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A small mountainous island. This causes lots of rainfall and makes the
island very lush. There are no white sandy beaches and not a lot of
tourism. English (at last!) is the national language, but a French-based
patois is widely spoken. The interior sounds more interesting than most,
with rain forests, waterfalls, lakes, bird sanctuaries, hot springs and
volcanic sites.
Whales and dolphins are common off the west coast from October to March.
This coast is calmer and generally more popular.
Currency is EC$ and US$ is also widely accepted. Credit cards welcome in
hotels and at larger restaurants. Main banks are in Roseau and the Royal
Bank of Canada on the waterfront has an ATM.
Theft is not unknown so don't leave valuables unattended and beware of
hustlers. Power outages are common.
Food
Food specialities include mountain chicken (i.e. frogs'legs) -
unsurprisingly it is said to taste like chicken, Creole dishes and lots of
exotic fruits. The local beer is called Kubuli. The locals weave baskets
and mats out of fibre with traditional Carib designs to sell as souvenirs.
The local beer is "Kubuli". They grow bananas, coconuts, papayas,guavas,
pineapples and mangoes.
Recommended restaurants include The Cornerhouse in
Roseau and the Sutton Grille or La Robe Creole at the Top End. In
Portsmouth try Le Flambeau at the Portsmouth Beach Hotel or the Mango
Restaurant at Mango Beach Hotel. Big Mama's is in the town centre and
serves traditional Creole dishes. At the Cabrits National Park the Purple
Turtle is popular with the in-crowd and the view is spectacular.
Supermarkets carry local specialities such as pepper sauce, guave jelly and
Dominican coffee.
Business Hours vary, but typically 8-1 and 2-4.
Accessibility
Yachts clear customs at Roseau, Portsmouth or Anse du Me and receive a
coastal permit for other ports and anchorages. No mooring in Soufriere Bay,
a marine reserve.
Snorkelling
There is good snorkelling at Soufriere Bay, the Cabrits National Park and
Champagne off Pointe Guignard, where a subaquatic hot spring causes bubbles
to rise from underwater vents.
Emergency Numbers
Medical 999
Fire 999
Police 999.
Links
Lonely Planet Guide
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