By Mary Luz Mejia | Published on June 5, 2023
Calling all thrill-seekers who want to reach their destinations via the high seas! Cruising to Caribbean ports of call is ideal if you're looking to rev up your adrenaline for some of the best adventure vacations around. Think: UTV tours, high canopy ziplining, snorkeling, sport fishing, windsurfing, volcano climbing and more. There's something to get your heart rate pumping double time when you cruise to the Caribbean. Pack your bathing suit, sunglasses and your zest for life, and set sail on an extreme vacation to remember.
Caribbean vacations to Aruba's Oranjestad come with the temptation to head straight to the powdery beaches — and for good reason. However, if you're the type who craves adventure, kick things off with an extreme adventure vacation pit stop before lounging on the idyllic beaches. Do as the locals do and travel the island by utility terrain vehicles (UTV). UTVs are larger than ATVs and seat more people, making them a popular way to explore a small area while getting to experience the thrill of open-air riding.
Most tour operators will pick you up at the port. Make sure to check what your tour offers so that you can bring anything else you might need. For instance, some tour operators provide bottled water and bandanas while others don't — meaning you could get thirsty or sunburned if you don't plan accordingly.
UTV tours can also bring you to some amazing sites on the island. Looking for some fun family vacation ideas? Choose the adventure that reflects your family's interests. These activities may range from visits to an animal sanctuary and historical sites to zipping along remote and craggy beaches. Or, if you're looking to turn up the dial on the extreme levels, pair your UTV tour with an afternoon of cliff jumping. It's safest to cliff jump with a tour guide who knows the area well and can lead you to the best jump spots. There's nothing more exciting than driving around the rugged roads of the island of Aruba before coming upon a glistening natural pool, and flinging yourself off a clliff to dive in.
St. Kitts' Mount Liamuiga offers one of the best adventure vacations around with an even higher climb, but serious hikers will get to peer over the crater after their three-hour hike and take in the volcanic lake below. With its accompanying jungle surroundings, it's no wonder that many a hiker has commented on the "Jurassic Park feel" of the general environment. Note that this hike does require a tour guide and is fairly strenuous, and while Mount Liamuiga is technically a live volcano, it (comfortingly) hasn't erupted in about 1,600 years!
As part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas is famous for its stunning beaches and equally stunning mountain ranges, so it makes perfect sense that the first zip line park among the Virgin Islands would be located in the verdant green tropical rain forest atop St. Peter Mountain. The Tree Limin' Extreme Zip Line in St. Thomas proudly boasts the only "yo-yo" zip line in the entire Caribbean — a thrilling ride that takes you close to your end point and then "yo-yo's" you back to the middle of the zip line.
The zip line is an adventure for thrill-seekers of all ages and perfect for multi-generational family trips. Kids older than five can join in the fun, though if they're under 70lbs, they will need to ride in tandem with an adult. You'll be picked up from a gathering point and taken up the mountain in an authentic 6-wheeled Pinzgauer Swiss Army vehicle, after which you'll meet certified guides who will take you through the safety procedures before you begin your adventure. After that, it's all up (or down) to gravity as you fly through the air experiencing the island from above.
St. Martin is a little island that is half French and half Dutch. Because of this, the island packs an almost impossible amount of fun, culture and languages into a single destination. You will be hard-pressed to find a more outgoing and friendly island in the Caribbean. Head toward the French side of the island and the famous Orient beach, which boasts numerous windsurfing schools and rental companies for those looking for more extreme adventure vacations. The waters around the beach itself are fairly calm and offer up a great place for beginners to try to keep their balance, feeling the breeze in their hair.
For a bit more of a challenge, head to the eastern end of the island and make use of the reliable trade winds that blow from November to March and then again in June and July. An added bonus: The reef runs along the coastline, offering waves up to 10-feet high on the outer reef during peak times while keeping the water in the inner bay nice and calm. While on the island, and for a different kind of fun, head over to Maho Beach on the Dutch side and enjoy the unique thrill of watching planes come in for landing over the crowded beach.