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
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
Located just north of St. Lucia, the French island of Martinique is a relatively large Caribbean Island, perhaps best known for its many unique rhum distilleries as well as its fusion of Caribbean and French culture and cuisine. Martinique has a diverse landscape with rugged green mountains dominating the north end of the beautiful island, with a dryer and flatter south end, all connected with one of the best road systems in the West Indies! The “flower Island of the Caribbean” is home to many beautiful plantations, gardens and historical sites as well as a fascinating assortment of natural wonders to enjoy. Martinique has plenty to offer sight-seeing travelers if you know where to look – Our personal favourite “things to do” while visiting this French Caribbean gem include:
While many islands produce Rum, Martinique just might be the rum, or shall I say Rhum, capital of the Caribbean. The island is home to over a dozen rhum distilleries, most of which are open to the public, and offer free or reasonably priced plantation/distillery tours where you can see historical memorabilia including old rhum-making equipment along with tons of information on Martinique, sugar cane, as well as the French Agricole rhum-making process. Martinique distillers take their rum-making seriously – From growing their own sugar cane on the “terroir” of their region to producing ‘vintage’ rhums and classifications such as VO, VSOP, and XO, similar to brandies or wines. Of course, many rhum estates/distilleries offer rhum tasting and have stores to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice. Some of the more notable distilleries in Martinique include:
Other rhum distilleries in Martinique, from north to south, include: Rhum JM; Distillerie Hardy; La Sucrerie du Galion; Neisson; Rhum HSE; Distillerie La Favorite; Maison La Mauny; Rhum Dillon; A-1710 (at Habitation du Simon); and Braud & Quennesson
Please note that many of the actual distilleries are not in operation outside of ‘harvest season’, although the plantations, gardens, museums and storefronts are always open!
For more detailed information on Martinique’s rhum distilleries along with a list of tour operators who will get you there, click on our Rhums of Martinique page. For a more colourful review of the many rhums of Martinique, including first-hand accounts of distilleries visits, check out our Martinique Rhum Tour blog post.
History buffs and the curious alike will enjoy looking through ‘a window to the past’ by visiting one of many historical sites in Martinique.
Anyone interested in the history of Martinique must visit the ruins of Saint-Pierre, a stark reminder of the powerful volcanic eruption of Mount Pelee in 1902 that buried most of the island’s then-capital city under lava or ash.
For an example of 18th-century life on Martinique, check out the remains of several plantation buildings at the remarkable Château Dubuc, located on the Caravelle Peninsula, or experience the Creole history and architecture of the Pécoul Habitation/Greathouse located at the northeast end of Martinique. Of course, the Habitation la Sucrerie and House of Sugar Cane (Maison de la Canne), both located just south of Les Trois-Îlets will also transport you back to life in the sugar cane (and rhum) industry.
Also located south of Les Trois-Îlets is the Musee de la Pagerie, the birthplace-turned-museum of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Emperor Napolean. We would be remiss to not also highlight La Savane des Esclaves, a reconstruction of a large 17th-century slave village, also in the area.
For information on available tours in Martinique, check out our Martinique Land Excursions page.
It should be no surprise that the “flower Island of the Caribbean” is home to some spectacular gardens and arboretums. Jardin de Balata (Botanical Gardens), located just north of Fort-de-France, showcases a lovely Creole-style house surrounded by incredible flora along with incredible views of the island. Habitation Anse Latouche, located just south of Saint Pierre is home to the remains of a 17th-century plantation as well as a fantastic garden and much more (including the Zoo Martinique).
To enjoy more of Martinique’s rich plant diversity and amazing scenery, visit St. Pierre’s Domaine d’Emeraude, a large 25-hectare arboretum featuring a pavilion, many greenhouses, and several walking paths, or the relaxing garden and walking trails of Céron Habitation, located just north of Le Precheur.
If you’re looking for a more natural experience in Martinique’s wilderness beauty, take a drive on the Route de la Trace (highway N3) through the tropical rainforest between Fort-de-France and L’Ajoupa-Bouillon, filled with incredible scenic stops along the way. Along the southeast coastline of the island, take a walk through the unique Savane des Petrifications, a desert-like rocky landscape one wouldn’t expect to see on an otherwise lush Caribbean Island.
