What to do in Guadeloupe?

 What to do in Guadeloupe?

You don't know what to do in Guadeloupe? A flagship destination of the Caribbean Sea, Guadeloupe reveals incredible riches.

How can you resist its welcoming population, its white sand beaches, its blue lagoon waters, its palm trees, its coconut palms, its shady forests, its colorful markets and its spicy Creole cuisine?

In fact, there are so many things to see and do in Guadeloupe that you would have to stay there for at least a whole month to really enjoy it.

However, here are 5 good reasons to spend even a few days there….

1 - Visit Pointe-à-Pitre

It is impossible to stay in Guadeloupe without visiting the largest city on the island, Pointe-à-Pitre. The first thing you need to do is go to the Memorial ACTe, a museum dedicated to the history of slavery and the cultural heritage of Guadeloupe.

Then, head to the Saint-Antoine market to stock up on spices and handicrafts. Of course, stop for a moment in Place de la Victoire, where you will take very nice photos with the palm trees and the pretty colonial houses in the background.

Take a walk especially on Rue Saint John Perse (a Guadeloupean poet (1887-1975), winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1960), one of the most typical streets of the city. You can buy many souvenirs there.

Finally, go see the incredible metal arches of the Church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul (19th century).

2 - Take a cruise in the islands (Marie-Galante, Petite-Terre)

From Pointe-à-Pitre, you can take a boat to tour the offshore islands.

The ferry will take you to Marie-Galante, located in the southeast of Guadeloupe. You can discover sublime wild beaches such as Anse de la Feuillère of heavenly beauty and the beach of Folle Anse, where, if you are lucky, you can see the turtles come to lay their eggs (between June and September ).

Aside from the beach, do you also plan a moment to visit the largest sugar cane plantation in Guadeloupe, the Habitation Murat and go see the Gueule Grand Gouffre in the north of the island. This natural arch which forms an open pit is one of the many curiosities of Guadeloupe. Just like the Sentier des Galeries (underwater caves).

To get to Petite-Terre (east of Grande-Terre), you will need to book an excursion from the town of Saint-François (Grande-Terre). You will then have the chance to discover the so-called "iguana island" and its nature reserve where many species are protected: iguanas but also turtles and birds. This should not prevent you from going to meet stingrays and small sharks by doing a little snorkeling.

The Saintes archipelago (south of Basse-Terre) which you can also access from Saint-François (but also from Sainte-Anne, and Pointe-à-Pitre or Trois-Rivières (the journey is much faster)) deserves also a short visit. First go see Fort Napoleon (Island of Terre-de-Haut). This fort (19th century) classified as a historic monument is a small museum that will give you a lot of information on the history of Les Saintes and you can enjoy an incredible panorama of Guadeloupe.

Then head for Morne Chameau, a hill located in the southwest, where another beautiful view awaits you.

3 - Climb the Soufrière volcano...

Located on Basse-Terre, the volcano (still active) La Soufrière is a must! By taking the Chemin des Dames path, you can reach its summit (1467 meters) in about 2 hours. Take the start from the Yellow Baths (the most popular trail), a natural pool of hot water at 30° in which you can rest on the descent.

Along the way, you will see other hot springs, fumaroles but above all you will be able to contemplate incredible panoramas of the valley and the Caribbean Sea! Remember to take a little wool with you (it is often cold and windy up there)!

... And a hike in the Guadeloupe National Park

Take advantage of your presence in La Soufrière to hike in the rest of the massif, namely the Guadeloupe National Park. Named a “World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO”, this park offers 300 km of trails for sublime hikes and to discover the island’s fauna and flora. And there really is something for everyone!

Among the pretty tropical landscapes, you can see waterfalls like the Saut de la Lézarde, one of the most beautiful in Guadeloupe (20 meters high) and the Carbet falls (115 meters high for the first, 110 meters for the second and 20 meters high for the last), one of the most visited sites on the island.

The most seasoned hikers can admire many ponds (Grand-Etang, Etang Roche, Etang Madeère, Etang de l'As de pique).

Note that if you don't like hiking, the Route de la Traversée (the RD23) allows you to explore part of the park by car. Along this route (about 20 km), you can discover the flora of the region (bamboos and giant ferns). For me it's the most beautiful road trip in Guadeloupe. In particular, you will be able to access the Écrevisses waterfall where you can swim as well as the Parc des Mamelles zoo (in the town of Bouillante) where you can observe species of local fauna but also crocodiles, snakes and even jaguars! The highlight of the show, however, is the view from the wooden footbridges and the bridges suspended 20 meters high above the vegetation!

4- Swimming and diving

On the side of Saint-Anne (south of Grande-Terre) and its enchanting beaches (Bois-Jolan beach, Caravelle beach, etc.), you can swim, but also practice many water activities such as surfing, jet skiing, paddle boarding or snorkeling (Bourg beach in particular).

The easiest way to get around is to rent a car locally as there is not really public transport on the archipelago. At the airport you will find international rental companies (Europcar, Rentacar...) and small local rental companies. For our stay we went through Jumbo Car Guadeloupe, a brand apparently very present in the Dom Toms and which has a large agency at the airport.

But if you want to go diving, book accommodation in Bouillante (west of Basse-Terre). The Cousteau Reserve and its 1000 hectares of seabed have some great surprises in store for you. You will see in the middle of the magnificent corals and the wrecks of sublime tropical fish and turtles. You may even be lucky enough to come across a humpback whale!

5 - Discover the local gastronomy

No stay in the islands without discovering Creole cuisine! On the menu are cod fritters of course, but also boucané chicken (chicken cooked with sugar cane and rice), chicken colombo, cabri (lamb stew), court-bouillon, calalou (vegetable puree… Not to mention the many seafood such as crab, lobster and conch.

Finish your meals with coconut, mango or passion fruit sorbet. Unless you prefer to eat a pastry like the torment of love, a tartlet with coconut jam and pastry cream.

As for drinks, rum is the local speciality! Do not abuse it, but discover it in all its forms. And if you have the opportunity, go visit a distillery. This is another of Guadeloupe's must-do activities! The Damoiseau distillery in the commune of Le Moule in Grande-Terre (Damoiseau rum is world famous) is one of the most visited.

Also take advantage of your presence in Guadeloupe to discover the history of chocolate and its production in Pointe Noire (Basse-Terre) at the Maison du Cacao (open Monday to Friday (9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) - Prices: €8/adult, 4€/child), that of sugar cane at the Sugar Cane Museum at the Beauport Factory in the town of Port-Louis. You will take a small train trip through Guadeloupe's past from the sugar cane fields to the loading station (open Tuesday to Sunday (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) except public holidays - Price: €15/adult, €10/child (4-12 years old)).