Ah winter! Leaves us dreaming of white sand beaches and eternal sunshine…Lucky enough, the perfect getaway is only a short flight from New York. Indeed, the Caribbean islands are the number 1 winter vacation spot for most shivering North Americans. Common destinations include the Bahamas, Antigua, Dominican Republic…but Guadeloupe or Martinique are rarely considered by North American travelers.
These two wild French islands have been historically difficult and expensive to reach from the US. Norwegian Air recently revolutionized that by introducing very affordable direct flights (around 250$ roundtrip) operating from late October to April and connecting New York to Fort-De-France and Point-a-Pitre. Reaching the French Caribbean has never been cheaper or easier. The other reason that might have left them off the North American travelers radar is probably the fact that unlike other famous Caribbean islands, they somewhat lack hotel infrastructure and have pretty much remained wild rather than heavily urbanized (which definitely adds to their charm!)
I recently spent one week in Guadeloupe and was conquered by its natural beauty and mixed culture, so here's how I traveled it:
Guadeloupe or “Gwada” is a beautiful butterfly shaped island famous for its pristine beaches and lush rainforest. It is truly diverse and offers a large choice of activities and landscapes.
We chose to stay in an Airbnb in the north Eastern part of Basse-Terre (almost in the middle of the butterfly) to be able to have easy access to both Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre. I would recommend doing the same to optimize the driving distance. In average, all the sites that I visited were 45 min away from my location, sometimes more with traffic (which can be very bad at times).
One week was enough to explore most of the island and some of the surroundings, 10 days would probably have been the ideal time.
A suggested itinerary would be to explore Grande-Terre and its wonderful beaches, Basse-Terre and its lush tropical vegetation, les Saintes islands, Grand-Cul de Sac Marin Biosphere Reserve and Petite Terre island.
GRANDE-TERRE: WHITE SAND BEACHES AND TURQUOISE WATERS
Driving along the East coast of Grand-Terre is a must do. You can spend the day beach hoping, starting at Caravelle in Sainte-Anne, a picture perfect but touristy beach. A few food trucks and small restaurants offer local cuisine options.
If you want to escape the crowds, drive north of Caravelle and stop at Plage du Bois Jolan. A wild and somewhat empty white sand beach with shallow turquoise water. Find a quite spot, take a nap, soak into vacation mode.
Before leaving, make sure to try some of the local coconut sorbet…P.e.r.f.e.c.t.i.o.n!
For dramatic views and panoramic pictures, continue north to Pointe des Chateaux. Either stay there for the sunset colors or make a quick stop and head back to La Toubana Hotel and Spa for a cocktail with a view.
BASSE-TERRE: VOLCANIC SAND AND LUSH TROPICAL VEGETATION
Basse-Terre is home to la Soufriere, an active volcano located in its southern part (it's possible to climb the volcano when visibility is good) . Basse-Terre is known for its beautiful golden sand beaches in the west, volcanic black sand beaches in the south and a tropical rainforest in the center.
There are many ways to experience Basse-Terre’s enchanting beauty. If you decide to head to Deshaies, you can start your day by a walk on Plage de la Perle. What to expect: very few people, many coconut trees and the sound of big waves breaking. The colors are impressive, blue/green water blending with golden sand in perfect harmony. You can continue the walk until reaching a view point on the bay of Plage de la Grande Anse, the most famous beach of Basse-Terre.
Head back to Plage de la Perle and drive north for a few minutes towards Plage de la Grande Anse. This was one of my favorite beaches in Guadeloupe. Don’t expect calm seas and shallow waters. The ocean here is rough but the scenery is equally beautiful. If like us you arrive to Plage de la Grande Anse at lunch time, you will find many restaurants by the beach where you can grab a bite.
A nice and relaxing way to continue enjoying the day in Deshaies is to head to Tendacayou Hotel and Spa, a beautiful spa hidden in the jungle. You can either choose to access the spa and enjoy the amenities for 1 hour or more, book a massage or like us, do both. This place is simply magical. The view is stunning, the amenities are beautiful and the staff is friendly. Relaxation guaranteed. Make sure to book well in advance, especially during high season!
A day like this wouldn’t be complete without an epic sunset…head back to Plage de la Grande Anse, sit back, relax and enjoy watching the sun take a dip into the ocean.
Another way to enjoy Basse-Terre is to spend the day exploring the famous Carbet waterfalls. There are 3 waterfalls:
- The first one is 115m, it is very high and impressive. The hike takes 3 hours roundtrip from the parking lot
- The second one is 110m, it’s the most famous and visited one (45min roundtrip from the parking lot)
- The third one is only 20m but its volume is very impressive. Plus, it pours into a big circular natural pool, accessible for swimming. We chose to do this one. The hike is very nice and took 1h30 to 2h hours roundtrip but can be challenging when approaching the waterfall. The last part is very steep and has no stairs. There’s a rope to help you go down or climb.
