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What’s in a name? Dominica’s Boiling Lake & Valley of Desolation

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Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail

Epic Dominica Hiking – A Scene from Another World…

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail

The Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation trail is iconic Dominica hiking. We met our guide in the town of Laudat and feeling adventurous, our guide rode the spare tire on the back of our rented Jimny’s (small SUV) a short distance to a parking lot near the popular Titou Gorge attraction. We got to the actual trail-head by crossing a narrow pedestrian bridge overlooking the river that feeds the gorge. Some workers were below us, drilling into the earth, apparently testing the geothermic energy potential of the island.

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail



Our hike started off in the shadow of Morne Macaque, a magnificent mountain that foreshadowed some of the terrain that we were heading into. The first hour or so went by at a leisurely pace – We enjoyed the lush rain-forest and it’s natural rocky trail. As we walked, our guide identified the various tree and plant species we encountered along the way. I was particularly fascinated by the giant tree trunks (Banyon, Chataignier or Burrwood trees perhaps?), fiddleheads and the large variety of ferns, lichens and tree stranglers. A great start to the hike!

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail

Eventually, we came to a sign that read “You are now entering the Morne Trois Pitons National Park”. OK – Apparently the trail-head and the first section of the trail are outside of the park. The trail started to get a little steeper at this stage and it was muddy in spots. There were steps in some sections, made by small tree trunks stuck in the mud. Once we had reached the top of the hill, we descending steeply down to the Trois Piton river.

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail


After the river crossing, the trail got steeper as our guide informed us that we would soon be entering the Montane (or Cloud) forest section of the hike. For the next hour or so, we crossed all sorts of different and beautiful terrain. The trail consisted of mostly natural paths, along with a number of wooden stairs built into the sides of the mountain. These really helped us get down and up the really steep sections. The engineers did a great job – I can’t imagine what it would be like without the stairs.

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail
Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail


We stopped a couple of times at clearings to take some pictures of the Caribbean sea, Roseau and the Western coastline. Eventually, we came to the top of Morne Nicholls, which has a nice flat area on top and some room to move around. Epic Dominica hiking! We took a break to have a snack and appreciate the magnificent views of the southern half of the island’s mountainous terrain. We also got a glimpse of the steam coming from Boiling lake – Hinting at what awaits us just a couple of valleys and ridges away. What an amazing feeling it is to see the island from this vantage point!


Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail



From there we traveled down some fairly steep gorges, between mountains. It was slow going as we picked our way over the rocks in what was reminiscent of a dried-out river bed. There were also sections of really muddy wooden stairs in some ‘near vertical’ areas – Not for the faint of heart for sure! It took us a half-hour or so to reach the aptly named “Valley of Desolation”… WOW – I felt like I was on another planet. It was totally surreal!

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail

In sharp contrast to the lush green flora and terrain we had hiked to this point, this new area was wide open, barren and without vegetation. The ground was rocky and an eerie grey colour – Dotted with blues and greens, along with patches of orange-yellow-gold. It seemed like water was bubbling out of the ground, pretty much everywhere. Being we were on part of an active volcano, it shouldn’t have surprised us that the sulfur in the air was colouring the rocks rusty and the mineral-rich water was a rich grey. We were thankful for the constant breeze and gusts of wind that blew the nasty smell of sulfur away. This was a unique Dominica hiking experience for sure.

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail

We had to be careful of where we stepped and what we touched as previously mentioned, water was actually boiling out of the ground. Apparently some folks bring eggs here to boil in the natural hot spots – Not sure I would eat that. Anyways, we found a stream that was not too hot and our guide dug into the bed and pulled up handfuls of warm grey mud that we applied to our faces – Some people pay good money to go to a spa for this type of treatment 🙂 The warm mud mask felt good, although it was at his time when I realized that wearing a white shirt into a volcanic area was not a good idea. The yellow stains I got on my shirt would turn out to be a “souvenir”, as it would later turn out to be un-cleanable, even with bleach. No big deal…

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail


We left Desolation Valley and walked past a small waterfall and crossed another river. OK, we had been hiking now for a while, and after the thrill of the amazingly freaky volcanic water / mud bath area had subsided, we were ready for the main event – The Boiling Lake…

We hiked some more… Down another rocky trail followed by going up another ridge. We repeated this a couple more times, like a slow-motion roller-coaster ride, until we eventually reached a flat plateau that overlooks the lake. Again – This just didn’t seem real.

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail

Another ‘unworldly’ site. At this one, we gazed at a tall thin stream of water falling dozens of feet into a 200 foot (60m) wide pool of grey water, which was yes – literally boiling in the centre. With steam rising off the surface of the water everywhere it looked like the world’s largest outdoor sauna. Our guide informed us that we were not in the volcano’s crater, but rather this was actually a flooded ‘fumerole’. Boiling Lake is fed by a couple of streams, whose water seeps deep down through cracks in the rocky ground, where it meets the volcanic lava which boils the water forcing it back up to the surface, where it continues to boil and evaporate. We just stood there for a while, trying to soak in and come to grips with what we were seeing.

