To read our reviews of popular tours and excursions in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe (coming soon), Jamaica, Martinique, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and more… just click HERE
One activity I always look forward to when visiting the islands is slipping into the warm Caribbean Sea to explore an underwater world we just can’t experience on land, or in most northern waters either for that matter. Well, our recent trip to Grenada was no different – I was looking forward to exploring their beach-accessible coral reefs as well as boating to the world’s first underwater sculpture park. In fact, with Marine Parks protecting several snorkeling hot spots around the island, Grenada may be one of the best Caribbean snorkeling destinations.
Once we arrived on the island and got settled, it wasn’t long before we were looking to enjoy some Grenada snorkeling experiences for ourselves. So, we headed out to visit a few hot spots along the southwest coast of Grenada – The Spice Island of the Caribbean did not disappoint. We discovered that Grenada’s reefs are home to amazing colourful tropical fish and thriving marine life! Here’s our ‘review’ of what we found at a few of Grenada’s most popular snorkeling spots.
A local tour operator boat picked us up right from the beach at our resort, and along with a handful of others, we motored north to explore the Molinière Bay – Beauséjour Marine Protected Area. First, we snorkeled over a nice healthy reef before experiencing the famous Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park. Although the day was overcast with limited visibility, we still managed to see a wide variety of corals and other sea life, including a range of fish such as angel fish, parrot fish, butterfly fish, sergeant majors, blue-headed wrasse, as well as a wide variety of striped and dark coloured fish.
Our snorkeling tour began with a 20-minute boat ride up Grenada’s southwest coast, slowing as we cruised into Flamingo Bay – Named after the Flamingo Tongue Snail, not the large pink bird found elsewhere in the Caribbean. The water was a bit choppy and the sky grey, so I lowered my expectations as I slipped into the cool water. Regardless of the cloudy water, this place is awesome – So much to explore and see. Our guide pointed us to a healthy coral reef that followed the shoreline along the south end of the Bay, so off I went to explore…
The rocky coral on the ocean floor of the bay is pretty much carpeted with life. The depth of the water varied from about 20 feet (6m) to just a few feet as I snorkelled closer to shore, which I did fairly often following small schools of fish. The amazing reef structure is covered with a colourful assortment of sea whips, a variety of hard corals along with plenty of whimsical sea fans. As I slowly floated over the reef, I came across a wide variety of fish of all shapes, sizes and colours. There were colourful blue fish as well as fast-moving schools of small, long, and skinny yellow/grey fish along with small groups of split-tail black-spotted grey fish – Likely tangs, chromis, as well as juvenile grunts, jacks and more. I especially enjoyed snorkelling over a nice wide gully between the shore and the main reef – The edges of which are just filled with marine life to examine and admire.
At one point our guide dove down to show us some Flamingo Snails on the back of a sea fan, then he gently borrowed a white sea urchin from its coral home, temporarily bringing it near the surface. While it was still in the water he placed the urchin on the palm of my hand – wow, the spikey little creature gently sucked my skin attempting to ground himself I assume. That was a first – and an enjoyable unique experience! Flamingo Bay is definitely a good snorkeling spot – If the warm and penetrating sun was out, I could have explored there for hours…
FYI – The next cove is another snorkelling hot spot called Dragon Bay. I understand that this bay is home to interesting volcanic rock formations and some of the best-conserved coral reefs in Grenada – I hear the area is brimming with marine life including colourful fish, octopus, eels, lobsters and even seahorses!
Anyway, after about half an hour or so of exploring the reef of Flamingo Bay, we climbed back aboard the boat and motored south for a few minutes before reaching the Sculpture Park.
Grenada’s Underwater Sculpture Park, completed in 2006, was designed by world-renowned British Sculptor Jason de Caires Taylor. The park’s displays rest on the ocean floor ranging in ocean depths between approximately 15 to 30 feet (5-9m) of water. Popular statues include the Vicissitudes (a ring of children holding hands) and the Lost Correspondent (a man sitting at a desk with a typewriter). When we arrived at the site, there was a much larger boat already there so there was over a dozen of us in the water at the same time, however, there are plenty of displays spread across a fairly large area of the sea floor, so it didn’t feel crowded at all.
With my fingers already shriveled from the previous swim, I re-entered the water and followed our guide who swam from one underwater display to another, taking time to describe what we were looking at below the surface. Before entering the water, he had told us that the displays are living art, which I understood better once I saw the cement statues in various stages of transformation – Slowly but surely being taken over by corals and algae. The statues are being claimed by nature, as it should be, as this is their home, and we are just visiting. To my amazement, the statues are located on the sandy ocean floor, in gaps between large coral structures. Unfortunately, the water was quite murky the day we were there so visibility (and photo quality) was poor. That said, I found one of the smaller rings of children very interesting, although I was really impressed with the ‘lost correspondent’, a lone figure slaving away at his typewriter – If you think you have busy days at work, this guy is seriously underwater… literally drowning in his work (bad dad joke, I know). Sorry for not providing a photo of it, however, it is in deep water and the visibility was poor. I also liked what Americans might see as the aqua-man version of ‘touchdown Jesus’, a statue of a large man with his arms outstretched open above his head. A unique experience for sure!
