The Caribbean consists of some 7,000 sun drenched islands sandwiched between the crystal blue waters of the Caribbean Sea and the deep blue Atlantic Ocean. Year round sunshine comes courtesy of the fantastic tropical climate, whilst turquoise waters lap gently on white sandy beaches fringed by lush tropical vegetation. The islands, big and small, well known or relatively undiscovered are an amazing melting pot of different cultures, religions, languages and cuisine. All in all this is a close as you can get to paradise on earth!

How to get there
Given its longstanding popularity as a holiday destination it's very easy to find a package holiday in the Caribbean. With so many islands to choose from, there is something for everyone, from the more developed islands like Antigua, the all inclusive resorts of Jamaica to the luxurious Virgin Islands. The average flight time time from the UK is around 6-8 hours and Caribbean holidays are offered by all the major tour operators from a variety of London and regional airports. Thomson, Thomas Cook, First Choice and MyTravel operate a variety of package holidays in Caribbean from Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and Newcastle. However, you can make your own arrangements for a cheap holiday in Caribbean by putting together a flight and hotel yourself. Try our search for cheap flights to the Caribbean and then a cheap hotel in Jamaica or one of the other beautiful islands such as Antigua or the Bahamas.

When to go
The peak season for Caribbean holidays is definitely in winter and expect it to be busy in November, December and January although it starts to slow down in February and March. This is when the weather is at its best although there is always a chance of rain and it usually more difficult to find a cheap holiday in Caribbean at this time. For an ideal combination of good weather and kinder prices try September, October, March and April as you can probably find cheap holidays in Caribbean on offer, however, there's no guarantee of great weather so be careful saving those extra few pounds if you want guaranteed sunshine.

What to do
Depending on which island you choose there are bound to be great water sports on offer. Some of the bigger islands have amazing interiors covered with tropical forests and often studded with beautiful mountain ranges that conceal story book waterfalls - grab a hire car to explore yourself. Fishing and diving are to be found everywhere as are great beaches. Nightlife varies from island to island but expect great beach bars and more than a few places to test out your dancing skills as reggae and calypso beats echo into the early hours of the morning.