Terre de Haut, Guadeloupe

People say this is what St Barth used to be like before it became St Barth. And whether that’s true or not, this remains one of our favorite little islands in the Caribbean, a French Caribbean paradise with the best of both worlds: the French joie de vivre and pure Caribbean beauty. That means seaside bistros and art galleries; tucked-away beaches and boutique hotels; and the unendingly endearing innocence of a hard-to-reach island. Of course, it isn’t that hard: Norwegian now flies direct to “mainland” Guadeloupe from several US cities, while American now operates several direct flights per week from Miami. And getting to Terre de Haut means hopping on a short ferry. When you get here, you’re choosing from a handful of small hotels like the picture-book Lobleu, the more traditional Bois Joli and the artful Les Petits Saints.