Saint Lucia Hiking to Enbas Saut Falls – A Stairway to Adventure
Saint Lucia is one of the most popular Caribbean Islands for good reason. Located just south of Martinique and west of Barbados, the island is a mountainous green paradise surrounded by inviting blue waters. Best known for its distinctive twin Pitons, St. Lucia offers a variety of hiking trails for those looking to be active in the Caribbean. There’s something for everyone, from short nature walks to intermediate hikes along with a couple of challenging adventures. On this trip to the island, we were looking for a rustic rainforest hike with waterfalls – We found that with the Enbas Saut Falls trail.
Similar to our Mount Gimie hike, the adventure began in the town of Migny, just south-east of Soufriere. This time we decided to challenge the rough secondary road in our rental vehicle. It wasn’t quick or easy, but the little car made it partway up the rocky/slippery track without taking too much of a beating. Honestly, the drive was a little stressful and I’m not sure it was worth it – Might as well have walked up the road and enjoyed the sights and sounds of nature. Anyways, we parked where the hiking route splits between the Mount Gimie trail and the path to the Edmund Forest Reserve, also known as the Central Rainforest. Heading towards the Reserve, we followed a dirt road slightly uphill into the rainforest. At one point, we passed a strange sight – An area where the side of the mountain had washed away due to a recent hurricane. Always humbling to see the power of nature.
The day was a little gray and overcast, but our spirits were high as we were looking forward to another wild St. Lucia hike. After a half-hour or so the trail transitioned into a natural path which eventually took us to a little gazebo next to a hut where a sign laying on the ground unceremoniously proclaiming, “Welcome to Enbas Saut Falls”… OK, so if this is the official trailhead, how are we supposed to get to this spot in the middle of the forest? I suspect there’s more than one trail to reach this spot. Regardless, from here we started down a number of man-made “hollow” wooden stair sections. I say “hollow”, as the rock/earth filling for the steps that I imagined were there at some point, had been pretty much washed away, making the stairs almost awkward to walk on. Between sections of stairs, there were some natural paths as well, making this a nice diverse hike. I found this outing pleasantly offbeat as most Caribbean hikes I’ve experienced started with an uphill climb. On this trail, we were already on somewhat high ground, so we gradually descended into a valley. With Morne Gimie, the island’s tallest peak, looming ever larger in the background, we made our way down over 1,200 of these steps down to the waterfalls area. Don’t ask me who counted them, but that’s what our guide told us.
Our unassuming guide provided a wealth of information about the local flora and birdlife that we encountered along the way. He identified various ferns along with gommier, mahogany, mahoe and mango trees. He also pointed out a few plants used in traditional medicines on the island. Our guide also showed us two distinctive types of hummingbird, along with a number of different bird species. We saw several land crabs climbing along the steps, and I was bewildered with the dense vegetation everywhere. There were literally plants growing out of plants wrapped in other plants! Hiking through a cloud forest, rainforest, and elfin woodlands, we reached the valley floor about an hour or so after we left the top of the stairs.
As we had been in the thick of the rainforest, it was no surprise that it rained a little, a few times… but we really didn’t notice it as we were already pretty moist from the humid air and the physical excursion – The weather didn’t dampen our spirits (no apologies for the pun). It was a beautiful hike and we did not feel uncomfortable at all, although we had to be careful with our footing as the ground and trail were wet and a little slick.
Down in the valley, we crossed a small river, which had a natural vine “rope” hanging over it. Well, you know we had to take turns swinging around playing Tarzan! Although I’ve enjoyed several hikes in the Caribbean, this was the first time I’ve had this pleasurable experience.
It wasn’t long before we reached the actual waterfalls area. Suddenly, the trail had 10-15 cement stairs in the middle of nowhere, leading down to the upper falls’ pool… Yes, I said cement. Wow – I can’t imagine having had to carry bags of cement all the way down here! There was a small group swimming in the pool, so we continued on and discovered that there were actually 2 small cascading waterfalls with pools.
The top falls were about 15-20 feet (5.5m) high with a fairly large/deep pool, while the bottom falls were slightly higher at 20-25 feet (7m) tall with a small shallow pool that spilled into a rocky river that carried the water away. We took a refreshing swim in the deeper upper pool, careful not to let the current take us all the way over the lower falls. The rocks here were so large and smooth, it felt like we were slipping and sliding in a giant cement waterpark.
