Saint Lucia Hiking – Few ever see the Pitons from this angle!
Saint Lucia is nicely positioned in the southern Caribbean’s Windward Islands, just south of Martinique and west of Barbados. The mountainous island is covered with lush green rain-forest and is instantly recognizable by their distinctive Pitons (mountains) along the south-west coast. A very popular Caribbean destination known for romantic getaways, St. Lucia also has plenty to offer adventure seekers interested in a hiking-filled vacation. While most hikers go to climb the Gros Piton, I chose to hike the island’s tallest peak, Mount Gimie. Oh, what an excellent decision that was!
Our day started with a pleasant drive down the west coast from where we were staying near Anse La Raye. We met our guide in the village of Migny, just a little south and inland from Soufriere. We joined a few others and headed off up a rough, partly paved road. The track was on a steady incline and we were met with a nice breeze that swept over the farmers’ fields – What a great way to start the day! While we had some decent views of nearby valleys and the Gros Piton way off in the distance, I was looking ahead to getting into the jungle… After about an hour we headed west on a dirt path towards the Edmund Forest Reserve.
From here, the trail got real interesting – This is what I was looking forward to, spending half a day roaming through a rainforest! We hiked through some pretty dense forest, with our guide literally clearing parts of the trail with his machete so we had a path to follow. Clearly, we would not have been able to do this trail without him. Talk about not being able to see the forest for the trees, the trail had so many ups-and-downs and twists-and-turns, I wasn’t real sure where we were going. There were even a few short distances of vertical where we had to literally climb, some up and some down, with our hands using tree roots like a natural ladder. OMG – What an awesome and wild St. Lucia hike!
Every once in a while, we stopped while our knowledgeable guide pointed out some weird and wonderful looking plants or birds that we could hear along the way. While we couldn’t spot most of the birds, I did see the occasional colourful hummingbird fluttering from plant to plant though. These breaks conveniently gave us some time to catch our breath and drink some water. Thinking back, I believe that we hiked across a ridge or two, ventured down into a valley and crossed a small river before attacking another ridge that would take us to the top of Mount Gimie. I had been looking forward to a remote and challenging rain-forest hike on the island, and this trail satisfied that… and we were far from finished…
For the next hour or so the trail became pretty much all uphill, at a pretty steep incline, making our workout a little more intense. Thankfully, the number of photo opportunities increased along this path, although maybe we were just finding a reason to stop and catch our breath. Seriously, we had amazing views of the valley we had just crossed, as well as a very unique perspective of the iconic pitons that had come into view. I doubt too many people get to see the spectacular Pitons and Tet Paul from this vantage point – The view was Priceless!
The air was so moist and the flora so tropical, that there was also some amazing rain-forest vegetation to capture in photos. As we neared the peak, I learned the hard way about a Caribbean plant that I had heard of but never encountered before. Due to the steepness of the trail, I reached down and grabbed a handful of some greenery to help with my balance. Well, it turned out to be ‘razor grass’ and I sliced the palm of my hand and all my fingers. Kind of like getting a bunch of paper-cuts all at once. Oh well… Just a few more minutes and the discomfort in my hand became a distant memory as we were well rewarded when we reached the top of the Island.
Mount Gimie, not the famous Pitons, is St. Lucia’s highest peak, and at just over 3,000 feet (950m) above sea level we had sensational panoramic views of the island. We could clearly see the east and south coastlines, including Vieux Fort and the Maria Islands. Looking to the north across the whole island, really gave me an appreciation for the rugged terrain of St. Lucia. We lucked out and enjoyed some incredible views for several minutes before the top of the mountain became enveloped in clouds. Although this was the pinnacle of our day, we were still in for more fun and adventure…
We headed back down the same way we had come, however this time once we descended the mountain and were heading back through the valley, we took a little detour. Our guide took us upstream along the river we had crossed earlier and after a few minutes, we came to a small waterfall, complete with a pool. It was really refreshing to wash the sweat off and cool off my over-heated feet. This was a nice surprising break, although apparently I was looking for more self-inflicted pain. As we crossed the river I was jumping from rock to rock trying to keep my shoes dry, and I slipped on a large rock. Both of my feet flew right out from under me and I landed on my butt – It must have been quite comical to watch. Fortunately, my butt is well padded, so I just sort of bounced. No big deal.
As we were nearing the end of the hike, I was thinking that this trail probably isn’t used more than a couple of times a week. When we got back to the road section and was heading down to our car, I started to better appreciate the refreshing breeze and nice views of the surrounding valleys. Our guide pulled some grapefruits and tangerines down from the trees on the side of the road, so we also had an invigorating snack along the way.
Wow – I got to tell you… St. Lucia’s Mount Gimie trail really has it all. Relative to some other Caribbean mountain hikes, this one was not too long or too steep. It had some unique near-vertical sections to spice things up a bit, and it was filled with amazing tropical plant life, a waterfall, and of course spectacular views! One of my favourite Caribbean hikes for sure!
