Things to Do in Caribbean

Located in Antigua's capital city, the Museum of Antigua and Barbuda is the place to learn more about the nation's history and cultural legacy. The museum is housed in the Colonial Court House, built in 1747, making it the oldest building still in use in the city. Through its numerous engaging exhibits, the museum tells the story of the nation, from its geological birth to political independence.

With its blend of geology, ecology, history, and art, the museum offers something for everyone. Whether you want to check out a diorama of the island's volcanic origins, look at fish fossils, see native pottery, or learn about its British colonization, the museum's exhibits have answers to all burning questions about Antigua and Barbuda.

The 3,792 foot summit of Mt Liamuiga is the highest point in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the entire British Leeward Islands. Naturally, this makes it an unparalleled vantage point for taking in the stunning expanses of the Eastern Caribbean. Formerly possessed of the discouraging moniker Mount Misery, Liamuiga comes from the Kalinago name for the island itself, which means “fertile land.” And the mountainsides surrounding this peak are certainly fertile.

Nearly half way up the mountain, the land is a patchwork of farmland and small villages, beyond which tropical rainforest covers the slopes before giving way to cloud forest. Guided tours to the summit are readily available starting from Belmont Estate in St. Pauls. The whole of the island is easily visible from the top, as well as the nearby islands of Saba, Statia, St. Barths, St. Martin, Antigua, and Nevis.

Even by themselves, the black hued cliffs outside of Negril are natural sites to behold. Rising 40 feet above turquoise waters and pockmarked by sea caves and coves, the cliffs form a defining natural icon for Jamaica’s far western coast. It isn’t just their beauty, however, that draws visitors here in droves. Rather, it’s the deep waters immediately offshore and the presence of cliffside beach bars—which all combine to form perfect conditions for throwing yourself off the edge. The cliff diving here on Negril’s cliffs is some of the world’s most famous, where locals and visitors regularly drop over 40 feet down to the sea. Professionals will often put on shows and perform daring flips and flops, and occasionally visitors will join in the show in a fit of Caribbean bravado. The cliffs are a popular spot for snorkeling tours to stop en route from the dive site, and are a short distance from the laidback guesthouses towards the southern end of Negril. After a long day of snorkeling, diving, suntanning, partying, laughing, and jumping, gather with dozens of other travelers to watch the fiery, west-facing sunset that illuminates the cliffs each night. 

Preserving the identity of the indigenous cultures of the Americas and, in particular, those that populated the island of Puerto Rico before the Spanish invasion, the Museo de las Americas is a small but powerful museum that not only serves to enlighten, but also to entertain. While wandering the halls here, you’ll find that some exhibits tell the history of the Native Americans, while others display folk art from contemporary artists of the island. Most of these exhibits are available for sale, while other pieces of art serve only for appraisal and admiration. See what originally made Puerto Rico the desirable island it is today with a trip down history lane with the Museo de las Americas.

Colonial relics, maps and Antillean art come together at the Kura Hulanda Museum, with the focus on the museum’s world-class collection of African artifacts. This well-regarded anthropological museum focuses on the cultures that have contributed to Curacao’s make-up over the centuries, including African slaves, West African empires and Pre-Columbian traders.

Guided and audio-guided tours are available, and a self-guided map helps you navigate your way around the exhibits. The museum shop has a good collection of maps, postcards, CDs and African art for sale.

The city of Santo Domingo is one of the oldest in the Caribbean, however the National Palace isn’t a colonial-era structure. Instead it harkens to a different, more recent period of the Dominican Republics history. The National Palace was built in the 1940s during the reign of the DR’s famously brutal dictator Rafael Trujillo. The National Palace is still in use as the seat of the DR’s government and the offices of the president, so it is not generally open to the public. However, visitors can explore the outside and take photos of the building’s impressive architecture. 

One of the best historical sites Antigua has to offer, Nelson's Dockyard National Park has been at the center of Antigua's activity since the first settlers arrived there in 500 BC. Today, however, the centerpiece of the park is the actual dockyard itself, originally developed as a base for the British Navy in 1725. It is the only Georgian dockyard that still exists in the world. Named for Horatio Nelson, famed commander of the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, the dockyard is home to old navy ships and numerous historical artifacts.