Landscapes in Caribbean
Las Terranas is probably one of the nicest beach area in Dominican Republic. What once were a small fishing village is now a classy holiday spot with a relax attitude. Besides down at the beach, the town is still very much a local affair and fishermen still come in with the their catch at Las Terranas Beach. To either side, there is a string of other beaches, one starts where the other ends, where luxury holiday homes and boutique hotels take up the beachfront.
Coming over the hill with views over Grand Anse Beach and St. George’s further in the distance, your expectation to Morne Rouge Bay is kind of high. But luckily the bay is equal lovely. A beach stretch the full length at the bottom of the bay, while the lush slopes at the sides are dotted with luxury homes and hotels. The only thorn in the eye is the inflatable playground out in the water, but those things come and go.
The area around Grand Etang National Park in the central of Grenada has some splendid hikes. One of the most popular ones leads to St Margaret Falls, which are also known as the Seven Sisters, as there are seven cascades in total. The falls are located on a private plantation. After paying a small fee of 5 EC at the house, where you also can borrow a stick (take one) and offered a guide, you follow a dirt road for a couple of hundred meters. When the road start to zigzag, you then take the small trail to the left. From there you just follow the muddy path until you reach the first two cascades, which tumble into two jungle pools perfect for a dip. If you want to see more of the seven cascades, you follow the trail up to the right. Take care, for it’s slippery and muddy.
The Blue Pools (Bassins Bleu) is one of Haiti's natural treasure. They're a series af beautiful blue pools linked by small waterfalls. The first two pools are easily reached from the entrance by walking and crossing some streams, where locals do their laundry. The third pool lies right above the others in a hidden grotto with a tall waterfall at the back. Locals dive in from the top of the waterfall, though it's recommended just to take a swim yourself. To reach the third pool, you need to descent a few meters with the help of a rope. It's easiest to get to the entrance of Bassins Bleu with mototaxi from Jacmel, a trip with great panoramic views over Jacmel Bay. There is a small fee at the entrance and local guys will offer to guide you for a tip.
Not many associate Jamaica with mountains, but the eastern tip of the island is dominated by the Blue Mountains. The Peak is Jamaica highest point with its 2256 m. The most popular trek in Blue Mountains is, of course, to the top, but other treks are also possible. Though the peak can be done as a long daytrip without guide (if you can find and get to the trail start) it’s recommended to that and other hikes with a guide.
Reach Falls is a small and peaceful waterfall with lots of cool pools and hidden holes. It’s beautiful set in the shady jungle at the foot of the Blue Mountains. As it’s too far from the tourist ghettos, the waterfall only sees a handful of tourists every day. There is an entrance fee and toilets.
On a private estate surrounded by forest lies this beautiful 8 cascades waterfall which tumbles over limestone tiers from one cool pool into another. The waterfall is very developed, almost like a theme park. There are wooden boardwalks, stairs, picnic areas, swimming pools, and ropes for swinging. For an additional fee you can zipline across the waterfall. Though the entrance fee is rather steep (17 usd), tourists from Negril and beyond still come here by the busloads. Best to come here on quiet days, when it’s easier to enjoy it.
St. Lucia's landmarks are the two volcanic spires, so-called pitons, rising high over the town Soufriere on the west coast. The smallest, Petit Piton, is is 743 m (2,438 ft) high while the tallest, Gros Piton is 771 m (2,530 ft) high. Both peaks can be hiked and/or climbed. Gros Piton is the most doable and can be done in 4-6 hours return and is not too difficult. A guide is required and hired at the park center. Scaling Petit Piton is a different story as it's steep with some challenging sections with fixed ropes. The pitons are UNESCO World Heritage site and depicted on St. Lucia's flag and national beer.
Tobago has several waterfalls, where Argyle Waterfall is the biggest with a 54 m drop in total. It cascade down four steps, each with a chilled rock pool below where you can take a dip. The setting is equal spectacular, in a protected rainforest. The only way to reach the waterfall is by a 15 minutes walk from the parking lot at the ticket office - and some scrambling, if you want to reach the higher levels.
With a height of 91.5 m Maracas Waterfall is the highest waterfall in Trinidad (and Tobago). The drop is straight down and it's hard to grasp the height just by standing at the rocky base. You can take a dip in the pool below or a shower under the cascade, though it might only be a spray during dry season (winter). Maracas Waterfall can only be reached by hiking. There is a car park and a seating area at the beginning of the trail, from where it will take no more than 20 minutes hiking one-way. After 5 minutes there is a side trail to the right, which leads to tree-tiers cascade with larger pools.