Category: Tourist Attractions

No comments

A Taste of Nature in Antigua

  By , , , , , ,
Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours

Things to do in Antigua: Mangrove Kayaking, Reef Snorkeling and a Little Island Hike


When vacationing in the Caribbean, it’s great to get off the resort and really explore the island you’re visiting. We enjoy nature, so when we were looking for things to do in Antigua, we knew we just had to kayak the island’s rich mangroves and snorkel over one of their many reefs to see the natural treasures beneath the waves. We chose Antigua Nature Tours to show us around.

Having spent some time with the Stingrays in the morning, we had an hour or so to chill-out before the much anticipated Antigua Nature Tours’ Kayak – Snorkel – Beach – Hike Excursion was to get underway. Luckily for us, the Stingray City land based facility is a nice place to hang out. We checked out the colourful parrots, then sat down for a snack while watching the chickens running around wild at our feet.

Our nature adventure started with a motorboat ride out to Antigua Nature Tours’ floating kayak dock in the heart of Antigua’s mangroves located in the North Sound Marina Reserve. This protected area is located offshore of a north east section of the island, just south-east of the airport. As soon as the motorboat was tied to the dock, we climbed aboard our kayaks. We paddled around a bit in the lagoon, getting comfortable with our new mode of transportation. We left the protection of the mainland’s mangrove clusters and kayaked across a small channel that separates Guiana island from Antigua’s main land mass. There was a slight wind and a bit of a current, but it was fairly easy paddling across to reach the more protected west side of Guiana island.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours

We were part of a nice small group, maybe five double kayaks in all. While our guide was helping some of the inexperienced folks get going, the rest of us kayaked around in the amazing clear blue waters that Antigua is famous for. Unlike Antigua’s mainland, Guiana Island has no white sand beaches, instead the shoreline is a deep hedge of mangroves. Once our guide re-took the lead, we hugged the shoreline of the island, staring into the water and the thick network of mangrove roots looking for signs of activity.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours

Our guide knows exactly where the marine life hangs out, and as we kayaked along the shoreline, he took us into real shallow water where he literally just reached down into the sea-grass and sand to scoop something up to show us. First he gave us a couple of different varieties of sea cucumber, then he pulled up some more familiar marine invertebrate, a jellyfish, followed by a gorgeous starfish. The sea cucumbers were foreign to us – The first one looked like a giant slug (or brown cucumber), real soft and squishy, while the second one looked more protected under it’s thick hard black skin. The starfish was bright orange with yellow features – Just like something you would see on TV watching a nature show. While he explained the “ins-and-outs” (literally) of the marine animal’s eating and digestion routines, our guide ensured that the starfish was constantly kept in water so as to not harm him, or her.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours
Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours



We also saw a few species of fish, who our guide explained raise their young in the protection of the mangrove roots, away from larger predators who can’t penetrate the dense tangled roots of the aquatic trees.


Eventually we made our way back to the kayak base – We probably paddled around for about a mile (>km) or so in total. It was fun to kayak through a narrow ‘natural archway’ in the mangrove clusters near the mainland. Being one of the best things to do in Antigua, I could have spent more time exploring the mangrove inlets in the comfort of these calm waters… however there was more to see and do – We were soon off for the next portion of the excursion.




After a water break, we re-loaded the motor boat and off we went. Our next adventure with Antigua Nature Tours was to snorkel over a reef amidst some of the off-shore islands. First we motored past a number of islands, including Rabbit Island which is a breeding ground for the majestic, prehistoric looking pelicans seen all along the shorelines of Antigua.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours

Apparently these Antiguan motor boats only have two speeds – Stop and full throttle :). Seriously, not living near water myself, it was fun motoring around and it was great to get a different perspective of Antigua – Observing the island from the sea, we could better appreciate the landscape features. Oh yah, it helps when you’re cruising over such clear, multi-shaded blue water – We couldn’t get over just how beautiful the water is here! One attraction we saw from a distance is a little island, known as Hell’s Gate, which is not much more than an interesting round coral archway protruding from the sea.

