What does your ideal island vacation look like? Part IV - Activities

June 26, 12:05 AMDallas Tropical Travel ExaminerDebbra Brouillette

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Do you consider yourself to be an active island vacationer, one who retreats to the islands to relax and recharge without expending too much physical energy, or does your activity level lie somewhere in between?  In Part IV of What does your ideal island vacation look like? I’ll be taking an overview look at islands to choose if you are interested in pursuing particular activities.

Active Vacationers

Most island vacationers who put themselves in the “active” category take into consideration the quality and variety of opportunities to pursue their particular favorite activities, including:

Water-based Activities                                                                                                                                                      

Scuba Diving/Snorkeling                              

Sailing/Boating                  

Surfing/Windsurfing

Waterskiing/Jet skiing

Sea Kayaking/Canoeing

Fishing (Saltwater and Freshwater)

Land-based Activities

Golf

Tennis

Scuba Diving/Snorkeling                                                                                                  

Because I am a scuba diver, I’ve made it a priority to visit islands known to be good dive destinations. If you are among those who care as much about exploring what’s under the water than above it, you will most likely already be familiar with islands known for scuba diving. If you are a snorkeler or a novice diver, however, you may be wondering which island to choose for your first foray into Caribbean waters.

While scuba diving is available on all the islands I’ve visited, some are known more for diving than others.

Islands where I have enjoyed the diving:

Bahamas                                                                                                                   

Bonaire

British Virgin Islands 

Cozumel, Mexico 

Grand Cayman     

The Grenadines

St. Croix, USVI 

St. Kitts/Nevis    

St. Lucia  

St. Vincent       

Turks & Caicos Islands

You will be able to find a dive shop on any island you visit, so even if the diving isn’t “the best,” it’s still an opportunity to “get wet” and become part of the underwater world for a little while. Islands in the Caribbean region often listed as great dive locations that are still on my list to visit include: Roatan (Bay Islands, Honduras), Belize, Little Cayman, Dominica, and Saba.

Suggestions for Snorkelers:

Good snorkeling will be available everywhere there is good scuba diving. There are marked underwater trails for snorkelers in St. John and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Underwater marine parks in Bonaire and Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, are also a snorkeler’s dream. Add to that list St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grand Cayman, especially Stingray City and Smith’s Cove.  

Sailing/Boating                                                                                                                                  

The two most popular areas in the Caribbean for sailing vacations are the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas, St. Croix, St. John) and British Virgin  Islands (Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke) and the many islands that make up St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Bequia, Mustique, Tobago Cays, Union Island, Mayreau, Canouan, Carriacou, Petit Martinique, and Palm Island). Both areas are made up of many small islands in close proximity, making it easy to navigate and explore several islands within a relatively short period of time. Visitors staying on one of these islands can also easily take advantage of day or half day sailing trips to nearby islands.

Weeklong yacht charters, sailing, or catamaran cruises – crewed, skippered, or bareboat – can be arranged, along with weekend charters or even day cruises. If you’d like to take sailing lessons while you’re there, the British Virgin Islands is a great place to do so, including the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda – a perfect choice for boat rentals, accommodations, and a range of instruction.

Surfing/Windsurfing

While waves off the windward sides of Caribbean islands may not compare to those in the Pacific Ocean, surfing and windsurfing can be pursued on many of them. Barbados, Bonaire, St. Lucia, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica are among the best to pursue surfing and windsurfing in the Caribbean.

Waterskiing/Jet skiing

Aruba, Dominican Republic, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Maarten/St. Martin are some of the islands where you may be able to waterski or Jet Ski.

Sea Kayaking

Sea kayaking is available in the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands and Belize, among others. Inland canoeing and kayaking in fresh water rivers and streams may also be enjoyed in Jamaica, Costa Rica, and Roatan, Honduras.

Fishing (Saltwater and Freshwater)

Deep-sea fishing or sport fishing (even spear fishing) is available in the waters surrounding all Caribbean islands. Because there is not a lot of variety from island to island as far as fishing goes, anyone wishing to take a Caribbean fishing vacation will not be limited with destination options. Puerto Rico, Cayman Islands, Antigua, Aruba, and the Bahamas are just some of the islands where deep-sea fishing can be arranged. Saltwater fishing should be available just about anywhere you go in the islands.

