There are few experiences as pleasurable as walking a sandy beach in the Caribbean: fresh air, beautiful light, turquoise waters, softly breaking waves, and the feel of white powder beneath your toes. If the hundreds of islands comprising the Caribbean have this in common, each also has a unique personality. There are the French flavors of jet-setting St. Barth and the lively Martinique, the secluded islands of the British Virgin Islands, the spicy American-owned Puerto Rico, the old West Indian plantation life found on Nevis, and Barbados, a British stronghold until 50 years ago.

There are a thousand places to discover. Islands of lush rainforests, cascading waterfalls, fragrant gardens, uncrowded beaches, and exotic coral formations catering to snorkelers and divers. There are secluded islands for ultimate privacy and scene-stealing nightclubs for dancing the night away. If it isn’t the paradise of fiction, this varied and valued land, with its year round balmy climate, comes as close as any place on earth.