To read our reviews of popular tours and excursions in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bonaire, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe (coming soon), Jamaica, Martinique, St. Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and more… just click HERE
Located just north of St. Lucia, the French island of Martinique is a relatively large Caribbean Island, perhaps best known for its many unique rhum distilleries as well as its fusion of Caribbean and French culture and cuisine. Martinique has a diverse landscape with rugged green mountains dominating the north end of the beautiful island, with a dryer and flatter south end, all connected with one of the best road systems in the West Indies! The “flower Island of the Caribbean” is home to many beautiful plantations, gardens and historical sites as well as a fascinating assortment of natural wonders to enjoy. Martinique has plenty to offer sight-seeing travelers if you know where to look – Our personal favourite “things to do” while visiting this French Caribbean gem include:
While many islands produce Rum, Martinique just might be the rum, or shall I say Rhum, capital of the Caribbean. The island is home to over a dozen rhum distilleries, most of which are open to the public, and offer free or reasonably priced plantation/distillery tours where you can see historical memorabilia including old rhum-making equipment along with tons of information on Martinique, sugar cane, as well as the French Agricole rhum-making process. Martinique distillers take their rum-making seriously – From growing their own sugar cane on the “terroir” of their region to producing ‘vintage’ rhums and classifications such as VO, VSOP, and XO, similar to brandies or wines. Of course, many rhum estates/distilleries offer rhum tasting and have stores to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice. Some of the more notable distilleries in Martinique include:
Other rhum distilleries in Martinique, from north to south, include: Rhum JM; Distillerie Hardy; La Sucrerie du Galion; Neisson; Rhum HSE; Distillerie La Favorite; Maison La Mauny; Rhum Dillon; A-1710 (at Habitation du Simon); and Braud & Quennesson
Please note that many of the actual distilleries are not in operation outside of ‘harvest season’, although the plantations, gardens, museums and storefronts are always open!
For more detailed information on Martinique’s rhum distilleries along with a list of tour operators who will get you there, click on our Rhums of Martinique page. For a more colourful review of the many rhums of Martinique, including first-hand accounts of distilleries visits, check out our Martinique Rhum Tour blog post.
History buffs and the curious alike will enjoy looking through ‘a window to the past’ by visiting one of many historical sites in Martinique.
Anyone interested in the history of Martinique must visit the ruins of Saint-Pierre, a stark reminder of the powerful volcanic eruption of Mount Pelee in 1902 that buried most of the island’s then-capital city under lava or ash.
For an example of 18th-century life on Martinique, check out the remains of several plantation buildings at the remarkable Château Dubuc, located on the Caravelle Peninsula, or experience the Creole history and architecture of the Pécoul Habitation/Greathouse located at the northeast end of Martinique. Of course, the Habitation la Sucrerie and House of Sugar Cane (Maison de la Canne), both located just south of Les Trois-Îlets will also transport you back to life in the sugar cane (and rhum) industry.
Also located south of Les Trois-Îlets is the Musee de la Pagerie, the birthplace-turned-museum of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Emperor Napolean. We would be remiss to not also highlight La Savane des Esclaves, a reconstruction of a large 17th-century slave village, also in the area.
For information on available tours in Martinique, check out our Martinique Land Excursions page.
It should be no surprise that the “flower Island of the Caribbean” is home to some spectacular gardens and arboretums. Jardin de Balata (Botanical Gardens), located just north of Fort-de-France, showcases a lovely Creole-style house surrounded by incredible flora along with incredible views of the island. Habitation Anse Latouche, located just south of Saint Pierre is home to the remains of a 17th-century plantation as well as a fantastic garden and much more (including the Zoo Martinique).
To enjoy more of Martinique’s rich plant diversity and amazing scenery, visit St. Pierre’s Domaine d’Emeraude, a large 25-hectare arboretum featuring a pavilion, many greenhouses, and several walking paths, or the relaxing garden and walking trails of Céron Habitation, located just north of Le Precheur.
If you’re looking for a more natural experience in Martinique’s wilderness beauty, take a drive on the Route de la Trace (highway N3) through the tropical rainforest between Fort-de-France and L’Ajoupa-Bouillon, filled with incredible scenic stops along the way. Along the southeast coastline of the island, take a walk through the unique Savane des Petrifications, a desert-like rocky landscape one wouldn’t expect to see on an otherwise lush Caribbean Island.
If you’re visiting in the February/March timeframe, you must visit the Tombolo of Sainte-Marie to experience an amazing natural phenomenon – The seawater between Martinique and the island of Sainte-Marie (almost) disappears, making it possible to walk the 200 meters across a large sandbar.
