Sunset off Roatán, Honduras (Textor)
The Caribbean is not known as a place go camping, yet there are plenty of places to camp legally in the region. There are established campgrounds with facilities, campgrounds connected to or associated with hotels, as well as established camping areas without facilities. Several islands permit camping but don’t provide dedicated camping sites—prospective campers should contact relevant authorities in these places to locate appropriate and safe places to pitch their tents.
Puerto Rico is, arguably perhaps, the easiest place to camp in the Caribbean. We count 17 campsites in the territory, ranging from campsites within national parks, campsites within territorial parks, and choice, municipality-run camping spots, one of which, Culebra’s Flamenco Beach campgrounds, happens to be on one of our favorite beaches in the entire Caribbean.
Other territories known for their camping options include the British Virgin Island of Jost van Dyke; Jamaica’s nine campsites—six of which are run by JATCHA (or the Jamaica Alternative Tourism Camping and Hiking Association); the U.S. Virgin Islands, with six sites across three islands (St. Croix, St. John, and Water Island); and Trinidad and Tobago, with eight campsites run by the country’s Department of Agriculture. Tobago is a particularly great place to camp, with camping allowed across the entire island.
So, without further ado, here’s our growing list of places to camp in the Caribbean. For more detailed tips on hiking in the Caribbean, we recommend M. Timothy O’Keeffe’s Caribbean Hiking.
Bermudian Landing (a village within the Community Baboon Sanctuary): one campground.
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye: The Boat Yard.
Hopkins: Jungle Jeanie’s By The Sea. B$15 (about $8) per person per night.
Jost van Dyke: White Bay Campground.
Near Rosalie: Rosalie Forest Eco Lodge.
Bonao: Rancho Wendy.
Camping is allowed in the Grand Etang National Park.
Short-term camping is allowed on La Désirade, one of Guadeloupe’s “offshore islands,” along the Plage à Fifi. Contact the mayor’s office for information.
There are some other private campgrounds on Guadeloupe. Always check with local mayor’s offices to obtain permits.
Bull Bay (near Kingston): Jamnesia. $10.
Jack’s Hill (Blue Mountains): Maya Lodge.
Negril: Roots Bamboo. $20 per tent.
Holywell National Recreation Area. Cabins. JATCHA.
Clydesdale. Bunk bed dormitory. JATCHA.
Cinchona Botanical Gardens. Tent camping available. JATCHA.
Whitfield Hall Hostel. JATCHA.
Portland Gap Forestry Hut. JATCHA.
Blue Mountain Peak. Forest hut. JATCHA
For more information, contact Jamaica’s Ministry of Agriculture’s Forestry Department.
During school holidays (part of March, July, and August) it is legal to camp in Martinique in Cap Chevalier, Sainte-Luce, Sainte-Anne, and Vauclin, among other beaches. Short-term camping permits can be obtained at individual town halls. Note that “indiscriminate camping” is not permitted. It is essential to obtain a short-term camping permit in advance.
For more information contact the Office National des Forets in Fort-de-France at (596) 596 71 34 50.
Abasco: Tres Hermanos. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Arroyo: Punta Guilarte. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Camuy: Camuy Cave Park. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Carite Forest Reserve. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Culebra: Flamenco Beach campgrounds. Autoridad de Conservacion y Desarollo de Culebra. 787-742-3880
El Yunque National Rainforest. US Forest Service. 787-888-1880.
Fajardo: Seven Seas Beach Balneario. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Guayataca Reserve. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Guilarte Forest Reserve. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Luquillo. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Maricao. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Mona Island. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Rio Abajo Reserve. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Susua Reserve. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Toro Negro Mountain Reserve. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales. 787-724-3647.
Vega Alta: Cerro Gordo. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Vieques: Sun Bay. National Parks of Puerto Rico. 787-622-5200.
Camping is officially allowed on St. Eustatius, though there are no dedicated campgrounds. Check with the tourist office for information.
Palmetto Point, St. Kitts: Trinity Inn Apartments (campsite adjacent to hotel.)
Camping is allowed in St. Kitts and Nevis, although there are no official campgrounds.
Tobago: Canoe Bay Beach
Trinidad: Chagville
Trinidad: Columbus Bay
Trinidad: Manzanilla
Trinidad: Maracas Waterfall
Trinidad: Mayaro
Trinidad: Vessigny Beach
On Tobago, camping is allowed everywhere.
Contact the Forestry Division of Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources for more information: 868-622-4521 or 868-622-7476.
Outdoor Trinidad publishes a fabulous run-down of camping sites on Trinidad.
Camping is allowed on Middle Caicos and on some cays. There are no dedicated campgrounds in the territory. Campers should register with the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources at 649-941-5122.
St. Croix: Mount Victory Camp.
St. John: Cinnamon Bay Campgrounds.
St. John: Concordia Eco-Tents.
St. John: Maho Bay Camps.
St. John: VIERS (Virgin Islands Environmental Resource Station).
Water Island: Water Island Campground.
Los Roques: Camping is allowed within the Los Roques recreation zone.
The islands of Muerto, Paiclá, Sal, and Sombrero also allow camping. Obtain a permit at the Inparques office in Tucacas.
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Note: Not all campgrounds are created equally, and koucou is not responsible for quality control. Our goal with this listing is to be as thorough as possible. We do recognize that bad, dirty, and downright unsafe campgrounds exist. And we respond well to feedback. So let us know if you deem one of the campgrounds listed here to be serious bad news. We’ll update our listings to take your feedback into account. And let us know what we've missed, too!