Eventually we stopped just offshore of Great Bird Island. We were south of the island and somewhat exposed to the Atlantic Ocean currents. As the water was a little rough, our guide advised us to swim east against the current, then drift back to the boat – This worked out quite nicely. Sticking my face under the waves to see below is always exciting, and I was not disappointed.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours



Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours


The place was brimming with sea-life including tons of elkhorn, brain and lettuce-like coral as well as sea fans and tropical fish. It was fascinating to watch the fish navigating the currents in order to munch the algae clinging to the coral. Some small fish were successfully hovering in the nooks and crannies of the coral, making it difficult to see them.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours

While there were no large schools of fish, there was plenty to see. I was fascinated in particular by these little blue fish with a single dark blue lined white stripe. They seemed to be swimming with the more numerous Sargent-Major fish – Not sure if they were friends, or what their relationship is. As a temporary visitor to this underwater world, I’m always surprised and amazed at nature’s beauty and biodiversity. The world’s oceans are such a huge part of the planet, however it’s landscapes and marine life is so foreign to most of us. While I’m not that comfortable in the water, I was glad to have snorkeled – It is one of the best things to do in Antigua!

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours
Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours


Once back on the boat, we motored a couple hundred yards to Great Bird Island to enjoy the un-populated ‘south beach’. By un-populated, I mean there was no-one there except us. Part of the group took a short stroll to the top of little off-shore island.

We were rewarded with spectacular views of the multi-hued blue waters shining between us and Antigua’s east coast. We peered over the dramatic cliff-sides on the east coast of the island to see a blowhole in action. What was really cool was this natural vertical shaft cut through the island’s rock, which allowed us to glimpse sea water splashing dozens of feet below us.

Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours
Things to do in Antigua include kayaking, snorkeling and hiking with Antigua Nature Tours










Mesmerized by the stunning blue waters surrounding the island, I wasn’t paying much attention to the flora and fauna on the island itself – Apparently Great Bird Island is an important conservation site, especially for rare plants and nesting birds. After enjoying some rum-punch on the beach, we were back on board and motoring to Stingray City’s land based facility where we dropped off the other folks in our party.

For the final stage of our nature adventure, our motorboat cruised down the coast back to our hotel. Once again, it’s always a great experience to view the island from sea – We could never tire of motoring over the multiple shades of blue that is Antigua’s waters. We had a great afternoon with Antigua Nature Tours and would recommend others visiting the island to enjoy the experience as well.

ACT Staff

For more information about Antigua Nature Tours, including material to help plan your own Antiguan adventure, you can contact the good folks by visiting their website (just click on the link) below:

Want to see more of Antigua’s underwater world? Check out our Snorkeling Antigua’s Great Bird Island video on YouTube!

For an overview of the “land of sun and sea”, take a look at our Antigua & Barbuda Vacations page

If you’re looking for more active things to do in Antigua, click on our Antigua Adventures blog for more great ideas!

For great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Antigua and Barbuda blog

No comments

Cycling Nevis – A Fun Caribbean Excursion

  By , , , , , ,
St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours, enjoying views of Nevis Peak, visiting old plantations, museums, and other attractions!

We just rode around a Caribbean Island!

The two-island nation of St. Kitts & Nevis is conveniently located southeast of the Virgin Islands, just west of Antigua & Barbuda. The mountainous islands are home to lush rainforest interiors and paved coastal roads that are ideal for an awesome Caribbean cycling experience. Nevis, the quieter of the two islands, is small enough to bike around in a few hours and offers stunning views of the island and the endless blue surrounding the island.

St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours with great views of the island and Caribbean Sea

While we’ve enjoyed many hiking and snorkelling excursions in the Caribbean, we have never gone for a bike ride before.  So, on our recent trip to Nevis we were excited to be heading out on our very first Caribbean cycling adventure, although unfortunately some things just don’t work out as planned. We were visiting Nevis for the day and had planned to go for a nice bike ride in the morning, followed by a unique rum experience in the afternoon. Problem is, the bike rental shop opened about 2 hours after we had hoped to have been on the road. As a result, we didn’t have much time to enjoy our cycling event before we had to get back in time for our scheduled rum tour.

