Caribbean Points of Interest and Places to Visit

Clear blue waters and white sandy beaches make Macao an ideal spot to experience the real Caribbean. Because it’s public, this beach attracts both far-off travelers and close-to-home locals. Visitors won’t have to worry about aggressive vendors or crowded shores, either, making this an ideal spot for a peaceful morning stroll or an active outdoor afternoon. Travelers can lounge in the sand, boogie board or learn to surf near Macao Beach’s bigger breakers. And for those who prefer to stay dry on land and keep out of the water, an afternoon horseback ride still offers stunning coastal views and fresh saltwater air, without the hassle of getting wet.

The national park-protected Saona Island (or Isla Saona) lies just off the southern coast of the Dominican Republic. Lovely beaches fringe this remote slice of heaven, with the best swimming at Mano Juan and Punta Gorda. It’s an ideal beach getaway for a day’s excursion by catamaran. The population numbers little more than 300 lucky souls, and beach and eco-touring activities are the main drawcards, along with the island’s lagoons, caves and offshore snorkeling. The island measures around 15 miles long by 3 miles wide (25 kilometers by 5 kilometers).

The unrivaled beaches of Punta Cana focus on Bavaro, the home of resort vacations in the Dominican Republic. Most of Punta Cana’s resort hotels cluster around the long stretch of white sand Bavaro Beach (or Playa Bavaro) and its small collection of shopping plazas. Along with its aquamarine waters and sandy beaches, Bavaro has world-class golf courses and offshore reef diving sites.

Dunn's River Falls is a spectacular waterfall near Ocho Rios, where cold mountain water cascades 1,000 feet (300 meters) down naturally terraced steps. Visitors can climb the falls alone or in a guided "human chain," but there's also plenty of swimming, sunbathing and sightseeing to do as well. Those interested in geology will be fascinated with the way the falls renew themselves via regular deposits of calcium carbonate and sodium, and movie buffs will recognize them from films such as Dr. No and Cocktail. Families will enjoy the swim; the water is mountain runoff and fairly cold, which is perfect on particularly hot days. It's also close to Ocho Rios' land-and-sea attractions and restaurants - spend the day swimming and exploring Dunn's River Falls and finish up relaxing in town.

When you first set foot on Cayo Icacos and take a look around, it looks exactly like a deserted island you’d see in a Hollywood film. White sand rings a forested grove at the center of the tiny island, and the sound of waves and gusting wind is the only break in the silence. Then, when you turn around and notice the boat that brought you there is gone, the reality of being on a deserted island suddenly begins to sink in. Despite being only 15 minutes from the mainland town of Fajardo, Cayo Icacos is an undeveloped island that feels like the middle of nowhere. It isn’t the isolated seclusion, however, that draws visitors to Icacos; rather, it’s the pristine snorkeling and offshore reefs where schools of colorful, tropical fish all flit and sway with the waves. If you don’t want to simply be dropped off on shore and left to fend for yourself (until the boat comes back, of course, a few hours later), there are snorkeling cruises to Cayo Icacos that make the trip more comfortable.

El Yunque Rainforest is the only tropical rainforest under the protection of the US Forest Service and also the largest nature reserve in densely-populated Puerto Rico. It is situated in the mist-wreathed Luquillo Mountains where year-round precipitation ensures lush, green landscapes and a healthy diversity of animal life. This includes mongooses, non-venomous snakes, the rare Puerto Rican Parrot and the Coqui frog whose distinctive croak provides El Yunque’s soundtrack. El Portal Rain Forest Center provides a good introduction to the area. There you can pick up a map and set out on well-defined walking trails which will take you past such sights as the La Coca Falls and the observation points of Yokahú Tower and Mount Britton Lookout Tower.

