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Barbados Snorkeling – Carlisle Bay and Holetown

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Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown

Swim with Turtles, Snorkel a Shipwreck and More!

Always on the lookout for fun and active “things to do” while on our Caribbean vacations, one constant theme kept popping up throughout my research on Barbados – swimming with turtles and snorkeling over shipwrecks.  With all those white sand beaches and close-to-shore reefs along the south-west and west coast, I was really looking forward to getting into the water and exploring the marine seascapes!  So, here’s what we did…

Carlisle Bay – Swim with Turtles and Snorkel a Shipwreck

Carlisle Bay is about a mile (2km) south of Bridgetown, and about 4 miles (7km) north of where we were staying. We donned our bathing suits and reef-friendly sunscreen, grabbed our snorkel masks and hopped on a local bus for the 15-minute ride. Carlisle Bay has some of the most famous beaches in the Caribbean, and I must say, it is a beautiful sight. Like all beaches in Barbados, Brownes Beach, Pebbles Beach and Bayshore Beach are “public” beaches.  This means that anyone can just lay down a towel and stake a claim to a piece of sand, regardless of the hotel or bar/restaurant you happen to be in front of (or is it behind?).  Anyways, the gorgeous white sand beaches of Carlisle Bay stretch for about a mile (2km) along the shimmering blue sea that beckoned us in for a swim and snorkel.  The beaches are just about perfect – with no stones or pebbles and there’s no sea-weed in the water.  The only potential downside is that it was fairly busy by Caribbean island standards.  But… understandable considering what the area offers.

Beach chair and umbrella rentals are available all along the beach. There’s even a couple of facilities that feature a bar, restaurant and bathrooms – Harbour Lights and the Boatyard Club also conveniently turn into nightclubs for continuing the party when the sun goes down. We ended up near Bayshore Beach which has public washrooms (Lockers are available – just bring your own lock). Vendors in the parking lot offer everything from water to large home-cooked meals.  Later in the day, I had what I think was the largest, tastiest meat patty I’ve ever had, outside of Jamaica.

Enough of the logistics – It’s time we got in the water!

Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown

We started at an area that at first seemed devoid of life.  No coral, just a sand bottom 15-20 feet below…  then, I saw something moving down there…  There were several stingrays cruising along the seafloor.  Apparently, these creatures are fairly new to this spot, although it’s easy to understand why they’re here. Like other marine animals in the area, they’re here for the food.  Local boat/tour operators drop fish scraps into the water to attract turtles – The Crowd Favourite. There were several boatloads of people occupying the same space, so when a turtle was spotted, everyone converged on the area. Even with several legs thrashing around, we managed to see a couple of the fascinating reptiles. It was really fun to watch a turtle, enveloped in a swarm of “entourage” fish, swim up for an easy meal.  After surfacing for some air, it gracefully descended, mysteriously disappearing into the depths.

Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown

Next stop – The shipwreck.  Strong swimmers can access this spot right from the beach. Fortunately, there were fewer people here and were more spread out. Snorkeling over the shipwreck was incredible – It absolutely blew me away as I’ve never seen so many fish congregating in one area like that. The top of the ship is less than 15 feet (4.5m) from the surface, so clearly visible by snorkelers.  The top and sides of the wreck were covered in corals, sponges and sea fans, however I was really fascinated by the large variety of tropical fish.  I viewed the ship from stern to bow and back again – I just couldn’t get enough.  Along with schools of sergeant-majors, the trumpetfish, blue-tang and angelfish really stood out to me. I watched as a snorkeler dived down to the surface of the ship and even into one of the openings – Hhmnn… I’ll need to try that next time!  This may be as close to a scuba diving experience as I’ll ever get.

Now that I know where the hotspots are, the next time I’m in Barbados I’ll try to get to Carlisle Bay before 9am, rent a kayak and check out these locations before the crowds arrive.

Want to see more? Check out our Barbados Snorkeling with Turtles and Rays, and Barbados Snorkeling over Shipwrecks videos on YouTube!