I found this area very soothing and peaceful. Surrounded by thick jungle canopy, I really enjoyed this wild experience in Saint Lucia! As the sun was unable to penetrate the foliage, I can’t exactly say that we dried off, but after a bit of a break we eventually put our shirts back on, gathered our packs and headed back up the way we came. This time, in the more familiar up-hill direction, we went back up the 1,200 steps. While there were a few steep sections, it was not too strenuous a hike back to the car. This intermediate-level St. Lucia hike was educational and a fun way to spend the morning.
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):
First created by plantation slaves in the mid 17th century, RUM has come a long way from its humble beginnings… Originally called “kill-devil” or “rumbullion”, the harsh liquor became a staple drink of pirates, who made “bumbo” by adding water, sugar, nutmeg and/or cinnamon (The first and original ‘spiced rums’). Infamously, the British Navy gave a daily rum ration or ‘tot’ to its sailors – Eventually watering down the rum and sometimes added lime… making “grog”. Fast-forward a few hundred years and now rum is appropriately considered a top-shelf spirit, with premium versions often being compared to much more expensive Scotch whiskies and French cognacs.
While most Caribbean ‘rum’ is still made from fermented molasses (and sugar cane juice froth), a number of French islands produce ‘rhum agricole’ directly from sugarcane juice. Rum is typically distilled in clay, column and/or copper pot stills then aged in oak barrels, usually producing an alcohol content of 40% (80 proof). The type of molasses (light, dark or black-strap), and barrel (whisky and/or spirit) used, as well as any additives (spices / flavourings), will significantly influence the end product’s colour and flavour.
In no particular order (don’t want to start a fight), here’s our view of the best Caribbean rum found in the southern Caribbean, also known as the Lesser Antilles – Windward Islands.
The Rums of Barbados
Bajan Rum has been produced for over 350 years and is generally considered the birthplace of the Caribbean’s liquid gold. Historical records show that rum production on the island was well underway by the mid 1600s, when sugar cane became a major crop of the plantations. Barbados is known for some of the best, and some may say sweeter, tasting rum in the Caribbean – Perhaps it has something to do with the islands’s unique coral make-up, as compared to the volcanic composition of other Caribbean islands.
The big players in Barbados rum include:
Mount Gay Rum Distilleries – Founded in 1703, Mount Gay is generally considered the oldest continually operated rum distillery in the world – Some say that Mount Gay is “the rum that invented rum”. Well known around the world, smooth tasting Mount Gay Rums include the nicely aged Eclipse, Black Barrel (produced in small batches), XO (Extra Old aged for 8 to 15 years) and 1703 (Blend of rums ranging from 10 to 30 years old).
The ‘Mount Gay Visitor Experience’ offers a number of different rum tours as well as a tasting room and gift shop – Enjoy the history and heritage of Bajan rum. The main tour provides some rum-making info and viewing of a number of artifacts, photos and short films. There are then several rum tasting options to choose from, including a ‘lunch tour’ and a ‘cocktail tour’.
Foursquare Rum Distillery had it’s start in the early 1900s as R.L. Seale & Company. RL Seale acquired a number of other rum producers in the latter half of the 20th century, consolidating their portfolio at the Foursquare Distillery, a centuries-old sugar and rum facility.
Foursquare now produces a large number of Caribbean rums including the Doorly’s, Foursquare, RL Seale, SixtySix, ESA Field, Alleyne Arthur, Old Brigand, The Real McCoy and Tommy Bahama brands.
Visitors are welcome to wander the former sugar plantation grounds, now known as the ‘Foursquare Rum Distillery and Heritage Park’. Self-guided tours of the factory and museums are available, as is the warm and inviting tasting room, where you can of course, purchase your favourite(s).
St. Nicholas Abbey is home to one of only three Jacobean mansions in the Western Hemisphere. On the grounds of a centuries-old sugar plantation, this ‘micro-distillery’ was (re)born in the 1980s with the purchase of an old steam mill and the full restoration of it’s facilities in 2006.
St. Nicholas Abbey makes a number of fine well aged rums
When you visit the Abbey, take your time and explore the surrounding Gardens and orchids before enjoying the complimentary guided tour of the great house, steam mill and rum distillery. You can then take-part in rum and cane syrup tasting before visiting the gift shop.