Dominica Hiking at it's best - Boiling Lake and Valley of Desolation Trail
Yes – The lake is ‘boiling’

After a rest break and lunch, we headed back down the same way we came. I gotta tell you, this hike “started to get old” when we reached the final stretch of the trail, especially the long wooden stair sections. My legs were a little wobbly and my hiking partner was having problems with her knees. It’s interesting how that same section of trail at the beginning of the hike was so enjoyable, yet on the way back we never thought it would end – Dominica hiking is not for the faint of heart (or stamina).

A few minutes later however and we were in for a treat. At the end of the hike, we reached a shallow section of Titou Gorge where we took off our hiking shoes and socks and waded into the refreshing shallow pool to cool our burning feet – very soothing and revitalizing!

Wow – What an ‘epic’ hike – A Caribbean bucket-list experience for sure! We really enjoyed the diversity of the trail – Sometimes we were on ridges and mountain tops with spectacular views, other times we were hiking between them in gorges, ruts and bizarre valleys… We experienced hot mineral springs and mud pools and of course saw a lake that was literally “boiling”. A once in a lifetime experience!

ACT Staff

* Please note that this review was done prior to Hurricane Maria in 2017 – The trail conditions/characteristics may have changed as the island recovered *

For the complete hiking report, hiking guides, as well as much more information on traveling to Dominica, please reference the following links (to pages on our website):

Dominica Hiking – Boiling Lake & the Valley of Desolation Trail

Dominica Hiking Trails

Dominica Vacations

For an overview of what the Caribbean has to offer intrepid vacationers, take a look at our Active Caribbean Travel home page

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The Best Snorkelling Spots in St. Kitts

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Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Snorkel St. Kitts Shitten Bay, South Friars Bay, White House Bay etc. See Lizard Fish and More

Snorkel St. Kitts For Sand Divers to Quick Squid

While St. Kitts may not be known as one of the best Caribbean Islands for snorkelling, we were pleasantly surprised by the marine life that we encountered at a number of locations along the island’s gorgeous Caribbean coast. While we reached one snorkelling hotspot as part of a boat excursion, we found many other worthwhile snorkelling options accessible right off the beach – You just need to grab a taxi or rent a car to get there. Here’s what we found…

Shitten Bay

We snorkelled the north end of Shitten Bay, which is located on the Caribbean (West) side of the southernmost point of St. Kitts while enjoying a sail and snorkel tour. The water there is like something out of a magazine – A stunning turquoise colour that you just don’t every day. Peering over the side of the boat I could see the ocean floor about 15 feet down, covered with seagrass along as well as a row of rocks/boulders in shallower water closer to shore. 

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Snorkel Shitten Bay

As soon as I plunged into the water, I was greeted by a school of black & yellow vertically striped sergeant majors along with a handful of large shiny silver fish with a yellow strip down their backs that I believe are yellow jacks.

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Sargeant Majors and Jacks at Shitten Bay

I left the boat area and headed towards shore. Once I reached the row of boulders I slowly swam northward along the edge. I was amazed to see such a wide variety of marine creatures swimming among the rocks. I saw little silver fish, medium-sized brown fish, an amazing butterflyfish with its distinctive black dot near its tail as well as a mixture of awesome-looking blue fish that are probably chromas and/or tang. Once I reached the north end of the bay, I floated over a coral structure jutting out from the shore into deeper water. I was thrilled to see these small black fish with fluorescent blue dots that I believe are jewelfish – An incredible sight! I also saw some fun looking bluehead wrasse as well as a number of unique yellow trumpetfish that I thought were cool.

One of the many highlights for me was seeing a fascinating ribbon-like eel.  It was whitish with bi-coloured dots along its body. I couldn’t study it for long as it came out of one hiding spot and quickly disappeared again between two rocks. Perhaps it was a snake eel or a juvenile spotted moray. Whatever it was, it was awesome! I also saw a beautiful but deadly lionfish. I must have seen close to two dozen 20 different species of fish in all. There were several species of corals and other sea life down there as well. I saw fire coral, brain coral, a few different stick-like coral, as well as some vertical tubes, plenty of large purple fans as well as a variety of other plants I don’t know by name. Swimming back to the boat I was fortunate to see a decent sized puffer fish swimming near along the grassy ocean floor. Wow, that was special – Another great encounter

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Puffer Fish at Shitten Bay

I believe that Shitten Bay can also be accessed by hiking across the peninsula from Major’s Bay, which is where the main road on the island ends. Following orange markers, it’s a rough one-hour hike along a river bed that ends at a beached shipwreck about 100 meters south from where we snorkelled.

However you get there, this is probably the best snorkeling spot in St. Kitts.

South Friars Bay

Located on the Caribbean (West) side of the north end of the narrow part of St. Kitts’ southeast peninsula is South Friar’s Bay. Just off the main (OK, only) road, there are two dirt tracks to the area, one leads to the Carambola Beach Club, the other to the Shipwreck Bar & Grill.

