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
Now that the weather is showing signs of winter in many parts of the world, you might be starting to think about a nice warm Caribbean vacation. Nothing beats the winter blues like feeling the warmth of the sun above you and the sand beneath your feet. That said, it’s also great to get the muscles moving, the heart pumping and the mind blown by experiencing the natural wonders that the Caribbean has to offer. Take a peek at the underwater world below the surface of the Caribbean Sea or hike through a lush green rainforest to awaken the senses – This is nature’s best medicine. Of course, a round of golf or a warm relaxing day at sea would also fill the prescription for what the travel doctor ordered! If you’re thinking of heading south to escape the cold and dark of winter for a week or two, here are our thoughts on the best of the less busy/touristy Caribbean adventure destinations to visit in early 2024.
For this article, we’re highlighting the Caribbean Islands that provide the best opportunities for getting out in nature by enjoying snorkeling (and diving), hiking, fishing, watersports, and golf, highlighting a few of the more ‘unspoiled’ Caribbean Islands where you can truly immerse yourself in the culture and activities of the land.
Located just north of South America’s Venezuelan coast, Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands. Famous for its pink flamingos and salt mounds, the small Dutch island is more than just a “diver’s paradise”. This Caribbean Island is also a great place to experience snorkeling, watersports, cycling and surprisingly good hiking as well!
With healthy coral reefs and rich marine life, Bonaire is one of the best islands in the Caribbean for snorkeling and diving! Bonaire and its small offshore island Klein Bonaire are encircled by reefs providing homes for an amazing biodiversity of colourful fish, corals, sponges, and more. You can slip into the warm Caribbean Sea from shore and swim out to a nearby reef, or take a short boat ride to Bonaire’s Marine Park to experience some of the best snorkel & dive spots in the Caribbean. Explore shallow coral reefs, steep underwater cliffs as well as underwater caves. Bonaire also happens to be one of the best Freediving locations in the world.
For more details on the dozens of snorkel sites or diving at any of the over eighty dive sites in Bonaire, as well as contact info for local dive shops and boat operators who can get you outfitted and in the water, check out our Bonaire Snorkeling and/or our Bonaire Scuba Diving pages.
With its near-constant trade winds, year-round warm air and water temperatures, Bonaire is one of the best places in the Caribbean to enjoy water sports as well. The flat southwest coast of the island seems to be made for kiteboarding and kitesurfing, while the mangroves and waterways of Lac Bay on the southeast side of the island are ideal for kayaking and windsurfing. Spending an adventurous day on the sea is a great way to experience the Caribbean, and Bonaire definitely ticks all the boxes when it comes to watersports options that satisfy everyone’s needs!
For more tips on watersports options in Bonaire, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops and places to rent gear, check out our Bonaire Water Sports page.
With over a hundred kilometres of cycling trails, Bonaire is also one of the best Caribbean destinations for bicycle riding. Explore Bonaire by bike to experience jaw-dropping views of the island and picturesque views of the Caribbean Sea. The island has road courses that include amazing scenic coastline routes, as well as off-road trails in desert-like terrain. If you’re looking to travel at a slower pace, the hiking trails of Bonaire offer surprisingly good opportunities for some easy relaxing walks as well as a couple of intermediate–difficult outings. Perhaps the best Bonaire hiking can be found in Washington-Slagbaai National Park at the north end of the island.
For more details on biking and hiking in Bonaire, including contact info for local tour operators, hiking guides, and places to rent bikes, check out our Bonaire Cycling and/or our Bonaire Hiking pages.
For a complete listing of things to do in Bonaire, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Bonaire Vacation Ideas and Things to Do in Bonaire pages.
The Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis Islands, commonly referred to as “St. Kitts & Nevis”, is a two-island nation in the northern Caribbean, located southeast of Puerto Rico and just west of Antigua & Barbuda. The island of St. Kitts and its smaller sister island of Nevis are only 2 miles (3km) apart, conveniently connected via ferries and water taxis. Among many awesome attractions, Saint Kitts is home to Brimstone Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as the last railway in the Caribbean. Nevis may be best known for its sandy beaches and Georgian-style buildings in the charming capital of Charlestown. That said, a St Kitts & Nevis vacation has plenty to offer travelers seeking action on land and sea.
As the tops of a submerged volcanic mountain range, St. Kitts & Nevis are covered with rolling green folds of volcanic peaks separated by lush valleys. With more than a quarter of the islands being conserved via National Parklands, such as the Central Forest Reserve, St. Kitts & Nevis are a great place for Caribbean hiking! The islands offer a variety of easy relaxing nature walks, some decent intermediate hikes as well as some very challenging climbs – No adventurous trip to Saint Kitts is complete without hiking up the island’s highest peak Mount Liamuiga, or the shorter but steeper Nevis Peak. Combined, the sister islands have about a dozen trails to explore.
