made to be unforgettable.
The big draw of this Belize private island resort is being able to truly escape it all, and relax in breathtaking paradise without needing to worry about a single thing. With such beautiful surroundings it’s likely you’ll want to spend your time absorbing as much natural wonder as you can with perhaps a foray to the first class island spa as far as you’re willing to venture from your elegant accomodation. But if you do get an itch to explore there’s no better base for adventure. You can visit the world’s second-largest barrier-reef system, where the diving is exceptional; go bonefishing, partake in water sports off the beach, like windsurfing or catamaran sailing, go on a bird watching tour, private cruise, picnic excursion or exotic jungle tour to name just some of the once-in-a-lifetime experiences on offer.
Spend your evenings enchanted and your days engulfed in the Caribbean waters that surround each private villa and enjoy what must surely be one of the best Caribbean islands to visit for luxury and indulgence.
Equal parts beauty and mystique, Saint Lucia captivates anyone who sets foot on her coastline.
St Lucia
Stunning beaches, lush rainforests, the Pitons, two breathtaking volcanic spires on a UNESCO world heritage site, and some of the best luxury resorts in the Caribbean. St Lucia has it all.
Welcome to St Lucia
With its lush green jungle, secret coves, white, golden, and black sand beaches, and the iconic Pitons, two breathtaking volcanic spires on a UNESCO world heritage site, rising high into the bright blue Caribbean skies, St Lucia should be on every travel wish-list.
What makes it so truly special is that the selection of world class luxury resorts and hotels on the island have made it so you can bathe in the raw beauty all around you, while simultaneously enjoying every creature comfort imaginable and plenty you hadn’t even dreamed of.
It’s no coincidence that many couples choose St Lucia as their dream honeymoon destination. The best honeymoon resorts in St Lucia should be right up there when you’re looking for the perfect place to spend that once-in-a-lifetime vacation.
Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, set among 100 acres of pristine lush rainforest on the shores of a hidden Caribbean cove, the towering peaks of the Pitons all around you, is one of the most beautiful and amazing places to stay on the planet. Just ask Instagram.
As is the Ladera Resort. Nestled in the heart of St Lucia’s lush green rainforest, perched gracefully atop a 1000ft high volcano ridgeline with spectacular views of the Pitons and the deep blue Caribbean Sea, the Ladera Resort looks more like something from fiction than reality and is one of the best luxury resorts in the Caribbean.
Sandals Halcyon Beach is an exceptional all-inclusive option offering seclusion and tranquility. It combines the feel of a luxury boutique resort with a great variety of things to do, and amazing places to eat and drink.
St Lucia is one of the best Caribbean islands to visit for an intoxicating mix of wild adventure and lavish, indulgent luxury.
Chic, secluded, private island luxury in the heart of the Grenadines.
Petit St Vincent
A 115-acre tropical paradise with a rhythm all of its own. A boutique beach resort where low-key luxury meets high-end service. A place to disconnect from the world and reconnect with each other. This is Caribbean living as you dream it can be. Petit St Vincent in St Vincent and the Grenadines is an all-inclusive luxury resort in the heart of the Caribbean.
Barefoot luxury, discreet service, and complete privacy
Sometimes it’s just not enough to get away. Sometimes you really need to put a little cerulean blue between yourself and normality. Luckily places (by ‘places’ read unimaginable secluded paradise) like Petit St Vincent in St Vincent and the Grenadines exist for just such occasions.
Petit St. Vincent lies 40 miles south of St. Vincent in the very heart of the Grenadines – one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the Caribbean. Cooled by the trade winds, and sitting just 12 ̊ 32’ north of the equator, the island is famed for its near-perfect climate all year round.
The 115-acre island is home to lush green hills, palm-fringed beaches, and miles of rugged coastline. 22 exquisite villas can be found on the hillside, the beach, and the bluff along the eastern side of the island, and are just a short walk from the main beaches, two restaurants and hillside spa (naturally).