Although the visibility was low, I particularly appreciated the statues recreating the island’s Amerindian Petroglyphs – The haunting faces of long-gone indigenous peoples staring back at me from the depths. The photo below does not do them justice. While I was excited to see the sculptures that I had heard/read so much about, I was also pleasantly surprised by the amount of large fish swimming around. Once in a while we swam through a few handfuls of golf-ball sized jellyfish that irritated some folks in our group, although I didn’t feel anything.
As we motored back to our resort, my eyes were continuously scanning the coastline of this beautiful Caribbean Island. There was one beach that stood out to me, as it appeared to have a large shallow reef not far from shore – One of our guides said it was Morne Rouge Beach, also called BBC Beach, and that indeed, it is another great place to snorkel.
While we enjoyed the day of snorkelling immensely, we found the water a bit chillier than some of our other Caribbean snorkelling experiences. I kept thinking how much more we would have enjoyed the excursion on a sunny day with less wind and calmer seas. I imagine that it would have been more comfortable with much better visibility with sunlight illuminating the statues. Oh well, this experience simply makes me want to come back for more 😉
We were fortunate enough to be staying at a resort right on Magazine Beach, which I had heard was another good spot for snorkeling on the southwest coast. I ventured into the waters a couple of times to explore the area for myself. While the beach is located on the Caribbean side of Grenada, it is pretty far south, so the Atlantic Ocean mixes with the Caribbean Sea a little, making it a bit rough – Nothing overly challenging, but I chose to wear a lifejacket to make my experience more relaxed and comfortable.
One day I snorkelled it was quite windy, so the water was a bit wavy with a slight undertow. Anyways, Magazine Beach is actually split into two beaches, separated by a small rocky cliff that juts out into the Caribbean Sea. I entered the water near the north end of the north beach and drift-snorkeled south – A fun and enjoyable experience. The first thing I noticed when I stuck my face in the water were the patches of green plant life everywhere, some portions precariously clinging to the sea floor and other clumps swaying back and forth in the sea as the waves rolled onto and out from the beach. Even as I swam into deeper waters further from shore, I noticed that fish of all sizes, along with marine vegetation, were also captive of the ocean current, gently going with the flow so-to-speak – It seemed to me that the sea fans were literally waving to me the entire time I was looking down there. About a hundred feet (30m) from shore I came across a large healthy coral reef system that ran parallel to the shore for hundreds of feet. This is where I floated around exploring the abundant marine life Grenada has to offer.
As I drifted along with the current, I encountered many large sea fans and a wide variety of coral, including some massive elkhorn coral that looked like 10-foot (3m) wide flowers. The reef contained a number of really interesting gullies, ranging in depth from about 5 to 15 feet (2-5m). These rocky channels were home to tons of different fish – Lots of small juvenile fish along with several large fish trying to hide, darting from under one ledge to another.
I swam over several incredible puffer fish (or perhaps cow fish?), the most I‘ve ever come across in one area. I saw some amazing Blue fish, perhaps tang or chromis swimming among a school of other fish. I also saw a half-purple and half-yellow fish and a fish that was black on top and white/silver underneath – I don’t recall seeing fish like this before. I was also happy to see plenty of my favourite fish – There were several decent-sized parrotfish of various types and colours, including the rainbow variety. Closer to shore, I snorkelled right over a line of squid floating with the current (photo below). WoW, that was incredible – Seeing squid like this just doesn’t get old! I was floating around out there for a fairly long time, although I could spend hours more exploring this reef system!
FYI – A little further south along this shoreline is the public accessible Aquarium Beach, which is essentially an extension of the same reef system as Magazine Beach. I understand there’s a restaurant with facilities on that beach.
While we’re on the subject, there are plenty of other good places to snorkel in Grenada as well. They include:
The popular Grand Anse Beach, which is also located on the south-west coast of the island. This snorkeling spot is nicely protected from the wind and the beautiful beach provides easy access to an artificial reef of ‘pyramids’ that are home to tropical fish and other marine life. A few minutes away is Morne Rouge Beach, also called BBC Beach. This beach-accessible snorkeling spot is less crowded than Grand Anse Beach and on a good day, features clear calm water – Excellent for snorkelling.
Levera Beach, situated within Levera National Park, is located at the northeast corner of Grenada. When the Atlantic Ocean is calm you can swim to coral reefs and seagrasses right from the beach – Places to explore that are alive with marine life. Bathway Beach is practically right next door to the park, and also offers a white sand beach with a coral reef close to shore. You can find public facilities at Bathway Beach.
La Sagesse Beach is located along the southeast coast of the island. This beautiful bay is home to a couple of small coral reefs and when the Atlantic Ocean is calm the water is clear, offering great snorkelling. Then there is nearby Hog Island – Apparently, it is possible for snorkelers to reach a multitude of shipwrecks in the Marine Protected Area there.
