Caribbean

One of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about the Caribbean is wonderful golden rum. Whether you drink it neat, or as a base to a mojito or any other exotic cocktail, rum is synonymous with this group of exotic islands.

The islands in the Caribbean are virtual playgrounds, cloaked in white sand beaches, waterfalls and pastel-coloured cityscapes. But there are also flavours of the unknown that come in the form of towering mountains and caves dating back thousands of years, which need whole day trips to do them any justice. Here are our top picks for Caribbean day trips and excursions.

From buried treasure and voodoo hexes to parrots, peg legs, patches and plank-walking, it's time to sort the fact from the fiction in your encyclopaedia of pirate knowledge. Take a trip with us back to the turn of the 18th century in defining the true characteristics of Caribbean pirates of yesteryear.

The cultural mixture of the islands of the Caribbean stem from the historic blend of influences that came to shape this stunning corner of the globe. When we think of the Caribbean lifestyle, what springs to mind is the dancing, the love of life and most of all the music that so completely defines this wonderful place.

When you think of Caribbean food, what instantly comes to mind might be jerk chicken with rice and peas or a hearty fish stew. However, when you arrive on these tropical islands, you'll soon realise they have hundreds of unfamiliar ingredients and cooking techniques that combine to create new flavour sensations.

The Caribbean is one of the most visited holiday destinations in the world, with so many different places to see and things to do. When you're there it's easy to get lost in the relaxing island mentality and let it all wash over you, but there are some things you don't see - and some things about the Caribbean that you may not believe.

The Caribbean islands are well known for being places to enjoy lively parades with vibrant music, dance and carnival fun. Whichever island you're planning on visiting there's sure to be something exciting going on that you can join while you're there.

Barbados gained independence from Britain in 1966 and is probably best known for its Caribbean beaches, the sugar cane industry, superstar Rihanna, and thanks to the island's colonial history, cricket. That's not a bad line-up considering the island is just 34 kilometres by 23 kilometres.

Part of the fun that comes with venturing to new places is learning about that destination's traditions and customs. In essence, holidaymakers get to live as the locals do and try on a new culture for size. The Caribbean is rife with traditional holidays and customs unfamiliar to the average British holidaymaker. So, to clue you up on what you might encounter if you're heading west, we've whipped up a little sneak peak of these islands' vibrant lifestyles.

It's not just the cultivation of cocoa beans that makes the Caribbean the go-to destination for chocoholics. The culture of chocolate, as well as countless unique brands, make every island here a new flavour to try. Just as each island in the Caribbean has its own distinctive identity, so too does each of these destinations have a rather individualistic take on the best ways to enjoy chocolate.