Caribbean cruises without the crowds – the best off-the-beaten-track excursions

The Caribbean is the world's most popular cruise destination. So not surprisingly, its most visited ports can be exceedingly busy in the peak-season months of December to April. Some days as many as half-a-dozen large ships can be docked at the same time, with thousands of disembarking passengers swamping the prime beaches and sights.

You can largely avoid the hordes by cruising in the low-season summer or autumn months, when it's rare for there to be more than one or two ships in port on any given day.

But at any time of year you can also escape the crowds, by skipping organised group excursions, striking out independently on foot, by bus or taxi, and heading for less overrun beaches and attractions.

Nassau

With over three million cruise-ship passengers a year, the capital of the Bahamas is just about the busiest port of call on Caribbean itineraries. Ignore the delights of downtown Nassau and the Atlantis mega-resort complex, and head out to Clifton Heritage National Park on the western tip of New Providence island, about 35 minutes' drive from the port. Here you'll find the ruins of a plantation house and slave village, nature trails through forest and wetlands, and several lovely beaches. Heritage, nature and snorkelling tours, including over an underwater sculpture garden just offshore, are on offer, with transportation to/from the park.

Grand Cayman

The waters around Grand Cayman offer some of the best diving and snorkelling anywhere in the Caribbean. The most popular cruise-ship excursion is to Stingray City Sandbar, so go elsewhere to commune with marine life without the crowds. Dive and snorkelling operators such as Ocean Frontiers (oceanfrontiers.com) offer a plethora of boat trips to easily-accessible alternative sites, such as the ex-USS Kittiwake, a large shipwreck that lies just below the surface. For a land encounter, visit Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, where you can spot giant blue iguanas, which are unique to the island.

Barbados

Most cruise passengers wanting a day on a Barbados sun lounger in are taken to one of the big beach clubs at busy Carlisle Bay, just south of Bridgetown. Instead, make the 20-minute taxi or bus ride up the west coast to Paynes Bay, a lovely long stretch of soft white sand. Locals on the beach will offer to take you out in a boat to swim with turtles in the bay – time it to avoid the day-trippers packed on catamarans doing the same.

St Lucia

The island's top strand is Reduit Beach, at Rodney Bay resort. With watersports galore and an inflatable over-the-water obstacle course, it's always busy, though the southern end is more of a locals' hangout. For a much more tranquil alternative that is also closer to the cruise port (10 minutes' drive), take a taxi to Vigie Beach, where you'll find over a mile of hardly developed, palm-dotted soft sand. St Lucia's secondary airport is close by, but don't let that put you off – only small planes land here.

Antigua

Claiming to have 365 beaches, Antigua has lots of lovely crowd-free stretches of sand. So there's no need to lay your towel on invariably busy Dickenson Bay and Jolly Beach. Head a bit further from the port down to Darkwood or Turner's Beach in the south west for perfect swathes of sand with rickety beach bars. At Nelson's Dockyard – a Unesco World Heritage Site – leave the crowds by following one of the walking trails around English Harbour, taking in ruined colonial fortifications and great views. 

Jamaica

The most popular attraction, climbable Dunn's River Falls, is always rammed, not least because it's very close to Ocho Rios port. But there are lots of other less crowded and commercial places to enjoy the island's scenic inland waterways. In various spots you can take a serene river trip on a bamboo raft, punted along by your captain. You can do it on a bamboo-lined stretch of the Martha Brae River, close to the port of Falmouth, and an easy drive from Montego Bay or Ocho Rios ports.

Grenada

Grand Anse, a two-mile-long curve of soft sand shaded by sea grapes, almond trees and palms, pulls in the crowds like nowhere else on the Spice Island. Cruise-ship passengers congregate around the bars and restaurants at the northern end, leaving the beach's southern end pretty peaceful. Otherwise, get a taxi to drop you off at Morne Rouge, a more in-the-know and very sheltered white-sand beach at the rear of the next bay along.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Most cruise ships dock alongside Old San Juan, a beautifully restored Spanish colonial district with cobbled streets, handsome mansions and vast fortresses. When multiple ships are visiting it does feel touristy, but heading off elsewhere for the day doesn't make much sense. Instead, wander around independently – the old town feels safe, and the El Morro and San Cristobal fortresses are run by the US National Park Service so have lots of informative signage. If your ship stays in port till late (and many do), explore after dark, when many passengers will have returned to their ship. Down-to-earth El Jibarito is a good place to sample Puerto Rican dishes.