Tag Archives: Saba

Hiking Saba
Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Plan, Saba, St. Kitts, Trip Ideas

Highest Hikes in the Caribbean

1 Comment

 

For some, it’s enough to admire a cloud shrouded Caribbean peak from the comfort of a beach chair. But for those up for a challenge, a day hike to the high point of the island can make for a life list adventure. There are a number of peaks in the region that are worthy of being called mountains, some soaring a mile or more above the ocean below. Here are five of the best climbs in the Caribbean.

Guadeloupe, La Soufrière

Guadeloupe’s Basse-Terre island is a land of rainforest-clad slopes, waterfalls, bubbling hot springs and remote forest glens that are home to more than 270 species of birds. Rising above it all is the imposing silhouette of La Soufrière Volcano, which reaches a height of 4,800 feet above the Caribbean. This semi-active volcano last erupted in 1976, and has been simmering away quietly ever since. Reaching the summit is no stroll in the park, but it’s also not as difficult as one might imagine. A road leads up the slope to a parking area set on the flanks of the volcano at an elevation of 3,100 feet. From this starting point, it takes most hikers a bit less than two hours to climb the remaining 1,700 feet to the top. The way up begins as a footpath, but turns into more of a scramble near the summit. Along the way, rainforest slopes turn to stunted groves, then lava fields where underground vents known as fumaroles release sulphur-laded steam. Depending on the day, the peak may be shrouded in clouds, or provide panoramic island views. In either case, the most fascinating sight is a look into the alien-like landscape of the inner crater, where a wide crevice known as Hells Gate releases clouds of smoke and steam.

Guadeloupe Hiking

A narrow road leads half way to the summit of Guadeloupe’s La Soufrière Volcano. From there, it takes hikers about two hours to make their way to the top on a trail that winds it’s way around the slope. Photo: Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board

Dominican Republic, Pico Duarte

Reaching the highest peak in the Caribbean isn’t something you can do in a day. But if you have two or three days to spare, an ascent of Pico Duarte is a life-list experience. Climbs usually begin in the foothills of the Armando Bermúdez National Park, and follow a 15-mile route along the northern slope of the mountain. Hikers are required to hire the services of a local guide, who uses pack mules to carry food and camping gear. Day one of the trek involves a steady but manageable climb from an elevation of 4,000 feet to a campsite at 8,000 feet. Along the way, walkers follow flowing streams, and pass through three climates zones. Day two is devoted to ascending the final 2,000 feet to arrive at the summit, which is nearly two miles above sea level. Some ambitious walkers will make the entire return trip on this same day, while others extend the excursion with a second night of camping, and more time at the top.

Dominican Republic Pico Duarte Hike

A view from the summit of Pico Duarte, which is the highest mountain in the Dominican Republic, and the entire Caribbean. Photo: Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism

Saba, Mount Scenery

If you want to reach the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, don’t book a flight for Amsterdam. Instead, take the puddle jumper from St. Martin to the small island of Saba, which remains a special municipality of the Kingdom. Book a room at one of the small guest houses that perch midway up the slopes of the extinct volcano that forms the island, and lace up your hiking shoes for a workout that includes more than 1,000 hand- made stairs as part of the trail that climbs to the 2,855-foot summit of Mount Scenery. Plan on an hour and a half for the trip up, which will leave time along the way to take in the unique flora of the elfin cloud forest, where centuries-old mountain mahogany trees are smothered in orchids and bromeliads. Plan to start your ascent by mid morning to arrive by noon, which is often the time when clouds part to provide the best views of island and ocean.

Saba Mountain Scenery

The higher elevations of Saba’s Mount Scenery are home to one of the Caribbean’s only cloud forests. Here mahogany trees and giant ferns thrive in the mist-shrouded slopes. Photo: Kai Wulf/Flickr

Martinique, Mount Pelée

The Caribbean’s most notorious volcano took out an entire town when it belched forth a cloud of deadly gas in 1902. Today, Mount Pelée is a slumbering giant, and tropical foliage has regrown to mask the fields of volcanic ash that once clad the side of this 4,400-foot peak. Hikers have several choices when ascending the cone. The easiest is the Grande Savane trail, which is a two-mile route that begins at mid-mountain on the sunny western slope and entails a 1,800-foot climb. Also popular is the Ajoupa Bouillion hike, which is a seven mile round trip that winds up at the eastern side of the volcano, providing climbers with cooling trade winds and a better chance of clear weather which begins north of Morne-Rouge. A volcano museum near the start of this route in the town showcases artifacts and models of volcanic events. Most challenging is the trail from Grand Riviere, which starts at sea level and makes a five-mile ascent on the northern face. All three trails converge near the top, where it is possible to descend into the inner caldera, which is covered in thickets of giant ferns.

