Caribbean Island Hopping
*Cues Rihanna’s iconic bop, Work* What’s warm all year round and serves as the best winter vacation? The Caribbean! The easiest way to see multiple destinations in the West Indies is by boat. After all, these islands are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. Cruises are NOT my favorite way to travel because they are super commercial, crowded and tourist-y but in this case, it’s one of the best options when it comes to island hopping. I took a chance with Norwegian Cruise Line (6/10 stars) and booked a 7-day Caribbean cruise focused on 5 islands in the south and east Caribbean, departing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. If you decide to go the cruise route – Do. Your. Research. Find a cruise company and ship that suites your needs and pockets. Instead of booking off shore excursions through the cruise, I pre-booked independently through TripAdvisor (links at the bottom) in an effort to beat the crowds. I had less than 12 hours on each island, which is not enough to truly engulf yourself into the rich culture of each island and what they have to offer. I plan to go back to each and every island separately. When traveling to the Caribbean, please remember: tourism is very important to every island – support the locals by booking with locally owned and operated hotels and companies. If you want to go island hopping, here’s an itinerary for you:
Bridgetown, Barbados
What to do: Go snorkeling with Bajans to see massive sea turtles and shipwrecks
First stop, Barbados. I was quickly reminded of Ghana when I began to explore the island. I didn’t get to see RiRi, instead I decided to go snorkeling in the clear waters of Barbados with some fishes and sea turtles. Tourists usually flock to see Rihanna’s house, but my question is: if she’s not there what’s the point? Barbados deserves a visit longer than a few hours, I plan to go back soon!
St. Lucia
What to do: Hike the “Stairway to Heaven” for the best views of the Pitons.
St. Lucia’s best attractions? The Pitons. Located near the town of Soufrière, the two volcanic mountains are erected out of the sea towering over the island and are visible for miles. There are no bad views of them at all. Mud baths are also a popular activity in St. Lucia.
Basseterre, St. Kitts
What to do: Get active, grab your sneakers and eBike the island for the best workout of your life.
Sister island to St. Nevis, St. Kitts is a romantic paradise. The palm trees look even more luscious than ones I’ve seen elsewhere. Known as one of the most mountainous islands in the West Indies, the landscape is bound to have you in awe. I wanted to explore the island and get in a good workout, so the idea of a bike tour came to mind. I thought twice because I didn’t know how I was going to get up those hills on a bike chileee! Luckily, I found an amazing electronic bike tour on the island that was perfect! An eBike is not a traditional bike at all. It’s basically a scooter, bicycle and motorcycle — all in one. Riding up and down the hills are a breeze with an eBike. Try it, you won’t regret it.
Tortola, British Virgin Island
What to do: Hop in a taxi and head to Cane Garden Bay. Order rum punch from the nearby bar and beach it out.
Beach it out. Ask any local and they will tell you about Cane Garden Bay Beach. Two words = turquoise water. After being active for three days straight, all I wanted to do was lay on someone’s beach. My wish was granted when I arrived to Cane Bay. There are plenty of beaches and bays in BVI and I highly recommend Cane Bay. Period.
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
What to do: Strap on your Go Pro and zipline through the rainforest.
The U.S. Virgin Islands consists of the main islands of Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas. As I mentioned in the beginning, tourism is very important to the locals. It’s their bread and butter. Keep that in mind when you are interacting with the residents of the island. Prior to arrival, I read that ziplining was one of the top activities on the island and that my friends, is not a lie. My partner and I literally jumped from tree to tree, strapped in a harness with the island’s striking scenery as our back drop.
Links to tours:
St. Lucia Tet Paul and Stairway to Heaven Tour
St. Kitts eBike Tour with Barry
Tree Limin’ Extreme Zipline in St. Thomas UVI