Caribbean Archives • The Bliss Movement

Barbados, Caribbean, Guides + Itineraries, Travel

Barbados Self-Guided Coastal Drive

Barbados is a small island country in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, surrounded by the calm clear water of the Caribbean Sea on the West and the wilder seas of the Atlantic Ocean on the East. It is home to some of the most welcoming people I have ever met, island roads fringed with palm trees, the strongest rum punch and clean, turquoise water that you won’t believe is real until it hits your toes. After having visited the island a few times in the last few years (and falling more in love with it every time), I finally had a chance to show[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

8 Reasons Barbados Should Be Your Next Winter Vacay

Recently dubbed the Caribbean Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal, Barbados is, without a doubt, the next trip you need to book. Like, yesterday. Barbados is known for its white, sandy beaches and being the birthplace of Rihanna. It’s the place where high-profile people such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Simon Cowell, Elton John and many others jet off to for their holidays in the sun. But don’t let that fool you into thinking this destination is only for the well-to-do. That’s far from the truth. Barbados is the perfect getaway for travelers of any a[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

Welcome To The Belly of The Dragon: How a Stigmatized Barbados Community Opened My Eyes and My Heart

Those of you who have been following me will know that from January to June of this year I was on a study abroad program in Barbados. Lucky me, right? Usually, when people think of Barbados or the Caribbean in general their immediate thoughts are beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, and the warmth that we all desperately crave for eight months a year up here in Canada. You'll probably be staying in all-inclusive resorts, living in luxury for a week or two for a reasonable price. Barbados is your island getaway where you can eat, drink and[...]

Caribbean, St. Lucia, Tips, Planning and Packing, Travel

Staying with a Local Host Family in St. Lucia

Traveling through the Caribbean is not cheap, especially if you're looking for accommodation. It might be cheap by some standards, but by backpacker standards everything can be a bit pricey. There's no $2 rooms like in Southeast Asia and virtually no hostels to be seen. We found our best bet was to look on websites like Couchsurfing.com, which we didn't get a chance to use, and Air BnB, which we used in Tobago and St. Lucia. Lucky for us we found an amazing host in St. Lucia, who welcomed us into her home like we were family. I had never before stayed with a loca[...]

Caribbean, St. Lucia

Gros Islet’s Famous Jump Up in St. Lucia

A Friday night in St. Lucia is not complete without making an appearance at Gros Islet's jump-up, the street party that has made this town famous. Once the sun sets, the town locals and all the tourists flock to the streets to celebrate another week done and another weekend beginning. Our local host, Noa, and her friend Steve had been talking about the party all week and were eager to show us a good time. Sections of town are closed off to vehicles, allowing people to eat, drink, dance and party in the streets all night long. After stopping at the fish fry down t[...]

Caribbean, St. Lucia

Soufriere, St. Lucia: Soaking in a volcanic mud bath

Dunking myself in warm, scratchy mud was at the top of my list when I headed to the island of St. Lucia. It might seem counterproductive to take a bath in mud, but the effects on your skin are truly amazing! Soufriere is one of the world's only "drive-in" volcanoes, meaning exactly that. Instead of hiking up a volcano you can drive your car right up and into the volcano itself, parking the car and going by foot to get up close and personal. The drive to Soufriere is breathtaking, with the road winding through the mountains and giving you incredible views of the P[...]

Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago

Traveling to tobago, the picture perfect caribbean island

I've got a bit of a long one for you today, so pour yourself a cup of tea or a glass of wine, kick back and dive in. The first thing I noticed about Tobago was the heat. The sun felt hotter and the air thicker. After the hustle and bustle of Trinidad, coming back to a small and slow-paced island was a breath of fresh air and we melted into it easily. Tobago exudes a relaxed atmosphere of island living; time moved slower, smiles were more common and everyone that passed us by were extremely friendly, always wishing us a great stay. In true tourist fashion, we spe[...]

Barbados, Caribbean, Travel

On Living, Learning and Leaving

Time moves at a different pace when your senses are being stimulated by all the wonders that the world has to offer. Home feels stagnant; there is a desperation to continue living a life that is elsewhere. The mystery of the earth and all that creates it pulls me from home time and time again. This time, I was pulled when I least expected it, to a place I had never dreamed of experiencing. Uprooting in the middle of my final year of my degree, I boarded a plane and stepped out onto a Caribbean island, determined to create a life for myself during the following fo[...]

Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago

day trip to Pirate’s Bay, Tobago

We spent two days road-tripping around the island, getting used to driving on the opposite side of the road and slowly getting comfortable with the narrow and winding roads. From the south of the island we followed the road along the east coast with the Atlantic as our view. After stopping at Argyle Falls we headed on to Charlotteville, with a few more picture stops along the way. Charlotteville is a small fishing village on the north coast of the island. Colorful homes perch upon the lush mountains that surround it and groups of locals lime over Cari[...]

Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

exploring the caribbean island of st. vincent

I've been away for a little while as I try to adjust being back in my hometown but although I'm home I still have a bunch of stories to share with you all. Today, I want to bring you back to a quiet corner of the world in St. Vincent. A short walk from the highway, down a bumpy road and past a friendly goat eating his grass, you'll come to the house of an artist. It was in this open-concept inspired home filled with colorful paintings and a porch that overlooked the ocean that we lived in for our last weekend on the island. After four months of travel this house[...]

Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Chasing Waterfalls in St. Vincent

I have been spending my days chasing waterfalls, in search of the tallest, most beautiful one. Ideally one that is hiding a secret cave for me to explore. After a turn in the wrong direction and a hike up the side of a mountain, we finally made it to the main road just north of Chateaubelair. We said hello to the goats, donkeys and cows that we passed by until we reached the sign. The fact that there is a very obvious sign to Dark View Falls is a blessing. In my experience in the Caribbean even notable tourist attractions are completely unmarked, making dire[...]

Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The Richmond Vale Academy, St. Vincent

Melissa and I arrived in St. Vincent five days ago, hopping in a cab in the late afternoon that would take us on a journey through narrow, winding mountain roads to the leeward side of the island. The first thing we saw as we drove up was a fat, happy looking pig walking beside the road, free from any confines with as much room to roam as he liked. Isolated in a corner of the island just next to La Soufriere volcano, the Richmond Vale Hiking and Nature Center.. or more commonly known as The Academy... is an environmentally conscious gem away from everything. As[...]