The Caribbean is made up of countries with spectacular beaches. However for adventures who crave a more active vacation, here are a few of the must-do ecotourism activities.
French St. Martin: Snorkeling For a truly life-altering experience, head out to sea, where the sport fishing is legendary and diving two offshore wrecks- the British man-of-war HMS Proselyte, which sank in 1801, and the freighter Teigland, which was sunk in 1993- will provide amazing underwater memories you’ll never forget.
Bahamas: Get Close to Nature Named for renowned Freeport-based philanthropist James H. Rand, the Rand Nature Center is a 100-acre sanctuary designed to preserve the natural habitat of Grand Bahama Island for future generations. Though located mere minutes from downtown Freeport, the center boasts a bevy of flora and fauna that should appeal to nature lovers of all stripes. But bird-watching enthusiasts are in for a special treat, as the Center’s pond frequently attracts Antillean Peewee birds, Red-legged Thrushes, Stripe-headed Tanagers, the endangered Bahama Parrot, an occasional Kirtland39s Warbler and the prized West Indian flamingos, the national bird of the Bahamas.
Dominican Republic (North Coast): Snorkeling on Sosua Beach There are a broad network of reefs known as the Tropical Garden where you can snorkel. At the Three Rocks site, the linear-shaped formations come to within 15 feet of the surface and attract a plethora of colorful Spotted Drums, Parrotfish, Angelfish, Pipefish and even an occasional Moray Eel.
Bahamas: Feed a Stingray Beginning with a 25-minute ride through picturesque Nassau Harbor aboard a 65-foot catamaran, the Stingray Adventure at Blackbeard’s Cay provides visitors with a chance for one-on-one encounters with these graceful creatures. Taking place in a park located on the island, the visit begins with an educational briefing on Southern Atlantic Stingrays before guests are allowed to snorkel in a massive lagoon filled with dozens of them. A scheduled feeding ensures that each guest will have personal contact with these elegant animals, who glide around and feed right from your hands.
Curacao: Dive at the Dolphin Academy Located at the Curacao Sea Aquarium, this facility is one of only three in the entire world that allows visitors to swim with our fine-flippered friends in the open water, petting, playing with and riding on Bottlenose dolphins in their natural environment. Their up-close Animal Encounters give snorkelers and scuba divers an incredible opportunity to interact with dolphins and hand-feed a variety of sharks (thankfully, through a hole in a Plexiglas window), stingrays, turtles and tropical fish. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime underwater experience.
Jamaica: Zipline Through the Forest Chukka Caribbean Adventure’s Original Canopy Tour is a 3-hour trek through the forest canopy via a series of decks and platforms connected by zipline traverses. After safety briefing and demonstrations, guides lead visitors on nine traverses coupled with intermittent nature walks filled with information about Jamaica’s diverse landscape and history. Each traverse is unique, with colorful names such as “Limestone Cliff,” “Threesome Stop” and, the highlight, the “Inter-parish Express,” which is over 1,000 feet. Zooming at speeds of up to 35 mph across springs, the Great River and a 150-year-old dam, there’s no other Jamaican experience quite like it.
Bret Love is the co-founder/Editor In Chief of Green Global Travel, a web-based magazine highlighting Ecotourism, Green tips, Eco-News, Global Culture, Preservation and Conservation. As a veteran freelance travel writer his work has appeared in more than 50 national and international publications. You can get a free wildlife photo calendar, for a limited time, by going to Green Global Travel