Freshwater fishing enthusiasts should head for Costa Rica’s inland waters which boast 127 species of fish, including rainbow bass and rainbow trout.

Golf

The courses listed below are frequently mentioned on golf websites. If you are an avid golfer, you are most likely already familiar with the best courses in the Caribbean.

Dominican Republic  - Casa de Campo resort, Cap Cana resort

Jamaica – Wyndham Rose Hall Golf & Country Club, Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Resort

Puerto Rico – 18 championship-quality courses on the island including Westin Rio Mar

St. Thomas – Mahogany Run

St. Croix – Carambola Resort

Barbados – Sandy Lane Resort

Paradise Island, Bahamas – Ocean Club at Atlantis Resort

Anguilla – Temenos Golf Club

Nevis – The beautiful golf course, which was part of the currently closed Four Seasons resort, is still open for play.

Tennis

Tennis buffs may wish to check out one of these top tennis resorts in the Caribbean: Caneel Bay, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; The Buccaneer in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; Couples Swept Away in Jamaica;  Casa de Campo, Dominican Republic; Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico; Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman; and Our Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas.

Somewhere-in-Between Vacationers

The somewhere-in-between traveler likes activity, just not too much of it. If this category fits you, it suits you to strike a balance between having a beach-it day, then arranging a tour of the island’s historic sites the next. The “in-betweener” may try out a snorkeling cruise or check out the island shops. One of the islands I’ve visited that seems to have a little bit of everything is Grand Cayman, which has great diving and lots of good restaurants, enough sightseeing to satisfy, and great shopping opportunities. St. Maarten/St. Martin would also be a good choice for the traveler who enjoys watersports, gourmet dining (especially on the French side in Grand Case), fantastic shopping (on the Dutch side), and beautiful beaches.

Many islands have historic sites or other particular points of interest, such as botanical gardens, plantation houses, forts, and rum factories. Some of these include:                                                                               

St. Lucia – Botanical Garden, Rainforest, Drive-in Volcano                                                 

Nevis – Plantation Inns, Botanical Garden, Eco-tours

St. Kitts – Brimstone Hill Fortress, Batik Factory, Scenic Railway

Grenada – Rainforest, Spice factory, Rum Distillery

Curacao – Museum, Plantation Houses, Seaquarium

Puerto Rico – El Morro Fort, Old San Juan, El Yunque Rainforest

Jamaica – Dunn’s River Falls, Rose Hall Great House, Appleton Estate Rum Factory

Grand Cayman – Stingray City, Hell, Turtle Farm

No matter what island you visit, it’s almost always worth it to take an island tour by taxi or mini-bus. The taxi drivers and tour guides are usually quite entertaining and know a lot about their island, which they’ll share with pride and enthusiasm.

If you enjoy gambling, casino gaming is available on these islands: Aruba, Antigua, Bahamas, Bonaire, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Maarten St. Vincent, and Turks & Caicos. Islands known for having an active nightlife include all of the above, as well as St. Thomas and Jamaica, but there's no casino gaming on either island.

Shopaholics can be indulged on any of the islands that are major cruise ship ports. Several of these include Aruba, Bahamas (Nassau and Freeport), Grand Cayman, Jamaica, St. Maarten/St. Martin and St. Thomas.

Inactive Vacationers

If you are the inactive vacationer, one who likes to lie on a beautiful beach or by a pool, sip tropical drinks, and read as many books as you can, almost any island will do for you! It will be more important for you to choose the right hotel or resort – one with a beachfront location and a pool, where you can stake out an umbrella and chair and become part of the scenery! Information in Parts II and III of this series, about island terrain and the types of beaches found on various islands, may also be of interest to you.

In Part V of What does your ideal island vacation look like? I’ll be giving you an overview of the types of accommodations found in the Caribbean, to help you choose your ideal island vacation resort.

Please note: The islands mentioned are not meant to be inclusive of those offering a particular activity.

Photo credit: Debbra Brouillette (Top to Bottom: Sailboat, Tobago Cays; Yellowtail Snapper, Curacao; Windsurfer, Barbados; Lily, Barbados)

In case you missed the other articles in this series:

Part I, What does your ideal island vacation look like?

Part iI, What does your ideal island vacation look like?

Part III, What does your ideal island vacation look like?