TRAVEL | CARNIVAL ESCAPES,
CARIBBEAN RESORTS
Carnivals across the Caribbean signal days of music, dancing and partying ‘til dawn. If you travel for the revelry, you’ll want to stay close to the action but far enough away that you can recover in quiet, comfortable, indulgent surroundings.
CARNIVAL ESCAPES, CARIBBEAN RESORTS
Words by Natasha Were.
FOUR SEASONS, ANGUILLA
Anguilla’s Summer Festival, a full ten days of carnival parades, soca and calypso competitions, J’ouvert, beach parties and more, kicks off on the first Monday in August. Some activities take place in the capital, The Valley, but water-based events unfold on Meads Bay. Base yourself at the Four Seasons on the same bay, and you’ll be able to watch the start and finish of the highly anticipated Round the Island Boat Race. With four restaurants, three pools, an impressive spa and Kelly Wearstler-designed suites that ooze coastal glamour, it’s ideal if you want to dip your toes into the party scene but also enjoy a dose of peace and serenity. www.fourseasons.com/anguilla
LONG BAY, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
Commemorating the end of slavery, the BVI’s Emancipation Festival spans well over a week of concerts and cultural activities. The party peaks at the beginning of August with J’ouvert, when revellers douse one another in grease, paint and mud and dance through the streets into the early hours. There’s barely a pause before the colourful costumed daytime parade begins – and goes on into the night. When you need a break from all the hedonism, Long Bay Beach Resort promises cool and elegant rooms, serene views and the soothing sounds of the gentle surf. Enjoy sundowners at the casual water’s edge bar, creative dinners in the former rum distillery and long walks along empty beaches. www.longbay.com
CAYMAN VILLAS, CAYMAN ISLANDS
With the Batabano parade typically in early May and CayMas festivities at the end of June, there are two carnivals, so two chances to join a mas band and dance your way along West Bay Road in an extravaganza of colours, feathers, sequins and sparkles! Events include sunset beach fêtes, boat parties and other fun gatherings. Combine some carnival action with plenty of rest and relaxation by renting a private condo or beachfront villa with Cayman Villas. With over 70 waterfront properties, from one to seven bedrooms, their local booking agents will help to create the perfect personalised experience for you and your guests. www.caymanvillas.com
COBBLERS COVE, BARBADOS
Originally a celebration to mark the end of Barbados’ sugar cane harvest, Crop Over has evolved into a colourful summer festival filled with calypso competitions, arts and crafts markets and dusk-til-dawn parties. Celebrations culminate in early August with the Grand Kadooment, an extravagant costume parade. Join in the fun in the sun, then retreat to the quiet, colonial-style elegance of Cobblers Cove, a boutique hotel on the west coast. Set in tropical gardens, it’s a little pocket of peace where you’ll enjoy some of the finest food on the island, superlative service and a sound sleep in charming suites with breezy verandas and ocean views. www.cobblerscove.com
STRAWBERRY HILL, JAMAICA
Hot on the heels of Easter, Jamaica’s Bacchanal takes place in a whirlwind of colour, music, costumes and food. There are parties on the beach and dancing on the streets, private fêtes and glittering mas bands, with soca, calypso, reggae and dancehall pumping out from every corner. It’s wild, frenetic and loud – so the splendid isolation of Strawberry Hill, 3000-feet up in the misty Blue Mountains, is a welcome contrast. Stay in one of 12 romantic wooden cottages, savour new Jamaican cuisine in the intimate restaurant and find restoration wandering through flower-scented gardens or hiking the steep surrounding peaks. www.strawberryhillhotel.com