Top 25 Things to Do in the Caribbean: 2011 Viator Travel Awards

Hooray - it's the Caribbean Viator Travel Awards!

Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Viator Travel Awards, an annual awards competition where we let our travelers select the top things to do and see in each of the major regions we serve, as well as the top things to do in our most popular tour categories. The awards culminate in the Viator Top Travel Destinations and our annual list of the world’s most travel-inspiring attractions.

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Welcome to the 2011 Viator Travel Awards: Caribbean Edition! We’ve combined input from traveler reviews and photos, data from the millions of travelers who visit Viator.com each year, plus data on which Caribbean tours generated the most bookings in 2011, in order to crown the Top 25 Things to Do in the Caribbean in 2011!

The gorgeous landmarks of the Caribbean make one of the planet’s most scenic and plentiful sub-tropic regions an ideal destination for relaxation and adventure. With Viator’s Top 25 Things to Do in the Caribbean, you will see that a variety of activities can be done with great ease. Let’s count it down to number one.

#25. Day trip to the Rio Camuy Cave Park

Explore underground rivers and giant caves at Rio Camuy Cave Park

Certainly, there is a lot to do in beautiful Puerto Rico, but diving into a cave as old as the western hemisphere? Take the Rio Camuy Cave Park and Arecibo Observatory from San Juanand enjoy the third largest underground river cavern system in the world.

#24. Have a kayak adventure on the Bioluminescent Bay

The sparkling and glistening Bioluminescent Bay of Puerto Rico made the list at number 24. With beautiful florescent plankton lighting up the water, getting into this exotic and wondrous body of water should be a priority, and there’s no better way to do it than to take the Bioluminescent Kayak Adventure tour from San Juan.

#23. Ride ATVs in Jamaica

The rough terrains inland of Montego Bay can slow down even the fittest of travelers. If you want to see it all, you’ll have to jump on an exciting ATV. With Jamaica’s ATV Off-Road Adventure to Sandy Bay, you will not only get to explore, but take a stop for some traditional jerk chicken and a crisp beer.

#22. Go inner tubing down the Great River

Explore the rushing raids of the Great River of Jamaica, and see for yourself its stunning natural fauna and flora while on an exciting tubing safari. Located in Montego Bay, with the Jungle River Tubing Safari you can sip on some rum punch as you relax and let your guide show you all.

#21. Visit Prickly Pear from St Martin

Make friends with the locals at Prickly Pear

When in St Martin, foremost, have fun, but secondly, have fun on its paradise beaches. With the Day Trip to the Island of Prickly Pear from St Martin, you get the chance to do just that while snorkeling and enjoying the fine local cuisines around the calm waters of the Prickly Pear Cay.

#20. Experience St Lucia’s Aerial Tram

There are a lot of cool ways to explore St Lucia, but perhaps the most exciting way is via zip line. An absolute adventure, the St Lucia Aerial Tram and Zipline Canopy Tour starts with a gondola ride and hike through the rainforest then takes you on an aerial thrill-ride over the canopy.

#19. Take a ferry to St. Barts

Take the St. Barts Ferry Transfer from St. Martin and spend the whole day beach-hopping around one of the world’s most renowned holiday spots. Explore the islands and soak in the views as you finally understand the true meaning of the word relaxation.

#18. Go snorkeling in the Bahamas

Go on a snorkeling adventure in Nassau!

Worth the trip to the Caribbean in itself, the vast and majestic underwater world is thrilling to explore. For those that cannot quite bear a full scuba exploration, try the Nassau Snorkel Bahamas Adventure and swim in the famous reefs with the sharks.

#17. Sail along Puerto Plata to the Bay of Sosua

Enjoy the luxury of a 54-foot catamaran along the north coast from the Bay of Playa Dorada to the spectacular Bay of Sosua on the Sosua Catamaran Cruise and Snorkeling tour. See the Dominican Republic‘s clear waters, beautiful views and hidden beaches in between snorkeling and enjoying an on-board buffet.

#16. Take an underwater cruise in your own “Scenic Underwater Bubble” (SUB)

Did somebody say private submarine? With the Nassau SUB Bahamas Adventure tour that’s exactly what you get. Zip through the coral gardens of the Bahamas and see all that is the glory of its colorful and vast underwater life.

#15. Tour of the east and west coasts of Barbados

Explore the Best of Barbados Tour and see its east coast for all the wonderful nature you can handle. Visit the Wildlife Reserve for a glimpse of its famous green tail monkeys then go on to the western coast for a taste of scenic sandy white beaches and underwater activity.

#14. Go on an off-road adventure in the Dominican Republic

Take the Dominican Republic Monster Truck Safari and leave the bustling urban center of Punta Cana behind. Truck through the roads of the back country, eat traditional cuisines, and see the green country on an exciting 8×8 vehicle.

