To read our reviews of popular tours and excursions in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe (coming soon), Jamaica, Martinique, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and more… just click HERE
Just when I thought we’ve seen it all, the Dutch Caribbean Island of Bonaire introduced us to ‘landsailing’ – Yes, you read that right, sailing on land! Remember go-karts as a kid? Well, with a ‘blo-kart’ you can harness the natural energy of the wind – Landsailing proves that there is no need for noisy/polluting engines to have fun on the track!
I had heard about Bonaire Landsailing before arriving on the island and it sounded like such a rush that I made it one of my top ‘things to do’ while visiting Bonaire. With a picturesque backdrop of the bright blue sky blending with the azure blue of the ocean, Bonaire Landsailing Adventures is ideally located along the northeast coast of Bonaire. On their purposely built track, they offer a unique go-cart/sailing adventure like nothing I’ve experienced before! Their course is laid out so that the straightaways are at the perfect angle to take advantage of the winds blowing off the Caribbean Sea, so all the driver has to do is keep the wind in the sail and steer – how tight you pull the sail depends on how fast you want to go – I could barely wait to try this for myself!
Our adventure started one sunny afternoon by gathering with some other tourists in Bonaire Landsailing Adventures’ shaded welcome area, and listening to one of the passionate owners providing important safety and blokarting instructions. In a casual but professional manner, she first stressed safety precautions before explaining how to landsail, specifically on how to increase or decrease speed, as well as providing tips on how best to handle the corners. The friendly crew then outfitted us with helmets and gloves, and we were ready to go!
A couple of crew members walked us over to the pit area where we were literally strapped into the carts. In a blokart, you sit in a comfortable hammock-like seat with your legs out in front of you. You steer the front wheel with handlebars attached to long forks like an old-school chopper. The rear wheels of the kart are set far apart providing good stability and a smooth ride. As I was doing up my seat belt and looking around, I imagined this might be a little of what it feels like to sit in a formula race car – So low to the ground I was one with the kart. Once we felt comfortable, one of the crew gave us a little push onto the track and we were off to the races…
As I don’t know much about sailing, I was a little apprehensive about trying this new recreational sport, however landsailing turned out to be an amazing experience, and much easier than I thought it was going to be. Over-all the ride was surprisingly smooth too. I understand that with a nice breeze it is common to reach speeds of 20-25 miles per hour (30-40 km/hr) and even faster in strong winds. I don’t know how fast I was going – all I know is that I was having fun. I felt like a kid again. It was also exactly the adrenaline rush I had hoped it would be! I actually let out a little ‘whooo’ howl as that first gust of wind propelled me forward!
I started off by just wanting to get the thing to move, but like magic the wind filled the sail and off I went. Before I knew it, I was on the track with a small group of other tourists, including a family with two young boys who had big smiles on their faces. After a couple of laps, I was comfortable enough to try to go faster and maybe even pass someone. It was an amazing feeling to get the sail just right and feel the wind push me faster down the track! Honestly, I had set out to simply enjoy another sunny day in Bonaire with a leisurely sail, however after a few laps I started to enjoy the challenge of closing in on others and maneuvering safely around them. I could see that my wife was enjoying it as well, as she was always smiling as I passed her 😉
There were just enough other blokarters on the track to provide some friendly competition, however not too many so as to clog the course – I felt totally safe as there was plenty of room to move around. That said, it wasn’t surprising to see the occasional lizard or iguana stroll onto the track once in a while, although they can and do move quickly when they need to – like when they see a blokart bearing down on them.
As the steady wind provided consistent power to the sails, the straight aways were fairly easy to manage, while the corners added some challenging fun to the experience. When cornering into the wind, we had to properly manage our trajectory so as to avoid losing too much speed, whereas I had to let some wind out of the sail in the other corner, as I was pushed to the edge of the track if I went too fast. Then again, I really enjoyed a little slide/drift coming out of the wind-powered corner as it reminded me of growing up driving on snow covered streets in the winter. A couple of times I felt the inside rear wheel coming off the ground slightly, so it was a delightful balancing act for sure!