For a more ‘technical’ Trail Report as well as much more information on hiking in Saint Lucia, please reference the following links (to pages on our website):
Rum is such a big part of Caribbean history that whenever I’m in the Caribbean I just have to visit a local distillery or two. However, in the French Caribbean Island of Martinique, the choice is almost overwhelming. While plenty of Caribbean islands produce Rum, Martinique could be considered the rum, or should I say rhum (en Francais), capital of the world. With over 10 distilleries and likely hundreds of rhums produced on the island, the folks in Martinique take their rum-making seriously. This is evident with the formalization of the liquid gold with an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) certification. Similar to French-made wines, cheeses and other spirits, the designation certifies the authenticity of Martinique rhums, characterized by their unique geographical origin and production techniques. The terminology used to describe Martinique rhums are also akin to brandies or wines – This includes rhum classifications such as VO, VSOP and XO, and some rhums from a particularly good batch are even sold as ‘vintages’
Oh… One other thing I should also mention is that French “Rhum Agricole” (agricultural rum) is made directly from sugar cane juice, not the molasses by-product of producing sugar, which is the case for most other Caribbean rums. As a result, Martinique rhum production includes a few different steps than other Caribbean distilleries and some of their rhums can be much more expensive than molasses-based rums – We’re talking hundreds of euros per bottle expensive. That said, a great thing about Martinique’s distilleries is that most of them are open to the public, offering free or reasonably priced plantation/distillery tours and rhum tasting along with storefronts providing the opportunity to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice.
So… on our recent trip to Martinique, I had to check out a couple of the rhum industry heavyweights, along with a couple of lesser-known distilleries.
Distillerie Saint-James et Musée du Rhum
Our first stop had to be the world-renowned Saint James Distillery and Museum of Rhum located in Sainte-Marie on the northeast coast of the island. We parked right next to the large distillery building which unfortunately was not in operation or open to tour when we visited in January, as it is “not in harvest season”. Instead, we wandered around on a self-guided tour of the Museum of Rhum / Maison de la Distillation. The old two-story building is filled with historical St. James memorabilia including old rhum-making equipment such as distillation columns, stills and steam-powered machinery. The building also contains tons of information on Martinique, sugar cane, as well as the French Agricole rhum-making process. For me, it was a thrill to see the incredible stash they have in their basement – Display cases stocked with very old rhums, some dating back as far as the 19th century!
I understand the rhums of St. James began in the 18th century when the Reverend Father in charge of a local hospital built a sugar refinery nearby, which eventually also produced alcohol. The rhum is named after one of the regions providing sugar cane to the refinery. However as France had banned alcohol sales other than wine at the time, the rhum produced was named Saint James, not Saint Jacques, making it easier to sell in the English colonies. Later in the 19th century, the St. James distillery parted ways with the typical round fat bottle of the time, becoming famous for its square bottle. While this move was likely developed to increase shipping efficiency, it presented a modern clean look, that is still attractive today.
After our enjoyable museum visit we went to their little train station out back. It wasn’t long before we boarded an old narrow-gauge train consisting of a small locomotive and three open-air passenger cars. Our train ride took us through fields of sugar cane and other crops in various stages of growth, as well as remarkably close to some residences – Not something we would ever see in North America. A young St. James tour guide entertained the passengers with an interactive and humorous presentation, most of which I, unfortunately, didn’t understand as my conversational French was not up to the task.
Our guide also did double duty as a crossing guard and switchman, hopping off the train at one point to manually sound an alarm and perform flag-man duties as the train crossed a rural road. The train traveled about a mile (< 2km) or so before stopping and reversing course, where at one point our tour guide once again jumped off, this time to switch our track, which took us to the impressive Habitation La Salle.
At the Habitation La Salle train station we disembarked and walked a short distance along a river before crossing a bridge and entering a wonderfully restored collection of 17th-century buildings. Formerly a sugar refinery, now the buildings house a coffee museum, a display of mill equipment used to crush sugar cane into juice, a fascinating “guildiverie” where evaporators and stills were used to produce tafia (a predecessor to rum), as well as aging/storage warehouses. There’s also a special tasting area and shop selling top-shelf artisan bottles of La Salle and St. James branded rhum. After meandering around the grounds of the habitation and exploring the banks of the river, the train returned to pick us up and return us back to the grounds of the St. James Distillery.
On the way to the St. James rhum shop, I noticed a small workshop where a craftsman was demonstrating how the rhum barrels are charred, instilling flavour into the rhum as they age – that was pretty cool. The building that houses the store, with its collection of old distillery and other centuries-old local artifacts, is a museum in its own right, almost distracting from the long bar at the back. Staffed with plenty of friendly and informative patrons, the tasting bar was a happening place. St. James’ latest offerings include a number of white and amber rhums, a variety of aged rhums along with some incredible vintage rhums as well as some interesting premixed concoctions.
