With hundreds of islands, semi-autonomous territories, and 13 independent countries that make up the Caribbean region, there is no way you won’t find experiences that speak directly to your soul and provide you with your heart’s content, no matter what that might be!
From sugary stretches of powdery beaches, azure waters, rainforests, lush valleys crossed by rivers and dotted with impressive waterfalls, natural ponds, and natural parks, a mind-blowing marine and wildlife, lively music and food scene, a profound multitude of spoken languages and adventures, and unique sites, including floating bars and colossal statues, you will definitely have a whole lot on your plate while visiting the Caribbean. Here is a list that merely begins to describe what awaits, but gives an indication of the thrill you could claim here!
Trek to Dunn’s River Falls
Jamaica welcomes trekking enthusiasts with one of the best trails in the Caribbean, surrounded by natural attractions, including a waterfall paradise in the heart of tropical heaven. Just outside Ocho Rios, Dunn’s River Falls allows visitors to choose their preferred trek, from easy and relaxing to more challenging that includes climbing up the waterfall before you take a refreshing dip into the natural pools!
Bonus: If waterfalls fascinate you, then St. Vincent’s Dark View Waterfall in the Grenadines will knock you off your socks. After a short, 15-minute hike through a bamboo grove and a jungle setting, you reach a place that is home to a series of thundering waterfalls. The second fall is accessed via another short trek and enables visitors to dive into the natural pools for a rejuvenating experience.
Snorkel at Sapphire Beach
St. Thomas is home to an idyllic shore with spectacular marine life and aquatic world. Sapphire Beach invites visitors to unique snorkelling ventures featuring crystalline waters, soft, white sand, and an underwater cosmos full of various schools of fish, colourful corals, sea turtles, and other amazing creatures that can best be seen from Pretty Klip Point, one of the most popular St. Thomas snorkelling spots. After a full day exploring the sub-water universe of Sapphire Beach, you can give yourself a pat on the back with mouth-watering food from the local bar and grill that’s served under the palm trees that line the shore!
Climb Gros Piton
Gros Piton mountain is a hugely popular natural attraction in St. Lucia. The clearly defined 5-kilometre (3.2 miles) trek starts near the Soufriere village and takes you through the bustling rainforest and fantastic flora and fauna only to reward you with heart-stopping views of Petit Piton, the neighbouring sister mountain, Saint Vincent island, and the scenic fishing villages that line the beachfront, from almost 800 metres (2,600 feet) above sea level.
Bonus: If reaching places that provide mind-blowing views is your cup of tea, then Pigeon Island National Park in St. Lucia will not disappoint you! Expect nothing but scenic vistas and a picturesque reserve featuring historic ruins, two sandy beaches, a trail to 1700s-built Fort Rodney that’s drenched in history, and views that go as far as Martinique island on a clear day!
Windsurf or Kitesurf at Bathsheba Beach
The eastern shore of Barbados is where you will find the charming beach with the rugged, unspoiled scenery that has been consistently voted as one of the best surfing spots in the Caribbean. Take your time and enjoy a relaxing stroll along the imposing rock formation that fringes the pristine fine-sand shore, or take a seat atop the cliff and watch the skilled windsurfers and kitesurfers doing their thing. To complete this fantastic experience, you could consider pampering your taste buds with delicious Caribbean fish and seafood dishes at nearby St. Joseph village, always accompanied by great local rum!
Explore Arikok National Park
Tucked in Aruba, the Arikok National Park lies on the north of the island and enchants with the unique coral limestone geological formations that comprise the scenery around it. The rustic shore that houses the park is perched almost 8 metres (25 feet) above sea level and bewilders with the ruins of the natural bridges that once belonged to the top of a prehistoric cave. Again, you can hike along the trail and enjoy the stunning ocean views, especially around sunset!
Bonus: For exquisite sunset panoramas, you may also head to St. Maarten and the peaceful Grand Case Beach and watch the sun slide behind the horizon, with Anguilla dotting the sea.
See the Underwater Sculptures in Grenada
The world had never seen an aquatic sculpture park with life-like statues weighing up to 15 tons if it weren’t for Grenada introducing us all to one! Seamlessly integrated into the seabed, the 75 steel-and-concrete sculptures are a unique attraction, with the Lost Correspondent, The Vicissitudes, and Christ of the Deep being the most stand-out pieces, which can be accessed through a scuba diving venture or a glass-bottom boat excursion.
Other Must-try Things While Visiting the Caribbean
- Take a rum tour at any of the rum distilleries across the Caribbean destinations.
- Visit Antigua and Barbuda’s beaches (there are more than 350 shores to explore), such as serene Deep Bay with the century-old sunken shipwreck and the runs of Fort Barrington nearby.
- Go sailing in St. Lucia to experience the thrill of having both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean within reach! While here, you can also visit Anse Cochon Beach to snorkel or swim, or even visit the idyllic Sulphur Springs.
- Go rafting or river-tubing down the Layou River in Dominica and spot exotic birds along the way!
- Hike the 183-kilometre (114 miles) Waitukubuli National Trail in Dominica that goes through the island from end to end.
- Visit the Bob Marley Museum in Jamaica which displays memorabilia of the infamous Bob Marley, including a 3D hologram and his Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Soak up the pristine natural allure of Store Bay in Tobago.
- Go diving on Saba island, between St. Kitts and St. Maarten, and explore the volcanic ecosystem created there and the incredible dive sites (i.e., the Eye of the Needle, Diamond Rock, and Tent Reef).
- Have a drink or cocktail at Captain Oak’s Tiki Bar in Turks & Caicos.