If you’re visiting in the February/March timeframe, you must visit the Tombolo of Sainte-Marie to experience an amazing natural phenomenon – The seawater between Martinique and the island of Sainte-Marie (almost) disappears, making it possible to walk the 200 meters across a large sandbar.
For more information on Martinique’s attractions along with a list of tour operators who will show you around, click on our Things to Do in Martinique page
For more information related to the monumental event in Martinique’s history, there are a couple of museums to explore. Learn more about the 1902 volcano eruption that wiped out St. Pierre at the Centre de Découverte des Sciences de la Terre (the earth-science museum), which includes an exhibit and film, or the Franck Perret Volcanological Museum (Musée Volcanologique), which is dedicated to explaining the Mount Pelee eruption. Both are located in Saint Pierre.
There are plenty of other interesting attractions on the island, depending on what you’re looking for.
For all things bananas, you have to visit the enjoyable Banana Museum, located near Sainte Marie. The museum displays tell the story of the history of one of the original crops of the island. There’s also a short walking path showcasing a large variety of banana species. For more of Martinique’s rich history of the sugar and rhum trades, be sure to make a stop just south of La Trinité at the Habitation le Galion, the last sugar factory operating in Martinique, now replete with a touristic village and factory tours.
If you’re into architecture, check out the Sacré-Coeur de Balata Cathedral (Sacred Heart Church) just north of Fort-de-France. You’ll quickly realize that the building was inspired by Montmartre’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Paris. If you enjoy old fortresses, wander around Fort Royal (Fort Saint Louis) in Fort-de-France. Although now an active naval base, they still offer tours of the remains of the 17th-century defensive structure.
If you love the Caribbean Sea, browse through Le Musée de la Mer, located just southeast of Les Trois-Îlets. As you can guess, the museum is dedicated to the ocean and features a large collection of shells and marine life artifacts. A little further south, the Diamond Rock makes for a favourite photo stop along the southern coastline – The stunning view is punctuated by the rock jutting out of the Caribbean Sea. While you’re in the area, be sure to pay your respects at the Memorial de l’Anse Caffard (Mémorial Cap 110), a sculpture-based art display preserving the memory and history of slavery, specifically a boating accident in 1830 that resulted in the death of dozens of slaves just of the coast.
For more information on Martinique’s attractions along with a list of tour operators who will show you around, click on our Things to Do in Martinique page
There is also a wide variety of things to do on the seas surrounding Martinique. Enjoy a day of boating and sightseeing along the coast, or perhaps a romantic sunset cruise – Savour the unique perspective of the island from the sea. Take in Martinique’s ruggedly beautiful mountainous north end, the popular inlets and bays on the southwest coast, and of course the famous landmark of Josephine’s Bath and the islets of Le Robert and Le Francois on the Atlantic side of the island.
For more information on Martinique’s ocean excursions along with a list of boat/tour operators who will get you on the water, click on our Martinique Ocean-Based Excursions page
Of course, there’s always the cuisine and beaches of Martinique. As a long-time French colony, Martinique offers a unique gastronomic experience with a wide selection of Caribbean-Creole-French fusion foods served in restaurants across the island. After a tasty gastronomical experience, you can relax on one of Martinique’s beautiful soft white sand beaches along the southwest and southern coasts, or explore an intriguing black sand beach along the northwest and southwest coasts. Some of the more popular beaches include the Plage de l’Anse Mitan, Grande Anse d’Arlet, Sainte Luce / Sainte-Anne, and of course the Plage des Salines.
La Martinique est Magnifique! – Enjoy!
ACT Staff
If you’re looking for a more active vacation, check out our Martinique Adventures blog post for some great ideas (coming soon)
For more information on this amazingly diverse island, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page
Rum is such a big part of Caribbean history that whenever I’m in the Caribbean I just have to visit a local distillery or two. However, in the French Caribbean Island of Martinique, the choice is almost overwhelming. While plenty of Caribbean islands produce Rum, Martinique could be considered the rum, or should I say rhum (en Francais), capital of the world. With over 10 distilleries and likely hundreds of rhums produced on the island, the folks in Martinique take their rum-making seriously. This is evident with the formalization of the liquid gold with an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) certification. Similar to French-made wines, cheeses and other spirits, the designation certifies the authenticity of Martinique rhums, characterized by their unique geographical origin and production techniques. The terminology used to describe Martinique rhums are also akin to brandies or wines – This includes rhum classifications such as VO, VSOP and XO, and some rhums from a particularly good batch are even sold as ‘vintages’
Oh… One other thing I should also mention is that French “Rhum Agricole” (agricultural rum) is made directly from sugar cane juice, not the molasses by-product of producing sugar, which is the case for most other Caribbean rums. As a result, Martinique rhum production includes a few different steps than other Caribbean distilleries and some of their rhums can be much more expensive than molasses-based rums – We’re talking hundreds of euros per bottle expensive. That said, a great thing about Martinique’s distilleries is that most of them are open to the public, offering free or reasonably priced plantation/distillery tours and rhum tasting along with storefronts providing the opportunity to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice.