For more information and tips on hiking in St. Kitts & Nevis, including contact info for local tour operators and hiking guides, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Hiking pages.
Bicycling is another great way to explore St. Kitts & Nevis while getting some fresh air and exercise at the same time. Both islands offer mountain biking as well as some cane field and scenic road routes. For avid cyclists, you can compete against the island’s best, in an around-the-island cycle in Nevis. Alternatively, take your time to better enjoy the gorgeous views of the island, Caribbean Sea, and neighbouring islands, while being challenged by the mountainous terrain encountered on portions of the route.
For more details on cycling and MTBing in St. Kitts & Nevis, including contact info for local tour operators and places to rent bikes, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Cycling page.
Meanwhile, just offshore from St. Kitts & Nevis, you can find some good snorkeling and diving spots to explore an underwater world of rocky reefs and wrecks. St. Kitts offers more than half a dozen locations to snorkel along the west coast of the island, with perhaps the best being the oddly named Shitten Bay, typically accessed via boat. The shallow turquoise water is crystal clear, and the sandy seagrass-covered bottom and rocky shoreline are home to a wide variety of tropical fish, corals and other marine life. Several others can be accessed directly from the beach. For the more adventurous scuba divers, there are over two dozen dive sites with reefs, wrecks and walls to explore around the sister islands – Something for divers of all skills to enjoy.
For more tips and details on snorkeling or diving in St. Kitts & Nevis, as well as contact info for local dive shops and boat operators who can get you outfitted and in the water, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Snorkeling and/or our St. Kitts & Nevis Scuba Diving pages.
For a relaxing day on the links, St. Kitts has a couple of gorgeous 18-hole / par 71 golf courses, and Nevis has one as well. The Royal St. Kitts Golf Club is home to a course with several holes overlooking the Caribbean Sea or Atlantic Ocean. Kittitian Hill – Irie Fields is a unique course set among Belle Mont farm’s crops and fruit trees with spectacular ocean views featuring St. Barth’s in the background. The Four Seasons Golf Club on Nevis features a Robert Trent Jones II designed course. For more information, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Golf page.
For those looking for the ‘salt life’, you can experience fishing in the turquoise blue waters of St. Kitts & Nevis with the mountainous island featuring Mount Liamuiga shrouded in mist as a picturesque backdrop. Out at sea, you could catch barracuda, kingfish, marlin, sailfish, mahi mahi, wahoo, while the reefs offer snapper, grouper, grunt and more! There’s plenty of deep sea and sport fishing as well as reef fishing to be found around the sister islands.
For more details on fishing in St. Kitts & Nevis, including contact info for local boat operators who can get a reel in your hands, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Fishing page.
Surrounded by a diversity of wind conditions and shorelines, there’s also plenty of water sports to enjoy while visiting St. Kitts & Nevis. On the windier Atlantic Ocean side of St. Kitts, the southeast coastline may be the best place for surfing, windsurfing, kite-surfing and even fly-boarding and parasailing, while the southwest coastlines of both islands are ideal for kayaking and SUP while taking in the breathtaking views of the sister islands. Also, on the Caribbean side of St. Kitts, the popular Timothy Bay and South Friar’s Bay are hotspots for jet skiing, banana boat rides and much, much more!
For more information on watersports options in St. Kitts & Nevis, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops, and places to rent gear, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Water Sports page.
For more ideas for things to do in St. Kitts & Nevis, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacation Ideas and Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis pages.
Not to be confused with the touristy Dominican Republic, the Commonwealth of Dominica is located north of Saint Lucia, between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Dominica is the youngest island in the region with geothermal activity you can experience for yourself by hiking to the second-largest hot spring in the world, aptly named Boiling Lake. Besides being one of, if not the best, Caribbean Island destinations for hiking, the “Nature Island” also offers incredible canyoning, snorkeling, diving, and fishing adventures… All just waiting for you to discover!
Dominica is famous for its wild mountainous landscape and plentiful rivers and waterfalls. The tallest peak on the island is Morne Diablotins, which at 4,747 feet (1,447 m) above sea level, makes it the ninth tallest in the Caribbean. For unique hiking adventures, Dominica has a challenging trail to the aforementioned Boiling Lake, which is literally ‘bubbling’, as well as an untamed river trail to the gorgeous Victoria Falls. There are literally dozens of hiking trails on the island throughout an extensive natural park system including Cabrits National Park, the Northern Forest Reserve, the Central Forest Reserve, as well as Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dominica is also home to the Waitukubuli National Trail – 115 miles (184 km) of trails weaving back and forth across the length of the island. For the more adventurous, Dominica is also home to a burgeoning canyoning scene with several natural waterfall playgrounds just begging to be climbed and rappeled – You just need to know which canyons and gorges they’re in!
