ABOUT OUR CARIBBEAN
HINTS AND HIGHLIGHTS
The Caribbean is a dream destination that also possesses a charming reality that we believe deserves to be conveyed . We want to show you that dream destination and to introduce you to more of local life besides , to make your holiday truly memorable . Our Caribbean is about relaxation , comfort and good service combined with idyllic surroundings and the opportunity to glimpse the flavour and colour of local life .
CARIBBEAN LANDSCAPE
The islands of the Caribbean vary dramatically one from the other but to give a few contrasting examples of what you might expect : acres of banana plantations that gradually give way to the tropical forests of the Pitons on St Lucia , dramatic high ridged mountains , swathed in vegetation including coffee trees , avocado and mango on Jamaica , grassy rolling hills and calm blue inlets of Antigua , sugar cane and forests of palm on Barbados , flat scrub , long white beaches and turquoise seas of Barbuda and Anguilla .
SAND AND BEACHES
The tropical beach of your dreams does exist . In fact , the reality is much better than you imagine . Most beaches on the islands we feature are formed from coral and are therefore a white soft sand with tinges of pink or yellow . Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman is one of the best beaches in the world . Antigua boasts almost a beach for every day of the year . Some islands will have black sand , usually if the island is volcanic in origin . Hence , most of the beaches of St Vincent ( but not Young Island ) and St Kitts are of black sand .
FRANGIPANI AND HIBISCUS
The wealth of colour contained in the abundant shrubs , trees and flowers found all over the Caribbean is glorious . Most striking are the deep pinks , reds and oranges of the bougainvillaea , hibiscus and flamboyant trees . Almost no matter the status of Caribbean house you will find a well-tended garden sprouting a depth of colour only ever matched by the paintwork of the house itself ! There are a number of tropical botanical gardens you can visit including the St Vincent Botanical Gardens , Andromeda Gardens on Barbados and the Bay Gardens in Grenada .
BIRDS , INSECTS AND WILDLIFE
The range of birds and their array of colours , song and size often astound the newcomer . There are hummingbirds , mockingbirds , egrets , parrots and pelicans . After nightfall the air seems to be vibrant with the sound of birds and insects . Small lizards are commonplace everywhere , as are beetles and cockroaches ( certainly not due to a lack of hygiene but just the climate ). The iguana is a shy , harmless and fascinating resident of many of the Virgin Islands . Goat and sheep are almost indistinguishable , apart from the angle of the tail , roam freely . Some islands have their own monkeys for example , St Kitts ' Monkey .
COLONIAL OR RUSTIC
The architecture of the Caribbean is fascinating when at its most authentic . From stone or wood plantation Great Houses , to boldly coloured houses adorned with gingerbread carvings , the real Caribbean house is very appealing . For us the colours of sun-bleached blues , greens , yellows and pinks shout Caribbean . Some hotels happily reflect this regional style . Others , whilst built of local stone , have a slightly more rustic ‘ South Seas ’ feel . Some of the old plantation houses and reconstructed historic buildings are open to the public , for example , Rose Hall on Jamaica .
SPORT AND PASTIMES
The West Indians ’ love of cricket is renowned . It is fascinating to see the national cricket pitch of tiny Nevis ( population 9,000 ) and to hear that this proud island produces cricketers in the West Indian side or to see the local pitches , shared with sheep on Antigua . Basketball is growing in popularity thanks to an increasing American influence . A frequent sight is a huddle of men , perhaps with a beer in hand , engrossed in a game of dominoes . On Sunday mornings all those churches you ’ ve seen take meaning as numerous West Indians , dressed in obvious Sunday Best head towards them . Every island has festivals and Carnival throughout the Caribbean is a great occasion .
GETTING AROUND
The roads on most of the islands we feature are actually quite good , give or take a few potholes . ( Signposts are another matter so we recommend an ordnance survey map if possible , although you have to be prepared to get lost every so often . When you do you just stop and ask someone for help ). Car-hire is reasonably priced and a good , independent way of getting around . Certainly on the larger islands such as Barbados , Jamaica , Grenada , Antigua , St Lucia and Guadeloupe we would recommend the use of a car for at least part of your holiday to see the islands . Jeeps are also available for rougher road surfaces ( some of the hills are quite steep ). Taxis also represent good value and you always learn a lot of local information from the driver . Inter-island flights are usually on about 17 or 30 seater LIAT ( often Twin Otter or Dash 8 ) aircraft or 6 or 8 seater private or shared charter services for flying to the smaller islands such as the Virgin Islands and the Grenadines .
CARIBBEAN CUISINE
The Caribbean today offers extremely high standards of cuisine . Of great interest to the visitor are the numerous tropical fruits and vegetables . Limes , banana , plantain , coconut , passion fruit , christophene , dasheen , mango and guava . Local fish and seafood feature very prominently so many menus contain dolphin-fish , flying fish , snapper and grouper , lobster and conch . Other specialities might include curried goat , chicken roti , rice ‘ n ’ peas and pepperpot . The best Caribbean cuisine today makes imaginative use of these wonderfully-flavoured local ingredients , serving them in a way that satisfies the most sophisticated palate . Eating out and about at local beach bars and cafés is very satisfying with good sized , well presented portions that offer excellent value for money . Barbados , Grand Cayman and of course the French Islands have a wide choice of gourmet restaurants .
LOCAL DRINK
Rum of course is universally popular , with the local brands of each island competing with one another . Each island also seems to have its own brew of beer : Banks on Barbados , Piton on St Lucia , Red Stripe on Jamaica , Wadadli on Antigua , Carib in Grenada , Hairoun on St Vincent and Stingray on Cayman . Some of the most wonderful tropical flavours appear in the soft drinks ; fruit punches , coconut punch and lime squash . For something cool and non-alcoholic , our recommendation would be a genuine lime squash or a good old fashioned lemonade .
We recommend that you also read the Important Information at the back of this brochure .
Phone 01392 441210 to make a reservation or discuss your holiday plans , or visit www . caribbeanexpressions . co . uk
8