April to June is the ideal time to head to the French overseas department of Guadeloupe. The rainy season doesn’t really get under way until late summer, and spring is the beginning of the low season, when the beaches and rainforests can be enjoyed at nearly bargain rates. “Nearly bargain” because there is no bargain traveling to this area. From the East Coast of the U.S., in fact, it’s often cheaper to fly to Paris than to Guadeloupe.
Major Areas of Guadeloupe
The region of Guadeloupe is divided among several islands. There’s the butterfly-shaped Guadeloupe itself, with its capital of Basse-Terre to the west and Grande-Terre to the east, divided by the Rivière Salée, or Salty River.
Grande-Terre has the main commercial center and airport at Point-à-Pitre, the resort center of Gosier and the limestone-based island’s plethora of beaches; Basse-Terre has La Soufrière, an active volcano that at nearly 5,000 feet is the highest point on the island, as well as the 74,000 acre Parc National, an eco-tourist’s rainforest paradise with 100 species of orchids alone, and hundreds of species of trees and birds.
The island’s also home to the Carbet Falls, the Caribbean’s highest waterfalls. The other islands are Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Les Saintes and the Petite Terre Islands.
Saint-Barthélemy (St. Barth) and Saint-Martin are officially part of the region of Guadeloupe as well, although each has its own separate airport and, realistically, if you decide to stay on one of these islands it’s unlikely that you’ll venture over to Guadeloupe.
Best Beaches on Guadeloupe
Unquestionably, the best way to see the area is by car, since the distances between spots can be pretty formidable, even on the same island. Pointe-à-Pitre and St. Francois, for example, both on Grande-Terre, are 20 miles apart. For the true Riviera feeling, head for one of the “clothing-optional” beaches peppered throughout the area.
The Plage Tarare is in a small cove near St. Francois, on the way to the eastern tip of Grande-Terre. Since it’s nearby, it’s worth seeing the Pointe-des Châteaux, a collection of prehistoric-looking rock formations with a view of La Desirade in the distance.
On Basse-Terre, the nude Plage de Tillet near Deshaies is so secluded it can only be accessed on foot. Orient Beach in St. Martin is also clothing optional, and there’s even an adjacent nude hotel, the Club Orient Naturist Resort, that charges about $200 per night. (590-87-33-85).
What to Do on Guadaloupe
Check out the five-day Bastille Day celebrations every July. In France, Bastille Day is the equivalent of America’s Independence Day. In Guadeloupe, it’s proof that any government holiday, however regionally irrelevant, can be a sufficient pretext for a party. St. Martin, especially, goes all out with a five-day festival of boat and bicycle races, water sport competitions, music, dancing and food.
For the sportif, there’s no shortage of activities. Reserve Cousteau, on Pigeon Island just off the west coast of Basse-Terre, is reportedly a diver’s delight, and Gosier Islet, near Gosier on Grande-Terre, is a favorite of snorkelers. Surf’s up during the summer at Sainte-Anne and Saint-François. Guadeloupe is also home to a lot of kite surfing, which is like windsurfing or parasailing using the force of a giant kite rather than a boat.
Another popular sport here, thanks to the numerous hills and varied landscape, is mountain biking, called VTT (vélo tout-terrain). Hiking, especially on a guided trip to the summit of La Soufrière (it takes its name from the sulphur smell from the seething volcano) or to the base of the Carbet Falls, is a singular experience here.
Those whose idea of hiking to the peak is navigating from the beach towel to the bar won’t have any problem finding a thriving nightlife. There are two casinos on Grande-Terre, at St.-Francois and Gosier.
There isn’t much of a structured gay scene, nor is there much of an impediment to one. ThePink Mango (590.87.91.75), behind the Hotel Laguna on Nettle Bay,is the only full-time gay nightspot on French St. Martin, although there are occasional gay nights at various clubs around the region, especially on St. Barth. The age of consent for both sexes is 15, and the legal drinking age is 18.
The official language is French. Many people also speak a Creole patois, and most people in the hospitality and tourism industry speak fluent English as well.
French Tourist Office, 410-286-8310.
Guadeloupe Tourist Office, 590.82.09.30; This is the main regional tourism office, and every office also has an individual tourism board.
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