Barbados’ Modest Mount Gay Rum Distillery is ‘World Renowned’

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery

The Mount Gay “Historic Distillery Experience Tour”


Barbados is a unique coral island in the Caribbean famous for its white sandy beaches, consistently warm weather as well as being generally considered the birthplace of rum.  Hang-on – the birthplace of rum – think about the significance of that for a moment…  Personally, I am grateful to the folks who created my favourite alcoholic beverage over 300 years ago 😉.  A rum lover’s trip to Barbados would be incomplete without a visit to the oldest rum distillery in the Caribbean, “the rum that invented rum” – The illustrious Mount Gay Rum Distillery.

I was really looking forward to visiting Mount Gay’s historic distillery and taking their Distillery Experience Tour and I was not disappointed!  It was great to get out of the hustle and bustle of the touristy south-west area and travel up to the north end of Barbados known as Saint Lucy Parish.  The drive up the west coast was enjoyable, although the excitement really mounted when we drove inland.  I love the Barbados countryside and this rural area of the island is beautiful.  I knew we were getting close to the distillery when the gentle hills were covered with cotton fields and sugar cane crops.

Our mini-van pulled into a very unassuming lane on Mount Gilboa and after being welcomed by a Mount Gay Host, we were soon inside the Distillery’s impressive lounge listening to a knowledgeable Mount Gay Ambassador tell us about the history of the plantation and rum making on the island.  Chester told us the fascinating story of how one of the original plantation owners, John Sober (Seriously – I’m not making that name up) named the rum distillery after his manager, Sir John Gay Alleyne.  You see, it was John Gay’s leadership in the late 1700s that put Mount Gilboa (soon to become Mount Gay) Rum on the map and on the path that makes it one of the most reputable rum brands in the world today. Listening to Chester talk you would think he was referring to a small family run business, even though the company was bought by a major corporate conglomerate a few years ago. Throughout the tour, it became genuinely apparent that the folks working there, many of whom live in the nearby village, really do behave as a close-knit family.

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery

I’ve been on a few rum tours before, however it was on this outing that I heard that saccharum officinarum, commonly known as sugar cane, contains the word ‘rum’ twice – Hhmnnn… Is this where the sweet liquid’s name came from? Chester also pointed out Barbados’ importance in all Caribbean rum production as it is home to the West Indies Central Sugar Cane Breeding Station – The place where different Sugar Cane varieties and strains come from!

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery


It wasn’t too long before our small group (< a dozen) journeyed outside to the warm and beautiful grounds where our host Tina walked us over to the well used to source the water for Mount Gay rum.  Chester explained that Barbados’ unique coral limestone terrain acts as a natural filter for the island’s underground water system.  It’s absolutely amazing to hear that Mount Gay uses the same well as they did hundreds of years ago.  It was also mentioned that the water is triple filtered before being used for their rums.


While Mount Gay grows its own sugar cane, we were informed that sugar production on the island is just a fraction of what it once was and as a result, they also use molasses from cane imported from other parts of the Caribbean.  That said, they work with the government-run sugar refinery (used by all the island’s rum producers) to maintain control over their molasses content/mix. Chester informed us that Mount Gay is planning to increase their own sugar cane production as well as build their own sugar refinery in the near future.  This can only help manage the consistency and quality of their products.

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery


Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery

Speaking of molasses…  our tour coincided with a truck pumping the oil-like substance into Mount Gay’s holding tanks.  The air was filled with the strong aromatics from the bitter/sweet liquid I like to call ‘the other black gold’.  We made a quick stop inside the low-roofed building to view the molasses containers before entering the large distillery building next door. Here, we got to taste local Barbados molasses as well as the “other Caribbean” molasses.  I thought the local product was much thicker with both sweet and tart notes than the other thinner syrup.  I’m sure it’s an interesting process for the Mount Gay experts to blend the two.


Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery



We then moved into another room that contains giant barrels, of which we can only see the top few feet.  I believe these barrels were made from French Oak.  The first vat is a yeast “hot tub” where the initial molasses-based ‘mash’ is made. This liquid is then transferred barrel to barrel through an open-air fermentation or ‘wash’ process.


Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery



The next room we visited is where the actual distillation takes place. Mount Gay’s Scottish and Spanish ‘pot’ stills, along with a copper column produce the alcohol that’s almost rum.  I found it interesting that the column still was just recently brought back into the Mount Gay rum-making process.



This was all very interesting, however the group may have been getting a little restless at this stage – We wanted to taste the result of all this love and science.  Lucky for us, our next stop was a short distance across the grounds to another building that housed a large kitchen-like room – Here’s where the hands-on fun began! Like a high-school science class, we each had our own station for this portion of the tour.

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery
Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery

We started by sampling 7-year-old versions of both pot still and column still rums.  We were now hosted by a member of the Mount Gay blending team, who was very helpful in encouraging us to recognize the more subtle differences in the rums – The citrusy aroma and mild taste of the column still rum, in contrast to the spicy smell and more complex flavours of the pot still rum. Honestly, to me, the rum from the column still was very fragrant and tasted a bit sweet, while the pot still rum had a strong alcohol aroma and a stronger flavour with a little burn. After sampling, we blended our own rum creations. For my signature rum, I chose a 60-40 Pot-Column mix.  While I hope it tastes good, before we left the island I picked up a bottle of Mount Gay Black Barrel rum…  You know, just in case.

On the move again… We went back into the Mount Gay reception building and relaxed in the bar for some much-anticipated sampling.  Our friendly host Tina was behind the bar to offer us samples of their Black Barrel, XO and XO Peat Smoke Expression rums.  It was astonishing to actually be able to discern the diverse flavour profiles of this fine collection – The Mount Gay Master Blenders are certainly doing something right!

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery

I found the Black Barrel surprisingly smooth and sweet – My palate really appreciated the extra aging/maturation in heavily charred bourbon barrels.  XO is a staple in my bar at home, so I was not surprised to enjoy the hint of vanilla within its flavour depth.  Finally, the Peat Smoke XO, which I understand includes a final maturation in Scottish peated whiskey casks – Absolutely Brilliant. Smooth with a serious earthy/nutty flavour profile similar to a fine scotch whiskey (I suspect, as I don’t drink Scotch).  For the true rum connoisseur, this rum is worthy of the >$250us a bottle price tag.

A few folks had left the tour prior to entering the bar, leaving a small affable group of British, Canadians and Americans to get to know each other a little bit better. I enjoyed the lively conversation with my new friends, which of course focused on our common love for rum and the Caribbean – A good time was had by all!

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Mount Gay Distillery


… and the tour wasn’t over just yet – We went outside for some fresh air as we walked over to one of the ‘barns’ where they warehouse, or more accurately ‘age & mature’ their rums. Mount Gay rums are typically matured in used American whiskey casks – We noted a number of Jack Daniels stamps on some of the old barrels.  I understand that cognac casks are utilized in some of their specialty rums.  We also noticed an area with new/future products – Looks like they’re being aged in used wine casks.  I guess we’ll have to wait to find out more about these creations…

Our super-friendly and unpretentious tour had to come to an end. The overall vibe of the Mount Gay Distillery was informative, yet informal and fun – It was almost hard to believe that some of the best rums in the world really come from a distillery with such a low-key ‘small town’ feel to it. Bravo – Well Done!

ACT Staff

If the Historic Distillery Experience Tour sounds like fun, you can book your own via the Mount Gay website or by visiting their facebook page.  Please note that Mount Gay also offers a number of other Rum Tasting Tours and Workshops at their easily accessible Bridgetown Visitor Centre location.

If you’re interested in reading more about rum, check out our Caribbean Rum page and our Barbados Rum page, which includes a list of Tour Operators who will get you sampling Barbados’ finest.

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

For other great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Barbados page

If you’re looking for more ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Barbados Adventures blog post for some great ideas!