Anyways, while we were getting our hybrid bicycles adjusted to our height, I talked with the shop owner to get some recommendations on where to bike. He repeatedly stated that the island is “tiny” and that we can’t get lost.  He suggested riding into Nevis’ capital Charlestown and exploring some backroads, but that sounded kind of boring, so we decided to heed his other idea… to undertake the much more strenuous and time-consuming ‘around the island’ route.  The shop owner told us that the record time for riding all the way around the island is less than sixty minutes, so we figured we could do it comfortably in a couple of hours. Well, we were about to find out the hard way that that was not a good assumption.

St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours on a combo of flat and hilling roads

We were advised to bike clockwise around the island, to avoid having to cycle uphill on a long stretch of road just south of Charlestown. So off we went under the midday heat. Starting from the Oualie Beach area we headed east along the main road. It was a nice leisurely ride along the north end of Nevis where we encountered many sheep (that look like goats) at the side of or just as often, on the road.  These critters displayed interesting behaviour.  While they barely moved when cars drove past, they seemed to be absolutely terrified when they saw us coming.  I don’t know why, but they nervously scurried into the bush whenever we approached – Perhaps they thought we were trying to round them up or something. Comforting views of St. Kitts across the channel started to fade as we passed Nevis’ Vance Amory airport and headed south down the east coast.

St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours on quiet safe roads

It was cool to see some monkeys scavenging around some fields, however we had to stay focused on our cycling as we were encountering a number of hills. We know Nevis is a mountainous island and had expected some hills, however they were starting to test us.  We stopped once in a while for a break and to observe a small wind farm as well as a small island way off in the distance. After riding for about 45 minutes or so, we passed the Nevis Raceway – I have to say, I was not expecting to find a dragstrip on this small Caribbean Island.  We didn’t see any race cars that day, although the cattle, donkeys and sheep were enjoying grazing on the fields surrounding the asphalt tracks.

Rounding the southeast corner of the island, the road headed inland and we encountered a beautiful green mountain landscape along with some much bigger and steeper hills to take on. Being we just left a snow-filled winter wonderland at home, we hadn’t ridden for a few months, so our biking muscles were a bit rusty and were starting to get fatigued.  We ended up dismounting and walking up two or three of the longer, steeper sections of road. We were falling way behind schedule and were stressing that we wouldn’t make it back in time for our scheduled pick-up.  While I’m sure it was less than an hour, it seemed like it took us forever to travel across the southern end of Nevis.

St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours, enjoying views of Nevis Peak, visiting old plantations, museums, and more!

The worst part of being so time-sensitive was that we were not taking the time to enjoy the local attractions and gorgeous Caribbean sights that this magnificent Caribbean Island had to offer. If we would have had more time, I would have liked to have checked out the Nevisian Heritage Village and one or two of the old plantations.  This would have also given us some much-needed rest breaks. Eventually, we rounded the southwest corner of Nevis and were elated to realize that we were finally seeing the Caribbean side of the island. About 2.5 miles (4km) or more outside of Charlestown the road was on a near-constant downhill, so we enjoyed the glide, which included a few steep sections that provided an exhilarating ride.  We were flying down the roads, braking to stay in control around the corners. We quickly reached the capital, but again we didn’t have the time to wander around the quaint town to take in the sights.

St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours. Donkeys, monkeys and sheep roam the streets.