For more information on Martinique’s attractions along with a list of tour operators who will show you around, click on our Things to Do in Martinique page
For more information related to the monumental event in Martinique’s history, there are a couple of museums to explore. Learn more about the 1902 volcano eruption that wiped out St. Pierre at the Centre de Découverte des Sciences de la Terre (the earth-science museum), which includes an exhibit and film, or the Franck Perret Volcanological Museum (Musée Volcanologique), which is dedicated to explaining the Mount Pelee eruption. Both are located in Saint Pierre.
There are plenty of other interesting attractions on the island, depending on what you’re looking for.
For all things bananas, you have to visit the enjoyable Banana Museum, located near Sainte Marie. The museum displays tell the story of the history of one of the original crops of the island. There’s also a short walking path showcasing a large variety of banana species. For more of Martinique’s rich history of the sugar and rhum trades, be sure to make a stop just south of La Trinité at the Habitation le Galion, the last sugar factory operating in Martinique, now replete with a touristic village and factory tours.
If you’re into architecture, check out the Sacré-Coeur de Balata Cathedral (Sacred Heart Church) just north of Fort-de-France. You’ll quickly realize that the building was inspired by Montmartre’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Paris. If you enjoy old fortresses, wander around Fort Royal (Fort Saint Louis) in Fort-de-France. Although now an active naval base, they still offer tours of the remains of the 17th-century defensive structure.
If you love the Caribbean Sea, browse through Le Musée de la Mer, located just southeast of Les Trois-Îlets. As you can guess, the museum is dedicated to the ocean and features a large collection of shells and marine life artifacts. A little further south, the Diamond Rock makes for a favourite photo stop along the southern coastline – The stunning view is punctuated by the rock jutting out of the Caribbean Sea. While you’re in the area, be sure to pay your respects at the Memorial de l’Anse Caffard (Mémorial Cap 110), a sculpture-based art display preserving the memory and history of slavery, specifically a boating accident in 1830 that resulted in the death of dozens of slaves just of the coast.
For more information on Martinique’s attractions along with a list of tour operators who will show you around, click on our Things to Do in Martinique page
There is also a wide variety of things to do on the seas surrounding Martinique. Enjoy a day of boating and sightseeing along the coast, or perhaps a romantic sunset cruise – Savour the unique perspective of the island from the sea. Take in Martinique’s ruggedly beautiful mountainous north end, the popular inlets and bays on the southwest coast, and of course the famous landmark of Josephine’s Bath and the islets of Le Robert and Le Francois on the Atlantic side of the island.
For more information on Martinique’s ocean excursions along with a list of boat/tour operators who will get you on the water, click on our Martinique Ocean-Based Excursions page
Of course, there’s always the cuisine and beaches of Martinique. As a long-time French colony, Martinique offers a unique gastronomic experience with a wide selection of Caribbean-Creole-French fusion foods served in restaurants across the island. After a tasty gastronomical experience, you can relax on one of Martinique’s beautiful soft white sand beaches along the southwest and southern coasts, or explore an intriguing black sand beach along the northwest and southwest coasts. Some of the more popular beaches include the Plage de l’Anse Mitan, Grande Anse d’Arlet, Sainte Luce / Sainte-Anne, and of course the Plage des Salines.
La Martinique est Magnifique! – Enjoy!
ACT Staff
If you’re looking for a more active vacation, check out our Martinique Adventures blog post for some great ideas (coming soon)
For more information on this amazingly diverse island, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page
One of the most anticipated and thrilling things for me to do when vacationing in the Caribbean is to get into the ocean and explore the island’s underwater world. Snorkeling is not something that I can really do at home, so it’s a real treat, especially when I come across a fish or some type of marine life that I have never seen before – Truly exciting!
There are a number of good snorkeling spots in Martinique, mostly along the Western and Southern Coastlines, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to sample a few of them. We first started with Pointe Borgnèse, a spot not too far from where we were staying in Sainte-Anne. It was a great spot to get my feet wet (pun intended), before heading further out to the more well-known area of Les Anses-d’Arlet to experience the popular Anse Dufour and its neighbour Anse Noire.
If you’re not paying attention or if you’re driving too fast, which you can actually do on Martinique’s amazing road system, you could easily miss the parking lot for the beach at Pointe Borgnese. I actually drove right by it on the N5 highway, wondering ‘was that it?’, before turning around to discover ‘yes, this is the place’. There is a small clearing of sorts just off the side of the highway which might be able to accommodate 10 or so cars. It was quiet the day we visited, so we easily found a place to park. After gathering our beach/snorkel stuff together we journeyed about 5-10 minutes down the remains of a steep old rock-and-concrete road through the forest. Eventually, we popped out onto one of the beaches in the area. There is only about 10-15 feet of sand between the sea and the treeline making it an interesting and quaint beach. Further to the east, there are a couple more stretches of sandy beach, each separated from one other by piles of rocks and boulders that spill out from the forest. That said, there is a path through the forest about 25 feet from the shoreline that provides access to each of the near-private sandy patches. Openings in the forest also provide great places to escape the midday sun or occasional showers if need be. The area is pretty cool, although more reminiscent of beaches found around a lake in North America or Europe – Not what I was expecting to find in the Caribbean.
