Caribbean islands to visit this winter

For a sun-drenched winter break, it has to be the Caribbean. Home to more than 7,000 islands and islets spanning a diverse terrain from lush rainforests to active volcanoes and pale sandy beaches, it's the type of place you can return to again and again – yet still discover something new. Here's our pick of the best Caribbean islands for a last-minute getaway.

Curacao

So far, Curacao has managed to preserve its "quaint, low-key charms", avoiding the hotel chains found on neighbouring islands, said The Times. Instead, you'll find a collection of little boutiques and farm-to-table restaurants. Curacao "doesn't shy away from its past"; in Willemstad, the Kura Hulanda Museum does a "compelling" job of documenting the transatlantic slave trade. At the harbour, you'll find colourful, gabled townhouses lining the waterfront; a reminder of the island's Dutch colonial history. The surrounding landscape is a "beguiling mix" of "wind-sculpted watapuna trees" and tranquil "sheltered bays".

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic's jaw-dropping scenery spans everything from "fertile valleys" to "arid desert and a profusion of glorious white-sand beaches", said The Telegraph. For nature lovers, it's a dream: days can be filled "admiring humpback whales on the Samana Peninsula", "white-water rafting on the Rio Yaque del Norte", or trying to glimpse one of the many native bird species, like the Hispaniolan woodpecker. Nature even manages to "shine through" in the capital, Santo Domingo, which is home to the Caribbean's largest botanical gardens, Arroyo Hondo.

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St Lucia

With average temperature highs of 29.9 degrees in December, St Lucia is the perfect setting to escape "another dreary UK winter", said The Independent. "The lush natural landscape is a playground for explorers". Among the highlights are the stunning Unesco-protected Piton Mountains, and the "world's only drive-in volcano", complete with therapeutic mud baths. Consider staying at the "world-class" Bay Gardens Hotel, which has a shuttle straight to the golden shores of Reduit Beach.

The Bahamas

For "blissful turquoise waters" and Instagram-worthy backdrops, you can't go wrong with The Bahamas, said Cosmopolitan. Made up of around 700 stunning islands, the archipelago is known for its effortless blend of "adventure, relaxation and luxury". There's plenty to explore; visitors can soak up the atmosphere in the bustling capital of Nassau, swim with pigs in Big Major Cay, or dive through the Andros Barrier Reef (the third largest in the world).

Cuba

From its "glossy vintage cars" to the "faded grandeur of its Spanish colonial cities", Cuba has an "atmosphere like nowhere else", said The Telegraph. While you won't find many fine dining restaurants or luxury spas here, the largest country in the Caribbean is home to nine World Heritage Sites, and another 14 on Unesco's "tentative" list. There is much to explore; days can be spent horse-riding in Vinales or "diving in the clear waters off Isla de Juventud", while evenings are best enjoyed soaking up the nightlife in Havana.

St Kitts and Nevis

For a taste of the "quiet Caribbean life", pay a visit to the laid-back islands of St Kitts and Nevis, said The Times. "Manicured" St Kitts is home to a collection of sprawling five-star hotels, while "compact" Nevis is small enough to "explore on foot". At the latter, the "grand old plantation houses" have been transformed into "chic independent hotels", but it's also worth considering spending a few nights in the "candy-coloured clapboard bungalows of Oualie Beach Resort". After whiling away a morning sunbathing, be sure to "climb Nevis's sole misty peak" and pay a visit to the botanical gardens to spot "mango-stealing monkeys".