Three Caribbean islands on the green list
Barbados, Antigua and Anguilla have all been given the go-ahead by the government. Chris Carter reports


“In a crowded field of Caribbean islands to make the green watch list, Barbados is a stand-out option for a summer getaway,” says Hugh Morris in The Daily Telegraph. It has long been popular with British visitors. That will probably be more true than ever this year given the limited options presented by the government’s traffic-light system – green means you can now travel there without having to quarantine on your return.
The beaches are one of the main draws. Mullins beach is ideal for safe swimming. Gibbes, a “300-yard arc of pristine golden sand, backed by soaring trees”, just to the south of Mullins, is a “strong contender for the west coast’s most beautiful beach [and is] entirely uncommercialised”, rivalled only by Paynes Bay, with its long beach of fine white sand and safe swimming.
Sandals Resorts offers an ultra-high level of luxury on the island, says Jim Wyss on Bloomberg. When its Royal Barbados hotel (sandals.co.uk) reopened in mid-May, “elite guests”, paying up to $6,000 a night to stay in the top-tier suites, were met at the airport by Rolls-Royce Ghosts. The rooms come with personal infinity pools, butler service and balconies with soaking tubs for two. Prices drop with multi-day stays. Even so, the suites offer exclusivity in the Caribbean with a price tag to match.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Laid-back luxury on Antigua
Antigua’s new Hammock Cove hotel (around £810, hammockcoveantigua.com) is pure gold, says Katy Winter for the Mail Online. Each of the 42 villas at the property is “light and spacious” and comes with a large private deck and infinity pool overlooking a calm sea – the benefits of being situated on the less busy, Atlantic side of the island. “As well as the sugar-sand beach, postcard-worthy sea and some seriously plush cushioned beach loungers, [the hotel also has] a fully equipped and deliciously cool gym, luxurious spa, and a range of water sports on offer just yards from your room.”
Britishness with sunshine
Anguilla is a well-run British Overseas Territory with British overtones, such as driving on the left, a day off for the Queen’s birthday and a mahogany-lined avenue planted in 1937 to honour King George VI’s coronation, says Nigel Tisdall in The Daily Telegraph. It has 33 warm, white sandy beaches, among them Meads Bay, which is one of the finest anywhere in the Caribbean.
Visitors from Britain usually connect to the island via Antigua, a 50-minute flight away. But once you are here, “it’s all about the dream beach and dazzling ocean… backed up with a vibrant foodie scene that runs from starry hotel restaurants to funky food trucks – expect to dine on superb local fish and lobster”.
Over in Meads Bay, on the west side, “the buzz is back”, says Nicola Chilton in The Times. Diners at French restaurant Jacala come not just for the “fabulous lunch, but also the beachside location”. And just up the hill, hidden from view, is quite possibly “the greenest garden on the island, filled with palms, frangipani and bougainvillea”. Welcome to Quintessence Hotel (around £430, qhotelanguilla.com), a self-styled “tropical grand mansion” with nine suites and the largest collection of Haitian art outside Haiti. Alternatively, on the curve of Maundays Bay, sit the Moroccan-style pool villas at Belmond’s Cap Juluca (around £835, belmond.com). They are some of the most-coveted rooms on Anguilla.
Sign up for MoneyWeek's newsletters
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.

Chris Carter spent three glorious years reading English literature on the beautiful Welsh coast at Aberystwyth University. Graduating in 2005, he left for the University of York to specialise in Renaissance literature for his MA, before returning to his native Twickenham, in southwest London. He joined a Richmond-based recruitment company, where he worked with several clients, including the Queen’s bank, Coutts, as well as the super luxury, Dorchester-owned Coworth Park country house hotel, near Ascot in Berkshire.
Then, in 2011, Chris joined MoneyWeek. Initially working as part of the website production team, Chris soon rose to the lofty heights of wealth editor, overseeing MoneyWeek’s Spending It lifestyle section. Chris travels the globe in pursuit of his work, soaking up the local culture and sampling the very finest in cuisine, hotels and resorts for the magazine’s discerning readership. He also enjoys writing his fortnightly page on collectables, delving into the fascinating world of auctions and art, classic cars, coins, watches, wine and whisky investing.
You can follow Chris on Instagram.
-
One million pensioners are now higher rate taxpayers and it's not just income tax to worry about
Rising state pension payments have pushed more people into higher tax brackets but this could also affect other areas of your finances
-
HMRC slaps pensioners with record high surprise tax bills - do you owe the taxman money?
More than a million people face surprise tax bills by HMRC, including thousands of pensioners, as triple lock pushes more retirees into taxable income brackets
-
Review: Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes – the grande dame of Cannes
MoneyWeek Travel The stars may have arrived for the Cannes Film Festival, but Hotel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes is the true star of the show
-
Review: Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel – Ibiza, but not as you know it
Travel The Atzaró Agroturismo Hotel is a sanctuary on the Balearic island, says Dan McEvoy
-
Review: Buckland Manor – a quiet stay in the Cotswolds
Travel Buckland Manor is a true gem in the Cotswolds, hidden away from the crowds, says Matthew Partridge
-
Review: Andronis Minois and Andronis Arcadia – two Greek island idylls
Travel Andronis Minois on Paros and Andronis Arcadia on Santorini are two beautiful, authentic hotels on two different islands in Greece
-
Review: Shangri-La Le Touessrok – connecting with magical Mauritius
Travel Sarah Lee soaks up the authenticity of Mauritius with the Shangri-La Le Touessrok and finds an unexpected connection with Mauritius.
-
Review: Shangri-La Paris – an ode to the world’s best food
Travel Natasha Langan enjoys fine French and Chinese cuisine at the Shangri-La Paris
-
Review: Constance Lemuria and Ephelia – two Indian Ocean idylls
Ruth Emery visits Constance Lemuria and Constance Ephelia in the Seychelles for sun, sea and some of the best sushi she has ever had
-
Review: Cali, Mykonos – salute the sun in Greece
Chris Carter engages in a sunset ritual of his own at Cali on the Greek island of Mykonos