I first ventured into the inviting Caribbean Sea near the main beach. The water was not overly warm, but I wasn’t there for a bath so I stuck my face and snorkel mask into the water to take a look at what was below the surface. Other than the odd juvenile fish, there was very little marine life among the mix of seagrass, rocks, and otherwise sandy ocean floor. I had heard that the best place to snorkel is along the point itself, so once we found the trail through the forest, we gathered up our stuff and headed eastward about as far as we could go. Finding a new place to put our stuff on a small beach, I ventured back into the water.
Again, there wasn’t much of interest until I swam really close to the coastline that makes up the west side of Borgnese Point. Ahhhh, finally, more signs of underwater life. I first encountered several small schools of fish, and after settling in, I carefully studied the ocean floor. I immediately saw a couple of sea cucumbers – One critter was about a foot in length and had a skinny white body covered in what looked like short thorns. The other sea cucumber was dark in colour and really big, over 2 feet long and close to a foot in diameter. Wow – That was pretty cool. I also saw a wide variety of fish, including a couple of my favorites, little bluehead wrasse and multi-hued red parrotfish. I saw a bizarre-looking reddish-orange squirrelfish as well as some amazing purplish-blue and yellow fish, which I suspect were damselfish. I also saw some sergeant majors, along with several light brown colored fish with horizontal stripes along with several silver fish with yellow stripes running from tail to head – some sort of grunts or chums I assume.
I found plenty of marine life close to shore about halfway between the beach and the tip of the point. Lifting my head out of the water to get my bearings, I noticed a plastic bottle hanging in a tree right at the water’s edge – Hhmnnn, I wondered if it is a marker of some sort. Sure enough, about 20 feet from the rugged shore right in front of that tree there is a large rock covered in vegetation and swarming with fish. So many different types of fish I lost count. The area was also home to lots of yellow tubes and brain corals, all in less than 10 feet of water – A great place to just float around and admire the beauty of the natural underwater world!
What a great start to our Martinique snorkeling adventures… A few days later we would head out to the southeast coast of the island to hit the real hot spots for Martinique snorkeling.
After a fairly long drive from Sainte-Anne to Les Anses-d’Arlet, we eventually pulled off the D7 road towards Anse Dufour where we were surprised to see a large number of cars lining the side of the road. Undaunted, we drove to the end of the road and totally lucked out as somebody pulled out of the tiny parking lot at the end of the road just as we arrived. We’ll take that thank you very much. From there, it is just a short walk down a steep access road to the beach. As advertised, Anse Dufour is a wonderful light brown sandy beach with clean and convenient facilities (toilets) available. Although we arrived at a decent time in the morning, the small beach was already quite busy. That said, it was easy to find a spot to put down our towels and bags.
Looking out at the water, the rocky shoreline to the right was crowded with snorkelers, and I was about to find out, for good reason. I waded out into the sea and immediately discovered a large turtle on the edge of the seagrass close to shore, almost oblivious to the crowd above him/her. With all the people splashing about along with a slight current the water was a bit murky, but it was still an amazingly easy opportunity to watch the pre-historic-looking creature munching on grass. After a couple of minutes, I turned and swam towards the black cliffs and trees that lined the north coastline of the bay.
I found an amazing diversity of fish and marine life close to the coastline. I saw different species of coral, with fire coral dominating the scene, along with white sea urchins, yellow tubes, as well as all sorts of algae and vegetation clinging to the rocks – great fish food I assume. The closer to the rugged coast I ventured, the more marine life I saw. There were plenty of large silver and yellow fish, some striped, others not. I assume they were grunts or jacks of some sort, although there could also have been some goatfish and/or yellowtail Snapper as well. I swam through several large schools of long shiny juvenile fish, herring perhaps. The star attractions for me though were the unique long and skinny trumpetfish, the hard-to-spot parrotfish, and the colourful yellowtail damselfish.
After a while, I thought I would explore the southern coastline of the bay. The water on the south side of the beach seemed a bit rougher, but it had some amazing marine life to observe as well. As soon as I entered the water I was greeted by a large school of long shiny juvenile fish – perhaps herring, jacks or goatfish. There were tons of algae and vegetation on the black rocks, as well as some yellow tubes and several species of coral. Along with plenty of sergeant majors, I encountered some beautiful bluehead wrasse, well-camouflaged green parrotfish, and some amazing juvenile French angelfish. Then there was the spectacular four-eye butterflyfish (bottom right in photo below). Always cool to spot them!
I was enjoying exploring the underwater world, however, when three tour boats full of snorkelers arrived in the little bay, I knew it was going to become too crowded for my liking. So, we packed up our stuff went back up to the road, and walked over to the neighbouring Anse Noire, just 5 minutes to the north.
