4 Underrated Caribbean Islands for Rugged Nature & Adventure
Cruises or all-inclusive resorts often come to mind when considering a vacation to the Caribbean Islands.
But not for us!
We prefer visiting the Caribbean Islands to experience their colorful local communities, pristine nature, and wild adventures—far away from cruise ports or large-scale hotels.
In this guide, we dive into the four most underrated Caribbean islands: Dominica, Bonaire, Guadeloupe, and Jamaica—all of which my sister and I have personally visited and spent ample time in!
If you are looking for off-beat Caribbean adventures on lesser-known islands unspoiled by mass tourism, read more below!
4 Off the Beaten Path Caribbean Islands to Add to Your Bucket List
1. Dominica
- 🇩🇲 Languages: English and Antillean/French Creole
- 💵 Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar $ (USD, Euros, and British Pounds accepted)
- 🚙 Getting around: Renting a car is a must, as most locations are remote
- 💦 Island highlights: Whale watching, waterfalls, volcanoes, hiking, canyoning
Dominica (pronounced dom-in-EE-ka) is a very off-beat Caribbean island you MUST visit at least once. (Nope, we’re not talking about the Dominican Republic.)
Lovingly dubbed the “Nature Island,” Dominica truly wows its first-time visitors.
And, once you go, you’ll see why!
Imagine wild rainforests, roaring waterfalls (without a fellow soul in sight), and volcanic landscapes, including Boiling Lake and Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There is so much to discover on Dominica Island, but whale watching, hiking, and diving are always top of the list of must-do adventure activities.
But what we love about Dominica is its ruggedness.
From chasing hidden waterfalls to canyoning in lush river gorges to road-tripping the island without traffic, Dominica looks and feels like a lost paradise. 🌿
What could make this place sweeter?
Oh, yeah. The people, the culture, the heritage!
Dominica has a rich and colorful Creole culture.
Traces of African, Kalinago (Carib), and European heritage are reflected in the cuisine (try callaloo!), traditional music like bouyon, and many cultural festivals.
One of our favorite memories of Dominica is meeting the locals and participating in their dance over one of our lunch breaks.
We could go on about our love for Dominica! But hopefully, by now, you understand why this hidden gem is one of the most underrated Caribbean Islands.
Make sure to plan your trip with our detailed Dominica guides 🇩🇲
2. Bonaire
- 🇧🇶 Languages: Dutch, English, and Papiamentu (the island’s native language, which is a mixture of many languages)
- 💵 Currency: US Dollar
- 🚙 Getting around: Rent a car (4×4 recommended for the national park)
- 💦 Island highlights: Scuba diving, snorkeling, flamingos, beaches, salt flats
You may have never heard of Bonaire, which is precisely why it’s on our list!
Compared to its neighbors, Aruba and Curaçao, Bonaire is a little-known island in the Dutch Caribbean.
Yet, it stands out among the Caribbean islands for its world-class scuba diving, rugged and wild Washington-Slagbaai National Park, sustainable tourism activities, and historic salt flats.
Moreover, Bonaire boasts beautiful wildlife, such as pink flamingos 🦩 (and 200 more bird species), donkeys (yes!), and iguanas and lizards, including the iconic blue whiptail lizard.
Where else can you wade in bath-warm water and go shore diving nearly everywhere on the island?
And have you ever tried cactus liqueur?
From shipwrecks to lively coral reefs, Bonaire’s diving is top-notch (as is their one-of-a-kind cactus liqueur).
But even if you aren’t a diver or snorkeler, Bonaire’s alluring landscapes and colorful local culture offer you a truly Caribbean laid-back vacation of a lifetime.
I enjoyed visiting Bonaire on a week-long press trip two years ago and still daydream about our sunshine and adventure-filled days there.
3. Guadeloupe
- 🇬🇵 Languages: French, Creole
- 💵 Currency: Euro
- 🚙 Getting around: Renting a car is a must, as buses are not reliable
- 💦 Island highlights: Hot springs, diving, waterfalls, rainforest and volcano hiking
Rum, spices, golden and black-sand beaches, epic volcano and scenic coastline hikes, and gushing waterfalls in the rainforest…
You can expect that and much more on a vacation to Guadeloupe—the unspoiled French overseas island in the south Caribbean Sea!