While it was great to be immersed in Martinique’s rhum-making history and tradition, we eventually decided that our St. James Rhum experience had to come to an end… After a visit to the nearby Banana Museum and Habitation, we headed back to where we were staying on the other side of the island.
Rhum Depaz
The next afternoon it was overcast and threatening to rain – An excellent opportunity to explore another Martinique rhum distillery! Located in the foothills of Mount Pelee on the northwest side of Martinique just outside the former capital city of Saint-Pierre, reside the impressive grounds of the Depaz plantation and distillery. Back in the 17th century, this was home to the island’s first French Governor and his large farm known as La Montagne.
As soon as we arrived at the Depaz property, we were immediately drawn to the magnificent, what the English would call a Greathouse, on the nearby hillside. Chateau Depaz, also known as Depaz Castle, was built in the early 20th century as a replica of the childhood home of Victor Depaz. The original building was destroyed, along with the city of Saint-Pierre and the surrounding area, in 1902 when the Mount Pelee volcano erupted. Situated between colourful gardens with Mount Pelee in the background and manicured lawns and fields of sugar cane, the chateau enjoys spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea.
After wandering around the grounds for a while, we passed a large 19th-century water wheel before heading towards the distillery and a number of other buildings, situated in a beautiful park setting complete with magnificent centuries-old trees. Once again, we were ‘out of season’ when we visited in January so the distillery was not in operation nor open to the public. I understand that the buildings still operate with power from an old steam engine, fuelled by the remains of crushed sugar cane. It is unfortunate that we were not able to witness the crushing of the cane, the fermentation or the distillation of the precious juice. We did however stroll into the small Depaz Museum displaying some old farm and distillation equipment, as well as some other buildings. The highlight for me had to be peering into the warehouses used to store and age the delicious outputs from the distillery.
Eventually we made our way into their welcoming and informative storefront, where I learned about Depaz’s environmentally friendly farming and production practices as well as more about the sugar cane used to make their rhum, they emphasized the unique blue cane sugar, spring water and the volcanic ground, or “terroir”, local to the Mount Pelée region. Depaz Rhum’s latest offerings include a wide variety of white rhums, and aged rhums along with some special edition rhums that include specific vintages as well as exceptional barrel-finished rhums.
Well, all that walking around and learning had whet my appetite, so I was really looking forward to trying some of their rhums. After not so patiently waiting, a spot finally opened at the small tasting room bar. The friendly Depaz hostess was extremely helpful in explaining the differences between the rhums I wanted to sample. She generously gave me a sample of three whites and the same number of aged rhums. She wisely and professionally gave me enough to sample the elixir, without giving me too much to impair my ability to drive. I am not really a white rum drinker, however, their white rhums were incredibly unique to my palate. The aroma of one of them was pungent yet inviting, with a strong scent of wet green vegetation. The dominant tasting characteristic of the white rhums was a funky burn in the mouth and throat, however, it was kind of a good burn – much better than other white rums I have tasted. That said, I preferred the more flavourful aged rhums, especially the mellow and diverse taste of the reasonably priced ‘Cuvee Victor Depaz’, apparently a blend of bourbon-barrel-aged rhums between 3 and 6 years. I’m no connoisseur, however it tasted a little woody, fruity and herbal to me. When I open the bottle at home, I will try to imagine flavours of chocolate and prunes as suggested on the label. As I am very limited as to what I can bring home with me, I believe this was a solid choice!
After being amazed by the large colourfully labelled vats of rhum off the side of their shop, we called it a day – and it never did rain, or if it did, we didn’t notice it 🙂
Habitation Clement
A few days later we headed out to the illustrious Habitation Clement, located a little inland just south of Le Francois on the east side of Martinique. FYI – We visited the Habitation from the southeast region of the island and got lost trying to follow a Google maps shortcut. I suggest you just drive all the way into Le Francois and follow the ‘Habitation Clement’ signs at the main roundabout.
Anyways, once we found the place, we parked and paid a nominal fee to enter the property. The grounds are absolutely spectacular! Even if you’re not into rum, this is a great place to just stroll around and relaxingly take in the sights. Following the path from the entrance took us through a well-manicured landscape, including a couple of nice ponds. Fields of sugar cane and bananas surround the grounds – Crops we saw a lot of while exploring the island. Habitation Clement also highlights the work of many local artists, with their creative and imaginative creations displayed throughout the property. While I found some of the art pieces interesting, I was just as happy to feel the warmth of the sun, breath the fresh air and appreciate our gorgeous surroundings.
After a short sit on a bench soaking up the lush green Caribbean environment, we continued to follow the trail up a small hill to a small wooden structure with a grinding stone. The sugar cane crushing machinery would have been powered by a donkey walking around and around in circles. From this vantage point we had a great view of the palm grove and buildings below. At the bottom of the hill, the path took us through a wonderful variety of palm trees of different colours, shapes and sizes. We also passed another small pond, this one the canvass for another art display. From there we walked through a small patch of sugar cane and then things started to get more exciting, or at least more rhum themed.
