Escape Crowds At This Under-The-Radar Caribbean Island For Your Next Tropical Vacation

You won't find swim-up pool bars and five-star hotels on Hog Island. Casinos? Not in your wildest dreams. Indoor plumbing doesn't even exist on this little slice of paradise. Storytellers the world over routinely throw around words like "pristine" and "idyllic" to describe Caribbean islands, but as much as it may seem an apt description for a tropical setting where gin-clear waters lap gently at white-sand shores, those tourist-laden oases pale in comparison to Hog Island's untouched beauty — at least for the time being.

Located a short hop by water taxi from Woburn Bay on the underrated Caribbean island of Grenada, Hog Island is a diamond in the rough. And we mean that in the most positive way. There's no infrastructure save for a beat-up roadway that snakes from north to south, a remnant of failed attempts to develop the island. Adventurous souls can opt to hike across a ramshackle one-lane bridge that connects Mt. Hartman in St. George's parish to Hog Island, but it's a long and winding ramble, especially on a hot day. To be clear, when we describe Hog Island as being under the radar, we mean it's rustic, undiscovered, and uninhabited. There are a few bathrooms on the island, but there's no plumbing, so again — rustic. That said, if you're looking for a Robinson Crusoe-esque experience with a party on the side, a visit to Hog Island is one of the unique experiences you can only have in the Caribbean.

It's almost impossible to imagine how a place like Hog Island has remained undeveloped well into the 21st century. We do know, however, it's not for a lack of trying. The decades-long story plays out like a made-for-TV movie with plenty of drama, a bit of mystery, some unfortunate (or fortunate depending on your point of view) timing, and a confluence of events that would challenge the imaginations of even the most creative minds. It all began in 1979. That's when the governing parties of Grenada acquired Hog Island in a process similar to eminent domain in the United States. Highlights of the convoluted tale include claims of non-payment, allegations of governmental overreach, a pitch to save endangered doves, potential investors disappearing under suspicious circumstances, allegations of financial fraud — The list goes on and on. But despite interest from a few high-profile development companies, including Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, nothing ever came to fore, save for the rickety one-lane bridge.

While it's long been a popular anchorage among Caribbean sailors, visiting landlubbers vacationing at even the poshest of Grenada's beachfront resorts are just beginning to catch wind of the tiny slice of authentic Caribbean island life that still exists — and has long been a favored tropical destination among their sea-faring counterparts — just a hop, skip, and a jump from their umbrella-shaded perches and pricey tipples. And some of them — whether drawn by curiosity or nostalgia — are intrigued.

Hog Island isn't for everyone. If you're a five-star traveler whose vision of luxury Caribbean tourist destinations includes hushed elegance, beachfront butler service, and a groomed shorefront devoid of even a trace of unsightly seaweed, the island's rustic vibe likely won't resonate. If, on the other hand, you're more go-with-the-flow and willing to embrace Hog Island's raw beauty and get-away-from-it-all ambience, let's talk. Getting there is half the adventure. Unless you have your own boat, the water taxi option (about eight minutes each way) is the fastest and most convenient means of travel. Plus, when it comes to the return trip, it's definitely preferable to hiking the trail back to the bridge — especially if you've imbibed in a libation, or three, at Roger's Barefoot Beach Bar.

The social hub of the otherwise uninhabited island, Roger's Barefoot Beach Bar hoists the proverbial cocktail burgee every afternoon at about 3 p.m. Bar owner Roger Strachan mans the thatched-roof hut seven days a week, opening early on Sundays when locals and visitors alike gather to eat, drink, and dance barefoot in the sand to the rhythm of live reggae or soca music. Drinks are cheap, but BYOB is A-okay. The menu changes on a whim, but standard offerings include barbecue chicken, fish, pork, and an occasional lobster. And if the makeshift power source is having a good day, Roger's Friday night pizza is a well-known secret among the Caribbean boating crowd.

In 2016, boat owner Mike Magee, a frequent Hog Island patron, told Caribbean Compass, "Roger's beach bar is an open version of the quintessential British pub — there's always someone there you know or will know before you leave ... A deserted-island bar with characters and major social interaction." We'll raise a rum punch to that.