To access Anse Noire we walked down a concrete walkway with steps to reach the black sand beach at the small bay. It is so close to Anse Dufour, but seems like a different world and I’m not just talking about the colour of the sand. It was relatively quiet, with very few people or buildings. Anse Noire does however have a solid long wooden pier that splits the small bay into two. We walked to the end of the pier and I climbed down a ladder to enter the water off to the north and swam towards the rugged wooded coastline. I was immediately greeted by a shoal of silver fish I assume were herring, nervously darting from side to side, although gracefully moving as one. Other than that, there wasn’t much of interest below the water surface until the sandy ocean floor started to rise up along the coastline. After a few small jellyfish floated underneath me, I realized that the sea bottom consisted of some small underwater ridges and troughs, providing all sorts of places for sea life to hide from predators and waves.
The water was probably about 10 feet deep here and was filled with a wide variety of diverse plants and fish. The undulating ocean floor is covered in clumps of vegetation, swaying back and forth with the ocean current, along with fire coral, yellow tubes as well as an abundance of white sea urchins. I must have also seen over a dozen species of fish – I recognized grey-yellow striped smallmouth grunts, my favourite bluehead wrasse as well as some well-camouflaged green-hued parrotfish (centre of the photo above).
I was thrilled to see some trumpetfish swimming horizontally, not just floating in their usual vertical position. I loved watching some black and yellow juvenile French angel fish, although the highlight of this snorkel had to be when I startled 2 large reef squid, forcing them to swim right underneath me – Now that was something special!
While the north coastline of Anse Dufour probably had just as many, if not more types of fish, snorkelling Anse Noire was more my thing. I was more relaxed in the near-solitude as I floated around without a care in the world. I had been slowly swimming along the northern coastline of the bay toward the beach, however, it was getting really rocky as I reached shallow water so I turned around and headed back to the pier where again I was met by a shoal of silver fish – Clearly, this is where they like to hang out.
We then left the pier, walking to the right (facing the beach) so I could check out the south side of the bay. Wading into the water from the beach, there were some small waves as well as a bit of a current, but I wasn’t the only one to notice. I watched a skinny-legged starfish tumbling over and over on the sea floor before finally finding a resting place. I was once again greeted by a school of small fish, probably herring or juvenile goatfish. The combination of the current, the waves, and the mixed sun and cloud made for a fascinating dimple-patterned appearance on the sea floor.
Eventually, it was smooth snorkeling with plenty of good stuff to see along the rocky coastline. The deeper I got, the more interesting the underwater world became. The black cliff walls gave way to a rocky sea floor which in deeper water became littered with much larger rocks and boulders – where life was abundant. The boulders were covered in algae, vegetation as well as corals, and were clearly home to a wide variety of fish. I saw several different types of grunts, perhaps some yellowtail snapper along with plenty of sergeant majors.
Another plentiful fish I noticed was a grey/brown/reddish coloured fish with a split tail that had a black dot low on its side near its head – I believe they are brown chromis, which I am not sure I have ever seen (or noticed) before. Pretty cool. Of course, I never get tired of watching trumpetfish and green parrotfish, but I enjoyed a new experience when I encountered about a dozen baby squid all swimming together (away from me).
Looking for turtles, I swam the short distance from the southern coastline of the bay back to the pier. I scoured the sandy bottom, looking closely around all the patches of seagrass, but to no avail. Regardless, my fingertips were sufficiently shriveled, so I climbed back up onto the pier to dry, and we called it a day.
What a great day of snorkeling it was!
Although I had had enough snorkeling for one day, we also visited the beautiful Grande Anses d’Arlet for lunch, before heading back to Sainte-Anne. One of the most popular and best places to snorkel in Martinique this beautiful white sand beach offers a couple of great snorkel spots. A rocky reef can be found close to the beach just north of the pier – A great spot for beginners to safely snorkel. Apparently, there are plenty of colourful fish and lobsters in this area, along with the occasional turtle and ray a little further out in deeper water. The other good spot is at the north end of the beach along the rocky coastline where corals, sponges, fish, and eels can be spotted.
For more information on snorkeling in Martinique, click on our Martinique Snorkeling page
For an overview of the beautiful Island of Flowers, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page.
For more information on snorkeling the Caribbean Islands, check out our Caribbean Snorkeling page.
ACT Staff
Now that winter is underway in many parts of the world, folks might be in need of a warm and sunny Caribbean vacation. Nothing beats the winter blues like feeling the sand beneath your feet while sipping on a tasty cold rum beverage. That said, after a couple of years of travel restrictions, it’s time to get the muscles moving, the heart pumping and the mind blown by experiencing the natural wonders that the Caribbean has to offer. Slip into the warm Caribbean Sea to peak below the waves at a colourful alien world or hike through a lush green rainforest to awaken the senses – This is nature’s best medicine. Of course, a round of golf or a warm relaxing day at sea would also fill the prescription for what the doctor ordered! If you’re thinking of heading south for a warm-weather vacation, here’s our thoughts on the best Caribbean adventure destinations to visit in early 2023.
