Settling into Anguilla, our little private pool overlooking Crocus Bay was just the right refreshing temperature and ditto the meltiness of the gin and tonics. And there would be time for another while we waited for the private chef we had hired for the night to work his magic in our glassed-in kitchen.

This British island just north of St. Martin/St. Maarten has one of the highest rates of repeat visitors in the Caribbean. And for good reason: The beaches are insane, the food is phenomenal, and the people are charming—a sun-spot’s triple threat. Anguilla has the right amount of semi-poshness to make it luxe, mixed with just enough normal to make it affordable.

Set up at CéBlue Villas. This gorgeous hillside resort sports five-bedroom homes, each with its own little pool, media room, kitted-out kitchen and gorgeous ocean view. It’s far enough away from it all to enjoy the serenity, but just a few minute’s drive from the heart of the island action. The Crocus Bay beach is just down the hill, complete with attendants, ample watercraft for those inclined, and Da’Vida, a cool beachfront restaurant.

Pop into the posh. The Kelly Wearstler-designed Four Seasons Anguilla is beyond dazzling. Sunset at the Sunset Lounge couldn’t be more special. People flock to this elegant waterfront bar overlooking the infinity pool at cocktail time to see how the other half lives and to prime the night with the signature Jalapeño Margarita.

Set sail. I highly recommend an afternoon of sailing from bay to bay aboard the classic sailboat Tradition, a handmade wooden boat from 1978. Book a trip to Prickly Pear Cay or Little Bay and enjoy a lobster lunch or hop on for the sunset cruise. Mind the fizzy doesn’t go to your head.

Get Scilly. Earmark Wednesday or Sunday for lunch on Scilly Cay, a tiny coral islet off the village of Island Harbour, reachable by a free, 10-minute boat ride. The whole island is a rustic open-air restaurant run by the Wallace family, who whip up Anguilla’s deadliest rum punch, plus platters of barbecued lobster, snapper and chicken. Have a punch, have lunch, then wallow in the shallow waters on the soft sandbars.

Go dancing. Live music is a huge part of Anguillan culture. Locals and tourists lap up reggae, jazz and R&B bands almost every night at the many venues scattered around the island, including the Powerhouse, Johnno’s Beach Stop, Gwen’s Reggae Grill, and the Dune Preserve, owned by music icon Bankie Banx. Time your visit to coincide with the annual Moonsplash Music Festival in March/April.

When You Go. Off-season between May and August is the best time to visit Anguilla to get prime deals and avoid the rains. Book a sea shuttle in advance to get you from the airport to Anguilla via the 25-minute ferry, which runs all day. Keep an eye out for Denzel Washington and Robert DeNiro. No, not together. Go to ivisitanguilla.com for more.

The post Anguilla appeared first on TravelRight.Today.

The Maitai Lupita Village is a perfect mix of past and present, with a beautiful infinity pool that looks out onto the very same view explorer Captain James Cook had in the late 1700s.

Vibe: Designed specifically with the region’s rich history in mind, this Huahine property yields spacious bungalows in the style of canoe huts, architectural details that mimic traditional Tahitian artwork and motifs, and a small built-in museum full of ancient artifacts, some dating back to 1500 BC.

Rooms: Thirty-two Garden and Lake Bungalows offer total privacy, mixing traditional design and décor with modern comforts. It’s like an exotic movie set, complete with vaulted ceilings, intoxicatingly fragrant flowers and plants, and massive terraces that look out onto the botanical parkland and mountains beyond.

F&B: Find a fusion of French and island cuisine at Omai Restaurant and the Oaoa Bar overlooking the beach. Fresh ingredients rein in dishes such as grilled yellowfin tuna, king mackerel, goat curry; fixings like marinated seaweed and exotic fruit chutneys add to the deliciousness. The house Maitai is perfect.

Extras: Free snorkeling gear and kayaks. Duck into the week museum to learn about the history of the Lapita people, the pre-Polynesian ancestors. Pottery shards, wooden and whalebone sculptures and tools, tinted engravings, 19th-century photographs, reproductions of war clubs, fishing lures and jewellery—all help illustrate early life here.

THINGS TO DO: IN FRENCH POLYNESIA

Off-Site: Rustic and down-to-earth, Huahine is a bit of an artist enclave, and home to more than a few French and American ex-pats looking for a simpler, slightly bohemian life. The two-island grouping is also the site where archaeologists have found the oldest carbon-dated remains, pre-dating Hawaii.

Rate: $$

Book Now

The post French Polynesia: Maitai Lapita Village Huahine appeared first on TravelRight.Today.