|
Guadeloupe is a beautiful island in the Caribbean; rich in history, culture and beautiful beaches. Christopher Columbus discovered the island on his second journey, and named it after a Spanish monastery he'd visited. For centuries, control of the island was juggled between the British, Swedish, and the French. Today, it is one of France's only overseas departments in North America, and a popular vacation destination for Europeans, Canadians and Americans. Read on for your ultimate destination guide to Guadeloupe, and go visit for yourself! GETTING THERE Guadeloupe is just 4 hours away from the East coast of the United States. Norwegian Airlines offers a direct flight from New York to Pointe-a-Pitre, and prices are as low as $200 per person, depending on when you fly. We always use Kayak.com to book flights. THINGS TO DO 1) Visit Pointe-a-Pitre Pointe-a-Pitre is Guadeloupe's main city and central of commerce. There, you can shop at local shops and markets, visit museums and eat at restaurants. If you're short on time, I wouldn't recommend spending much time in Pointe-a-Pitre, but if you're looking for a "dry day" activity, strolling through the city is a great way to immerse yourself in the French/Creole culture. Most stores and restaurants are closed on Sunday, however, so visiting during the week is your best option. When we visited on Christmas Eve, there was a large celebration going on in the city center, with fashion shows, cultural dances and music throughout the day. Local TV stations were filming the whole event. We watched the festivities and then shopped at a couple of the local stands. The most famous museum is the Memorial Acte Museum, which you can learn more about by clicking here. At museum, you learn all about the island's long history in slavery. It is open Tuesdays- Fridays from 9am-7pm, and from 10am-6pm on Sundays. It closed on Mondays. The Memorial Acte Museum offers a family pass: for 45 Euros, two adults and up to 5 children can be granted entrance. The other museum- Musee Schoelcher - was temporarily closed to renovations when we were there (December 2017). It was quite disappointing because there was nothing online saying that it was going to be closed at that time. 2) Snorkel/Scuba Dive at Malendure Beach Malendure Beach is a gorgeous black sand beach that is famous for snorkeling and scuba diving. There are family-owned restaurants right next to the parking lot, and a bunch of little huts where you can organize boat tours or rent kayaks. -Go to the Pigeon Islands (Kid friendly) Pigeon island is a little island off the coast of Malendure Beach, and is part of the Jacques Cousteau Reserve. I would highly recommend snorkeling or diving there. From the beach, we rented a kayak to get there (it's about a 25 minute paddle there, and 35 minutes back). The staff at the rental hut were very helpful and explained everything in detail, while also providing us with a waterproof container for valuables. Life jackets are available for children. Upon reaching the island, we joined other families snorkeling in the clear water. The sea life is abundant with coral, fish, octopuses, etc. Tips: -Bring water and sunscreen -Wear a rashguard and water-shoes -You can rent snorkel gear, but I'd recommend bringing your own -Snorkel with turtles Turtles were found everywhere in the shallows of Malendure Beach, up until Hurricane Maria, when they moved towards the East end of the beach. It was a bit of a hunt to find one, but I had the incredible opportunity of snorkeling with a turtle at sunset. I had to swim about a mile offshore, near the docked boats. If you ask fellow snorkelers or the people working at the rental huts, they can point you in the right direction. 3) Hike at La Pointe des Chateaux (Kid friendly) To reach La Pointe des Chateaux (point of the castles), you can park your car on the side of the highway and walk down the main beach for about 20 minutes before reaching the cliff with the large white cross on top (which is about 10-15 minutes uphill, with steps). This is an easy climb for kids, and offers a beautiful view of the rugged Caribbean coastline. 4) Beach Hop There are over 200 beaches in Guadeloupe, all serving their different purposes and meeting the needs of every tourist. Driving from beach to beach and checking out all the stretches of unspoilt paradise was one of our favorite activities. Here is a list of the beaches we visited in Guadeloupe: Plage de La Grande Anse *(A family favorite) This was my family's all-time favorite beach. Long stretches of sand, clear blue water and lovely restaurants on the beach. Highlights: -Exploring the little lagoons and coves farther down the beach -Paddleboarding: At a shack on the beach, you can rent kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. We had heaps of fun paddleboarding in the lagoon and then in the ocean Plage de Sainte-Anne * (A family favorite) This is Guadeloupe's most famous beach, so it gets pretty crowded. However, it is beautiful, with crystal clear water and lots of activities, restaurants and shops on the beach and in the surrounding streets. Highlights: -Karaib Rider's Park- This is an inflatable playground in the water, where kids and adults alike had a blast. My sister and I loved completing all the courses (don't be fooled, some of them are pretty tough!) and met lots of new friends. Cost: 9 euros per hour Minimum age: 7 years -Hair Braiding at "Josy Tresses"- A lovely woman named Josy has a little set-up where she braids hair right next to the beach. Braids are perfect for those who get tired of