For more information and tips on hiking in Dominica, including contact info for local tour operators and hiking guides, check out our Dominica Hiking pages.
Dominica is also protecting its natural underwater world with the Soufriere-Scott’s Head Marine Reserve and the Cabrits Marine Reserve. Several sheltered bays along the Caribbean coast with close-to-shore reefs make Dominica a great Caribbean Island for snorkeling – An ideal destination for spotting tropical fish, large fish as well as rays and turtles. There’s also the unique snorkeling spot known as Champagne Reef, where Dominica’s volcanic activity can be experienced underwater as you swim through air bubbles seeping through volcanic fumaroles on the seabed while you explore the corals and fish in the area – A snorkeling spot not to be missed!
The island is also a nearly undiscovered mecca for scuba diving with shallow coral reefs, pinnacles, and steep drop-off cliffs with incredible caves and pass-throughs. There are dozens of dive sites to choose from along the west coast of Dominica, with a variety of options appropriate for divers with various skill levels. The reefs and walls are covered with colourful corals, tubes, fans, sponges and a wide assortment of marine life including fish, eels, seahorses, shrimp, and more. Free-divers looking for a new place to explore will love the underwater crater in Soufriere Bay, which can be easily accessed via the fixed freediving platform.
Unsurprisingly, Dominica’s healthy reef systems and deep waters also make it a great destination for Caribbean fishing. Sports fishermen dream about the big marlin, sailfish, yellowfin skipjack, tarpon, wahoo, dorado, and mackerel you can catch in the waters of Dominica. As an added bonus, you might be fortunate enough to see dolphins and whales swimming alongside your boat as you journey to and from the island’s fishing hot spots!
For more details and ideas for things to do in Dominica, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Dominica Vacation Ideas page.
Well, that’s Part I of our list of some of the ‘lesser known’ Caribbean Islands to visit in 2024 for some of the best snorkeling, diving, hiking, fishing, watersports, and golf. For more of our unspoiled top picks for 2024, check out our Experience a Different Kind of Caribbean Island in 2024 – Part II blog post!
ACT Staff
FYI (Full Disclosure): We are not being compensated in any way by the islands listed above. These islands were chosen as our top destinations based on the criteria outlined in the opening paragraphs.
We hope you liked our assessment, and it has motivated you to enjoy some quality time in the Caribbean!
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
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
Whenever we visit the Caribbean we try to get out for a day at sea. Not only do we not sail and snorkel when at home, but there’s just something liberating about cruising alongside a lush tropical island surrounded by so much blue – from the water and sky. Sailing provides a rare “big picture” perspective of the island you’re visiting and snorkeling allows access to a world so refreshingly different than what we’re used to on land.
While vacationing in Saint Kitts, we arranged to do a half-day sail and snorkel excursion with Leeward Islands Charters, and we’re glad we did. When we arrived at Basseterre’s Port Zante Marina the morning of the tour, it was a little overcast and the wind was blowing – A great day for sailing. A representative from Leeward Islands Charters helped us get through port security before leading us to the boat we would be venturing out on. Ooooh, what a beauty! The “Spirit of St. Kitts” as she’s called, is a large 78-foot catamaran with a sleek low profile – She looks fast just sitting in port.
The friendly crew welcomed us on board, along with 2 other couples and a family of 5, for what would amount to a near-private sailing excursion on this spacious sea-faring vessel! With the 5 crew members in place and all the guests settled in the catamaran’s cockpit, we untied from the dock and were on our way. To the rhythmic and soothing sounds of reggae music, we left the port and headed south hugging the beautiful coastline of St. Kitts. The wind was fairly strong and the water was a bit choppy, although you wouldn’t know it because the ship remained steady and level.
We ventured to the front of the cat, taking a comfortable position on the trampoline/netting to take in the scenery. The mountainous interior of northern St. Kitts initially dominated the view and as we sailed, it became clear that there are very few low-lying areas of coastline with beaches along the western side of the island. Not to be outdone, the southeast peninsula offered equally picturesque views. We passed the beach at Frigate Bay with the famous “strip” of beach bars/restaurants as well as Timothy Hill, probably the best place on the island for spectacular southern views of rolling hills with Nevis as a spectacular backdrop. We then sailed by the other beaches on the Caribbean side of St. Kitts along South Friar’s Bay.
We passed some mega-yachts anchored at Christophe Harbour before we slowed and reached our snorkeling destination called Shitten Bay. What a crappy name (pun intended) for such a gorgeous location. With 30 plus foot cliffs lining the coast, it’s easy to see why this snorkeling spot is only accessible by boat. Considered the best place to snorkel in St. Kitts, the protected bay is sheltered from wind and waves, allowing the water to be calm and clear – perfect for seeing what’s down there!