Meanwhile, while we were out there enjoying ourselves, the Bonaire Landsailing Adventure crew were positioned around the track in case anything went sideways, which is literally what happened on one occasion, when one of the drivers did a bit of a 180 on a corner – He was quickly pointed in the right direction again and was back sailing.
I tell you – An hour goes by pretty quickly when landsailing. While I enjoyed how the occasional strong gust of wind provided more power and speed to the sailing experience, it also kicked-up a little dirt in the air in the process. When we had finished our landsailing session, my sunglasses had a thin layer of dust on them, as did my teeth, as I was having so much fun, I couldn’t stop my happy smile from turning into wide open grin from time to time! The folks at Bonaire Landsailing Adventures also provide a great perk by posting downloadable photos of you landsailing – A great keepsake from your day of fun on the track. Personally, I enjoyed myself so much that I picked-up one of their T-shirts so that I can really remember our amazing experience there.
So, if you’re looking for a unique fun experience that will get a little adrenaline flowing through your veins, then landsailing is for you. Personally, I also love that the blokarts are like environmentally friendly go-karts, all the fun without all the noise and pollution – A great fit for a Caribbean Island whose motto is ‘It’s in our nature’! FYI – Bonaire Landsailing Adventures can be found on the main road to and from Rincon and Washington Slagbaii National Park. Of course, if you need a ride, they’ll come and pick you up as well.
For more information about Bonaire Landsailing Adventures, you can contact the good folks directly by visiting their website (just click on the link) below:
Bonaire Landsailing Adventures
For an overview of this amazing Dutch Caribbean Island, feel free to check-out our Bonaire Vacations page.
If you’re looking for more active things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Bonaire Adventures blog for more great ideas!
For popular Tourist Attractions while visiting Bonaire, check out our Things to Do in Bonaire blog
ACT Staff
There are plenty of interesting places to explore and fun things to do in Guadeloup! One day on Basse Terre Island while we were on our way to a hiking adventure, we passed a modest little sign at the side of the road that read ‘La Maison du Cacao’. Well, that certainly piqued our interest, so we visited the ‘house of chocolate’ a few days later – What a great way to spend an afternoon. Of course, I couldn’t resist also visiting some of the island’s unique rhum distilleries as well!
After walking under the colourful entrance arch and paying a nominal fee, we wandered around the garden while we waited for our ‘English language’ presentation to begin. The small garden was packed with several different types of cacao trees along with other plants and trees as well as various informational exhibits. Reading the displays, we learned about the history of chocolate and how cacao trees found their way to the Caribbean. It was fascinating to learn that cacao trees were originally native to ancient Mesoamerica, present-day Mexico. The indigenous peoples used the cacao plant to make a drink from the dried cacao beans, typically mixed with hot water, hot peppers and sweetened with honey – Ya, sounds pretty tasty! Mesoamericans also used cocoa fat as a medicine for a variety of skin ailments.
After a few minutes, our host was ready to start the presentation. Just over a handful of us grabbed a seat and listened to our knowledgeable host tell us more about cacao, starting with the difference between it and chocolate as well as milk chocolate. Essentially, cacao (or cocoa in English) consists only of the plant’s bean and can be consumed with or without the fat, affectionately called butter. Chocolate on the other hand is cacao mixed with sugar while milk chocolate, as you guessed, consists of cacao mixed with sugar and powdered milk. She explained how the cacao bean, after drying and roasting is typically ground into a paste, then pressed to remove the fat content. The fat-free cacao can then be further ground into a dry powder for better storage and safer transportation. As I’m sure you know, cocoa butter is often used in cosmetics or other skin conditioning products.
Anyway, our friendly host told us all about the chocolate-making process, and to our delight, the presentation became more interactive. We happily sampled some raw fruit, then 100% pure cacao powder, followed by 90% cacao with 10% sugar, 70% cacao with 30% sugar, then several different 70% cacao mixtures before the piece-de-la-resistance – A warm chocolate beverage made from cacao, water and sugar.