Martinique Mount Pelee

On the northern end of Martinique, Mount Pelée dominates the island’s landscape. Trees have regrown on slopes that were covered in ash and lava by the eruption of 1902. Photo: Luc Olivier/Martinique Promotion Bureau

St. Kitts, Mount Liamuiga

The interior hills and mountains of St. Kitts lie within a protected nature preserve. This provides numerous hiking opportunities on wooded slopes, and the island’s signature route is a climb up Mount Liamuiga. The route is just two and a half miles long, during which you will climb from a starting point at 2,000 feet above sea level to a ridge rising to an elevation of 3,800 feet. But its not the distance or the elevation gain that makes this a somewhat challenging trek, it’s the terrain. Hikers follow a narrow path through a dense rainforest, making their way over roots, rocks and fallen logs as they ascend. On arrival at the rim of this long extinct volcano, the reward is a view of the inner crater, which is appropriately named the Giant’s Salad Bowl. The sides of this thousand-foot-deep, mile-wide formation are clade in lush jungle growth, while the center contains a shallow freshwater lake surrounded by steaming sulphur vents.

St. Kitts Mount Liamuiga

Mount Liamuiga is a long extinct volcano on the island of St. Kitts. It’s inner crater measures more than a mile across and 1,000 feet deep, and its slopes are now covered in rainforest foliage. Photo: St. Kitts Tourism Authority

British Virgin Islands Anegada
British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Guadeloupe, Plan, Saba, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trip Ideas

Off the Beaten Path Caribbean

Leave a comment

 

One of the great things about going to the Caribbean is discovering those quiet places where you can disconnect and turn off the outside world. Not an easy thing to do in busy cruise ship ports or when staying at a mega resort. But fortunately, there are islands that hold on to their past, have a respect for nature and the environment and provide all the ingredients for an ideal escape. Here are five of my personal favorites.

Saba

Saba

Saba’s coastline rises precipitously from the sea. Instead of sandy beaches and waving palms, this island offers picturesque villages and hiking trails that lead to cloud forests. Photo: Debbie Snow

Saba is a Caribbean island unlike any other. There are no palm- lined beaches, no casinos or nightclubs, no cruise ships, and never, ever a crowd of tourists. Rising steeply from the sea, Saba’s green-clad slopes are dotted with a collection of storybook villages, where white-walled cottages sport green shutters and red roofs, and stonewalls are layered in flowering vines. A single highway carves a serpentine path along the slopes to connect these settlements; hiking trails fan outward and upward to elfin- like cloud forests that thrive in the highlands of the long-extinct volcanic summit. Surrounding waters, which lie within a marine reserve, provide divers with unique underwater geological formations and fish-laden reefs. The island is so small that everyone knows everyone. It’s friendly and whimsical at the same time. Though connected to the world by both island ferry and small planes, Saba maintains a sense of otherworldly isolation that’s increasingly hard to find in the modern world.

Anegada

Anegada

Anegada’s beaches are never crowded. Some hardly see a human footprint, as most visitors congregate at one of several lively beach bars along the central coast. Photo: Christian Wheatley/iStock

Twenty miles of blue water separate the low-lying shores of Anegada from higher-profile islands of the British Virgins. And it’s not just geography that sets this less-visited outpost apart. Miles of near-deserted white-sand beaches overlook a barrier reef that has claimed hundreds of shipwrecks. A smattering of small guesthouses and fishermen’s camps line the western coast, and much of the interior remains an unsettled realm of tropical scrub and salt marsh. A handful of day-trippers make the crossing from the island of Virgin Gorda each day, settling in at one of the beach bars on the windward coast, and some linger for the island’s signature dinner of barbecue lobster. Come evening, things get really quiet, and the stars come out in a sky where no streetlights mar the view.

Montserrat

Montserrat

Clouds hover over the peak of Montserrat’s Soufriere Hills. Two decades after this volcano’s last major eruption, visitors are once again discovering this green gem of an island. Photo: Debbie Snow

Once known as the “Emerald of the Caribbean” Montserrat was a green and fertile island that attracted discriminating visitors who appreciated the bucolic lifestyle. In 1995, a volcano came to life, spewing lava, smoke and ash that forced more than half the island’s population to evacuate. Today the Soufriere Hills Volcano still spurts some steam and ash, but scientists predict the eruption cycle is waning and will soon die out. Today, the island’s southern coast is coated with hardened lava that reaches from the cone to the coast. Meanwhile, the northern part of the island has returned to green and eco-tourism has taken off. Hiking is a favorite activity. The northern hills are laced with a network of forest footpaths, while a trip to the south takes you into an otherworldly landscape that presents a fascinating glimpse at the aftermath of the eruption.

