Did you catch me on TV?! I was thrilled to be featured on To Dine For, Kate Sullivan’s PBS TV show in February. In each episode Kate joins her guests (Deepak Chopra, Jon Bon Jovi and M Night Shyamalan among them) at their favorite restaurant to talk about their career path, personal life and the moments that changed them. So I was thrilled when she asked me to share mine. Naturally I chose somewhere Caribbean (Anguilla), and my favorite restaurant there, Sandy Island. Kate’s an expert interviewer and we had a great conversation. I hope you’ll tune in to watch it for yourself (sorry, U.S. viewers only) to learn a lot more about Anguilla – and me!
 
I had three (count ‘em!) stories in the February issue of Travel + Leisure, and the one I’m most proud of is Beyond The Beaches a personal essay about the colonialist roots of modern Caribbean tourism. (What were the overseas guests of European plantation owners if not the region’s first tourists?) As I say in the story, although I’ve championed the Caribbean in my stories and videos for decades now, I, too, have failed to acknowledge the region’s painful past in my work, and been complicit in presenting idyllic yet incomplete stories. That has changed. I want you to visit the Caribbean but I also want you to go with your eyes open, knowing that beyond its superficial beauty lies a painful past. And to deny that past is to do yourself, the islands and Caribbean people a grave disservice. Nevertheless, your vacay needn’t be a literal guilt trip. So I suggest ways we, as conscious and respectful travelers, can celebrate and appreciate the people who make those vacations possible. I hope you’ll read the article to find out how.
 
Since 2021, my editorial partner in crime Heather Greenwood Davis and I have been conceptualizing and editing quarterly content packages for TripAdvisor, culminating this year with our Black History Month edition. From the little-known history of Black cowboys to tips for keeping your hair and your outfits on point when you’re on the go, their stories center a theme: Black people have been, are, and will be OUT HERE, excelling in places that weren’t built for us and stepping boldly into the world, our sights focused on a bright future.
 
You may know that I host the Complete Caribbean podcast, a bi-monthly roundup of Caribbean news and travel trends, with Brian Major for TravelPulse.com. You might not know, however, that I also write a monthly feature for the site. Most recently, I shared the skinny on new things to do on Grand Cayman (which reopened last November) and the scoop on Saba, the tiny Dutch-Caribbean island you’ve probably never heard of, but need to visit now.

I found this New York Times article, about the battle over a new hotel development in St. Barts, both incredibly fascinating and incredibly sad. Why does a Caribbean hotel need an underground beachside car parking garage?! In the same vein I’m looking forward to digging into Sarah Stodola’s new book, The Last Resort: A Chronicle of Paradise, Profit and Peril at the Beach, which examines travelers’ attraction to coastal places and the overdevelopment that’s threatening to ruin Paradise for us all. 

Honestly, I can’t remember how Isy B, the designer behind the Caymanian swimwear, resort wear and accessories brand, Isy B, first came to my attention. But I’ve interviewed her (by email) for articles several times over the years, and her colorful designs caught and held my eye from the first time I saw them online, back in 2016. On my trip to Grand Cayman in January we finally met, and I was delighted to find out that her personality is as warm and sunny as the destination the British-Nigerian accountant-turned-creative calls home. Here, she shares her insider intel on the Cayman Islands’ best places to swim, stay and savor.

Isy’s Top Three

Beaches

• Starfish Point: I love to wade out into the shallow waters and wonder at the dozens of starfish lying deceptively still underwater. Their bright red and orange bodies contrast beautifully with the clear aqua of the Caribbean Sea, and look slightly surreal.
• Seven Mile Beach: There’s nothing like watching the sunset on Seven Mile Beach with a chilled sundowner in hand, waiting to see if this is the day I’ll see the mythical “green flash” as the sun disappears.
• Barkers Beach: On the northern tip of the island, this nature reserve is my favorite “wild” beach. It’s a perfect secret picnic spot, with rustic wooden swings hidden in the trees and installations by a local artist waiting to be discovered.

Resorts

• Le Soleil D’Or: I love this idyllic boutique inn on Cayman Brac. The gardens are filled with fruit trees and there’s a working farm high on the bluff above it that provides the restaurant with daily produce. While I’m there I take long walks on nearby deserted beaches; cycle to the local parrot reserve; or have a rock-climbing lesson on the cliffs.
• Black Urchin: Just outside Bodden Town, this is Cayman’s first all-villa boutique resort. The interiors are super glamorous and design-led. I dream of moving in – or, at the very least, hosting my next big birthday celebration here.
• Palm Heights: Walking into this hotel always makes me feel like something good is about to happen. I love the optimistic retro vibe of the set-up and its signature bright yellow beach umbrellas. There’s a vintage bookshop onsite full of books I covet, and the palm-fringed pool – reminiscent of 1960’s movie set – is my favorite on the islands.

Restaurants

• Ms. Piper’s Kitchen + Garden: When I get a chance I love stopping for long lunches at this restaurant, a creative imagining of the vintage cottage and backyard of the fictional Ms. Piper. When you’re here it feels like you’ve been invited into her cozy home to enjoy a delicious meal she’s cooked just for you.
• Bacaro: I can’t think of another restaurant this side of the world where the menu is tapas from Venice. The concept is very niche but so good. A bite of each small plate makes me wish it came in a bigger serving, but there’s so much to sample that I always forgive the chef. I also love being able to get there by boat.
• The Brasserie: I’m a huge fan of the slow food movement, and this farm-to-table restaurant does it so well. The Brasserie’s gardens and fishing boat supply delicious fresh-caught fish and local produce daily. The preparations are simple and showcase the perfection of the ingredients, and the service is always amazing.