Explore chocolate farms or paddle board through lagoons on Caribbean island …

PADDLE BOARD THROUGH A LAGOON IN TOBAGO

It is one of the eeriest, most magical phenomena in the Caribbean, best experienced on a moonless night in the silence.

Paddle a large but stable surf board through the Bon Accord Lagoon fringed by mangroves and only accessible by boat.

As you move over the inky black water, ghostly light begins to appear around you, each paddle stroke sets off tiny white vortices and your board leaves a trail like a comet.

In fact you are passing through a cloud of microscopic dinoflagellates (tiny organisms that emit light when the water around them is agitated). Flick your paddle and you create a cascade. Dive in to a massive flurry of light.

Startled fish zip away with a flick of their tails. Now imagine a shoal of a thousand fish fry.

Then, as you sit silent, a manta ray passes by, sliding beneath you like a space ship, leaving a glowing silvery trail.

Just Tobago (01373 814234/ justtobago.co.uk) offers seven nights at the Kariwak Village from £975pp (two sharing), BB. Includes return London flights and transfers. Departs April 21.

Stand Up Paddle Tobago (standuppaddletobago.com) has a two–hour tour from £39pp. Tobago tourism: 020 8392 0421/ visittobago.gov.tt

WATCH BASEBALL IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Baseball, or pelota, as the locals like to call it, is a big deal in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominicans are proud that they have so many players in the American Major League, some of whom come home over the winter and rejoin their home teams which stage a Winter Series from October until the finals in January.

Punta Cana Groups (puntacanagroups.com /winterleague–baseball) offers trips from Punta Cana to San Pedro de Macoris, a city that has turned out many of the leading Dominican players, or to La Romana, the Dominican Republic’s third city and home to the Azuceros del Este, another of the six teams in the Winter League.

Join thousands of impassioned fans laughing, joking, and barracking the players to a blaring backdrop of merengue, the island’s bustling, compelling Latin rhythm. If you’re lucky, someone might even explain the rules to you. Tickets £65 (minimum of four).

Thomson (0871 230 2555/ thomson.co.uk) offers seven nights at the 5–star Thomson Couples Riu Palace Macao from £997pp (two sharing), all inclusive. Price includes return flights from Gatwick for travel on January 13. Dominican Republic tourism: 020 7242 7778/godominicanrepublic.com