For this article, we’re highlighting the Caribbean Islands that provide the best opportunities for getting out in nature by enjoying snorkeling (and diving), hiking, fishing, watersports, and golf. With the Euro the lowest it’s been for several years, we also gave the French Caribbean an extra, and well deserved, look.
Located south of Cuba, between Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Jamaica, the British territory of the Cayman Islands is more than just about lazing on the sands of Seven Mile Beach – It is a great Caribbean destination to experience snorkeling, diving, fishing, and a wide variety of watersports, as well as golf!
With several vibrant coral reefs surrounding Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, the islands offer some of the best spots in the Caribbean for snorkeling, diving as well as fishing! The west coast and large protected bay in Grand Cayman’s North Sound are great places to snorkel and dive. You can slip into the warm Caribbean sea from shore and swim out to a nearby reef, or take a short boat ride to some of the best snorkel & dive spots in the Caribbean. Snorkelers can enjoy shipwrecks sitting in as little as 20 feet of clear blue sea, while divers can also explore the deep plunging terrain of the underwater mountain range known as the Cayman Trench. There are plenty of caves, chutes, and swim-through tunnels to examine, making the Cayman Islands an epic destination for wall diving.
It’s also worth noting that a trip to Grand Cayman is incomplete without visiting Stingray City – A once in a lifetime experience to swim with and even gently hold a Stingray! If that’s not enough, Grand Cayman is also home to Starfish Point, a place with shallow waters with plenty of starfish.
For more tips on snorkeling in the Cayman Islands, including contact info for local tour/boat operators who can help you get the most out of your day, check out our Cayman Islands Snorkeling page.
While some Caribbean Islands have a beach for every day of the year, the Caymans offer 365 different dive sites along with dozens of Dive Centers and Dive Boat Operators. For more details on diving in the Cayman Islands, including contact info for local dive shops and boat operators who can get you in the water, check out our Cayman Islands Scuba Diving pages.
As for fishing, Grand Cayman‘s flats, reefs and stunningly deep waters of the Cayman Trench offer an amazing year-round variety of angling options. There’s something for everyone, from the true fishing enthusiast to folks just looking for a day at sea to bond with friends and family. Anglers can enjoy bottom fishing, reef fishing, fly-fishing as well as Cayman Island deep sea fishing. If it’s big game you’re after, there’s plenty of Blue Marlin, Wahoo (kingfish), Mahi-Mahi (dolphin), Tuna and Barracuda to pull in over the trench. The Cayman Islands are truly one of the best places for Caribbean fishing.
For more details on fishing in the Cayman Islands, including contact info for local and boat operators who can get a reel in your hands, check out our Cayman Islands Fishing page.
With miles of beachfront and blessed with a mangrove forest ecosystem, as well as the natural wonder of a bio-luminescence bay, Grand Cayman is also a great place to enjoy Caribbean watersports. Stand-up paddle-boarding is popular in the calm waters of Seven Mile Beach and North Sound. Stronger winds can be found along the East end of the island near Gun Bay, making it ideal for windsurfing. Great kayaking can be found all around the island, although when the sun drops below the horizon, be sure to try the once-in-a-lifetime experience of kayaking in the bio-luminescence waters near Rum Point – Where the motion from the paddles and boats make the sea glow an eerie blue. For those with a need for speed, you can try jet skiing, kitesurfing, wakeboarding or parasailing as well.
For more tips on watersports options in the Cayman Islands, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops and places to rent gear, check out our Cayman Islands Water Sports page.
Finally, if you yearn to hit the links on every Caribbean Island you visit, golf is available at two gorgeous courses 10 minutes north of Grand Cayman’s capital George Town. The North Sound Golf Club is an 18-hole / par 71 championship golf course that plays to 6,605 yards with great views of the bay. Minutes from Seven Mile Beach, the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club offers a Greg Norman designed 9-hole / par 36 golf course that also provides a stunningly beautiful setting for a tropical round of golf. For more info on playing golf in the Cayman Islands, check out our Cayman Islands Golf page.
For a complete listing of things to do in the Cayman Islands, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Cayman Islands Vacation Ideas page.
Martinique is located in the southern Caribbean between Dominica and St. Lucia. The French Caribbean’s “Island of Flowers” is a great tropical destination to experience snorkeling, hiking, a diverse variety of watersports, as well as rhum! The relatively low Euro makes it even more attractive right now to travelers from the Americas and UK.
