In the second part of our series on the region’s stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Shelly-Ann Inniss presents five more gems — full of natural and cultural charm — to add to your bucket list
Discover five more Caribbean World Heritage Sites
This is the second in our series of travel features showcasing these special places. Click here to read our first five.
Canaima National Park, Venezuela
Year of inscription: 1994
Spanning some 12,000 square miles along Venezuela’s borders with Guyana and Brazil, Canaima National Park is the country’s second largest. It is home to Angel Falls which, at 3,212 feet, is the highest continuous waterfall in the world and celebrated as one of the “seven wonders of South America”. Among the park’s waterfalls, rivers, lakes and spectacular scenery rise its breathtaking sandstone tepuis (flat-topped, cliff-edged mountains). These formations date back to about two billion years ago when South America and Africa were part of the super-continent, Pangea. You can enjoy stunning views on a hike to the highest tepui, Mount Roraima.
Historic Urban Center of Cienfuegos, Cuba
Year of inscription: 2005
Dubbed “la Perla del Sur” (the pearl of the south), the charming neoclassical architecture in south-central Cuba’s Urban Historic Center of Cienfuegos is, according to UNESCO, “the first and outstanding example of an architectural ensemble representing the new . [19th century] the ideas of modernity, hygiene and order in urban planning”. Strolling along the well-maintained municipal buildings and tenements, you might just have to remind yourself that you’re not on the set of a classic movie. And there’s a lot of ground to cover as the downtown area contains hundreds of buildings erected in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, St. Kitts
Year of inscription: 1999
It’s a steep climb up Brimstone Hill Castle, so you might want to tackle this with four wheels unless you’re doing it for exercise. This British-designed fortress – known as the Gibraltar of the Caribbean – was built by enslaved Africans using the natural topography of this twin-peaked 755-foot volcanic hill. Completed in the 18th century, it is the earliest extant example of the polygonal system of fort design. Fort George (castle) dominates one of the peaks and houses a museum and gift shop. On a clear day, you will see Sint Eustatius, Saba, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy and other islands in the distance.
Blue Mountains and John Crow, Jamaica
Year of inscription: 2015
Could this be the Garden of Eden? Often called the “lungs of eastern Jamaica,” these mountains are fascinating and mystical. It is the only place to observe Jamaica’s rare birds, including the endangered Jamaican bird. A nature lover’s paradise, this nearly 200-square-mile national park is home to Blue Mountain Peak (Jamaica’s highest point at 7,402 feet), hiking trails, countless endemic plant and animal species (including the most large in the Western Hemisphere). and one of the Caribbean’s largest migratory bird habitats. See the flourishing highland coffee fields on a trek to the summit, while learning from knowledgeable guides about the Maroons who used these mountains to escape captives.
Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica
Year of inscription: 1997
The star attraction of this 27-square-mile sanctuary is, without a doubt, the 4,403-foot-tall volcano known as Morne Trois Pitons. Hike along any of six marked hiking trails—complete with picnic areas and shelters—that will take you to the Valley of the Desolation, the nation’s largest lakes (including Boiling Lake, where the water reaches 95 degrees Celsius!). five volcanoes, magnificent waterfalls, countless rivers, encounters with endemic species, stunning views and much more to write home about.
