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Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of the small island of Martinique or its nearby sister island, Guadeloupe. They are French Caribbean islands and are part of the Lesser Antilles. Most tourists that vacation in Martinique are from Canada or Europe, but that shouldn’t stop you from planning your Martinique itinerary. Both islands are still under the radar for most American tourists and this is what gives Martinique its charm. It’s a hidden gem with a rich history and where nature is the star of the show. Imagine a similar climate to Hawaii and the same types of activities but without the crowds and the high price tags!

Martinique is small enough that you can drive all over the island. It’s 22 miles wide and about 50 miles long. If you want to see everything that the island has to offer and drive the entire loop, you’ll need about one week to do so. We spent three full days in Martinique and it was enough time to explore, but five days is probably the sweet spot. This island is ideal for daily road trips so that you can experience different regions of the island and take in the amazing culture. 

Renting a car is highly recommended and you will want to make sure you either bring your own GPS or have an International plan on your phone for getting around as GPS devices are very scarce at car rental companies - we learned the hard way. We booked our car through Hertz and you will need to book your car well in advance because rental cars are limited on the island. If you’re renting a car, be prepared to wait in line to get your car outside of the airport. It’s not as bad as it sounds and is worth the hassle because it’s smooth sailing once you get the keys!

Travel Tips for Visiting Martinique and FAQs

When is the best time to visit Martinique? December-April

Language spoken: The official language of Martinique is French. Some people speak English but you should definitely brush up on your basic French before visiting.

Currency: Euros

How to get around? Renting a car is the best way to get around the island. The island is easy to navigate with a GPS.

How many days do you need in Martinique? 4-7 days. I only spent three full days in Martinique which is enough to see a variety of attractions but if you have time to stay longer I would recommend it.

Martinique Itinerary for Three Days

Day 1: Rum Distillery and Beautiful Beaches

Our first day began with breakfast on the patio of our hotel and then we headed out for the day. We first stopped at Habitation Clément, one of the oldest rum distilleries on the island. You can tour the gardens where they have numerous art installations from local artists. You can walk the gardens on your own before the guided tour of the historic distillery begins. The tour ends at the gift shop where you can taste a variety of rum produced on the property and purchase a bottle or two. 

If the weather is nice, you’ll want to take advantage of the beautiful sunny day and spend the rest of the day beach hopping on the southern parts of the island. Before arriving at the first beach of the day, make a pit stop at Boulangerie-Pâtisserie La Guérande and pick up some French sandwiches to enjoy on the beach. 

Keep driving until you reach Anse Dufour, one of the most beautiful beaches in Martinique - well, every beach on the island is gorgeous, but this one was one of my favorites. Make sure you bring snorkel gear with you as both Anse Dufour and neighboring beach Anse Noir are fantastic places to snorkel. Street parking is available near Anse Dufour and you can easily follow the path connecting the two beaches if you plan to visit both - and I highly suggest that you do! 

After soaking up the sun and swimming at Anse Dufour, walk up the steps and follow the path to Anse Noir. This is a black sand beach with a long pier that you can jump off of into the water. Here, we sat on the pier, ate macarons, and watched a sea turtle glide through the water around us. Next, drive southeast to the Memorial Anse Caffard to see the statues that face the ocean and serve as a slave memorial. This memorial was erected to pay homage to the slaves who died on the slave ship that crashed into these cliffs in 1830. You can park your car on the side of the road near this memorial park and walk the grounds to see these beautiful statues up close.

Spend the evening at Grande Anse du Diamant, one of the largest beaches on the island. From the beach, there’s a view of two large rocks out in the ocean, and this is a great place to watch the sunset. After sunset, drive down the street to have dinner at Oceanou. The food is delicious and fresh, and the back of the restaurant opens up to the beach so you can hear the crashing waves while you enjoy your meal. It’s quite an experience!

Day 2: Mount Pelee and the Botanical Gardens

Spend day two exploring Fort-de-France and the northwest part of the island. Start your morning surrounded by nature at the Jardin de Balata, Martinique’s prized and very lush botanical garden. Getting there is quite the adventure itself though! There are very steep roads that wind up and down the mountains leading up to the botanical gardens so drive carefully. This lush garden has suspension bridges that allow you to experience the variety of fauna and flora from a whole new perspective. The Jardin de Balata is a must-see when visiting Martinique and would be fun for families. 

After the gardens, drive up the western coastline to have lunch at Habitation Ceron. This property used to be a sugar mill and is now a cocoa bean farm with a restaurant on-site. They create and serve delicious chocolate-infused dishes and you can walk the gardens on your own and even learn how chocolate is made from cacao pods. 