And let’s not forget about snorkeling Carriacou’s Marine Protected Areas including L’Esterre Bay, home to Paradise Beach and Sandy Island. Grenada’s sister island is also where you will find a couple of other remote and beautiful areas to snorkel – Anse La Roche Beach and Tyrell Bay Beach. Apparently, you can also drift snorkel the coral reefs around White Island and Saline Island in the sea between Carriacou and the main island of Grenada.
For more information on snorkeling in Grenada, including a list of tour operators who will get you into the water, check out our Grenada Snorkeling page
If you’re looking for other ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the islands, click on our Grenada Adventures blog for some great ideas!
For an overview of the beautiful islands of Grenada, take a look at our Grenada Vacations page
For an overview of great Tourist Attractions on the islands, including tour operators who will take good care of you, check out our Things to Do in Grenada page
While it is awesome to relax and unwind on a beach when vacationing on a Caribbean island, after a while we get the urge to turn it up a notch by getting out and exploring the island. On this day, we pretty much travelled the full length of Grenada, venturing from our resort on the southwest tip of the island, all the way to the northeast corner of the island, taking in many amazing sights and experiences along the way.
Our first main stop was at Belmont Estate, an amazing cocoa plantation with a boutique chocolate factory. We were excited to try some chocolate, but first, the hostess who greeted us at the entrance asked us to join a few others in an unassuming building on the Estate near the road. There, we met Belmont’s friendly and knowledgeable host Kelly, who was just about to start a tour with a handful of other tourists – Perfect timing. Kelly took us outside for a casual stroll around the plantation, showing us some of the plants that grow in the area. We smelled some aromatic plants including Thai basil, lemongrass, and a dandelion-like plant – They all had distinctive and powerful odours – Pretty cool. We then headed across the road to a stand of cocoa trees where Kelly searched for a nice ripe pod to show us. He quickly found one, picked it from a tree, then cracked it open on a rock. After carefully opening up the cocoa pod shell, he offered us the pulpy kernel-like seeds to suck on – very fruity tasting with a bit of a sour tang.
When we returned to the main building, Kelly showed us where workers had picked ripe cocoa pods, removed the seeds and stacked them to ferment in wooden bins covered with banana leaves. He explained that the beans are regularly transferred by hand from bin to bin for a few days to help ensure an even fermentation. Wow – What a powerful smell! Kelly took us back outside to show us the large drying racks on rollers just above the ground where the beans dry for a few days more. Not sure if it’s really required or not, but he had the women take off their shoes and gently flip the beans over with their feet to speed the drying process – OK, that was interesting.
We also took a quick look into one of the more modern greenhouse-like drying buildings, although it was way too hot to stay in there for too long. From there we went back into the main building one last time for a sample of hot cocoa tea. Kelly made it very clear that it was not hot chocolate – It was a blend of dried roasted ground cocoa nibs mixed with cinnamon/nutmeg, bergamot (an orange-like fruit), and bay leaves. There must have been some sugar in there too – I have to tell you, even in the tropical heat, this hot beverage was absolutely delicious!
After looking at some samples of local fruit and spices on display, Kelly took us up to the nearby Chocolate Factory building where he showed us the grinding/mixing machines and the workers packaging the previously formed chocolate creations. After a brief explanation of the ‘tree to bar’ chocolate-making process, noting that the cocoa is organic and that pretty much every step along the way is still done by hand, with very few machines used. Kelly then took us next door to a showroom/gift shop where we sampled 100% cocoa nibs, 80% dark chocolate, 60% Dark Chocolate with ginger and cinnamon, and some real white chocolate. Personally, I thought the spiced chocolate was outstanding, so we purchased one of those along with some cocoa powder, cocoa tea balls, and another dark chocolate bar flavoured with salt. We really enjoyed our visit to Belmont Estate – A nice, small boutique Grenadian chocolatier making chocolates the old-fashioned way!
For other popular Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Grenada page
For an overview of the “Caribbean Spice Island”, feel free to check out our Grenada Vacations page.
Our next stop was less than 10 minutes away… Where we took a rum tour the likes of which I’ve never experienced before…
Entering the grounds of the River Antoine Estate Rum Distillery, I have to say was not very glamorous. There’s no big gate or grand entrance, there’s not even a prominent sign announcing that the oldest rum distillery in Grenada is located here. Regardless, we drove right up and parked next to one of their main buildings. We wandered over to their storefront to request a tour, and a friendly staff member agreed to take us and another couple of tourists for an informative walk around the facilities, and as we were about to find out, a journey back in time! The first thing I noticed was a subtle campfire smell in the air as we walked past a massive mound of chopped sugar cane. The tour started by taking a look at the distillery’s feature attraction – A giant water wheel embedded into a cement wall. Apparently, this water mill wheel was installed in the early 19th century and powers much of the mechanical equipment at the distillery. Our guide explained that water is diverted from the nearby River Antoine and is channeled to the top of the giant wheel via a trough, providing natural ‘renewable’ power to a sugar cane conveyor belt and cane crushing machine we were about to see.