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Blue Tang and Sargeant Majors at South Friars Bay,
Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. South Friars Bay

While we’ve been told that there is good snorkeling at the north end of the bay near the man-made point at the Carambola Beach Club, we spent our time snorkelling the area between the Godfather Beach Bar (next to the Discovery Beach Bar & Grill) and the Shipwreck Bar & Grill. We were pleasantly surprised by how good the snorkelling is in this area.  This is thanks to a thin strip of coral, no more than 50 feet from shore, that runs almost the length of the beach. This reef is brimming with life, including a wide variety of juvenile fish, corals and sea fans.

Because part of the reef is just below the water surface, it is very dangerous for both humans and aquatic life to walk/swim over this reef.  Scattered rows of sea urchins (little red ones plus larger black ones can really make for a bad day, so it is best to enter the water at the very south end of the bay just past the Shipwreck Bar & Grill, where there is a grass-covered sandy strip of ocean floor.

We slowly swam and drifted northward along the edge of the reef, on the ocean side (as opposed to the beach side) that is, up to the Godfather Beach Bar and back again. The sea floor has this really cool rippled texture, along with a few patches of sea grass. We saw tons of small fish flowing in and out of various nooks and crannies as the gentle ocean current ebbed in and out over the reef. I saw some fire coral, plenty of colourful soft corals as well as some hard corals and sea fans. The ocean floor was littered with black sea urchins with their long spikes poking out between and from under the rocks. I also saw some white urchins as well. As for the fish, there were lots of amazing ‘electric’ blue tang, yellow grunts, and plenty of other species I didn’t recognize.

While I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the fish and corals in this area, including a few camouflaged lizard-fish hiding on the sea floor, the highlight of this snorkeling adventure was the incredible French angelfish.  This is what I’m looking for when I snorkel the Caribbean!

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. French Angel Fish at South Friars Bay

The gentle waves were easy to negotiate, making this a nice relaxing and rewarding snorkel. This was our second favourite place to snorkel in St. Kitts. Of course, it helps when there are plenty of places (mentioned above) on the beach to dry off with some good food and drink.

White House Bay

Located on the Caribbean (West) side of the southern end of the narrow part of St. Kitts’ southeast peninsula, we visited White House Bay.  We followed the sign on the main road for “Salt Plage at Christoph Harbour”.  While the restaurant facility was (permanently?) closed when we visited in early 2022, there are a couple of small parking lots right off the road.

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Trumpetfish at White House Bay

From there, we walked for a few minutes along a dirt road to the beach area where we found a few abandoned buildings along with a pier. The beach is rocky, as in, the entire coastline is covered in golf ball, baseball, and softball sized rocks, although none of them are exactly round. Unless you have leathery tough feet, shoes or sandals are required to traverse the shoreline.  I had heard that the best snorkelling was at the north end of the bay, so we walked about two-thirds of the way up the beach before heading into the water.

We kept our sandals/water-shoes on for this snorkel as the sea floor is littered with rocks. There are rocks and boulders of all shapes and sizes on the sandy ocean floor, several of them splashed with a bumpy yellow paint-like substance called ‘fire coral’. We avoided contact with that nasty stuff as we looked for fish. We didn’t have to look far as there were plenty of small – medium sized creatures swimming around in water about 4 to 10 feet deep fairly close to shore. I slowly swam north and saw a few sergeant majors, some small schools of yellow grunts as well as schools of black and yellow horizontally striped fish I assume was some other type of grunt. I saw some yellow goatfish, with their distinctive silver bodies and yellow tails, along with a few blue tang and yellow trumpetfish – Those are so weirdly cool! We also saw plenty of black spiky sea urchins who have made their homes between the rocks.

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Starfish at Snorkel White House Bay

We were thrilled to also see a few starfish, mostly yellow/gold in colour, although I also saw one that was red. There was a bit of a current/tide to contend with, but nothing to worry about. A decent, if not overwhelming snorkeling experience.

Eventually, we got out of the water and headed to the south end of the beach where we had heard there was a shipwreck by a large rock protruding out of the water. Even though this was in much deeper water, we had to check it out! For several yards in from the beach, the water is very shallow and the rocky sea floor is covered in marine life. As a result, it is best to swim over to the rock outcrop from the end of the pier.

As we swam out toward the large black rock, I was struggling a bit against the relentless waves.  As I finally got into deeper water I was immediately met by a small school of fish which I appreciated.  The sea floor in this area is very dramatic, with non-uniform small rolling hills and deeper trenches, probably over 20 feet deep.  I was exploring an interesting ledge with large sea fans waving back and forth with the strong current when my partner motioned me back. I swam back to see her looking at a large rectangular shape on the sea floor in about 20 feet of water. We were both tiring from the constant fight against the current and decided to get back to shore. Talking with someone a few days later, I found out that the shipwreck was actually on the other side of the rock that we unfortunately never reached.

One thing to mention is that we pretty much had the whole place to ourselves.  When we first arrived, there were a couple of guys from a sailboat moored in the harbour hanging out on the pier for a while, and we also encountered a tour guide with a couple of tourists going for a kayaking excursion – That’s it.

Well, after that workout, we now had an excellent excuse to take the short drive to the southernmost part of the island to check out the famous Reggae Beach Bar where we enjoyed some Carib beer, rum punch and a meal – All to the beats of awesome reggae music. A great way to spend the day!