We approached a building that just oozing with the strong but appealing smell of wood and aging rum. The scent was emanating of course from a warehouse full of rhum barrels – An overload to the nasal senses for sure. A little further along the trail and we came across a couple more warehouses filled with more Clement-stamped barrels of assorted shapes and sizes. After admiring the vast quantity of barrels in storage we went up the Clement Creole village consisting of a few old buildings that included a stable, a separate kitchen-house as well as the iconic Clement Greathouse, a graphic of which is used as their logo on every bottle of rhum and other products they sell. There is also a building that houses their renowned art exhibits. I was also enamored with the amazing old trees in the area, my favourites being a figuier, a red mahogany and a tamarind tree.
The path then took us into the old distillery for more things to see. It is no longer operating, however there are several old stills and various distillery machinery to look at. Upstairs the building houses an amazingly set of displays and presentations providing a detailed record of the history of sugar cane, rhum making, Martinique and Habitation Clement – Extremely informative and fascinating. By the way, an audio guide is available on your smartphone if you are interested in hearing all the details of the art displays and buildings encountered on the self-guided tour.
Eventually, our self-guided tour spilled us out into a small shop and sampling bar where some of Clément’s finest can be tasted. Latest offerings from Clement include a variety of white and aged rhums, as well as several rhum liqueurs and pre-mixed concoctions. I tried a white rhum and a young-age rhum as well as some rhum liqueurs and pre-mixed concoctions, with the highlight having to be a taste of a very well-aged cuvee – Extremely smooth and complex. That said, we ended up purchasing their Antilles (Planters) Punch to savour while we continued to vacation on the island.
It was a very enjoyable couple of hours, walking the well-manicured lawns, soaking up the warmth of the sun, appreciating the art, smelling the aromas of the barrel warehouses, and of course sampling Clement’s fine rhums and rhum liqueurs.
Distillerie Neisson
After one of our other Martinique adventures, we accidentally came across a distillery located on the western side of Martinique, just south of Le Carbet. Invited by the ‘Neisson Rhum’ signs along the N2 road, we thought we venture in for a look. We didn’t have time for a tour of the facility, however I understand that it consists of a stroll through a number of buildings that house a mill, a boiler, fermentation tanks, a column still, warehouses used for aging their rhums, as well as a bottling facility. After a brief look around, we visited their shop to sample a couple of aged rhums, and I ended up picking up one of their bottles of VO rhum, something I would never be able to find at home. I’ve never tasted a rhum so light and floral in my entire life – Very interesting. We enjoyed our brief visit to Rhum Neisson, and left with the impression of a small boutique rhum producer.
Ahhh – So many Martinique rhums, so little time… Other distilleries that I would have liked to have visited while we were on the island include La Mauny, Trois Rivieres, Habitation Saint Etienne (HSE), Dillon, La Favorite, J.M. and A1710 (Habitation Simon). Maybe next time 😊
If you’re interested in reading more about rum, check out our Caribbean Rum page and our Martinique Rhum page, which includes a list of Tour Operators who will get you sampling the island’s finest.
For an overview of beautiful and rugged Martinique, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page
The Joy Spence Experience (Jamaica’s Appleton Estate) – The Ultimate Caribbean Rum Tour
Wow, I’m finally here… That’s what I was thinking when we exited our tour bus at our third and final stop of the day. I was excited, yet trying to keep my expectations low, as I have experienced mostly disappointing rum tours (on other Caribbean islands) in the past. This was our fourth visit to Jamaica, and this time we finally made the journey to visit the remotely located Appleton Estate – Makers of some of the finest rum in the world.
The day’s tour of Jamaica included three amazing south-west island excursions – First, we went on The Black River Safari, then we visited YS Falls and now, for the finale, was the Appleton Estate Rum tour. We booked this 3-in-1 smorgasbord of adventures through Jamaica’s Amstar DMC and Tropical Tours.
This is the final installment of three blog posts from the day’s adventures – This one Focuses on the Joy Spence Experience (AKA The Appleton Estate Rum Tour).
Well, the folks at Appleton Estates know how to set the mood – We started off with a drink in their warm and inviting lounge/bar, watching a gorgeous peacock strut his stuff through a window just a few feet away from our super comfy couch.
OK, let’s get back to the drink, as this is a rum tour after-all! We were offered a generous welcome drink upon our arrival – The bartender casually poured about 3 to 4 ounces of ‘Appleton Signature Blend’ rum into a glass and offered us either a Valley Storm (AKA Dark & Stormy) or a Rum Punch. I chose the former, while my two tour buddies chose the latter. You couldn’t go wrong either way!