Folkstone & Holetown – Rock Pile Reefs

Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown

A couple of days later we got on another bus and ventured further up the west coast to check out Folkstone Marine Park. Snorkelers can explore a large area of shallow sea here, protected by buoys and rope fence. From the beach, we could see several scattered rows of reefs close to shore – So exciting!  Unfortunately, the water was rough that day, with waves breaking right over the reefs, so the beach was closed to snorkelers.  We were there on a Sunday, so the Information Centre / Museum (lockers available) was also closed.  Disappointed but not defeated, we wandered south along the beach looking for somewhere else to get into the water…

Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown


Just north of Holetown, I could see a dark shape in the water really close to shore, so I assumed it was a reef and a potential place to snorkel.  The warm salty water was easy to float in, even with the small waves that day. Here’s where things got a little interesting…  As I neared the “reef”, I was surprised to see that it was actually a meticulously stacked/assembled rock-pile. It was as if a Giant played a game of Granite Tetris undersea…  I assume that all the reefs along Barbados’ west coast are like this.  Unlike most of its neighbouring islands, Barbados is a coral island, so I was expecting lots of natural coral at the bottom of the sea – Well, this was a learning experience.


Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown

Regardless of their composition, these rock barriers provide a sanctuary for sea-life. This little reef had several different fish swimming around it, so I was motivated to check-out the larger reef at the north end of Holetown – Wow, I’m sure glad I did! Just a few feet from shore I disturbed a flounder and then I found the rock-pile area full of life.  I saw a variety of fish species on the east side of the reef so I rounded the south end to see what was on the other side.  Well, I was in for a treat – I almost immediately encountered a large school of Blue Chromis (I think). So cool!

I was told that further offshore from Holetown beach there’s a sunken barge resting in 20 feet (6m) of water that is home to plenty of colourful fish and other marine life including turtles.  Locals offered boat rides to get to the spot.

Based on my experience with the beach at Holetown, I suspect that snorkeling up at Folkestone would be outstanding. I imagine that I could have spent hours just floating around examining the reefs and their marine life in their entirety. Unfinished business – Well, now I have an excuse for coming back to Barbados 😊

Want to see more? Check out our Barbados Snorkeling – From Holetown video on YouTube!

Other Barbados West Coast / South-West Coast Beaches

There are more than a dozen beaches along the west coast of the island and several of them are good for a little snorkeling…  I understand that the beaches at Alleynes Bay, Paynes Bay and Batts Rock are good spots.

Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown
Active Caribbean Travel Snorkels Barbados Carlisle Bay, Folkstone Marine Park and Holetown


On our last day in Barbados, we went for a walk along the Richard Haynes Boardwalk and came across a couple of spots that looked like they might be good for snorkeling.  This half-mile (1km) long wooden walkway straddles the beachfront between Hasting’s Coconut Court Beach Hotel and Rockley Beach.  Even if there’s no snorkeling, you can always relax in the tidal pools that are created on calm sea days!


ACT Staff

For more information on snorkeling in Barbados, including a list of tour operators who will get you to the hot spots, check out our Barbados Snorkeling page

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

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

For an overview of great Tourist Attractions on the island, including tour operators who will take good care of you, check out our Things to Do in Barbados page

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Explore St. Kitts on a Scenic Railway Tour

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Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Enjoy spectacular views of plantation remains, Mount Liamuiga, as well as neighbouring islands. There's an open bar too!

A lively odyssey on the “Last Railway in the West Indies”

I’ve been wanting to ride the “Last Railway in the West Indies” for several years now, so when we finally decided to vacation in St. Kitts & Nevis, the first thing I did was get tickets for this tour.  I’m glad I did – It may be the most enjoyable way to see the island.

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Riding the 100 year old narrow gauge railway is a blast

To catch the train, we arrived early at the Needsmust Train Station, located right next to the airport on the outskirts of the island’s capital, Basseterre.  I stood on the railway line, first looking at the colourful double-decker train behind me, then I gazed ahead at the narrow tracks that disappear into a carpet of green that is St. Kitts. As we were visiting during the interesting times of covid-19 restrictions, we were unable to choose which railway car we would travel in.  If I had my choice, I would have gone to the last car, looking forward (pun intended) to awesome views of the locomotive and train cars in front as we traveled around corners. However, there were 3 different cruise ships in port the day of our tour, with each cruise line being assigned its own railcar. A good precaution that makes sense during the pandemic. So, along with residents of St. Kitts and other folks staying on the island, we were assigned to the first car, immediately behind the engine.  It’s all good – We still managed to get cool shots of the train cars trailing behind us.

