The Valley, Anguilla – The littlest and prettiest cove on the island is Little Bay, a tiny crescent of sand surrounded by tawny limestone cliffs, intriguing sea caves and the beautiful Caribbean blue. Best of all, this spot is inaccessible…
Sugar Birds
North Hill, Anguilla – This morning, the resident bananaquits greeted me in my garden. Here, they are better known as sugar birds, because they love the sweet stuff. The other day at the beach bar, I saw them trying to…
Tranquility Wrapped in Blue
North Hill, Anguilla – Anguilla is a slim eel-shaped island that is just across the channel from St Martin. This is my last stop on this paradisical research trip, updating the Lonely Planet guide to the Caribbean Islands. If you…
Îlet Pinel
Îlet Pinel, St Martin – I postponed this trip twice, because it’s been very windy. But today is my last day in St Martin so it was now or never. I braved the choppiness and paddled over to gorgeous Îlet…
Seaside Nature Park
Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Keeping cool with my horse Viva at Seaside Nature Park. This “nature park” is almost entirely in view of a power plant, which is a bit strange. But otherwise it’s a lovely setting and my guide…
Petites Cayes
Anse Marcel, St Martin – Who doesn’t love a (nearly) deserted beach? I reached the beautiful Baie de Petites Cayes by hiking along the Sentier des Froussards from Anse Marcel. The destination was spectacular but the hike was also really…
Paradise Peak
Marigot, St Martin – Paradise Peak! (Or Pic Paradis, as they say in St Martin.) At 424m (1392 ft) it wasn’t as grueling as my last hike, and the views were pretty sweet. The hike starts at Loterie Farm, where…
One Island, Two Countries
Goodbye to St Kitts & Nevis (two islands, one country). Hello (Bonjour) to St Martin & Sint Maarten (one island, two countries). I am covering both sides, but staying in France That said, I have been spending some time in…
Alexander Hamilton’s Nevis
Charlestown, Nevis – I took myself on a tour of Alexander Hamilton’s Nevis. And then I had the Hamilton! soundtrack in my head for the rest of the day. (Not a bad thing.) Anyone who has seen the musical Hamilton!…
Vervet Monkeys
New Castle, Nevis – They say that vervet monkeys outnumber the humans living in St Kitts and Nevis. Some of them were featured in this portrait exhibit at the lovely Drift Restaurant. So good!