What makes a destination sexy? Is it the hotels, or the natural environment or even the people? It might be the beaches, or the bays, or the romantic sunsets, or even the aroma in the air. Every island in the Caribbean can boast its own unique appeal, but some have a certain extra sexiness, a kind of pulsing quality that somehow transcends description. These are some of the places in the Caribbean we think are especially sexy right now. Here are the sexiest islands in the Caribbean.
Le Guanahani, the top beach hotel in St. Barth.
St. Barth
It doesn’t get any sexier than St Barth, the jewel of the Caribbean that’s the regions fashion and people watching capital. From the hip beach bars of St Jean to the shopping in Gustavia, this is a flashy destination that lives up to the hype. Your best bet is Le Guanahani or, for a more affordable but equally wonderful option, Le Village.
Pinel Island, off the coast of St. Martin, is a chic, Mediterranean-style beach bar island.
St. Martin
The French side of this island still remains something of a well kept secret for Caribbean travelers in the know, filled with small boutique hotels offering charming, unique stays from Le Karibuni to Le Shambala and a refined, fashionable vibe. And then there’s the food, easily the best in all the Caribbean.
Barbados
Elegant, sleek and brimming with style, the easternmost Caribbean island is full of luxury and grace. Whether you’re staying at boutique gems like The House (above) or Colony Club or the grand Sandy Lane, Barbados is a hotspot oozing with elegant appeal.
The new Hotel Simon in Martinique.
Martinique
Few islands offer the exotic quality that does Martinique, a large, voluptuous, totally fascinating island yearning to be discovered. Whether you’re looking for the Bordeaux of the rum world or a special urban escape, you’ll find it here. The latter is a relatively new phenomenon, with a wave of new development (including a new Michelin star chef-led eatery and a shimmering boutique hotel) in the city of Fort-de-France that’s made it the sexiest city in the Caribbean right now.
Antigua and Barbuda
Here, the sexiness is in the sand, with 365 beaches to choose from, meaning you can always find a secluded stretch and a slice of tranquility. Then there are the hotels, always luxurious, from Blue Waters to Galley Bay to Hermitage Bay.
Anguilla
The beaches here are as gorgeous as any you’ll find in the Caribbean, and the hotels only add to the feeling – from the spectacular Cap Juluca to boutique hotels like Las EsQuinas and Zemi Beach. It’s chic, it’s hip and it’s beautiful.
Terre de Haut, Guadeloupe
Some call it mini St Barth , but this little gem in the Les Saintes archipelago of Guadeloupe has its own identity, marrying the tranquility of a French fishing village with a uniquely Gallic playfulness.
St Lucia
It’s called the Helen of the West Indies, and for good reason: this is a lush, vibrant place, particularly the rainforest covered south of the island that’s home to some seriously cool hotels, from the Hotel Chocolat to Ladera.
The Trident Hotel in tourism hotspot Port Antonio.
Jamaica
It’s brash, it’s beautiful and it’s brimming with energy. Jamaica is many things and many destinations, but at its heart it’s the island that in many ways invented modern day tourism to the Caribbean. Here, what’s sexiest is the hotel product, filled with grand, timeless, gorgeous hotels like Round Hill, Half Moon and Trident, among others.
Valentine’s in Harbour Island.
Harbour island
This tiny island off the coast of Eleuthera known for its pink sand beaches is the height of hip – with a remarkably broad portfolio of lovely little boutique hotels from Valentine’s to the Dunmore.
Dominica
This might be the most beautiful island in the Caribbean. It is raw, it is green, it is exciting and it is still utterly undiscovered. Locals like to joke that it’s the only Caribbean island Columbus would still recognize – and they’re probably right. And then there’s the spectacular Secret Bay hotel, part villa, part treehouse, part luxury resort that’s among the world’s most stunning places to stay.