ST. KITTS

It must have been with a twinge in Christopher Columbus’s heart that he left the place he named after the patron saint of travelers. With over 25% of its land designated as a national park, this island is a treasure trove of wildlife. Untouched dive sites teem with fish of every stripe and color. Mongooses, frigate birds, cattle egrets, and actual cattle roam this rare American oceanic rainforest—one of the only growing rainforests in the world—as vervet monkeys chatter above.

Hikes to petroglyphs, Sofa Rock on volcanic Mt. Liamuiga, and the Valley of Giants satisfy adventurers. For all, a 17.5-mile scenic, seasonal train route—the only one in the Caribbean outside of Cuba—over narrow-gauge tracks is unforgettable, and UNESCO-designated Brimstone Hill Fortress and eight others add even more character to the salt pond-specked landscape just minutes from the capital, Basseterre. With all of this, it’s a wonder visitors even make it to the swimmable golden and black beaches that make the island so alluring.