Martinique
A perfect arc of white sand, Grande Anse des Salines is the Caribbean you came to see. Palm trees lean over the ribbon of beach that shelves ever so…
Must-see attractions in French Antilles
St-Barthélemy
This is the tropical paradise you've daydreamed about: a dazzling, secluded white-sand carpet lapped by turquoise waters and backed by undulating hills…
Basse-Terre Island
Jacques Cousteau brought Pigeon Island to international attention by declaring it to be one of the world’s top dive areas, and the waters surrounding the…
St-Barthélemy
Cradled by high cliffs and untouched nature, Gouverneur is a gorgeous, broad, secluded sandy beach fringing a U-shaped bay. It’s splendid for sunbathing…
Pointe-à-Pitre
Top billing in the French Antilles goes to this huge museum of slavery, opened by President Hollande in 2015. Housed in a spectacular silver-latticework…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
This petite offshore islet is fab for a sun-soaked afternoon. Refreshingly undeveloped (it’s part of the Reserve Naturelle Saint Martin or St-Martin…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
Loterie Farm is the brainchild of former actor Bill 'BJ' Welch who left the Hollywood rat race to turn a former plantation into a private nature reserve…
Basse-Terre Island
One of Basse-Terre's most enjoyable attractions, the Maison du Cacao is for anyone who loves their chocolate. Presentations in English take place at 10am,…
Martinique
Just 10km north of Fort-de-France, this mature botanical garden in a rainforest setting is one of Martinique’s top attractions and will please anyone with…
Martinique
This gorgeous stretch of dark-golden sand in front of Anse d'Arlet Bourg is backed by the village's 18th-century church and is one of the loveliest places…
Basse-Terre Island
One of Guadeloupe's must-sees, this excellent zoo, high in the mountains of Basse-Terre, combines animal enclosures with a jungle adventure. Follow the…
Grande-Terre
This headland of white sand about 2km west of Ste-Anne's center is one of Guadeloupe's very finest beaches – it's the Caribbean you probably came to see…
St-Barthélemy
Secluded Plage de Saline is the most photogenic and serene of all St-Barth's beaches. Bookended by rocky hillside, this sweep of golden sand is ideal for…
Fort-de-France
The hulking fortress that gave the city its name lies on the far side of La Savane and dates from 1640, although most of what stands today is the result…
Deshaies
This superb golden-sand beach with no hotel development in sight is just 2km north of Deshaies. This is one of Basse-Terre's longest and prettiest…
Basse-Terre Island
This Unesco Biosphere Reserve just off the coast of Basse-Terre makes for an enjoyable day trip. A chain of coral islets sitting atop a 25km-long coral…
Terre-de-Haut
The horseshoe-shaped Baie de Pompierre is perhaps Terre-de-Haut's loveliest beach: a reef-protected golden strand with a splendid setting. There are even…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
Baie Longue embraces two splendid miles of white sand and rocky outcrops, making it a prime spot for long strolls and meditative sunsets. The impossibly…
Martinique
This palm-fringed beach with coarse golden sand and lots of shade is one of Martinique’s most appealing strands. It's not altogether suitable for swimming…
Basse-Terre Island
Active volcano La Soufrière (1467m) looms above Basse-Terre's southern half. For an adventurous 1¾-hour hike to the sulfurous, moonscape-like summit, a…
Martinique
One of northern Martinique's biggest attractions, this zoo–botanical garden–historical site almost gives you three for the price of one. Amid the ruins of…
Basse-Terre Island
This idyllic jungle waterfall drops from a Basse-Terre mountainside into a small riverside pool where you can swim. It's a wonderful and therefore popular…
St-Barthélemy
Count the shades of blue and turquoise while chilling on the gleaming sands of this dreamy lagoon, where you can wade through knee- or thigh-deep water…
Grande-Terre
Possibly Guadeloupe's best beach, Datcha is a dreamy strip of cream-hued sand, backed by shade-giving trees and fronted by calm, reef-protected sea. The…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
If you're looking for an off-the-beaten-track beach, head to the northernmost point of Friar's Bay beach and look for the dirt path that twists for 450m…
Martinique
The main beach in Trois-Îlets is a gorgeous stretch of white sand that shelves gradually into a turquoise sea. The views are of Fort-de-France and the…
Martinique
St-Pierre’s most impressive ruins are those of the town's 18th-century theater. While most of it was destroyed in the 1902 eruption of Mont Pelée, enough…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
This 1st-floor museum is the brainchild of makeup artist Nick Maley, whose role in creating Yoda of Star Wars fame garnered him the nickname 'That Yoda…
Martinique
An 'a-peel-ing' attraction near Ste-Marie, this museum is dedicated to all things banana and documents the journey of the world's favourite fruit from…
Martinique
The ruins of this 17th-century estate are set almost at the end of the peninsula and are a haunting and atmospheric sight. The story goes that the master…
Martinique
This former sugar estate was the birthplace of Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, the future Empress Josephine of France. A picturesque stone…
Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France’s most visible landmark, the Bibliothèque Schoelcher is an elaborate, colorful building with a Byzantine dome and an interesting ornate…
Martinique
This museum is set in a beautiful colonial home on the site of St James plantation’s working distillery. Some of the signage is in English, and the…
Edgar Clerc Archaeological Museum
Grande-Terre
This relatively small but informative museum has a fascinating display of archaeological finds made on Guadeloupe and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Much of…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
One of the island’s top hidden beaches, Petites Cayes is accessible via the Sentier des Froussards (Froussards Trail), a narrow, steep and rocky trail…
Basse-Terre Island
Unless it’s overcast, the drive up to the Chutes du Carbet lookout gives a view of two magnificent waterfalls plunging down a sheer mountain face. From…
Parc National de la Guadeloupe
Basse-Terre Island
Guadeloupe's only national park is an absolute stunner, covering much of the interior of Basse-Terre and including such sights as the Chutes du Carbet…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
It's a short but steep climb up to what's left of this once mighty fort, completed in 1789 under St-Martin's then-governor Jean Sebastian de Durat to…
Centre de Découverte des Sciences de la Terre
Martinique
Just 1.5km north of town, the earth-science museum looks like a big white box set atop some columns. It hosts a permanent exhibit on Mont Pelée and…
St-Martin & Sint Maarten
Pretty and protected, this west-facing cove has two beach bars, chic Friar's Bay Beach Café and funky Kali’s Beach Bar, which hosts famous full-moon…