Once we boarded the train, we went up the tight spiral staircase to the open-air upper deck so we could enjoy the Caribbean breeze and take advantage of the height. From this vantage point, we could see over tall vegetation and fully appreciate the amazing panoramic views of the island and sea. As we slowly pulled out of the train station, I noticed the locomotive graveyard off to the side which appeared to include some old 20th century power plants. For you train buffs out there, I believe they are of the PKP class Lyd2 variety. It’s incredible to think that this unique “narrow gauge railway” system was originally built between 1912 and 1926 – I can’t say I’ve ever been on a 100-year-old railroad before.

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Spectacular views of plantation remains & Mount Liamuiga, plus neighbouring islands.

Leaving the station we headed north through Canada, a surprisingly named district of St. Peter Basseterre Parish – That got a good chuckle from the North American Canadians on board. Running along the north-eastern coast of St. Kitts provided spectacular views of the island’s coastal region. Near the town of Cayon, the train tracks hugged the coastline while the main road we had run parallel to, veered inland.  This stretch presented us with a beautiful view of the shoreline of St. Kitts, flanked by the endless blue of the Atlantic Ocean. I was pleasantly surprised to see the friendly people of St. Kitts waving to us as we passed by their villages. A very welcoming experience.

Throughout the tour, a wonderful guide narrated our journey. She enthusiastically provided passengers with insight as to the regions we were passing through, sprinkling in bits of island history as we advanced northward. I recall her telling us about how the railway system was originally built to collect sugar cane from the island’s plantations, delivering the sweet bounty into Basseterre for processing and export to markets overseas. That the “sugar train” was still running up until 2005 is a testament to the success of Saint Kitt’s sugar industry!  Our guide also talked about life on the island prior to the railway, typically recounting stories of the English and French rulers of the time. She successfully painted a mental picture of Caribbean rural island life in the 18th and 19th centuries.

As we rumbled along the tracks, the train wobbled a bit from side to side – All part of the experience of riding on this historic railway. For the most part, the train line ran along a fairly straight path, although I felt us taking a few horseshoe-shaped turns inland once in a while, likely to get around some of the more dramatic landscape features of the island. Speaking of which, a highlight of the train ride occurred every time we traversed a gulley, or what they call “ghut” in St. Kitts. Crossing over tall steel bridges amplifies the engineering wonder of how this tall wide train safely traverses the narrow tracks.


Did I mention that the tour included an open bar?  Well ya, it does! While I hesitated for a second, I couldn’t help myself from ordering a mango daiquiri, even if it is only 9:30 in the morning. There were servers on each car, offering a variety of rum-based or virgin fruit juices, as well as soda/pop and water.  We wanted for nothing on this full-service tour.

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Spectacular views of plantation remains & Mount Liamuiga, plus neighbouring islands. Open bar!

Just past the town of Belle Vue, famous for the island’s outcrop of volcanic ‘black rocks’, the train tracks crossed over the main road and headed slightly inland.  I appreciated our tour guide pointing out a couple of large bat caves in the cliffs we passed, as I would have otherwise missed them. Meanwhile, the train continued to clackity-clack along the track. As should be expected from a train cruising through the rustic Caribbean countryside, the locomotive driver also blew the horn from time to time. What I didn’t anticipate was that it was not warning people of our approach, but it was signalling the sheep, goats and the occasional cow to get off the tracks – Now that’s not something you see every day.  What a hoot!

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Spectacular views of plantation remains & Mount Liamuiga, plus neighbouring islands. There's an open bar too!


Not that we needed an interruption from the scenic beauty of St. Kitts, but the tour also included a unique entertainment experience as well.  For an interesting change of pace, a couple of costumed characters suddenly appeared in the train car, dancing to the beat of festive music. For anyone who has attended the annual St. Kitts & Nevis’ Sugar Mas Carnival, you would instantly recognize the traditional costume of the Moko Jumbie – ‘ghosts’ of folklore.

While we had already enjoyed great views of the island, perhaps the most scenic part of the journey was at the north end of St. Kitts.  I thought it was really cool to see pairs of windmill and smokestack ruins, revealing the remains of old sugar plantations in an expanse of lush vegetation.  Of course, the majestic Mount Liamuiga towering in the background really added to the scenery! That said, looking away from St. Kitts was just as nice, first with St. Barts and St. Maarten on the distant horizon, then followed by the sublime close-up views of Sint Eustatius with Saba in the background.

