Relaxing Holiday Spots in the Caribbean: Peaceful Weekend Getaways
Find Peace in Paradise
By Chantae Reden | Last Updated on September 4, 2024
Travel doesn't only connect you to nature in a new destination, it also connects you to yourself. Tune out your worries as you meditate next to a trickling waterfall, escape the everyday routine as you walk along a trail rife with wildlife, set your imagination free as you read a book on a sugar sand beach, or move your body in new ways as you practice yoga up in the trees. If a sense of peace is what you seek, you'll find it at these relaxing holiday spots in the Caribbean
Seek Sweet Serenity In The Beauty Of The Caribbean
Venture to Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula where natural freshwater sinkholes, called cenotes, offer an idyllic place to soak in the scenery and find your inner zen. Many cenotes have a platform where you can sit and meditate, surrounding yourself with the cool blue waters and jungle vines crawling into the craggy limestone cavern. Watch as the sunlight dances across the cenote, beaming into the deep water below. Many of the cenotes date back millions of years and were once used as sacred ceremonial sites. If you wish to practice yoga in a cenote, you can roll out a mat on your own or join Jungle Yoga Tulum, which hosts a guided yoga class inside a serene cenote.
The Yucatán Peninsula is also home to sacred sites in Mexico, like Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a must-see on your cruise to Mexico. The architecture of Chichen Itza and other nearby ruins point to the strong connection between the Ancient Mayans, the cosmos and nature. The Temple of Kukulkan, also called El Castillo, pays homage to a serpentine god. Many travelers who visit Chichen Itza return home with a renewed sense of wonder for humanity's past.
Slow Down, And Take It All In
Leave Your Worries Behind
Bonaire has rightly earned its top spot on the list of relaxing holiday destinations for scuba divers and snorkelers. Scuba diving is often thought of as an adventure activity, and in some ways, it is. But for many divers, scuba diving is one of the best ways to find your inner zen. As soon as you submerge under the sea, you're disconnected from your daily life and all worries are left onshore. Perhaps there's something about venturing somewhere your phone can't ring. When you dive, your body is neutrally buoyant, making you feel weightless. In scuba diving, moving gracefully allows you to stay down longer, so there's also an incentive to slow down. The only sound you hear is the gentle hiss of your breath inhaling and exhaling through your regulator and bubbles floating toward the surface. Surrounded by blue, it's easy to focus on what's in front of you. Search for nudibranchs in the coral, watch as an anemone sways with the swell and admire the colorful patterns on each reef fish as they search for shelter, a mate or food.
For nearly 40 years, much of the waters surrounding the island of Bonaire have held their status as a marine reserve. Fin over technicolor reefs to see over 50 species of coral and over 350 species of fish, explore shipwrecks like the Hilma Hooker and come eye-to-eye with sea turtles at Lac Cai. Eagle rays, tarpons and reef sharks regularly swim through the shallows of Bonaire, making it an incredible place to unwind while surrounded by nature.
For self-guided meditation and rejuvenation, Costa Rica is one of the best relaxing holidays you can find. When you cruise to Costa Rica, Puerto Limon is your base, so if you're Googling "places to relax near me," you'll be in the perfect spot. Cruising into Puerto Limon makes it easy to wander along lush jungle trails, soak in sun rays on the beaches of Playa Bonita or Playa Blanca, or sip a freshly cracked coconut in the small town. Yogis, head to AmaSer Yoga Center to stretch in a treehouse studio overlooking the ocean. After class, nourishing vegan meals made from local produce await at the onsite café.
