Best Caribbean Waterfall You Can't Find Without Reading This

There's nothing rugged about the hike to these two St. Vincent pools fed by mountain water that cascades over Dark View waterfalls. It's surprisingly quick and easy, with sturdy wooden stairs leading to the upper tract. In fact, the ascent is so easy that it almost detracts from the awe of the mist-shrouded pools below, making me wonder if I missed something. But my driver, David, tells me that the road into the falls ultimately ends in terrain too treacherous for pavement, well shy of the summit of La Soufriere volcano. The journey to the falls' source is possible only from Kingstown, rounding the west coast through villages with names such as Petit Bordel and Chateaubelair that nod to the island's once-French rule. It's only during my drive home that I understand. As we descend into a valley — rough-hewn by volcanic fury and forested with coconut trees awash in golden afternoon light — it becomes clear that the mountain stream passes through infinitely spectacular terrain unseen by most human eyes. It purifies over centuries-old lava flows, collecting grace as it winds downward. What tumbles over the falls, in fact, is nothing less than spiritual.