Although we were quite relaxed and fully prepared to spend more time in the lounge, our hostess introduced herself and the tour began. We started by entering a charming little theatre for a short film about Caribbean rum, the island of Jamaica as well as the history and marriage of the two… While the video had a serious marketing slickness to it, I enjoyed it. The film was really well done, providing interesting information in a very enjoyable format. Personally, I can’t get enough of seeing aerial views of Jamaica’s lush green forests, fast flowing rivers and rum! We were then invited outside to visit a number of exhibition buildings / gazebos.
First, we were shown how the juice was removed from the sugar cane in the old days – via a donkey-powered mechanical crusher / juicer of sorts. The poor creatures would just walk in circles all day long, but don’t feel too sorry for the donkey just yet, I’ll have my chance to be put to work too…
Next we went into a small “history” building with artifacts to view and short historical fact sheets to read. Interesting – I just learned that Appleton and Wray & Nephew, another large rum producer on the island, are actually both owned by the same company, and have been for some time.
After that, we got “hands on” with some sugar cane. Our tour hostess provided us with pieces of cane stalk to pass around, as well as bite size morsels of sugar cane core for each of us. We sucked and chewed on the sweet cane while she told us about the different kinds of cane as well as the importance of quality water and soil found on the island. It was surprisingly easily to crush the cane between our teeth, filling our mouths with delicious liquid while leaving behind a chunk of fibrous pulp to discard. The initial steps of making Caribbean rum.
Then it was deja-vu, all over again. We gathered around the mechanical sugar cane crusher / juicer, which we had seen before, except this time there was no donkey. Our hostess persuaded myself and another tipsy tourist to ‘man the machine’. We pushed on two long arms on opposite sides of the machine, while someone fed cane stalks into the machine. Not sure what made me more dizzy, walking in circles or the rum beverage I had recently enjoyed – Probably a bit of both! Ahhh, but my efforts were rewarded with a nice cup of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice to sample. Well ok, everyone got a cup, but mine was fuller 🙂
For the next stop in the ‘Sugar Cane to Rum’ process we were shown a centrifugal machine which spins the juice to separate the liquid from the molasses covered sugar. So what happens next you ask? Well, our next stop was to see and taste what our hostess called ‘wet sugar’. Basically a warm thick sugary molasses. I really enjoyed getting a sample of this sweet treat – Yum!
After that, we walked up an observation tower to get a good view of the property and surrounding landscape while our hostess told us more about Appleton rum and the estate. Apparently an abandoned train track below the tower platform may be rejuvenated and put back in service. That would make it much easier for visitors from the main tourist towns in the north-west of the island to reach them – A great idea!
Our hostess then escorted us across the spectacular estate grounds to the distillery itself. We were kind of rushed through the facility in small ‘controllable’ groups – apparently there was concern about someone stealing trade secrets or something. Anyways, we got a glimpse of their pot stills and continuous still. More than anything else, I learned that a Jamaican rum distillery has a real funky smell to it. I guess it’s from the fermenting molasses and esters doing their magic.
As the tour appeared to be coming to an end, we were taken inside a large building through a cool tunnel-like entrance. This turned out to be one of their warehouses. Our hostess told us about the barrel aging process and how this really gives the rums their distinct flavours and smoothness. It was an amazing site to see hundreds of barrels, literally ‘filled to the rafters’, maturing the alcohol into the golden nectar we know as rum!
Wait, there was more… We were then taken inside their main facility to a tasting room! It felt like a cross between a class room and a playground. We were seated in rows with three rums of varying age to sample. Being already familiar with all three, it was no surprise to me that you can really tell the difference that maturing process makes to the flavour and smoothness of the rum. Wow – that was a special event though.
Finally, this Caribbean rum tour was over and we headed to the gift shop. There was plenty of Appleton rum related shirts, spices and other goods to purchase. Oh ya, there were bottles of rum for sale as well.
In summary, we really enjoyed the “Joy Spence Experience” and I felt a certain level of personal fulfillment from taking the tour. We appreciated the newly renovated modern facility, the professional and informative hostess, and I just loved the ‘wood feel’ of the place. Everywhere we went I enjoyed the decor, with it’s barrels and old rum bottles – This is what I think of , when I think about a rum distillery tour. Bravo!
What a day… It was an absolutely spectacular tour filled with Jamaican landscapes, rivers, waterfalls, nature and rum. It doesn’t get any better than this. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, so we boarded the bus for what turned out to be a long dark drive to the other side of the island. It seemed like the journey back to our hotels took a slightly different route than on the way down, however it still took a couple of hours to travel the 40 miles (62km) back to Montego Bay.
If the Joy Spence Experience / Appleton Estate Rum Tour sounds like fun, you can contact the friendly folks at Amstar by visiting the Amstar DMC website or their Facebook page .
For an overview of the land of wood and water, take a look at our Jamaica Vacations page
If you’re interested in reading more about Caribbean rums, check out our Rum page
For other great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Jamaica page
If you’re looking for more ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Jamaica Adventures blog for some great ideas!
