Caribbean on a budget: Traveller's Guide

Tropical sun, turquoise seas, and white sands don't have to cost the earth if you are smart at the planning stage, says Kate Simon

Jamaica can offer travellers more for their money

Just imagine, a holiday in the Caribbean. Close your eyes and there you are, languishing on the warm sands, listening to the sea sigh, the scent of frangipani tickling your nostrils. Then, the phone rings, the bubble bursts, it's a wet Wednesday in January and you're in the office.

But a Caribbean holiday doesn't have to be a dream, for it's not the pricey preserve of the rich. True, the region has more than its fair share of ritzy resorts, but there are lots of places to wiggle your toes in the sand at a comparatively low cost.

From this summer, British passengers flying to the Caribbean will also benefit from changes to air passenger duty (APD). At present a family of four, including two children under 12, pay a total of £340 in APD on a flight to Antigua, Barbados or anywhere else in the region; by May, that liability will fall to just £142.

Piecing together international and inter-island flights and accommodation can be a headache and a false economy. Generally, a package is a better bet. Pick a knowledgeable tour operator and you'll also benefit from advice on where to go and stay, as well as how best to get there.

In fact, bundling up a single or multi-island package that is directly accessible from the UK isn't just cost-effective. A tour operator can watch your back, especially if you're travelling between June and November when hurricanes have a habit of bouncing across the Atlantic into the region. Buying a package with Atol protection will also guard against you losing money or being stranded if your tour operator goes bust.

For affordable packages, try Thomas Cook (0844 412 5959; thomascook.com), Thomson (0871 230 2555; thomson.co.uk), Cosmos (0843 277 0962; cosmos.co.uk), BA Holidays (0844 493 0120; ba.com/holidays), Virgin Holidays (0844 557 3859; virginholidays.co.uk) and Trailfinders (020 7368 1200; trailfinders.com).

Specialists in the region include Caribtours (020 7751 0660; caribtours.co.uk), Tropical Sky (0843 249 5361; tropicalsky.co.uk), Tropic Breeze (01752 880880; tropicbreeze.co.uk) and Just Grenada (01373 814214; justgrenada.co.uk), which, despite its name, also offers St Lucia, Barbados, St Kitts and Nevis, Bequia and Tobago.

The same accommodation can be bought through a wide range of travel companies, so shop around for special offers, such as free nights. But if you plan to go beyond the better-known resorts, and access the wide range of options from villas to B&Bs, you may have to go down the DIY route.

When considering where to go, your first question should be where can you fly to direct from the UK: Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Grand Cayman, Antigua, St Kitts, St Lucia, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago and Cancun.

Choose carefully and you could tour a few islands, too. For example, fly into Antigua to jump off to its sister island, Barbuda, as well as nearby St Kitts and Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica and Montserrat. You can even connect from Antigua to St Lucia and Barbados, from where you could fly home on an open-jaw ticket.

Perfect timing

The warm, dry months between December and mid-April comprise peak season, when prices jump by as much as 50 per cent. Flights don't come cheap during school holidays, so for families, May half-term and late August are the most affordable periods.

If you don't mind being eaten alive by mosquitos at the pool bar during happy hour, watching the storm clouds roll in, and finding lots of businesses closed, risk September. In short, late spring, early summer and late autumn offer more predictable weather conditions and better prices.

Among the reasonably priced shoulder-season deals is a trip to Barbados with Travelbag (0845 543 6615; travelbag.co.uk), which includes seven nights' B&B at the Time Out Hotel for £629pp, based on two sharing, with return Virgin flights from Gatwick. Book by 27 January for travel between 27 August and 22 October.

Cosmos (0843 227 1464; cosmos.co.uk) is offering a week's B&B at the Rooms Ochos Rios in Jamaica for £792pp, including flights with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick to Montego Bay on 3 May.

Relative values

Taking the family half way round the world is never going to be cheap. Yet there are ways to do so without the need for a second mortgage. The key for families who need to keep a tight grip on their spending is an all-inclusive package.

