A change of pace in paradise

Its rich history makes the Caribbean a fascinating destination. Even the explorer Christopher Columbus, who landed on the coast of the Bahamas in 1492, and his companions recognised the region’s natural riches and breathtaking beauty, and laid claim to lands in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and other islands. In the 17th century, the English arrived and laid claim to St Kitts, Barbados, Antigua and other islands; the French claimed the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. And the Dutch took control of St Martin, Saba and Sint Eustatius. Over the centuries, the islands changed hands frequently, and the local people exploited these power struggles to gain political independence from their colonial rulers.

Although Haiti was the first country to declare its independence from France in 1804, modern Caribbean culture is still strongly influenced by European customs and traditions. African influences have, however, also played a part. The result: the Caribbean is today a fascinating cultural melting pot with a unique blend of cuisine, music and art. Yet amidst all this, there are also distinctly Caribbean elements to discover – best experienced through the music of reggae, calypso and rumba.

The culinary delights of the Caribbean are particularly exotic – featuring plenty of crunchy vegetables such as okra, yams and sweet potatoes, wonderfully fresh fruit such as plantains, papaya, guavas and coconuts from the region, and, above all, plenty of fish and seafood such as lobsters, tuna, prawns and shrimps. Although similar dishes can be found on all the islands, they often taste quite different. Creole-Caribbean cuisine is a true culinary journey of discovery.

Creole-Caribbean cuisine is a true culinary journey of discovery, best begun at the Graycliff Restaurant, a 5-star fine-dining restaurant in Nassau, in the Bahamas. Bahamian dishes are creatively reimagined there with finesse, a approach that earned the restaurant an international reputation decades ago. On Saint Kitts, El Fredo’s delights diners with grilled lobster and stockfish. Excellent conch fritters – the typical crispy fried sea snails – can be found on Grand Cayman at the Wreck Bar on Rum Point.

But it is not just the culinary diversity that makes a trip to the Caribbean a good idea. Given the favourable climate, the Caribbean islands are virtually tailor-made for buying a holiday home there or even settling there permanently. With daytime temperatures ranging from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius and nights cooling down to 19 degrees Celsius, the Caribbean is a year-round destination. Caution is advised only between August and October, however, as this is hurricane season.

“The fascinating thing about the Caribbean is that reality far surpasses even the wildest imagination,” Alejo Carpentier, the great French-Cuban writer, is said to have once remarked. Indeed, anything seems possible in the Caribbean:

In the Bahamas, on the uninhabited island of Big Major Cay, ‘sea pigs’ live there in the truest sense of the word. On Pig Beach, they sunbathe on the white sandy beach and swim in the turquoise-blue water. How did they get there? There are two theories: one suggests they are shipwreck survivors who were stranded there following a disaster; the other that sailors abandoned the animals there. And anyone already in the Bahamas should definitely visit Harbour Island.

The island is home to Pink Beach, one of the most unusual beaches in the world. Its distinctive colour is caused by the remains of foraminifera shells being washed up from the coral reef off the beach.

In Jamaica, a Glistening Waters Luminous Lagoon Night-Time Tour is definitely recommended. The glittering bioluminescence is an impressive natural spectacle, and swimming in the magically glowing waters of the lagoon is a truly unique experience.