Bequia

Bequia

An island ferry departs the anchorage at Bequia’s Admiralty Bay. In centuries past, this harbor sheltered pirates, merchantmen and whalers. Today, it’s a favorite with cruising yachtsmen. Photo: iStock

Maritime traditions run deep in Bequia, and continue to this day. Native shipwrights still handcraft island-style boats using tools and traditions passed down through generations. Reminders of the island’s pirate past and whaling days linger, but the anchorage at Admiralty Bay is now filled by cruising yachtsmen, who include this favorite port of call on sails through the Grenadines. Bequia does receive visits by day-trippers from small cruise lines, but their temporary presence doesn’t overwhelm, and merely adds an extra dimension to the waterfront activity. The main street is for pedestrians only and an eclectic mix of bars and restaurants that hug the waterfront. Settle in and you’ll likely hear tales of voyages far and near, and maybe a few tales of the old days.

Iles des Saintes

Les Saintes

The largest of the trio of islands of Les Saintes, Terre-de-Haute delights with a scenic waterfront district where small cafe’s and restaurants deliver a taste of France. Photo: Oliver Hoffmann/iStock

On this trio of small islets off the southern coast of Guadeloupe, the best of France has been transported to the Caribbean. On Terre-de-Haut, the largest of the three, the town of Le Bourg provides a quintessential seaside setting, to which is added a Gallic touch. Think café au lait, crisp banquettes hot from the oven, and just-caught seafood simmering in white wine and savory herbs. Most visitors are French, which adds a refreshing European flavor to the scene. Many come from the main island of Guadeloupe for the day and are gone by sunset. Stay at one of the island’s small hotels and you can practically have the place to yourself after five o’clock.

 

 

Saba Mt Scenery
Caribbean, Plan, Saba, Trip Ideas

Walk This Way: Mount Scenery, Saba

Leave a comment

 

The highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands isn’t in Europe; it’s in the Caribbean. The high point of the island of Saba, known as Mount Scenery, rises from the ocean depths to a height of just under 3,000 feet. The slopes of this former volcano are covered in a lush array of foliage that changes with altitude. Hikers starting on lower slopes may wend their way over grassy meadows and redwood. Near the summit, the unique ecosystem known as the Elfin Forest is a mist-shrouded realm where giant tree ferns, mountain palms and elephant ears share space with groves of mountain mahogany. This elevated cloud forest is also home to numerous varieties of orchids and a range of rare tropical plants.

Saba’s 2,000 residents live in small villages connected by a single road, with other parts of the island linked by trials and footpaths. With barely a beach and no big resorts, hiking is a favorite pastime for the limited number of tourists who find their way to this quiet, charming island.

Saba
Caribbean, Plan, Saba, Trip Ideas

Saba: 10 Reasons to Go

Leave a comment

 

Affectionately known as the Unspoiled Queen, the tiny island of Saba is unlike any other in the Caribbean. In fact, if you didn’t know better, you might think you were somewhere off the coast of California on one of the Channel Islands. On this smallest of the Dutch Windwards, nature reigns and eco-tourism is the big draw. The hiking is superb, big views are everywhere and the surrounding waters are pristine and protected. You won’t find any casinos, mega-all-inclusive resorts or a Margaritaville on this spoonful of paradise, just small cottage-style resorts, a close-knit community and a strong bond with nature.

1  Vertical Life

The island of Saba is the above-water remains of an extinct volcano, rising abruptly from the depths. There are no palm-lined beaches, no coastal lowlands to support a port city, and no fringing reefs to create a sheltered harbor. Instead, the shoreline transitions abruptly to precipitous bluffs that extends to the mist-shrouded heights of Mount Scenery. The almost total verticality of the landscape led settlers to create a collection of small villages set along the slopes within and a saddle valley near the island’s center. The surrounding hillsides and summit remain in a natural state.

2  Underwater World

The same precipitous volcanic topography that makes Saba unique above the waves continues below the surface, resulting in an underwater landscape that’s far different from other islands in the area. Instead of surrounding coral reefs, the bottom unfolds in a series of undercut ledges, seamounts and pinnacles. With blue close to shore, these structures not only hold a population of resident reef dwellers, but also attract passing oceanic species that can include sharks, dolphin and even whales. Snorkelers and scuba divers have more than 25 sites to enjoy, some suitable for novices and others best left to the experienced.

