t The unique landscape of Valle de Viñales under the evening sky
From magnificent coral reefs to lush rainforests and soaring volcanic peaks, the Caribbean islands are a kaleidoscope of sublime natural seascapes and landscapes. But for all its geographic diversity, the region is bound together by ever-present aquamarine and turquoise seas.
t The unique landscape of Valle de Viñales under the evening sky
Disgorged from the sea in great tectonic upheavals, the non-volcanic islands of the Caribbean are a dreamland of dramatic karst (limestone) features. Hotel Los Jazmines’ mirador (lookout) offers panoramic vistas of Cuba’s incredible Valle de Viñales. For an underground adventure, explore the Cuevas de las Maravillas (Caves of Wonders) in the Dominican Republic and gaze at the hundreds of pictographs. Alternatively, marvel at the fantastical dripstone formations in Haiti’s lesser known La Grotte Marie Jeanne (Port-à-Piment).
Bubbling mud pools, steaming vents, and peaks looming sheer from the sea reveal the awesome volcanic origins of many islands. The view of the twin Pitons of Saint Lucia from Anse Chastenet is the most iconic of all Caribbean landscapes. The Volcano Observatory on Montserrat is a great base for exploring the island’s “Exclusion Zone”. Alternatively, lace up your boots and hike the lush green Crater Trail around The Quill, a stratovolcano on the tiny Dutch island of St. Eustatius.
Cascading like quicksilver through the lush forests, waterfalls add to the dramatic beauty of mountain terrains. At Cascade aux Écrevisses, on Guadeloupe, slide into the Corossol River like a log down a flume. In Jamaica, link hands in a daisy-chain to clamber prize-winningly pretty Dunn’s River Falls. Group adventure tubing down Grenada’s Balthazar River is an exhilarating ride.
Drenched by the moist trade winds, mountainous regions are enveloped in dense green rainforest. A nirvana to nature lovers, Puerto Rico’s El Yunque is laced with well-maintained trails. In Dominica, experience the verdant splendor on horseback with Rainforest Riding (rainforestriding.com).
The Caribbean’s fragile and diverse coral ecosystems are threatened by pollution and global warming; the reefs have diminished by about 80 per-cent in the past four decades. But pockets of healthy coral reefs remain, with abundant marine life – moray eels, sea turtles, octopuses, and an ever-changing ballet of piebald-dappled, striped, polka dot fish. The world’s tallest coral column (the “Caribbean Cathedral”) probes the waters at Punta Frances, off Cuba’s Isla de la Juventud.