Grenada Excitement – From Underwater Shipwrecks to Remote Mountainous Waterfalls
Grenada is the most southern of the Caribbean’s Windward Islands – About 165 miles (265km) southwest of Barbados. The mountainous main island and nearby Carriacou may be the Caribbean’s best-kept secret offering unspoiled natural beauty and a wide variety of activities sure to please any traveler looking for adventure. Grenada is home to Grand Etang National Park, a tropical rainforest attraction featuring a crater lake, hikable mountains and waterfalls. A Grenada vacation has plenty to offer travelers seeking action on both land and sea – Both a ‘hiker’s paradise’ and a ‘diver’s wonderland’, the islands also have plenty of snorkeling, fishing, a variety of watersports, and more.
Explore Beneath the Waves – Snorkel Grenada & Carriacou
With beach-accessible coral reefs and the world’s first underwater sculpture park, Grenada is a top Caribbean destination for snorkeling. Marine Parks protect a number of snorkeling spots in Grenada and Carriacou, making it safe and easy to explore healthy coral reefs brimming with marine life. Slip into the warm Caribbean Sea and snorkel in warm clear waters from a handful of Grenada’s white sandy beaches or take a short boat ride to experience underwater statues and reefs in shallow waters. Peek below the waves and you’ll see colourful tropical fish as well as octopus, eels, lobsters, urchin and starfish. You might even spot a seahorse! A few of our favourite snorkeling spots include:
Moliniere Bay Marine Protected Area is home to half a dozen excellent dive sites, including Dragon Bay, Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park and Magazine (AKA Aquarium) Beach. The Sculpture Park offers a unique experience with over 50 statues that can be explored in calm shallow waters. This is a once in a lifetime experience to visit a place National Geographic once named in its “Top 25 Wonders of the World”.
Levera National Park contains a beach with a nearby coral reef, beds of seagrass and even an offshore island to explore. La Sagesse Beach is located in a beautiful bay on the Atlantic side of the island with a couple of small coral reefs that are great for snorkeling.
Enjoy remote snorkeling at Carriacou’s Paradise Beach which offers a reef brimming with diverse marine life. Nearby Sandy Island is only a short boat ride away and offers great snorkeling in depths starting at 6 feet (2m). The island features a healthy coral reef and unique underwater boulders – The whole area is alive with corals, sponges and a wide variety of Caribbean fish as well as turtles.
For more detailed information, including local Boat Operators to get you outfitted and snorkeling, check out our Grenada Snorkeling pages.
Hike a Remote Grenada Waterfall Trail or Mountain Peak
One of the best islands to experience Caribbean hiking, Grenada offers a number of rainforest and mountainous hikes. The tallest peak on Grenada, Mount St. Catherine is 2,760 feet (840m) above sea level, making it the Caribbean’s twentieth highest peak. Grenada and Carriacou offer well over a dozen hiking trails in all.
The most popular hiking destination in Grenada is probably Grand Etang Lake and National Park, with its iconic Crater Lake, Mount Qua Qua and a variety of waterfalls, including Concord Falls and Concord Falls. There are several hiking trails within the park, from beginner to advanced, offering something for everyone.
Outside the park, there is another half a dozen waterfall trails, including Tufton Hall Waterfall and Golden Falls. These trails will take the better part of the day to explore, and will reward you with cascading waterfalls and inviting pools at the bottom for a mid hike cool-down.
Other great Grenada hiking areas on the island include Levera National Park which is home to the relaxing Levera Pond Shoreline ‘Loop’ Trail, as well as the Welcome Stone trail which culminates with spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea and nearby offshore islands.
Meanwhile, over in Carriacou, you can hike the High North Trail which includes views of the southern Grenadines from the island’s highest peak. Other trails on Carriacou takes you to beaches, ruins and quaint villages.
For much more information, including local Hiking Guides to get you on the trail, check out our Grenada Hiking pages.
Fish the Blue Waters of Grenada
One of the southern Caribbean’s most diverse fishing destination, Grenada has reefs, shoals as well as an abundance of deep-water fishing spots close to shore. There is plenty of opportunity to catch deep-sea sport fish like sailfish, blue marlin, white marlin and the occasional tuna. There’s also wahoo, mahi mahi (dolphin/dorado), king fish, mackerel and barracuda to be reeled in. Local fishing boat operators know the best places to catch the fish you are looking for, and will make sure you have an enjoyable day at sea.
For the serious fisherman looking to join like-minded individuals for a few days of competitive fishing, the Spice Island Billfish Tournament is held every January. Dozens of boats and anglers gather for a week of fun on the blue waters of Grenada!
For more information, including local Fishing Boats to get you on the sea, go to our Grenada Fishing page.
Kayak Grenada’s Bays and Mangroves / SUP, River Tube Fun & More
The whole family will enjoy kayaking offshore of beaches, protected bays and mangroves while visiting Grenada and Carriacou. You will all enjoy paddling a ‘see-through’ kayak that allows you to view the beautiful reefs and fish below the waves without even getting wet! Experienced kayakers can get your heart rate pumping by paddling through the waves while you journey around a nearby offshore island.