Timothy Beach / Frigate Bay

On the Caribbean (west) side of St. Kitts, near the iconic Timothy Hill lookout at the north end of the southeast peninsula is Timothy Beach and Frigate Bay.  This is St. Kitts’ most famous beach town known as “the strip” for the 10+ bar/restaurants that line the beach.

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Blue Tang at Timothy Beach / Frigate Bay

A little over 100 feet from shore there is about 400 hundred feet of man-made reef/barrier that marine life now call home.  Please note that there is a gap in the barrier reef that is a channel for boats to come in and out from shore, so be aware of where you are at all times.

We waded in from shore and easily swam out to the rock pile where I immediately saw a lizard-fish, lying still on the sandy ocean floor. On the ocean side (as opposed to the beach side) of the rock pile, there are patches of sea grass with little sand mounds and craters – I wonder what’s going on down there. Regardless, there’s a surprising number of juvenile fish swimming among the rocks. They seem shy, but there’s plenty to see. I saw schools of yellow grunts over the sea grass and sergeant majors, blue tang, and other species. I was totally amazed when I saw a couple of Caribbean reef squids for the first time in my life. I tried to follow them, but man they’re fast. On the way out of the water, my partner pointed to an amazing gold/orange starfish as well as a much larger but duller coloured starfish. Cool!

Great Caribbean Snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis. Snorkel St. Kitts Shitten Bay, South Friars Bay, White House Bay etc. See Trumpetfish, Angelfish, Grunts & more

If you’re staying in the area, or are visiting from a cruise ship, this man-made rock pile reef, while not the best place to snorkel in St. Kitts, is definitely worth exploring.

ACT Staff

For more information on snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis, including a list of tour operators who will get you to the hot spots, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Snorkelling page

If you’re looking for other ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the Sister Islands, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Adventures blog for some great ideas!

For an overview of the beautiful and unique islands, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page

For an overview of great Tourist Attractions on the islands, including tour operators who will take good care of you, check out our Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis page

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The Top 6 Adventures in St. Kitts & Nevis

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Active Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis – From the Tops of Volcanoes to Underwater Shipwrecks

The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Islands, commonly referred to as “St. Kitts” or “SKN”, is a two island nation of the Caribbean Lesser Antilles’ Leeward Islands. Saint Kitts and Nevis islands are actually the tops of a submerged volcanic mountain range, covered with rolling green folds of volcanic peaks and lush valleys – More than a quarter of the islands are conserved via National Park lands!  Regular ferry service connects the islands of Saint Kitts with Nevis – They’re only a couple of miles (3 km) apart. The sister islands are just a few miles from its closest neighbours, Sint Eustatius to the north-west, Barbuda and Antigua to the East and Montserrat to the south.

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include snorkeling, diving, hiking, biking and enjoying water sports

While many tourists spend their time ‘Limin’, relaxing on the beach with a local lime flavoured rum beverage, others see the amazing adventure opportunities the mountainous islands have to offer…  Our personal favourite active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include…

St. Kitts & Nevis Hiking – Get on some Amazing Trails

There are a variety of hiking trails on each island, offering something for everyone – From short nature walks, to intermediate hikes, along with challenging volcano hikes on each island. Combined, Saint Kitts and Nevis have half a dozen mountainous peaks above 1,500 feet (500m), along with numerous other great areas to hike.

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include hiking Mount Liamuiga

No adventurous trip to Saint Kitts is complete without hiking up Mount Liamuiga volcano, the island’s highest peak which stands 3,792 feet (1,156 m) above sea level. This is a fairly challenging hike. It’s only 5 miles (8km) or so round trip, however it usually takes 4–6 hours to hike to the peak and back due to it’s rooty terrain and steep sections.  A great Caribbean ‘bucket list’ hike for sure!

A number of excellent hiking trails can be found on the west side of Saint Kitts.  Good mountainous trails on the island include Dos D’ane Pond Hike (The Mansion Source Trail) on Verchilds Mountain and the Radio Tower Hike a little further south.

Other great hikes on the island of St. Kitts can be found in the Central Forest Reserve National Park.  Trails include the “Valley of Giants” Rainforest Hike and the Peter Manning Trail Hike.

That said, the nice Phillips Rainforest Hike is reached from the east side of the island, and the epic Southern Peninsula hiking trail is found, not surprisingly at the south end of St. Kitts – This is a unique ‘dry scrub-brush’ trail with access to empty beaches and is full of mesmerizing ocean views.

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include snorkeling, diving, hiking, biking and enjoying water sports

Nevis Peak dominates the landscape on the small island of Nevis and it is the most challenging and popular hike on the island.  The trail is only a couple of miles in length, however the hike will take 4-5 hours to complete due to it’s steepness – But why rush to get back down when you’ll be spoiled with the spectacular views from the top (You might be able to see Montserrat and Antigua on a clear day).

There are other relatively short hikes on Nevis as well, such as the Golden Rock Nature Trail, the Devil’s Copper Waterfall Trail, the Source Trail and the Sulphur Springs Hike.  With Nevis’ natural beauty, there’re all sure to please.