3  Charming Villages

There was a time when all island houses had to be white with green shutters and trim and red tile roofs. Though no longer a mandate, most structures remain true to those colors, creating a storybook setting against the verdant backdrop of the island’s slopes. Gardens are cared for religiously and relentlessly. Many residents are members of the local garden club, keen to be recognized for their varieties of hibiscus or the size of the blooms on a prized night-blooming cactus. Yards and gardens are overflowing with botanicals and stonewalls are draped with flowers in white, yellow and purple. Most yards have white picket fencing entwined with flowering vines.

4  Movie Magic

Vintage movie buffs might recognize Saba’s profile as Skull Island, the home of King Kong, as shown in the opening scene of the original 1930s version of the film. Not only was the fog-enshrouded silhouette of Saba used as a backdrop, several of the movie’s jungle scenes were filmed on the slopes of the island’s upland rainforest. Today, the same rugged landscape where your imagination could easily conjure a giant ape is more likely to yield trekkers and rock climbers.

5  Saba Marine Park

Saba became a regional leader in marine conservation with the establishment of the Saba National Marine Park in 1987. The park encompasses the surrounding waters of the entire island from the shore to a depth of 200 feet, covering an area of some 3,200 acres. Mooring buoys are set at more than two dozen dive sites to prevent anchor damage, spearfishing is banned and a snorkel trail is maintained at Torrens Points. Today, the park is managed by the Saba Conservation Foundation, and the underwater landscapes and fish populations are among the healthiest in the Caribbean.

6  Sea and Learn

During the month of October the island hosts an international group of naturalists and scientists to lead and participate in a range of programs that are free and open to visitors and locals alike. Activities include informal lectures, guided outings and the chance to engage in actual field research and nature surveys. Each day is rounded out with a series of interactive multi-media presentations on topics ranging from sharks and sea grasses to orchids and spiders. The roster changes each year, but the themes always appeal to the eco minded.

7  Mount Scenery

It wasn’t until 1943 that “the roadway that couldn’t be built” was carved into the island’s mountainous terrain by an enterprising local carpenter, accomplishing what Dutch engineers had deemed impossible. Until then, islanders connected with other villages by way of foot trails that crisscrossed the slopes. Today, these same footpaths are trekked by hikers who can choose from 14 routes that are both challenging and invigorating. Check in with The Trail Shop for directions and advice. You can go it alone with a map, join one of their organized hikes or book a private hike. At 2,855 feet, Mount Scenery is the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

8  The Lace Ladies

The art of lace making involves the repeated tying of free threads by hand to create intricate patterns. It is believed to have come to Saba in 1870, when island resident Gertrude Johnson learned the craft while attending a convent school in Caracas. From that, a cottage industry was born. In those days women were sometimes left alone on the island while their husbands traveled abroad as sailors. The ladies would create the designs for tablecloths, napkins and other linens and sell their handcrafts via mail to countries around the world. Today the art is fading, but you can still find local handiwork at shops around the island.

9  Ride of your life

Simply getting to Saba is an adventure. A seaside lava flow that is the only significant flat spot on the island has been carved into a 1,300 foot landing spot that has the distinction of being the shortest commercial runway in the world. Flights from St. Maarten, which is just 12 minutes away, begin with little drama, but upon approaching the island the intensity escalates as the plane begins a landing approach parallel with rocky cliffs. Those on the right side of the plane can almost reach out and touch the rocks, while left-side passengers look down on the ocean just yards away.

10  Big Birding

More than 87 species of birds make their way to the island of Saba. Some are resting during a migration, while others find a suitable habitant for a season. There are Zenaida doves, bridled quail and red- necked pigeons but the more exotic are purple throated hummingbirds and their close relative, the Antillean crested hummingbird, which find plenty of sustenance among the nectar-laden blossoms that nature provides. Hike along the slopes of Mount Scenery and you’ll be assured to sight pearly-eyed thrashers, brown tremblers and purple- throated carob, while bananaquits make their way toward civilization. One of the island’s main ornithological claims to fame is the protected red-billed tropicbird that nests on the coastal cliffs.

Cayman Brac Hiking
Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Caribbean, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Nevis, Play, Puerto Rico, Trip Ideas, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Caribbean’s Ten Top Hikes

Leave a comment

 

When you are vacationing in the Caribbean, you’re already far outside your everyday, so why not take the next step-or several hundred of them-to widen your island experience with a hike. Tread these natural sanctuaries for encounters with local birds and wildlife, lush rainforests and sweeping panoramas of paradise. We’ve hiked the duds and the winners to give you a list of the Caribbean’s best trails—from breezy to push-the-limits challenging —winding past waterfalls, rivers, beaches, tide pools and so much more.

