Best Things To Do in Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe, known as "the island of beautiful waters" by its first settlers, is a Caribbean island with many treasures to discover: dreamy beaches, mangrove forests, coral reefs, waterfalls over 100 metres high, active volcanoes, enormous biodiversity and much more.

In this article I'll tell you about some of the best things to see and do on this island, so you can make the most of your visit to this small group of islands in the West Indies.

Pointe- à -Pitre is located in the centre of the island of Guadeloupe, between the islands of Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. It is a small town, known for its colourful markets where you can find local fruits and vegetables, fresh fish and local specialities.

One of them is the Darse market, located in the fishermen's dock, which is open every morning (except Sunday). Here you can find local fruits and vegetables and fish sold directly by the fishermen. You can also visit the Spice Market or St. Anthony's Market, where you can find a wide variety of spices, along with flowers, punches, baskets, textiles and handicrafts.

Pointe-à-Pitre is home to the ACTe Memorial, a site of historical and cultural importance to the city. Located in the port of Pointe-à-Pitre, on the site of a former sugar factory, it is dedicated to the history and memory of slavery in the West Indies and the Americas since the early 17th century. The building is notable for its incredible elongated architecture in which the metal latticework represents fig trees that can grow on buildings.

It's also a city where you can sample the island's delicious dishes, with a variety of restaurants offering local and international dishes such as stuffed crab, bokit, accras or avocado feroz. If you're interested in Guadeloupean cuisine, you can sign up for a cooking class with an expert local chef, which are often offered in Guadeloupe and other towns on the island.

Interesting facts

• Darse Market: Place de la Victoire, at the end of Rue St. John Perse. Open Monday to Saturday mornings.
• Spice Market: Place Saint Antoine. Open from Monday to Saturday from 6 am to 2 pm.
• Memorial ACTe: Darboussier, 97110, Pointe-à-Pitre 97110, Guadeloupe. Admission costs about €15 for adults. Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 6pm.

Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin, a bay declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to its wetlands, freshwater swamp forests, marshes, wet meadows and mangrove forests, is a haven for marine flora and fauna. Don't miss it if you want to explore a natural paradise in the middle of the ocean.

In total, the reserve covers some 15,000 hectares, where you can also enjoy white sandy beaches and coral reefs. It is located to the north of the island of Grande-Terre and part of its west coast, forming part of the Guadeloupe National Park. In its transparent waters you can see more than 250 varieties of colourful fish, birds and sea turtles.

It is an ideal place for scuba diving and snorkelling, due to the great diversity of marine flora and fauna that you can discover in the depths of the ocean. If you don't have any diving experience, you may prefer to book a snorkelling tour with specialised guides, who usually start from Sainte-Rose. Alternatively, you can book a boat tour of the reserve's lagoons, allowing you to admire the marine flora and fauna up close, and even take a dip.

The warm waters of the Caribbean are perfect for water adventures such as surfing, paddle surfing, diving and snorkelling. Guadeloupe Island in particular offers beaches, reefs, waves, nature reserves and a variety of marine flora and fauna to discover underwater. If you are looking for adventure activities in nature, you will find many interesting options on this island.

Surf

There are several surfing spots in Guadeloupe, such as Petit Havre, famous for its tube waves; Anse Bertrand, a favourite spot for locals and famous for its left wave; Le Moule, the most popular and also known for its left wave; and Port Saint François, renowned for its right wave.

The beginner and intermediate spots are Port Saint François, Petit Havre and Port Louis. At any of these spots you can book a surf lesson including equipment, which is available for all levels. The surf season is from November to April, but at other times of the year you can also enjoy a day of surfing.

Paddle Surfing

If you prefer a more leisurely activity, you can take a paddle surf to explore the wetlands, mangrove forests, coral reefs and white sandy beaches of Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin.

A great option for paddle surfing is to hire a paddle surfing tour, which usually includes all the necessary equipment and is run by specialised instructors who can take you to the best spots on the island. You don't need any experience to do this activity, but you do need to be in average physical condition.

One of the best things to see on the island of Guadeloupe is the Carbet Falls, three waterfalls set amidst lush vegetation. The first is about 115 metres high, the second about 110 metres and the third about 20 metres. They are located near the La Soufrière volcano in Guadeloupe National Park, which is located on the island of Basse-Terre.

Of the waterfalls, the second is the easiest to reach, as you can walk to it in about 30 minutes along a path surrounded by tropical forest, which starts at the park's car park. To reach the first waterfall, there is a trail of about 9.5 km of high difficulty only suitable for experienced hikers. As for the third waterfall, the path is not well signposted and is also challenging for inexperienced hikers, although its high water flow and the natural pool it forms are well worth the effort.

There is another path to the third waterfall which is located between the villages of Routhiers and Petit, at a roundabout. From there you must take a path for about an hour to reach the waterfall, where you can also enjoy a dip. No matter which waterfall you can reach, all of them will dazzle you with their beauty and the lush forest that surrounds them.

La Soufrière volcano is the highest peak on the island, at around 1,400 metres high, and it is also active. If you make the ascent to the volcano, you can enjoy the incredible scenery and views of the island, the Caribbean Sea and the surrounding islands. It is located in the south of the island of Basse-Terre, in the Guadeloupe National Park, and is part of a complex of 5 volcanoes.

The ascent to the volcano is not complicated, but a leisurely hike of about two hours to the top of the volcano. On the way, you can discover all the goodness of the jungle, such as lush trees, ferns, vines and an enormous biodiversity. You will also be able to soak in the natural hot springs of Les Bains Jaunes, where you can relax before or after the ascent.