We visited River Antoine around noon so most of the guys were on lunch break, however, it’s not hard to imagine workers feeding sugar cane stalks onto a conveyor built that feeds the crusher, separating the valuable juice from the stalk. A staff member was kind enough to peel a piece of cane with his machete, then cut it into 3-inch lengths for us to sample – Always tasty as the sweet cane juice filled my mouth with the very first bite. Meanwhile, workers remove the spent stalks from the crusher and load them into what looked like an old miner’s cart that ran on a short set of railway tracks. Apparently, the crushed stalks, referred to as bagasse, are piled up and then laid out to dry in the sun before being burned as fuel for heating the evaporators. After the cane is crushed, the cane juice flows through a trough to the evaporator room next door.
The evaporator/boiler room can only be described as ‘rustic and traditional’. It actually reminded me of my grandparent’s smoking shed that doubled as a maple syrup boiling shed back in Canada. River Antoine’s evaporator, or boiler room housed a series of 5 old open-air steel pans/bowls, each one with a more intense fire under it than the previous one. A worker uses a long ladle to manually pass the hot liquid from one bowl to another until the cane juice is concentrated down to syrup. Again, not much has changed over the past 200 years or so. After several hours of evaporation, the cane syrup is fed next door to one of nine cement storage tanks for fermenting – a natural process where nothing, not even yeast, is added. After about a week or so, the fermentation process is complete and the liquid is piped to 2 large copper pot stills, referred to as kettles, for distillation.
The kettles are built on top of cement fireboxes, where local hardwoods are burned to provide direct heat to the kettles – Not something you see today in modern distilleries. That explains the piles of chopped wood nearby, and the constant smoky smell. After distillation and filtering, the rum is sampled and adjusted for strength. River Antoine white rum comes in two varieties, a strong 69% (138 proof) version and the powerful 75% (150 proof) variant. I understand that their 75% rum has so much alcohol in it that it is considered a flammable substance and hence cannot be transported by airplane. River Antoine Estates also produces a wide variety of rum punches, depending on what fruit is ripe on the island at the time of making. The bottling and storage room is once again, plain and simple. Three staff members take rum from previously filled large water coolers and fill each bottle by hand, label them, and complete the process with the help of a small capping machine.
To complete our tour, we sampled the 69% and 75% white rums. While the smell, especially of the 69% rum was quite funky and inviting, they were a bit too strong, with a fiery after-burn, for my taste. I imagine serious rum enthusiasts would appreciate the ‘high-ester’ rums more than I do. That said, I did purchase a bottle of their Passionfruit flavoured rum which I drank with friends when I got home. I have to say it was very enjoyable, with a bit of a funky ‘sweet and sour’ vibe going on – yum.
Wow – What a unique experience! Their whole process is just incredible. I’ve been to many rum distilleries throughout the Caribbean over the years, yet, I have never seen an operation that pretty much hasn’t changed in over 200 years! I suspect it would be tough to find this type of facility anywhere else in the world. Starting in 1785, River Antoine Estate is still making small batch rums the old-fashioned way – A must-visit on your next trip to Grenada.
If you’re interested in reading more about the Caribbean’s golden elixir, then check out our Caribbean Rum page as well as our Grenada Rum page, which includes a list of Tour Operators who will help you sample what Grenanda has to offer!
From there, we traveled about 15 minutes further north, for the literal “high-light” of the trip!
With the help of some friendly locals pointing the way, we eventually found the road that would take us up to the Telecom tower area which we had heard offers spectacular views of Grenada. The final stretch of road to reach the peak was absolutely wild – It must have been on a 60° angle, so our little rental car was straining to make it up the hill. At the dead-end at the top of the road, we came to the realization that there is really only room for a single vehicle in the tiny parking area off to the side of the road – Regardless, that didn’t stop three of us from ‘finding a way’ to get our cars off the road. Anyways… We were about to discover that the Welcome Stone is well worth all the parking drama.
After parking the car, we followed a dirt trail that started alongside the fenced-in Telecom facility, to the other side of the mountain peak. The short hike started off on a bit of a steep boulder-strewn slope before transitioning to a nice leaf-covered trail through the forest. After a short 5-minute stroll we arrived at the scenic look-out area where there are a number of massive but climbable boulders to mount. From our rocky perches, we were treated to some truly sensational views of the northeast tip of Grenada and the Caribbean Sea, dotted with several islands protruding out of the endless blue. Directly below us, Levera Pond provided a nice dark watery contrast with the surrounding green/brown landscape. The offshore islands of Sugar Loaf, Green Island, and Sandy Island seemed so close, while Ronde Island and further in the distance, the outline of Grenada’s sister islands, Carriacou and Petite Martinique mysteriously were barely visible in the background. Enough said – I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves… After absorbing the incredible views for a while, we left the boulders to allow recently arrived folks to have an opportunity to enjoy the tranquil scenery.
Did I mention there was only enough parking at the top for a single vehicle? Well, when we got back to the top of the road, there were 3 other cars and a small van now bravely parked along the side of the road, all with large rocks under their tires to ensure they wouldn’t roll down the hill – Good idea! Another interesting Grenada attraction for sure!
For the more adventurous, this area is a good place to explore while hiking or snorkeling – For more info, including a list of local tour operators to get you on the trail or in the water, check out our Grenada Hiking or Grenada Snorkeling pages.
