Only got time to do one thing in the capital of The Bahamas? Make it the Pirates of Nassau museum. On my recent trip to New Providence, I was really impressed by this immersive experience, right in the heart of Downtown Nassau. The Pirates Museum …
Perched atop Bennet’s Hill, the highest point on New Providence Island, Fort Fincastle is one of the many forts watching over the capital of The Bahamas. Most visitors to Nassau will stop by the Queen’s Staircase. If you continue up that staircase, you’ll reach the …
When looking up things to do in Nassau, one of the suggestions that always comes at the top of the list is the Queen’s Staircase. I know what you’re thinking – what’s so special about a set of stairs? To be honest, that was my reaction as well when I saw this staircase popping up on every post I read about The Bahamas. Turns out, the Queen’s Staircase is the most visited landmark on New Providence island. Its a significant site, owing to its historic importance and being a symbol of those who suffered as slaves during British colonisation. A visit won’t take up much of your time, but its worth stopping by while exploring Nassau. In this post, I’ll tell you more about the history so that you can fully grasp the site’s notability.
The Queen’s Staircase is quite literally a set of stairs – 66 to be exact. Or 65, depending on who is doing the counting. Carved out of limestone, the stairs connect the end of Elisabeth Street to the top of Bennet’s Hill, the highest point on New Providence Island. Originally famous for its 66 steps, a refurbishment saw the bottom step paved over, though some will claim that the ground level still constitutes a step on its own!
So we’ve established that its a set of stairs. Why are we going here again? Well, the Staircase dates back to the 18th Century, and was constructed to provide easy access to Fort Fincastle at the top. This was seen as particularly important in the event of an attack on the newly built Fort. Commissioned by Lord Dunmore, then Governor of The Bahamas, over 600 slaves worked on the Stairs between 1793 and 1794. As mentioned, they carved the Stairs out of the limestone terrain, but what makes this all the more remarkable was the way in which it was carried out – entirely by hand tools. The enslaved labourers weren’t even allowed pickaxes due to fears that arming them could lead to an insurrection against their oppressors. The most they had to work with were chisels and hammers.
The slaves endured extremely dangerous conditions while working on the project. Many lost their lives in the process, and legend has it some bodies were entombed and sealed in a tunnel within the surrounding walls. Despite the horrifying conditions, its truly remarkable that the stairs were completed, and while Fort Fincastle never was attacked, there is no doubting the significance of the project. When Queen Victoria abolished slavery in 1837, the contribution of the enslaved labourers was finally recognised. The Staircase was named after the monarch in recognition of this act.
When you’re visiting the Queen’s Staircase, try to arrive at the bottom. Its a rather beautiful area, surrounded by lush palms, tropical plant life and waterfalls. It actually feels a bit like a secluded rainforest within an alleyway. The number of tourists on a cruise day will definitely impact on the overall serenity, but if you get here early, you’ll be able to fully take it in. Unfortunately when I visited, it was right in the middle of a tropical storm (it was my last day in The Bahamas!). Nassau’s streets have a tendency to flood when it rains, and the lower landing was basically a lake. Naturally, that meant I was heading up the back route to the top of the stairs, and taking my photos from there!
I only spent about 10 minutes at the Staircase. There was a reprieve in the rain when I first arrived, but I was quickly caught in a downpour that had me rushing for cover in nearby Fort Fincastle! At least the stairs served their purpose as quick access to the Fort on that day!
The Queen’s Staircase isn’t particularly onerous to climb. At only 66 (or 65) stairs, assuming you’re able to handle normal steps, you’ll easily get to the top. There’s a few flat landings where you can take a break if you’re really struggling though (or more likely, where you can stop for photos). When you get to the top, its a short walk to Fort Fincastle and the Water Tower on Bennett’s Hill. Along the way you’ll come across local vendors selling their wares.
One thing to have in mind is that you may be approached by someone claiming to be a “volunteer tour guide” when you get to the Staircase. This happened to me, and from what I understand, is more likely to occur if you’re on your own. Without even prompting, they will immediately start telling you about the history of the site, and the rest of Nassau. Its only when they finish their spiel that they’ll ask you to provide a tip. In all honesty, I found the information to be interesting, so I didn’t mind giving a small tip, but just know what you’re getting into if you stick around.
