10 amazing Caribbean holidays to look forward to after lockdown
As of November 5, all outbound international travel is banned in accordance with government rules. Once lockdown is lifted, the travel corridors are expected to return
1. Go bar-hopping in Grenada
British Airways is now flying from Gatwick and Virgin Atlantic launched a route from Heathrow this week. UK travellers must submit a negative Covid-19 test taken seven days before travel and stay at a government-approved hotel for four days, after which a second test can be taken to enable free roaming (puregrenada.com). The Point at Petite Calivigny is a new eco-friendly boutique resort with 12 two-bedroom suites, three villas, a spa and secluded beach. Activities include a sunset bar crawl by speedboat.
Exsus Travel (01603 937743) has seven nights from ￡1,849pp, including Virgin Atlantic flights and transfers.
2. Spend Christmas in St Lucia
St Lucia is a smart pick for a reasonably priced festive getaway. Tui has just started a weekly charter flight from Gatwick and another from Manchester launches Nov 5. The island reopened its borders as early as June and its Covid-19 figures are among the Caribbean’s lowest. UK travellers must have a negative test taken seven days before arrival. Car hire is not allowed, but visitors can leave their accommodation on government-approved tours (stlucia.org).
Tui (020 3451 2688) has packages to six all-inclusive resorts in the livelier north of the island – seven nights at the Royalton St Lucia cost from ￡1,754pp departing Dec 22, including flights from Gatwick and transfers.
3. Sail the Grenadines
Island-hopping by yacht is a perfect way to embrace the safety of being outdoors. Dream Yacht Charter has eight bases in the Caribbean where you can charter one bareboat, skippered, or – in a few locations – “By the Cabin” where you book a cabin in a shared catamaran with a captain and cook doing the boring stuff. One excellent voyage is to sail north from Grenada to the tranquil cays and islets of the Grenadines.
Turquoise Holidays (01494 678400) has 11 nights from ￡2,699pp, including British Airways flights from Gatwick, transfers, seven nights By the Cabin charter with full board and two nights either side of this at Mount Cinnamon resort with breakfast.
4. Whizz off to Bequia
Just seven square miles, this green and hilly island in St Vincent and the Grenadines has a laid-back charm well known to connoisseurs of the Caribbean. The smart way to arrive is via Barbados using a VIP charter for guests staying at Bequia Beach Hotel. Launching Nov 19, this uses a luxurious nine-seater plane for the 30-minute hop – a second link from St Lucia starts Jan 20. A negative Covid-19 test taken five days before arrival is required and another test will be taken on island – you are free to explore once a negative result comes through (health.gov.vc).
Carrier (0161 492 1354) has seven nights from ￡2,120pp departing Dec 4, including British Airways flights from Gatwick to Barbados, inter-island flights with Bequia Air, transfers and breakfast.
5. Enjoy half term in Antigua
Antigua is well-suited to family fun with its abundant beaches, water-based activities and educational sights such as World Heritage-listed Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour. British Airways has flights from Gatwick and Virgin Atlantic fly from Heathrow. Travellers must have a negative Covid-19 test taken seven days ahead of flying (under-12s are excluded) and car rental is permitted (visitantiguabarbuda.com).
Tropic Breeze (01752 880880) has seven nights at the all-inclusive Verandah Resort & Spa from ￡5,100 for a family of two adults and two children under 12 departing Feb 10, including British Airways flights and transfers.
6. Get some privacy in Mustique
Isolation doesn’t get more splendid than on this 1,700-acre private island in St Vincent and the Grenadines that has long been a favourite with rock stars and royalty, with 22 miles of walking trails, never-busy beaches, an equestrian centre and turtle-rich waters. The best way to get there is flying via St Lucia; you’ll need a negative Covid-19 test taken five days prior to arrival (health.gov.vc). Besides more than 80 villas for rent, the island has the 17-room Cotton House hotel that has just reopened (mustique-island.com).
Red Savannah (01242 787800) offers seven nights from ￡3,095pp, including British Airways flights from Gatwick to St Lucia, inter-island flights, transfers and breakfast.
7. Flop on a beach in Cuba
Recently reopened to travellers, this charismatic island is the only Caribbean destination where there is no requirement for a preflight Covid-19 test. You can get there direct on weekly charter flights to Varadero operated by Tui – a service from Manchester has launched and another from Gatwick starts soon. Visitors can take it easy at an all-inclusive beach resort or grab a flight-only deal and explore independently – all you need is travel insurance and a Tourist Card (visacuba.com).
Tui (020 3451 2688) has seven nights at all-inclusive Royalton Hicacos from ￡1,030pp departing Jan 11 including flights and transfers. Virgin Atlantic also plans to restart scheduled flights from Heathrow to Havana in early 2021.
8. Hide away in Dominica
Most travellers to this mountainous and piratical island come to hike, and it is certainly worth going through the necessary protocols to do so. UK visitors are deemed “high risk” so must submit a negative Covid-19 test taken 72 hours prior to arrival then quarantine at a government-approved hotel for five days. During this period you can join “Safe in Nature” excursions, after which a further test follows and if negative you are free to roam (discoverdominica.com). Secret Bay, is a luxury eco resort with six spacious villas.
Caribtours (020 7751 0660) has seven nights from ￡3,999pp departing Feb 25, including British Airways flights from Gatwick to Barbados, inter-island flights, transfers and one dinner.
9. Spend a month in Anguilla
Some determination is required to visit this 16-mile-long British Overseas Territory but the reward is 33 crowd-free beaches. The island has only had three Covid-19 cases and a strict entry policy means visitors must be “preapproved” and pay a $400 (￡307) fee (plus ￡192 per family member). This covers the cost of testing and monitoring and permits a stay up to 90 days but you’ll have to quarantine at an approved location for the first 10 (ivisitanguilla.com). Some hotels such as Frangipani Beach Resort offer a “holiday bubble” with watersports, tennis and beach access, or get a villa.
Properties in Paradise (propertiesinparadise.com) has 18 residences on the island and you could bag a bargain – a four-bedroom villa that would normally cost ￡1,040 a night recently rented for ￡303. British Airways flies from Gatwick to Antigua from ￡380 return and Trans Anguilla has inter-island flights.
Coming soon
More Caribbean countries will be opening up to travellers in the coming months. For the latest travel advice, visit gov.uk/foreign-traveladvice and caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.
10. On the travel corridors list...
St Kitts & Nevis has just opened its borders. UK travellers need to submit a negative Covid-19 test recorded 72 hours prior to arrival, and remain within their hotel property for the first seven days of their stay (stkittstourism.kn, nevisisland.com). The British Virgin Islands plans to welcome international visitors from Dec 1 with flights from the UK available via Antigua (bvitourism.com). The Cayman Islands are not yet open to “short-term vacationers” (visitcaymanislands.com). Montserrat is not yet open to tourists (visitmontserrat.com).
Further options
The Bahamas requires a negative Covid-19 test taken not more than seven days prior to arrival. New protocols will allow visitors to explore beyond their accommodation, subject to further tests taken on arrival, and again 96 hours later, proving negative (bahamas.com). Jamaica requires a travel authorisation and travellers must stay within one of two “Covid-resilient corridors” that run along the north coast and in an area covering the south-west of the island (visitjamaica.com). Tobago’s borders remain closed but their reopening is expected soon.