With easy-to-reach reefs and rocky areas close to shore, Martinique is a great place for Caribbean snorkeling. Slip into the warm Caribbean sea right off the beach along the northwest, southwest and south coasts of Martinique. Some beaches have warm black sand, others powdery white. Some are quiet and remote, others hopping with action. There are plenty of things to see beneath the surface of the sea, including underwater statues, tropical fish, and other incredible marine life, although sea turtles are sure to be the main attraction in Martinique. While the Anses-d’Arlet region is popular for spotting turtles, the Atlantic side has an underwater route to follow called the Le Francois snorkel trail.
For more tips on snorkeling in Martinique, including contact info for local tour/boat operators who can help you get the most out of your day, check out our Martinique Snorkeling page.
One of the best islands for Caribbean hiking, Martinique offers a variety of nice relaxing walks as well as some very challenging, mountainous volcano hikes. Martinique has dozens of well-marked and maintained trails all over the island. Hiking is a great way to explore the natural beauty of Martinique, with several hiking trails leading to amazing waterfalls or hilltops and ridges providing spectacular panoramic views. The mountainous north end of Martinique is home to the 10th tallest peak in the Caribbean, the iconic Montagne Pelee towers 4,583 feet (1,397m) above sea level.
For more tips on hiking in Martinique, including contact info for local tour operators and hiking guides, check out our Martinique Hiking pages.
With precious mangrove forests, several protected bays as well as coastlines that get plenty of those famous Caribbean tradewinds, Martinique is also a great Caribbean island for watersports. Well protected from the ocean waves, the mangroves of Génipa are made to be explored by kayak, while the beautiful beaches of Les Anses d’Arlet are ideal for Stand-Up-Paddleboarding, kayaking and a variety of fun and exciting watersports like jet skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, tubing and more. Meanwhile, the Atlantic side of Martinique is ideal for surfers (and SUP). There are several surf schools and a variety of great beaches that can be surfed by beginners as well as experienced tube-riders. The southeast coast of Martinique has a couple of great spots for kitesurfing and windsurfing as well.
Spending the day on or near the sea is a great way to experience the Caribbean, and Martinique definitely provides a number of amazing water sports options. For more tips, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops and places to rent gear, check out our Martinique Water Sports page.
While many of the Caribbean Islands produce Rum, Martinique could be considered the rum capital of the World with more than 10 distilleries and over a hundred different rhums produced. The island’s “Rhum Agricole” is made directly from sugar cane juice, not molasses like most other Caribbean rums. Most of Martinique’s distilleries are open to the public, offering affordable plantation (habitation)/distillery tours, along with rhum tasting and storefronts to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice!
For more details on the rhums of Martinique, including contact info for local tour operators who can get to a distillery, check out our Martinique Rhum page.
For a complete listing of things to do in Martinique, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Martinique Vacation Ideas page.
Located just north of South America’s Venezuelan coast, Bonaire is a special municipality of the Netherlands. Famous for its pink flamingos, the small island is a “diver’s paradise” as well as a great Caribbean Island for snorkeling and watersports, along with being a surprisingly good destination for cycling and hiking as well!
With healthy coral reefs and rich marine life, Bonaire is one of the best islands in the Caribbean for snorkeling and diving! Bonaire and its small offshore island Klein Bonaire is encircled by reefs providing homes for an amazing biodiversity of colourful fish, corals, sponges and more. You can slip into the warm Caribbean sea from shore and swim out to a nearby reef, or take a short boat ride to Bonaire’s Marine Park to experience some of the best snorkel & dive spots in the Caribbean. Explore shallow coral reefs, steep underwater cliffs as well as underwater caves. Bonaire is also one of the best Freediving locations in the world.
For more details on snorkeling or diving at any of the over eighty dive sites in Bonaire, as well as contact info for local dive shops and boat operators who can get you in the water, check out our Bonaire Snorkeling and/or our Bonaire Scuba Diving pages.
With its near-constant trade winds, year-round warm air and water temperatures, Bonaire is one of the best places in the Caribbean to enjoy water sports. The southwest coast of the island seems to be made for kiteboarding and kitesurfing, while the mangroves and waterways of Lac Bay on the southeast side of the island are ideal for kayaking and windsurfing. Spending the day on the sea is a great way to experience the Caribbean and Bonaire definitely provides a number of watersports options to satisfy everyone!
For more tips on watersports options in Bonaire, including contact info for local tour operators, surf shops and places to rent gear, check out our Bonaire Water Sports page.
With over a hundred kilometres of cycling trails, Bonaire is one of the best Caribbean destinations for bicycle riding. Exploring Bonaire by bike provides you with jaw-dropping views of the island and picturesque views of the Caribbean Sea. There are road courses that include amazing scenic coastline routes, as well as off-road trails in desert-like terrain. The surprising hiking trails of Bonaire offer opportunities for some easy relaxing walks as well as a couple of intermediate–difficult outings. Perhaps the best Bonaire hiking can be found in Washington-Slagbaai National Park at the north end of the island.