I feel a tad biased about Guadeloupe, having spent two months slow-traveling the island, hopping from beach town to beach town, and scouting out everything to do—diving, waterfalls, and hot springs mostly—in between.
Want a better look at the island’s activities? 🌴
Read more here: 25+ things to do in Guadeloupe
That said, I wouldn’t recommend Guadeloupe if it’s your first time in the Caribbean or for those who don’t speak much French.
While the island is navigable without additional language skills, you will have a better experience in French as many locals don’t speak English.
But don’t let that deter your sense of adventure!
One reason to visit Guadeloupe over other Caribbean Islands is its sheer amount of natural diversity.
You can hike on an active volcano, lounge in hot springs, bathe in a wild waterfall, nap on a black-sand beach, dive in the Jacques Cousteau Reserve, and eat fresh-caught fish—all in one day!
Well, maybe not one day. What’s certain is that you will be spoiled for choice.
So, if markets, sleepy beach towns, kite-surfing, hot spring soaks, waterfalls, and rugged coastline hikes sound like your ideal getaway, consider visiting Guadeloupe—before everyone else does!
Guadeloupe is one of the few Caribbean destinations that remains unknown to mass (international) tourism.
4. Jamaica
- 🇯🇲 Languages: English and Jamaican Patois (Patwa), an English-based creole
- 💵 Currency: Jamaican Dollar
- 🚙 Getting around: Renting a car is a must, as buses are not reliable
- 💦 Island highlights: Cliffs, mountains, rainforests, culture/music
For the ultimate laid-back Caribbean experience without the crowds, look no further than Jamaica.
To this day, our Jamaica trip lives on rent-free in our heads!
From the cliffs of Negril, where limestone plunges into the Caribbean Sea, to the lush rainforest and coffee plantations of the Blue Mountains, Jamaica took our breath away.
This well-known but little-visited island will surprise you with its natural diversity and beauty.
Alongside its timeless music and vibrant Rastafari culture, we think Jamaica is seriously underrated.
Every inch of this sultry island seems to be covered with an adventure awaiting around the corner!
Picturesque beaches along the rugged coastline, like Seven Mile Beach and Doctor’s Cave Beach, are expected, but go inland to uncover more hidden gems.
A Jamaica trip wouldn’t be complete without journeying to the rainforest and the Blue Mountains, where coffee plantations and hiking trails reveal breathtaking views.
Jerk chicken and picking up on the locals’ “Irie Mahn” are a must, too!
Our Final Caribbean Island Ratings
Choosing a finalist out of the four feels impossible, as they all shine in their own right.
If you’re unsure of which destination to choose, we’d encourage you to think about what you’d like to enjoy most from your Caribbean Island vacation:
Relaxation and beaches? Adventure and epic hikes?
Each one of these Caribbean Islands offers something truly unique.
Based on our personal experiences and itineraries, we’d rate and summarize them like this:
🇩🇲 Dominica:
- Natural Beauty: Dominica is called the “Nature Island of the Caribbean” for a reason! Its lush rainforests, waterfalls, and volcanic landscapes are highly underrated.
- Adventure: Epic hiking, diving, and eco-tourism activities.
- Rating: 5/5
🇧🇶 Bonaire:
- Diving and Snorkeling: World-class marine life and coral reefs in Bonaire Marine Park.
- Serene Atmosphere: It can be as laid-back or as adventurous as you want it to be, but it has a very peaceful (uncrowded) and laid-back vibe.
- Rating: 5/5
🇬🇵 Guadeloupe :
- Diverse Landscapes: Offers both lush rainforests and beautiful beaches.
- Culture: Rich French-Caribbean culture and cuisine.
- Rating: 4.4/5
🇯🇲 Jamaica:
- Music and Culture: Birthplace of reggae music, vibrant culture, and historical sites.
- Natural Beauty: Stunning beaches, lush mountains, and vibrant flora.
- Rating: 4.1/5
What do you think?
Which Caribbean Island nation sounds like the most idyllic?
We hope you found this comparison guide helpful! Drop us your thoughts if you’ve been to any one of these lesser-known Caribbean gems.
