Canyoning in Martinique
Lure: Trek past the glitter for canyoning gold
Location: Martinique, West Indies(西印度群岛)
Sure, shoppers in Louboutin heels click down chic Rue Victor Hugo and Jet Skis whine past topless sunbathers on the hotel beaches of Pointe du Bout, but away from the hectic(繁忙的), touristy south, Martinique is moody and wild—and largely unexplored by visitors.
In the Regional Natural Preserve, rivers cut deep gorges(山峡) through dense(稠密的) jungles, and trails vein mist-shrouded(裹着薄雾的) volcanoes: It’s the kind of territory that has made this one of the Caribbean’s best destinations for canyoning(蹦谷运动)—trekking(跋涉) into the interior, rappelling(用绳索下去) down cascades(小瀑布), leaping into basins, and floating on currents.
"It’s more athletic and more playful than simply hiking," says Sophie Sutter, a canyoning guide with Le Bureau de la Randonnée, which offers everything from beginner-friendly outings to arduous(艰苦的) daylong expeditions requiring technical descents of waterfall-drenched 200-foot (61-meter) cliffs.