For more details on biking and hiking in Bonaire, including contact info for local tour operators, hiking guides, and places to rent gear, check out our Bonaire Cycling and/or our Bonaire Hiking pages.
For a complete listing of things to do in Bonaire, including contact info for local tour operators who can help you get the most out of your stay, check out our Bonaire Vacation Ideas page.
Don’t worry, there’s more to come… check out our Top 7 Caribbean Islands to Visit in 2023 (part 2) article.
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Rum is such a big part of Caribbean history that whenever I’m in the Caribbean I just have to visit a local distillery or two. However, in the French Caribbean Island of Martinique, the choice is almost overwhelming. While plenty of Caribbean islands produce Rum, Martinique could be considered the rum, or should I say rhum (en Francais), capital of the world. With over 10 distilleries and likely hundreds of rhums produced on the island, the folks in Martinique take their rum-making seriously. This is evident with the formalization of the liquid gold with an AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) certification. Similar to French-made wines, cheeses and other spirits, the designation certifies the authenticity of Martinique rhums, characterized by their unique geographical origin and production techniques. The terminology used to describe Martinique rhums are also akin to brandies or wines – This includes rhum classifications such as VO, VSOP and XO, and some rhums from a particularly good batch are even sold as ‘vintages’
Oh… One other thing I should also mention is that French “Rhum Agricole” (agricultural rum) is made directly from sugar cane juice, not the molasses by-product of producing sugar, which is the case for most other Caribbean rums. As a result, Martinique rhum production includes a few different steps than other Caribbean distilleries and some of their rhums can be much more expensive than molasses-based rums – We’re talking hundreds of euros per bottle expensive. That said, a great thing about Martinique’s distilleries is that most of them are open to the public, offering free or reasonably priced plantation/distillery tours and rhum tasting along with storefronts providing the opportunity to purchase the rhum(s) of your choice.
So… on our recent trip to Martinique, I had to check out a couple of the rhum industry heavyweights, along with a couple of lesser-known distilleries.
Our first stop had to be the world-renowned Saint James Distillery and Museum of Rhum located in Sainte-Marie on the northeast coast of the island. We parked right next to the large distillery building which unfortunately was not in operation or open to tour when we visited in January, as it is “not in harvest season”. Instead, we wandered around on a self-guided tour of the Museum of Rhum / Maison de la Distillation. The old two-story building is filled with historical St. James memorabilia including old rhum-making equipment such as distillation columns, stills and steam-powered machinery. The building also contains tons of information on Martinique, sugar cane, as well as the French Agricole rhum-making process. For me, it was a thrill to see the incredible stash they have in their basement – Display cases stocked with very old rhums, some dating back as far as the 19th century!
I understand the rhums of St. James began in the 18th century when the Reverend Father in charge of a local hospital built a sugar refinery nearby, which eventually also produced alcohol. The rhum is named after one of the regions providing sugar cane to the refinery. However as France had banned alcohol sales other than wine at the time, the rhum produced was named Saint James, not Saint Jacques, making it easier to sell in the English colonies. Later in the 19th century, the St. James distillery parted ways with the typical round fat bottle of the time, becoming famous for its square bottle. While this move was likely developed to increase shipping efficiency, it presented a modern clean look, that is still attractive today.
After our enjoyable museum visit we went to their little train station out back. It wasn’t long before we boarded an old narrow-gauge train consisting of a small locomotive and three open-air passenger cars. Our train ride took us through fields of sugar cane and other crops in various stages of growth, as well as remarkably close to some residences – Not something we would ever see in North America. A young St. James tour guide entertained the passengers with an interactive and humorous presentation, most of which I, unfortunately, didn’t understand as my conversational French was not up to the task.
Our guide also did double duty as a crossing guard and switchman, hopping off the train at one point to manually sound an alarm and perform flag-man duties as the train crossed a rural road. The train traveled about a mile (< 2km) or so before stopping and reversing course, where at one point our tour guide once again jumped off, this time to switch our track, which took us to the impressive Habitation La Salle.
At the Habitation La Salle train station we disembarked and walked a short distance along a river before crossing a bridge and entering a wonderfully restored collection of 17th-century buildings. Formerly a sugar refinery, now the buildings house a coffee museum, a display of mill equipment used to crush sugar cane into juice, a fascinating “guildiverie” where evaporators and stills were used to produce tafia (a predecessor to rum), as well as aging/storage warehouses. There’s also a special tasting area and shop selling top-shelf artisan bottles of La Salle and St. James branded rhum. After meandering around the grounds of the habitation and exploring the banks of the river, the train returned to pick us up and return us back to the grounds of the St. James Distillery.