Grenada is also a great place to give SUP (Stand Up Paddle-boarding), aqua-biking and other watersports a try.
Fun seekers will have a ‘wet & wild’ day river tubing down Grenada’s Balthazar River. The river flows down from the Grand Etang Forest mountains, providing a fun meandering ride through the lush green rainforest.
For more information, including local Tour Operators & Equipment Rental Shops to get you on the water, take a look at our Grenada Watersports page.
Dive the Wrecks and Reefs of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique
With its healthy coral reefs and marine life biodiversity, Grenada is a top Caribbean Scuba Diving destination. With more than 30 dive sites, ranging in depth and habitat, Grenada offers something for everyone. If you like shipwrecks, Grenada has more divable wrecks than any other island in the Caribbean. There are great dive spots for beginners as well as experienced divers, most close to shore needing no more than a 15-minute boat ride to reach.
North of Grenada is a special place for experienced divers featuring clear waters and uncrowded coral reefs. You will have an enjoyable day cruising the west coast of Grenada to dive and lunch on the near-deserted Ronde Island. Of course, Grenada’s Moliniere Bay Marine Protected Area provides divers with sites featuring reefs, wrecks and gardens. For some, the feature attraction is the unique Underwater Sculpture Park with over 100 individual displays capturing the island’s history, culture and folklore as well as promoting conservation awareness.
Considered by some to be one of the top-10 wreck dives in the world, the ‘Bianca C’, the largest shipwreck in the Caribbean, and is the feature attraction of the Grand Anse Marine Protected Area. That said, there are plenty of other great reefs and wrecks to enjoy in the area as well!
Dive sites off the south-west coast of Grenada provide a variety of interesting reefs and wrecks for beginners and experienced divers alike. Some sites are made for drift diving and provide great opportunities for underwater photography. The dive sites south of the island are mostly for experienced divers looking for invigorating drift dives over reefs and wrecks with lots of rays and sharks!
Then there is the diving gem that is Carriacou, known as the ‘Island of Reefs’, where you can enjoy another 20 plus dive sites. The west coast of Carriacou offer opportunities for beginners as well as experienced divers to get beneath the waves, all close to shore. The Carriacou Marine Park has some amazing dive sites for beginners as well as experienced divers, with some ideal for underwater photography! The south side of Carriacou provides some amazing drift dives for beginners as well as experienced divers, along with opportunities to see plenty of sharks. Another ideal location for underwater photography!
For more detailed information, including local Dive Shops and Boat Operators to get you outfitted and deep below the waves, check out our Grenada Diving pages.
Sail Grenada’s Sparkling Turquoise-Blue Waters
Wonderfully situated to take full advantage of the Windward Islands’ trade winds, Grenada and Carriacou are uniquely within reach of the southern Grenadines, making them premier Caribbean yachting destinations. Get out on the water and experience the Caribbean under the power of sail, as it has been for hundreds of years.
View Grenada from the sea and you will get a better appreciation of the west coast’s abundance of sandy beaches situated between a panorama of mountainous green patches and quaint villages. Grenada’s numerous marinas and good year-round weather make it an ideal spot for Caribbean sailing tours. The island has many inlets, protected bays and offshore islands to drop anchor for an amazing swim and snorkel!
Vacationers can sail Grenada with tour/sailboat operators offering a variety of sailing adventures. For the more experienced, you can even charter a monohull or catamaran yacht for yourself, with or without a crew. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to sail, you can do that in Grenada as well! For salty sailors, Grenada holds a number of annual Sailing events, including Grenada Sailing Week every January featuring four race days and Grenada Sailing Festival (Workboat Regatta) every February for two days of racing action. One of the Caribbean’s longest-running sailing events, the Carriacou Regatta is a four day festival every August, and Petite Martinique holds their own Whitsuntide Regatta every May for a weekend of sailing fun.
For more information, including local Sailboat Charters, check out our Grenada Sailing page. You might also be interested in our Grenada Ocean Excursion page as well.
Enjoy a day of Golf in Grenada
Its easy to get to the Grenada Golf Club (AKA the Grenada Golf & Country Club) for a sunny day of Caribbean golf. Its located within walking distance of Grand Anse beach. The golf club was originally built in the 1930s as a 9-hole course measuring about 2,700 yards. Alternate tee boxes can now be used to make an 18-hole, Par 67 course measuring over 5,000 yards. Long, wide fairways and some elevated greens make the course interesting. Of course, views of the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean always help to make a great day of golf.
For more information about getting out on the links, check out our Grenada Golf page.
Have fun out there!
ACT Staff
Once you’ve had your fill of action and want to slow-it-down a bit, check out our recommended Things To Do in Grenada blog post.
