Portsmouth: the Indian River, Cabrits and the north

Why go

The north has a different mood from the capital: calmer, more spread out and closer to the island's best sandy beaches. Portsmouth is a working town rather than a resort, and the bay is one of the best natural harbours in the Eastern Caribbean, so you share it with sailors from around the world.

The Indian River

The classic Portsmouth experience is a rowed boat trip up the **Indian River**. Licensed guides, often known as boat boys, row you upstream through a swamp forest of bloodwood trees whose roots twist across the banks, pointing out herons, crabs, iguanas and hummingbirds. Engines are not allowed, so it is peaceful. Part of a famous pirate film was shot here. At the turning point, the thatched **Indian River Bush Bar** serves its strong rum punch called Dynamite. Go early in the day for the calmest light and the most birds.

Cabrits National Park

On a forested headland north of town, **Cabrits National Park** protects the ruins and restored buildings of **Fort Shirley**, an eighteenth century British garrison. Gentle trails lead through dry forest to the officers' quarters, batteries and lookouts over Prince Rupert Bay and Douglas Bay. The Cabrits is also where the Waitukubuli National Trail ends. A cruise ship berth and a large resort sit by the park.

Beaches and bays

Prince Rupert Bay has a long, grey sand beach. Just north, **Douglas Bay** and **Toucari Bay** are calmer and good for snorkelling over sea fans and coral. Further around the coast, **Secret Beach** is a tiny cove reached by kayak.

Morne Diablotin and the parrots

Inland, **Morne Diablotin National Park** protects the island's highest mountain and its two endemic parrots: the **Sisserou**, the national bird that appears on the flag, and the smaller **Jaco**. The **Syndicate Nature Trail** is an easy loop through tall forest and the best place to see them, ideally at dawn with a birding guide. Climbing Morne Diablotin itself is a hard, muddy guided hike.

Chaudière Pool and rivers

Near the village of Bense, a forest walk leads to **Chaudière Pool**, a deep river pool where locals leap from the rocks. On the west coast road between Roseau and Portsmouth, **Mero Beach** is the busiest weekend beach and the **Layou River** offers swimming and tubing.

Where to stay

Stays range from simple beachfront cottages such as **Picard Beach Cottages** to the large **Cabrits Resort** on Douglas Bay and the very private villas of **Secret Bay**. Several small guesthouses face the bay.

Getting there and around

Minibuses run along the west coast road from Roseau to Portsmouth, taking around an hour. From Douglas Charles Airport the drive across the north is shorter. For the Indian River, guides wait near the river mouth, and many hotels can suggest a licensed one.

Combine with the northeast

Portsmouth pairs well with **Calibishie**, a fishing village on the north coast with golden sand coves such as Batibou and the Red Rocks at Pointe Baptiste, and with the Kalinago Territory further down the Atlantic coast. Use the places to visit list and the free trip planner to shape a northern loop.