Large cacao pods contain dozens of individual beans that are covered in white fruity flesh. This fruit pulp has a strong sweet & sour flavour and a fibrous texture while the brown seed (or bean) within the flesh tastes a bit like chocolate, but is quite bitter. The pure cocoa we sampled had an intense flavour while the 90% sample unsurprisingly tasted slightly sweeter. Our host explained that the chocolate products they sold on site were all blended with local cane sugar which provides a subtly different flavour and texture than chocolate commonly made with highly refined beet sugar. The 70% cacao chocolate we tried had a great crunchy texture and was pleasantly sweet, although the 70% cacao concoctions were even better! Some were delicately flavoured with what our host called Jamaican Allspice, which tasted to me as if contained a variety of ‘warming’ spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Another sample was made with hot pepper – This one really awakened my tastebuds. There was also another tasty concoction that contained 50% cacao with gluten-free flour made from a cassava-like plant – This sample had an excellent crunchy texture and delicious flavour reminiscent of a typical chocolate bar. Of course, the chocolate drink we sampled was as good as expected… OK, better!
Our ‘La Maison du Cacao’ host was extremely friendly and informative – The experience was absolutely worth the small price of admission. Once the presentation was complete, we were free to wander around the garden some more before visiting their storefront where we had a chance to purchase several products locally made by artisan chocolatiers. My favourite was probably their 70% cacao bar with a little sweet heat – Yum!
FYI – Another interesting and enjoyable attraction, Jardin Botanique de Deshaies (Botanical Gardens), is just 20 minutes further up the coast from La Maison du Cacao.
For more touristy as well as adventurous ‘things to do’ while visiting the French island of Guadeloupe, check out our Guadeloupe Vacations page.
Anyone who follows our Active Caribbean Travel blog knows that I believe a vacation to a Caribbean Island is incomplete without a visit to a local distillery, and Guadeloupe was no exception!
While we visited a few rhum distilleries while staying in Guadeloupe, including ‘Distillerie Bologne’ and ‘Rhumerie Karukera / Distillerie Longueteau’, I want to tell you about the ‘Distillerie Reimonenq and Corsair Musee du Rhum’ (rum museum) as well as our favourite distillery on the island, the totally cool and old school ‘Distillerie Montebello’. Before proceeding, I will note that French “Rhum Agricole” (‘agricultural rum’) is made directly from sugar cane juice, not molasses like most other Caribbean rums. It is also common for French Caribbean rhums to be labelled as ‘vintages’, with classifications such as VO, VSOP, and XO.
One day on our way back from an exciting mangrove kayaking adventure near Saint Rose, Basse Terre, we paid a visit to the nearby Distillerie Reimonenq and Corsair Musee du Rhum. The grounds of the museum and storefront are quite inviting, with a nice garden decorated with what I’m assuming is old distillery equipment. That said, the feature attraction has to be the massive ceiba (silk cotton) tree that dominates the landscape! As we neared the front door of the museum, I just couldn’t resist getting a photo of myself as a pirate and I have to say, it’s a good look for me (lol). Once inside, we paid the nominal entrance fee and strolled around. We started on the first floor by reading the bilingual displays that told the story of the rhum-making process in Guadeloupe. We then ventured upstairs where we found a few rooms filled with a diverse set of exhibits and interesting artifacts.
I was first attracted to the room with a wall display housing a large number of machetes from all over the world – An interesting documentation and comparison of the traditional tools used to chop down sugar cane and other crops – A fascinating collection for sure.
I was then drawn into another room filled with amazingly detailed large wooden model ships. This is the stuff of dreams, transporting me back several centuries to imagine taking part in adventurous journeys at sea! They have displays of schooners, sloops, and large three-mast ships, mostly French, although I also noticed a model of the ship that Sir Francis Drake captained as well as the famous Mayflower (of American pilgrim lore. Yet another room was home to display cases filled with colourful insects and butterflies… It’s incredible to see such vibrant colours that exist in nature! When we had our fill of viewing all these curiosities, we went back downstairs to a small viewing room and watched a short video in English about the history of Guadeloupe, including, of course, the island’s storied rhum-making plantations. Upon leaving the theatre, we then had an opportunity to taste and purchase some of Distillerie Reimonenq’s finest.
