The Caribbean islands are the perfect spots for hiking as these islands have rainforests, waterfalls, rivers, wildlife and a wide variety of flora and fauna.
Hiking provides a great way to learn and explore the history, landscape and uses of the plants.
In this guide, we cover the best Caribbean islands that you should visit if you enjoy the outdoors and adventure.
So let’s start climbing.
1. Saba
Affectionately referred to as “The Unspoiled Queen”, Saba Island is part of the Caribbean Netherlands which also comprises of the islands of Bonaire and St Eustatius.
It is only 5 square miles but there are several hiking trails.
The highest peak of elevation is Mount Scenery which stands at 2,910 feet.
Hiking mount scenery of one of the island’s popular attractions. It takes about 90 minutes each way and the hike is strenuous.
There are steps through the rain forest where you can enjoy the island’s wildlife, flora and fauna.
Views at the top of the mountain may be restricted due to heavy cloud coverage.
Bottom Mountain trail, Bud’s Mountain Trail and Dancing Place Trail are some of the other hikes that you can consider when visiting Saba.
There are no international airlines that fly directly to Saba. Nevertheless, persons wishing to visit the island from major international cities can connect via St Maarteen.
2. Grenada
Located in the Southern Caribbean region, Grenada is known for the production of spices and hence fondly nicknamed The Isle of Spice.
Its mountainous terrain provides many opportunities for trekking.
The most popular hiking trail in Grenada is the Grand Etang Forest Reserve.
Mahogany and Gommier trees and various species of birds can be seen at this location.
Additionally, the forest is the home of the Mona Monkey and Grenada is the only home of this creature outside West Africa.
For a much shorter hike with a picture perfect view, visit the Welcome Stone in the Northern parish of St Patrick.
The location provides the most spectacular views of the Levera National Park.
3. St Eustatius
St Eustatius or Statia as it is commonly called is situated Southeast the island of Saba mentioned above and Northwest of St Kitts.
Statia is blessed with a wide variety of wildlife, flora and fauna. The island has many hiking trails and the Quill is the most famous of them all.
The Quill is the highest point on the island from which one has scenic views of the nearby islands.
It is a dormant volcano and there is a crater where you can see varieties of flowers on the island.
Peradventure, this trek is for you, it is prudent to consider going with a guide.
4. St Kitts & Nevis
Officially known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, St Kitts and Nevis is a twin island state in the Northern Caribbean.
St Kitts is the larger of the two islands being 69 square miles and its dependency Nevis which is 36 square miles.
The island has a prominent spot in the history of the region as it was the first Caribbean nation to be colonized by the British in 1623.
The most notable hiking spot in St Kitts is Mount Liamuiga which is the highest point at 3,792 feet.
The trail takes approximately three hours to climb which allows hikers to opportunity to enjoy the flora and fauna.
The hike is moderate to difficult and may be taxing for a novice.
There is also a crater lake which you can enjoy as well as take pictures of the spectacular views at the top.
Likewise, there are also hiking options in Nevis. The highest point of elevation being, Nevis Peak which is situated in the centre of the island is a favored trail.
Standing at an altitude of 3,232 feet, this is one of the steepest peaks in the Caribbean.
The hike takes about three hours and one can enjoy the lush rainforest and foliage. This climb is strenuous and uphill, thus it is ideal for highly experienced hikers.
5. St Lucia
St Lucia is a renowned destination for weddings but it is also great place for hiking.
Known for its majestic twin peaks called The Pitons, The taller of the two is named Gros Piton which stands at 2,530 feet while the Petit Piton is 2,438 feet.
The Gros Piton is the designated hiking trail while the Petit Piton seldomly climbed.
As one of the steepest peaks in the region, the hike may be strenuous complete with small children and for beginners.
Nevertheless, if you are in search of a trek that is friendly to fledgling hikers the Tet Paul Nature Trail provides this option.
It takes approximately 45 minutes to complete and individuals will get an opportunity to experience the beauty and lush tropical vegetation of the island. It is advised to explore using a guide.
6. Dominica
The Nature Island of Dominica is located between the French Caribbean Islands of Guadeloupe to the North and Martinique to the South.
The Boiling Lake Trail located in Morne Trois Pitons National Park is one of the most famous trails.
This park was designated as an official UNESCO Heritage Site in 1997.
This park comprises of three types of geological formations being volcanic piles, glacis slopes and soufrieres.
The park occupies about 9% of the island and is home to lakes and boiling springs. Boeri Lake is one of two freshwater lakes located in this park and Dominica’s second largest lake which is at an altitude of 2,800 feet.
There are a number of species of birds, reptiles and amphibians living in the park.
The famous twin waterfalls called the Trafalgar falls are also located in this park.
Due to its location, ferry services are available to the neighboring Caribbean islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe and St Lucia.
7. Martinique
Known globally as the Isle of Flowers, Martinique is an overseas territory of France which also uses the Euro as its official currency.
The island is 436 square miles with the most popular hiking trail being Mount Pelee which is also the highest peak.
The hike takes about 4.5 hours to complete and is strenuous.
8. St Vincent & The Grenadines
St Vincent has a chain of 32 smaller islands which are called The Grenadines. Some of the Grenadines are inhabited such as Bequia, Union Island and Canouan.
Alternatively, islands such as Petit Nevis and Tobago Cays are uninhabited.
The most frequented hiking trail is La Soufriere located in Owia. The trek takes about three hours with magnificent views at the top.
The volcanic mountain is 4,049 feet tall with the last explosive eruption in April 2021.
9. St John
St John is the smallest of the three main US Virgin Islands being 19.6 square miles.
The other major islands are St Croix and St Thomas.
With two third of the island being a National Park, there are numerous hiking trails of varying difficulties.
Ram Head Trail is one of trails with a moderate difficulty level but features glorious and scenic views.
For a more beginner friendly trek, Lind Point Trail is a great option.
This is a simple trail which makes it ideal for beginners with spectacular views of Cruz Bay which is the main town.
The trail takes about one hour to complete with access to both Salomon and Honeymoon beaches.
There is no airport on St John and hence visitors must fly either to St Thomas or St Croix and take ferry services to St John.
10. Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad & Tobago has a landmass of 1,981 square miles and is often overlooked as a vacation spot.
Nevertheless, there are many hiking sports to visit. One of the most popular of these is plane crash site which takes approximately four hours to complete.
The small aircraft crashed at this location in Chaguaramas from St Croix in 1975.
The pilot experienced technical difficulties due to poor weather conditions.
Final Thoughts
We trust that you the information above was helpful as you plan a hiking expedition to the Caribbean.
If you are visiting during the months of June to November, it is wise to purchase travel insurance in the event of tropical storms.
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