Guadeloupe
March 3-11 (7D6N): A French Caribbean island that will surely surprise you with its lush terrain, French cuisine, waterfalls, beaches, and rich culture. The 2 largest islands (Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre) resemble a butterfly and are connected by a bridge. Grande-Terre is known for its long stretch of sandy beaches and viewpoints. Basse-Terre is the playground for hikers with its national park, waterfalls, and the volcano. One should rent a car to explore the island. If you have extra time, I’d suggest taking a ferry out to Terre-de-Haut.
*Highly Recommended food & drinks
Day 1 (Grande-Terre)
Afternoon arrival in PTP via JFK (Direct via JetBlue)
Pick-up rental @ Avis (via airport shuttle)
Check-in @ Airbnb in Le Manganao
Snack/sunset drinks @ O’NAO Beach Bar
Beach
Marina de Saint-Francois:
Dinner @ La Cantine*
Walk around Saint-Francois and listen to live music by L’entracte
Day 2 (Grande-Terre)
Le Moule:
Walk down the main shopping street - N5 (look for some fresh sugarcane juice)
Croissant & Cafe latte @ Pick Coff*
Porte d’Enfer (Short hike to the clifftop viewpoint known as Hell’s Gate)
Pointe de la Grand Vigie (Short hike for a nice view of the coastline)
Anse du Souffleur:
Plage du Soffleur (A bit too crowded)
Get some coco freeze by the beach
Lunch @ Chez Gigi* (Beachfront dining)
Plage de Babin (Grassy local beach with free mud for your skin)
Pointe-à-Pitre:
Watch sunset @ Marina Bas-du-Fort
Cocktails @ Mojo (Good drinks but slow service)
Dinner @ L’optimiste*
Day 3 (Grande-Terre)
Pointe des Chateaux (Southeastern tip of the island) & Pointes des colibris (Hike to the cross for some amazing views)
Anse a la Gourde (The water was too choppy for snorkeling)
Plage des Raisins Clairs (Shallow local beach next to a cemetery)
Dinner @ Les Apprentis*
Day 4 (Basse-Terre/Grande-Terre)
Plage de Malendure (Don’t forget to feed the street parking meters; it is known for snorkeling, but we didn’t see much)
Plage de la petit Anse (Great for snorkeling; very secluded)
Plage de Leroux (Great for snorkeling)
Lunch @ Miralys*
Plage de Grande Anse (Beautiful beach with tons of parking and restaurants)
Plage de Bourg de Sainte-Anne:
Mojito @ Kouleur Kreol (Terrible drinks, we came here for the wifi)
Sunset @ Plage de Bois Jolan*
Dinner @ Le Rhumarin
Day 5 (Basse-Terre)
Troisième chute du Carbet (We couldn’t find the parking lot for the 2nd waterfall as GPS took us here - 3rd waterfall; it is a moderate hike that takes 40 mins to reach the end of the trail, where you can see the waterfall from a distance as the rest of the trail has been closed)
Plage De Grande Anse by Vieux Fort (Black sand beach; waves were powerful)
Bain des Amours (Awesome road-side swimming hole/nature bath)
Basse-Terre:
Cathedrale de Basse-Terre (pic only)
Lunch @ Salad & Juice Bar*
Cascades aux Ecrevisses (Easily accessible; but crowded)
Check-in @ Airbnb in Lamentin* (A cute bungalow with your private pool)
Day 6 (Basse-Terre)
Pointe Allegre* (Offers hiking trails along the beach and by the cows; be careful driving in on the dirt road)
Plage de Cluny* (Good for topless sunbathing)
Anse de la Perle* (Good for jumping waves)
Late lunch @ Chill Restaurant Bar*
Viewpoint @ Pointe De Vue Gadet
Day 7 (Basse-Terre)
Cascade De Bis (Do not miss this waterfall; it is a semi-challenging hike - please take a look at my Google review)
Airbnb pool/work/grill steak
Day 8 (Basse-Terre)
Jardin Botanique de Deshaies (9 am - 5:30 pm daily; €16; highly recommended)
Beach
Walk/shop along the main street
Le Gosier:
Plage de la Datcha (A decent shallow beach close to the airport)
Return rental @ Avis
Bessie Coleman VIP Lounge (Small but comfortable)
Afternoon flight back to JFK
Other points of interest & food:
Rent a boat @ GWADABOAT (A boat license is required) or Lagoon Location (Provides rentals with and without a boat license)
Visit Terre-de-Haut (Iles des Saintes) via ValFerry or CMT Deher. Check out Anse du Pain de Sucre and Fort Napoléon
Saint-Francois:
Breakfast @ Bik Kafe
Lunch @ Le Zagaya
Dinner @ Les Pieds dans l'Eau
Saint-Anne:
Pointe-à-Pitre:
Memorial ACTe (9 am - 6 pm; closes Monday)
Le Gosier:
Swim @ Plage de Petit-Havre
Basse-Terre:
Hike the volcano/La Soufriere
Tips:
French is the official language in Guadeloupe; it helps to know the basic phrases.
The infrastructure/roads are great here. A rental car is a must to get around the island.
The official currency is the euro; credit cards are accepted almost everywhere!
Most attractions offer free parking, except at Plage de Malendure.
Tap water is safe in Guadeloupe, so bring a reusable bottle.
Don’t forget your plug adapter (Type C and E outlets).