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

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

Epic Dominica Hiking – A Scene from Another World…

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

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

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



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

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

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

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


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

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


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


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



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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACT Staff

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

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

Dominica Hiking – Boiling Lake & the Valley of Desolation Trail

Dominica Hiking Trails

Dominica Vacations

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

The Best Snorkelling Spots in St. Kitts

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

Snorkel St. Kitts For Sand Divers to Quick Squid

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

Shitten Bay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

South Friars Bay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

White House Bay

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Timothy Beach / Frigate Bay

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

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

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

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

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

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

ACT Staff

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

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

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

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

6 St. Lucia Attractions You Don’t Want to Miss

Things to Do in Saint Lucia – Get Muddy, Explore Nature & Relax on a Sunset Sail


You’ll find Saint Lucia in the southern Caribbean, just south of Martinique, with Barbados to its east. St. Lucia is a mountainous island covered in lush green rain-forest and is home to the distinctive and easily recognizable Pitons (mountains), a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  A very popular Caribbean vacation destination known for romantic getaways, there’s also plenty of things to do in Saint Lucia for active travelers – If you know where to look….  You can enjoy time outdoors with a walk through a botanical gardens or on a nature trail.  Thrill seekers can zip-line through the rain-forest or motor through the jungle on an ATV or Dune Buggy.

Our personal favourites include:

Saint Lucia Nature – Explore and Enjoy!

Things to do in Saint Lucia include exploring Nature on the Tet Paul Trail

Saint Lucia is a gorgeous island, full of nature’s wonders…

The Tet Paul Nature Trail is a “must do” on the island. The hour long guided tour can be enjoyed by folks of all ages and physical ability.  You will be treated with amazing views of the Pitons, as well as the south coast of the island. Your guide will also share his knowledge of local plant life on display there.

Things to do in Saint Lucia include exploring Nature

For another quiet day in nature, journey to the remote east side of the island to experience Mamiku Botanical Gardens which offers a variety of forest and plantation tours that feature birds, humming birds and butterflies along with flowers and plant life, including medicinal herbs.

The Millet bird Sanctuary is located just outside of Roseau and provides birdwatchers with a 2-mile loop trail through a rich jungle environment that is home to 30 species of birds.

If you’re really serious about nature, take a scenic boat ride over to the Fregate Islands Nature Reserve, an important nesting site for the amazing Frigate bird, or to the Maria Islands Nature Reserve – Home to two endemic species found nowhere else in the world: the Kouwès grass snake and the Zandoli tè ground lizard.

For the more adventurous, take a trip to the Castries Waterworks Forest Reserve (Rainforest Adventures) for amazing views and a few thrills, from riding their aerial tram or zip-line. They also have rain-forest trails to explore. Enjoy some of the more fun and active things to do in Saint Lucia…

For more information check out our Things to do in St. Lucia – Land Excursions page

Visit St. Lucia’s Waterfalls, Mud Baths and more…

Things to do in Saint Lucia include  mud baths, sulphur springs and waterfalls

Of course, your trip to St. Lucia is not complete without seeing the multitude of things to do in Soufriere – The most popular attractions include the sulphur springs, therapeutic mud-baths and mineral water pools, along with enjoying a refreshing shower under one of the island’s many waterfalls.

Things to do in Saint Lucia include mud baths, sulphur springs and waterfalls

Coined ‘the only drive-in volcano in the world’, Saint Lucia’s sulphur springs feature small boiling and steaming mud and water holes near the top of the volcano.  Once you’ve seen (and smelled 😉 that area, it’s time to get more interactive – Take a warm mud bath, then rinse off in a nearby mountain fed stream of water – Choose from a number of waterfalls in the area including the Sapphire, Toraille and Latille waterfalls.

Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens provide a guided tour of their gardens and colourful waterfalls, along with an opportunity to relax in their Mineral Baths.

A number of Island Tours include a combination of the sulphur springs, Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls along with other island attractions such as a banana plantation, an estate plantation, a beach stop and a local Lunch.  Zip-lining, horseback riding and ATV tours are also available.

