Seeking Adventure in the Caribbean

The driest island in the Caribbean is Antigua.

The trek from Jolly Harbor to the top of Boggy Peak is popular with hikers.

Enjoy the coastal trail from Galleon Beach to Shirley Heights, including a view of English Harbor.

Hikers like Mermaid Garden, a natural swimming pool that was carved out by nature.

Dominica has been nicknamed the “Nature Island,” popular with eco-adventurers. It consists of rainforests, hot springs, and a boiling lake.

The island is home to the first long-distance hiking path in the Caribbean, the Waitukubuki National Trail. The trail begins in the southern village of Scott’s Head and winds up in the north at Cabrits National Park. The trail is divided into 14 sections.

The trail takes two weeks to complete. Along the way, hikers get to take in natural wonders like Mome Trois, Pitons National Park, and Mome Diablotins.

Morne Trois Pitons National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can choose to take:

The Boiling Lake Trail

The Emerald Pool Trail (pictured above)

The Trafalgar Falls Trail

Hiking and communing with nature are popular on Jamaica.

The Blue Mountain Peak Trail is the most popular with the coffee estates that offer the world-renowned Blue Mountain Coffee.

The Holywell National Park offers hiking trails, picnic areas, and breathtaking views of the surrounding rainforest.

The park is home to all of the 30 endemic bird species of Jamaica, including the black-billed streamertails.

Among reptiles are the Blue Mountain giant anole and the Jamaican boa.

Take the Mount Zion Hill Walk, a two-hour walk taking hikers through the bush along Zion Ridge to an authentic rural village dating back to 1861.

Some of the best hiking is offered by the island of Martinique. Referred to as “traces,” often following trails used by early settlers, they’re over 350 km long. The traces in the south part of the island follow the coastline, leading hikers from beach to beach through coastal forests, mangroves, and different rocky and sandy zones.

Mount Pelée is an active volcano in the north offering the challenge of Pitons du Carbet, a trail leading through some of the oldest plantations as well as untouched forest.

Mostly covered in rainforest, Saint Kitts is a tiny Leeward Island.

The island provides a home for wildlife like the green vervet monkeys, rare lizards, and hummingbirds. There are nature trails to explore.

Mount Liamuiga is on the north side of the islands. It offers a two-hour trek to the summit. Hikers pass through farmland and mango orchards, rainforests, and cloud forests.

Eventually you emerge at Devil’s Tooth, a crater rim half a mile wide.

With its jagged volcanic peaks and azure waters in the eastern Caribbean, Saint Lucia is a beautiful island to visit. Along the coastline are volcanic beaches and reefs, while the interior features forests, waterfalls, and hiking trails.

The twin peaks of the Pitons are a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Gros Piton offers the most popular trek. At the base of the mountain you can find guides for a four-hour hike.

Enjoy the Edmund Forest Reserve that is home to 186 species of birds, among them the rare St. Lucia parrot. The reserve offers numerous outdoor activities such as hiking and birdwatching, making it a popular destination for nature lovers.

Saint Vincent is a Windward Island with active volcanoes and white sand beaches.

La Soufriere Volcano dominates the north end of the island and offers hikers a challenging trek. The 5-hour hike leads you through rainforest and cloud forest to a desolate landscape with volcanic rocks, steaming cauldrons, and sulphur-rimmed volcanoes.

Another popular trail takes hikers to Dark View Falls with two amazing waterfalls, one above the other, cascading down high cliff faces and plunging into natural pools.

Saba is surrounded by cliffs and a marine park. It is known for hiking and diving. Divers enjoy the coral formations, colorful fish, turtles, and underwater mountains. Hikers can trek to Mount Scenery, a dormant volcano in a cloud forest. The Mount Scenery Trails begin in the Windward Side town.

Tobago is part of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It offers many hiking trails.

Among the highlights is Pirate’s Bay Beach.

You can trek to a three-tiered waterfall.

Here you can see the national bird of Tobago, the cocrico.

Trinidad offers a hike to Mount Tamana and the bat caves in the Central Range.

Trekking to Saut d’Eau through Paramin and over the top of Barre La Vigie is the only way to reach a beach where waterfalls cascade into the sea.

Trails on El Tucuche give hikers the chance to see the rare golden tree frog.