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

• Shop @ Carrefour Contact Saint-François

• 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:

  • Batterie de Canons-Fort-Poudriere

  • Walk down the main shopping street - N5 (look for some fresh sugarcane juice)

  • Église catholique Saint-Jean-Baptiste au Moule

  • 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:

  • Port de 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:

  • Marche de 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

• Plage de Mambia

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)

• Deshaies:

  • Beach

  • Walk/shop along the main street

• Le Gosier:

  • Plage de la Datcha (A decent shallow beach close to the airport)

  • Parc Paysager Du Calvaire

• 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:

• Plage de la Caravelle

Pointe-à-Pitre:

• Memorial ACTe (9 am - 6 pm; closes Monday)

Le Gosier:

• Dine @ Le Zawag - La Créole Beach Hotel & Spa

• 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).