Jirie Caribbean brings you 5 bonus natural wonders of the Caribbean to add to your excursion list. So many islands in this beautiful region with so much to offer. Gaze upon the splendor and beauty and recognize the features that make the Caribbean one of the most traveled destinations of the world. Bring your camera and some snacks and let’s pin these unique locations on the map!
Bonaire National Marine Park – Kralendijk, Bonaire
Bonaire National Marine Park is a diver’s paradise. The Marine Park expands to more than 6,600 acres, from the shoreline to a depth of 200 feet, and features fish nurseries like coral reefs and mangroves. The park is a protected area and the oldest marine reserve in the world. There you will find the home to almost every species of hard and soft coral in the region, plus everything from seahorses to massive moray eels. There’s plenty of marine life to see close if you snorkel or take a dive. Don’t be surprised if you end up in a colorful school of fish!
Dunn River Falls- Jamaica
At about 180 feet (55 m) high and 600 feet (180 m) long, the Dunn River Falls are terraced like giant natural stairs though some incorporate man-made improvements. It stands as a living testament to Jamaica’s natural beauty and is the most popular of all the Jamaican falls. Several small lagoons can be found at the foot of each stair among the vertical sections of the falls.
These falls flow into the Caribbean Sea at the western end of an attractive white-sand beach.
Climbing the waterfalls is a popular excursion activity and is often, but not exclusively, performed with the help of tour guides from the park. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to climb with short breaks for photographs & video recordings taken by the guides. There are also stairs, alongside of the falls, for those who do not want to get wet or are unable to manage the rocky, uneven terrain of the actual waterfall. Bring your water shoes and waterproof camera for this adventure.
Sulphur Springs – St. Lucia
The Soufriere Volcano (Sulphur Springs) last erupted over 200 years ago! The Sulphur Springs emerged from a weak spot in the crust of the enormous collapsed crater creating an upheaval of lava approximately 300,000 years ago. This lava combines with spring water along the water reserves in the earth create a bubbling of hot mud pits and water which boils at roughly 212 Fahrenheit (170 Celsius) creating large plumes of steam.
The water coming out of the spring is blackened by a chemical reaction between the high content of sulfur and iron. The spring water also contains large deposits of copper, iron oxide, alkaline lead, calcium oxide, and carbon. The volcanic caldera is so dormant that you are able to drive up, walk around and view it. It is the only drive-in volcano in the world.
In some mud pits downstream from the springs, the water temperature is still hot (around 110 Fahrenheit or 45 Celsius), but cool enough for people to enter and take a mud bath. These mud baths are believed by some to have medicinal properties and are used by some tourists and locals for said reasons. The minerals in the mud baths are believed to detoxifies the body and help heal sunburns, eczema, arthritis, sore joints, and more.
There are waterfalls and showers nearby to wash off the mud so bring your swimsuits and lots of towels!
Whale Watching – Dominica
Dominica is said to be the whale-watching capital of the Caribbean. Dominica’s sheer underwater drop-offs create deep sheltered bays along its western coastline. These deep coastal waters are the feeding grounds for at least six different species of cetaceans seen on a regular basis and an additional 16 on an occasional basis. All in all, 22 of the 33 species known in the Caribbean have been seen in Dominican waters.
The most commonly sighted cetaceans include short-fin pilot whales, false killer whales, melon head whales, pygmy sperm whales, and humpback whales.
The most impressive ocean giant is the Sperm Whale and Dominica is the only country in the world where Sperm Whales can be sighted all year round. Although, sightings are most common between November and March. Juvenile and female sperm whales do not migrate, staying here 12 months a year to nurse and grow. Mature male sperm whales however do migrate to and from colder regions to Dominica specifically to mate.
You can book a certified sea excursion company to view the whales with minimal disturbance to their activities. The tour guides will give you an educational tour as well and on a bright sunny day on the cool deep blue waters. It’s the perfect relaxation trip!
Main Ridge Forest Reserve- Tobago
Tobago is a small island located northeast of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The Main Ridge is literally the backbone of the island, gutting lengthways across two-thirds of Tobago’s surface. The Main Ridge Forest Reserve is 9780 acres of tropical rainforest. It is home to numerous flora and fauna; it is estimated that the rainforest provides habitats for twelve to sixteen species of mammals out of the nearly ninety mammal species in the Caribbean region, twenty-four non-poisonous snakes, sixteen lizards, and two hundred and ten species of birds, the most outstanding being the bird species Campylopterus ensipennis – the White-tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird – that is both rare and endemic to Tobago.
The Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve is on record as the oldest legally protected forest reserve geared specifically towards a conservation purpose. It was established on April 13th, 1776 by an ordinance which states in part, that the reserve is “for the purpose of attracting frequent showers of rain upon which the fertility of lands in these climates doth entirely depend.”
The Main Ridge Forest Reserve is a haven for bird watchers and nature activists!