Places to see in Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe has a history and culture of its own. It is a Caribbean paradise peppered with historical structures, making it all the more worth exploring.

In Basse-Terre is the Parc National de la Guadeloupe offering some great trails for hikes or just a drive through all the way from the fern-covered hillsides to the orchid-filled rainforest to the center of the park to the exhibit center and the waterfall of Cascade aux Ecrevisses. There is also a zoo at the western end of the park and has an interesting trail that goes from the swing bridge over the Bas-David River and through a jungle of tall ferns alive with tropical birds.

Pointe-a-Pitre offers a mix of the classic and the modern. The city is peppered with colonial architecture and offers a flavor of the West Indies. Predominantly commercial, it is the largest city and the economic center of Guadeloupe. Numerous colonial remains and traditional houses can still be found throughout the city, however since the city remains prone to occasional earthquakes and hurricanes, it does not display a proud architectural structure at the first glance. It isn’t until you explore the city that you come across its original charm that serves as a window to the island’s past.

The open-air public market that runs along La Darse offers a colorful and lively view of the inner harbor. Various stalls with women vendors wearing the madras cloth turbans selling vegetables, fruits, spices, handicrafts, flowers and clothes etc can be seen while boats that sail along the dock sell fresh fish.

At the Chutes du Carbet, you can catch the breathtaking view of the two glorious waterfalls. These magnificent waterfalls plunge down deep to the mountain face. It’s a great walk to the second highest waterfall, a sheer fall of 361ft and almost a two-hour long hike to the highest waterfall at 377ft.

At the site of the former Reimonenq distillery in the village of Bellevue is the Musee Du Rhum. Here you can learn about the history of sugar and rum production on the island as the exhibit displays old cane-extraction gears, a distillery and a vapor machine dating back to the 1707 along with models of ships and an interesting collection of giant insects from all over the world.

An attractive 19th century colonial building, Musee St-John Perse is dedicated to the Novel laureate Alexis Leger (St John Perse) and displays his life and works. Located in the extreme south of the island, on the mainland is Vieux Fort, a lighthouse from where you can enjoy the lovely sight of Les Saintes and Dominica. It is the oldest bell-tower of the island build on splendid cliffs and holds to the sound of the strong sound of the sea.

The Malendure beach and the islands of Ilets Pigeon are a paradise for all those who want to indulge themselves in water sports like canoe kayaking or speed boating. The reserve of Cousteau is a secure and protected place and has some of the best spots for snorkeling and diving on the island.

From Morne Rouge you can reach the many small islands of Guadeloupe by water scooters, boats or simply by kayaking over. Ilet Caret is a beautiful yet tiny strip of sand in the ocean and is a great place to go kayaking to, if you are sporty enough.

The beach of Bananier is good for surfing but the waves tend to be scarce. In Trois Rivieres, Grande Anse is a fascinating black sand beach surrounded by lustrous vegetation and entertaining waves. You can pick a boat from the port to various other islands in Guadeloupe and enjoy a relaxing ride.