At this point, we found our second wind, and with the clock always on our mind we bore down and finished the final 5 miles (8km) or so in business-like fashion. In different circumstances, I would have really enjoyed cycling alongside a donkey that was scampering wild down the street, but at this point, I was just focused on finishing the ride. About half an hour later we made it back to our starting point, and fortunately, our afternoon ride was still there, even though we were more than an hour late – Thank goodness for ‘island time’…

In summary, we enjoyed the unique view of the mountainous interior, including the wonderous Nevis Peak and its surrounding rolling ridges.  We got an awesome workout, although we felt a little weak after cycling in the heat and humidity. FYI – The ‘around the island’ route is just over 19 miles (31km) long, with over 785 feet (240m) of vertical to climb along the southern stretch across Nevis. A route that avid cyclists would probably enjoy and may even consider a bucket list activity! In hindsight, we tried to do too much in too little time and hence failed to enjoy the experience.  It would have been better to have planned for 4-to-5 hours, including stops at various beaches, historical attractions, maybe even a restaurant or two along the way. Alternatively, we could have spent a couple of hours with a loop route at the north end of the island, or just ridden down to Charlestown and back.

ACT Staff

For more information on cycling in the Sister Islands, including a list of local tour operators and bike rental shops, take a look at our St. Kitts & Nevis MTB & Cycling page

If you’re looking for some other adventures that will raise your pulse rate a bit, check out the recommendations in our St. Kitts & Nevis Adventures blog 

If you’re looking to slow-it-down a bit, maybe take a tour of the island to see some attractions, check out our recommendations for Things To Do in St. Kitts & Nevis blog

For an overview of the Sister Islands, check out our St. Kitts & Nevis Vacations page

St. Kitts & Nevis is great for Caribbean cycling. Cycle around Nevis in a few hours, enjoying views of Nevis Peak, visiting old plantations, museums, and more!
No comments

Hey Rum Enthusiasts – Nevis is Calling

  By , ,
L&L Rum Shop in Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis is well stocked with over 200 rums/rhums!

A Must-Visit Rum Shop in the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands!


I’m sure I’m not alone in routinely thinking about vacationing in the Caribbean with a tasty rum beverage in my hand. If you’re like me, thinking about the Caribbean leads to a mental picture of a bygone era – a wooden sailing ship with barrels of rum on deck, anchored in a secluded bay of a beautiful island oasis. If you agree, the next time you’re in the Leeward Islands, you need to find your way to Nevis.

It would be no surprise that you’ve never heard of the small Caribbean Island of Nevis before. If you have, you probably know it as the birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the USA. The federation of St. Kitts & Nevis is in fact the tops of a submerged volcanic mountain range located between the US Virgin Islands and Antigua. Personally, I knew of the island because of my interest to hike its main geographical feature, Nevis Peak.  Well, fresh off my first visit to the island, I can tell you that Nevis should also be on your radar for being home to what might be one of the best little rum shops in the world.

If you’re a rum enthusiast vacationing in St. Kitts or just stopping by while on a cruise, I highly recommend taking the short boat ride over to Nevis – It will make your day!  Just a 4-minute walk up from the Charlestown ferry terminal you will find a little store on Prince William Street called L&L Rum Shop.  This place is a rum lover’s dream come true. It’s not a huge store, so I appreciated how neat and organized the shop is, making full use of available space for as much rum as possible. Upon entering the shop I made a beeline to the rum/ron/rhum sign hanging in the back, where I was happy to find 2 walls packed with nothing but rum – I felt like a kid in a candy store!

L&L Rum Shop in Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis is well stocked with over 200 rums/rhums!

Saying they are well stocked with a wide variety of the Caribbean’s liquid treasure would be an understatement. L&L Rum Shop carries spirits from iconic Islands with rich histories of rum-making like Barbados and Jamaica as well as those famous for fine rhum agricole, such as Martinique, Guadeloupe and Haiti. There’s rum from all over the Caribbean, including Saint Lucia, Antigua and the Dominican Republic. Of course, they also carry Guyana’s quality elixir, but they also have rums from such unlikely sources as Australia, Madeira, South Africa and India as well. In fact, L&L Rum Shop contains over 200 unique labels of rum/rhum from distilleries all over the world.  This would make it the best storefront, or bar for that matter, in terms of rum selection, that I’ve ever seen!

One of the things that really intrigued me was the Shop’s collection of special series rums. You would expect them to have several of the famous Plantation rums, which they do, however they also offer much harder to find rums from The Ministry of Rum, the Trans Continental Rum Line (from France’s La Maison du Whisky) as well as a unique South African sugarcane-based rum called Mhoba.