The Bubbly Pool Hike, Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands

From Foxy’s Taboo, a popular bar and party spot on Great Harbour, the bartenders can steer you to the start of this 15- minute, super easy walk to the island’s rock-walled soaking spot. You’ll end at a pool with crashing waves sending spray overhead and a surge of bubbles up into the basin where you’re standing.

Lighthouse Footpath, Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands

Start at either end of this trail for a 90-minute walk each way past nesting grounds of brown boobies. If you make the lighthouse at the island’s easternmost point your halfway mark, pack a lunch to enjoy while sitting on limestone cliffs overlooking breaking waves. Free printed guides are available: Ask at the front desk of Brac Reef Beach Resort, or see the pamphlet in your guesthouse to arrange your hike.

The Signal Hill Tour, Antigua

Antigua’s shortest and easiest hike starts at Wallings Dam, found at the end of Fig Tree Drive. From there, it’s about an hour—if you don’t stop—to the top of Signal Hill, which rewards finishers with a 360-degree island view. If you’d like to learn more about local history and wildlife, join a tour company like Footsteps Rainforest Hiking Tours.

The Annaly Bay Tide Pool Hike, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

You won’t need fins for the tide pools at the end of this hike, but do pack a snorkel mask so you can take a cool dip and see the juvenile fish nesting in the shallows. Start this moderate, 2-mile hike behind Carambola Beach Resort and Spa. The parking-lot attendant can point you to the trailhead. It’s a fairly straightforward trail that climbs the bluffs overlooking the island’s north shore. You’ll surely stop several times to snap photos, so the uphill stretches won’t feel too strenuous.

El Toro Hike, Puerto Rico

Most visitors to El Yunque National Forest stick to the roadside pullovers immediately adjacent to waterfalls and other attractions. El Toro Trail sees few visitors despite being a moderate, well-marked 2.2-mile journey to the forest’s highest point. Wear long pants and shoes you don’t mind getting caked in mud. As for the vista, allow time to sit and enjoy the clouds rolling in.

The Sandy Cruz Trail, Saba

A visit to Saba, a satellite island of St. Maarten, is all about the cloud forest. Wait for a day when the fog has subsided around Mount Scenery, then set off on this hike. Before you go, grab a trail map from The Trail Shop at the foot of the mountain—the attendants will also keep tabs on your return. This moderate hike is the best pick for those who want to see a diversity of flora and fauna. The trail winds past banana tree groves and dense cloud forest dotted with a rainbow of orchids, and opens up to a vista overlooking the island’s airport runway, one of the world’s shortest and most adrenaline inducing.

Victoria Falls Hike, Dominica

Lose the hiking boots in favor of Tevas or similar water-ready shoes as you’ll wade across a river several times. The path can be tricky to keep track of on your own, so it’s a good idea to hire a guide for the day. Jenner Robinson of JennTours is a good pick. He’s from Dominica and has a knack for pointing out the birds of the canopy. As for the 45-minute climb, the incline isn’t too great; the challenge is staying stable atop wet rocks. But the reward is lovely. You’ll likely be the only ones admiring the 165-foot cascade of Victoria Falls.

Mount Qua Qua Trail, Grenada

Grenada is a wonderland for hikers and birders alike. The rainforest around Grand Etang Lake—what’s become of the former volcano—is home to mona monkeys, broad-winged hawks, Lesser Antillean swifts and tons of tiny frogs. A moderate pick is the Mount Qua Qua Trail, a 90-minute cruise past the lake, the elfin mountain forests and a host of canopy critters.

The Quill, St. Eustatius

It’s the jungle-covered volcanic cone that dominates the skyline from points across this small island, and it’s a gorgeous hike. The 50-minute uphill jaunt known as the Quill Trail is Statia’s most popular hike as it offers direct access to an overlook of the crater bowl. If you want to keep going, you can connect to the Crater Trail for a 90-minute circuit of the volcano’s rainforest-covered inner crater. Boven National Park also maps six other trails, all great for spying fauna like red-bellied racer snakes, Antillean iguanas, hummingbirds and more.

Nevis Peak Hike, Nevis

Steep and slippery, this hike is one worth doing with a guide, such as Lynell Liburd of Sunrise Tours. The 3,000-foot incline takes two hours to scale and two hours to pick your way down—and none of the locals call it hiking. It’s more about finding footing and grabbing hold of roots to gain ground. If it’s a clear day, you score a view of the island’s Atlantic side. Otherwise, it’s just a really satisfying workout.