Exploring the wonders of the Caribbean

A Caribbean getaway prompts visions of steel drum music, palm-lined beaches, elegant accommodations and a laid-back vacation. But the Caribbean has another aspect that may intrigue travelers: its unusual natural features.

Many Caribbean islands have unique features that even seasoned travelers will find fascinating. Some are easily accessible, some not, but all will give you a different perspective of the Caribbean.

Many of these sights are offered on land or cruise tours; a couple require going on your own or with a guide.

BARBADOS

Many Caribbean islands have caves, but Harrison’s Cave in Barbados is exceptionally large and has all the elements of the world’s most famous caves. Stalactites hang from the ceilings, stalagmites rise up from the ground. You’ll see emerald pools, underground waterfalls, water running amid crystal formations, quirky rock shapes, and large and small caverns, including the Great Hall with its 100-foot-high ceiling.

The limestone cave system lies in the island’s uplands at an elevation of 700 feet and is at least a mile in extent. It is named for Thomas Harrison, who owned land in the area in the 1700s. It was discovered in 1647 but was not explored and mapped until the 1970s, and not developed for the public until 1981.

Best of all for visitors, it is easily accessible — guests are driven through the cave in electrically operated trams that make photo stops at several points. Cost is $30 adults, $15 for children. www.harrisonscave.com.

PUERTO RICO

In the water, said one visitor in a TripAdvisor message board, it was like “thousands of lighted sparkles following your movements … absolutely the neatest thing to experience!” She was referring to her visit to bioluminescent Mosquito Bay on Puerto Rico’s island of Vieques. The waters in this bay are filled with tiny luminescent creatures that light up when the waters are stirred up at night.

Puerto Rico has two other bioluminescent bays. One is in Fajardo not far from San Juan, the other in La Parguera on the southern coast. The Vieques bay has the most luminescence, followed by Fajardo. La Parguera has the least. A variety of tours is available to all three sites. For some choices, click on www.vieques.com/island-bioluminescent-bay/; www.puertoricodaytrips.com/fajardo-bio-bay/; www.puertoricodaytrips.com/la-parguera-biobay.

CURACAO

When you think of the Caribbean, you probably picture tropical rainforests and lush vegetation. But when you visit Christoffel National Park in the western part of Curacao, you may think you’ve been transported to Arizona. The landscape in this arid region looks more like Arizona’s desert country than a stereotypical Caribbean vista.

You’ll see candelabra-shaped cacti up to 20 feet high, century plants (agave) with their tall central shoots, wind-blown divi-divi trees, prickly pears and aloe. You may run across wild goats and donkeys as well as land iguanas, which are prized by locals for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities. You also may spot petroglyphs left by pre-Columbian Arawak culture.

You can experience the park by car, on a guided tour, or on hiking trails. Park admission is $12 adults, $4.50 children 6-12. www.christoffelpark.org.

ST. LUCIA

It’s called a “drive-in volcano,” even though you actually don’t drive into the volcano. But you get pretty close. Tour buses and private cars drive to a parking lot within a couple hundred yards of the caldera of the La Soufriere Volcano. Then you walk to the edge of the crater to look down into the caldera.