For more information on one of the funnest things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including hiking guides who will get you on the trail, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Hiking page

Saint Kitts and Nevis Snorkeling – Enjoy Bays, Reefs and more…

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include snorkeling

Saint Kitts and Nevis offer a number of locations to explore it’s underwater world. Slip into the warm Caribbean sea and snorkel right off the beach, or take a short boat ride to some nearby reefs and a shipwreck that lie in clear waters. Explore a new world full of diverse coral, sponges and tropical fish, as well as colourful sea fans and even sea turtles and rays.

The best snorkeling sites around Saint Kitts are along the west coast of the islands and include shallow spots like White House Bay and Green Point Reef as well as slightly deeper spots like Ballest Bay, Shitten Bay (no that’s not a spelling mistake) and Turtle Bar Reef. There’s even a shipwreck in less than 25 feet (8m) of water that can be viewed while snorkeling.

For those who want to enjoy longer / deeper under water journeys, but don’t have scuba diving experience, Snuba (Mask and mouthpiece with air-tube) tours are available as well!

Nevis offers similar snorkeling spots, including Booby Island and Herberts.

For more information on one of the better things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including tour / boat operators who will get you in the water, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Snorkeling page

St. Kitts and Nevis Water Sports – Plenty of Options

One of the best ways to really experience the Caribbean is by getting on the beach and into / onto the water. St. Kitts offers an assortment of thrilling water sports activities, both motorized and human powered, while Nevis gives you some more laid back options to appreciate the islands’ coastline.

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis include water sports Adventures like Kayaking, SUP, kitesurfing, Parasailing and more

The most popular spot for water sport action in the island of St. Kitts can be found on the beaches around the southern peninsula. You can kayak, SUP (Paddle Board) and surf along the gorgeous coast line, or if you’re looking for more of an adrenaline rush, try flyboarding, Kiteboarding / Kitesurfing, Parasailing, Wakeboarding / Tubing and jet-skiing.  Small sail boats are also available cruise up and down the coast on.

The beaches along the west coast of Nevis can be enjoyed by kayak and SUP (Paddle Board) and jet-skiis are also available.

For more information on some of the more adventurous things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including tour operators who will get you outfitted, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Water Sports page

Mountain Bike & Cycle the Sister Islands

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis includes Mountain Biking and Cycling Adventures

Mountain biking in the Caribbean is a great way to get some fresh air and exercise while exploring the islands – Getting great views of the Caribbean sea and neighbouring islands is an added bonus. St. Kitts offers some cane field and road routes, while Nevis has a number of terrain options and trail styles to choose from. There’s something for everyone on the sister islands.

The best places to cycle on the island of Saint Kitts includes some cane fields and roads around the capital Basseterre and through the southern peninsula.

For the MTB and Cycling enthusiast, Nevis is the place to be!  You can ride off-road on plantation trails and old road beds, including some nice down-hill trails.  On the road, there are short, medium and long routes to cycle, including hilly and ‘around the island’ circuits.

For more information, including guides and tour operators who will get you on the saddle, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Biking page

Dive the Reefs and Wrecks of Saint Kitts & Nevis

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis includes Scuba Diving Adventures

One of the better areas in the Caribbean for diving, Saint Kitts and Nevis offer a variety of dive sites in both the Atlantic and Caribbean seas around the islands – There are over two dozen dive sites with reefs, wrecks and walls to explore. There’s something for divers of all skills to enjoy. If you’ve always wanted to try scuba diving, Saint Kitts is a great place to get started – there is a dive school on the island that offers diving PADI courses and certification.

There are over 20 dive sites off the coast of St. Kitts alone, including four wrecks to explore.  If you’re looking for drift diving, wall diving or underwater photography, you’ll find here – There’s even a couple of sites with volcanic vents on the sea floor!  Full of sea life, you’re sure to find a variety of fish, corals, sponges & urchins along with rays, turtles, eels, octopus, lobsters and the occasional shark & seahorse.

There are another handful of dive sites off the coast of Nevis as well.

For more information on one of the more adventurous things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including boat operators who will get you in the water, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Diving page

Saint Kitts and Nevis Golf

Believe it or not, there are two 18 hole / par 71 golf courses on St. Kitts and one on Nevis.

Active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis includes Golf

The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is just outside St. Kitts’ capital Basseterre. This magnificent course is situated on 125 acres and includes two holes overlooking the Caribbean Sea as well as three holes on the Atlantic Ocean.

Kittitian Hill’s Irie Fields is located at the north end of St. Kitts. This uniquely natural course is set among Belle Mont farm’s crops and fruit trees and offers spectacular ocean views across to St. Barths.

On Nevis, the Four Seasons Golf Club is located on the west side of the island just outside the capital Charlestown.  This attractive course was designed by Robert Trent Jones II.

For more information on one of the more relaxing yet active things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Golf page

Have Fun!

ACT Staff

For a more relaxing vacation in St. Kitts & Nevis, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis Attractions blog

For an overview of the beautiful sister islands, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page

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An Epic Hiking ‘Fail’ in Martinique

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Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

You can find Martinique comfortably located between Dominica and St. Lucia, pretty much in the middle of the southern Caribbean. As an “over-seas region” of France and the 3rd largest of the Windward Islands, Martinique is a unique Caribbean destination, and that holds true for its hiking trails. The island offers a variety of easy relaxing walks as well as some very challenging and mountainous hikes. Although we were only there for the day as part of a cruise stop, we were feeling ambitious and decided to attempt hiking one of the tallest peaks on the island – Piton Lacroix, which stands majestically at 3,870 feet (1,180m) above sea-level.