No, it's not a theme park; Stingray City is a world-famous natural wonder offering intrepid wildlife-lovers the chance to dive with stingrays. Touching and feeding stingrays underwater is a unique experience, combined with diving and snorkeling coral reefs surrounded by tropical fish. Stingray City is a series of shallow sandbars off the north coast of Grand Cayman, between Morgan Harbor and Rum Point in North Sound. The water here is only around 3 feet (1 meter) deep, giving you the unique opportunity to interact with the stingrays. This is one of the highlights of visiting the Cayman Islands, so don't miss it!

Don’t let your Jamaica vacation end when you get to the airport. Continue the island relaxation and fun by spending your last hours in Jamaica at Club Mobay Departure Lounge in Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport. Club Mobay is an airport lounge to rival all airport lounges. Feel like you’re flying first class as you step into the nearly 12,000 square foot lounge and take in the comfortable chairs, stylish bar, large televisions and well-stocked snack bar. There is also a business center with computers for those that need a peaceful place to catch up on work emails or do other online projects before heading up into the air. High-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the lounge. Club Mobay also has a great area for kids called Pickney Place that has arcade games and other activities. There are also shower facilities if you’d like to freshen up before your flight.

Playa Flamenco is a stunningly scenic beach that is an ideal day trip for those vacationing on Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. Playa Flamenco isn't actually located on the main island of Puerto Rico, though. Instead, you'll have to take a short boat ride to the smaller island of Culebra. It is worth the trip as Playa Flamenco has a wide, white sand beach that is bordered by clear aqua sea water on one side and bright green hills on the other. High quality food stands line the beach serving a variety of treats, ranging from ice cream and fruit smoothies to ceviche and empanadas. Bathrooms are available onsite and there are also beach chairs and umbrellas you can rent to use for the day. Playa Flamenco also holds remnants of Puerto Rico's military past; on the northern edge of the beach are two old military tanks which are worth an amble along the beach to see.

By day, Fajardo’s famous “Bio Bay” looks like a regular Puerto Rican coastline. By night, however, the bay becomes an eerie lagoon that literally shines a fluorescent hue with every movement or splash. Due to the presence of microscopic plankton that thrive in the shallow waters, every stroke of a kayak paddle creates a trailing ribbon of light. Officially known as “bioluminescence,” there are only a handful of places worldwide where the phenomenon is consistently found. One of those is here at Laguna Grande just off the shores of Fajardo, where kayak tours literally allow visitors the chance to set the water aglow. For as eerie and almost unnatural as that sounds, watching the water glow on your fingertips isn’t the spookiest part. Rather, that would be kayaking through dense mangroves under a total canopy of darkness, where every creak, groan, and jungle sound reminds you’re not indoors.

Grand Cayman’s resort central is Seven Mile Beach, dubbed one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches. The Caymans’ most developed stretch of sand is lined with luxury resorts and up-market condominiums, white coral sand and palm trees. There are artificial reefs offshore for snorkelling. It’s a public beach, so don’t feel shy about strolling past those resorts. Some of the resort restaurants are open to the public, and there are beach bars for a seafront drink or two.

A steady pile of rock and cacti under the big open Caribbean sky, the Ayo and Casibari rock formations are, nevertheless, an Aruba highlight. They offer a unique perspective of the inner workings of the volcanic forces at work on the island of Aruba and make for a great day trip exploring the island and, for the intrepid traveler willing to clamber to the top of them, a great view of the whole of Aruba. A fun opportunity for exploration, bring the family to see what geologic forces can compose with enough time, pressure and Caribbean sun.

The waters of Aruba are lined with shipwrecks, thanks to the treacherous rock outcroppings that the Caribbean has long been notorious for. Luckily, these shipwrecks make for great tourist attractions and amazing dive and snorkeling sites, as they play host to scores of marine life, as well as enticing historical stories of bygone eras. The Antilla Shipwreck is Aruba’s most popular shipwreck site, named after the SS Antilla – a Hamburg America Line cargo ship. Launched in 1939, the poor Antilla operated for less than a year before running aground. Today, however, it makes for a great snorkeling and diving opportunity, as it acts as a safe-haven for the abundant sea life of the Caribbean, and lobster, sea turtles and manta rays are regularly seen here.

