Culture & History
Let's continue our journey in Martinique...
With white-sand beaches, varied dive sites, farming communities where time stands still, pristine forests, waterfalls and tropical flowers, it's no accident that Martinique is called “The Flower of the Caribbean”, an unspoiled destination that offers visitors a genuinely warm welcome.
The North: Lush, wild, beautiful
This region has a young and lively relief. Mount Pelee is the highest point with its 1,397 metres. Nature lovers will easily find satisfaction in this environment, which is ideal for hiking. The north is mountainous and characterized by dense forests and waterfalls. Mount Pelée is the island’s highest peak, reaching 1371.6 meters.
The South: Postcard-perfect beaches
Sheltering numerous bays and coves, this region, with its soft and ancient relief, offers colorful and authentic views to be discovered. The Savane des Petrifications, in the extreme south, is a real geological curiosity.
The Centre: Vibrant and energetic
With the Trois-Îlets and Pointe du Bout areas and the capital Fort-de-France, this region offers many activities. It is also home to the three cruise terminals and the airport.
Martinique is also a popular destination for weddings, contact me for more information.
The Mangrove Forests at Caravelle Peninsula Nature Reserve
Mangroves, coastal forests flooded with salt water, play a major role in the island’s. You will be able to discover them in the Caravelle Peninsula Nature Reserve, on the Atlantic coast, which shelters unique hiking spots as well as breathtaking landscapes.
Hiking at French Regional Park of Martinique
One of France's 54 regional natural parks, the French Regional Park of Martinique has for many years offered an annual program of hikes to discover this beautiful island.
Hiking at Mount Pelee
The Balata GardenBalata Garden
This three-hectare park holds 3,000 types of indigenous flora and fauna—including some 300 species of palm trees—just outside of Martinique’s capital. Follow the multilingual markers through Jean-Philippe Thoze's landscaped gardens, rolling green fields, and ponds dappled with water lilies and lotus flowers. The suspended paths and bridges provide an aerial view of the gardens.
Domaine d’Emeraude, a 24-hectare nature park in northern Martinique, is a must-visit for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the island’s exceptional biodiversity. Stroll along more than two miles of footpaths in the landscaped forest, home to over 100 indigenous species, then check out the interactive exhibits at the pavilion to learn about Martinique’s natural history.
Diamond Rock is the most beautiful dive site in Martinique, and is well known all over the Caribbean. This immense volcanic rock towers over 175 meters high and stands about 5 km from the coast. Depending on your dive certification and your experience, you can enter the site differently: to the north, a sheltered cove is ideal for first timers; for experienced divers, a beautiful drop-off plummets down to 40 meters along the rock. To the west, a breathtaking cathedral-shaped crack starting around 16 meters actually pierces the whole island from side to side! You can get access from an arch through which you can observe some light rays. The diversity and abundance of marine life are astonishing, matching the dramatic geological features: a lot of different tropical reef fish, turtles, moray eels, Spanish mackerels and lots of crustaceans (crayfish, shrimps and crabs) hidden in the crevices. Check out the flora, also surprisingly diverse: gorgonian fans, soft corals, sponges and anemones.
Archaeological Discovery. The eruption of Mount Pelee, which destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre in 1902, sank more than a dozen boats in the bay. Today, the bay is known around the world as the richest shipwreck diving site in the entire Caribbean.
Swimming: Martinique’s southern coast are idyllic white-sand beaches and warm, turquoise waters. The north has lovely beaches with silver and blue-grey volcanic sand.
Surfing, Windsurfing, and Kite surfing: Head to the northern coast for surfing, the southern beaches for windsurfing, or the southeast for ideal kite surfing conditions.
Sailing: You can rent a Hobie Cat, Sunfish, or Sailfish by the hour, or charter a well-appointed yacht and sail in luxury for days or weeks at a time.
Fishing: With king-fish, barracuda, tuna, white marlin, swordfish, and more, Martinique offers great potential for an impressive deep-sea catch.
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving: Discover magnificent coral reefs, colorful fish, and century-old shipwrecks. The new
Natural Maritime Reserve of Le Prêcheur—named after Jacques Cousteau’s longtime diving companion, Albert Falco—protects two of Martinique’s exceptional dive sites and over seven miles of coastline.
Yole Racing: Teams of men and women reach high speeds on delicately balanced crafts called yoles, an amazing feat of coordination, endurance, and skill.
A multitude of other water sports and activities are available to visitors to Martinique, including Surfing, Wakeboarding, Paddle-boarding, Kayaking, Fly-boarding and many types of tours and excursions.
Martinique, with its’ unspoiled coastline, is renowned for its range of marvelous beaches. Martinique's shoreline features beaches of every natural hue, from the silver-grey volcanic sands in the north to the brilliant white shores of Les Salines in the south. The island’s southern beaches are predominantly white or golden sand, in contrast to the northern volcanic sands, which range from black to light grey.
Visitors can bask upon isolated, untouched beaches and not see another person, take advantage of the developed beaches with their greater infrastructure and facilities, or enjoy themselves on a beach which offers a compromise of both. There is a beach for every mood and desire in Martinique.
Les Salines is considered one of the most beautiful beaches of Martinique. It is a long beach of white sand with beautiful calm seas. Occasionally the waves grow to an enjoyable though not dangerous level, ideal for body surfing. On the horizon can be seen the nearby island of St Lucia. There are restaurants, snack bars, fresh fruit and ice cream vendors as well as places to pick up some souvenirs, swimming costumes and “Pareo” or sarongs.
Visitors to Martinique are in for a vacation full of gastronomic delights. Colorful, authentic and vivacious, the cookery of Martinique reflects the generous, joyful character of its inhabitants. A lighthearted take on spicy and sweet dishes, it is the flavorful expression of the history and savoir-faire inherited from the cultures of Africa, Europe and the Indies. Its chefs, garden farmers, fishermen and distilleries have their eye firmly on creativity and cultivate and reinterpret the island’s bold cuisine on a daily basis.
France gave Martinique its wonderful tradition of delicious breads, cheeses and charcuterie, as well as soufflé, bouillabaisse, and filet mignon. Creole cuisine is a blend of local ingredients—shellfish, pork, beef, coconuts, bananas and spices—and ingredients from around the Caribbean and even Africa, Europe, and India. The result is mouthwatering dishes like green papaya gratin, crayfish soup, and codfish fritters called accras.
Foodie Activities
Le grand Marché Couvert de Fort-de-France A large covered market in the capital of Fort-de-France with stalls selling local produce and other foodstuffs, as well as several restaurants specializing in local cuisine.
Cooking lessons with Ma Cuisine Creole
Cooking lessons with MédélicesMédélices
Cooking lessons with Tatie Maryse
Food tours with Karambole Tour
Just as wine lovers visit France to savor the best of French wine while travelling along La Route des Vins, rum connoisseurs head to Martinique to experience some of the world’s finest rums by travelling La Route des Grands Rhums.
Here are a couple of links for you to click on: https://www.rhum-a1710.com/
Other links:
Nature Lovers: https://us.martinique.org/100-green
Travel Insurance is a MUST and Always check with your countries Travel & Tourism page to know if you need to travel to Martinique.
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