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

We rented a car in Fort-de-France, then headed north-west along the coast towards Le-Morne Vert. We were amazed to discover that the main roads on Martinique are large, well maintained multi-lane highways. It was a nice scenic drive, filled with gorgeous coastal views on one side, and green mountainous rainforest views on the other! Just past Bellefontaine, we headed inland towards the town of Saint Maurice. Driving on these narrow, winding roads, we got lost a few times before ending up at the east end of a road called Canton Suisse.

At this point, I’ll mention that sometimes things just don’t work out as planned… While there are over 3 dozen marked trails on Martinique, unbeknownst to me at the time, this wasn’t one of them. Not one of my best ideas – However, it was an adventure, none the less!

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

We parked the car on the side of the road near an old farmhouse and walked up a steep paved road which turned into a dirt/grass track before ending-up at a partly plowed farmer’s field. As we walked, we passed goats and cows wandering around. As we seemed to have startled them, I don’t think they were used to many visitors. At the edge of the field, we could see a series of forested mountains in the background to the east. From this vantage point, we also had beautiful views to the north/west of the island, towards Saint Maurice, Le Morne Vert as well as the Caribbean Sea.

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time
Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

Did I mention that we were kind of winging it? Well… as we were at the forest edge, I assumed that the trail must start here somewhere, however there was no marked trailhead of any sort. I walked the edge of the field/forest trying to find some hint of a trail. I never really found anything that resembled a well-used trail but eventually, after about 10-15 minutes of searching, we headed up-hill on what appeared to be a path of some sort. In the back of mind, I was wondering if this was a wild animal path, as I have been known to veer off man-made trails, accidentally following deer paths and the like – I guess we would find out

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time
Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time
I’m up there on the trail… err… path…

From the start, the going was tough, not just because the trail was barely visible, but because the path was extremely steep and muddy – we were slipping and sliding all over the place. After what seemed like an hour or more, the trail finally looked a bit more discernible, albeit strewn with fallen trees and rocks. This was a true rain-forest hike adventure, as the forest was very dense and dark in most sections, with only the occasional rays of sun peeking through the heavy canopy. Pretty cool!

While at this stage of the hike I was starting to gain confidence that this may be an actual trail, we had consumed a fair amount of time for a couple of reasons. One because there were a number of steep and muddy sections that we had to carefully pick-our-way up and around, but also because the trail to this point was not obvious so we couldn’t motor along like we typically would. When you lack confidence, you lack in conviction (and speed).

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

When we had made it to some high ground where we could see where we were, the hike became a little more intimidating. It appeared as though we had just hiked to the top of a small ridge of sorts, and now were probably less than halfway to the peak of Piton Lacroix. We were about 2,526 feet (770m) above sea-level at this point and we could see that the trail descended into a gulley and we could only assume that it took a seriously steep ascent of Piton Lacroix which we could see across the valley. It was already afternoon, and with an estimated 3 more hours traversing another couple thousand feet (700m) of elevation change to complete the hike and return, we decided it wasn’t do-able with our time constraints, so we turned back.

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

We were covered in mud, tired and disappointed that we didn’t reach the peak, however it was an experience to have got this far. We found out later, once I found a proper map of Martinique’s trails, that while this is an actual trail, it is not maintained and rarely used.

Martinique Hiking on the rarely used / un-maintained Piton Lacroix trail was a great adventure that sadly ended in failure. Now with a map, we'll do it next time

While we didn’t have the time to complete this hike, we realized that we didn’t have to head back to the port right away. After getting back to the car, we drove a little further north before heading back to the coast. As a result, we stumbled across the town of Le Carbet and found a beautiful quiet beach. What a find! We wandered around for a while, appreciating the cool breeze off the Caribbean Sea. When we were leaving town we also noticed a boutique rum distillery, so we stopped in for a visit. While most Caribbean islands make their own rum, Martinique could be considered the rum capital of the world with its more than 10 distilleries and even more rum brands. For more information, check out our Martinique Rhum page. Anyways, we had a good afternoon as we found some nice areas of Martinique to visit.

Before we got back on the cruise ship, I managed to grab a nice detailed Martinique Hiking Trail Map – Next time, we will be much better prepared! Reference our Circuit de la Caravelle blog post for proof of that.

ACT Staff

For a more ‘technical’ Trail Report as well as much more information on hiking in Martinique, please reference the following links (to pages on our website):

For an overview of this French Caribbean Island Paradise, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page

If you’re looking for more active things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Martinique Adventures blog for more great ideas! (coming soon)

For a more relaxed vacation itinerary, you can find great Tourist Attractions on the island, by checking out our Things to Do in Martinique blog (coming soon)

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Top 7 Barbados Adventures to get your heart pumping

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Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

Bajan Sailing, Snorkeling, Diving, Water-Sports, Fishing, Hiking & Biking

Barbados is the most easterly island in the Caribbean and its coral origins differ from it’s volcanic neighbours to the west, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The island is shaped like a foot, with a length of about 21 miles (34 km) and a width of 14 miles (23 km) at the widest point in the south. While best known for its English heritage, white sandy beaches and great rum, Barbados has plenty to offer travelers seeking action, both in the sea and on land.