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Spectacular views of the ocean and neighbouring islands.

Rounding the northeast corner of St. Kitts, our guide spent some time explaining how, due to reduced tourism thanks to the covid pandemic, the residents of the island have once again turned to agriculture for income and self-sufficiency.  St. Kitts & Nevis have such fertile land, it’s easy to understand that fruits and vegetables would grow well, where tobacco, cotton and sugar cane once flourished.  Just past the St. Kitts Eco-Park near the village of Fig Tree, the train portion of our tour sadly came to an end.  A loop in the tracks mark the end of the line, where we were met with buses filled with folks anxious to enjoy their tour back to the train station.

So we swapped rides, transferring to a bus for the journey down the west coast. We journeyed through quaint little villages before passing Basseterre’s waterfront and eventually heading back to the train station. The bus tour took us past several old churches as well as the iconic St. Kitts tourist attractions of Brimstone Fortress and Romney Manor.  The bus driver pointed out areas of interest along the way – I was especially keen to see Bloody Point, near the town of Challengers. I had been unable to find the exact location of this infamous historical spot on any map. On a brighter note, I liked seeing the Carib distillery, as we’ve been enjoying the refreshing beverage while vacationing on the island.

Saint Kitts Scenic Railway may be the best way to see the island. Double decker railcars.

All in all, the tour lasted just under 3 hours, although it seemed that we learned and experienced so much in such little time! Apparently, we had travelled 18 miles by train and a further 12 miles by bus. For those visiting St. Kitts for the first time and wanting to see the island without the stress of renting a car, there’s probably no better option than the St. Kitts Scenic Railway. By the way… If you’re looking for increased comfort and protection from the elements the upper deck may not provide, you might prefer the plush, well-appointed lower cabins of the train. They have air conditioning, carpeted floors and spacious cushioned chairs enabling you to enjoy the view out the large windows in luxury.

For more information on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway Tour, including the ability to book your own Caribbean railway experience of a lifetime, check out their website at StKittsScenicRailway.


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

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

If you’re looking for some exciting and physically challenging things to do while vacationing on the islands, click on our St. Kitts & Nevis Adventures blog post for some great ideas!

ACT Staff

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A Nature Walk in Barbados’ Welchman Hall Gully

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Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

The Barbados Green Monkeys and So Much More…

Barbados is a unique coral island in the Caribbean famous for its white-sand beaches, consistently warm weather and great rum. It is all that and more… To really get to know the Caribbean island you’re vacationing on, get off the beach and take a trip inland.  In Barbados’ hilly St. Thomas Parish, you’ll discover a forested green area, home to a number of natural attractions, including the Welchman Hall Gully – A nice, relaxing place to unwind with a leisurely stroll in nature… and let’s be honest, I really wanted to see the famous Barbados Green Monkeys ‘live and in person’ 😉

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully


With the help of a GPS and what seemed like signs on just about every street corner, we found the place no problem.  That said, if we weren’t looking for it, we probably would have driven right past the modest sign marking the entrance to the Attraction – Welchman Hall Gully. It truly is a “Tropical Forest / Cave”.  Partially hidden behind a hedge, we parked in a small lot and immediately take note of the pleasant looking outdoor café. Blending nicely into the natural environment, there’s also a gift shop and washrooms – All in the shadow of a Bearded Fig Tree, for which the island was named ( Los Barbados is Spanish for ‘the bearded ones’).

While you can take your time and wander around the property yourself with the help of a guide pamphlet, we decided to join a tour that was about to start.  I like to take advantage of a tour guide’s knowledge and insight – They can answer questions and usually point out things that might otherwise be missed.


Active Caribbean Travel visits the Barbados Green Monkeys of Welchman Hall Gully


Well, our morning tour started with a bang, as the first ‘attraction’ was the monkey platform. We arrived just in time to see a staff member dumping a box of bananas onto the platform. It didn’t take long for the local monkey troop to arrive.  Descendants of West African Green Monkeys originally brought to Barbados as pets about 300 years ago, these monkeys are wild and live in and around the Gully.  They are free to come and go as they please, however a free meal has made a visit a part of their daily routine. 