If you’re lucky (or better yet, call ahead), the store’s proprietor will be there when you visit.  Rum connoisseurs will find one of their own in Mark Theron. Mark and I happily discussed some of our mutually favourite rums before he introduced me to several brands and rum tasting characteristics that I was not even aware of.  If you’re relatively new to rum, don’t be intimidated by Mark’s vast knowledge and experience with rum, he’s just the guy to help you get started on your own personal rum-loving journey. Here’s the thing – Believe it or not, Mark will offer a sample of pretty much any rum in the shop to help you decide on what bottle(s) to take home with you. That’s right, L&L Rum Shop provides access to a couple of hundred rums to sample.  WoW – I can see how that could lead to a fun tasting session for serious rum aficionados!

Clifton Estate Spiced Rum from Nevis. L&L Rum Shop in St. Kitts & Nevis is well stocked with over 200 rums/rhums!


For my visit, Mark helped me explore Martinique’s rhum agricole with a couple of samples, although I have to admit I have yet to develop an appreciation for the lighter, yet complex sugarcane-based drink. We also sampled Nevis’ own (soon to be famous?) Clifton Estate Spiced Rum. For a relatively young rum, it was surprisingly delicious. First of all, the rum is presented in a clever and unique bottle shaped like a barrel – how cool is that?! The rum has a rich golden colour with an appetizing scent of cinnamon, nutmeg and candied orange. I found that Clifton Estate Spiced Rum gently tingled on my tongue with warm spices and a touch of honey. With little burn, even my non-drinking wife liked it! Knowing I can’t get this at home, I picked up a couple of bottles to add to my personal collection, although I don’t think they’ll last long 😊. Mark recommends Clifton Estate Spiced Rum be drunk straight, with a splash of coconut water or alternatively with a drop of orange bitters in a rum and coke.  They all sound good to me.

Once I left the rum section, I realized that L&L sells more than just rum. They also offer a full selection of liquor, Cuban (and other) cigars, as well as wines from all over the world, with a deserved focus on France. After all, the L&L in L&L Rum Shop stands for Libations & Leaf you know. While we’re on the subject of stuff other than rum, something in the shop really unique caught my eye.

Proudly displayed on the main counter was another Clifton Estate Nevis original – NEVIQ Tropical Liqueur, and it’s really something to see! The bright blue concoction contains an intriguing swirling silver shimmer and tastes like well, tropical fruit. NEVIQ will forever remind me of snorkeling in St. Kitts & Nevis as just the day before, I had been mesmerized by the refracted sunbeams on the rippled sand bottom of the shallow Caribbean Sea. NEVIQ captures that image perfectly.


Now I’m not one to spread rumours, but I hear that L&L Rum Shop also has a cannabis-infused wine ready to hit the shelves once the righteous plant becomes fully legal in St. Kitts & Nevis.

L&L Rum Shop in Nevis, St. Kitts & Nevis is well stocked with over 200 rums/rhums!

It was clear that Mark is well connected, so I was not too surprised to hear that he also has his hand in the Clifton Estate brand producing several innovative and unique products from Nevis. Find out more by reading our Clifton Estate Rum blog.

I’m sure you would agree that discovering L&L Rum Shop on a tiny island in the Eastern Caribbean is a pleasant surprise. So… If you’re on a quest to find some unique rum or simply looking for a quality mixer, L&L Rum Shop likely has what you’re after.  Besides, every visitor to Nevis should take the opportunity to bring a tasty piece of the Caribbean home with them!

FYI – You can reach Nevis from St. Kitts via the public ferry terminal in Basseterre, or by water taxi from Cockleshell Bay (AKA Reggae Beach). For more information on L&L Rum Shop, check out their facebook pages L&L Rumshop and Mark’s Rum Tasting. To contact the store in advance of your visit, reach out to Mark at lnlrumshop@gmail.com or call 1-869-661-0627.

