How to Travel More Sustainably in the Caribbean

Sustainability is a hot topic in tourism, and the Caribbean is no exception. Travelers and travel advisors have more options than ever when planning a sustainable vacation in the region. 

During the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) in November, for example, the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association highlighted recent progress by announcing the winners and finalists of the 2024 CHIEF Awards. The first-place award in the Environmental Sustainability category went to Ti Kaye Resort & Spa, a St. Lucia resort that has invested in renewable energy and a composting program. The finalist in that category was the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association, which has taken steps to reduce plastic pollution. 

Caribbean-based hotel brands focused on sustainability include Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, both of which — through the nonprofit Sandals Foundation — offer environmentally conscious activities such as hunting for invasive lionfish, restoring coral and observing turtle conservation. 

Here are some additional examples of sustainable initiatives around the region. 

Anguilla

Zemi Beach House, part of LXR Hotels & Resorts, has its own solar farm and bills itself as the only five-star hotel on the island to run on 100% solar energy during the day. 

Aruba

This destination has banned single-use plastics and developed practices including renewable energy sources. 

Travelers are invited to follow eco-friendly practices through the Aruba Promise initiative, and sustainability-minded properties include LEED-certified Radisson Blu Aruba and Joia Aruba by Iberostar. The latter opened in January with prefabricated construction systems and plans to open a sanctuary for shocos, a subspecies of burrowing owls. 

The Bahamas

Banyan Tree Bimini Resort and Residences, which opens in 2027, will be home to an artificial reef structure that aims to protect native coral structures. In addition, guests staying in overwater bungalows will be able to view part of the artificial reef through glass floors. 

Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas, meanwhile, has an affiliated nonprofit organization — the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation — that organizes conservation activities for guests and locals. 

Barbados

With a solar farm, community-wide coral restoration and tree-planting programs, and a goal of achieving 100% renewable energy and carbon neutrality by 2030, Barbados is working toward ambitious goals. Visitors can join activities at animal shelters, the Barbados Sea Turtle Project and the Coral Reef Restoration Alliance.Eco Lifestyle + Lodge, meanwhile, is a Green Globe Certified hotel that uses solar-heated water and organic cleaning products.

Bonaire

Tourism Corporation Bonaire is stressing the importance of conservation through The Bonaire Bond, a program that invites visitors to sign a commitment to travel more sustainably. In addition, the island has adopted a coral nursery tree through the Reef Renewal Bonaire foundation and encourages visitors to do so, too. 

British Virgin Islands

Rosewood Little Dix Bay encourages guests to make a $1 donation to Green VI, an environmental nonprofit organization with which the hotel is partnering. Efforts to improve waste separation, mosquito management and farm composting are underway, and the hotel sources some produce from its on-site farm. 

Cayman Islands 

Visitors to the Cayman Islands can learn about sustainable practices in a variety of ways — including via tours offered by the Blue Iguana Conservation program and the Cayman Turtle Centre. 

Hotels with sustainable initiatives include The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, which recently completed a solar power project; Vida Cayman Islands, which follows guidelines from the Global Sustainable Tourism Council; and Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, which has also installed a solar panel system and enacted water management and recycling initiatives. 

Dominica

Secret Bay, a boutique hotel that’s Green Globe Certified, manages a variety of initiatives, including water conservation, waste reduction and a marine conservation effort that includes a coral nursery. 

Dominican Republic

Club Med Miches Playa Esmeralda, a Green Globe Certified property, is home to an on-site water-bottling plant that minimizes single-use plastic. Guests can also visit the Protortuga Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Program and attend workshops hosted by the Peregrine Fund, which is focused on protecting endangered species such as ridgeway's hawks. The new Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resort, Curio Collection by Hilton — slated to open this summer — will host workshops inspired by the Taino culture that also focus on sustainable practices.

St. Kitts and Nevis

The island of St. Kitts is witnessing progress on several fronts, including the banning of single-use plastics and reforesting of former sugar plantations. Sunset Reef St. Kitts, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, uses geothermal air-conditioning, has established native flora gardens and follows a plastic-free policy.  

Turks and Caicos

Experience Turks and Caicos touts the sustainability efforts of various businesses, including Big Blue Collective, a tour operator that has decreased its environmental footprint by using four-stroke outboard motors and eliminating single-use plastics; West Bay Club, which has its own waste treatment system; and Wymara Resort + Villas, which has an energy management system through which electricity is turned on via guestroom keys. 

In addition, COMO Parrot Cay allows guest to plant their own trees, and The Ritz-Carlton, Turks & Caicos has installed eight charging stations. Opening in February, Salterra Resort & Spa will benefit from a new solar energy project. 

U.S. Virgin Islands 

In St. John, Lovango Resort & Beach Club relies on wind and solar energy for power, and hotel guests can witness the progress of coral regeneration efforts while snorkeling.