So… on our recent trip to Martinique, I had to check out a couple of the rhum industry heavyweights, along with a couple of lesser-known distilleries.
Our first stop had to be the world-renowned Saint James Distillery and Museum of Rhum located in Sainte-Marie on the northeast coast of the island. We parked right next to the large distillery building which unfortunately was not in operation or open to tour when we visited in January, as it is “not in harvest season”. Instead, we wandered around on a self-guided tour of the Museum of Rhum / Maison de la Distillation. The old two-story building is filled with historical St. James memorabilia including old rhum-making equipment such as distillation columns, stills and steam-powered machinery. The building also contains tons of information on Martinique, sugar cane, as well as the French Agricole rhum-making process. For me, it was a thrill to see the incredible stash they have in their basement – Display cases stocked with very old rhums, some dating back as far as the 19th century!
I understand the rhums of St. James began in the 18th century when the Reverend Father in charge of a local hospital built a sugar refinery nearby, which eventually also produced alcohol. The rhum is named after one of the regions providing sugar cane to the refinery. However as France had banned alcohol sales other than wine at the time, the rhum produced was named Saint James, not Saint Jacques, making it easier to sell in the English colonies. Later in the 19th century, the St. James distillery parted ways with the typical round fat bottle of the time, becoming famous for its square bottle. While this move was likely developed to increase shipping efficiency, it presented a modern clean look, that is still attractive today.
After our enjoyable museum visit we went to their little train station out back. It wasn’t long before we boarded an old narrow-gauge train consisting of a small locomotive and three open-air passenger cars. Our train ride took us through fields of sugar cane and other crops in various stages of growth, as well as remarkably close to some residences – Not something we would ever see in North America. A young St. James tour guide entertained the passengers with an interactive and humorous presentation, most of which I, unfortunately, didn’t understand as my conversational French was not up to the task.
Our guide also did double duty as a crossing guard and switchman, hopping off the train at one point to manually sound an alarm and perform flag-man duties as the train crossed a rural road. The train traveled about a mile (< 2km) or so before stopping and reversing course, where at one point our tour guide once again jumped off, this time to switch our track, which took us to the impressive Habitation La Salle.
At the Habitation La Salle train station we disembarked and walked a short distance along a river before crossing a bridge and entering a wonderfully restored collection of 17th-century buildings. Formerly a sugar refinery, now the buildings house a coffee museum, a display of mill equipment used to crush sugar cane into juice, a fascinating “guildiverie” where evaporators and stills were used to produce tafia (a predecessor to rum), as well as aging/storage warehouses. There’s also a special tasting area and shop selling top-shelf artisan bottles of La Salle and St. James branded rhum. After meandering around the grounds of the habitation and exploring the banks of the river, the train returned to pick us up and return us back to the grounds of the St. James Distillery.
On the way to the St. James rhum shop, I noticed a small workshop where a craftsman was demonstrating how the rhum barrels are charred, instilling flavour into the rhum as they age – that was pretty cool. The building that houses the store, with its collection of old distillery and other centuries-old local artifacts, is a museum in its own right, almost distracting from the long bar at the back. Staffed with plenty of friendly and informative patrons, the tasting bar was a happening place. St. James’ latest offerings include a number of white and amber rhums, a variety of aged rhums along with some incredible vintage rhums as well as some interesting premixed concoctions.
While it was great to be immersed in Martinique’s rhum-making history and tradition, we eventually decided that our St. James Rhum experience had to come to an end… After a visit to the nearby Banana Museum and Habitation, we headed back to where we were staying on the other side of the island.
The next afternoon it was overcast and threatening to rain – An excellent opportunity to explore another Martinique rhum distillery! Located in the foothills of Mount Pelee on the northwest side of Martinique just outside the former capital city of Saint-Pierre, reside the impressive grounds of the Depaz plantation and distillery. Back in the 17th century, this was home to the island’s first French Governor and his large farm known as La Montagne.