If you’re interested in reading more about rum, check out our Caribbean Rum page and our St. Kitts & Nevis Rum page.

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

For other great Tourist Attractions on the islands, check out our Things to Do in St. Kitts & Nevis blog

If you’re looking for more ‘active’ things to do while vacationing in St. Kitts & Nevis, click on our SKN Adventures blog post for some great ideas!

ACT Staff

No comments

Top 6 Attractions in Bonaire

  By , ,

Fun Things to Do in Bonaire – Pink Flamingos, White Salt Mountains & So Much More

Discover what Bonaire has to offer. Dive / snorkel a reef, visit nature reserves and see parrots and flamingos or enjoy festivals, heritage sites, site-seeing tours and more.

Bonaire is a small island in the southern Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles, situated about 25 miles (80km) north of the Venezuelan coast – The island is a special municipality of the Netherlands. Unlike most of the Caribbean, Bonaire is safe from hurricanes and has a truly amazing climate, relatively warm and dry for most of the year. Famous for it’s pink flamingos and white mountains of salt, the island has plenty to offer sight-seeing travelers.  There are plenty of things to do in Bonaire if you know where to look…  Our Personal favourites include:

Explore Bonaire Nature in Washington-Slagbaai National Park

Things to do in Bonaire - Enjoy Bonaire Attractions like Washington-Slagbaai National Park

Washington-Slagbaai National Park covers close to 14 thousand acres at the northern tip of the island. Established in 1969, this was the first nature sanctuary in the Netherlands Antilles.  The Park is a protected area for sea turtles and birds – including parrots, flamingos and parakeets, as well as iguanas and many other reptiles.  Washington-Slagbaai is a land of contrasts, from it’s mostly desert terrain to a couple of RAMSAR recognized wetland areas.  A trip to the Park usually includes a visit to their museum and an off-road drive on one of the three main roads to explore what the park has to offer.  There’s a number of interesting sites to see, inland as well as along the coast.  Visit salt lakes, animal watering holes, a lighthouse, the island’s tallest hill and perhaps you’ll want to spend some time on a quiet beach.

FYI – For more nature outside of the Park, Bonaire Botanical Gardens offer guided tours of their desert plantation. The Garden is located on the north-east coast, just south-east of Washington-Slagbaai National Park.

For more information, along with tour operators who can get you in and around the park, check out our Things to do in Bonaire – Land Excursions page

Bonaire Bird Watching and Flamingo Viewing

Things to do in Bonaire - Enjoy Bonaire Attractions like Echo’s Dos Pos Conservation Centre or Goto Meer

A visit to Echo’s Dos Pos Conservation Centre at the north end of the island will give you the best opportunity to see some of Bonaire’s parrots.  Guided tours will take you through a dry forest environment, satisfying your bird watching desires with educational information as well as quiet time to observe the birds.

While you may get lucky and spot a flamingo on a drive around the island, the best place for you to view the large colourful birds is at Bonaire’s north end, at a saltwater lagoon observation area called Goto Meer.  It’s interesting to note that the Pekelmeer Flamingo Sanctuary, located at the south end of the island, is not open to tourists.  That said, upwards of 10 thousand flamingos along with a large variety of other birds, can be viewed in the salt lake sanctuary with binoculars from the nearby road (EEG Boulevard) or even Pink Beach.

For more information on one of the more popular things to do in Bonaire, including tour operators who will help you see Bonaire’s iconic birds, click on our Things to do in Bonaire – Land Excursions page

Bonaire Sight Seeing – Main Towns & Attractions

Things to do in Bonaire - Enjoy Bonaire Attractions like walking around Kralendijk

On the west coast of the island you’ll find the capital of Bonaire, Kralendijk (pronounced ‘Kral-An-Didjk’). The quaint town-centre is full of colourful homes and buildings and there’s plenty of shopping on and around the main street Kaya Grandi.  For the history buff, Terramar Museum is in the center of town, featuring exhibits showcasing seven thousand years of Caribbean and Bonairean history.

