Scotts Head between the Caribbean and the Atlantic

Scotts Head combines a striking location between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic with traces of military history. The Scott’s Head Peninsula, also called the Cachacrou Peninsula, separates the two seas. An old gun emplacement remains on the headland. This combination of a peninsula and a historic structure gives Scotts Head a specific thematic focus.

A headland with a military history

In the past, the headland at Scott’s Head was the site of a battalion of the Scots Guards. When fleets approached from Martinique, the battalion fired warning cannons. The old gun emplacement offers views across the bay to Roseau and across the strait to Martinique. Here, a historic defensive function meets two striking vistas.

Snorkelling and hiking as different experiences

To snorkel, you can walk to the beach on the Caribbean side of Scott’s Head and swim from there to the tip. Check current local conditions before setting out. A very challenging hike starts in Scotts Head Village and ends at Soufriere Estate; you should also check trail conditions again before setting off on a hike.

These options offer different ways to explore actively: an experience on the water and an explicitly very challenging hike. This contrast can help with planning without prescribing a particular order. When sorting through your travel ideas, you can focus on the coast or on a longer hike.

Saint Mark: marine reserve and diving region

Within the broader destination of Saint Mark, the Soufriere-Scott’s Head Marine Reserve covers the villages of Scott’s Head and Soufrière and extends to Anse Bateau near the village of Pointe Michel. More than twenty named dive sites lie within its boundaries. The diving region includes Craters Edge, Scott’s Head Pinnacles, L’Abym, Dangleben’s and Champagne. These sites are part of the diving region of the broader destination of Saint Mark.

The landscape of the reserve area also has a distinctive geological formation: the bay is an extinct volcanic crater that forms a lava vent. The recreation area at Tous sable beach in the broader destination of Saint Mark is intended for swimming and snorkelling from the shore. Check local conditions before entering the water. The marine reserve was ratified in part to preserve traditional fishing practices, connecting the region’s natural and cultural themes.

Dive Fest was launched in 1994 in the southern fishing communities of Soufrière and Scott’s Head. A June 2023 announcement described it as an annual event and named the Ministry of Tourism and the Soufriere Scott’s Head Village Council as organisers. Check the latest dates and programme before travelling.

Saint Mark: heritage and nature in Soufrière

Soufrière broadens the view of the wider destination of Saint Mark with additional historical and landscape themes. The ruins of the L. Rose Lime Oil Factory are among the village’s historical features. The Bois Cotlette Estate dates back to the late 18th century. Bois Cotlette Tours specialises in heritage tours and offers walks through fields of sugarcane, cocoa and coffee trees.

The hot mineral baths of Sulphur Springs in Soufrière are also places to explore in the region. Before visiting, check current access arrangements and bathing conditions on site. In the wider Saint Mark area, diving sites and seascapes are joined by agriculture, industrial history and mineral springs as different travel themes to choose from.

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide on your preferred focus: Scotts Head, with its peninsula, gun emplacement and activities on the water, or a broader look at cultural and natural themes across the wider Saint Mark area. This lets you tailor your search to the experiences you want to shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: Soufriere.

Back to the broader travel overview: Saint Mark.