One slightly overcast day, we knew the hiking and snorkeling wouldn’t be very good, so we headed to the other side of the island from where we were staying to visit the charming rustic Distillerie Montebello and we were glad we did. We showed up just in time as a small gathering was encircling an animated man standing in the middle of the open-air rum distillery factory floor. He started to give us a tour, although unfortunately for us, he gave the presentation entirely in French. While we have a basic understanding of the language, we were unable to discern most of what was being said – Too bad because our host seemed extremely passionate about what he was saying and showing us.
Anyways, he started by showing us a large mound of sugar cane that was just on the other side of a half-wall from all the distillery equipment, then pointed to a conveyor belt that fed short sections of sugar cane into the first machine. An old steam-powered engine was noisily powering equipment that was crushing the sugar cane and we watched as the juice flowed out into a large funnel and pipe. He also pointed to an escalator belt that was filled with the recently crushed cane known as bagasse that was being removed from the area – I suspect that he was telling us that the leftover cane was dried and then used as fertilizer as well as fuel for some of the machines in the factory.
Our super-friendly host, who I assume was an owner or senior manager of the company, then showed us a handful of large metal tanks where the fermentation of the cane juice was taking place as well as the tall column still they use for the distillation process. The amazing thing about this tour is that we were right in the middle of a working distillery, free to wander around to take a good look at all the noisy, steam venting machines. It appears that the majority of their whole rhum-making process takes place right here, except for the bottling and aging areas that we did not see. Eventually, we left the noisy factory floor and stepped outside where our host talked to us about, I don’t really know. What I can tell you is that he had a friendly but serious passion for what they do at Distillerie Montebello. His facial expressions and body language moved from exuberant, to playful and joking, then very serious and professional. At one point he went to his car and returned with a small metal case that contained little fancy curved drinking glasses. He seemed to be spending a considerable amount of time telling us about how to properly smell and taste fine cane syrup based rhum, then describing what we should expect to recognize when doing so – I believe I heard the French words for vegetal, floral, and sweet, as well as something related to the aging of rhum in American oak and French cognac barrels. It was then that I wished that I understood French better, as I felt that I could have learned a lot from our knowledgeable host.
Regardless, after about an hour or so of the tour, we walked around and entered the other side of the building that houses the Montebello Rhum “boutique” where we sampled various rhums that were of interest to us. I sampled a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old, while a few other visitors experienced their special 8-year-old rhums.
While we had a great time on the tour and appreciated the tasting, it was too bad for us that we didn’t understand more of what our gracious host had been saying. He spoke with intensity and passion about the distillery’s tradition and products – I felt robbed of some of the overall experience. At least I walked away with a bottle to help remember our enjoyable experience!
FYI – This blog provides just a small taste of some of the places to visit on Guadeloupe’s Island of Basse Terre. We also enjoyed the Musee du Cafe (Coffee Museum), and the impressive Fort Delgres, as well as recognizing the struggles of the island’s slaves at the Memorial de la Liberte!
ACT Staff
For more touristy as well as adventurous ‘things to do’ while visiting the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, check out our Guadeloupe Vacations page.
We had been enjoying some snorkeling, hiking and a variety of attractions in Bonaire for about a week when we thought it was time to elevate our vacation with a pleasant sailing experience. While there are several boat operators and excursions to choose from, we went with Epic Tours Bonaire and their “Brunch & Snorkel Catamaran Tour”. We are glad that we did – While we went for the sail and snorkel, we’ll be back for the gourmet brunch!
