Dominica
Dominica flips the Caribbean sun and sand stereotypes on their head,and the beaches are frankly rubbish. It doesn't matter,though – the diving and hiking scenes make up for it. The mountainous interior shoots up pretty much straight from the sea,with trails of varying thigh pain weaving through lush National Parks. The hike through volcanic fields to the Boiling Lake is the most distinctive leg-sapper. This is also the island with the biggest indigenous presence. The Touna village (kalinagoterritory.com) offers a chance to explore the almost extinct Carib culture. Stay in the Jungle Bay Resort's wooden cottages from US$480. SeeJunglebaydominica.com.
Seedominica.dm
Saint Barthélemy
If ever the Côte d'Azur and the Caribbean were to interbred,it'd look a lot like St Barths. A tiny overseas chunk of France,this is where the impeccably well-dressed and outrageously loaded like to compete for chic points. Rocky terrain leads down to a few good beaches,but St Barths is very much about who can show off the swankiest villa and who can moor the most impressive yacht in the marina. Cottages at Eden Rock,consistently voted one of the top 100 hotels in the world,cost from 600 euros. Seeedenrockhotel.com
Seest-barths.com
Cuba
Get there before it changes has been the catch-cry for about three decades,and in truth,Cuba has already changed. But the gorgeous colonial buildings of Trinidad evoke Latin America rather than sanitised island getaways,the salsa clubs of Havana still have the steaminess and the revolutionary oddities such as Che Guevara's mausoleum still have pride of place.
It's arguably the only Caribbean island worth tackling on an organised tour,and G Adventures runs a 15-day Colonial Cuba highlights reel for 1019 euros. Seegadventures.com
Seegocuba.ca
The writer has been a guest of the Puerto Rico,St Martin,Sint Maarten,Dominica and Jamaica tourist boards.