If you're planning a vacation in the Caribbean, but you're looking to try something a bit different—something beyond sunning, swimming, snorkeling and eating fresh local seafood—check out these new activities that can make your stay even more memorable.
From blending your own wine to driving a blokart, here are seven unique things you can now do in the Caribbean. And yes, you can still sit on the beach and daydream.
The night sky in the Caribbean is awesome and the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa is inviting guests to gaze upon stars, planets and constellations from the comfort of its private beach cabanas, each outfitted with a telescope and map of the sky. Also part of the experience: conch fritters, choice of fish or short rib tacos and jerk sweet potato fries—plus a fire pit and a s'mores kit.
At the Bahamas Barrels winery in Nassau—the island's first winery, located in a former Sisters of Charity convent and chapel and owned by the historic hotel Graycliff, home to the Bahamas' most celebrated wine cellar—visitors can go beyond wine tasting and actually custom blend bottles to their own personal preferences. The wines used in the blending come from all over the world and a California winemaker with two decades of experience guides guests through the process.
Wreck diving in St. Lucia isn't new—the island has long been home to more than a dozen sunken ships that lure adventurous scuba divers—but several recent additions have generated buzz. The Vicky B was sunk in May 2018 to create an artificial reef off Anse Cochon at a depth of 81 feet and a few months earlier the barge SK2 was given a watery demise nearby at a depth of 70 feet. And beginner divers looking for something totally different can also check out a sunken BMW automobile, located off the beach on Pigeon Island in about 20 feet of water.
The St. Nicholas Abbey Heritage Railway, a restored train along the rugged East Coast of Barbados, opened in November 2018, and now the historic locomotive pulls passengers along a two-mile scenic route with a stop at Cherry Tree Hill for sweeping views of the island's Scotland District and the crashing waves of Atlantic Ocean. Upon returning to St. Nicholas Abbey, you can visit the Great House, distillery and gardens, too.
Shopping the chic designer boutiques in St. Barth’s capital Gustavia can really run up your credit cards, but the island has a more wallet-friendly shopping option: Le Marche de Saint-Barth, a farmer’s market held on the first Sunday of each month from 8 AM to noon on the rue du General-De-Gaulle. It features fresh fruits and vegetables as well as items from local merchants, craftsmen and artisans.
What do you get when you put a sail on a go-kart? A blokart, of course, and it's once again possible to try the adrenaline-rush-inducing sport known as landsailing at Bonaire's Landsailing Adventures track, which reopened in 2018.
Blokarts have three wheels and a sail, and after a bit of instruction about the rules, you’ll be powered by the wind as you do seriously speedy laps on the oceanfront track.
Anse Chastanet near Soufriere continues to evolve the vegetarian and vegan cuisine at its Emerald's restaurant, which sources organic produce from the resort's Emerald Estate farm. Most nights, guests can choose from one of four menus in two locations, and the "modern tapas style menu" allows everyone to share and experience something new and incredible.
And if just eating healthy isn't enough, Anse Chastanet and its sister resort Jade Mountain have expanded the hiking trails on the 600-acre property and offer free daily guided hikes. You can even book a "hiking butler," who'll provide refreshments and cool mint towels along the route.