The large group consists of more than two dozen primates. It was very interesting to see them suddenly appear out of the thick jungle surroundings, climbing down trees and their plentiful vines (or beard of the trees). A family hierarchy is clearly in-place as the larger males dominated the scene while the younger monkeys were cautiously vying for scraps.


WOW – It’s so much fun watching these little guys jumping and actually ‘walking’ around! Visitors to the Gully are not allowed too close to the monkeys, as the intent is to keep them as wild as possible.


Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

After taking what seemed like a hundred pictures and a dozen videos of the cute little simians, we headed down a cement path through the gully. This is what Barbados would have looked like to early explorers prior to the 17th-century colonization that deforestation most of the island.  On our walk, we experienced a natural haven that is now home to dozens of individual plant species.  This property was obtained by the Barbados National Trust back in 1962 in order to protect one of the few remaining native vegetation areas on the island.  Besides providing much-needed habitat for the monkeys, Welchman Hall Gully is rich in bio-diversity, making this a valuable and rare area in Barbados.


Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

The easy-to-walk path is about ¾ of a mile (1.25 km) long through the gully, running north from nearby Harrison’s Cave. The landscape was formed when part of the large cave system collapsed on itself.  I loved the visually stimulating vertical walls and caverns in the gully – It was like being in a mini valley surrounded by layers of greyish green limestone and coral draped in green and brown foliage.  Remnants of the sunken caves are still evident from the remains of Stalactite – stalagmite column structures.

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

It was a pleasant walk through the gully as it is mostly protected from the sun as well as the wind, which was unusually strong that day. Throughout the tour, our knowledgeable guide Ashan pointed out and described a number of plants and trees that line the trail.  The majority of the flora is native to the Eastern Caribbean although some plants were brought to Barbados from Asia, South America and elsewhere hundreds of years ago.

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

I particularly appreciated the stories of the traditional use of some of these plants.  Ashan showed us a variety of handy roots and leaves that were used for food, medicinal teas and other uses. This included: The Noni tree leaves used to treat a variety of ailments from fevers to headaches; Black Sage oil which acts as a natural insecticide; Wild coffee plants (pictured) for, well you know… drinking; The Bay Tree leaves used for cooking and whose oil was used in a variety of ‘Bay Rum’ cosmetics/lotions; and the St. John’s bush leaves used to make tea for treating colds, fever and stomach ailments.


Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully


Fully immersed in the tour, I suddenly realized that we were at the end of the trail.  At this point folks from a cruise ship exited onto a nearby road, re-boarding their waiting mini buses.  So…  along with two or three others, we found ourselves relishing a private ‘guided’ tour for the return walk – How nice is that!

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

We learned that some plant species in Welchman Hall Gully are found no-where else in Barbados.  This includes bamboo and some palm trees. Everybody loves palm trees and there were plenty on display in the gully.  There are three native to Barbados, including the Macaw Palm with it’s intimidating black spikes (pictured).  Personally I was fascinated with the large Royal Palms and the versatile Cohune Palms.  Traditionally, palm trees have been used for food, charcoal, shelter, tools (think broom) as well as a source for natural lotions and cosmetics.

Ashan also called our attention to a pile of creepy looking giant millipedes on the ground.  These guys are natural composters and are producing rich soil for the Gully floor.  Apparently, snakes live in the gully as well, although we didn’t see any.  The area is actually famous for being home to the world’s smallest snake, the Leptotyphlops Bilineata, which at less than 4 inches long are no bigger than the millipedes.  They live a secretive, worm-like existence underground and are rarely seen. I also understand that in the evenings, a few different bat varieties haunt the Gully.

I would be remiss to not also mention that while there were none present on our visit, it’s thought that the grapefruit originated here at Welchman Hall Gully during the 17th century by crossing a sweet orange with a shaddock (pomelo like citrus fruit).

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

Before we left the Gully, we were in for one more treat.  We ambled up a couple flights of concrete stairs to a hilltop look-out to savour the spectacular views of Bathseba and the eastern coast.  When exiting, we also noticed a natural ‘adventure’ playground for the kids – It even has a mini zip-line for the little ones to ride!

