Anguilla is smaller than some of its Caribbean counterparts. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in excellent restaurants, luxury hotels and pure white, talcum powder sand. The best beaches in the Caribbean? Probably. Now attracting a salubrious crowd, Anguilla still manages to retain much of its sleepy backwater charm.

As a coral-based island, Antigua’s beaches are the purest white you can get – and with 365 to choose from, it doesn’t get much better than this. Throw in some fantastic heritage, mix in direct flights, add great restaurants and some of the best luxury hotels in the Caribbean and you’ll understand why Antigua has never lost its touch. Antigua is also our number one island for luxury family holidays in the Caribbean.

Direct flights, fabulous glamorous luxury hotels and restaurants, lively but laid-back: you can’t go wrong with a luxury holiday or honeymoon in Barbados. Stay in one of the many luxurious hotels on the world famous west coast, playground of the rich and famous, with its palm-fringed beaches lapped by the mill-pond waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Not yet that developed as a tourist destination, ‘the spice island’ of Grenada is spectacular in its beauty, tranquility and simple Caribbean charm. Moutainous and volcanic, with dramatic crater lakes, waterfalls, gorges and lush tropical rainforests, Grenada is perfect for couples and families wishing to relax on white sand beaches and swim in emerald seas – the ideal luxury beach holiday away from the crowds.

Sister island to the larger St Kitts, small, laid-back Nevis is the epitomy of simple Caribbean charm and a luxury holiday or honeymoon here will not disappoint. Nevis is old fashioned – but in a delightful way, home to intimate island inns, colonial architecture, unspoiled tropical rainforest and golden-sand beaches.

Chic. Fashionable. Sexy. Glamorous. All words to describe the small, very French island of St Barths. With excellent beaches, fabulous luxury hotels, St-Tropez style shopping (and great people watching), St Barths is also a foodie’s paradise.

Located between St Vincent and Martinique, St Lucia is a strikingly handsome island, dominated by its most famous of landmarks, the twin Pitons – two towering volcanic cones which provide a dramatic backdrop to the pretty beaches and coves found along the coastline. A great honeymoon destination, there are plenty of luxury hotels to choose from, the question is which one?

Like a sprinkling of crystals in the azure Caribbean Sea, St Vincent and the Grenadines are a string of blissfully unspoilt and beautiful islands in the South East Caribbean and a great choice for a luxury beach holiday. Access to the Grenadines is by small shared charter flights from Barbados, but worth the effort for the idyllic beaches, dazzling blue waters and perfect sailing conditions.

For some of the most exquisite beaches in the Caribbean, book a luxury holiday to the Turks & Caicos. Relatively new to tourism, only eight of the 40 islands and cays are inhabited so the atmosphere is low key and beaches unspoilt. In fact, the Turks & Caicos would be top of our list for a luxury honeymoon in the Caribbean. The coral reefs that surround the islands are also a diving mecca, and cooling trade winds keep humidity to a minimum.