#13. Enjoy a cruise off the waters of Punta Cana

Take to the beautiful Caribbean paradise waters off the coast of Punta Cana with the Tropical Storm Bavaro Cruise and sail past the Dominican coastline. You will enjoy a wonderful lunch aboard a ship and snorkel through the crystal clear waters below. This one is a family winner!

Cruise through the pristine waters surrounding Punta Cana

#12. Cruise to a remote island from Nassau

Nassau is of course a wonderful time, but hopping on a high-powered cruise boat headed to a private island on the Exuma chain is also pretty great. The Exuma Powerboat Adventure gets you an exhilarating and romantic ride out to the Allens Cay for a chance to see and even feed sharks, stingrays and iguanas.

#11. Swim with dolphins at Ocean World

A fan favorite at Ocean World in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, grabbing a swim with the dolphins is an experience like no other. Dance and play with one of the oceans most fascinating creatures with the Ocean World Dolphin Swim and enjoy an unforgettable snorkeling adventure.

#10. Go zip lining in Puerto Rico

Eco-adventures can be some of the most thrilling ways to travel. On the Zipline Canopy Eco-Adventure from San Juan you go right to the heart of Puerto Rico’s forest for a fun-filled day of high-flying zip lining. Jumping on a variety of zip-lines and a suspension bridge are sure to get your heart racing.

"Weeeeee!"

#9. Ride a zip line in Jamaica

With the adrenaline rush you get from zip lining, you just won’t be able to get enough. On the Canopy Tour of Jamaica, you get to soar 45 feet (14 meters) above ground in the jungle with certified guides who will take you on 9 traverses and nature walks.

#8. Spend the afternoon at Dunns River Falls

The shopper’s paradise of Jamaica, Ocho Rios is also one of its most alluring cities. With the Dunns River Falls and Ocho Rios Shopping Tour, you can shop to your heart’s delight before hitting the gorgeous Dunns River Falls, known for its 600 feet (180 meters) plunge into the sea.

#7. Sail along St. Lucia’s tropical west coast

Just another day in one of the most beautiful places on Earth!

One of the most picturesque places on the planet, St Lucia is a coastal delight when seen from a catamaran. Take the St Lucia Catamaran Day Sail to explore the landmark Pitons before visiting the Diamon Botanical Gardens and, of course, the natural waterfalls and vibrantly blue tropical waters.

#6. Tour Bacardi, the world’s largest rum distillery

We already know what Bacardi is, so now it’s time to see how the Caribbean delight gets made. With the Rum Distillery and Old San Juan Half-Day Tour you go to Old San Juan, along its cobblestone streets, past the colonial architecture and into the world’s largest rum distillery. When you’re done with that, the whole town is your oyster, as it is all a National Historic Preservation.

#5. Go buggy riding in Punta Cana

A Dominican Republic delight, the Punta Cana Half-Day Dune Buggy Adventure gets you into an exciting rough terrain trained vehicle, past colorful houses, and across the breathtaking landscapes of banana plantations and farmland.

Vroom vroom! Drive through the back roads of the Dominican Republic on a buggy tour

#4. Cruise to Saona Island

There’s nothing quite like relaxing on the beach, and in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, there may be no better style. Check out the coconut palms, sandy beaches and dark blue waters of the Caribbean while on the Catamaran Cruise to Saona Island from Punta Cana.

#3. Pre-book a roundtrip airport transfer

We all know vacation time is scarce, so with the Montego Bay Roundtrip Airport Transfer, you skip all the lines and go right to the front, getting directly to your hotel in the quickest manner possible.

#2. Explore Puerto Rico’s El Yunque rainforest

Enjoy the ultimate life of leisure as you take nature trails through the waterfalls and natural scenic beauty of the Puerto Rican subtropics via the El Yunque Rainforest Half-Day Trip from San Juan. You’ll pass local towns before discovering the more than 240 species of plants and wildlife found in the rainforest.

#1. Take a snorkel and picnic cruise from San Juan

Feed fish and lots more on the San Juan Snorkel and Picnic Cruise!

For anyone that has ever wanted to find themselves on the white sandy beaches of San Juan, there’s an endless supply of things to see and do. With miles of beach and plush aquatic life to explore, there is really little more one can ask for. With the San Juan Snorkel and Picnic Cruise, you get all of it–relax on the beach, explore the living coral reef, enjoy a picnic lunch and more!

With so much to do in the Caribbean and so little time to do it in, let Viator take you there. Choose from the handpicked hot spots of the tropics, from the whitest of sandy beaches to the depths of the plushest rain forests.

That’s Viator’s list of the Top 25 Things to Do in the Caribbean in 2011. Stay tuned for more lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. Let us know what you think, tell us about your own travel experiences, and most important of all – happy travels in 2012!

- Viator Travel Team