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

This was an enjoyable, relaxing yet informative tour of a well maintained natural area with a friendly local guide.  It’s also a great place for lunch or a snack, as the Chunky Monkey Café offers food & drink (beer & rum punch), served on a comfortable outdoor terrace.

Want to see more? Check out our Monkeys of Welchman Hall Gully video on YouTube!

Active Caribbean Travel tours Barbados' Welchman Hall Gully

You should also know that the Welchman Hall Gully partners with the Barbados Native Plant Restoration Project by providing a location for ecological research and conservation, and Gully staff volunteer their time for the Barbados Monkey Project – Both great causes that deserve and appreciate public support.

For more information, click on this link to visit the official Barbados Welchman Hall Gully website.

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 Fun Things to Do in Barbados blog post.

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!

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Snorkel Martinique – A Sampling of Southern Martinique Hotspots

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Snorkel Martinique at Pointe Borgnese, Anse Dufour & Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

Martinique Snorkeling – You’ll like what you see beneath the surface of the Caribbean Sea

One of the most anticipated and thrilling things for me to do when vacationing in the Caribbean is to get into the ocean and explore the island’s underwater world. Snorkeling is not something that I can really do at home, so it’s a real treat, especially when I come across a fish or some type of marine life that I have never seen before – Truly exciting!

There are a number of good snorkeling spots in Martinique, mostly along the Western and Southern Coastlines, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to sample a few of them. We first started with Pointe Borgnèse, a spot not too far from where we were staying in Sainte-Anne. It was a great spot to get my feet wet (pun intended), before heading further out to the more well-known area of Les Anses-d’Arlet to experience the popular Anse Dufour and its neighbour Anse Noire.

Snorkel Pointe Borgnese

Snorkel Martinique at Pointe Borgnese. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more


If you’re not paying attention or if you’re driving too fast, which you can actually do on Martinique’s amazing road system, you could easily miss the parking lot for the beach at Pointe Borgnese. I actually drove right by it on the N5 highway, wondering ‘was that it?’, before turning around to discover ‘yes, this is the place’. There is a small clearing of sorts just off the side of the highway which might be able to accommodate 10 or so cars. It was quiet the day we visited, so we easily found a place to park. After gathering our beach/snorkel stuff together we journeyed about 5-10 minutes down the remains of a steep old rock-and-concrete road through the forest. Eventually, we popped out onto one of the beaches in the area. There is only about 10-15 feet of sand between the sea and the treeline making it an interesting and quaint beach. Further to the east, there are a couple more stretches of sandy beach, each separated from one other by piles of rocks and boulders that spill out from the forest. That said, there is a path through the forest about 25 feet from the shoreline that provides access to each of the near-private sandy patches. Openings in the forest also provide great places to escape the midday sun or occasional showers if need be. The area is pretty cool, although more reminiscent of beaches found around a lake in North America or Europe – Not what I was expecting to find in the Caribbean.

Snorkel Martinique at Pointe Borgnese. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

I first ventured into the inviting Caribbean Sea near the main beach. The water was not overly warm, but I wasn’t there for a bath so I stuck my face and snorkel mask into the water to take a look at what was below the surface. Other than the odd juvenile fish, there was very little marine life among the mix of seagrass, rocks, and otherwise sandy ocean floor. I had heard that the best place to snorkel is along the point itself, so once we found the trail through the forest, we gathered up our stuff and headed eastward about as far as we could go. Finding a new place to put our stuff on a small beach, I ventured back into the water.

Snorkel Martinique at Pointe Borgnese. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

Again, there wasn’t much of interest until I swam really close to the coastline that makes up the west side of Borgnese Point. Ahhhh, finally, more signs of underwater life. I first encountered several small schools of fish, and after settling in, I carefully studied the ocean floor. I immediately saw a couple of sea cucumbers – One critter was about a foot in length and had a skinny white body covered in what looked like short thorns. The other sea cucumber was dark in colour and really big, over 2 feet long and close to a foot in diameter. Wow – That was pretty cool. I also saw a wide variety of fish, including a couple of my favorites, little bluehead wrasse and multi-hued red parrotfish. I saw a bizarre-looking reddish-orange squirrelfish as well as some amazing purplish-blue and yellow fish, which I suspect were damselfish. I also saw some sergeant majors, along with several light brown colored fish with horizontal stripes along with several silver fish with yellow stripes running from tail to head – some sort of grunts or chums I assume.

