I’ve been to 20 Caribbean islands. Here are 5 things you must do when you visit the region — and 2 you can skip.

The Caribbean has several great places to snorkel, but Grenada and St. John are my top choices for this activity.

Grenada’s Molinere underwater sculpture park, which consists of gorgeous underwater sculptures, was the first of its kind when it opened in 2006.

Some sculptures are only submerged about 6 feet underwater, so you don’t have to dive deep for a great view. If you’re not a snorkeler, you can also take a glass-bottom boat tour, which offers aerial views of the sculptures.

Another great island for snorkeling is St. John in the US Virgin Islands. The island’s popular beach, Trunk Bay, has a 400-foot underwater snorkeling trail where visitors can spot turtles and tropical fish.

Bonaire has strong trade winds, which make for ideal conditions for land sailing. In this activity, drivers race a wheeled vehicle with a sail.

I went land sailing on my last visit to the island and picked it up quickly. The vehicle didn’t have gas or brakes, so I had to navigate my sail using a rope. Once I got the hang of it, I was able to zip around the track.

I saw kids as young as 12 participate, which makes this a fun afternoon activity for the whole family.

Stingray City in Grand Cayman provides visitors the unique opportunity to swim with stingrays at a shallow sandbank about 25 miles from the shore. On my last visit, I booked a boat tour to see the wild stingrays that come to the sandbar every day to feed.

In the Bahamas, the famous Pig Beach offers a similar experience. Travelers come from all over to feed and take photos with the dozen or so wild pigs that live on Big Major Cay in the Exumas.

For both experiences, it’s important to remember that the animals are wild, and you should proceed with caution.

If you’re an adrenaline junkie (and a strong swimmer), there are plenty of places to cliff dive in the Caribbean, especially in Jamaica and Anguilla.

The highlight of my first trip to Jamaica was watching the local cliff divers at Rick’s Cafe in Negril perform their daring somersaults off the cliffs. The restaurant has a viewing area for the dives, and travelers are welcome to participate at their own risk.

In Anguilla, there are plenty of places to get your fill of cliff diving. A popular spot is Little Bay, which can only be reached by boat. If you’re more of a spectator (like me), you can watch the divers from a sandy spot on the beach.

Some travelers might be surprised to learn that the Caribbean is a great place to go hiking. There are lots of incredible hiking trails in the area, especially on islands like Antigua and St. Vincent.

One of Antigua’s most popular (but difficult) trails is Mount Obama, named after the former US president. At 1,330 feet above sea level, it’s the highest peak on the island.

On my first visit to Antigua, I took up the challenge and climbed to the peak. Although our views were obstructed by clouds when I went, the lookout offers views of neighboring St. Kitts on a clear day.

On a recent trip to St. Vincent, I left my resort for a hike and snapped photos of the island’s active volcano, La Soufrière.

Barbados is known for its white-sand beaches, rum, and Grammy-winning singer Rihanna, who grew up there.

Tourists can visit her childhood home near the outskirts of Bridgetown, the island’s capital. The simple green and orange house is in a residential neighborhood and fenced off from the public.

It was refinished for tourists and can be a good photo op, but I’d skip this attraction, especially if you’re short on time.

To experience what makes Barbados so special, I recommend booking a distillery tour at the legendary Mount Gay Distillery or heading to Cuz’s Fish Shack for a delicious fried-fish sandwich.

St. Lucia’s Sulfur Springs are a collection of pools filled with warm, mineral-rich water. I took the plunge on a recent visit and had a (smelly) good time. However, if you don’t like crowds, I would skip this activity.

If you do plan on visiting, I recommend getting there as early as possible, as the pools can fill up quickly.

To experience St. Lucia’s natural beauty in a different way, consider going straight to Piton Falls, which is less crowded and has two concrete pools and a warm waterfall.

This story was originally published on July 30, 2024, and most recently updated on July 15, 2025.