tangles and dry hair (the result of endless days of swimming in oceans and pools). Josy is very kind, and has been braiding hair for 10 years! Shopping Locally- Right at the entrance of the beach, there are markets with fruit and spice stands, souvenir shops and more. Ice cream: Our last day at Sainte-Anne, we ended the day with ice cream from Gelato & Cappuccino, an Italian-run ice cream shop with the best gelato in town! Hairbraiding: Plage de Malendure (Great snorkeling beach) One of the best snorkel beaches we've been to, with a great vibe and family atmosphere. Highlights: -Kayak trip to Pigeon Island -Snorkeling with turtles -Lunch at a local restaurant on the beach Plage de la Petite Anse, Bouillante (Great snorkeling beach) This is a little black-sand beach with very calm water. It is great for kids, and there is a small juice shack on the beach run by a lovely family. Although the water at this beach is a bit murky in the shallows, once you swim deeper, it becomes clear and is perfect for snorkeling. We saw loads of fish, and were so busy snorkeling we forget to take photos :( Plage de la Perle This beach is beautiful and not too crowded. There are some waves and a bit of shorepound in the shallows, so if you are a person who likes very calm water, this beach may not be for you. Highlights: -Playing in the shorepound -Being in the water during a Caribbean downpour -Local lunch at a restaurant on the beach -Meeting local kids Plage de Cluny This beach is beautiful with a wild, tropical vibe. There are usually just a couple of people on it at a time, so it is an absolute gem for those who like empty beaches. Highlights: -Watching the sun set on a nearly deserted beach (there was just one other family there!) Plage de Bois Jolan This beach is a great spot for a picnic on the beach. It's very Instagrammable as well, as the low-hanging palm trees look like something out of a postcard. Highlights: -Taking lots of photos -Snorkeling -Beach picnic Plage du Souffleur * (A family favorite) This beach is like something out of a dream. Super clear and still water. The only downside is that it does get pretty crowded. Highlights: -Practicing breath-holds and freediving 5) Climb La-Soufriere Volcano (Requires a small level of fitness) La Soufriere is an active volcano on the island of Basse-Terre and the highest in the French Antilles. I definitely recommend making the climb, because the views are beautiful and the summit is so green and lush, it looks like Iceland. Try and get there early (around 7am) if you can, because the parking lot fills up fast. The climb to the summit is 2 hrs, making for a total of 4 hrs. The climb doesn't require a super high level of fitness, but at some points it is steep and requires some scrambling on the rocks. We saw lots of families with kids aged 6-8 making the climb. Tips: -Bring water -Wear hiking boots or sneakers -Bring a jacket (it gets chilly at the summit!) -Take it all in, it's an awesome experience! 6) SKYDIVE For adrenaline addicts, I'd highly recommend going skydiving in Guadeloupe. There is an amazing skydiving center in St. Francois called Caraibe Parachutisme. My dad and I jumped with them and had an amazing experience. (I will write a full skydiving post on the blog next week). My instructor, who had around a thousand jumps under his belt, told me he had skydived in many places but out of all of them, Guadeloupe was his favorite. It is stunning from the sky- the crystal clear water and jade-colored fields merge together to give you an amazing view. The crew was so kind and instantly put me at ease, explaining everything in depth and keeping me laughing the whole plane ride up. HOW TO GET AROUND Public transport isn't the best on the island, so most people choose to rent a car. We rented a car from Pointe-A-Pitre International Airport, and returned it back there at the end of our stay. Be sure to call to reserve a car ahead of time. *Keep in mind that most of the cars are manual WHERE TO STAY There are large hotels in popular destinations throughout the island, such as Club Med and La Toubana Hotel & Spa. For those seeking luxury, this is a good option but prices can often range from $300/night and up, depending on the number of people and the season. Private residences and AirBnb are other popular options for those who want a cheaper, more authentic living experience in Guadeloupe. We stayed at two different private residences, one on the left side of the island (Basse-Terre) and one on the right side (Grande-Terre). We always use Booking.com. Thanks for reading! I love Guadeloupe and can't wait to return soon. It just as beautiful as more popular Caribbean islands, yet its authenticity (and less crowded beaches) really win you over. Hope you decide to visit! Disclaimer: This post was not sponsored in any way and I did not receive free accomodation or activities
2 Comments
6/19/2019 12:10:52 am
If you are planning to go for a vacation, I really suggest that you read this vacation guide. In the past, I have tried going to places without prior knowledge about them. I always though that it was best to explore something as you go, however, that was not the case back then. I lot of things went wrong for me on that trip, and I regret not looking it up beforehand. I hope that you learn from my mistakes, read up while you can.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorYasmine is NYC born, world raised storyteller who shares the stories of the people and places of the world. Categories
All
Archives
February 2022
|
Site powered by Weebly. Managed by Bluehost