As the volcano is active, as you approach the summit you will see plumes of smoke and steam rising from the volcano's mouth. However, unless you go with a guide, you will not be able to get close to the sulphur pits for safety reasons. If you go by car, try to avoid peak tourist times, as the car park is small and, if you find it full, it will add a kilometre or two to the hike. It is also important to take a warm coat as the summit is windy.

The Pointe des Châteaux or Cape des Châteaux is located at the eastern end of Grande-Terre Island, in the town of Saint-François. It is so named because of the striking rock formations that can be seen on the shores and embellish the landscape. It is an ideal place to enjoy the sunrise or sunset, take walks and admire the treasures of nature.

There are marked trails on this cape to explore the protected site, which is made up of lagoons, beaches, marshes and a great biodiversity. It is also a site of historical interest, as it is where the Araucanians lived for 1100 years until around 1400. In 1683 the Capuchins arrived and built the Parish Castles church in the town of Saint-François, 11km from the cape.

Cap des Castles is also known for the giant cross at the top of Pointe des Colibris, which was erected by Capuchin monks in 1951, and later replaced by a larger 10m high cross. From there you will have panoramic views of the island and even of La Desirade island and the Petite-Terre reserve. In addition, whale-watching in Guadeloupe is possible from this site in November.

The island of Guadeloupe, located between two seas, the Atlantic and the Caribbean, is the ideal place for those looking for postcard-perfect beaches with crystal-clear waters, palm trees and jungle hills. These beaches tend to be less crowded than other Caribbean beaches, making them perfect for a dip, water activities or just relaxing.

One such beach is Plage du Bourg, located in Sainte-Anne, an idyllic beach that is among the favourites of the locals. Sainte-Anne also has a market selling local fruit and vegetables, spices, handicrafts and rum. There are also hiking trails that allow you to take beautiful scenic walks in the surrounding area.

Another must-see is the island of Les Saintes, where you'll find pristine beaches, such as Anse du Bourg Bay, Pain de Sucre Bay and Anse Crawen, a dark sandy beach. Datcha Beach in Gosier is another local favourite, where you can do water sports and then venture out to enjoy the gastronomy in one of the restaurants.

The beaches of Marie-Galante, an island south of Grande Terre and Basse Terre, offer very calm waters due to the coral reef that prevents ocean currents from reaching them, so they're ideal if you're travelling with children. You can also visit Sainte-Marie Bay, one of Guadeloupe's less crowded beaches on the eastern side of the island and ideal for surfing.

On the island of Guadeloupe there are several reserves protected for their great biodiversity and which constitute a treasure trove of nature in the West Indies. In addition to the UNESCO Biosphere reserves, you'll find uninhabited islands that are a haven for marine flora and fauna.

One such reserve is Grand Petite Terre, which comprises the islands of Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. You can get to Terre-de-Haut by taking a boat from the port of Saint François or by hiring a tour of the island. There you will find a small village and you can also visit Fort Napoleon, one of the island's emblematic monuments. As for Terre-de-Bas, only those in charge of preserving the natural sanctuary have access to it.

The islands, which are surrounded by coral reefs, are home to iguanas, lizards, hermit crabs, sea turtles and a wide variety of fish and birds. It is an ideal place for snorkelling or scuba diving, always with specialised guides who know how not to interfere with these protected environments. You can also explore the small lighthouse museum, which is dedicated to the flora and fauna of the islands.

In addition to Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, the island of Guadeloupe is made up of other inhabited islands, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes and La Désirade, and small, uninhabited islets. Joining a boat tour of these islands is one of the best things to do in Guadeloupe to see dream beaches and admire the natural havens that make up these islands.

La Desirade, about 45 minutes by boat from Saint François, was the first island to be seen by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage in 1493. It is renowned for the panoramic views from several points on the island, such as the Notre-Dame-du-Calvaire chapel in the village of Beauséjour. Don't miss Souffleur Beach, a calm water beach ideal for relaxing.

Marie-Galante, besides idyllic beaches where you can see turtles, is an island with sugar cane fields, old mills, old sugar factories now converted into museums, hiking trails and rum distilleries, such as the renowned Bellevue, Bielle and Poisson. These can be visited every day (except Sunday) in the morning and offer tastings to visitors. Marie-Galante is located about 30 km south of Grande-Terre.

As for Les Saintes, it is an archipelago made up of about 6 small islets and the two islands that form part of the Petite-Terre reserve, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. The island of Terre-de-Haut is the most visited of the archipelago, with its dreamy beaches such as Pompierre, the beach of Pain de Sucre, the beach of Anse du Figuier and the beach of Grande Anse. It is a small island that covers about six square kilometres and is inhabited.

If you're interested in archaeology or want to learn about the island's history, you can visit the Engraved Rocks Archaeological Park, where you'll find some 230 engravings that were made by the Arawak Indians, the first inhabitants of Guadeloupe.

Most of these engravings depict human figures and were made on a set of 22 volcanic rocks dating from 300 to 800 AD. The archaeological park is located in the commune of Trois-Rivières, in the south of Basse-Terre, and is surrounded by gardens with species typical of this Caribbean region. These engravings have been interpreted as a form of communication with the divinity, which is why the park was a ceremonial and spiritual site for the ancient inhabitants.

Ideally, you should visit the park around 11am, as it is important to have good light to appreciate the engravings. In general, you can only access the park with guided tours that take place at various times during the day.

Interesting facts

• Location: X9C5+24J, Trois-Rivières 97114, Guadeloupe.
• Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.