Western Caribbean

Dive into the exuberant, colourful world of Cozumel - a Mexican island of exceptional scuba diving, snorkelling and dazzling beaches. Abundant underwater ecosystems swirl among reefs of black coral - attracting experts and beginners alike to the azure waters of this island. Mayan mythology says Cozumel was the sanctuary of the Goddess of fertility and love, Ixchel - and this seducing Mexican island of adventure and allure leaves all visitors head over heels. Waiting across the Carribean waters from Playa Del Carmen, and a world away from its lively resorts, Cozumel is an idyllic land of gently curving palm trees and tropical shores. Playa Palancar occupies the western coast, with velvety powder and balmy Caribbean seas. Relax, with just the notes of the washing sea and whispering palm trees accompanying you during splashes through the shallow waves or tanning sessions on the soft sand. Playa El Cielo - or the appropriately named Heaven Beach - is home to a divine constellation of starfish resting on the seabed, below its glass-clear waters. Stingrays and sea turtles also swirl in the waters, as you snorkel through some of the island's most vibrant and diverse displays of marine life. Beach bars serve up spicy Mexican fare with a seaside twist - like delicious prawn fajitas, fish tacos and lime-squeezed ceviches. The crumbling San Gervasio ruins, meanwhile, offer cultural intrigue and a fascinating insight into the remarkable ancient Mayan civilisation. Despite the presence of majestic ruins from antiquity, it's the giant iguanas, soaking up the sun in clearings, who often unwittingly steal the show.

Dive into the exuberant, colourful world of Cozumel - a Mexican island of exceptional scuba diving, snorkelling and dazzling beaches. Abundant underwater ecosystems swirl among reefs of black coral - attracting experts and beginners alike to the azure waters of this island. Mayan mythology says Cozumel was the sanctuary of the Goddess of fertility and love, Ixchel - and this seducing Mexican island of adventure and allure leaves all visitors head over heels. Waiting across the Carribean waters from Playa Del Carmen, and a world away from its lively resorts, Cozumel is an idyllic land of gently curving palm trees and tropical shores. Playa Palancar occupies the western coast, with velvety powder and balmy Caribbean seas. Relax, with just the notes of the washing sea and whispering palm trees accompanying you during splashes through the shallow waves or tanning sessions on the soft sand. Playa El Cielo - or the appropriately named Heaven Beach - is home to a divine constellation of starfish resting on the seabed, below its glass-clear waters. Stingrays and sea turtles also swirl in the waters, as you snorkel through some of the island's most vibrant and diverse displays of marine life. Beach bars serve up spicy Mexican fare with a seaside twist - like delicious prawn fajitas, fish tacos and lime-squeezed ceviches. The crumbling San Gervasio ruins, meanwhile, offer cultural intrigue and a fascinating insight into the remarkable ancient Mayan civilisation. Despite the presence of majestic ruins from antiquity, it's the giant iguanas, soaking up the sun in clearings, who often unwittingly steal the show.

With beaches plucked fresh from the dreamiest depths of your imagination, world-class food and dazzling hospitality, George Town is the quintessential Caribbean experience. Set on the largest of the heavenly Cayman Islands - a collection of autonomous British Overseas Territories to the west of the Caribbean Sea - it’s a place to take things slow. Swing on the gentle breeze in a hammock, scuba dive among undulating stingrays, or stroll powder white sand, with impossibly blue water lapping against your feet. View less George Town invites you to relish in the finest, most-refined Caribbean bliss imaginable. Meet swathes of stingrays gliding smoothly below the waters at Stingray City. Or head out to scuba dive and snorkel offshore, to explore a rich tapestry of coral reefs - where bright clownfish, angelfish and butterflyfish swirl amid elaborate fields of patterned corals. Deliberately sunken shipwrecks - like the Kittiwake - add extra interest for experienced divers, and have been enthusiastically adopted and inhabited by the glittering sea-life within. The elite waterfront of Seven Mile Beach is a slice of Caribbean perfection, where the villas of the rich and famous overlook a dappled crescent of the soft white sand. It’s also perfectly angled for admiring some of the Caribbean’s most dramatic, blood-red sunsets as evening rolls around. Dining options range from rustic beach huts, rustling up fresh batches of calamari and spicy fish tacos, to fine-dining restaurants - where expert chefs produce tender lobster and serve up their dishes on terraces with sweeping sea panoramas. George Town’s National Museum tells the island’s story succinctly, while quality shopping opportunities also await - whether you’re seeking authentic handmade jewellery and crafts, or tax-free brand bargains.

Located closer to Havana than Miami, Key West is synonymous for all that is fabulous. Whether it’s beaches, back country or just a brilliant time that you’re after, Florida’s most southern point holds a wealth of intrigue, both past and present. Famed for its unique originality, Key West is a condensation of the best of the sunshine state – fantastic weather, laid back attitude, deep-rooted history and masses of fantastic, fresh seafood; it’s little wonder that nobody ever wants to leave. View less Floating in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, the island has two very definite personalities: bookish and bizarre. On the one hand, the literary festivals, exquisite Caribbean architecture and splendid art galleries attract the bourgeoisie, while on the other, the eccentricity and reticence to be associated with “the mainland” attracts all kinds of “happies” –new era hippies. The two dichotomies live peacefully side by side and have done ever since travellers started arriving in the 1960s — Key West being one of the three big K’s on the hippie path to enlightenment (Kuta and Kathmandu are the others).But past the idiosyncrasies of the Key Westers, and you will find an island that is literally brimming over with spectacular sights and wonderful wilderness. From Henry S. Truman’s Little White House and Ernest Hemmingway’s house and studio, to botanical gardens and marine sanctuaries, visitors will leave this fascinating island wanting more.Best seen by foot, bike or boat, this is an island to be explored al fresco.