Easter is the perfect time to plan for a Caribbean vacation.  The March break crowds have gone, the beautiful dry season has begun, and the weather is simply gorgeous.  Whether you are planning British Virgin Island holidays or a jaunt to Jamaica; Easter is also a time for services, celebrations and festivals all over the Caribbean.  Here’s what you can look forward to on your Easter Weekend in the Caribbean, no matter where you are planning to visit.

Go Fly a Kite

One of the most popular Easter traditions all across the Caribbean is to fly a kite. On Good Fridays, families pack a picnic lunch and head out to any wide open space to fly a kite or two.  And it’s not just for kids.  It is a breathtaking sight; a bright blue cloudless Caribbean sky, dotted with thousands of colorful kites of every shape, size and dimension.  Box kites, dragon kites, home-made kites. This is a beautiful opportunity to feel like a kid again on a windy, sunny day on a tropical island.  Many Caribbean islands actually hold kite flying festivals and competitions on Easter Weekend.

Head to the Beach

There is a strange Easter old wives tale here that makes Easter weekend one of the best times of the year to head to a Caribbean beach.  For centuries, there was a belief all around the Caribbean believe that anyone who dips a toe in the ocean on Good Friday will turn into a fish.  While most people these days don’t believe that to be true, you’ll still find that the locals will avoid the beach on Good Friday, meaning it’s your chance for a truly romantic desert island experience of having the beach to yourself.  Spend a day on your own on James Bond Beach in Jamaica, or experience the incredible beauty of Virgin Gorda’s world-famous beach known as the Baths, and have the beach all to yourself.

Celebrate with an Easter Feast

Traditionally, Christians have avoided red meat on Good Friday, and it is certainly not missed in the least here in the Caribbean, where fresh fish and shellfish play an important role in Easter feasts.  Many local bakeries will also offer special Easter buns, made with spices and dried fruit and raisins.  Easter buns are particularly popular in Jamaica, where many families have handed down recipes for generations, and buns are often serves with a slice or two of delicious cheese.

Easter Festival on Virgin Gorda

Easter is the best time to plan for a visit to a villa Virgin Gorda.  This pretty British Virgin Island throws a wonderful Easter Festival, which is full of music, dancing and entertainment.  The festival lasts for four days, ending with a grand street parade in Spanish Town on the Easter Monday.  Every night, all over the island, there are calypso band competitions, dances and lots of beach parties.

A Twist on the Easter Egg

In Jamaica, the idea of the Easter Egg is very different than the chocolate variety hidden all over American homes.  Here, many Jamaicans believe that the egg has the ability to predict what the coming year will look like.  On Holy Thursday, crack an egg into a container of water, and the shape that the egg forms predicts the future.  For example, if the cracked egg looks like a ship, it means you will be going away in the coming year.

The Trelawny Yam Festival in Jamaica

Easter Monday is the time for one of Jamaica’s biggest food events; the Trelawny Yam Festival.  It’s held every year in Albert Town to celebrate one of Jamaica’s favorite foods; the yam. There are cooking demonstrations, food stalls, and some truly inspired ways of serving yams, including yam wine, yam pudding and yam buns.  Tens of thousands of people come for this delicious event and it’s well worth a visit.