What a great day – and it wasn’t even over yet… We then drove down the west coast road, enjoying the amazing views of the Caribbean Sea with quick stops in Victoria, Gouyave, and St. George’s to pick up some spices for our trip home.
ACT Staff
For a more complete review of Grenada’s Attractions and things-to-do, along with a list of local Tour Operators who can help you get the most out of your day, check out our Top 6 Attractions in Grenada post
If you’re looking for something more active, check out our recommended Grenada Adventures blog
For an overview of the beautiful and diverse islands, click on our Grenada Vacations page
After a somewhat harrowing drive from the St. Georges area to the heart of Grenada, we eventually made it to ‘The River’s Edge’ restaurant, which also conveniently doubles as the launch site for river-tubing Grenada’s “Great River”. It was warm and sunny the day of our visit – Just perfect for a river tubing adventure. A couple of friendly locals from Funtastic Island Adventures greeted us in the parking lot to get us ready for our journey downstream. Our excursion guides for the next hour or so were named Blue and Splashy. Once they fitted us with helmets and life jackets we were each handed a large inflated ‘tube’ that would be the best seat in the house, which in this case was the Spice Island’s Baltahar River. One by one we plopped ourselves down into the floating bright orange tubes and excitedly pushed off from shore.
After a few seconds, the river current picked up speed and we headed downstream. After the first set of rapids, we gently bounced off a stone wall before slowly drifting under a bridge where we gained momentum once again. For our Grenada river-tubing experience, it was just our small party of three, so we pretty much had a private tour. Well, actually a couple of dogs also joined us for our journey – sometimes running along the shore, other times joining us in the water for a refreshing swim. Pretty cool…
The Balthazar River system consists of a diverse assortment of fairly fast-moving water through long narrow channels bordered with large rocks, exciting small waterfall-like drops of a foot or two, along with some wide open areas of deeper water where things slow down to more of a lazy river vibe. All this variation made for a very interesting ride through the tree-lined river gully, giving us a remote and secluded feel. The entire voyage through the lush green environment was a great way to enjoy the Grenada wilderness.
After a few calming minutes of leisurely drifting down the river, we left the world behind and it was just us and the ebbing flow of the stream, surrounded by the natural beauty of Grenada’s jungle-like vegetation. Blue told us that being mid-April the water level was really low for our river journey and that during the rainy season later in the year the water level can be two feet higher or more, and much much faster! Meanwhile, for our trip down Grenada’s “Great River”, we occasionally felt rocks passing beneath us, but the tubes we were riding in had Styrofoam bottoms to keep us protected. We did get caught up several times on rocks, but Blue and Splashy were always close by, helping to pull or push us around the obstacles as required. One time though, going over a 3-foot drop I thought I was going to dump for sure – but I just held onto the handles until Blue rushed over to pull me through the mini-falls and the tube eventually righted itself. During all the excitement, I did get a little mouthful of water, but that just added to the fun experience!
To add to the ‘nature’ vibe of our river tubing experience, at one point we came across a handful of blue herons fishing the waters. At yet another area we passed under an old stone bridge that looked like the ruins of some lost civilization – Turns out it was just the remnants of an old road that was replaced decades ago. It was still an interesting sight though, as it is slowly being reclaimed by the natural world.
Somewhere along our outing, we floated into a fairly large pond area where the water was barely moving. Apparently, when large groups are taking the tour, additional entertainment is provided by locals jumping off the riverside cliff! Anyways… After about 45 minutes of speeding through small series of rapids and slowly floating across tranquil ponds, our amazing Balthazar River tubing experience sadly came to a conclusion as the river was getting too rocky and shallow to continue. Well, it was great fun that I didn’t want to be over, but all good things must come to an end!
ACT Staff
For more information about river tubing down the Balthazar River, check out the Funtastic Island Adventures website.
For Tour Operators who can get you on the river, as well as guide you to many other great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Grenada page.
For an overview of the Spice Island of the Caribbean, take a look at our Grenada Vacations page.
If you’re looking for more ‘active’ things to do while vacationing on the island, click on our Grenada Adventures blog post for some great ideas!
Now that winter is underway in many parts of the world, folks might be looking for a reprieve from the cold and snow with a warm and sunny Caribbean vacation. After a couple of years of travel restrictions, it’s time to get your blood pumping and your mind blown by experiencing the natural wonders of the Caribbean Islands. Swim in the warm Caribbean Sea and take a peak below to witness an alien world or discover waterfalls along trails through a lush green rainforest. This is nature’s best medicine to awaken your senses. Of course, a round of golf or a warm relaxing day fishing or kayaking will also make you feel warm and alive! If you’re thinking of heading south for a warm-weather vacation, check out our recommendations for the best Caribbean adventure destinations for winter/spring 2023.