For an overview of the “Spice Island of the Caribbean”, take a look at our Grenada Vacations page
Jamaica River Tubing – Again, Again! Let’s Do It Again…
One thing that makes Jamaica different from many other Caribbean islands, is the number of decent sized rivers they have. While some other islands have similar weather and terrain, in terms of rainfall and a mountainous interior, they’re much smaller and don’t have the room for long winding rivers. The Spanish explorers were right to call Jamaica the ‘land of wood and water’ – The lush forested island has all the right ingredients for plenty of natural waterways… and that means plenty of opportunity to have adrenaline pumping fun while Jamaica river tubing.
Sometimes I look for a Caribbean island tour that’s a little “off the beaten track” and I’m always looking to support the island’s local population. Well, we found a great ‘rootsy’ outing with Yardy River Adventure Tours. These folks are not a large commercial operation, however they know how to give you a real Jamaican experience. Friendly and un-pretentious, the folks from Yardy River Adventure Tours showed our small party of three a great time – even arranging transportation for the long drive from Montego Bay down to their facility in Savanna la Mar.
While the first part of the drive, through Montego Bay and a long section of road that was undergoing major re-construction was nothing to talk about, the last part of the drive was really enjoyable. I especially liked driving through the cane fields and seeing the rural communities so far away from the tourist areas of Jamaica’s north/west coast.
This was a local tour, in a remote area, managed by local residents of the area. The low-lands where we did our river tubing was absolutely beautiful. The over-all property was very natural and rustic, with lovely tropical thatched-leave covered buildings next to the river. On the day and time we had our tour, we were the only tourists there, so it was nice and quiet – The sun was shining and we felt warm and cozy. This amazing environment provided a great backdrop for the Jamaica river tubing adventure we were about to experience.
While some Jamaica river tours offer rafting and kayaking, we wanted to get real close close to the action and “tube” down a wild river. Two guides joined us, one on a tube in the water with us, the other walking along the shore-line just ahead of us, ready to jump in if needed. This way we felt safe and that we were in good hands. Ya Mon!
OK, here we go – Our private river tubing experience was underway… We sat comfortably on the tube, with only your hands, feet and bum getting a little wet. Having come down from the mountains and being mostly in the shade, we were expecting the water to be on the cold side, however we were pleasantly surprised that after the initial transition of getting into the water, it was “all good”.
The Yardy River, which I believe is part of the same waterway as the Roaring and White Rivers in the area, carves a snake-like path through the well canopied landscape. The river has fairly high banks and moves fairly fast, although there were a few nice relaxing slow areas as well. There were several bends and turns in the river, as well as some fast stretches with small rapids. Perfect for Jamaica river tubing! Sometimes our tube would want to ram into the river bank, although our hard-working guide in the water did his best to prevent that from happening. He would frantically try to stay ahead of us, pushing us into the middle of the river, sometimes running through the water, other times diving and swimming below us, whatever it took to keep us moving together as a group. Once we realized the challenge, we did our best to keep together and in the middle of the river by ourselves – A little paddling with our hands and pushing off the river bank with our feet whenever required. No Problem Mon
What a Rush!
We were moving fairly quickly downstream, yet at one point we managed to link-up the tubes and float together for a short stretch. The depth of the river was constantly changing from several feet in stretches to only a few inches over some rocks in a couple of shallow spots. We lifted our butts out of the water a couple of times in shallow water to avoid snagging on big rocks… What an awesome ride! My adrenaline was really flowing and I felt like a kid… When we were pulled out the water, I was thinking – Again – Again, Let’s do it again!
Right before the river cascaded over a small waterfall and headed towards some serious rapids, our guides helped us out of the river. That said, our wondrous tour wasn’t over yet. We walked around the waterfall drop and waded back into the river, this time without our tubes.
We were guided to a natural whirlpool at the bottom of the falls. We sat there a while, then also ventured into an area where the current was quite strong, hanging on to a rope for dear life. There was also a rock seat under one of the waterfalls, so you could comfortably dunk your head under the water – Soooo refreshing!
We really enjoyed our Jamaica river tubing experience with Yardy River Adventure Tours. Our over-all time in the water was probably around 45 minutes, with actual tubing time around 30 minutes, although it didn’t seem that long – I guess its true what they say… “time flies when you’re having fun”. Sometimes it’s good to be left wanting more – I’ll be back!
The natural landscape is constantly changing. We were told that after a heavy rainfall, the river is deeper and much faster… This would result in fewer snags on rocks, although the trip would probably be over much quicker…
In summary, this was not your typical tourist event. While it was a long drive from the resort, the river tubing tour was definitely worth it! Perhaps a bit dis-organized at the beginning, the day turned out to be one of the highlights of our vacation. We spent the day with some nice friendly folks and had a ton of fun.
If our Jamaica river rafting adventure above sounds good to you and you’re planning a trip to Jamaica, you can contact the folks at Yardy River Adventure Tours by visiting their facebook page or website (just click on a link below):
