Caribbean attractions

Located in the campus of Puerto Rico University in San Juan, the Museum of History, Anthropology and Art possesses one of the most important archaeological collections in the Caribbean, including a vast array of artifacts from the island’s indigenous Taino people. Rounding out the displays are notable works by Puerto Rican painters Francisco Oller and José Campeche.

The Yaque del Norte is the longest river in the Dominican Republic and a popular destination for whitewater rafting. Running through the beautiful scenery of the Cordillera Central mountains, the river offers a combination of thrill-seeking and great views.

In the heart of the Basse-Terre rainforest, Guadeloupe Zoo feels more like a jungle adventure than a zoo visit. You can walk across treetop canopies while observing exotic birds, reptiles, monkeys, and big cats. There are over 450 animals to discover; around 85 species are native and endangered. There’s also an insectarium and more than 1,000 plant species.

In the center of northern Trinidad is the town of Arima, less than an hour's drive or bus ride from Port of Spain. Nestled in the foothills of the island’s Northern Range, Arima is a good jumping-off point for visiting natural areas in the northeastern part of the island. While you’re in town, visit such destinations as the Asa Wright Nature Centre and the nearby Brasso Seco Community Centre, a popular base for waterfall hikes and birdwatching trips.

One of the Caribbean’s great snorkeling destinations, Creole Rock is a small rocky outcropping just off St. Martin’s northern coast. Teaming with the life above and under the sea, the reef is part of a protected marine reserve. It’s also an important bird rookery where pelicans and brown boobies come to lay their eggs.

At the entrance of Montego Bay’s famed Hip Strip, the family-friendly Aquasol offers more than just pristine snorkeling and lazy sunbathing. Here, travelers looking for more active beach time can enjoy water- and land-based fun, from banana boat rides, jet-skiing, kayaking, and glass-bottom boat trips to go-karts, tennis, and volleyball.

Nestled in the hills of central Dominican Republic, the town of Bonao rewards visitors who venture off the tourist path. Known for its traditional arts and culture, and excellent museums, the town is also surrounded by lush green hills dotted with rivers, streams, and waterfalls.

Located directly east of Port of Spain, the town of Sangre Grande is the economic hub of northeastern Trinidad and is a good base for visiting nearby attractions in the region by the same name. It is a particularly idyllic destination for nature lovers, as it has ample opportunities to hike, see howler monkeys in the wild, or do a bit of birdwatching.

One of the lesser developed beaches of St. Kitt’s southeast peninsula, tranquil Turtle Beach is a lovely little stretch of sand, boasting opportunities to spot monkeys playing in the trees and swim with a view of the green mountains of Nevis. Snorkelers come here to observe the protected coral reef teaming with fish.

When Fidel Castro marched into Havana and seized the Cuban government, he took the island’s tobacco industry and hand-rolled cigars along with it. Cuban cigar makers then fled the country in search of factories elsewhere. One of those places was La Romana in the neighboring Dominican Republic. Established in 1971, Tabacalera de Garcia has grown into the largest hand-rolled cigar factory in the world.

Enjoy avant-garde films at Fine Arts Miramar in the Miramar area of San Juan. Fine Arts Cinema is known as the premier cinema in San Juan to see foreign and independent films, particularly those with artistic, cultural, and social relevance, all the while grabbing a bite to eat and a drink.

From December 26 through New Year’s Day, the streets of Nassau erupt with live music, festive floats, and costumes for Junkanoo—a festival akin to Mardi Gras and Carnival. Located in an old customs warehouse on the wharf, the fun Junkanoo Expo Museum, offers visitors who can’t make the trip during the holiday season a chance to experience the wonderful event.

Karukera Land is a family-friendly park boasting water activities, games, animals, and gardens that represent the ecological diversity of the island of Guadeloupe. The park also offers a variety of events—such as musical performances—as well as a wellness center and plenty of sun-soaked spaces to relax.

Just south of San Juan, the Caparra Archaeological Site is a National Historic Landmark that protects the stone foundations of Caparra, the original capital of Puerto Rico. The city was established under Ponce de León back in 1508, but these ruins are all that remain to this day.

A crescent of fine white sand stretching along Puerto Rico’s Atlantic coast and backed by tall palms, Pine Grove Beach is one of San Juan’s most idyllic beaches. The tranquil waters here make Pine Grove a perfect spot for families with small children, while novice surfers can ride the waves at its eastern end.

