Georegion Guide

Some of the best wildlife cruises are packaged by Oceanic Society Expeditions (tel. 800/326-7491; www.oceanic-society.org). Whale-watching jaunts and some research-oriented trips are also featured. You can swim with humpback whales in the Dominican Republic, for example. Snorkeling, bird-watching, and sea turtle tours to Trinidad and Tobago are other offerings.

Puerto Rico's varied and often hard-to-reach natural treasures have been conveniently packaged into a series of affordable eco-tours. Hillbilly Tours, Route 181, Km 13.4, San Juan (tel. 787/760-5618; www.hillbillytours.com), specializes in nature-based and countryside tours in Puerto Rico's rainforest. AdvenTours, Luquillo (tel. 787/530-8311; www.adventours.tk), features customized private tours with activities like bird-watching, hiking, camping, visits to coffee plantations, and kayaking. Aventuras Tierra Adentro, 268 Piñero Ave., San Juan (tel. 787/766-0470; www.aventurastierraadentro.com), specializes in rock climbing, body rafting, caving, and canyoning, among other activities. Eco Xcursion Aquatica, Road 191, Km 1.7, Rio Grande, Fajardo (tel. 787/888-2887), offers some of the best rainforest hikes and mountain-bike tours.

Machias Adventures (tel. 888/427-3497 or 203/227-7337; www.machiasadventures.com) offers adventure tours to St. Vincent, including hiking up a volcano, a day's sailing with a crew, seeking out the huge variety of bird life, and hiking up a river canyon to a dramatic water pool -- a perfect pool for swimming. The cost of these 7-day jaunts is US$2,450 per person, based on double occupancy.

The best eco-tours in lush Trinidad and Tobago are offered by Wildways, Ariapita Road, St. Ann's, Port-of-Spain (tel. 868/623-7332; www.wildways.org). The most exciting is the 8-day Trinidad "Trek & Tour," following Amerindian trails through rainforests to watch turtle egg laying and other adventures.

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