As soon as we arrived at the Depaz property, we were immediately drawn to the magnificent, what the English would call a Greathouse, on the nearby hillside. Chateau Depaz, also known as Depaz Castle, was built in the early 20th century as a replica of the childhood home of Victor Depaz. The original building was destroyed, along with the city of Saint-Pierre and the surrounding area, in 1902 when the Mount Pelee volcano erupted. Situated between colourful gardens with Mount Pelee in the background and manicured lawns and fields of sugar cane, the chateau enjoys spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea.
After wandering around the grounds for a while, we passed a large 19th-century water wheel before heading towards the distillery and a number of other buildings, situated in a beautiful park setting complete with magnificent centuries-old trees. Once again, we were ‘out of season’ when we visited in January so the distillery was not in operation nor open to the public. I understand that the buildings still operate with power from an old steam engine, fuelled by the remains of crushed sugar cane. It is unfortunate that we were not able to witness the crushing of the cane, the fermentation or the distillation of the precious juice. We did however stroll into the small Depaz Museum displaying some old farm and distillation equipment, as well as some other buildings. The highlight for me had to be peering into the warehouses used to store and age the delicious outputs from the distillery.
Eventually we made our way into their welcoming and informative storefront, where I learned about Depaz’s environmentally friendly farming and production practices as well as more about the sugar cane used to make their rhum, they emphasized the unique blue cane sugar, spring water and the volcanic ground, or “terroir”, local to the Mount Pelée region. Depaz Rhum’s latest offerings include a wide variety of white rhums, and aged rhums along with some special edition rhums that include specific vintages as well as exceptional barrel-finished rhums.
Well, all that walking around and learning had whet my appetite, so I was really looking forward to trying some of their rhums. After not so patiently waiting, a spot finally opened at the small tasting room bar. The friendly Depaz hostess was extremely helpful in explaining the differences between the rhums I wanted to sample. She generously gave me a sample of three whites and the same number of aged rhums. She wisely and professionally gave me enough to sample the elixir, without giving me too much to impair my ability to drive. I am not really a white rum drinker, however, their white rhums were incredibly unique to my palate. The aroma of one of them was pungent yet inviting, with a strong scent of wet green vegetation. The dominant tasting characteristic of the white rhums was a funky burn in the mouth and throat, however, it was kind of a good burn – much better than other white rums I have tasted. That said, I preferred the more flavourful aged rhums, especially the mellow and diverse taste of the reasonably priced ‘Cuvee Victor Depaz’, apparently a blend of bourbon-barrel-aged rhums between 3 and 6 years. I’m no connoisseur, however it tasted a little woody, fruity and herbal to me. When I open the bottle at home, I will try to imagine flavours of chocolate and prunes as suggested on the label. As I am very limited as to what I can bring home with me, I believe this was a solid choice!
After being amazed by the large colourfully labelled vats of rhum off the side of their shop, we called it a day – and it never did rain, or if it did, we didn’t notice it 🙂
A few days later we headed out to the illustrious Habitation Clement, located a little inland just south of Le Francois on the east side of Martinique. FYI – We visited the Habitation from the southeast region of the island and got lost trying to follow a Google maps shortcut. I suggest you just drive all the way into Le Francois and follow the ‘Habitation Clement’ signs at the main roundabout.
Anyways, once we found the place, we parked and paid a nominal fee to enter the property. The grounds are absolutely spectacular! Even if you’re not into rum, this is a great place to just stroll around and relaxingly take in the sights. Following the path from the entrance took us through a well-manicured landscape, including a couple of nice ponds. Fields of sugar cane and bananas surround the grounds – Crops we saw a lot of while exploring the island. Habitation Clement also highlights the work of many local artists, with their creative and imaginative creations displayed throughout the property. While I found some of the art pieces interesting, I was just as happy to feel the warmth of the sun, breath the fresh air and appreciate our gorgeous surroundings.
After a short sit on a bench soaking up the lush green Caribbean environment, we continued to follow the trail up a small hill to a small wooden structure with a grinding stone. The sugar cane crushing machinery would have been powered by a donkey walking around and around in circles. From this vantage point we had a great view of the palm grove and buildings below. At the bottom of the hill, the path took us through a wonderful variety of palm trees of different colours, shapes and sizes. We also passed another small pond, this one the canvass for another art display. From there we walked through a small patch of sugar cane and then things started to get more exciting, or at least more rhum themed.
