West Coast Trail - Barbuda
Barbuda is a small Caribbean island with a population of just 1,500 people and is not taken over by the big hotel chains. Most of the island's inhabitants live in the only town, Codrington.
Antigua and Barbuda is a country that is part of Island America, better known as the Caribbean Sea Islands. Barbuda is often confused with Barbados, but its name comes from the lichen "beards" that hang from the palm trees. Christopher Columbus discovered the islands and gave them their names. They are mainly involved in the sugar industry and have an alliance with the US for military purposes.
In 2017, the island was devastated by Hurricane Irma, a category 5 hurricane, which left the island 97%
The island has a tropical climate, so temperatures are good all year round. The months between June and January are the hottest. Between February and May the weather is a little drier and cooler, so conditions for the route may be better.
The island has a 17 km beach which can only be accessed by boat or on foot from the southern tip.
The trek consists of a 3-day hike where there are no facilities for food or accommodation.
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Practical guide for hikers
It is a 2-night, 3-day walk around the beach without going into forest areas. You will probably not meet any people during the whole tour.
The route can be done at any time of the year because the island is situated in a tropical zone. However, between the months of June and September the bula turtles come out at night to lay their eggs in the area. This can be an added bonus as part of the tour experience.
The beaches are of white sand and crystal clear water, a totally wild area that will make your contact with nature unbeatable.
Advice for hikers
As there are no services during the route, it will be necessary for hikers to carry all the necessary equipment. This includes, on the one hand, everything necessary for camping and cooking. When it is time to eat, it will be necessary to take all the food with you, both for cooking and for being able to eat it at any time. Water or drinks will also be necessary. At least 3 litres of water will be necessary to cope with the route. There is no water source or any kind of drinking water along the route, so it is extremely necessary to include it in your luggage.
In terms of clothing, being a coastal area and in a tropical zone, loose-fitting clothing will be appropriate. There are likely to be a lot of insects, so long-sleeved clothing will help to avoid bites. A mosquito net could also be included to help you rest during the night and the early and late hours of the day. Nights are not usually of such quality and storms tend to be occasional, so waterproof clothing will help protect against storms.
As the route is isolated from civilisation, it is important to carry a device with you so that if you get lost or injured you can be rescued quickly. GPS devices are the best option for this, as they allow helicopters or search teams to access the area you are in very quickly.
It is important to prepare in advance for the trip. As it is a practically deserted island, it will be necessary to have prepared the transport to get to the island, the accommodation there and the transfer to the route area.
It is a fairly straightforward route because there are no slopes and it is quite easy to follow. However, the conditions to be able to do it make it difficult. The lack of food and drink, the lack of accommodation, the high temperatures and the amount of insects that can be present mean that not everyone can cope with the route.
