A Visitor's Guide to The National Parks of the Caribbean

A tour of the national parks of the Caribbean will take you to at least ten different islands. By opting to explore what the Caribbean has to offer in the way of national parks, you can have your vacation plans in place for several years to come. Awe-inspiring beauty at every turn and a chance to see exotic flowers, birds and animals are just a sampling of what the various Caribbean islands have in store for you when you want to explore the national parks.

Antigua

Located on the island of Antigua, Nelson’s Dockyard National Park is one of the largest tourist attractions of the Eastern Caribbean. As early as 1671, English ships took refuge in this harbour from hurricanes. The central focus of the park is the restored naval dockyard, which was built in Georgian times. Admirals Nelson, Rodney and Hood used the facilities in their day and during the Napoleonic Wars, this location was the Caribbean base of the British Navy.

Admiral Nelson commanded the British Navy in the Leeward Islands from 1784 to 1787 and his headquarters were in this harbour. At the museum in the dockyard you can really get the sense of the 18th century privateers, pirates and the battles that were fought at sea in the numerous exhibits, displays and artifacts. The colonial buildings of the park are exactly as they were in the 18th century, making you feel as if you have stepped back in time. Admiral House contains artifacts belonging to Admiral Nelson, such as his telescope and tea caddy, even though he never actually lived in the house.

Along with the historical images, the park has sandy beaches and natural vegetation, such as cactus and mangrove. The mangrove trees here are the favourite migration destination for a colony of African cattle egrets.

The archaeological excavations at this location reveal that the area was inhabited in prehistoric times. There are miles of nature trails that will provide you with exquisite views of the coast. A tour of the dockyard will take you only 15 or 20 minutes, but you could spend a full day exploring the other features that the park has to offer.

Bonaire

Although you can see most of the Washington Slagbaai National Park on Bonaire in a few hours, if you really want to explore what it has to offer you should devote a few days for your visit to this Caribbean national park. The varied terrain features areas that resemble a desert, secluded beaches, caves and a bird sanctuary. It is located on 6000 acres of land in the northwestermost part of the island and was once the site of a plantation focused on the production of divi-divi, aloe and charcoal.

If you choose to drive through this wildlife preserve, you must do so in a four-wheel drive vehicle because of the condition of the roads and the terrain. There are two marked routes for this purpose, but the drive is not recommended after a recent rainfall. The hiking possibilities are virtually endless and will give you the opportunity to see all that the park offers firsthand.

Tortola

No visit to the island of Tortola would be complete without making a trip to Sage Mountain National Park. The mountain rises to an elevation of over 1700 feet and offers traces of a primeval rainforest. The view is spectacular as you look out over the neighboring islands and cays. The park takes in 91 acres and protects the remains of the forests of the island. There are two main hiking trails in the park – the Rainforest Trail and the Mahogany Forest Trail. At the visitor`s center at the entrance to the park you can pick up a map that contains the directions and an outline for each if these trails.

Virgin Gorda

Comprised of 20 acres of land, Devil`s Bay was once owned by the Rockefeller family and was given as a gift to the British Virgin Islands in the 1960`s. It was then designated as a national park by the government of the islands. The crescent shaped beach is perfect for swimming and snorkelling. There are giant granite boulders on the larger beach and a more secluded one just a short distance away, which are quite attractive and provide the backdrop for many photo taking opportunities. There are numerous hiking opportunities as well on this southern tip of the island.

Curacao

Christoffel National Park is located in Savonet on the island of Curacao. It comprises almost 5000 acres of land, which is enclosed within a high wire fence. It is only a 45-minute drive from the capital of Willemstad on a dirt road that is lined with cactus and bromeliads as well as rare orchids in the higher areas of the park. The mountain of St. Christoffelburg is the highest point in the Dutch Leeward Islands and affords magnificent views of the surrounding islands as well as the countryside below. You will see all kinds of animals and birds in their natural habitat as well as ancient Arawak paintings on the walls of the caves. Various walking trails within the park exist with varying levels of intensity. For example, one of the trails will take you to the top of the mountain in less than two hours.

The National Park Shete Boka (Seven Inlets National Park) is a turtle sanctuary for three different species of turtles. This is the most recent area of the Caribbean to be designated as a national park. Here you can descend the steps into a huge cave and hear the waves of the sea crashing against the rocks. The park also affords a breathtaking view of the rugged north coast of the island.

Dominica

Located on the northwestern coast of the island of Dominica, Cabrits National Park lies almost adjacent to Douglas Bay. It is a protected site of 1300 acres, but only one-quarter of the park lies on dry land. There are volcanic sandy beaches, tropical forests, coral reefs and the ruins of a fort that was used extensively during the 18th century by both the British and the French. The twin peaks of two extinct volcanoes overlooks the beaches and provide numerous hiking opportunities to visitors.

Grenada

The Levera National Park on Grenada was officially opened in 1994. Here you will find white sandy beaches offering superb swimming and snorkelling opportunities, although the surf can get quite strong when the winds are high. This park is a true paradise for hikers with a mangrove swamp, a lake and a bird sanctuary. You just might catch a glimpse of the elusive tropical parrots that call this preserve home.

Grand Etang National Park, located in the center of the island, is the site of the spectacular rainforest for which Grenada is renowned. It is the most popular destination on the island for hiking and trekking and the focal point of the park is Grand Etang Lake, which was formed in the crater of an extinct volcano. Naturalists flock to this area because of the wide variety of wildlife and birdlife it supports. You will also see rare orchids, towering stands of mahogany and giant gommier trees.

Jamaica

The Blue Mountain – John Crow National Park of Jamaica is located only a short distance from Kingston and offers visitors a glimpse of some of the most unusual topography in the Caribbean. Here the mountainsides are covered with fields of coffee plants and are home to many different ecosystems. Mountain climbing and trekking is the most popular activity in this park with both long and short hikes of varying intensity. Hiking alone is not recommended and you should always dress in layers to accommodate the differences in temperature as you ascend the heights.

St. Lucia

Pigeon Island National Park is rather small by comparison to the national parks on the other Caribbean Islands. It consists of only 14 acres and is joined to the mainland by means of a causeway. It takes its name from the red-neck pigeon, which is native to the island. There is a Sandals Resort on the island so that you can actually spend your vacation within the park. Two white sandy beaches offer immense opportunities for watersports and beach activities.

St. Croix

Explore the ruins of an ancient Carib village when you visit Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve on the island of St. Croix. This village is the same one that Columbus visited when he discovered this island. Here you will find the only ceremonial ball court ever found in the Lesser Antilles. The largest mangrove forest in the Virgin Islands is also within the confines of the park as well as many endangered animal species that you won`t get to see in any other location. Another unique feature of this park is the underwater canyon that attracts scuba divers from all parts of the world.

St. John

This island is the premier destination in the Caribbean for those who crave hiking opportunities. The Virgin Islands National Park is the largest tourist attraction on the island with its more than 20 miles of hiking trails spread out over 12,000 acres of land.