If you’re looking for adventure while vacationing in the Caribbean, it’s always great fun to get off the resort and really explore the island. With its protective reefs off the west and south coasts, Barbados offers some great sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing and a whole lot of water-sports! On land, you can enjoy caving as well as hiking and biking. Take a look at our recommended activities that will make you feel alive in Barbados – Enjoy!

Barbados Sail and Snorkel Adventures

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

With such a rich sailing tradition in Barbados, it’s no surprise that getting out on the ocean, combined with snorkeling a couple of unique hotspots, is the number one active tourist activity on the island. It’s always a fun and interesting perspective to experience an island from the sea. In Barbados, that means near-constant winds and calm Caribbean waters along the island’s west coast. Local catamaran operators offer a variety of luxurious sailing adventures, most involving delicious meals and free-flowing rum beverages – It doesn’t get much better than that! Actually, it does… The ship’s crew knows exactly where to drop anchor, inviting you to swim with turtles and snorkel over a shallow shipwreck in Carlisle Bay. This adventure is really the highlight of any trip to Barbados!

Then again, you don’t need a boat to partake in Barbados snorkeling. There’s plenty of gorgeous beaches with easy access to shallow artificial reefs close to shore! The west and south-west coasts have some great snorkeling spots, including two marine sanctuaries, Folkestone Marine Park near Holetown and Carlisle Bay Marine Park just south of the island’s capital, Bridgetown. When visiting Barbados, it’s a real treat to explore a shipwreck covered with colourful coral, fans and sponges that is frequented by a variety of tropical fish.

For more information, along with tour operators who can get you out on the water, check out our Barbados Sailing and Barbados Snorkeling pages.

For more colourful and detailed reviews from our own personal experiences visiting the island, take a look at our A Beautiful Day for Barbados Sailing and Snorkeling Carlisle Bay & Holetown blog posts.

Barbados Water Sports Experience

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

For the more adventurous and athletic type, you’ll be happy to hear that Barbados is one of the top 3 Caribbean islands for surfing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and windsurfing! Barbados enjoys near-constant trade winds, with multiple coastlines experiencing a variety of wave conditions on any given day. Combined with the island’s amazing white sandy beaches and year-round warm weather, fun at the beach is hard to beat in Barbados!

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

There are over two dozen good surf spots all around the island, with the southwest coast being ideal for beginners, while intermediate and expert surfers will love the south coast – Barbados real surfing scene. That said, world-class surfing swells can be found at the famous Soup Bowl, on the island’s east coast near Bathsheba. SUP is popular with tourists of all kinds all along the west and southwest coasts. Things really get exciting when the waves pick up – SUP surfing anyone? The south coast also has reliable moderate to strong cross-shore winds making the area a hotbed of windsurfing and kitesurfing. Wow!

Want to see more? Check out our Barbados’ Surfing & SUP video collage on YouTube!

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

Barbados’ rugged and beautiful north and northwest coasts, coupled with regularly calm waters along the west coast, make it a great place to kayak. Glass-bottom kayaks are available that allow non-snorkelers to enjoy the incredible underwater sites. For those with a need for (mechanical) speed, you can find boat operators offering waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and more. There are also jet ski rentals as well as Jetblading (hydro jetpacking) lessons available on the island.

For more information, along with water sports operators who offer surfing, SUP as well as water sports gear rentals, check out our Barbados Water-Sports page.

Barbados Scuba Diving Action

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

While no surprise to those in the know… Barbados is a great Caribbean scuba diving destination. The island has over twenty dive sites, easily accessed by a short 10-20 minute boat ride. With water temperatures in the high-70s to mid-80s (25-29c) along with good visibility down to 70 feet deep, you’re sure to enjoy a dive in Barbados. There are 10 shipwrecks to explore along with plenty of tropical fish, corals, sponges and sea fans to enjoy. You could also swim with exciting sea creatures like turtles, rays, eels and even seahorses!


Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

The most popular dive sites are located off the protected west and south(west) coasts of the island, including the Carlisle Bay Marine Park. Divers will enjoy calm waters and an abundance of marine life when exploring the shallow (30 – 60 feet) fringing reefs of the west coast. Of course, the highlight of anyone’s dive trip will be the incredible wreck of the Stavronikita – A 365-foot long freighter resting in water 25 to 130 feet deep. Carlisle Bay Marine Park features half a dozen shipwrecks that litter the sandy seafloor. A great site for beginner divers and underwater photographers alike.

The south(west) coast offers diverse ecosystems across a variety of fringe, bank as well as barrier reefs. There are over a dozen great dive sites, including one featuring the broken remains of a 170-foot long shipwreck in just 55 feet of water. A great area for some amazing drift dives, plus deep divers will enjoy plunging down double-sided barrier reefs south of the island. The typically rough waters of the north and east coast can be dived as well, however ocean conditions have to be just right.

