I’ve been to 20 Caribbean islands. Here are 5 things you must do when you visit the region — and 2 you can skip.
July 30, 20240
I visited the underwater sculpture park in Grenada.
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The Caribbean has several great places to snorkel, but Grenada and St. John are my top choices for this activity.
Grenada’s Molinere underwater sculpture park, which consists of gorgeous underwater sculptures, was the first of its kind when it opened in 2006.
Some sculptures are only submerged about 6 feet underwater, so you don’t have to dive deep for a great view. If you’re not a snorkeler, you can also take a glass-bottom boat tour, which offers aerial views of the sculptures.
Another great island for snorkeling is St. John in the US Virgin Islands. The island’s popular beach, Trunk Bay, has a 400-foot underwater snorkeling trail where visitors can spot turtles and tropical fish.
I enjoyed land sailing in Bonaire.
The Bahamas are home to Pig Beach.
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Stingray City in Grand Cayman provides visitors the unique opportunity to swim with stingrays at a shallow sandbank about 25 miles from the shore. On my last visit, I booked a boat tour to see the wild stingrays that come to the sandbar every day to feed.
In the Bahamas, the famous Pig Beach offers a similar experience. Travelers come from all over to feed and take photos with the dozen or so wild pigs that live on Big Major Cay in the Exumas.
For both experiences, it’s important to remember that the animals are wild, and you should proceed with caution.
Watching cliff divers in Jamaica or Anguilla is thrilling.
I checked out the La Soufrière volcano while I was in St. Vincent.
Mariette Williams
Some travelers might be surprised to learn that the Caribbean is a great place to go hiking. There are lots of incredible hiking trails in the area, especially on islands like Antigua and St. Vincent.
One of Antigua’s most popular (but difficult) trails is Mount Obama, named after the former US president. At 1,330 feet above sea level, it’s the highest peak on the island.
On my first visit to Antigua, I took up the challenge and climbed to the peak. Although our views were obstructed by clouds when I went, the lookout offers views of neighboring St Kitts on a clear day.
On a recent trip to St. Vincent, I left my resort for a hike and snapped photos of the island’s active volcano, La Soufrière.
On the other hand, I’d skip visiting Rihanna’s childhood home in Barbados.
Instead of the Sulfur Springs, I recommend checking out Piton Falls in St. Lucia.
Mariette Williams
St. Lucia’s Sulfur Springs are a collection of pools filled with warm, mineral-rich water. I took the plunge on a recent visit and had a (smelly) good time. However, if you don’t like crowds, I would skip this activity.
If do plan on visiting, I recommend getting there as early as possible, as the pools can fill up quickly.
To experience St. Lucia’s natural beauty in a different way, consider going straight to Piton Falls, which is less crowded and has two concrete pools and a warm waterfall.
