This travel guide is a very personal account of our travels. What we saw, where we ate and stayed, and what we liked and didn’t like.
Along with our lists, we’ve included a few tidbits of wisdom that we wish we’d had before we left. We hope you find this information useful on your next trip as well.
The Caribbean Windward Islands consist of the southern part of the Lesser Antilles, the easternmost group of islands. The main islands in the group, Martinique, Lt. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada, form a north to south chain a couple of hundred miles long. Standing apart, and farther east, are Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago.
Each of these island groups are also independent nations, with the exception of Martinique, with their own history, customs and culture. Most even have their own dialect of Creole, which is some mix of French, English, and various African languages.
St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, and Grenada all use the Eastern Caribbean Dollar. It is pegged to the US Dollar at $1 = 2.7 EC$. Barbados has its own currency, the Barbadian Dollar. It too is pegged to the US Dollar at an exchange rate of $1 = 2 $BB. Martinique, being part of France, uses the Euro.
Whenever getting a price for anything, be sure to specify which currency is being quoted!
When using a credit card, it is almost always cheaper to ask for the charge in local currency and let your bank do the conversion. You’ll get a better rate than if the local establishment does the conversion. Some places don’t allow a US card to be charged in local currency. A good workaround for this problem is to get a Wise card, which can be used to charge in local currency almost anywhere.
ATMs can generally be found in the larger towns, but are sparse elsewhere. Be sure to stock up on local currency on arrival before heading out to more remote areas. A USAA ATM card will reimburse you for out-of-network transaction fees.
Martinique, like the rest of France, uses 220V/50 Hz power and European standard plugs (round pins).
St. Lucia and Grenada are also on 220V/50Hz, but use the UK-style rectangular pin outlet.
St. Vincent has a mix of both 110V/60 Hz and 220V/50Hz standards. Where it is 110V, they use US-style outlets and where it is 220V, they use UK-style outlets.
In Barbados, the standard voltage is 115V, but at a frequency of 50Hz. They use US-style outlets.
With the exception of Martinique, all of the other countries in the Windward Islands drive on the left.
The mountainous landscape of all the islands except Barbados makes getting around slow and difficult. The narrow, winding roads and steep terrain makes for slow going. For example, even though it is only a bit over 20 miles to go from the international airport in St. Lucia to Rodney Bay, the trip takes at least 90 minutes by car.
Taxis are readily available in most places, but they are very expensive. The going rate is about $100/hour. Some useful contacts:
St. Lucia Taxi – Linus Placid +1-758-729-4633
Mustique – Kentish Taxi +1-784-434-3465
Grenada – Jeffrey Alexis (WhatsApp) +473-417-3797
Barbados – Ronald Gibson (WhatsApp) +246-240-1613
In some areas, water taxis are a viable alternative to cars.
Soufriere, St. Lucia – Ivan (WhatsApp) +1-758-723-4120
Bequia – Sea Shuttle Services (WhatsApp) +1-784-454-0045
Manchineel trees can be found on many of the Windward Islands. Though they provide nice shade, you mustn’t eat the fruit or even stand under them in the rain. All parts of the tree contain strong toxins. Eating the fruit (which look like apples) is almost always fatal. Even standing beneath the tree during rain will cause painful blistering of the skin from mere contact with the tree’s sap. Many of these trees have been marked with red paint on their trunks to indicate it is a poisonous tree.
Rotis are everywhere. Roti arrived on the neighboring island of Trinidad around the time slavery was abolished in the late 1830s, with indentured servants from India, where the unleavened flatbread has been popular for many centuries. We enjoyed chicken, potato and beef curry rotis.
Barbados is the most prosperous of all the Windward Islands, with many upscale shops, restaurants, and beach houses in the northwest part of the island. There is also a thriving weekend nightlife scene, with live music and trendy bars everywhere.
The Pitons – Iconic volcanic peaks and the symbol of the country. Whether coming by land or sea, a visit to the Pitons is a must.
Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens – A plantation turned park, with a waterfall and geothermal mineral baths.
Tobago Cays – A small group of islands surrounded by a fringing reef. Excellent snorkeling, a turtle-watching reserve, and lobster barbecues on the beach.
Mustique – The small private island is home to many rich and famous. See all their beautiful villas by taxi tour.
Bequia – Another beautiful little island. Visit Miss Johnson’s Reading Club and learn about all the children she’s helped over the years.
Belmont Estate – This family plantation offers tours of the grounds & cocoa making facilities, plus a museum & eatery.
Pearls Airport – Airport abandoned after the US invasion of Grenada in 1983. Two old planes (Russian and Cuban) are still there. The airport runway is now a drag race strip.
Annandale Waterfall & Forest Park – The country is full of waterfalls. This one has a short path leading up to it and is on the way to Belmont Estate. It’s pretty, but crowded
Grand Étang National Park features a volcanic crater lake near the center of the island. It’s a fine place to stretch your legs for 5 minutes, but not worth a special trip.
Mount Gay Rum Distillery – The world’s oldest continuously operating rum distillery (since 1703) offers several different tours. To tour the distillery, you must book it several days in advance and wear closed toe shoes.
St. Nicholas Abbey and Steam Railway – Old sugar cane plantation and rum distillery. The short tour includes a 15 minute movie shot in the early 1900s. It shows life on the plantation and how rum was made during that period.
The Bearded Rose – Trendy bar in an upscale mall. Popular for post dinner drinks, or anytime.
Pro Tip: Reach out weeks before your arrival to confirm that restaurants are open. Opening days and months can be highly irregular.
Naked Fisherman – This casual chic restaurant in the Cap Maison resort has delicious locally caught seafood.
Orlando’s – Orlando is a UK-trained chef committed to showcasing Caribbean Cuisine. The ingredients are locally sourced and fresh.
Bequia – The Fig Tree – Homestyle cooking. We enjoyed the curried goat. The best part was hearing about Ms Johnson’s Reading Club (see above) and seeing the thank you notes posted in the bathroom. Some of her students are studying in US universities.
Mustique – Basil’s Bar has a great vibe, delicious food and attentive service.
Salt Whistle Bay on Mayreau. The bay is ringed with shacks that specialize in Lobster BBQ. Bushman’s food (WhatsApp +1 784 527 8357) is among the best. He learned how to cook from his Grandmother. His magic ingredient is love. You must organize the meal ahead of time.
True Blue Bay Resort – On Wednesdays, their Dodgy Dock restaurant has street food stalls and a live band. The locals start arriving around 8:30 pm. Call ahead and reserve a table, otherwise you’ll be eating standing up.
Laluna Boutique Hotel – the restaurant onsite has delicious food. If you’re staying here, there’s little reason to leave the resort.
Belmont Estate has a surprisingly good lunch buffet. It’s a little pricey, but it’s the only option.
Horny Ram – Delicious food, good music with a fun, local vibe. Same owner as SeaCat.
The Sea Cat – Casual restaurant serving delicious fish. Same owner as the Horny Ram.
Sea Shed Restaurant – Fresh seafood on the waterfront. Ibiza-like ambiance with a DJ curating the soundscape. The attire appears to be white.
Chefette – Surprisingly good fast food chain, particularly their Rotis.
Oistins Fish Market – a local hang out on Friday nights.
Cafe Bar Carizma Chattel Village – nice breakfast café with many good options including avocado toast and crepes.
On this particular trip, we were living on a charter sailboat. We only stayed on land in Grenada, so only have recommendations for that island.
True Blue Bay Boutique Resort is a family friendly, bay side resort with a pool and onsite dining
Laluna Boutique Hotel is a small (16 room) boutique hotel that gracefully melds luxury with bohemian and Balinese vibes.
January 26, 2025
