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Top 7 Paths to Grenada Adventure

By freem32@cogeco.ca Adventure, Boat Cruise, Caribbean, Fishing, Golf, Hiking, Kayaking, Nature, River Rafting/Tubing, sailing, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Stingrays, Water Sports, Waterfalls

Grenada Adventures include great Caribbean snorkeling & diving, fishing, hiking and water-sports plus sailing and golf!

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:

Grenada Adventures include great Caribbean snorkeling and diving, fishing, hiking and water-sports plus sailing and golf!

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.

Grenada Adventures include great Caribbean diving & snorkeling, fishing, hiking and water-sports plus sailing and golf!

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

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Top 7 Barbados Adventures to get your heart pumping

By freem32@cogeco.ca Adventure, Caribbean, Cycling, Fishing, Golf, Hiking, Kayaking, Look-Out Points, Mountain Biking, Nature, sailing, Scuba Diving, Snorkelling, Tourist Attractions, Water Sports

Fun & Adventurous things to do in Barbados include Snorkeling, Diving, Sailing & Water-Sports (Surf, SUP, Windsurf, etc...) galore! Plus Hiking, Biking & great Golf!

Bajan Sailing, Snorkeling, Diving, Water-Sports, Fishing, Hiking & Biking

Barbados is the most easterly island in the Caribbean and its coral origins differ from it’s volcanic neighbours to the west, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The island is shaped like a foot, with a length of about 21 miles (34 km) and a width of 14 miles (23 km) at the widest point in the south. While best known for its English heritage, white sandy beaches and great rum, Barbados has plenty to offer travelers seeking action, both in the sea and on land.

If you’re looking for adventure while vacationing in the Caribbean, it’s always great fun to get off the resort and really explore the island. With its protective reefs off the west and south coasts, Barbados offers some great sailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing and a whole lot of water-sports! On land, you can enjoy caving as well as hiking and biking. Take a look at our recommended activities that will make you feel alive in Barbados – Enjoy!

Barbados Sail and Snorkel Adventures

With such a rich sailing tradition in Barbados, it’s no surprise that getting out on the ocean, combined with snorkeling a couple of unique hotspots, is the number one active tourist activity on the island. It’s always a fun and interesting perspective to experience an island from the sea. In Barbados, that means near-constant winds and calm Caribbean waters along the island’s west coast. Local catamaran operators offer a variety of luxurious sailing adventures, most involving delicious meals and free-flowing rum beverages – It doesn’t get much better than that! Actually, it does… The ship’s crew knows exactly where to drop anchor, inviting you to swim with turtles and snorkel over a shallow shipwreck in Carlisle Bay. This adventure is really the highlight of any trip to Barbados!

Then again, you don’t need a boat to partake in Barbados snorkeling. There’s plenty of gorgeous beaches with easy access to shallow artificial reefs close to shore! The west and south-west coasts have some great snorkeling spots, including two marine sanctuaries, Folkestone Marine Park near Holetown and Carlisle Bay Marine Park just south of the island’s capital, Bridgetown. When visiting Barbados, it’s a real treat to explore a shipwreck covered with colourful coral, fans and sponges that is frequented by a variety of tropical fish.

For more information, along with tour operators who can get you out on the water, check out our Barbados Sailing and Barbados Snorkeling pages.

For more colourful and detailed reviews from our own personal experiences visiting the island, take a look at our A Beautiful Day for Barbados Sailing and Snorkeling Carlisle Bay & Holetown blog posts.

Barbados Water Sports Experience

For the more adventurous and athletic type, you’ll be happy to hear that Barbados is one of the top 3 Caribbean islands for surfing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) and windsurfing! Barbados enjoys near-constant trade winds, with multiple coastlines experiencing a variety of wave conditions on any given day. Combined with the island’s amazing white sandy beaches and year-round warm weather, fun at the beach is hard to beat in Barbados!

There are over two dozen good surf spots all around the island, with the southwest coast being ideal for beginners, while intermediate and expert surfers will love the south coast – Barbados real surfing scene. That said, world-class surfing swells can be found at the famous Soup Bowl, on the island’s east coast near Bathsheba. SUP is popular with tourists of all kinds all along the west and southwest coasts. Things really get exciting when the waves pick up – SUP surfing anyone? The south coast also has reliable moderate to strong cross-shore winds making the area a hotbed of windsurfing and kitesurfing. Wow!

Want to see more? Check out our Barbados’ Surfing & SUP video collage on YouTube!

Barbados’ rugged and beautiful north and northwest coasts, coupled with regularly calm waters along the west coast, make it a great place to kayak. Glass-bottom kayaks are available that allow non-snorkelers to enjoy the incredible underwater sites. For those with a need for (mechanical) speed, you can find boat operators offering waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and more. There are also jet ski rentals as well as Jetblading (hydro jetpacking) lessons available on the island.

For more information, along with water sports operators who offer surfing, SUP as well as water sports gear rentals, check out our Barbados Water-Sports page.

Barbados Scuba Diving Action

While no surprise to those in the know… Barbados is a great Caribbean scuba diving destination. The island has over twenty dive sites, easily accessed by a short 10-20 minute boat ride. With water temperatures in the high-70s to mid-80s (25-29c) along with good visibility down to 70 feet deep, you’re sure to enjoy a dive in Barbados. There are 10 shipwrecks to explore along with plenty of tropical fish, corals, sponges and sea fans to enjoy. You could also swim with exciting sea creatures like turtles, rays, eels and even seahorses!