For this article, we’re highlighting the Caribbean Islands that provide the best opportunities for getting out in nature to enjoy snorkeling (and diving), hiking, fishing, watersports, and golf. With the Euro the lowest it’s been for several years, we also gave the French Caribbean an extra, well-deserved look. If you missed part one of this article, we covered the beautiful and exciting Caribbean Island destinations of the Cayman Islands, Martinique and Bonaire – You can access Part 1 by clicking here. As for the rest of our list, here we go…
Barbados sits alone as the most easterly island in the southern Caribbean. The unique coral-based island may be best known for its beautiful white sand beaches and cute ‘moke’ vehicles, however it is also one of the best Caribbean Island destinations to enjoy watersports, snorkeling, diving, golf and rum!
With its unique position in the Caribbean, Barbados enjoys near-constant trade winds while its various coastlines experience a variety of wave conditions. Combine that with amazing white sand beaches and year-round warm weather and you get one of the top 3 best Caribbean Islands for water sports! With a couple dozen hotspots around the island, surfing is king in Barbados. The southwest coast is ideal for beginners while the south coast’s consistent year-round waves and numerous local surf shops make it the home to the real surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing scene. That said, world-class surfing swells are found on the east coast of Barbados at the famous Soup Bowl. Stand-Up-Paddleboarding and SUP surfing is popular all along the southwest and west coasts of the island while the best Barbados kayaking spots include the rugged and beautiful north and northwest coasts, as well as along the calm west coast. For those with a need for speed, you can also find jet ski rentals and boat operators offering waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and more.
For more tips on watersports options in Barbados, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops and places to rent gear, check out our Barbados Water Sports page.
With its gorgeous beaches and easy access to shallow artificial reefs close to shore, Barbados is also a great place to get in the sea to snorkel. While there are a variety of beach-accessible snorkel spots all along the west and southwest coasts of Barbados, a couple of the best locations might be the two marine sanctuaries, Folkestone Marine Park and Carlisle Bay Marine Park. There are several shipwrecks, plenty of colourful coral, fans and sponges as well as tropical fish and other marine life to observe. That said, the island’s main attraction is probably the friendly Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtles, regularly spotted in Carlisle Bay. While perhaps not well known outside of the scuba diving community, Barbados is also a great Caribbean diving destination. The island has over twenty dive sites, featuring a variety of coral reef structures including gently sloping fringe reefs, bank reefs as well as deep double-sided barrier reefs. There are several shipwrecks to explore, including the 360-foot freighter Stavronikita, widely considered to be one of the most impressive wrecks in the Caribbean.
For more details on exploring the underwater world of Barbados, including contact info for local tour operators, dive shops and boat operators who can get you in the sea, check out our Barbados Snorkeling and/or our Barbados Scuba Diving pages.
One of the top 3 best golf destinations in the Caribbean, Barbados offers half a dozen links to choose from. They include: The Barbados Golf Club, an 18-hole / Par 72 golf course measuring 6,805 yards that was re-designed/built in 2000 by Ron Kirby to feature gently rolling hills and wide-open fairways; The Sandy Lane Golf Club, which offers 3 courses along with a driving range – The club’s 18-hole / Par 72 course measuring 7,060 yards was designed by Tom Fazio with several water hazards and relaxing views of the Caribbean Sea; The environmentally friendly Apes Hill Club is an 18-Hole / Par-72 championship course that plays to 7,150 yards (Professional Tees) or just over 5,000 yards (Front Tees); The Royal Westmoreland course is a Robert Trent Jones Jr designed 18-hole / Par 72 golf course measuring 7,045 yards with spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea and features multiple bunkers as well as a ravine hazard; and the Rockley Golf & Country Club is a flat parkland course consisting of 9 holes with alternate tees for an 18-Hole / Par 70 experience measuring 5,610 yards.
For more info on playing golf in Barbados, check out our Barbados Golf page.
Barbados’ reefs and deep-sea trenches make it an ideal Caribbean fishing destination as well. While big game fish are plentiful in the south and west coast seas during the winter months, Barbados’ inner and outer reefs on both coasts offer year-round fishing options. If it’s game fish you’re after, there are plenty of Blue Marlin, Wahoo (kingfish), and Sailfish to pull in from the deep, with most of the island’s fishing hotspots just a few miles from shore. Barbados fishing can satisfy the desires of true fishing enthusiasts as well as folks just looking for a day at sea with friends and family. If you’re looking for some competitive fishing, you’re welcome to participate in the annual Barbados International Fishing Tournament that takes place every April.
For more tips on fishing in Barbados, including contact info for local boat operators who can get a reel in your hands, check out our Barbados Fishing page.
We would be remiss in not also mentioning that Barbados has been producing rum for over 350 years and is generally considered the birthplace of the famous golden elixir. Barbados is justifiably known for some of the best rum in the world, perhaps owing to the island’s unique coral make-up, as compared to the volcanic composition of other Caribbean islands. Your trip to Barbados will be complete once you visit the enjoyable Mount Gay and/or Foursquare Rum Distilleries. For more details on the rums of Barbados, including contact info for local tour operators who can get you on a distillery tour, check out our Barbados Rum page.
For more detailed ideas for things to do in Barbados, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Barbados Vacation Ideas page.
The most southern of the Caribbean’s Windward Islands, Grenada is a tri-island nation that includes the main island of Grenada along with Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Known as the “Spice Island” for its abundance of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger and vanilla, Grenada and the other islands are also a great Caribbean destination for hiking, fishing, snorkeling and diving as well as a variety of water sports!
