Enjoy the perfect mix of must-see Caribbean towns and harbors off the beaten path as you cruise and sail the royal beauties of the Lesser Antilles islands. Explore colonial history in pastel waterfronts, weathered forts and former sugar plantations. See the Caribbean at its most wild and beautiful on Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Kitts. Join the jetsetters on St. Barts, and everywhere you go, find delicious white beaches that turn rose and orange under Caribbean sunsets.

Pastel-colored buildings and shops filled with tempting souvenirs herald your arrival to bustling Philipsburg. Situated near the harbor on the Dutch side of St. Maarten, Philipsburg owes its discovery to Christopher Columbus in 1493. Today, celebrated Front Street is home to a number of local Creole restaurants as well as jewelry stores, stylish boutiques, and lively casinos for visitors seeking an upbeat island experience.

With Georgian architecture situated against an irresistible backdrop of emerald green hills, Basseterre is one of the loveliest of the Caribbean’s small capitals. Beyond town, more than a quarter of St. Kitts has been set aside as Brimstone Hill Fortress national Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today we visit “Pompeii of the Caribbean”—an island that is half lush and green, half gray and covered in ash by a volcano in 1995. And if a half-buried city isn’t intriguing enough, there are black-sand beaches and a perplexing Irish heritage to explore.

Affectionately known as St. Barts, the Caribbean’s most chic island adds a French flair to Riviera-like beaches and duty-free boutiques. Walk past gingerbread cottages in search of celebrities, shop for designer fashions, or sip the island’s signature ti punch as kite surfers fly by.

Situated near the Grand Anse beach, Deshaies has the deepest bay of all the Caribbean coasts with the best natural protection which made it a shelter for pirates of days gone by and is said to still be housing treasures on the Island. Grand Anse beach is one of the most beautiful of the islands with its over half a mile of fine golden sand and coconut palms.

Get ready for a full day with plenty to do. Snorkel alongside brilliant parrot fish in the bubbly waters of Champagne Beach. Take a break to enjoy more than 150 species of plants and brilliant red-necked Jaco parrots at the botanical gardens. If you’re up for an optional hike, don’t miss Boiling Lake and the Valley of Desolation at Dominica’s Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The UNESCO site Pitons’ with their two majestic volcanic peaks and 24 miles of vibrant coral reef welcome you to St. Lucia. Nearby Pigeon Island National Park features impressive ruins of English forts, archaeological relics of Arawak Indians, and splendid beaches.

Jolly old England comes to life in the city and its garrison, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Further afield, you’ll find historic sugar plantations and the fairyland magic of Harrison’s Cave.