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Activities
Part of the charm that the Eastern Caribbean holds comes from
its potential variety; there is the opportunity to experience
a diversity of cultures and environments in a single trip,
as each of the islands has its own history, specialised activities
and character.
Divers, hikers, colonial history buffs and sun-worshippers
alike will need to choose their destinations carefully, to
coincide with their own area of interest. There is a wealth
of opportunity here for an active outdoors-type trip, and
different islands have their own specialities, activity-wise.
Deep-sea fishing and sailing are popular Eastern
Caribbean activities, as is diving. Diving and snorkelling
are good throughout most of the Eastern Caribbean, particularly
on Saba, Dominica, Tobago and the Grenadines.
Venues for windsurfing can be found mostly on the
French islands, and gear can be rented on most of the main
beaches in Guadeloupe, St Barts, Martinique, St Martin
and Barbados. Barbados is also, uncharacteristically
for the Eastern Caribbean, a decent spot for board surfers.
Hiking is very island-specific, and the smaller, low-lying
islands have few trails, but higher, rainforested ones can
be ideal. On lofty Dominica you can hike to waterfalls,
a parrot sanctuary or a volcanic valley with a boiling lake.
Guadeloupe and Martinique are similarly good
for rainforest hiking, whilst Saba offers a more easy-access
approach to hiking.
Apart from sporting activities, the islands of the Eastern
Caribbean have a lot to offer. For a taste of what type of
thing there is to explore, some of the most popular island
locations are:
Trinidad
Trinidad is the Eastern Caribbean's largest and most heavily
populated island, but it is not nearly as touristy as most
of the other islands. It does, however, contain a great range
of ethnic diversity Moslem mosques and Hindu temples stand
beside Anglican and Spanish churches, and the bustly capital,
Port of Spain, comes alive as a massive street party during
Carnival in March.
Tobago
A twenty-minute flight north from Trinidad will take you to
its sister island, Tobago. Tobago may be a twin island state
with Trinidad but it has a completely different atmosphere.
Famous for its unspoilt beaches, turquoise waters and laid
back lifestyle, Tobago is the perfect post carnival comfort
zone.
Tobago became a wealthy British colony through its coconut,
sugar and cocoa plantations. When British control ended,
though, in 1962, many plantations fell into disrepair whilst
others were turned into guest houses.
Measuring only seven by twenty-six miles, Tobago is a tiny
oasis with scores of undeveloped beaches, and with its strict
building code it is considered to be one of the last unspoilt
Caribbean islands. Some say Daniel Defoe used Tobago as the
setting for his novel, Robinson Crusoe, and it is easy
to see why.
Grenada
Spanish explorers named Grenada after the city of Grenada
in Spain. St George, Grenada's capital, is thought
to be the most beautiful colonial city in the whole of the
Caribbean. It is certainly the liveliest place on the island
and the fruit market in St George's is legendary.
In 1979, the Peoples' Revolutionary Government seized control
of Grenada in a coup led by a Grenadian Lawyer called Maurice
Bishop. With popular support and assistance from Cuba, Bishop
began to reform the country.
In 1983, though, Grenada burst onto the world scene, when
Bishop and some of his followers were brutally executed by
government hard-liners. The country collapsed into violent
upheaval until US and Caribbean forces intervened to restore
order. The Cuban planes on local Pearls Air Field stand
as a ghostly reminder to those days - days that people on
the island cannot easily forget.
Dominica
One of the least developed destinations in the Caribbean is
Dominica. Christopher Columbus came across Dominica on his
first voyage to the New World. The day Columbus arrived it
was a Sunday, so he named the island Dominica, which means
Sunday in Latin.
After Christopher Columbus came back from his second voyage
to the New World, the King and Queen of Spain asked him to
describe the island of Dominica to them. The story goes that
Columbus took a piece of paper, crumpled it up, threw it on
the table and said 'that is Dominica'. What Columbus was referring
to, of course, was the sharp mountainous folds which cover
the island's surface.
Barbados
Barbados is the Easternmost island in the Caribbean and also
the most British-influenced and touristy. There is a passion
for well-kept gardens, Saturday cricket, Anglican churches
and horse racing, but also some of the hottest calypso music
and rum shops, showing a contrasting West-Indian flavour.
Barbados' popularity is partly due to its beautiful white-sand
beaches and large range of places to stay and to eat.
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is at the centre of the Caribbean's Creole culture
- a blend of French and African influences. It looks like
a butterfly and has some amazing topography including rainforest,
the Eastern Caribbean's highest waterfalls and La Soufriere,
a smouldering volcano and the island's highest peak.
St Martin
St Martin is the world's smallest land area to be owned by
two countries. There is a Dutch side and a French side, with
correspondingly different heritages, and around 540,000 holidaymakers
a year. The island is quite over-crowded but is a good jumping-off
point for visits to other islands. |