With Marine Parks protecting several areas of the ocean, including the world’s first underwater sculpture park, Grenada is a top Caribbean Island for snorkeling. Slip into the warm Caribbean sea from a handful of the islands’ white sandy beaches or take a short boat ride for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore dozens of underwater statues and healthy coral reefs alive with colourful tropical fish and amazing marine life. Similarly, with over 30 dive sites, Grenada is also a top Caribbean scuba diving destination. The island has dive sites featuring reefs, wrecks and underwater gardens in a variety of depths, offering something for everyone. If it’s shipwrecks you’re after, Grenada has more divable wrecks than any other Caribbean island, including the Titanic of the Caribbean, the ‘Bianca C’. Then there is the diving gem that is Carriacou, known as the ‘Island of Reefs’, where you can enjoy an additional 20 dive sites in the less-visited cooler waters of the Grenadines.
For more details on exploring Grenada’s underwater world, including contact info for local tour operators, dive shops and boat operators who can get you in the water, check out our Grenada Snorkeling and/or our Grenada Scuba Diving pages.
Grenada’s reefs, shoals and deep water close to shore also make it one of the best places in the southern Caribbean for catching a wide variety of fish. This includes plenty of deep-sea sport fish like sailfish, blue marlin, white marlin and even the occasional tuna. If you’re interested in a few days of competitive fishing, you’re welcome to join hundreds of like-minded anglers for a week of fun at the Spice Island Billfish Tournament, held every January. For more details on fishing in Grenada, including contact info for local boat operators who can get a reel in your hands, check out our Grenada Fishing page.
For even more amazing outdoor experiences on the water, Grenada’s protected bays and mangroves along with Carriacou’s quiet beaches provide the perfect setting for a relaxing day kayaking or Stand-Up-Paddleboarding. More adventurous kayakers can challenge the waves by journeying around an offshore island or two. That said, river tubing through a rainforest down Grenada’s Balthazar River is a must for new visitors to the island! For more tips on watersports options in Grenada, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops and places to rent gear, check out our Grenada Water Sports page.
Meanwhile, back on dry land, adventurers can explore the island’s mountainous terrain to experience first-hand why Grenada is also considered one of the best Caribbean destinations for hiking. Avid hikers can enjoy trails through rainforests that feature waterfalls and their accompanying pools, as well as strenuous mountain climbs for spectacular views. While the most iconic hike in Grenada, with its impressive view of a Crater Lake, is probably the Mount Qua Qua trail in Grand Etang Lake and National Park, mountain hikers will also enjoy the tallest peak on the island, Mount St. Catherine which stands 2,760 feet (840m) above sea level. There are plenty of other hiking trails to choose from in Grenada, including some dry scrubland trails in the south of the island. Not to be outdone, Carriacou also has a number of trails worth exploring as well.
For more information and tips on hiking in Grenada, including contact info for local tour operators and hiking guides, check out our Grenada Hiking pages.
For more detailed ideas for things to do in Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Grenada Vacation Ideas page.
Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, the Commonwealth of Dominica is located north of Saint Lucia, between Guadeloupe and Martinique. Dominica is the youngest island in the region with geothermal activity you can experience for yourself by hiking to the second-largest hot spring in the world, aptly named Boiling Lake. Besides being one of the top 3 Caribbean Island destinations for hiking, the “Nature Island” also offers incredible canyoning, snorkeling, diving, and fishing adventures… just waiting to be discovered!
Dominica is famous for its wild mountainous landscape and plentiful rivers and waterfalls. The tallest peak on the island is Morne Diablotins, which at 4,747 feet (1,447 m) above sea level, makes it the ninth tallest in the Caribbean. For unique hiking adventures, Dominica has a challenging trail to the aforementioned Boiling Lake, which is literally ‘boiling’, as well as an untamed river trail to the gorgeous Victoria Falls. There are literally dozens of trails on the island throughout an extensive natural park system including Cabrits National Park, the Northern Forest Reserve, the Central Forest Reserve, as well as Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized for its ‘Natural’ beauty. Dominica is also home to the Waitukubuli National Trail – 115 miles (184 km) of trails weaving across the length of the island. For the more adventurous, Dominica also has a burgeoning canyoning scene with several natural waterpark playgrounds concealed in a number of canyons, gorges and waterfalls just begging to be climbed and rappeled!
For more information and tips on hiking in Dominica, including contact info for local tour operators and hiking guides, check out our Dominica Hiking pages.
Dominica is also protecting its natural underwater world with the Soufriere-Scott’s Head Marine Reserve and the Cabrits Marine Reserve, making it a great Caribbean Island for snorkeling. The island has several sheltered bays along the western side of the island with close-to-shore reefs that are ideal for spotting tropical fish, large fish as well as rays and turtles. While it may not match the rugged beauty of snorkeling in the calm waters off Scott’s Head beach, you should experience for yourself the unique snorkeling spot known as Champagne Reef where Dominica’s volcanic activity can be viewed underwater as air bubbles seep through volcanic fumaroles on the seabed while you explore the corals and fish in the area. Wow!
