Island hopping in the Caribbean

From Antigua to St Vincent, Caribbean countries are known for their pristine beaches, crystalline waters and luxuriant vegetation, but there’s more to them than scenic beauty. Carla Passino discovers some of their perks and quirks, plus superb properties for sale

- Carla Passino

Antigua & Barbuda

Claim to fame Cricketers. Despite its diminutive size, the country has produced a large number of great players, including Sir Andy Roberts, Sir Viv Richards and Sir Richie Richardson. Don’t miss The annual mango festival, held in July and packed with fruit, but also mango jams, candles, ice creams and even wine. Residents past or present Almost too many to count, from local writer Jamaica Kincaid to Italian designer Giorgio Armani and, among the British, Ken Follett, Timothy Dalton and Eric Clapton. Boxer Maurice Hope came from Antigua to London—and on to the 1972 Olympics.

The Bahamas

Claim to fame The world’s largest underwater sculpture (Jason deCaires Taylor’s 18ft-tall Ocean Atlas, off the coast of New Providence), plus a sequence of almost records, from the the second-deepest sea-water sinkhole (the 663ft Dean’s Blue Hole, off Long Island), to the third-largest barrier reef (around Andros Island) and even the third-largest wine cellar: part of the Graycliff Hotel in Nassau, it had originally been built as a jail. The islands are also ‘almost’ part of the Caribbean: although they belong to the Caribbean Community organisation, they are not in the Caribbean Sea.

Don’t miss Big Major Cay, a beach in the Exuma Cays, home to a herd of swimming pigs.

Residents past or present Olympic sportsmen and women—in Tokyo, the Bahamas ranked second for gold medals per capita —and film stars: Sir Sidney Poitier was brought up in the Bahamas and many have bought homes on the islands, from the late Sir Sean Connery to Eddie Murphy and John Travolta.