Fortunately for us, there was only one other sailboat there when we arrived, and its passengers were almost finished their snorkeling adventure. I was surprised to see how close to shore we ventured before we tied up to a buoy. The view of the water was like something out of a Caribbean magazine. You know, that inviting turquoise colour that you just don’t see at home. Peering over the side of the boat I could see the ocean floor about 15 feet down, covered with seagrass along with a row of rocks/boulders in shallower water closer to shore. Oh, this is going to be awesome. Not able to contain my excitement (or wait for the kids to get off the ladder), I grabbed some fins, donned my mask and jumped over the side. As St. Kitts & Nevis is not well known for its underwater world I wasn’t expecting too much, however, I was pleasantly surprised!
I was immediately greeted by a school of black & yellow striped sergeant majors along with a handful of large silver fish with a yellow strip down their backs that I believe were yellow jacks. I slowly floated closer to shore leaving the seagrass heading for the boulders. That was a good move, as it quickly became apparent that this is where the sea life hangs out. I was amazed to see such a wide variety of fish swimming among the rocks. I saw little silver fish, medium-sized brown fish, butterflyfish with their distinctive black dot near its tail fin and a mixture of awesome-looking blue fish that may have been chubbs, chromas and/or tang. I was mesmerized by a small black fish with fluorescent blue dots that appeared to be glowing – Incredible! I also saw some fun-looking bluehead wrasse as well as a number of unique yellow trumpetfish that I thought were cool.
I floated over the rocks slowing heading north where I eventually encountered a coral structure jutting out from the shore into deeper water. 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 quickly left one hiding spot only to disappear again between two rocks. Perhaps it was a snake eel or a juvenile spotted moray. All I know was that was neat to see! I also saw a beautiful but deadly (and out-of-place) lionfish. I must have seen close to two dozen different species of fish in all. After a while, I started to pay more attention to everything in my new underwater world. I soon realized that 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 corals, 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 towards the boat I got pretty excited when I saw a decent sized puffer fish swimming along the grassy ocean floor. I followed above it for a while, although I could tell I was making it nervous as it sped off to the safety of the rocks. Wow, that was special – Another great encounter
When my time was up, I reluctantly got back on board the catamaran, being met by a crewmember who hosed me down with fresh water. Likely to protect the boat from saltwater, I enjoyed it nonetheless, and I got to rinse off my snorkel mask in the process. Once we were all back on board, we had a light (pre-packed) lunch, and then the drinks started to flow. We sampled some of their grate rum punch – No that’s not a spelling mistake, I’m referring to the fresh nutmeg that was shaved on top 😉. OK fine, and we more than just sampled the tasty Caribbean beverages – we may have had a few.
The crew carefully motored out of the bay, then 3 if not 4 of the guys were needed to set the mainsail along with the jib. Just like that, we were off, sailing toward Nevis at a nice brisk pace.
That said, once we hit the gap between the sister islands, we were really in for a treat. Now, with nothing blocking the wind, the cat shifted into high gear and we flew across the ocean at an exhilarating speed! While the water was quite choppy and the occasional crest sprayed over the front of the hull, the Spirit of St. Kitts remained flat and steady – Although I did need to grab something for balance, as I didn’t want to spill my drink. Sitting on the edge of the trampoline, I was captivated by the water rushing beneath the netting. For northerners (like me), it’s sort of like staring at a campfire…
What a marvelous experience – That may have been the fastest I’ve ever travelled under wind power. I would say that I loved the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair, except one key element is missing for that to have happened – and it wasn’t for lack of wind! Anyways, all good things must come to an end… One of the crew asked me to sit down (to avoid getting hit in the head by the boom), as we were about to tack. The catamaran slowed and almost heaved to a stop as we bobbed and turned, then headed back up the coast towards Basseterre with more fantastic views of the island of Saint Kitts.
I can’t imagine a more enjoyable 4 hours in the Caribbean, although I don’t know what I loved more, the surprisingly good snorkeling or the fantastic sail. Thanks to the friendly and professional crew and the awesome boat from Leeward Islands Charters, we got both!
For more information about Leeward Islands Charters, including what they offer for you to experience your own St. Kitts and Nevis adventure, visit their website or facebook page (just click on a link below):
For more material on sailing in the Caribbean, go to our Caribbean Sailing page.
For an overview of the beautiful Sister Islands, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page.
For some great Tourist Attractions on the islands, check out our Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis blog post.
For more underwater action, maybe you’ll enjoy our St. Kitts & Nevis Snorkeling blog.
If you’re looking for more exciting things to do while vacationing on the islands, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Adventures blog post for some great ideas!
ACT Staff