The West Indies Rum Distillery has roots back to the late 1800s. With the exception of Mount Gay, the West Indies Rum Distillery has provided base Caribbean rum for all Bajan rum producers over the years. While once famous for their Cockspur and Malibu brands, the distillery now produces the Cockspur, Blue Chair Bay (Kenny Chesney’s line), Kaniche (finished in France in Cognac casks) and Shellback brands among others…
Of course, numerous rum companies around the world use Bajan rums in their “collections”, such as Berry’s, Cayman Reef and the famous Plantation series, while countless others use Barbados rum in their own blends – Most notably, Lamb’s.
For more information on the rums of Barbados, including tours and rum tasting rooms, click on our Barbados Rum page
Jamaica Rum
OK – OK, So Jamaica is a Greater Antilles island, so technically not a “southern” Caribbean island, however we just couldn’t issue our first write-up about rum without showing ‘respect’ to one of the original rum making islands…
Jamaica is home to a large variety of rums – The land of wood & water makes over a 100 different rums… There are dark navy style rums reminiscent of old Port Royal’s privateer and pirate days, there are the currently in vogue over-proof white rums, and of course there are well aged and refined rums with a dry/oaky characteristic. Jamaican rums are known for their unique “funky” flavour – I don’t know about that, they just taste real good to me! From over 10 distillers on the island, here’s a few of our favourites:
Appleton Estates is the oldest Jamaican sugar estate / distillery and has been in continuous production for over 265 years!
Appleton’s produce more than a dozen rums, including some nicely aged varieties such as V/X, a superb 12yr old and a 21yr old. They also make a number of blends (Reserve, Signature and Master) as well as special/limited edition rums.
The ‘Joy Spence Appleton Estate Rum Experience‘ offers a visitor center, a small museum, sugar cane fields, and a tour which includes a short film, a guided tour of the facilities, as well as product sampling in their lounge.
Hampden Estate is one of the oldest sugar estates in Jamaica and they believe that “environmental stewardship is the life blood of the distillery” – Here-Here for that! From it’s use of re-cycled steel and water within the facility, to it’s low energy consumption, Hampden is working to become the first distillery on the island with a zero carbon footprint.
Hamden’s signature ‘Smith and Cross’ Navy Strength Rum is a 2 year old blend with a typical Jamaican funk. Other products include Rum Fire (over-proof) and Hampden Gold.
The ‘Hampden Rum Tour’ offers guided outings into the distillery (circa 1753) as well as access to the estate grounds
Worthy Park Estates produces the Rum-Bar brand which includes an Over-proof rum, a Gold (4 yrs) rum along with a Rum Cream
The Money Musk Plantation is one of the island’s oldest sugar estates on the island, currently providing molasses to the National Rums of Jamaica Limited (used by a number of rum producers). The plantation and distillery produce a variety of rums under the Monymusk and Royal Jamaican brand names.
Other great Jamaican rum makers include Wray and Nephew, KRB Lea Jamaica Rums and Myers, among others. Of course, numerous rum companies around the world use Jamaican rums in their “collections”, such as the Berry’s and Plantation series, while countless others use Jamaican rum in their own blends – Most notably, Captain Morgan.
For more information on Jamaica rums, including tours and rum tasting rooms, check out our Jamaica Rum page
For more information on the Caribbean island of Jamaica and exciting things to do there, click on our Jamaica Vacations page
St. Lucia Rum
Located in the west coast town of Roseau, 20 minutes south of Castries, is the island’s major rum producer. The St. Lucia Distillers Company has a store front and factory here. Perhaps not that well-known, St. Lucia Distillers produce some of the best Caribbean rum available, winning dozens of awards from various spirits competitions around the world.
The St. Lucia Distillers produce over ten different rums, including varieties of white, flavoured, spiced and aged spirits, as well as rum based liqueurs/cremes. They offer some excellent aged and spiced rums, along with some great premium sipping rums including their 12 yr old ‘Admiral Rodney’ and special edition ‘1931’ rums. Their ‘Chairman’s Reserve’ amber rum is getting the global recognition it deserves – A great rum at a decent price. They also have a couple of unique tasting Spiced rums made with a local aphrodisiac (Bois Bande) as well as (rum purists – hold your nose) their rum creams that are to die for…
The ‘St. Lucia Distillers facility’ includes a retail store, a sampling room and they also offer factory tours.