For more information, along with boat operators and dive centres who can get you in the deep, check out our Barbados Diving pages.

Barbados Golf

One of the best golf destinations in the Caribbean, Barbados offers half a dozen links to choose from. The island’s 18-hole, Par 72 golf courses include:

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!
  • Barbados Golf Club – Located at the southern end of Barbados in Christ Church, the Ron Kirby designed course features gently rolling hills, wide-open fairways and two strategically placed water hazards
  • Apes Hill Club – Located about halfway up the west coast, the environmentally-conscious course was certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary
  • Sandy Lane “Country Club” – Located centrally near the west coast, is a Tom Fazio designed course featuring several water hazards, combined with relaxing views of the Caribbean Sea
  • Sandy Lane “Green Monkey” – The hotel-guest exclusive course is also a Tom Fazio creation, making great use of a former limestone quarry
  • Royal Westmoreland – Located centrally near the west coast, the private Robert Trent Jones Jr designed course offers a spectacular tropical setting to its guests, along with a limited number of offsite golfers.

The Rockley Golf & Country Club located near the south-west coast of Barbados in Christ Church, offers an 18-Hole / Par 70 experience on a relatively flat parkland course consisting of 9 holes with alternate tees. Sandy Lane also has the “Old Nine” Par 36 course with tree-lined fairways and small greens. There’s also an 18-Hole “standard mini-putt” course, Barbados Mini Golf, located in the west / centre area of the island.

For more information, along with links (pun intended) to the courses themselves, check out our Barbados Golf page.

Barbados Fishing Adventure

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

A great place for Caribbean fishing, Barbados has reefs and deep-sea locations only a few minutes from shore. If it’s big game fish you’re after, there’s plenty of Blue Marlin, Wahoo (Kingfish), Sailfish, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin), Tuna and Barracuda out there… You can ‘reel one in’ off Barbados’s south and west coast in the winter and the inner and outer reefs on both coasts offer a variety of year-round fishing options.

You can also fish for Dorado, Jacks, Bonito, Barracuda and Snapper. Barbados fishing will satisfy true fishing enthusiasts as well as those just looking for a fun day at sea with friends and family. If you’re looking for real competitive fishing, you’re welcome to participate in the annual Barbados International Fishing Tournament in April.


For more information, along with boat operators to help you catch the big one, check out our Barbados Fishing page.


Barbados Hiking & Biking Action

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

A great way to explore the natural beauty of Barbados is by hiking and/or biking the island’s tropical forests and coastal trails. Panoramic views from the rugged north and east coasts can’t be beaten, while the southern coast offers views of unique wetlands as well as beautiful beaches combined with gorgeous blue seas. Barbados offers fairly easy hiking and biking routes, although there are some hilly and long trails that are more challenging. Some trails take you through gullies, cane fields and grasslands, while others allow you to visit historic districts and villages.

Most of Barbados’ hiking trails are found along the east coast. There are a number of hiking guides on the island who can help you find the right trail to meet you needs and desires. A sampling of a few of the more popular hiking trails include:

  • Bath to Bathsheba Railway Line Trail – An easy hike of just over 3.5 miles (6km) one-way, requiring 2-3 hours to complete. The east coast trail has some great views of the rugged coastline and the Atlantic Ocean.
  • Nature & Heritage Trail – An easy 3 hour round trip hike with views of the west coast from the Whim Gully, Speightstown and Heywoods Beach along with natural, cultural, and historical sites along the way.
  • Turner’s Hall Woods to Barclays Trail – An easy–to-intermediate 4 miles (7km) one-way hike that descends from a biodiversity-rich forest in the Scotland district and travels down to the east coast.
  • Bathsheba / Congor Rocks / Hackleton’s Cliff Loop Trail – An easy–to-intermediate 9 miles (13km) trail along the rugged coastline then inland through a forest with a crevice to traverse. You’ll be rewarded with outstanding views.
Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!



The island has plenty of safe road routes for cyclists, as well as a variety of off-road adventures to make any mountain biker happy. You can venture out on your own, or hire a guide who knows the island and can ensure a safe and enjoyable ride. There are even options for riding electric-assisted bikes or touring the island via a car/bike combo tour! Some of the best places for Barbados cycling include:

  • The east coastline from Hackelton’s Cliff to Codrington College has a variety of ‘sites to see’ including St John’s Parish Church and various plantations. This area provides a varied terrain with incredible views of the rugged eastern coastline.
  • The south coastline from Oistins to the Chancery Lane Swamp has numerous attractions such as the South Point Lighthouse and the Silver Sands district. A combination of road and off-road tracks in the area offer spectacular ocean views.
  • In the northwest, you can cycle from the coastal area near Harrison’s Point Lighthouse inland to Mount Gilboa. This hilly rural route traverses small villages as well as cotton and cane fields.

For more information, along with hiking and biking guides to help you get the most out of your day, check out our Barbados Hiking and Barbados Biking pages.


Have fun out there!

ACT Staff

Once you’ve had your fill of action and want to slow-it-down a bit, check out our recommended Things To Do in Barbados blog post

For an overview of the beautiful island of Barbados, take a look at our Barbados Vacations page