Tortola

Tortola, just 25sp km (ten square miles), where you can swim with dolphins, go on a Landrover tour or try out an underwater bike.

Antigua

Antigua is known for its 365 beaches and the sail week in April. You can tour Nelson's dockyard, go bottom fishing or head off on a catamaran. 

Barbados

Barbados is renowned for its rum, white sand and coral reefs. See the island with a downhill ride or explore the waters in a submarine. The less adventurous can visit a plantation house and sit in the shade sipping tea.

Dominica

A volcanic island boasting boiling lakes and sulphur springs. Popular shore excursions include seeing the twin waterfalls ans Emerald  Pool, spotting whales and dolphins, river tubing, going on a quad-bike safari or visiting Carib Indians and seeing endangered parrots.

St Lucia

Romantic St Lucia, with its twin Pitons mountains, is beautiful. Glide above its rain-forest in an aerial tram, see the world's only drive-in volcano, visit banana plantations or fishing villages or go horseback riding on the beach.

You will love Buccament Bay. Nestled on St Lucia's smaller sister island St Vincent, this resort has made a splash since it recently opened. With beautiful white sand (albeit imported), this luxury, all-inclusive resort is perfect if you want to do more than just lie on the beach. With three academies on site offering tuition in tennis, football and singing, you can express to leave with more than a suntan and a bottle of rum. There are also five restaurants, serious spa and the comfiest, biggest bed.

Don't forget to pack: 

• an underwater camera. Go for a trip to the jaw-dropping beautiful Tobago Cays, an archipelago of five uninhabited islands whose azure seas are home to turtles, stingrays and stunning coral. 
• a sports bra. With so many activities on offer here, from yoga to Thai boxing to private tennis coaching, extra support will be needed.
• mosquito spray. The best and worst thing about this resort is that the villas are built in clusters around beautiful lily ponds and each has its own private plunge pool. The downside to all this water is that it is a magnet for mozzies.

Facebrag about taking a boat trip to the famous private island og Mustique. Eat at Basil's Bar where celebs from Mike Jagger to Kate Moss and Prince William have partie. If walls could talk ...

Don't leave without exploring the watersports on offer like paddle boarding, kayaking through the resort's renowed "bat cave".

Best months to go: November to April

Flight time: 12 hours (via Barbados)