With hundreds of islands, semi-autonomous territories, and 13 independent countries that make up the Caribbean region, there is no way you won’t find experiences that speak directly to your soul and provide you with your heart’s content, no matter what that might be!
From sugary stretches of powdery beaches, azure waters, rainforests, lush valleys crossed by rivers and dotted with impressive waterfalls, natural ponds, and natural parks, a mind-blowing marine and wildlife, lively music and food scene, a profound multitude of spoken languages and adventures, and unique sites, including floating bars and colossal statues, you will definitely have a whole lot on your plate while visiting the Caribbean. Here is a list that merely begins to describe what awaits, but gives an indication of the thrill you could claim here!
Trek to Dunn’s River Falls
Jamaica welcomes trekking enthusiasts with one of the best trails in the Caribbean, surrounded by natural attractions, including a waterfall paradise in the heart of tropical heaven. Just outside Ocho Rios, Dunn’s River Falls allows visitors to choose their preferred trek, from easy and relaxing to more challenging that includes climbing up the waterfall before you take a refreshing dip into the natural pools!
Bonus: If waterfalls fascinate you, then St. Vincent’s Dark View Waterfall in the Grenadines will knock you off your socks. After a short, 15-minute hike through a bamboo grove and a jungle setting, you reach a place that is home to a series of thundering waterfalls. The second fall is accessed via another short trek and enables visitors to dive into the natural pools for a rejuvenating experience.
Snorkel at Sapphire Beach
St. Thomas is home to an idyllic shore with spectacular marine life and aquatic world. Sapphire Beach invites visitors to unique snorkelling ventures featuring crystalline waters, soft, white sand, and an underwater cosmos full of various schools of fish, colourful corals, sea turtles, and other amazing creatures that can best be seen from Pretty Klip Point, one of the most popular St. Thomas snorkelling spots. After a full day exploring the sub-water universe of Sapphire Beach, you can give yourself a pat on the back with mouth-watering food from the local bar and grill that’s served under the palm trees that line the shore!
Climb Gros Piton
Gros Piton mountain is a hugely popular natural attraction in St. Lucia. The clearly defined 5-kilometre (3.2 miles) trek starts near the Soufriere village and takes you through the bustling rainforest and fantastic flora and fauna only to reward you with heart-stopping views of Petit Piton, the neighbouring sister mountain, Saint Vincent island, and the scenic fishing villages that line the beachfront, from almost 800 metres (2,600 feet) above sea level.
Bonus: If reaching places that provide mind-blowing views is your cup of tea, then Pigeon Island National Park in St. Lucia will not disappoint you! Expect nothing but scenic vistas and a picturesque reserve featuring historic ruins, two sandy beaches, a trail to 1700s-built Fort Rodney that’s drenched in history, and views that go as far as Martinique island on a clear day!
Windsurf or Kitesurf at Bathsheba Beach
The eastern shore of Barbados is where you will find the charming beach with the rugged, unspoiled scenery that has been consistently voted as one of the best surfing spots in the Caribbean. Take your time and enjoy a relaxing stroll along the imposing rock formation that fringes the pristine fine-sand shore, or take a seat atop the cliff and watch the skilled windsurfers and kitesurfers doing their thing. To complete this fantastic experience, you could consider pampering your taste buds with delicious Caribbean fish and seafood dishes at nearby St. Joseph village, always accompanied by great local rum!
Explore Arikok National Park
Tucked in Aruba, the Arikok National Park lies on the north of the island and enchants with the unique coral limestone geological formations that comprise the scenery around it. The rustic shore that houses the park is perched almost 8 metres (25 feet) above sea level and bewilders with the ruins of the natural bridges that once belonged to the top of a prehistoric cave. Again, you can hike along the trail and enjoy the stunning ocean views, especially around sunset!
Bonus: For exquisite sunset panoramas, you may also head to St. Maarten and the peaceful Grand Case Beach and watch the sun slide behind the horizon, with Anguilla dotting the sea.
See the Underwater Sculptures in Grenada
The world had never seen an aquatic sculpture park with life-like statues weighing up to 15 tons if it weren’t for Grenada introducing us all to one! Seamlessly integrated into the seabed, the 75 steel-and-concrete sculptures are a unique attraction, with the Lost Correspondent, The Vicissitudes, and Christ of the Deep being the most stand-out pieces, which can be accessed through a scuba diving venture or a glass-bottom boat excursion.
Other Must-try Things While Visiting the Caribbean
- Take a rum tour at any of the rum distilleries across the Caribbean destinations.
- Visit Antigua and Barbuda’s beaches (there are more than 350 shores to explore), such as serene Deep Bay with the century-old sunken shipwreck and the runs of Fort Barrington nearby.
- Go sailing in St. Lucia to experience the thrill of having both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean within reach! While here, you can also visit Anse Cochon Beach to snorkel or swim, or even visit the idyllic Sulphur Springs.
- Go rafting or river-tubing down the Layou River in Dominica and spot exotic birds along the way!
- Hike the 183-kilometre (114 miles) Waitukubuli National Trail in Dominica that goes through the island from end to end.
- Visit the Bob Marley Museum in Jamaica which displays memorabilia of the infamous Bob Marley, including a 3D hologram and his Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
- Soak up the pristine natural allure of Store Bay in Tobago.
- Go diving on Saba island, between St. Kitts and St. Maarten, and explore the volcanic ecosystem created there and the incredible dive sites (i.e., the Eye of the Needle, Diamond Rock, and Tent Reef).
- Have a drink or cocktail at Captain Oak’s Tiki Bar in Turks & Caicos.