Calibishie is a cute little village on Dominica’s northern coast, which makes for a good stop if you’re traveling between Portsmouth and the Kalinago Territory.

There are loads of beautiful beaches in the area, but we also liked the photogenic Red Rocks and the atmospheric ruins of the old Hampstead Estate sugar mill. Here’s everything you need to know about exploring this corner of the island.

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What to See and Do in Calibishie

There are not a lot of must-see sights in the village, apart from maybe the Red Rocks. We mostly liked the laid-back atmosphere and the beautiful surroundings, and just found it fun to do a bit of exploring for half a day.

Red Rocks at Point Baptiste

The Red Rocks are an interesting cliff formation a little to the east of the town centre at Pointe Baptiste. From the top, there are nice views of the Ocean. We were even able to spot Guadeloupe’s Îles des Saintes in the distance, but I guess you need a clear day for that.

A little further down, there is a small cave in the cliffs, which was used as a dwelling at some point in the past. We also saw other traces of a former use of the area, including a set of stairs carved into the rock and some petroglyphs.

When we dropped by there was a caretaker at the rocks, who took us around, told us a little about the history of the place and pointed out the different details, which we might not have noticed otherwise. We gave him a tip, but otherwise visiting the place was completely free.

To get to the Red Rocks, you’ll have to follow the main road out of town for about 10 mins (by foot) from the eastern end of Calibishie and then turn a sharp left into a road that runs almost parallel to the main road.

Follow this one to its end and then take a small path through the trees until you come out on top of the cliffs. Getting there from Calibishie seems a bit circuitous as you have to zigzag east and then west again, but this was the shortest way we found without cutting through someone’s backyard.

Hampstead Beach

This was by far my favourite beach on the island. If I close my eyes and try to imagine the quintessential wild tropical beach, Hampstead Beach is what I come up with. It’s an incredibly atmospheric place and we had it completely to ourselves the entire time that we were there.

Backed by coconut palms and populated by countless little scuttling crabs, we found it an awesome place to spend a couple of hours. Swimming is possible as well, although you should still be careful not to move too far from the shore, as there are still strong undercurrents.

If you’re a fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean Movies, you’ll be interested to hear that Hampstead Beach was used as a filming location in the second movie. It’s the beach that Jack Sparrow runs along while he’s being chased by the tribe of Cannibals.

The turn-off for the beach is in a bend of the coastal road, about 1.5 km or one mile west of Calibishie, before the road crosses the Hampstead River. Once you’ve found it, it’s just a 5-minute walk down to the beach.

Hampstead Sugar Mill Ruins

If you’re continuing a little further West along the coastal road, you’ll come across the ruins of a former Sugar Mill. There are a few crumbling buildings and pieces of old machinery, which are overgrown by creepers and fig trees and dotted by red ginger flowers.

We found it an eerily beautiful place, but then again we’re suckers for atmospheric abandoned places. The ruins lie next to the Hampstead River – you can find it by following the road west from the turn-off for Hampstead Beach for about 10 minutes on foot.

Calibishie Map

All of the places described above can be found in this map of Calibishie and its surroundings.

Practicalities

Where to Stay in Calibishie

There’s no real shoestring option here, and as we were on a tight budget, we chose to stay in Portsmouth and take a minibus to Calibishie. If you can afford it, I’d say that it’s worth spending at least one night in the village.

Sea Cliff Eco-Cottages east of Pointe Baptiste as well as Veranda View Guesthouse and Calibishie Sandbar in the village are well-rated midrange options, while at the top-end you have Pointe Baptiste Estate near the Red Rocks.

How to Get to Calibishie?

Minibuses running along the coastal road from Portsmouth to Marigot and further to Castle Bruce pass through Calibishie and can be waved down anywhere along the way. If you’re traveling from Roseau, buses going the route start near the New Market in River Bank Road.

Where to Go next

Kalinago Territory, where most of Dominica’s indigenous Kalinago People live

Portsmouth, Dominica’s Second City, with the cool Indian River and historic Fort Shirley