Our morning excursion started at the “Bonaire Nautico Marina” in Kralendijk, where we were welcomed aboard the “Fly Away” catamaran by Epic Tour’s friendly crew. We left the dock at a decent time, ensuring that we would be the first of the day to snorkel off famous Klein Bonaire, Bonaire’s flat, scrub-brush covered little off-islet. There were about a dozen of us on board, giving us plenty of room to move around the catamaran to obtain a variety of views of the islands and the Caribbean Sea. That said, we eventually settled on a great, padded bench in front of the main cabin, although I occasionally moved to one of the seats at the very front of either end of the catamaran hulls to get closer to the water. One couple lounged on the catamaran’s netting in front of us while another couple settled in with the captain. A large family sat behind the main cabin on a horseshoe-shaped couch. As we got underway one of the crew members offered us beverages while the other was busy in the main cabin preparing brunch.
Once we left the port area, the captain let loose the headsail, allowing the catamaran to be powered by the wind. While it’s always nice and breezy in Bonaire, this morning the wind was blowing hard, churning up the water between the main island and Klein Bonaire a bit more than usual. That said, the ride was super smooth, so we barely noticed the choppy waves beneath us. We moved at a decent pace but were in no hurry. We weren’t on the sea for long before we were greeted by the sight of dozens of incredible flying fish jumping out of the water in front of the boat – The amazing, sea creatures glided for dozens of feet before returning to the water (photo below). What a surprising, wonderful sight that was, especially as we hadn’t even seen a single winged fish on our last trip to Barbados, an island known for flying fish! There was some relaxing music playing at a low volume, giving the journey a nice tranquil vibe. After a relaxing steady cruise, we arrived at our first snorkel stop, on the north side of Klein Bonaire.
Leanora’s Reef is located about a hundred feet or so from the shores of the small islet and is known for its corals, sponges and sea fans in about 30 feet of water, along with the fish and other marine life that call the reef home. One of Epic’s crew members suggested that we first snorkel east into the wind for a while, then drift snorkel back to the boat – Good advice that I followed. Although the water was a tad rough, the incredible underwater world of Klein Bonaire revealed itself as soon as I stuck my face in the water. For over half an hour I snorkelled back and forth between the amazing forest-like area close to shore and venturing out to deeper water where the reef plunges dramatically into the dark, deep Caribbean Sea.
It was a little overcast at the time, so the visibility wasn’t ideal, however, I saw a fascinating assortment of hard lumpy coral structures along with a variety of marine plant life that covered the ocean floor. I spotted plenty of Bonaire’s ever-present parrotfish in their amazing rainbow of colours ranging from white through red-orange to a spectacular variety of blues. I also noticed some blue tang, sergeant majors and a beautiful gold-tinged French angel fish swimming around between feedings on the algae/corals. I also saw a fascinating large multi-hued brown fish on the ocean floor I believe was a checkered puffer fish (photo below). Of course, there were dozens of other fish in a variety of sizes and colours.
Once I was content with my exploration of the underwater world at Leanora’s Reef, I came back on board for some rest and relaxation. While lying on the catamaran’s netting to dry off, I listening to the waves softly washing up on the shore of Klein Bonaire, along with the somehow satisfying creaking sounds of the ropes holding the catamaran in place as we gently bobbed on the Caribbean Sea.
I got up just in time to join my partner as brunch was being served. One of the gracious crew members brought plate after plate of delicious-looking food for us in what turned out to be our own private dining area. While I’m sure that the menu varies depending on what is locally fresh and available, our brunch started off with some plain yogurt sweetened with granola and blueberries, followed by a fresh fruit platter. Then I apprehensively tried the couscous salad – I’m not usually a fan, however to my astonishment, this pasta dish was moist, light and refreshing. We then proceeded to devour samples from the upscale charcuterie board that included nicely seasoned creamy egg salad, thinly sliced savoury beef that was marinated and cooked to perfection, some cheese and other sliced meats, as well as some unique fresh caper-rich bruschetta.
Oh, of course we sipped on samosas and freshly squeezed orange juice throughout the meal. Eventually, I got to try the desserts I hadn’t been able to take my eyes off… I wasn’t expecting much from the pancakes, although the fruit-based Dutch stroop syrup was another delectable stunner – thick and kind of molasses-like, with just the right amount of spice and sweetness. As a perfect finish to the meal, the cheesecake was creamy, light and sweet. It sounds like a lot of food, but when we were done, I wouldn’t say I was overly full, just very satisfied and happy!
