There are 31 islands and territories in the Caribbean, yet most British travellers only visit a few select favourites, in some cases year after year. That’s our loss, because this charismatic and diverse region has much more to offer than the fly-and-flop holidays in an all-inclusive resort the tour operators love to sell us. From uncrowded beach escapes to eco-friendly diving spots and mighty volcanoes that cry out to be climbed, there is a treasury of lesser-known islands where we can make new and stimulating discoveries while still enjoying the warmth, sunshine and reviving rum punches that we expect from a winter break in the tropics.

How do you venture beyond the obvious? One rule of thumb, followed with devotion by the Caribbean cognoscenti, is to go the extra mile. That means making use of the plentiful flights to popular islands like Barbados, Antigua and St Maarten but then pushing on by air or sea to a smaller and more exclusive destination. Connections are invariably smooth, having been honed over many seasons, and help can be sought from local tourist offices and specialist operators who love arranging tailor-made trips to forgotten corners.

Go hiking on Saba

Rising out of the sea like a shark’s fin, steep and mountainous Saba is a tranquil and majestic volcanic island 28 miles north of St Maarten that appeals to divers, hikers and escapists. Its heritage is Dutch with a twist of pirate, and the population a mere 1,900 souls. There is one main road, a handful of small hotels and no beaches. Travellers who make it here, at times braving hair-raising flights or choppy seas, are rewarded with magnificent scenery, underwater delights and the challenge of climbing 1,064 steps to its highest point, the aptly-named 2,877ft Mt Scenery. 

Most visitors stay in lofty Windwardside, reached by driving the 19 mile trans-island “Impossible Highway” which took 20 years to construct. Check out the sweet white wooden cottages bookable through Juliana’s Hotel, and visit the tourist office for information on walking trails that include The Ladder, a coastal stairway that was the only way in and out of Saba until the 1970s.