The most popular dive sites are located off the protected west and south(west) coasts of the island, including the Carlisle Bay Marine Park. Divers will enjoy calm waters and an abundance of marine life when exploring the shallow (30 – 60 feet) fringing reefs of the west coast. Of course, the highlight of anyone’s dive trip will be the incredible wreck of the Stavronikita – A 365-foot long freighter resting in water 25 to 130 feet deep. Carlisle Bay Marine Park features half a dozen shipwrecks that litter the sandy seafloor. A great site for beginner divers and underwater photographers alike.

The south(west) coast offers diverse ecosystems across a variety of fringe, bank as well as barrier reefs. There are over a dozen great dive sites, including one featuring the broken remains of a 170-foot long shipwreck in just 55 feet of water. A great area for some amazing drift dives, plus deep divers will enjoy plunging down double-sided barrier reefs south of the island. The typically rough waters of the north and east coast can be dived as well, however ocean conditions have to be just right.

For more information, along with boat operators and dive centres who can get you in the deep, check out our Barbados Diving pages.

Barbados Golf

One of the best golf destinations in the Caribbean, Barbados offers half a dozen links to choose from. The island’s 18-hole, Par 72 golf courses include:

Barbados Golf Club – Located at the southern end of Barbados in Christ Church, the Ron Kirby designed course features gently rolling hills, wide-open fairways and two strategically placed water hazards
Apes Hill Club – Located about halfway up the west coast, the environmentally-conscious course was certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary
Sandy Lane “Country Club” – Located centrally near the west coast, is a Tom Fazio designed course featuring several water hazards, combined with relaxing views of the Caribbean Sea
Sandy Lane “Green Monkey” – The hotel-guest exclusive course is also a Tom Fazio creation, making great use of a former limestone quarry
Royal Westmoreland – Located centrally near the west coast, the private Robert Trent Jones Jr designed course offers a spectacular tropical setting to its guests, along with a limited number of offsite golfers.

The Rockley Golf & Country Club located near the south-west coast of Barbados in Christ Church, offers an 18-Hole / Par 70 experience on a relatively flat parkland course consisting of 9 holes with alternate tees. Sandy Lane also has the “Old Nine” Par 36 course with tree-lined fairways and small greens. There’s also an 18-Hole “standard mini-putt” course, Barbados Mini Golf, located in the west / centre area of the island.

For more information, along with links (pun intended) to the courses themselves, check out our Barbados Golf page.

Barbados Fishing Adventure

A great place for Caribbean fishing, Barbados has reefs and deep-sea locations only a few minutes from shore. If it’s big game fish you’re after, there’s plenty of Blue Marlin, Wahoo (Kingfish), Sailfish, Mahi-Mahi (Dolphin), Tuna and Barracuda out there… You can ‘reel one in’ off Barbados’s south and west coast in the winter and the inner and outer reefs on both coasts offer a variety of year-round fishing options.

You can also fish for Dorado, Jacks, Bonito, Barracuda and Snapper. Barbados fishing will satisfy true fishing enthusiasts as well as those just looking for a fun day at sea with friends and family. If you’re looking for real competitive fishing, you’re welcome to participate in the annual Barbados International Fishing Tournament in April.

For more information, along with boat operators to help you catch the big one, check out our Barbados Fishing page.

Barbados Hiking & Biking Action

A great way to explore the natural beauty of Barbados is by hiking and/or biking the island’s tropical forests and coastal trails. Panoramic views from the rugged north and east coasts can’t be beaten, while the southern coast offers views of unique wetlands as well as beautiful beaches combined with gorgeous blue seas. Barbados offers fairly easy hiking and biking routes, although there are some hilly and long trails that are more challenging. Some trails take you through gullies, cane fields and grasslands, while others allow you to visit historic districts and villages.

Most of Barbados’ hiking trails are found along the east coast. There are a number of hiking guides on the island who can help you find the right trail to meet you needs and desires. A sampling of a few of the more popular hiking trails include:

Bath to Bathsheba Railway Line Trail – An easy hike of just over 3.5 miles (6km) one-way, requiring 2-3 hours to complete. The east coast trail has some great views of the rugged coastline and the Atlantic Ocean.
Nature & Heritage Trail – An easy 3 hour round trip hike with views of the west coast from the Whim Gully, Speightstown and Heywoods Beach along with natural, cultural, and historical sites along the way.
Turner’s Hall Woods to Barclays Trail – An easy–to-intermediate 4 miles (7km) one-way hike that descends from a biodiversity-rich forest in the Scotland district and travels down to the east coast.
Bathsheba / Congor Rocks / Hackleton’s Cliff Loop Trail – An easy–to-intermediate 9 miles (13km) trail along the rugged coastline then inland through a forest with a crevice to traverse. You’ll be rewarded with outstanding views.

The island has plenty of safe road routes for cyclists, as well as a variety of off-road adventures to make any mountain biker happy. You can venture out on your own, or hire a guide who knows the island and can ensure a safe and enjoyable ride. There are even options for riding electric-assisted bikes or touring the island via a car/bike combo tour! Some of the best places for Barbados cycling include:

The east coastline from Hackelton’s Cliff to Codrington College has a variety of ‘sites to see’ including St John’s Parish Church and various plantations. This area provides a varied terrain with incredible views of the rugged eastern coastline.
The south coastline from Oistins to the Chancery Lane Swamp has numerous attractions such as the South Point Lighthouse and the Silver Sands district. A combination of road and off-road tracks in the area offer spectacular ocean views.
In the northwest, you can cycle from the coastal area near Harrison’s Point Lighthouse inland to Mount Gilboa. This hilly rural route traverses small villages as well as cotton and cane fields.

For more information, along with hiking and biking guides to help you get the most out of your day, check out our Barbados Hiking and Barbados Biking pages.