However each of the islands has its own character, its own history and its own problems that make it different even from its own close neighbours.

Given the fact that there are also over 207 individual islands and 21 countries it makes the search for your perfect island hideaway even more complicated.

In relation to attracting tourist numbers the most popular islands are the largest ones, such as the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago.

However if you look at the statistics on a per capita basis, it shows a clearer picture and highlights the smaller emerging islands. On a per capita basis Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Barbados and Grenada are the most popular.

St Lucia
Marco Bonini, Director of Prestigious Properties Limited, which deals exclusively with the Caribbean area, believes that for property investors St Lucia is the best island for short to medium term capital appreciation as it is the best performing island.

St Lucia was voted the best wedding destination by American Express, Oprah Winfrey is a massive fan and it was voted the 4th most beautiful island in the world by Conde Nast Travellermagazine.

In the most recent statistics released by the World Trade Organisation [WTO] it was reported that tourism in St Lucia grew by 7.8% in 2004 and in the league table of top earners it was number five in the Caribbean.

Irish interest has also recently been increased with the announcement that Irish developers Roebuck International had teamed up with the Ritz-Carlton to launch a fivestar development on the island.

With such a prestigious entry into the market, property prices and tourism levels are sure to increase even faster.

Barbados
An important issue in the Caribbean, according to Bonini, is location. Barbados is the most mature market in the Caribbean and it has been shown that the west coast has been developed considerably and there are many coastal developments that been built side by side.

However developers have not fully exploited the rugged Atlantic east coast and Bonini believes this is an indication of how trends could go in islands such as Antigua and St Lucia and especially on the Turks and Caicos Islands, which are very flat.

Barbados as a whole is a very developed market and in the WTO earnings rankings it is placed at number 12.

St Kitts
One of the smaller island groups that is currently enjoying popularity among tourists and is set to experience steep growth over the next few years are the islands of St Kitts and Nevis which on a per capita basis are the second most popular islands among tourists.

When we look at the numbers travelling there and dollars earned from tourism, it is tops in the WFO rankings with increases of 32% and 43% observed respectively in recent years.

Antigua and Montserrat
Antigua is considered one of the more luxurious islands and it is also very cosmopolitan as it attracts a diverse mix of British, Irish, German and Italian visitors.

However for a truly Irish experience the island of Montserrat is known as the Emerald Island and has close links with Ireland as a lot of Catholics were exiled there centuries ago during Cromwell's era and its official holiday is even St Patrick's Day!

Montserrat, although it was ravaged by a volcanic eruption in 1995, saw its earnings from tourism rise by 18%.

It is ranked third in the WFO ranking for growth in tourism earnings, while Antigua, one of the more well to do islands in the Caribbean, is also in the top ten and has seen its fortunes rise by 12.3%.

Emerging islands
Looking to the future Bonini predicts that the islands that will emerge as forerunners in the coming years will be Grenada.

The Pirates of Caribbean movies were filmed in St Vincent and the Grenadines and it has seen its profile rise recently with the number of tourists arriving there rising by 10%.

The Dominican Republic is trying desperately to change its impression as a three star all inclusive destination; however it has suffered from some recent unsuccessful attempts to establish luxury resorts.

Some of the traditionally popular islands have also had a decline in their fortunes and the WFO rankings report that the Cayman Islands and Haiti have declined the most with their earnings from tourism actually declining by 15% and 17% respectively.

Resorts Antigua: Non Such Bay
Located on the east of the island this luxury resort has three-bedroom waterfront townhouses available from $825,000 and apartments starting from approximately $350,000. Contact: La Perla Living, Tel: 0031 205 89 40 70 or www. laperlaliving. com

St Lucia: Cap Maison, Cap Estate
An upmarket beach side resort of 22 one, two and three bedroom homes off-plan on a buy to let basis. Prices range from $800,000 and come with a 5% guaranteed rental return for the first year. Contacts: Prestigious Properties UK Ltd, Tel: 0044 208 812 4734 or www. prestigious-properties. co. uk

St Kitts: Oceans Edge
Overlooking Cable Bay, these include beach front apartments, hillside apartments and garden cottages with prices starting from $342,000. Contact: Newfound Property International, Tel: +44 (0) 20 8605 9530 or www. newfoundproperty. com

Barbados: The Crane Resort and residences
The only resort community on the famous pink sands of Crane Beach in the south-east of Barbados are offering 1, 2 and 3-bed residences to buy on an interval or outright basis.

Outright ownership starts from $654,000 but interval ownership schemes are available. Contact: www. thecrane. com

Montserrat: Paradise and the Inferno
These three bedroom properties come with a 40 ft swimming pool and have views of Montserrat's infamous Soufriere Hills volcano. Prices start from $325,000.
Contact: Montserrat Enterprises, Tel: 001664 491 2431 or www. montserratenter prises. com.