Habitation Ceron is very close to two stunning beaches, Anse Lévrier and Plage Anse Céron, and a hiking trail that leads to Cascade de la rivière Couleuvre. After lunch, make your way to the beginning of the Couleuvre River Waterfall trail and begin your journey on this out-and-back hike. This hike is easy-moderate and will take about an hour and a half to complete. If you plan on going on this hike, plan to spend some extra time looking for parking as the parking lot is quite small and you may end up waiting for a spot to become available. You’ll see a beautiful waterfall and you might even see groups of tarantulas too! After the hike, head to one of the beaches mentioned above to relax or snorkel. 

Mount Pelee is also nearby and although I didn’t get the opportunity to go on this hike due to the weather, I still wanted to include it. Many trails reach the summit and the final descent is supposed to be quite difficult and steep so this hike is more advanced. It’s almost a 5-mile hike and can take 4-5 hours to complete so I would recommend dedicating one full day to this so that you can enjoy it and take your time. 

Before heading back to your hotel, swing by Ziouka Glaces in Le Carbet for a scoop or two of homemade ice cream. e owner uses 100% natural ingredients and has his very own test kitchen inside where he comes up with his very unique flavor combinations. Ziouka Glaces is only open for 3 hours each day but it’s well worth waiting for! I ended up ordering the Corn flavor and Chocolate Ginger ice creams and they were both pure perfection! I’m still craving more Corn ice cream!

Day 3: Catamaran Tour in Martinique

This was our last day in Martinique and we spent it on a catamaran… doesn’t get better than that! Our hotel helped us book a last-minute reservation with The Delphis Ballads which is no longer operating, but you can find tons of other catamaran tours in Martinique. We did a day tour that was about 6 hours long and included drinks, snacks, and lunch. We visited Iguana Island and a couple of really beautiful sandbars. The crew was fantastic and did a great job of giving history on the places we stopped and making us laugh the entire time. A catamaran tour is a fantastic way to see some of the hidden gems of the island that are harder to get to like the Bath of Josephine which is located between islet Thierry and the islet Oscar. Most tours offer beverages, lunch, and snorkel gear.

How to Get to Martinique? 

There are several ways to reach the beautiful island of Martinique. If you prefer air travel, you can book a flight to Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF). There are 11 airports across Europe, North America, and the Caribbean with direct flights to Martinique. In North America, you can from direct from Miami, Toronto, and Montreal. There used to be a direct flight from New York, but it’s no longer in service. If you plan to visit Martinique from the USA, you’ll most likely have a stopover. 

Another option is to take a cruise ship to the island, with several cruise lines offering itineraries that include Martinique as a port of call. For a more intimate experience, you can also consider chartering a private yacht or sailboat to sail to Martinique, exploring the stunning Caribbean waters along the way.

Lastly, if you are already in the Caribbean, there are also ferry services available from nearby islands like Guadeloupe and Dominica, allowing you to easily hop between the different Caribbean destinations. There are ferries available from Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia, and Dominica that can easily be booked online and take anywhere from 1-5 hours. Martinique truly offers a variety of options to suit every traveler's preference and convenience.

Where to Stay in Martinique

Martinique hotels located in Fort de France are the most ideal to book. Fort-de-France is the capital of Martinique and where the airport and cruise terminals are located. We stayed at a gorgeous bed and breakfast called La Maison de Clementine! This five-room bed and breakfast is run by an amazing couple who couldn’t have been more welcoming and helpful. They assisted us with booking the catamaran tour and making dinner reservations for us. We stayed in the Barbuda Suite with a view of the lush mountains from the bed… need I say more?

And there you have it! Martinique was an unforgettable experience and the people there were extremely welcoming and kind. I would love to go back to hike Mount Pelee and visit the Southeast part of the island since our trip wasn’t quite long enough. Another thing I’d love to do is to also visit Guadeloupe! Whether it was taking in the towering peaks of Mount Pelée or strolling along the picturesque beaches of Les Salines, every moment in Martinique felt like a dream.

Happy travels!

- Tess

Tess Arnold

Hi! I’m Tess, founder of TravelingTessie.com, and not only do I love to travel, but I love immersing myself in new places and finding off the beaten path experiences wherever I go! I’ve lived in 4 different states & traveled to 13 countries and counting. I believe that tourism is meant to benefit both visitors and locals alike—and I want to bring that idea back into the travel industry by highlighting companies run by locals such as tours, hotels, restaurants, and more. On Traveling Tessie you can find hidden gems in top destinations around the world, travel tips, detailed city guides, and tons of inspiration for your next trip!  If you love travel as much as I do, then please join me on this journey! I hope you enjoy my content as much as I enjoy providing it for you!

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