Introduction

In 2016, for over three months from mid- May to mid-August, we island hopped through the big sweeping arc of islands that is the archipelago of the Caribbean. We started in the south, in the Dutch islands of Aruba and Curaçao and finished a quarter of a year later in the north, in Jamaica and Cuba. In total we visited twenty one states and territories. Many are independent, self-governing countries including some of the world’s smallest like Dominica and St Lucia. While others remain territories of colonial powers – England, France, the Netherlands and the US. These include the fascinating islands of Montserrat and Saba.

The trip had everything: great beaches and snorkelling (of course), friendly locals everywhere we went, spectacular waterfalls and forests, compelling and often dark history, good food, lots of reggae music and local rum. What more could you want?

We wrote many posts during the trip. Click here to see a list of those.

But, at this time, when COVID -19 still makes international travel virtually impossible we decided to revisit this trip via producing some posts with our favourite shots. Some are pretty good photos, if we do say so ourselves, while others are more about the memory they conjure of that place and time.

Houses

St Lucia

We’ve divided this project into three parts: Southern Caribbean; Central Caribbean and Northern Caribbean. The overall order follows the sequence in which we visited the islands.

Here we present the Southern Caribbean: Aruba, Curaçao, Barbados, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia and Martinique. We hope you find it interesting.

Aruba

The Landscape

Our preconceived notions of a Caribbean, tropical island, replete with coconut palms and lush, green plants were severely challenged by Aruba, and likewise Curaçao. The natural landscape is very dry, with cactus and acacia trees, which look like they belong in Africa.

Beaches

However, what did fit our image of the Caribbean, was the impossibly blue water and white sand beaches of Aruba.

Local Architecture

The legacy of the Dutch is very evident in the architecture of impressive colonial buildings.

Ride the Free Tram

Aruba's small capital of 29,000 people is Oranjestad. Every half an hour or so a free, old style vintage tram does a loop from the port and bus terminal up the main street and back. Even though Oranjestad is easily walkable it can get hot so a ride on the tram, while admiring what remains of the Dutch colonial architecture, is a pleasant diversion.

Curaçao

UNESCO Listed Willemstad

Curaçao's capital Willemstad has wonderfully preserved/restored Dutch colonial architecture. The buildings are painted in different bright colours which makes for great photo opportunities.

Queen Emma Floating Bridge

This bridge is something of an engineering marvel. It sits on a series of floating pontoons and several times a day the whole structure swings across to the western side of the Sint Annabaai waterway to let through passing tankers and other craft. It's an impressive sight to watch. Ferries (free ones) operate when the bridge is 'parked' on the west side.

Flamingos

Yes, Curaçao has flamingos. A good flamingo viewing area can be accessed at Rif a few kilometres to the west of Willemstad. By flamingo standards these ones are very pink.

Join in with the Locals

It gets hot in this part of the world, so getting into the water is a great joy.

Barbados

Bridgetown

Bridgetown, Barbados’s capital, is easily explored in a day. The pedestrian street of Swan Street is also a lively stroll.

Oistins Fish Fry

The township of Oistins, a short drive south of Bridgetown, is renowned for its Friday and Saturday night fish fries. A strip of small wooden restaurants line the main street and the beach offering tasty fish meals.

St Nicholas Abbey

St Nicholas Abbey is a fascinating place. It is a grand old plantation house, one of Barbados's oldest, built in 1658. The house is in excellent condition, with rooms decorated in the style of the time. It also has its own commercial rum distillery.

Bathsheba

Bathsheba is on the wild Atlantic east coast and its landscape is made all the more dramatic by large boulders that are strewn along the shoreline.

Snorkelling

Don't restrict yourself to the beach when visiting Barbados, check out what’s under the water. The west and south coasts are more protected than the east, so these beaches are better if you want calm water for snorkelling.

Grenada

St George’s – the Capital

St George's is an interesting town to wander around. We spent a couple of afternoons there.

Fort George

We visited Fort George which was built by the French in 1705. It sits on a hill at the entrance to the Carenage (St George’s harbour).

Underwater Sculpture Park

The Underwater Sculpture Park at Moliniere Bay, a short bus ride to the north of St George's, is just that, a park underwater where you can view around 80 sculptures on the floor of the bay in depths ranging from 2 to 8 metres.

Grand Etang National Park

In the middle of Grenada, high up in the mountains, is Grand Etang National Park. As a contrast to beaches and busy town life, the green slopes, lakes and falls of Grand Etang are a nice alternative.

St Margaret’s Falls

St Margaret’s Falls are part of Seven Sisters Falls, which is close to Grand Etang.

St Vincent and the Grenadines

St Joseph’s Guesthouse - Union Island

This is the view from the local church run guesthouse on Union Island where we stayed for a couple of days. Union Island is the southernmost island of the Grenadines.

Marina and beach - Union Island

A nice stretch of coast on the outskirts of town of Clifton on Union Island

Lower Bay Beach – Bequia

Bequia is not just one of the Grenadine’s most beautiful islands, but probably one of the Caribbean’s best

Snorkelling on Bequia

The perfect outdoor pursuit on Bequia.

Princess Point Trail

A scenic coastal walk from Margaret’s Beach to Bequia’s main settlement, Elizabeth Town.

School’s Out

School children heading home in Kingstown, the St Vincent and the Grenadine’s capital.

St Lucia

The Pitons

The twin peaks of the Piton’s are St Lucia’s most recognisable attraction.

Barbeque Night

Saturday night is barbeque night at Duke’s in Gros Islet, in the north of the island.

Diamond Falls

Around a kilometre and a half from the heart of the town of Soufriere is Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths. Here you'll find a very well maintained tropical botanical garden, with trails that lead to Diamond Falls.

Anse de Chastane Beach

There is a very nice black sand beach around 3km from Soufriere called Anse de Chastane

Sulphur Springs Mud

Sulphur Springs promotes itself as the world's only drive through volcano. This region is in fact a caldera - collapsed volcanic rim, and sulphur gases and hot springs are part of the attraction here. And for a small extra cost you can cover yourself in sulphurous mud.

Martinique

Anse a L'Ane Beach

A 20 minute ferry ride from Martinique’s capital Fort de France is the pretty beachside town of Anse a L'Ane.

Anse a L'Ane Beach at Sunset

Looking back towards Fort de France at sunset from Anse a L'Ane Beach

Biblioteque Schoelcher

Biblioteque Schoelcher is a very noticeable Fort de France landmark.

Doing a Bit of Shopping

Shopping in Downtown Fort de France

The Fort

The fort at Fort de France.

Conclusion

We loved travelling the Caribbean. We did this by island hopping, using ferries and short plane trips. This was in contrast to most travellers visiting the region who predominantly do so on cruise ships or by sailing in yachts.

We weren’t sure how feasible it would be to island hop in this way and it turned out be pretty straight forward. Once the world recovers from COVID-19, and such travel is feasible again, we’d highly recommend a trip to the Caribbean.