As much as we love holidaying in the Caribbean, there is no getting away from the fact that it’s one of those destinations that you can’t reach in a hurry.

Regardless of which island you are planning to visit, the Caribbean falls very much into the 'long haul' category with flights in excess of six hours from the UK before you can relax on the beach and take things easy under glorious sunshine.

It’s certainly a holiday that will be worth the wait, and here’s some top tips to help ensure that you’re ready and raring to go from the moment you step off the plane…

Dress Comfortably

You’re going to be spending a lot of time sitting in one spot on a long haul flight, so you want to make sure you’re dressed in something that will be comfortable for an extended period.

That last thing you want is a belt digging into you for ten hours on a flight, whilst tight layers should also be avoided in favour of clothes that are looser fitting for maximum comfort.

Wearing layers is a great way to regulate your temperature when on the flight as things might get cool when the air conditioning is blasting away at you - but it’ll then be a lot warmer when the doors open on arrival and you reach your island paradise.

It’s worth noting that at altitude, your feet can swell, so comfortable footwear is also a must; although avoid open toes in case of an emergency.

Consider your seat

Flying in economy might be the norm when you’re going short haul to Portugal or Spain but when you are travelling, you might want to consider investing in an upgrade to a premium seat with a bit more leg room to increase comfort.

Even if that isn’t possible, there are things you can do to make the trip more comfortable, which include reserving one the limited seats on exit rows as they benefit from increased leg room without upgrading to a higher class.

If you’re someone who plans to sleep through the flight then a window seat might be well suited so you can rest your head but if you anticipate being more active and want to move around then get yourself onto an aisle.

This one applies to both long and short haul flights - but you might also want to try and make sure you don’t end up in a seat near to the toilets. On a ten hour flight, that loo could get used quite a lot…

Dining decisions

Airline food has improved no end in recent years so you can expect to have plenty of choice when it comes to your in-flight meal - but you need to choose wisely.

The pasta dish at the top of the menu may sound (and smell) nice but could then lay heavy on your stomach and leave you feeling bloated in the hours that follow. Not only will that make you less comfortable when sat in your seat, it could potentially keep you awake when you’d rather doze off and relax.

Try to stick to lighter meals and also ensure you take on plenty of fluids - ideally water and soft drinks. Having an alcoholic beverage may be part of the holiday experience, but having too many can leave you feeling dehydrated as can excess levels of caffeine.

The effects of feeling dehydrated can be intensified on a flight, which is why keeping your fluids up is important.

For the time between food services, having your own selection of snacks can be a good idea; particularly those that provide a boost in energy like protein or cereal bars.

Stay active

Given the length of a long haul flight, you want to try and make sure that you don’t spend all of your time confined to your seat in order to keep blood flowing and reduce the risk of any swelling.

Simply getting up and walking down the aisle of the plane can also help to reduce fatigue although you can also stay active when in your seat by doing exercises such as ankle rolls to keep yourself moving.

Extending your legs when possible will also aid circulation.

Rest

At the same time as you need to stay active, you should also take the opportunity to rest when you can during the flight so that you’re as refreshed as possible when you reach your end destination.

Sleeping on a plane isn’t always the easiest thing to do and some people do struggle to nod off when they know they are surrounded by hundreds of complete strangers.

You might want to invest in a travel pillow to make things more comfortable, whilst an eye mask and ear plugs could help you zone out from your surroundings.

If you do plan to get some sleep, make sure you fasten your seatbelt over any blanket you might be using to keep you warm. That way, there is no need for you to be disturbed if the seatbelt light is illuminated and cabin crew go round to check.

Entertainment

On a long haul flight, you should be offered a range of in-flight entertainment by your airline but that doesn’t mean that the movies or TV shows will be ones you want to watch - in the same way you can have hundreds of options on Sky TV on an evening and still have nothing that takes your fancy…

Instead, you might be better off to download your favourite podcast or the Netflix series you’ve been enjoying onto your personal device to enjoy whilst in the air,

Make sure your devices are charged and ready to go, and that anything you do want to download is downloaded before you board the plan to avoid having to pay for in-flight wi-fi. Alternatively, you can grab a magazine or book before boarding to read whilst in the air.

Make sure you bring your headphones with you as well - they’ll serve you much better than the free ones you’ll be provided with.