Snorkel Martinique at Pointe Borgnese. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

I found plenty of marine life close to shore about halfway between the beach and the tip of the point. Lifting my head out of the water to get my bearings, I noticed a plastic bottle hanging in a tree right at the water’s edge – Hhmnnn, I wondered if it is a marker of some sort. Sure enough, about 20 feet from the rugged shore right in front of that tree there is a large rock covered in vegetation and swarming with fish. So many different types of fish I lost count. The area was also home to lots of yellow tubes and brain corals, all in less than 10 feet of water – A great place to just float around and admire the beauty of the natural underwater world!

What a great start to our Martinique snorkeling adventures… A few days later we would head out to the southeast coast of the island to hit the real hot spots for Martinique snorkeling.

Snorkel Anse Dufour

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Dufour. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

After a fairly long drive from Sainte-Anne to Les Anses-d’Arlet, we eventually pulled off the D7 road towards Anse Dufour where we were surprised to see a large number of cars lining the side of the road. Undaunted, we drove to the end of the road and totally lucked out as somebody pulled out of the tiny parking lot at the end of the road just as we arrived. We’ll take that thank you very much. From there, it is just a short walk down a steep access road to the beach. As advertised, Anse Dufour is a wonderful light brown sandy beach with clean and convenient facilities (toilets) available. Although we arrived at a decent time in the morning, the small beach was already quite busy. That said, it was easy to find a spot to put down our towels and bags.

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Dufour. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

Looking out at the water, the rocky shoreline to the right was crowded with snorkelers, and I was about to find out, for good reason. I waded out into the sea and immediately discovered a large turtle on the edge of the seagrass close to shore, almost oblivious to the crowd above him/her. With all the people splashing about along with a slight current the water was a bit murky, but it was still an amazingly easy opportunity to watch the pre-historic-looking creature munching on grass. After a couple of minutes, I turned and swam towards the black cliffs and trees that lined the north coastline of the bay.

I found an amazing diversity of fish and marine life close to the coastline. I saw different species of coral, with fire coral dominating the scene, along with white sea urchins, yellow tubes, as well as all sorts of algae and vegetation clinging to the rocks – great fish food I assume. The closer to the rugged coast I ventured, the more marine life I saw. There were plenty of large silver and yellow fish, some striped, others not. I assume they were grunts or jacks of some sort, although there could also have been some goatfish and/or yellowtail Snapper as well. I swam through several large schools of long shiny juvenile fish, herring perhaps. The star attractions for me though were the unique long and skinny trumpetfish, the hard-to-spot parrotfish, and the colourful yellowtail damselfish.


Snorkel Martinique at Anse Dufour. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

After a while, I thought I would explore the southern coastline of the bay. The water on the south side of the beach seemed a bit rougher, but it had some amazing marine life to observe as well. As soon as I entered the water I was greeted by a large school of long shiny juvenile fish – perhaps herring, jacks or goatfish. There were tons of algae and vegetation on the black rocks, as well as some yellow tubes and several species of coral. Along with plenty of sergeant majors, I encountered some beautiful bluehead wrasse, well-camouflaged green parrotfish, and some amazing juvenile French angelfish. Then there was the spectacular four-eye butterflyfish (bottom right in photo below). Always cool to spot them!

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Dufour. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

I was enjoying exploring the underwater world, however, when three tour boats full of snorkelers arrived in the little bay, I knew it was going to become too crowded for my liking. So, we packed up our stuff went back up to the road, and walked over to the neighbouring Anse Noire, just 5 minutes to the north.

Snorkel Anse Noire

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more
Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more



To access Anse Noire we walked down a concrete walkway with steps to reach the black sand beach at the small bay. It is so close to Anse Dufour, but seems like a different world and I’m not just talking about the colour of the sand. It was relatively quiet, with very few people or buildings. Anse Noire does however have a solid long wooden pier that splits the small bay into two. We walked to the end of the pier and I climbed down a ladder to enter the water off to the north and swam towards the rugged wooded coastline. I was immediately greeted by a shoal of silver fish I assume were herring, nervously darting from side to side, although gracefully moving as one. Other than that, there wasn’t much of interest below the water surface until the sandy ocean floor started to rise up along the coastline. After a few small jellyfish floated underneath me, I realized that the sea bottom consisted of some small underwater ridges and troughs, providing all sorts of places for sea life to hide from predators and waves.