Once we completed our feast and the crew cleared the dishes, we were under sail once again. This time we headed northeast to a lovely, remote snorkeling spot off the mainland of Bonaire called Andrea.
Thankfully, the water was much shallower, calmer and clearer for this snorkelling session. WoW, what a treat! This spot has more lumpy hard coral structures as well as some vertical elkhorn-like corals along with an amazing variety of fish – I saw more parrot fish, angel fish and tang, along with several freaky and cool trumpetfish, some grunts, a couple of four-eyed butterfly fish and I even noticed an eel slithering snake-like along the ocean floor.
That said, the highlight of this snorkel had to be seeing not one, but two different types of boxfish! The first one was a small black and white spotted trunkfish, while the second was a beautiful blue species I had never seen before – I believe it was a cowfish (video below). This stop beautifully re-enforces Bonaire’s reputation as one of, if not the top snorkelling destinations in the Caribbean!
Well, all good things must come to an end, so we sailed south back to port to wrap up our amazing sailing, snorkelling and foodie experience. Before the trip was over however, I managed to enjoy some friendly conversation with other passengers as well as the captain. While we may be from different countries, we can all appreciate what Bonaire and this sailing excursion had provided us.
Wow – what a morning – We had such a great time! While samosas, beer and wine were offered, this is no loud party boat. Epic Tours’ Brunch & Snorkel Catamaran Tour is a refined, yet laid back, sailing, snorkeling and culinary experience. This tour is ideal for mature couples and families of all ages. A relaxing easy-going way to spend a morning, and one that will satisfy snorkelers and serious foodies alike! Ahhhhh… Life is Good!
If this sail, snorkel and brunch tour appeals to you, you can contact the friendly folks at Epic Tours directly by clicking on this link –> Epic Tours Bonaire
For an overview of this amazing Dutch Caribbean Island, take a look at our Bonaire Vacations page
For other great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Bonaire blog
If you’re looking for more active things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Bonaire Adventures blog for some other great ideas!
ACT Staff
Saint Lucia is a favourite Caribbean destination for many, equally popular for romantic getaways, family vacations, foodie experiences as well as appreciating tropical nature. Situated in the Caribbean’s southern Windward Islands, Saint Lucia is easily recognizable by her twin Pitons. While staying on the island recently, we stumbled across what might be the most photogenic place on St. Lucia, and perhaps even all the Caribbean.
I’m always looking to get away from the beaches and tourist crowds to explore nature and appreciate beautiful places in the Caribbean. This trip, my wife and I were joined by my sister, parents and adult children as well as a couple of friends. This St. Lucia vacation was truly a family trip, so I was looking for something very cliché sounding – An outing that is fun for the entire family. Well, I actually found something that met that criteria! We were staying in the Anse La Raye area, so the excursion started with a delightful drive down the west coast towards Soufriere. It was fun driving on roads that wind around and up and down the mountainous coastline. We stopped a couple of times along the way at popular viewing areas, including one with a magnificent view of Soufriere with the twin Pitons and Tet Paul in the background. A good segue into what was to come.
Just south of Soufriere in the Fond Doux neighbourhood is a wonderful and unassuming place called the Tet Paul Nature Trail. It is located within Saint Lucia’s ‘piton management area’, part of the UNESCO recognized world heritage site. After passing through Soufriere, we headed inland, then eventually drove up a sideroad that gained elevation along the way. The parking lot is located fairly high up on the mountain of Tet Paul, conveniently reducing the amount of altitude that has to be gained on foot. Don’t worry, this isn’t a “hike” per-say, its more of a relaxing walk in nature to some areas with great views of St. Lucia’s natural beauty. If you want to see the island’s famous pitons up-close-and-personal, but aren’t able to take on the challenging hike of the Gros Piton itself, this is a great alternative. After we paid the nominal admission fee, we were assigned a local guide to take us on a tour. Awesome… It’s a great start…
Our walk started by viewing a garden with a wide variety of plants, including some attractive flowers. We then strolled along a natural dirt path to see more of what the natural beauty of the island has to offer. The trail was a little rough, but manageable by my parents in their late 70s. Throughout the tour, our knowledgeable guide identified native plants, explaining their use in traditional medicines, as well as naming the beautiful flowering plants we encountered, including colourful Pink Ginger Lily, Lobster Claw and Chenille.