For more information on Saint Lucia rums, including tours and rum tasting rooms, check out our St. Lucia Rum page
For more information on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia and exciting things to do there, click on our Saint Lucia Vacations page
Martinique Rhums
To many fans, Martinique is the rum capital of the Caribbean. With over 10 distilleries and close to a hundred different / wide ranging rhums it’s hard to argue. Martinique produces the French “Rhum Agricole” (translated to ‘agricultural rum’ in English) made directly from sugar cane juice, not molasses, and is commonly produced in different (above 40%) strengths. Similar to wine and brandy making, Martinique distillers commonly refer to their rhums in terms of ‘vintages’ or classifications such as VO (>4yrs old) and VSOP (>10yrs old). It’s important to recognize that, unlike a number of islands today, Martinique rhum is made from locally grown sugar cane – In fact, each region’s “terroir” is a big deal, reflecting the place on the island where the cane was grown. Another great thing about Martinique’s distilleries is that most of them are open to the public, offering plantation/distillery tours, along with rhum tasting and storefronts to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice.
From over 10 distillers on the island, here’s a few of our favourites:
Rhum Saint James has been producing rhum since 1765 and is a long time supplier of rhum agricole to North America. Saint James rhums are pesticide free and their ‘carbon neutral’ distillery operations utilizes internal compost as well as recycled liquids/water – Nice!
The Rhum Saint James distillery produces a large number of white rhums (varying in strength), as well as aged rhums (ranging from a 3yr old to a 15yr old), along with single cask vintage rhums.
The ‘Museum of Rhum Saint James’, located in Sainte-Marie, is open to the public and features a museum, distillery tour, plantation, as well as a large storefront with tasting room.
Clément Estate has been around since the 18th century and is commonly known as the birthplace of rhum agricole. The facilities are now famous for the Clément Foundation, focusing on the arts and the cultural heritage of Martinique. Clement produces a variety of white rhums (varying in strength and sugar cane) as well as some aged rhums (ranging from 1yr old to 30yr old) along with VSOP, Single Cask and Cuvée Homère rhums. They also have vintage rhums from the 1950s and 1970s – Yes you’re reading that correctly, 60 year old rhum!
Eclectic self guided tours (with the aid of audio-guides) are available of Clement’s art exhibits, great house, old distillery museum along with the estate’s large Gardens, which is actually more of a Park. There is of course, also a storefront with rhum tasting. Clement’s facilities are less than a 30 minute drive east of Fort-De-France.
Depaz Blue Cane was originally established in 1651, however the Depaz château and distillery were rebuilt after the Mount Pelee volcano eruption in 1902. Depaz Blue Cane Rhum Agricole is made from the unique “blue cane” sugar grown at the foot of the volcano.
Depaz produces a white rhum along with a VSOP, Extra Old, Prestige XO, a Porto Finish rhum as well as 2002 and 2003 vintage rhums.
Located in Saint-Pierre, ‘Depaz tours’ are available of the château, a museum (with a short film) and include a storefront with tasting. A restaurant is also available on the grounds.
Rhum HSE and the Habitation Saint Etienne’s origins date back to the mid 1800s to a 400 hectare sugar plantation, refinery and distillery. The Foudres HSE is the centre-piece of the estate, with it’s architectural structure representative of traditional Martinique buildings from the period.
HSE produces over 15 varieties of rhum, including some whites and aged (from a 12 month blend to much older vintages) rhums as well as well aged rhums finished in a variety of special whiskey, sherry, wine and Port casks. HSE also makes Special Edition rhums and well aged small batch rhums, including a 2003 vintage and a special 1960 vintage. Wow…
Now host to a multitude of public events, ‘The HSE Foudres’ features a permanent art exhibition and rhum tasting room. HSE has also partnered with a local chocolaterie to create chocolate and rhum pairings – taking rhum tasting to a whole new level.
Other great Martinique rhum distillers include La Mauny, Trois Rivières, Rhum Dillon, La Favorite, A-1710, Rhum JM and Neisson.
For more information on the rhums of Martinique, including tours and rhum tasting rooms, click on our Rhum Martinique page
For more information on the Caribbean island of Martinique and exciting things to do there, click on our Martinique Vacations page
Some might say that the best Caribbean rum one can buy comes from these islands, however we would be remiss not to at least mention that fine rums also come from others in the southern Caribbean – Islands such as Grenada (Clarkes Court Old Grog comes to mind), Trinidad, as well as Guadaloupe and Marie-Galante.
…and don’t worry, the more northerly Caribbean islands will have their day as well – Yes, I’m talking about Puerto Rico, Cuba and the Virgin Islands (both USVI and the BVI). Stay tuned for a separate write-up that these excellent Caribbean rum making islands deserve…
For more enjoyable Caribbean reading… check out our The Islands of the Caribbean page – A great starting point for exploring what the Caribbean Islands have to offer!