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more
Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more
Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

The water was probably about 10 feet deep here and was filled with a wide variety of diverse plants and fish. The undulating ocean floor is covered in clumps of vegetation, swaying back and forth with the ocean current, along with fire coral, yellow tubes as well as an abundance of white sea urchins. I must have also seen over a dozen species of fish – I recognized grey-yellow striped smallmouth grunts, my favourite bluehead wrasse as well as some well-camouflaged green-hued parrotfish (centre of the photo above).

I was thrilled to see some trumpetfish swimming horizontally, not just floating in their usual vertical position. I loved watching some black and yellow juvenile French angel fish, although the highlight of this snorkel had to be when I startled 2 large reef squid, forcing them to swim right underneath me – Now that was something special!


While the north coastline of Anse Dufour probably had just as many, if not more types of fish, snorkelling Anse Noire was more my thing. I was more relaxed in the near-solitude as I floated around without a care in the world. I had been slowly swimming along the northern coastline of the bay toward the beach, however, it was getting really rocky as I reached shallow water so I turned around and headed back to the pier where again I was met by a shoal of silver fish – Clearly, this is where they like to hang out.

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more


We then left the pier, walking to the right (facing the beach) so I could check out the south side of the bay. Wading into the water from the beach, there were some small waves as well as a bit of a current, but I wasn’t the only one to notice. I watched a skinny-legged starfish tumbling over and over on the sea floor before finally finding a resting place. I was once again greeted by a school of small fish, probably herring or juvenile goatfish. The combination of the current, the waves, and the mixed sun and cloud made for a fascinating dimple-patterned appearance on the sea floor.

Snorkel Martinique at Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

Eventually, it was smooth snorkeling with plenty of good stuff to see along the rocky coastline. The deeper I got, the more interesting the underwater world became. The black cliff walls gave way to a rocky sea floor which in deeper water became littered with much larger rocks and boulders – where life was abundant. The boulders were covered in algae, vegetation as well as corals, and were clearly home to a wide variety of fish. I saw several different types of grunts, perhaps some yellowtail snapper along with plenty of sergeant majors.

Another plentiful fish I noticed was a grey/brown/reddish coloured fish with a split tail that had a black dot low on its side near its head – I believe they are brown chromis, which I am not sure I have ever seen (or noticed) before. Pretty cool. Of course, I never get tired of watching trumpetfish and green parrotfish, but I enjoyed a new experience when I encountered about a dozen baby squid all swimming together (away from me).


Looking for turtles, I swam the short distance from the southern coastline of the bay back to the pier. I scoured the sandy bottom, looking closely around all the patches of seagrass, but to no avail. Regardless, my fingertips were sufficiently shriveled, so I climbed back up onto the pier to dry, and we called it a day.

What a great day of snorkeling it was!

Grande Anses d’Arlet

Snorkel Martinique at Grand Anse D'Arlet. The best Caribbean snorkeling for colourful tropical fish & more
Snorkel Martinique at Grand Anse D'Arlet. The best Caribbean snorkeling for colourful tropical fish & more


Although I had had enough snorkeling for one day, we also visited the beautiful Grande Anses d’Arlet for lunch, before heading back to Sainte-Anne. One of the most popular and best places to snorkel in Martinique this beautiful white sand beach offers a couple of great snorkel spots. A rocky reef can be found close to the beach just north of the pier – A great spot for beginners to safely snorkel. Apparently, there are plenty of colourful fish and lobsters in this area, along with the occasional turtle and ray a little further out in deeper water. The other good spot is at the north end of the beach along the rocky coastline where corals, sponges, fish, and eels can be spotted.


For more information on snorkeling in Martinique, click on our Martinique Snorkeling page

For an overview of the beautiful Island of Flowers, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page.

For more information on snorkeling the Caribbean Islands, check out our Caribbean Snorkeling page.

Snorkel Martinique at Pointe Borgnese, Anse Dufour & Anse Noire. The best Caribbean snorkeling for trumpetfish, reef squid, turtles, french angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish & more

ACT Staff

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A Taste of Nature in Antigua

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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