The island is also an undiscovered mecca for scuba diving with shallow coral reefs, pinnacles, and steep drop-off cliffs with incredible caves and pass-throughs. There are dozens of dive sites to choose from along the west coast of Dominica, with a variety of options appropriate for divers with various skill levels. The reefs and walls are covered with colourful corals, tubes, fans, sponges and a wide assortment of diverse marine life including fish, eels, seahorses, shrimp, and more. Freedivers looking for a new place to explore will love the underwater crater in Soufriere Bay, which can be easily accessed via the fixed freediving platform.
Unsurprisingly, Dominica’s healthy reef systems and deep waters, also make it a great destination for Caribbean fishing. Sports fisherman dream about the big marlin, sailfish, yellowfin skipjack, tarpon, wahoo, dorado and mackerel that you can catch in the waters of Dominica. As an added bonus, you might be fortunate enough to see dolphins and whales swimming alongside your boat as you journey to and from the island’s fishing hot spots!
For more detailed ideas for things to do in Dominica, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Dominica Vacation Ideas page.
Located south of Antigua & Barbuda, the Guadeloupe archipelago consists of more than a dozen islands/islets – The two largest, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre are only separated by a small channel, making the two islands appear as the wings of a butterfly. The less busy and relatively uninhabited islands of Marie-Galante, Les Saintes Bay and La Désirade are the other major islands in the archipelago. The Guadeloupe Islands are recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve providing a gorgeous natural setting for all sorts of Caribbean adventures like hiking, snorkeling, diving as well as a variety of water sports. Of course, there’s plenty of rhum as well!
Basse-Terre is a mountainous lush green paradise for hikers. The healthy natural ecosystem of the Parc National de la Guadeloupe contains the largest rainforest of the Lesser Antilles and has well over 100 miles (160km) of hiking trails to explore. Several trails lead to the top of La Grande Soufrière volcano, which at 4,813 feet (1,467m) above sea level is the eighth tallest of all the Caribbean Islands! A couple of other popular trails include the Chute du Carbet and the Cascade aux Ecrevisses, both ending with rewarding waterfall cascades! With over a hundred trails across the Guadeloupe archipelago, these islands have to be in the top 3 hiking spots in the Caribbean.
As the story goes, Jacques Cousteau, the famous scuba diving innovator and oceanographer was very impressed with Guadeloupe’s underwater world – The Guadeloupe Islands returned the compliment by naming a Marine Reserve in his honour. The Cousteau Marine Park at Pigeon Island, Basse-Terre is home to some of the best snorkeling and dive spots in Guadeloupe. While a boat or kayak is required to reach Pigeon Island as well as the shipwrecks and coral located in the shallows of the Grand-Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve, there are over 10 great snorkeling spots that can be accessed from beaches around Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre and Iles des Saintes. While snorkelers can appreciate colourful corals, sponges, sea fans, turtles and tropical fish, divers can explore over 20 sites that feature diverse coral gardens with underwater canyons, arches and swim-throughs, along with shipwrecks, turtles, rays, and even whales, along with a wide variety of fish. For another fascinating example of underwater geothermal activity check out the champagne dive at Bouillante, Basse-Terre. There are over a dozen dive shops across the Guadeloupe Islands ready to get you in the water.
Another great way to get exercise and explore nature in the Butterfly Islands is to kayak in the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve lagoon. While exploring the reefs and mangroves you may be fortunate enough to spot a manatee swimming around or grazing on the seagrass. The Nature Reserve is also a great place to try Stand-Up Paddle-boarding. Meanwhile, on the east coast of Grande-Terre, surfers can find that perfect northeast swell to ride. While most kayak and SUP action takes place near Basse-Terre’s Malendure beach and the Pigeon Islands, there are places to rent SUP boards all over the islands, along with opportunities for the more adventurous to join a long-distance race paddling between islands.
Of course, the Guadeloupe Islands have a large selection of rhum distilleries to visit as well! Similar to its nearby neighbour Martinique, Guadeloupe produces “rhum agricole” from local sugar cane and is home to more than a handful of world-class distilleries in Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre and Marie-Galante. Most of Guadeloupe’s distilleries are open to the public, offering affordable plantation (habitation)/distillery tours, along with rhum tasting and storefronts to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice!
For more detailed ideas for things to do in Guadeloupe, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Guadeloupe Vacation Ideas page.
So that’s our view of the top Caribbean adventure destinations for 2023. While the above list may feature the very best Caribbean Islands for a combination of snorkeling, diving, hiking, fishing, watersports and golf, that does not take anything away from other amazing islands that can also be enjoyed for Caribbean adventures. Some of our other favourites include Jamaica, Curaçao, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua & Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, The US Virgin Islands, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, as well as Trinidad & Tobago.
FYI (Full Disclosure): We are not being compensated in any way by the islands listed above. These islands were chosen as our top destinations based on the criteria outlined in the opening paragraphs.
We hope you liked our assessment and it has motivated you to enjoy some quality time in the Caribbean!
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ACT Staff