We passed through an organic farm growing vegetables and tropical fruits such as bananas and pineapples. While these fruits themselves are well known, I found the plants they grow on fairly foreign-looking. Pineapples growing like a small bush right out of the ground, and the fantastic “one-shot” banana plant bends under the weight of all that fruit, ready to plant the giant seed for the next generation. We also saw more familiar-looking fruit trees, albeit with exotic and somewhat unfamiliar fruit such as papaya, guava and avocado.
We seemed to be walking clockwise around the mountain, gaining in altitude as our tour progressed. Our next stop was at a look-out area with sensational views of the south end of the island. To the south-west, we could see Choiseul and to the south-east Vieux Fort and Maria Island. Unfortunately, it was a little overcast, however the landscape was still amazing. Back on the path, we continued on a series of gradual steps up the mountain top to the west side of Tet Paul.
We followed a short trail that branched off towards the left. Wow – This viewing-area had amazing south-west views, specifically of the green Gros Piton spire, impressively standing out against the contrasting backdrop of the rich blue (and bright white) Caribbean sky. We took multiple photos highlighting 3 generations of family, and oh ya, the iconic piton in the background! From here we went back to the main trail, following it eventually to another staircase – This one accompanied by the cheerful and promising sign “stairway to heaven”.
We climbed the dirt and wooded stairs to the top of the mountain peak. My parents took their time and made it up without much of a fuss. The steps were solid and there were sturdy wooden railings for them to hold on to. The stairway led to another viewing area, this one the literal pinnacle of the tour. We were immediately in awe of the truly ‘heavenly’ panoramic views of both the partially obstructed Gros Piton as well as the Petit Piton, which was clearly the main attraction! We could also see Jalousie Bay along with an inviting glimpse of the famous Sugar Beach below us. The viewing platform was kind of like a corral, providing us with solid footing as well as railings to keep us from wandering off and falling over the edge. Not sure if it always like this, but the wind was blowing pretty strong. Not enough to make it uncomfortable, but enough to make us aware that we were exposed to the elements on top of this mountain. From here, we also had views inland across the island. Looking north-east I could see the multiple peaks of Mount Gimie with its knuckle-like tops reaching up into the clouds. To the east, the scattered houses on the mountainsides really put the dramatic hilly nature of Saint Lucia into perspective. The views from the top of Tet Paul were absolutely spectacular. This is one of those locations where I could have just ‘hung out’ for hours. A dream location with picturesque views and photo ops galore.
Eventually, we left the viewing area down another set of semi-natural stairs, winding our way down around the north side of the mountain back to our original starting point. Resistant to leave the place, we wandered around the nice little souvenir shop looking for a keep-sake. Among the local products on display, I picked up a nice set of hand-crafted coasters to help remind me of this outing.
FYI – The nature trail is just over half a mile (1km) in length and will take less than an hour to complete, even at a very leisurely pace. There’s no rush – Linger and savour the experience. I understand that the Tet Paul Nature Trail also features a couple of rustic pavilions to explore. The Traditional House is a cultural-historical site to learn about the islands’ earliest inhabitants, including the peaceful Arawaks and the warrior-like Caribs. Meanwhile, at the Kaye Kassav, you can watch Cassava breads being made. There’s also a picnic area for those looking to extend their visit.
For information about Saint Lucia Attractions, as well as a list of Tour Operators who can get you to and from various attractions on the island, click on our Things to do in St. Lucia page
ACT Staff
If you’re looking for other fun and relaxing vacation ideas, take a look at our St. Lucia Attractions blog post
If you’re looking for more exciting activities to experience on the island, check out our St. Lucia Adventures recommendations
For an overview of the beautiful island, click on our St. Lucia Vacations page
