DIY excursions in the Caribbean…is it safe.

I did do a blog on excursions on facebook a while ago but this particular review really piqued my interest and it gives quite a lot of money saving ideas as well, so I thought I would do it again in case anyone missed it and does not “do” facebook.
This person seems to go on holiday to the Caribbean quite a lot and for that reason they have gone off to do their own thing, it is not for everyone to do especially if they are travelling alone or have never been there before but after a couple of times you may just feel like branching out on your own especially if you have done the standard tours to death.
Normally I would write the blog but this person has put everything in one place so well that it really does work and makes you want to do something different while you are away.

We have lots of people writing reviews every day from the good to the bad to the downright unbelievable but now and then you come across a little gem like this one.
Have a little read and see what you think, this is an exact copy of what they wrote and I think its worth putting out there. They have taken a lot of time over it.

Diy Excursions – Some Ideas For The Caribbean.
Reviewed By: Firth, Doncaster on 29th Jan 2018
Overall Rating 3491 views
Cruise Line:
P&O Cruises Cruise Ship:
Azura Destination:
Caribbean

If, like me, you’ve been to the Caribbean more than half a dozen times before, you’ve probably done all the excursions that P and O (and all the other cruise lines) has to offer. The port towns you’ll have seen many times before and most of them have little to offer tourists. I would not recommend walking the streets of some Caribbean islands and if you do, stick to the populated areas. When you go ashore don’t wear blings or rings and watches as even the cheapest of these are a temptation to the very poor who may see cruisers as rich tourists ripe for the picking. However, don’t let this put you off DIY excursions.

Remember to take local currency which is the East Caribbean Dollar for most islands that are not French (Guadeloupe and Martinique – Euro). Barbados has it’s own individual currency. It’s worth getting local currency as you pay the same price as the locals. If you take a bit extra you can always use it for a cuppa or a beer when you get back to the port on the last day. By the way, there are generally no bus timetables on most of the islands. When the bus is full . . . . it sets off.

So unless you really like snorkeling, botanical gardens or 4 X 4 off road excursions you’re probably looking for something different to do for a few hours. Similarly, for cruisers who are on a tight budget or begrudge paying high prices for those P and O excursions you may wish to try doing your own thing and using local transport is the best way to do this. By the way, some cruise ports such as Amber Cove and Grand Turk were constructed by Carnival so these are completely devoid of any authentic local life but both have a great pool area. If I were you, I’d either bite the bullet and go on a P and O excursion or just relax by the huge swimming pool in the port.

To use local buses you need to be physically mobile enough to squeeze into those tiny mini buses which are found on all of the islands apart from Barbados. Also you must not be too fussy about ‘mixing” with the locals which I find great fun. Other than that, if you’re the adventurous type, you’ll have a great time at a fraction of the cost of an organised tour. So this year we decided to do our ‘own thing’ and use local buses as much as possible. Quite often the local bus station is just a short walk from the cruise terminal. If you are not sure where to go on an island, just pick a destination on the other side of the island and enjoy the ride. Here are a few of the trips we did.

Guadeloupe. Most people on our cruise thought this island was a dump and the comedian made endless jokes about it. I agree that at first glance the town of Pointe-a-Pitre is a little run down (like most Caribbean ports) but venture outside and you’ll find this is a most beautiful island. We found a little bus station (probably not the main terminus) just 5 or 10 mins walk from the ship. To get there simply head straight into town passing the market to the dock side called La Darse where local fishermen land and clean their catch. Carry straight on along the dock side and head slightly uphill passing the Sous Prefecture on your left. Turn right and you’ll find the buses at the bottom of the hill.

We took the bus to Gosier which is a beautiful beach resort and cost the ridiculous sum of 1.20 each way. Whilst there we took a water taxi (5.00 return) to the uninhabited Islet du Gosier which was so peaceful. Whatever you do in Guadeloupe, do not confine your vist to Pointe-du-Pitre.

Martinique. Here we took the Ferry to Point du Bout which is a beautiful beach resort across the bay from the ship. The ferry costs just 7.00 return and the journey takes about 15 mins from Fort de France quay which is less than 5 mins walk from the ship. You need to take Ferry 101 from the second dock. If you want to explore the island, the bus station is right next to the ship on the quay side.