That’s really about all you need to know about the Queen’s Staircase. Its a short stop that should be incorporated into a wider tour of Downtown Nassau on your vacation to The Bahamas. While it is very much a staircase, given the importance, its worth seeing. Its basically become one of those things that you have to do in Nassau. If it was further afield, it wouldn’t be worth checking out on its own, but given its close proximity to Fort Fincastle, you can easily bundle them together and see two historic sites in the one morning!
The Bahamas is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in the Caribbean, especially those coming from the United States. Just a hop, skip and a jump from Florida, its no wonder so many people come to this island nation every year. Pristine beaches, …
Barbados is so famous for its beaches and natural beauty, but one of my favourite places I visited in the country was far away in the country’s rural north. St Nicholas Abbey is one of the best places to get a sense of Barbadian history. …
With so many things to do in Barbados, it can often be difficult to decide how to spend your time on the island, particularly if you’re on a short trip. One thing you absolutely MUST do however, is swim with turtles in Barbados. Barbados is one of the best spots in the Caribbean to do this, and the moment I heard about it, I was all in. The experience lived up to the hype, as it turned out being my favourite thing I did in Barbados! Although there are many ways to swim with turtles, I did so as part of an organised excursion with Tranquility Cruises. I can’t recommend them enough and I’m going to tell you all about my time with them in this post!
There’s actually a multitude of ways to swim with turtles in Barbados. Regardless of how you do it, the best place to see them is in Carlisle Bay. You won’t be going far out of your way to get here, as its the most popular beach location in all of Barbados. If you’re a relatively strong swimmer, you can easily rent some snorkelling gear and swim on out to the turtles (follow the groups of people in the water). The route to the best snorkelling spot is marked by buoy lines, but if you do choose this option, please keep an eye out for the many boats that frequent these waters. You’ve got tons of tour operators running snorkelling cruises after all!
Maybe I’m biased since its what I did, but I think the best way to experience the underwater wonders of Carlisle Bay is to take part in an organised tour. Sure, its more expensive, but I was actually surprised at how affordable the experience was, especially in comparison to some other attractions in Barbados. I can only comment on the way Tranquility Cruises run the tour, but for the booking price, you’ll get over an hour out in the bay, complete with two snorkelling stops. You’ll also be given drinks on board to stay hydrated. The crew will answer any questions you have about anything you see, and your guides will get in the water with you to point out the diverse species of marine life. Its the best way to ensure you see what you could otherwise miss.
While there’s no guarantee you’ll see turtles on your tour, you’ve got the best odds with this kind of tour. You can book either on the official website or via Viator.
Tranquility Cruises ask that you arrive at the dock 20 minutes before your tour’s departure time. I was booked on the 10.00 tour as I wanted to have the rest of the day to explore Bridgetown and relax around Carlisle Bay. Departing my guesthouse in Worthing Beach at around 9.00am, I decided to walk, and it was a lovely stroll along Barbados’ coastal main road. I arrived at the dock with plenty of time to spare (even with a little difficulty finding the Tranquility office), and was all checked in by 9.45am. At that point I was directed onto the boat while we waited for the remainder of our tour group. Heading up to the top deck, I made friends with some American travellers.
Once we were ready to go, we were introduced to our three man crew and given the usual safety briefing that you expect on these kinds of activities. We were also told that we weren’t allowed to touch the turtles or do anything to startle them. As we set off, I was surprised to see that our tour group only had about 10 – 15 people in it. Considering the size of other groups we saw out in the Bay, this made for a more intimate experience. I’m not sure if it was just luck, or whether this is normally the size of Tranquility’s cruise groups.
Tranquility Cruise’s boat is a two levelled vessel. While you’ll probably want to be on the top deck taking in the surrounding turquoise waters of the bay, there is a glass bottomed section on the lower deck. There’s a number of charts on board showing the various fish and other species you might see on your snorkelling adventure, and our guide told us which ones we were most likely to see on our adventure. The top deck also has a waterslide, which is a great way to end your time in the water before heading back to the harbour. They also provide you with snorkelling gear, so you don’t have to worry about sourcing your own goggles. Just make sure you bring sunscreen. I got burnt quite a bit on this tour (the lifejackets don’t cover as much as you think!).