Note: Grivelière Coffee Factory and Plantation is temporarily closed. Located in the historic area of Vieux-Habitantes, on the island of Guadeloupe, Domaine de l'Habitation la Grivelière is a coffee factory and plantation that dates back to the 18th century. Visit the site’s traditional Creoloe gardens, which are full of coffee and cocoa plants as well as an abundance of other medicinal and edible plants.

Lighthouse Beach is situated at the southernmost point of Eleuthera island in The Bahamas, offering access to both the Exuma Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. As the new home of Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, the beach is accessible by cruise ship with public access limited. At the port of call, cruise passengers can enjoy cabanas, kid-friendly attractions, and adults-only areas.

With its deep-blue swimming hole and rock formations that have been formed over millions of years, Cuevas Arenales is a cave complex attracting adventurous travelers and nature lovers alike. Often touted as one of Puerto Rico’s must-visit caves, it offers scenic hikes, hidden springs, underground cave paths, and idyllic swimming spots.

Located in the Anamuya Mountains near Punta Cana, La Hacienda Park is an open-air adventure theme park. You can enjoy a mix of thrilling and cultural activities here, including a chairlift ride, a zipline circuit, a QuickJump freefall, horseback riding, Polaris buggies, a Dominican nature and culture safari, and a Dominican buffet lunch.

Cornwall Beach sits along a long stretch of creamy white sand beaches just outside Montego Bay on Jamaica’s west coast. This private beach offers travelers a gentle, crystal clear sea and well-managed facilities, making it a desirable spot for swimming, snorkeling, and enjoying a seaside meal.

On Barbados’s idyllic western coast, Sandy Lane Beach is famous for the upscale resort of the same name that occupies most of the beach. Being a guest isn’t required, as this beautiful public beach is open to all visitors. With calm shallow waters, swimming is relaxing. For more adventure, go waterskiing or wreck diving off the shore.

Located in Port of Spain, the Red House is the seat of Trinidad and Tobago’s parliament. The original building was constructed in the middle of the 19th century, yet later burnt to the ground during the 1903 Water Riots, a response to increased water costs and the use of water meters in private homes. It was rebuilt in the Beaux-Arts style in 1907.

The founders of the Tortuga Rum Company began baking and selling rum cake on the Cayman Islands in 1987. Today, more than 5,000 cakes a day are produced at the Tortuga Rum Cakes Bakery, and you can visit the factory and sample the treat for yourself.

Sun, soft sand, and warm, shallow waters characterize Leinster Bay—a favorite among beach lovers seeking solitude. It’s also one of the best snorkeling and scuba diving spots on St John thanks to the colorful coral reef of Waterlemon Cay, where it’s possible to spot sea turtles, stingrays, starfish, and schools of blue tang and parrotfish.

When sugar was king, the late-19th-century Harmony Hall outside Ocho Rios was the centerpiece of a vast sugar plantation. In the 1980s, cultural activist Annabella Proudlock and her friends acquired and restored the grand manse to its original glory and turned it into an art gallery with one of the island’s best restaurants.

Set in the Cibao Valley just east of Santiago de los Caballeros, the town of Moca is known for its agriculture, including coffee, cacao, tobacco, and sugarcane, traditional arts and crafts, and for being the “Village of Heroes.” Off the tourist trail, visitors to the town can enjoy a more authentic experience.

This 5-acre (2-hectare private garden is home to some of the oldest mahogany trees in Grenada, as well as some of the island’s most treasured native plants and flowers. With the ocean bordering one side of the estate and the mountains facing the other, Sunnyside Garden is particularly scenic, making it a top garden spot in the Caribbean.

Part of the Atlantis Submarine family, Grand Cayman Seaworld Observatory is a semisubmersible boat with a glass-enclosed viewing area that sits 5 feet (1.5 meters) below the waterline. It lets travelers experience the underwater world in air-conditioned comfort, without getting wet or having to dive to any depth.

Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands bustles with activity as the landing location for pleasure craft and mega yachts, as well as serves as the departure point for the ferry to Water Island and other boat excursions. This full-service marina is also home to plenty of nearby attractions that you can enjoy while waiting to embark.

Tumbling down from Bermuda’s South Road to the sea, Palm Groves Garden is a beautifully landscaped private garden that you can explore for free—thanks to its generous owners. Its standout sight is a lily pond with a Bermuda map built into it, along with other fun features such as a Chinese moon gate, a wishing well, and an aviary.