We approached a building that just oozing with the strong but appealing smell of wood and aging rum. The scent was emanating of course from a warehouse full of rhum barrels – An overload to the nasal senses for sure. A little further along the trail and we came across a couple more warehouses filled with more Clement-stamped barrels of assorted shapes and sizes. After admiring the vast quantity of barrels in storage we went up the Clement Creole village consisting of a few old buildings that included a stable, a separate kitchen-house as well as the iconic Clement Greathouse, a graphic of which is used as their logo on every bottle of rhum and other products they sell. There is also a building that houses their renowned art exhibits. I was also enamored with the amazing old trees in the area, my favourites being a figuier, a red mahogany and a tamarind tree.
The path then took us into the old distillery for more things to see. It is no longer operating, however there are several old stills and various distillery machinery to look at. Upstairs the building houses an amazingly set of displays and presentations providing a detailed record of the history of sugar cane, rhum making, Martinique and Habitation Clement – Extremely informative and fascinating. By the way, an audio guide is available on your smartphone if you are interested in hearing all the details of the art displays and buildings encountered on the self-guided tour.
Eventually, our self-guided tour spilled us out into a small shop and sampling bar where some of Clément’s finest can be tasted. Latest offerings from Clement include a variety of white and aged rhums, as well as several rhum liqueurs and pre-mixed concoctions. I tried a white rhum and a young-age rhum as well as some rhum liqueurs and pre-mixed concoctions, with the highlight having to be a taste of a very well-aged cuvee – Extremely smooth and complex. That said, we ended up purchasing their Antilles (Planters) Punch to savour while we continued to vacation on the island.
It was a very enjoyable couple of hours, walking the well-manicured lawns, soaking up the warmth of the sun, appreciating the art, smelling the aromas of the barrel warehouses, and of course sampling Clement’s fine rhums and rhum liqueurs.
After one of our other Martinique adventures, we accidentally came across a distillery located on the western side of Martinique, just south of Le Carbet. Invited by the ‘Neisson Rhum’ signs along the N2 road, we thought we venture in for a look. We didn’t have time for a tour of the facility, however I understand that it consists of a stroll through a number of buildings that house a mill, a boiler, fermentation tanks, a column still, warehouses used for aging their rhums, as well as a bottling facility. After a brief look around, we visited their shop to sample a couple of aged rhums, and I ended up picking up one of their bottles of VO rhum, something I would never be able to find at home. I’ve never tasted a rhum so light and floral in my entire life – Very interesting. We enjoyed our brief visit to Rhum Neisson, and left with the impression of a small boutique rhum producer.
Ahhh – So many Martinique rhums, so little time… Other distilleries that I would have liked to have visited while we were on the island include La Mauny, Trois Rivieres, Habitation Saint Etienne (HSE), Dillon, La Favorite, J.M. and A1710 (Habitation Simon). Maybe next time 😊
If you’re interested in reading more about rum, check out our Caribbean Rum page and our Martinique Rhum page, which includes a list of Tour Operators who will get you sampling the island’s finest.
For an overview of beautiful and rugged Martinique, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page
For other great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Martinique page
ACT Staff
Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique are the most southern of the Caribbean’s Windward Islands – About 100 miles (165km) north of Trinidad & Tobago and the South American coast. The mountainous main island of Grenada is known as the “Spice Island” for its abundance of nutmeg and other seasonings, although it’s also becoming a mecca for chocolate lovers as well. Grenada may be one of the Caribbean’s ‘best-kept secrets’ offering unspoiled natural beauty and a wide variety of attractions to please travellers from all over. There are plenty of things to do in Grenada if you know where to look… Our personal favourites include:
The makers of fine chocolate in Grenada are proud of their organic locally grown cocoa as well as their ethical fair-trade production methods. Tourists will of course also appreciate the delicious chocolate products being made by the five chocolate companies on the island. We’re talking about organic pure dark chocolate bars, chocolate bars subtly flavoured with nutmeg, ginger or Caribbean sea-salt as well as cocoa butter, cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, chocolate butter spread and a variety of chocolate drinks. Yum!