What you will uncover is worth it, trust me! You can enjoy a swim and relax on the rocks before heading to Bassin du Paradis, a natural swimming pool and hot spring (access right before the 2nd waterfall parking lot and after the bridge on Grosse Cord River).
LES SAINTES
Another must do when visiting Guadeloupe is spending a day or two in Les Saintes. Ferries depart everyday from Trois Rivieres in the southern part of the island. Booking a ferry ticket in advance is unfortunately not user friendly. You need to enter your info in CMT website then wait for a call to confirm and pay. We purchased round trip tickets at the CTM selling booth and departed at 9am (you can also leave at 8:15 if you arrive there early enough).
We didn’t stay overnight but if you want to take your time to visit les Saintes that’s definitely an option. Les Saintes are, like most French Caribbean islands, composed of two parts: Terre-du-haut and Terre-du-Bas.
Terre-du-Haut is the most famous one. The most convenient way the get around it is to rent a scooter or a gulf car. We rented a scooter for 30 Euros for the day, gulf cars are 50 Euros for the day and take up to 4 passengers. Don’t waist time comparing prices, they are the same all over the island.
The island is beautiful and very well preserved. we spent the day driving and beach hoping. Make sure to check out Pain de Sucre, very beautiful but very crowded.
Plage de Rodrigue is more laid back, Plage du Figuier, gorgeous and empty, Plage de Pompierre, a long stretch of sand and coconut trees…We truly had a great time! At 4:45, we headed back to the village square and took the last ferry back to Basse-Terre.
GRAND CUL DE SAC MARIN
Grand Cul de Sac Marin is ranked a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. It’s surrounded by crystal clear, turquoise waters and is protected by a giant coral reef. It is rich in marine life, colorful fish, corals, coastal mangroves, and marine birds.
Many travel agencies propose tours to visit Grand-Cul de Sac, but it's with many other tourists and of course you don’t have any control on the program. Our advice is to rent a boat at Sainte-Rose and spend the day exploring at your own pace. We used Liberti’Boat and we highly recommend them. Their prices are affordable and the owners are super friendly and professional. You don’t need a permit to drive the boat and it has a capacity of 6 people, for 120 Euros per day. It’s a steal, especially if you compare with the price of tours (80 to 90 Euros per person). They give you a GPS, a map, instructions and you’re good to go.
We started by visiting Ilet Caret, a tiny white sand island in the middle of the ocean, then we headed to “Ilet la Biche” where we swam in “La piscine”. The water is so calm, shallow and transparent that it was named “swimming pool”. You can also observe the coastal mangroves and “walk on water” in the sandbank.
After a lunch break we headed to one of the famous shipwrecks and did some snorkeling around it. We were having so much fun that we didn’t realize it was already 4:30pm and time to head back to the port…This was, for sure, one of the highlights of our trip.
PETITE TERRE
Petite Terre, a protected pair of islands a few miles southeast of Grande-Terre, is worth visiting. There are no inhabitants on Petite Terre. Terre-de-Haut can’t be visited because of conservation efforts, but Terre-de-Bas is open to tourists.
Many tours offer day-trips from Saint-Francois. We booked a tour with Tarzan for 90 Euros per person (high season prices). The group was small (11 people) and Mathias the captain of the boat and Stephane were extremely friendly and professional.
The ride out was a little rough but much smoother in the way back. We spent the first part of the day relaxing and hiking around the island to visit the lighthouse and spot iguanas and birds.
We had barbecue chicken and fish for lunch, bananas flambe for desert, some Planteur and passion fruit Rhum. Everything was delicious.
The afternoon was dedicated to swimming and enjoying the white sand beaches. Snorkeling here is top notch. We swam with turtles, colorful fish, sting rays and lemon sharks. Again, the day went by very quickly…
A FEW TIPS
- First things first, rent a car! It is impossible to visit Guadeloupe without a car. Cabs are very hard to find and fares are expensive. Make sure you rent your car in advance during high season (December – April)
- If you decide to wander around and visit most parts of the island, check out Airbnb deals. During high season it can be challenging to find hotel rooms at affordable prices. Plus, you get to meet the locals and get a taste of the culture. If you prefer the all inclusive option, I highly recommend Club Med. I stayed in Club Med Buccaneer's Creek in Martinique in November 2017 and loved the experience. Your stay will be hassle free, athletic (if you want!) and full of surprises. You won’t get bored!
- Fun fact: most restaurants are open for lunch but closed for dinner. Check out La Kaz du Douanier in Deshaies, open for lunch and dinner. Amazing fish with local flavor.
- Guadeloupe a can be visited all year long thanks its warm tropical climate. Nevertheless, it is better to go during the dry season (mid November to April). Mid-november is a great time to visit, it's the end of the rainy season but the crowds haven't arrived yet and prices are lower.
Happy wandering!