The Natural Pool is a tucked away basin formed by rock and volcanic stone circles that fills with ocean water. The pool is also known locally as "Conchi" or "Cura di Tortuga," because it is said that the pool was once used to hold sea turtles before they were sold (tortuga means turtle in Papiamento, the official language of the Caribbean). Visitors can swim and snorkel here, although the area is really not that big. On calm days, the pool is great for a dip, but keep in mind that swimming here is risky when waves leap the rock barrier.

Blue Hole is a natural wonder located near Ocho Rios. A deep cavern within the tropical mountains of Jamaica, Blue Hole gets its name from the deep hue of the water here. This site isn’t just pretty water, though. There are also waterfalls pouring into the hole from the sides and thick vegetation growing around the edges and from crevices in its rocky perimeter. Vines hang down into Blue Hole as well, giving it an even more exotic appearance. It is an excellent place to go swimming and cliff jumping.

This tiny island just 1.5 miles off the mainland provides a peaceful respite for those looking to escape the hustle of Dominican Republic’s busier city streets. Most hotels offer shuttle buses to boat docks. A reasonable ride delivers passengers to the sand dunes, mangroves and coral reefs that make this island a destination for visitors. Avid divers will enjoy weaving in and out of the numerous reefs that surround Isla Cantina. Stingrays and tropical fish are a near guarantee here. Less experienced water lovers can spend the day snorkeling in some of the clearest waters this country has to offer.

Dreams of the Bahamas are usually comprised of an empty, white-sand beach, set on the shores of a deserted island that’s surrounded by a turquoise sea. Finding that beach can be tough, however, as much of the development located around Nassau leaves little sense of seclusion. Just off the shore of Nassau, however, the uninhabited sands of Rose Island are closer to that tropical dream. A lone beach bar and a few palm trees that skank to the rhythm of the breeze, and an exclusive setting for snorkeling and sunbathing in a private corner of paradise. On a full day getaway to Sandy Toes, leave the first set of footprints in the white sand that has been wiped clear by the tide. Order a drink at the beachfront bar and swim in the crystalline waters, or colonize an empty, oceanfront hammock and not do anything at all. It’s a getaway from your getaway where you can completely press pause and soak up the relaxation, or ramp up the energy on the tropical holiday.

The desert interior of the Caribbean island of Aruba is never more interesting than when visiting the Bashiribana Gold Mill Ruins. Set among the stark beauty of the Aruban desert and the blue Caribbean sky, the ruins are the stone remains of an old gold smelter. Established by gold prospectors hundreds of years ago and once considered sacred by the Arawak Indians, this is a serene and unexpected step into the history of Aruba and a great exploratory photo opportunity for those that love history, desert beauty or just good old-fashioned exploration.

The ancient shipwrecks in this protected natural harbor make Carlisle Bay one of Barbados’ most popular snorkeling and scuba diving destinations. Six sunken vessels dot the ocean floor here and attract hundreds of varieties of tropical fish, stingrays, sea stars and turtles, not to mention curious travelers. In addition to underwater adventures, the nearby Boatyard offers jet skiing, sea trampolines and the opportunity to jump into the ocean via rope swing. Even those who prefer to stay out of the water will love the calm shores and sandy beaches of Carlisle Bay, where countless chair and umbrella rentals make it easy to while away the day here.

Located in the Southern Caribbean, Bridgetown is the great little gem of Barbados, sometimes referred to as “Little England.” Unlike many other Caribbean islands that went from the possession of colonial hand to colonial hand, Barbados has always fallen under the Union Jack. British influence can be seen in the Anglican churches and in the driving on the wrong side of the road; however, the island’s forty years of independence has seen it develop a distinctly Caribbean culture. The Bridgetown Port is located a five minute taxi ride from downtown Bridgetown, which is Barbados’s capital city. However, this is an island that is seen at its best in independent exploration, and its recommended that, if you have the time, you rent a car to see the unspoiled and less developed parts of the island.