For more info on some of the more popular things to do in Saint Lucia, including tour operators who will help you get the most out of your day, check out our Things to do in Saint Lucia – Land Excursions page

Saint Lucia Sight-Seaing by Boat Tour 😉

Things to do in Saint Lucia include sail the coast to see dolphins and whales as well as Marigot Bay

For a unique perspective of St. Lucia, cruise down the west coast in a boat to check out Marigot Bay, the ‘tunnel of love’ and the majestic Pitons.  You can take a speedboat, a cruiser, or sailboat, both catamarans and mono-hull yachts are available.  You can even journey by glass bottom boat or pirate galleon.

It’s an amazing sight when cruising alongside dolphins and whales – Yes that’s a thing.  You can also relax and feel the caribbean sea breeze in your face when you it’s sail under the power of the wind – What a great feeling!

Of course it wouldn’t be St. Lucia without a romantic sunset cruise.

For a change of view, you can reach the Soufriere attractions via the water, and boat tours usually include a beach BBQ or Plantation lunch. You can also find party boats and pirate themed tours for the kid in all of us 🙂

For more details, including boat/tour operators who will help you get the most out of your day on the sea, check out our Things to do in Saint Lucia – Ocean Excursions page

Re-live St. Lucia’s Colourful History

Wander around historic Fort Rodney & Signal Peak in beautiful Pigeon Island National Park, and recall how this strategically important island changed hands between the French and the English more than a dozen times over a three hundred year span.

Things to do in Saint Lucia include a visit to Rodney Bay National Park and Pigeon Island

Located on the north-west tip of Saint Lucia, near Gros Islet, remains of the old stone fort are perched on a peak that juts out into the ocean.  Feel the warm breeze while you take in spectacular panoramic views of the island and Caribbean sea.  When you’re ready, travel to nearby Rodney bay where you’ll enjoy having lunch at a restaurant on Reduit Beach. Great relaxing things to do in Saint Lucia for sure…

For more information on the island, click on our St. Lucia Vacations page

Saint Lucia Rum – Sample Some Excellent Stuff!

Located in the west coast town of Roseau, 20 minutes from the capital Castries, you can find the island’s only official rum producer.  Perhaps not that well-known, St. Lucia Distillers produce some of the best rum in the Caribbean, winning dozens of awards from various spirits competitions around the world.  They produce over ten different rums, including varieties of white, flavoured, spiced and aged spirits, as well as rum based liqueurs/cremes. Their aged and spiced rums are excellent, including some great premium sipping rums.  You can visit the St. Lucia Distillers retail store front, which includes a rum sampling room and they offer factory tours as well. Its worth the trip to Roseau to check out these fine Saint Lucian rums.

Things to do in Saint Lucia include a visit to the St. Lucia Distillers for rum tasting

For more information, including tour operators who can get you there and back safely, click on our St. Lucia Rum page

Enjoy Saint Lucia’s SOLEIL Summer Festival

There’s a number of festivals on the island, pretty much year round.  There’s culinary events during the Food & Rum Festival, the St. Lucia ‘Carnival’ and plenty of outstanding music festivals.  St. Lucia’s Jazz Festival culminates with a concert on majestic Pigeon Island, while the Roots and Soul Festival features reggae, conscious hip-hop, Afro-punk and R&B music. You can also experience Saint Lucia’s rich cultural, ethnic and artistic heritage during the island’s Arts and Heritage Festival.  Oh, did I mention…  St. Lucia celebrates Chocolate Heritage Month every August, with a number of local events, including chocolate based meals and beverages – Yum!

For more information, check out our St. Lucia’s Festivals and Events Calendar page

Enjoy!

ACT Staff

Want to see an overview collage of things to do in St. Lucia? Check out our Saint Lucia Sights & Attractions video on YouTube!

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

For an overview of this beautiful island, take a look at our St. Lucia Vacations page

The Top 6 Adventures in St. Kitts & Nevis

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

St. Kitts and Nevis Water Sports – Plenty of Options

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

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

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

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

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

Mountain Bike & Cycle the Sister Islands

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

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

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

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

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

Dive the Reefs and Wrecks of Saint Kitts & Nevis

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

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

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

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

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

Saint Kitts and Nevis Golf

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have Fun!

ACT Staff

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

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