Top Reasons To Visit Guadeloupe

A butterfly-shaped archipelago on the eastern edge of the Caribbean, French-speaking Guadeloupe is a collection of islands known for its rich culture and stunning natural beauty. There are five main islands that make up Guadeloupe: Bassa-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes and La Desirade. Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre are the two largest, connected only by a couple of bridges. Besides its jaw-droppingly beautiful beaches – which hug both the main islands and the uninhabited ones – there’s a Unesco-listed biosphere reserve to explore, a volcanic hike to do, natural hot springs to bathe in and delicious food to dine on. Here’s why Guadeloupe should leap to the top of your bucket list.

Explore more beautiful spots in the Caribbean by going on a sailing adventure in the Bahamas or British Virgin Islands.

Enjoy the warm weather in Guadeloupe

The best time to visit Guadeloupe is between December and May as this is when the weather is at its most temperate and dry. Temperatures during these months sit around 26ºC, so it’s an ideal destination to visit if you’re after some of that famed Caribbean winter sun. This is also the time of year when the waters are warm and calm. Read: perfect diving and snorkelling conditions.

Pack your snorkel and flippers as you’ll want to discover the beautiful sea life at each stop. Staying on a yacht is the best way to island-hop between the main islands of Guadeloupe and its uninhabited ones – the latter is peppered with secret bays and beaches to discover.

Bask in the natural landscape in Guadeloupe

If you’re looking for a Caribbean island that has it all, look no further than Guadeloupe. Here, beaches line the coast of all of its islands, there’s mountainous – and volcanic – terrain which harbours stunning hiking trails, rolling green fields to marvel at and a rich and varied underwater world. You’ll need at least a week here to take it all in, but try to stretch it even longer if you can.

Sunbathe on the beautiful beaches in Guadeloupe

Whichever island you decide to base yourself on, you’re bound to find a beautiful beach just around the corner. Plage de Pompierre on Les Saintes is one of the best beaches in the archipelago, while the black sand Plage de Malendure on Basse-Terre is a water sports haven. Plage de la Datcha in Grand-Terre is a favourite among locals and those in the know, head to the uninhabited islands like Terre-de-Bas for deserted patches of sand to call their own.

Discover more about the history of Guadeloupe

To fully understand Guadeloupe’s history, you need to visit the island itself. Specifically, visitors should head to Memorial ACTe in Grand-Terre’s Pointe-à-Pitre to learn about the history of the slave trade in Guadeloupe and more about the island’s indigenous Arawaks population. The museum is a Unesco Slave Route Project and it details how Guadeloupe ended up under French rule in the 1600s.

Try Creole and French cuisine in Guadeloupe

No visit to Guadeloupe is complete without sampling some of the archipelago’s specialties like calalou, stuffed crab, fish cooked in lime juice and féroce d’avocat. There are over 200 restaurants spread across the islands so you’re guaranteed to find a place to dine on local fare – all washed down with rum, of course. For Francophiles, there are also boulangeries where you can pick up baguettes and freshly made pastries.

Go hiking in Guadeloupe

Parc National de la Guadeloupe on Basse-Terre is the biggest draw for hikers. One of the most popular trails in the park is La Soufriere, a volcanic peak that marks the highest point in the Eastern Caribbean islands – so expect excellent vistas. For novice hikers, take the trail through the park to Bassin Paradis for stunning waterfall views or to the Le Chutes Carbet to see the three cascades of the Carbet River. Read more about the trail before you set off as some paths are best taken with a guide.

Explore the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Natural Reserve

Set between the northern shores of Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Natural Reserve is a 37,065-acres (15,000ha) reserve filled with mangroves, coral reefs, mudflats, lagoons and a rich variety of wildlife. Together with the national park on Basse-Terre, it forms the Unesco-listed Guadeloupe Archipelago Biosphere Reserve and it’s best discovered on an organised boat tour.

Soak in volcanic thermal water in Guadeloupe

Due to its volcanic landscape, Guadeloupe is home to natural hot springs, sulphur and mud baths – the perfect combination for a nature-made spa day. Benefits – such as detoxifying, cell oxygenation and relaxing sore muscles and joints – can be reaped at any one of the five main islands in Guadeloupe or by booking into one of the spa retreats in the archipelago.

Go snorkelling and scuba diving in Guadeloupe

French marine explorer and scuba pioneer, Jacques Cousteau has been known to say that, “Pigeon Island in Guadeloupe is one of the world’s best diving spots” – so much so that this island is now surrounded by the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve. Just off the coast of Basse-Terre, this spot is primed for both snorkellers and divers who want to get up close with tropical fish, dolphins, barracudas and turtles.

Explore more beautiful spots in the Caribbean by going on a sailing adventure in the Bahamas or British Virgin Islands.
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