If you choose a good location, you can easily get beyond the hotel gates, even in the evening. For example, Jolly Beach Resort & Spa, set on a lovely beach on Antigua's west coast, is within walking distance of the lively local marina, and buses stop outside the hotel. The resort has tennis and basketball courts, watersports and kids' clubs. Tropical Sky (0843 249 5361; tropicalsky.co.uk) has seven nights' all-inclusive in May half-term holiday for £4,299 in total for a family of two adults and two children under 12, including Virgin Atlantic flights from Gatwick and transfers.

Another family-friendly resort is Natura Park Beach in the Dominican Republic. The 510-room hotel has its own stretch of sand and four restaurants. It lays on an array of activities from French bowls to windsurfing, has a kids club, and a spa for the adults. Broadway Travel (0800 011 4621; broadwaytravel.com) is offering an all-inclusive week here for £4,640 for a family of four during the Easter holidays, departing 30 March. The price includes Thomson Airways flights from Manchester, plus transfers.

More for your money

Among the islands, Cuba is the most affordable, with the Dominican Republic close behind. However, you have to trade the on-the-ground costs with the price of getting there; the limited number of flights to Havana can make Cuba quite expensive to reach.

According to the Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer (bit.ly/HolBarometer), published last week by Post Office Travel Money, Tobago offers the best value at the local cash till – a third cheaper than the most-expensive island, Antigua.

The Post Office tips Jamaica for budget travellers, too. Last year, holidaymakers got 20 per cent more Jamaican dollars for their sterling than in 2013, and that's expected to rise by a further four per cent this year.

Cheap as ships

A cruise is a sure-fire way to maximise your experience without having to create a complex itinerary of inter-island flights. The advantages include the sheer number of places you can see in one journey, and the opportunity to visit destinations that you can't get to direct from Britain.

P&O Cruises (0843 373 0111; pocruises.com) is offering a 13-night fly-cruise calling at Barbados, St Lucia, Antigua, and St Maarten from £1099pp, full board, including a flight to Barbados and return by ship to Southampton, via Ponta Delgada in the Azores. Departs 21 March.

For an itinerary that features some lesser-known, but equally charming, destinations, Thomson Celebration (020 3451 2682; thomson.co.uk/cruises) sets sail from Barbados on 15 March, calling at the Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, as well as St Lucia and Grenada.

The price of £1,064pp includes return flights from Gatwick and the full-board seven-night cruise.

Where to stay

You don't have to save on style if you're travelling on a budget. There are few addresses in the Caribbean as cool as Jake's, on the south-west coast of Jamaica. It's a laid-back stop on the jetsetters' list, favoured by the likes of Kate Moss. If it sounds a little pricey (doubles start at US$195/£130; jakeshotel.com) check in to the new 52-bed hostel, Jack Sprat Shack (001 876 965 3000; jackspratshack.com), in the grounds of Jake's. Dormitory beds cost from US$25 (£17) a night. There are also six private, en-suite bedrooms, which can be configured as twins (US$90/£60 a night) or quadruples (US$140/£93 a night).

For a genuine flavour of Caribbean life, stay with the locals. Grenada Homestays (07429 540849; homestaysgrenada.com) offers rooms and apartments from US$30 (£20) to US$120 (£80) per night, often including breakfast. Cuba Casa (0131-208 2159; cubacasa.co.uk) is a similar operation for Cuba's B&Bs. For example, rooms at Casa Aurora, in Old Havana, are available for CUC20 (£13) per night.

Getting there and around

British Airways (0844 493 0775; ba.com) and Virgin Atlantic (0344 209 7777; virgin-atlantic.com) are the two main airlines serving the Caribbean. But check out charter flights for keen prices and departures from regional airports – for example Thomas Cook Airlines (01733 224800; thomascookairlines.com) is offering Manchester to Barbados from £395 on 10 November. Thomson Airways (0203 451 2695; thomson.co.uk/flights) also offers some good deals.

Liat (001 268 480 5601; liatairline.com) is the main inter-island airline, and Caribbean Airlines (0870 774 7336; caribbean-airlines.com) also hops around the region.