While cocoa was introduced to Grenada centuries ago, the last couple of decades has seen the rise of a successful chocolate ‘tree-to-bar’ movement on the island. Grenada’s high-quality chocolate is recognized by the International Cocoa Organization, which has listed Grenada as one of only 10 countries in the world to produce ‘100% fine and flavour cocoa’.
If you are a chocoholic, then you will love a tour of a local farm and see for yourself how the island’s cocoa is cultivated, processed and transformed into edible delights. Most tours offer tasty samples and of course they all end with an opportunity to buy a variety of Grenada chocolate delicacies from their gift stores. Crayfish Bay Organic Cocoa Estate; The Diamond (Jouvay) Chocolate Factory; The Grenada Chocolate Company; Belmont Estate Plantation; and Tri-Island Chocolate are all doing it right.
For more information, along with tour operators to get you tasting some fine chocolate, check out our Things to Do in Grenada – Land Excursions page.
Known as the ‘spice island of the Caribbean’, it’s only natural for visitors to Grenada to want to know more about the island’s spice heritage and culture. It is fascinating to watch a local guide open the fruit of the nutmeg tree to reveal the mace-wrapped seed, which most of us will only recognize once its ground into powder. The Douglaston Spice Estate demonstrates the old-fashioned way of processing spices (and cocoa), however unfortunately there was a fire on the estate in 2020 and the current operational status of the estate is unknown. That said, the Gouyave Nutmeg Station is a popular tourist attraction to see how the island’s vast quantities of nutmeg are sorted and packaged for export. You can also learn more about Grenada’s spice trade on a tour of the West India Spices facility. Of course, delicious nutmeg and other spices and related products can be purchased at these locations as well as the De La Grenade Nutmeg Garden. De La Grenade features a 2-acre spice, flowering plant and fruit tree garden located next to their industrious Processing Facility where you can purchase a wide range of local Grenadian fruit and spice products.
For more information, along with tour operators to get you ‘spicy’, click on the following link to go to our Things to Do in Grenada – Land Excursions page.
Clarke’s Court Rum Distillery (AKA Grenada Distiller Ltd) is the self-proclaimed ‘largest and best-known distillery in Grenada’. The distillery has been in operation for over 80 years and offers guided tours of their historical site. Hear about the history of the distillery as well as the rum-making process, then the short tour ends in the Hospitality Center where a range of Clarke’s Court rums can be sampled and purchased.
The Westerhall Estate has also been blending and bottling quality rums for decades. Westerhall Estate offers tours of the estate grounds and a small museum where you can learn about the history and future of the estate and distillery. Complete the tour with rum tasting and shopping for your favourite Westerhall rums.
Dating back to the 18th century, River Antoine Estate is the oldest distillery in Grenada and is proudly home to one of the Caribbean’s oldest functioning watermills. The small boutique distillery still makes rum with traditional methods – It’s something to see! The distillery offers short tours accompanied by stories of historical rum-making along with some rum tasting. Rum purchases are also available on-site.
For more information, along with tour operators to get you some rum, check out our Grenada Rum page.
Fort George, Fort Frederick, and Fort Matthew are excellent examples of strategically positioned 18th-century bastion-style forts. Besides the historical majesty of Grenada’s oldest structures, the locations of these forts provide spectacular views of the town, harbour, and the Caribbean Sea as well as inland to the island itself.
The 340 foot (100m) long Sendall Tunnel, connecting Fort George with the rest of the city, is another attractive and impressive historical site. For more history of Grenada, check out the National Museum’s display of local pictures and other artifacts.
For the shop-o-holic in your group, take a walk around St. George’s Market Square to get your fill of spices, crafts, and souvenirs. The hustle and bustle of this local fruit & vegetable market is a popular attraction for new visitors to Grenada.
There are also a number of churches to view in St. George’s. They include the iconic 19th-century Roman Catholic Cathedral, which features a large gothic tower, as well as the Methodist Church, which is the oldest surviving chapel on the island. Unfortunately, restorations of the Anglican and Presbyterian 19th-century churches, from 2004’s hurricane Ivan, have yet to be completed as of 2020.
For more information, along with tour operators to get you walking St. George’s, visit our Things to Do in Grenada page.
There are over half a dozen gardens in Grenada where you can enjoy a nice leisurely stroll.