Mangazina di Rei Museum is housed in the second oldest stone building on the island – It’s located in Rincon, at the north end of Bonaire. Tours are available of a local Monument along with the museum’s indoor / outdoor “historical & cultural” displays.  While you’re there… The Cadushy Distillery is also located in Rincon.  The distillery produces rum, vodka and whisky, however it’s main products are colourful local fruit based liqueurs – One dedicated to each of the Dutch Caribbean Islands.

For more information, along with tour operators who provide island tours, click on our Things to do in Bonaire page

Bonaire Sight Seeing – Island Attractions & Great Views

Things to do in Bonaire - Enjoy Bonaire Attractions like the Slave Huts and Obelisks

Seru Largu is an easily accessed look-out located on a 330 feet (100m) hill.  It’s not a huge hill, however as the island is predominantly flat, you’ll be treated with spectacular views of the island and Caribbean sea. The Look-out is located 4 miles (7km) north of Kralendijk. 

Bonaire’s Slave Huts & Obelisks mark the location where slave labour was used to collect and load salt on to old sailboats. The four Obelisks were used as navigational beacons for the incoming ships. This site is at the south-west end of the island near the salt ponds.

Bonaire’s first lighthouse, built in 1837, Willemstoren is located on the south-east tip of island.

For more info, along with tour operators who provide island tours, check out our Things to do in Bonaire – Land Excursions page

Enjoy Bonaire’s Roads and Trails…

Things to do in Bonaire - Enjoy Bonaire Attractions by Harley Davidson, ATV, Dune Buggy or horesback

Various tour operators on the island offer Quad/ATV or Dune Buggy based off-road excursions.  Have fun driving around the desert terrain, taking occasional breaks to explore a cave, view the island from a hill-top look out or check out one of the many attractions in the Bara di Karta region of Bonaire. 

Sad that you left your hog at home? You can get on a Harley Davidson for a few hours to explore the island in style – Either as part of a Motorbike Tour or Motorbike Rental.  Seriously!

If you’re looking for a more quiet and slower natural experience, try horseback riding on Bonaire – There are two great stables to choose from.

Check this out – For the really adventurous, give Land Yacht Sailing a try.  Think of a large go-cart, powered by the wind.  Yes, that’s a thing in Bonaire!

For more information, along with tour operators who will get you moving, click on our Things to do in Bonaire – Land Excursions page

Have Fun and Explore Bonaire by Sea

Things to do in Bonaire - Enjoy Bonaire from the sea via a glass bottom boat, a catamaran sailboat or motor boat.

There are also a number of ways for you to explore the island by sea.  You can take a Glass Bottom Boat tour to get a view of the island’s underwater beauty without getting wet.  Perhaps a private motor-boat or speedboat tour is more your speed.  There’s plenty of sea-faring options in Bonaire.

Larger motorboats and sailboats are available for a variety of ocean tours – Enjoy Dinner at Sea, a Sunset Cruise or perhaps a Party Boat cruise… There’s something for everyone!

For more information, along with boat operators who will get you on the Caribbean Sea, click on our Things to do in Bonaire – Ocean Excursions page

Enjoy!

ACT Staff

If you’re looking for more of a physical adventure, check out our Bonaire Adventure Activities blog

For more information on the amazingly diverse island, take a look at our Bonaire Vacations page

No comments

A Delightful Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts

  By , , , , , , , ,
Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten Bay to see pufferfish, sargent major, jacks, wrasse, trumpetfish, snake eel and more

A wicked fast catamaran and a beautiful bay full of life


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.

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran Spirit of St. Kitts

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.

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise


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.

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten 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!

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten Bay to see sargent major, jacks, and more

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.

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten Bay to see trumpetfish

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

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten Bay to see pufferfish
Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten Bay to see pufferfish, sargent major, jacks, wrasse, trumpetfish, snake eel and more


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):

Sail & Snorkel Excursion in St. Kitts & Nevis with Leeward Islands Charters. Wicked fast catamaran cruise to Shitten Bay to see pufferfish, sargent major, jacks, wrasse, trumpetfish, snake eel and more


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