Barbados
Gateway and beaches
Suggested stay: 3 nights
The best air links in the region, west-coast calm water, Oistins fish fry on Friday and rum distilleries inland.
Getting there: Direct flights from the UK, US and Canada.
Eastern Caribbean & the Grenadines
Island Hopping in the Caribbean
Volcanic peaks, rum distilleries and sailing routes through the Grenadines.
Why hop here
Eastern Caribbean hopping is done by short regional flights and, in the Grenadines, by ferry and yacht. Islands here are only 30 to 60 minutes apart by air but each has a distinct language of food, music and landscape — Barbados' beaches, Saint Lucia's Pitons, Grenada's spice hills and Antigua's 365 beaches.
Regional carriers connect the islands in under an hour, but schedules are thin and same-day connections can fail. Plan one island per three nights and avoid tight transfers.
The Grenadines are the exception: Saint Vincent, Bequia and the Tobago Cays connect by ferry and are best explored on a skippered catamaran, which doubles as accommodation.
Hurricane season runs June to November, peaking August to October. June and late November are legitimately good value; the deep peak is worth avoiding for a hopping trip.
BeachSailingDivingFoodWellnessHikingCulture
The islands
Islands to include in a Caribbean route
How long to stay on each, what it is actually for, and how you get there.
Saint Lucia
Scenery and honeymoons
Suggested stay: 3 nights
The Pitons, Sulphur Springs, Soufrière's rainforest and the best resort views in the Caribbean.
Getting there: 45-minute flight from Barbados.
Grenada
Spice and diving
Suggested stay: 3 nights
Grand Anse beach, the underwater sculpture park, chocolate estates and nutmeg plantations.
Getting there: 50-minute flight from Barbados or Saint Lucia.
Antigua
Beaches and sailing
Suggested stay: 3 nights
English Harbour's Georgian dockyard, Shirley Heights on Sunday and a beach for every day of the year.
Getting there: 1h15 flight from Barbados.
Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
Sailing route
Suggested stay: 4 nights
Bequia, Mustique and the Tobago Cays — the finest short sailing grounds in the Atlantic.
Getting there: Flight to SVD, then ferry to Bequia (1h).
Transportation
How you travel between the islands
Journey times are for the standard service in high season. Crossings marked as weather dependent should never be booked on the day of an international flight.
- Barbados
- Saint Lucia
- Grenada
- Antigua
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
| From | To | Mode | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados | Saint Lucia | Flight | 45 min | Regional carriers; several daily but schedules shift seasonally. |
| Saint Lucia | Grenada | Flight | 50 min | Often via Barbados — check for a same-day connection before booking. |
| Saint Vincent | Bequia | Ferry | 1h | Frequent, cheap and scenic; the gateway to the Grenadines. |
| Bequia | Tobago Cays | Boat | 3h under sail | Charter or day boat; the Cays are a protected marine park. |
| Airport | Resort | Transfer | 30–90 min | Saint Lucia's UVF–Soufrière road is 1h15; the helicopter transfer takes 15 min. |
Best time to visit
Month-by-month conditions in the Caribbean
Weather, crowds, price levels, sea state and what each window is actually good for.
| Months | Weather | Crowds | Prices | Sea conditions | Recommended activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec–Feb | 27–29°C, dry, breezy | Very high | Peak | Calm on the west coasts | Sailing, beaches, Shirley Heights — book 6 months ahead |
| Mar–Apr | 28–30°C, dry | High | High | Excellent; best visibility | Diving, Grenadines sailing, Easter regattas |
| May–Jun | 29–31°C, first showers | Moderate | Moderate | Warm and calm | Best value window before hurricane season |
| Jul–Aug | 30–32°C, humid | Moderate | Moderate | Warm; watch forecasts | Carnival season in Barbados and Grenada |
| Sep–Oct | 30–32°C, peak storm risk | Low | Low | Unsettled | Many resorts close; take insurance seriously |
| November | 28–30°C, drying | Low | Low | Improving through the month | Late-November value with near-dry-season weather |
Accommodation
Where to stay in the Caribbean
Nightly rates are estimates for a double room in shoulder-to-high season and exclude peak holiday weeks.
Luxury
from $700/nightPiton-view suites with private pools, all-inclusive beachfront resorts and crewed catamaran charters.
Areas: Soufrière (Saint Lucia), west coast Barbados, Jumby Bay (Antigua)
Mid-range
from $220/nightBoutique guesthouses, apartment hotels near the beach and small dive resorts with breakfast.
Areas: Rodney Bay (Saint Lucia), Grand Anse (Grenada), Jolly Harbour (Antigua)
Budget
from $110/nightSelf-catering apartments, family-run inns and Bequia guesthouses a short walk from the water.
Areas: St Lawrence Gap (Barbados), Bequia, Grand Anse Valley
Best area to stay
Grand Anse, Grenada — three kilometres of sand, real neighbourhood restaurants and a fair price for the Caribbean.
Best for couples
Soufrière, Saint Lucia, for Piton views from bed.
Best for families
Jolly Harbour, Antigua: calm water and self-catering space.
Best for nightlife
St Lawrence Gap in Barbados and Rodney Bay in Saint Lucia.
Best for beaches
Antigua's Half Moon Bay and Barbados' Crane Beach.
Itineraries
Caribbean itineraries, planned day by day
Each plan sets out morning, afternoon and evening, where to sleep, how you travel and an estimated daily spend.
7 daysCaribbean
7-Day Caribbean Island Escape
Two islands, one 45-minute flight. Barbados for west-coast beaches and Friday's fish fry, Saint Lucia for the Pitons, sulphur springs and rainforest.
HoneymoonRomanticLuxuryRelaxed pace
Estimated total ≈ $3,340 per person
View day-by-day planCaribbean island hopping: FAQs
- What is the easiest Caribbean island-hopping route?
- Barbados → Saint Lucia → Grenada, using 45–50 minute regional flights, or Saint Vincent → Bequia → Tobago Cays by ferry and charter yacht.
- Can you take a ferry between Caribbean islands?
- Only on some routes. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are well connected by ferry; Barbados, Saint Lucia, Grenada and Antigua require flights.
- How expensive is Caribbean island hopping?
- Expect $320 per person per day mid-range excluding international flights, plus $150–260 per inter-island flight. These are estimates and peak-season rates run higher.
- When should you avoid the Caribbean?
- September and October, the peak of hurricane season, when many small resorts close and storm disruption is most likely.