The Tower Estate Garden features a historical ‘Great House’ set among fruit, spice and wood trees alongside an amazing 2-acre floral garden. They offer house tours, garden tours, organic farm tours, afternoon tea, and Sunday brunch. Jessamine Eden Tropical Botanical Garden covers an amazing 60 acres that include rivers and trails to explore. The colonial Sunnyside Gardens is home to flowers, mahogany, palm and fruit trees as well as koi ponds, and some red-foot tortoises. Guided tours of Laura Herb & Spice Gardens ensure you get the most out of viewing their herbs, spices, fruit trees, other plants and vegetables. A gift shop and relaxing gazebo are also on-site.
Other Grenada gardens include: St. Rose Nursery & Garden features orchids, shrubs and herbs; Hyde Park Tropical Garden offers stunning views of the south end of the island; Smithy’s Garden includes an ‘old’ garden of fruit trees, and ornamental plants, as well as a ‘new’ garden that is home to a variety of rainforest plants; and Palm Tree Gardens’ two acres display a wide variety of palm trees, flowers and is also home to some red-footed tortoises.
For more information, along with tour operators to get you walking through the aromatic nurseries, check out our Things to Do in Grenada – Land Excursions page.
Embrace Natural Grenada
Grenada is blessed with diverse natural beauty and there is no better place to experience that than in one of the island’s parks or other natural settings.
Located in the mountainous central highlands of Grenada, Grand Etang Lake and National Park is the island’s famous tropical rain forest, best known for its iconic Crater Lake, and several nearby waterfalls. The island’s most popular nature destination contains a variety of ecological subsystems of flora and fauna including large trees, ferns, colourful flowers and birds, along with frogs, lizards and a few small mammals. If you are lucky, you might even see a Mona monkey living in the wild.
Located in the northeast corner of Grenada, Levera National Park covers 450 acres, including a mangrove wetland called Levera Pond. This Ramsar site features a Boardwalk with an observation tower, making it an ideal location for birding and just relaxing in nature. The Park also contains a long coastline with a great beach and nearby hills which offer spectacular views of a number of small offshore islands. Overlooking Levera Pond with spectacular views of Ronde Island, Carriacou and perhaps even the Grenadines on a clear day, is the hilltop known as the Welcome Stone – Somewhat tricky to get there, but the views provide ample reward.
Located nearby, is the River Sallee Sulphur Springs, which is home to 6 natural springs and warm mud baths. Tourists are welcome to relax in some of the inviting sulphur bath/mud holes. Situated just south of the centre of the island, the Clabony Sulphur Springs is a waist-deep natural spring-fed pond filled with clear warm water.
Situated near the south end of the island, the Morne Gazo Nature Reserve is an eco-tourism ‘birding’ site with rainforest walking trails and features a hilltop observation area with an amazing panoramic view of the east coast and the Atlantic Ocean. Also located in the southern end of Grenada is the Mount Hartman National Park / Dove Sanctuary which features a unique environment not found anywhere else on the island. The combination of dry forest woodlands and mangroves makes it an ideal location for ‘birding’ and is home to the last remaining endemic Grenada Doves.
The most popular natural area in Carriacou is the High North Nature Reserve / National Park. From the highest peak on the island, you can relish spectacular panoramic views of Carriacou, Grenada, and the nearby Grenadine Islands surrounded by the sparkling blue sea.
For more information, along with tour operators to get you in nature, check out our Things to Do in Grenada – Land Excursions page. For the more adventurous, you may also be interested in our Grenada Hiking pages.
Situated at the north tip of Grenada is the historical site of Carib’s Leap (AKA Leapers Hill), where the last of the island’s indigenous people jumped to their death to avoid being captured by French soldiers. The spot is also a great location for sensational views of the sea and nearby offshore islands. Then there is the town of Gouyave which hosts a weekly fish fry. Street vendors offer all sorts of fish meals, accompanied by music and entertainment. Meanwhile, over on Carriacou, an important and popular attraction is the Windward Boatyard located on the northeast coast of the island. Here you can immerse into the culture and soul of Carriacou by visiting the location where traditional boat making has been carried on for generations.
ACT Staff
For a more complete review of Grenada Attractions and things-to-do, along with a list of local Tour Operators who can help you get the most out of your day, check out our Things To Do in Grenada page.
If you’re looking for something more active that will raise your pulse rate a bit higher, check out our recommended Grenada Adventures blog
For an overview of the beautiful and diverse islands, click on our Grenada Vacations page