When you’re looking for the best Caribbean islands to visit they don’t come much more exclusive and luxurious than this.
The British Virgin Islands are a collection of 60 unspoiled islands that pack the best of the Caribbean into one convenient destination.
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands, part of a volcanic archipelago in the Caribbean, is a British overseas territory. Comprising of four main islands and many smaller ones, it’s known for its reef-lined beaches and as a yachting destination.
Unspoiled Caribbean islands
The British Virgin Islands are a collection of more than 50 unspoiled islands in the Caribbean known for their reef-lined beaches and luxury yachts bobbing on the cerulean blue waves.
The four largest islands are Virgin Gorda, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada.
Powdery white-sand beaches, lush green mountains, and sheltered, yacht-filled harbours characterize the island of Tortola, the BVI’s largest and capital island. The past of the West Indies and the present-day BVI mix and mingle with ruins existing alongside the luxury resorts that draw visitors from around the world.
Measuring 8 ½ square miles, Virgin Gorda entices travelers with its yacht clubs, quiet coves, safe anchorages and luxury Virgin Gorda resorts and villas.
Natural beauty is in abundance and accessible via indigenous plant-lined trails, nature sanctuaries and natural wonders of protected national parks. Hike to the island’s high point, Gorda Peak, for a splendid panoramic view of the surrounding islands.
Named for an early Dutch settler and former pirate, Jost Van Dyke runs deep with rugged scenery and colorful folklore. Explore vegetation-covered sugar mill ruins, old trails that crisscross the island and the East End’s natural sea-formed Jacuzzi, or observe whales and dolphins.
The only coral island in the Virgin Islands’ volcanic chain, Anegada is characterized by its nearly flat elevation, the striking coral reefs that surround it, secluded sandy beaches and clear springs bubbling from coral beds.
The British Virgin Islands are also home to Necker Island, Sir Richard Branson’s luxury private island. Necker Island is normally hired exclusively, but on selected weeks of the year known as ‘Celebration Weeks’ you can book individual rooms on the island.
Guana Island is an unspoiled jewel with 850 acres, seven beaches, mountains, gardens, organic orchard, dozens of hiking trails, and even a flock of flamingos forming the exclusive domain of a handful of guests for the duration of their stay.
Rosewood Little Dix Bay, on Virgin Gorda, has long been synonymous with barefoot luxury. Remaining true to its heritage, the resort’s British Virgin Island accommodations blend a sophisticated Caribbean sensibility with the understated refinement of mid-century modern design. Interiors are composed of crisp, clean lines, layers of texture, organic forms and natural materials such as wood and stone. Open, light-filled spaces and inviting outdoor living areas accentuate the connection with the island’s lush tropical landscape.
Enjoy the paradise island of Saint Barthelemy.
St Barths
St Barths (or Saint Barts) is a paradise caribbean island in the French west indies known for its stunning beaches and designer boutiques.
The art of being an island
Saint Barthelemy, a French-speaking Caribbean island commonly known as St Barts, or St Barths, is known for its white-sand beaches, designer shops and unique brand of laid-back luxury which frequently attracts celebrities and socialites to its beautiful shores.
The capital, Gustavia, encircling a yacht-filled harbor, has high-end restaurants, boutique shopping and historical attractions and is worth exploring if you can possibly leave whichever of St Barths’ 16 stunning beaches you happen to be staying on or closest to.
Rising from the cerulean blues looking like the most exotic of Bond locations Eden Rock St Barths has flirted with the glamourous stars of stage and screen for decades and is now reknowned the world over for being one of the go-to resorts in the Caribbean, and one of the best hotels in St Barths, for those looking for safety and freedom in the most sylish of settings.
Whether you call it Saint Barthelemy, St Barts or St Barths there’s no denying this is one of the best Caribbean islands to visit for exclusive indulgent luxury.
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