Unspoiled Caribbean Destinations
Travel is a wondrous thing; visiting new places, meeting new people,
and having new experiences are euphoric. You can take a cruise,
backpack the Gringo Trail, or jet off to five-star resorts. The type of
travel you choose to experience each time is limited only by your own
imagination. Today's world is at your fingertips.
The downside to convenient travel is that as it has become more
accessible, many former favorite destinations have begun to lose their
charms to the demands of tourism.
If off-the-beaten-path destinations
hold an allure for you, the Caribbean still has some unspoiled jewels
that harken back to simpler times. Check out these islands that have
resisted modernization, seemingly caught in a time warp of enchantment.
Saba, Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean
Saba is the very definition of off-the-beaten-path, the simplistic nature of this island is what earned it the moniker
Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean.
In fact, the only major road on the entire island is known simply as
The Road.
Your adventure begins with an exhilarating 12-minute flight
from St. Maarten that lands on the world's shortest commercial runway
at Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport. If that's too much for you, there is
also a daily ferry from the Dutch side of St. Maarten.
Keep a sharp eye out for whale sightings if you take this option. One of the most
undeveloped places in the Caribbean, Saba remains true to her
traditional island friendliness where there are no tourists, only
visitors.
The dedicated Saba Conservation Foundation ensures the protection of
the natural and cultural heritage of the Island, making it an
ecotourism paradise. Saba is crisscrossed with
excellent hiking trails
and climbing opportunities.
The Mountain offers a surreal climbing
experience through an enchanted forest filled with orchids, hibiscus,
and tall moss-covered trees. Saba is also a
superb diving destination.
Scuba divers will delight in outstanding pinnacle dives featuring
volcanic rock at about 300 meters deep. The spires create a mystical
tower-esque backdrop to over 150 different species of fish on the
island's leeward side. Diving the island's windward sites offer
additional varieties of marine life. Saba is a nature lover's dream
world; an island destination where the present moment is always all
there is.
Check out the St Maarten Shore Excursion: Snorkeling and Speed Boat Tour
Dominica, 365 Rivers Run Through It
Dominica is perhaps one of the least visited countries simply by
virtue of having a small airport that is not conducive to large jets.
If you want to visit this magical oasis, you will need to take a
transfer from one of its nearby islands, such as St Lucia.
It is a shame that this country isn't visited more often, but also the reason
it is one of the top eco-destinations in the world. Dominica is perfect
for an off-the-beaten-path naturalist or vigorous eco-tourist
adventurer who is enchanted by nature's bountiful beauty and wonders.
One natural phenomenon that makes this country so special is the number
of rivers that flow freely, one for each day of the year. That's right,
the tiny island of
Dominica boasts 365 rivers although no official source has been found to verify this claim. Even so, the number of rivers is striking. The
world's second biggest boiling lake
is at the end of a grueling six hour hike to Morne Trois Pitons
National Park where hot bubbling water and steam flood from a crack in
the Earth's crust.
On the western side of the park is Trafalgar Falls,
dramatic twin waterfall,
one that drops into hot sulfur springs and the other that flows into a
natural swimming pool. Both viewing the falls and swimming in the pool
are easily accessible. This volcanic island offers ample opportunities
for lounging in the hot springs, particularly at Wotten Waven and
Soufriere.
There are rain forests and lush mountains where
exotic and rare plants, birds, and other animals
reside. Dominica is a haven for naturalists who can enjoy the world in
its rawest form and appreciate being immersed in a rich culture.
Half Day Jeep Tour starting in Roseau, the capital of Dominica
Bequia, Where Visitors May Become Islanders
Bequia (beckway) is a small seven-square-mile island, an outpost of the
Grenadines, with few inhabitants. The community of roughly 5,000 is
made up of fishermen, whalers, sailors, master boat-builders, and a 7%
expat population.
Gorgeous green hillsides, breathtaking white sandy
beaches, and quaint little villages make up its surroundings. The
island's natural beauty and solitude provide timeless inspiration for
artists and writers.
The locals of this everyone knows everyone
community greet all travelers with genuine pleasure, ready to share
anything you want to know about their beautiful island with open and
friendly conversation. This is a place where you can find equal parts
solitude and active adventure.
Seafaring is the most prominent part of island culture on Bequia where most locals have some connection to the sea. You can
set off on an exhilarating sail or yacht cruise
through their blue waters. You may even catch islanders whaling if you
time your visit right.
One of the few places where whaling is still legal, whalers are allowed to catch up to four Humpbacks per a year
using traditional techniques of hand thrown harpoons from open
sailboats.
For an excellent scuba experience, dive one of their
28 dive sites
that showcase various caves, wrecks, and a multitude of sea life. Learn
how to build a model boat, an island specialty, lounge around on white
sand beaches, or stop in a Bequia bar for a friendly game of
backgammon.
Tobago, Adventure Like a Castaway
Tobago is the smaller and less popular sister to homecoming
queen Trinidad, which together make up the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago in the southern Caribbean.
Don't sell this island short; it is a
beach lover's dream, especially at Pigeon Point, Castara, Englishman's
Bay, and Bloody Bay. It was rumored to have inspired Robinson Crusoe,
and was the filming location for The Swiss Family Robinson.
Tobago is an out-of-the-way island where travelers can retreat
from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to find tranquility and
become one with nature. It has lush tropical forests that include
more than five hundred species of butterflies,
pristine beaches, and coral communities that offer excellent diving.
On a trip in Tobago you can stand under a thundering waterfall, dive
through the wreckage of three forgotten ships, observe more than two
hundred species of birds, or view exceptional art at Belle Garden.
These are just the highlights of what this island has to offer. There
is so much to discover, an island meant for a true adventurer's spirit.
San Blas Islands, a World Away
The San Blas Islands of the Kuna Yala are the perfect place to go if
you are looking of an off-the-beaten-path getaway with a unique
cultural experience. Located off the coast of
Panama
you will find these islands inhabited by Kuna Indians who welcome
visitors to share their fascinating way of life and traditional
culture.
Lonely Planet calls the San Blas archipelago the #3 tropical
paradise in the world, which is accounted for as much by the islands'
culture as their pristine beaches. The islands are part of a
semi-autonomous territory of the Kuna who have maintained their own
economic system, distinct culture, and way of life.
Besides the usual island fare of pristine white sand beaches, which are
abundant across many inhabited and uninhabited islands in the
archipelago, snorkeling, diving, sailing, and sea kayaking, the biggest
reason to come to San Blas is to
experience the Kuna Yala villages.
Take a village tour, visit a tribal meeting house or herbal medicine
garden, buy colorful molas from Kuna artisans, or take photos for a
fee. Witness for yourself, a different way of living in the world.
Each of these islands has something that makes it special. They
have managed to remain delightfully detached from the overdeveloped
world of tourism. They are the most beguiling places to visit, because
they have been left alone, so each new visitor can be as captivated as
the last. These off-the-beaten-path locations are where simple means
extraordinary.
Expedite Your Passport Now!