According to a recent study by Amadeus, “active ecotourism” is one of the top motivators for travel in 2022. And the Caribbean is an ideal region to partake in eco-friendly activities, thanks to its wide variety of natural settings.
Here are a few of the best ways to connect with nature while having a positive effect on the environment in the Caribbean.
Protecting Coral Reefs
The Caribbean’s endangered coral reefs protect coastlines and are major tourist attractions, and visitors can join efforts to protect them in several destinations. Bonaire, for example, is marking this year’s Earth Day on April 22 with the debut of the Bonaire Bond, which invites travelers to pledge their dedication to responsible tourism; activities include coral restoration discovery dives and visits to Bonaire National Marine Park.
In the Cayman Islands, the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa has created a coral restoration team called Seafire Guardians that works with a local dive company on a variety of volunteer programs, including the cleaning of coral nursery trees.
Travelers can also learn about the importance of coral reefs in the Bahamas, where Rosewood Baha Mar offers educational programs in partnership with The Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation. The Coral Reef Sculpture Garden is the setting for expert-led snorkeling tours, and participants can even adopt their own coral fragment.
In the British Virgin Islands, meanwhile, vacationers can admire the beauty of the coral reefs while joining turtle tagging boat excursions at Oil Nut Bay and Cooper Island Beach Club. And in Curacao, head to a coral tree nursery created by the Coral Restoration Foundation in partnership with dive operator Ocean Encounters.
The Turks and Caicos is another noteworthy destination for reef-oriented ecotourism activities. Amanyara, an Aman property set on an 18,000-acre nature reserve, is home to a Nature Discovery Centre that educates visitors about marine biology and hosts reef restoration activities.
Also in Turks and Caicos is Grace Bay Club, which offers a Princess Alexandra Kayak Eco-Tour designed to teach visitors about coastal ecology during a scenic excursion among mangrove channels. Guests can also tour an iguana sanctuary and join the North Caicos Mountain Bike and Cave Eco-Adventure, which combines a 15-mile bike ride with a visit to the National Trust conservation center.
Fishing With a Purpose
Another threat to the Caribbean’s natural balance is the lionfish, an invasive species from the Indo-Pacific oceans. Vacationers can aid in efforts to control the population in several ways. In Curacao, for example, divers can join a lionfish hunt experience at Corendon Mangrove Beach Resort and have their catch prepared at one of the resort’s restaurants.
Credit: 2022 Mangrove Beach Corendon Curacao
In Saint Lucia, Jade Mountain offers educational lionfish dives as well as a seven-course “Eat Them to Beat Them” lionfish dinner, served on the beachfront and accompanied by live calypso music.
Sandals Resorts, meanwhile, offers lionfish hunting dives at multiple properties and has also developed conservation programs through its Sandals Foundation to increase awareness about the fish’s harmful effects. Sandals also works with local turtle conservation authorities and works to rebuild coral reefs.
Land-Based Ecotourism in the Caribbean
There are lots of ways to appreciate the Caribbean’s land-bound beauty, too. Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski Dominica, for example, offers a new Discover Dominica package that includes accommodations, a daily buffet breakfast and a day trip to Titou Gorge and Ti Kwen Glo Cho, a natural sulphur spa with therapeutic thermal waters.
In Saint Lucia, guests can join a private climb of Mount Gimie, the island’s tallest mountain, as part of an excursion offered by Calabash Cove Resort and Spa, or savor a farm-to-table dining experience during a stay at BodyHoliday where the plant-based, Rastafarian-inspired menu is designed to improve energy.
Cook a plant-based meal inspired by Rastafarian cuisine at BodyHoliday.
Credit: 2022 BodyHolidayExpert-led nature hiking tours, meanwhile, are a rewarding experience in the British Virgin Islands, thanks to local operators such as Eco Adventures BVI, and in Aruba, where Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, offers an Aruba Birdwatching and Nature Tour.
To learn about agricultural practices in the Caribbean, travelers might want to consider a visit to Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda, where the property’s community garden provides hands-on learning experiences focused on planting, recycling and composting.
Unique agricultural programs are also a draw in Puerto Rico — especially at venues such as Vaca Negra, a creamery where visitors can learn to make their own cheese. Nature lovers heading to Puerto Rico should also consider a visit to Vieques, where companies including Bieque Eco Trips and Aqua Sunset Tours offer kayak excursions into the island’s bioluminescent bay, and perhaps a stay at the Caribe Hilton, which works with a local tour operator to offer guided visits to El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest Service.