When booking this tour, I didn’t even realise that Barbados is often referred to as the Shipwreck Capital of the Caribbean! Our first stop in the Carlisle Bay Marine Reserve would show us why it received that name, as Carlisle Bay actually contains six shipwrecks. The oldest dates back to World War 1, while the most recent wreck, the Bajan Queen tug boat, sank in 2002. From shallowest to deepest, you’ve got the Barge, Cornwallis, Berwyn, Bajan Queen, C-Trek and Eilon wrecks. The Bajan Queen is the largest, and was actually an old party boat before it was donated to the Barbados government. Experienced scuba divers have been known to swim through the ship’s submerged bridge.
On our tour, we stopped at the Berwyn. At only 7 to 10 metres below the surface (tide dependent) its a natural choice for snorkelling. I was surprised to learn that this tugboat was actually sunk by its own crew following the conclusion of the First World War. According to legend, the French vessel was ordered to leave by a military ship after completing its assignment. The crew had supposedly fallen in love with Barbados so much that the captain famously cried out “over my dead body and sunken ship”, unleashing his crew on their own vessel. They subsequently sunk it before they headed back to the island.
The Berwyn (along with the other wrecks) now offer shelter to tons of marine life. Numerous fish, eels, rays, octopuses and more can be found in the surrounding calm waters. Owing to the age of the wrecks, coral reefs have formed over their remains. While you’ll see plenty of marine life around the outside of the vessels, I was told that swimming inside is the real treat. Our guide actually took one braver member of our group for a quick 60 second dive through the wreckage! While I didn’t dive through the wreck, the snorkelling experience was so much fun (and we hadn’t even seen had the chance to swim with turtles in Barbados yet!). We spent about 20 minutes in the water at this stop.
Heading to our next stop (just 5 or 10 minutes away), it was time for the tour highlight. At last we were going to swim with turtles in Barbados! While the crew warned us there was a chance we wouldn’t see any, the tourists already in the water suggested otherwise. I think I saw about 7 turtles while snorkelling here. The advantage of coming with a group tour is that your guides (both on the boat and in the water) will keep watch to find out where the turtles are swimming.
Apparently the season also influences how likely you are to see turtles. I was in Barbados in July, which I was told is right in the middle of the nesting season. Perfectly planned by fluke!
There’s actually three species of sea turtles that can be found in Barbados. The most common is the Hawksbill Turtle. It generally has a shell size of less than a metre, though they do grow as the turtle ages. They’re named for their mouths, which resemble the beak of a bird. Most of the turtles we saw during this tour were Hawksbill turtles. We did manage to see a larger Green Sea Turtle however. This species of turtle can reach up to 2 metres in shell size and can actually hold their breath for up to 5 hours! In addition to their size, you can recognise them due to their red and orange hued shells.
While swimming with turtles in Barbados, there is a chance you might also come across the Leatherback Turtle. They look nothing like the other two species. Unlike most turtles, the Leatherbacks don’t have a hard shell – instead they have layers of oily skin. They’re also the largest of the bunch, often being bigger than 2 metres in length.
There’s a few basic rules to keep in mind when swimming with turtles. First of all, know that sea turtles are highly protected in Barbados and anyone caught in possession of turtle products will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. While you’re in the water, be respectful to these beautiful creatures. Never try to touch a turtle, and give them space (stay at least 1.5 metres away from them if possible). You also shouldn’t feed the turtles. I saw a few other groups doing this (although Tranquility Cruises didn’t). Not only does feeding turtles put you at risk of being bitten, it also puts them at risk as they become dependent on humans for survival.
Basically chill out in the water and observe the turtles in their natural environment. Its an experience you’ll hold dear into the future.
After about 20 to 25 minutes in the water with the turtles, it was time to head back to shore. After saying goodbye to our crew, I was ready to see more of Barbados, but first spent some time relaxing along Carlisle Bay. While there were many more wonderful experiences I had on this rock of paradise, getting the chance to swim with turtles and see the wrecks of Carlisle Bay was something I won’t forget any time soon. You definitely won’t regret it if you do the same thing on your trip to Barbados. Have you had the chance to swim with turtles in Barbados? How many did you see? What did you think of the shipwrecks in Carlisle Bay?
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