Antigua. There are 2 bus stations in St John’s. We chose to go to English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard. The buses run from the West Bus Station which is just 5 mins walk from the ship. Take the No: 17 bus which can be found on the second stand as you enter the bus station. Unfortunately we ran out of local currency so paid $2.50 (U.S.) each way. The bus drops you right outside the entrance to Nelson’s Dockyard. Entry to the Dockyard is $8.00 (U.S.) per person.

St. Lucia. Here we took the bus to Rodney Bay on the 1A bus from Castries which is on the bus route to Gros Islet. You get the bus at the back of the Castries Market. Turn left outside of the old cruise terminal on Jeremie St and turn left after 2 blocks. The buses are lined up on the side of the road. If your ship docks at the new cruise terminal over the harbour from the town, it’s about a 10 min walk round the bay. As you get to the roundabout near the Vendors’ Market, turn left and the buses are next right about 100 yards along that road.

For the beach, get off the bus at Rodney Bay shopping Mall on Reduit Beach Avenue. Ask the driver if you are unsure. You can get off the bus at the Marina which is the next stop after the shopping mall. This is really nice and you can catch a water taxi across to the beach. It is a good 10 – 15 mins walk from the shopping mall to the beach to where the tourist buses park, but there is a quicker way by turning left at ‘Coconutz Bar’ then turn right down a short track to the beach where locals park. Again the cost of the bus was ridiculously cheap at about 1.20 each way in local currency or 2.50(U.S.).

Grenada. The bus station is just 5 mins walk on the left as you exit the ship. Here we had the best white-knuckle journey of the holiday to the town of Grenville on the east coast of the island on a No: 6 bus at a cost of 6 EC Dollars each way (about 2.20). When we arrived in Grenville we were the only tourists. The people were so polite and helpful and even though there wasn’t much to do there, we had a great tour of of the island for little money. The ride is not for the faint hearted as the route rises over 1900 feet, the roads are narrow and bumpy and the driving is mad, but what a great experience.

St Vincent. Again, like most cruise-port towns, there is little to do and pretty much the same as most other ports. There are 2 bus stations (sort of) in Kingstown and we caught a bus to Villa Beach which is just a 15 min ride (EC$ 2.50 each way). Lovely beach opposite Young Island with a view of the Grenadines in the distance.

Barbados. Here the buses are larger but no less speedy than their Caribbean neighbours. There are 2 bus companies – state run (Blue) and the more expensive private buses that only do the popular routes(Gold) plus private taxi buses. The state run bus station (one of them) is just 5 mins walk from the cruise terminal on your left as you walk into Bridgetown. In Barbados it is much easier if you have local currency as you need to buy a bus token (2 Barbados Dollars – about 70p) for each journey. We took the bus to Josey Hill, Pie Corner and Little Bay (passing the Mount Gay distillery) via Hole Town, Mullins Bay and Speightstown. You’ll need 2 tokens for the return journey lasting about 3 hours plus 1 more token if you get off at any point. I can certainly recommend getting off to see Speightstown if you have time, as you don’t see much of it on the bus from the road. The bus station is on the north side of the town away from the ocean. I first did this journey 5 or 6 years ago and I can recommend it to you. I will certainly do it again. A good bus to catch leaves at 10.30am from the bus station at stand 6. Buy your tokens from a tiny ‘hole in the wall’ kiosk on your right as you enter the bus station – blink and you’ll miss it. I recommend you buy all your tokens for the day at the start of your journey (and 1 or 2 extra – they’re only 70p each – just in case you get off). As you get on the bus you drop your token in a hopper and the driver hands you a ticket. When you get to the end of the bus route the driver will ask you to put another token in the hopper for the return journey. This is a great way to see the island; all for 1.40. What a bargain!

It is always worth looking at the reviews as you never know what you might find. 🙂

Safety is always the most important thing so be aware of what is going on around you and don’t go off to remote locations on your own, it all boils down to common sense in the end. Whatever you decide to do be it on your own or an organised trip remember to take lots of photos and maybe you can come home and write a review of your own, you can get a berlitz guide to cruising free if you do.

Thank you for reading