On the way to the St. James rhum shop, I noticed a small workshop where a craftsman was demonstrating how the rhum barrels are charred, instilling flavour into the rhum as they age – that was pretty cool. The building that houses the store, with its collection of old distillery and other centuries-old local artifacts, is a museum in its own right, almost distracting from the long bar at the back. Staffed with plenty of friendly and informative patrons, the tasting bar was a happening place. St. James’ latest offerings include a number of white and amber rhums, a variety of aged rhums along with some incredible vintage rhums as well as some interesting premixed concoctions.
While it was great to be immersed in Martinique’s rhum-making history and tradition, we eventually decided that our St. James Rhum experience had to come to an end… After a visit to the nearby Banana Museum and Habitation, we headed back to where we were staying on the other side of the island.
The next afternoon it was overcast and threatening to rain – An excellent opportunity to explore another Martinique rhum distillery! Located in the foothills of Mount Pelee on the northwest side of Martinique just outside the former capital city of Saint-Pierre, reside the impressive grounds of the Depaz plantation and distillery. Back in the 17th century, this was home to the island’s first French Governor and his large farm known as La Montagne.
As soon as we arrived at the Depaz property, we were immediately drawn to the magnificent, what the English would call a Greathouse, on the nearby hillside. Chateau Depaz, also known as Depaz Castle, was built in the early 20th century as a replica of the childhood home of Victor Depaz. The original building was destroyed, along with the city of Saint-Pierre and the surrounding area, in 1902 when the Mount Pelee volcano erupted. Situated between colourful gardens with Mount Pelee in the background and manicured lawns and fields of sugar cane, the chateau enjoys spectacular views of the Caribbean Sea.
After wandering around the grounds for a while, we passed a large 19th-century water wheel before heading towards the distillery and a number of other buildings, situated in a beautiful park setting complete with magnificent centuries-old trees. Once again, we were ‘out of season’ when we visited in January so the distillery was not in operation nor open to the public. I understand that the buildings still operate with power from an old steam engine, fuelled by the remains of crushed sugar cane. It is unfortunate that we were not able to witness the crushing of the cane, the fermentation or the distillation of the precious juice. We did however stroll into the small Depaz Museum displaying some old farm and distillation equipment, as well as some other buildings. The highlight for me had to be peering into the warehouses used to store and age the delicious outputs from the distillery.
Eventually we made our way into their welcoming and informative storefront, where I learned about Depaz’s environmentally friendly farming and production practices as well as more about the sugar cane used to make their rhum, they emphasized the unique blue cane sugar, spring water and the volcanic ground, or “terroir”, local to the Mount Pelée region. Depaz Rhum’s latest offerings include a wide variety of white rhums, and aged rhums along with some special edition rhums that include specific vintages as well as exceptional barrel-finished rhums.
Well, all that walking around and learning had whet my appetite, so I was really looking forward to trying some of their rhums. After not so patiently waiting, a spot finally opened at the small tasting room bar. The friendly Depaz hostess was extremely helpful in explaining the differences between the rhums I wanted to sample. She generously gave me a sample of three whites and the same number of aged rhums. She wisely and professionally gave me enough to sample the elixir, without giving me too much to impair my ability to drive. I am not really a white rum drinker, however, their white rhums were incredibly unique to my palate. The aroma of one of them was pungent yet inviting, with a strong scent of wet green vegetation. The dominant tasting characteristic of the white rhums was a funky burn in the mouth and throat, however, it was kind of a good burn – much better than other white rums I have tasted. That said, I preferred the more flavourful aged rhums, especially the mellow and diverse taste of the reasonably priced ‘Cuvee Victor Depaz’, apparently a blend of bourbon-barrel-aged rhums between 3 and 6 years. I’m no connoisseur, however it tasted a little woody, fruity and herbal to me. When I open the bottle at home, I will try to imagine flavours of chocolate and prunes as suggested on the label. As I am very limited as to what I can bring home with me, I believe this was a solid choice!
After being amazed by the large colourfully labelled vats of rhum off the side of their shop, we called it a day – and it never did rain, or if it did, we didn’t notice it 🙂
A few days later we headed out to the illustrious Habitation Clement, located a little inland just south of Le Francois on the east side of Martinique. FYI – We visited the Habitation from the southeast region of the island and got lost trying to follow a Google maps shortcut. I suggest you just drive all the way into Le Francois and follow the ‘Habitation Clement’ signs at the main roundabout.
Anyways, once we found the place, we parked and paid a nominal fee to enter the property. The grounds are absolutely spectacular! Even if you’re not into rum, this is a great place to just stroll around and relaxingly take in the sights. Following the path from the entrance took us through a well-manicured landscape, including a couple of nice ponds. Fields of sugar cane and bananas surround the grounds – Crops we saw a lot of while exploring the island. Habitation Clement also highlights the work of many local artists, with their creative and imaginative creations displayed throughout the property. While I found some of the art pieces interesting, I was just as happy to feel the warmth of the sun, breath the fresh air and appreciate our gorgeous surroundings.
After a short sit on a bench soaking up the lush green Caribbean environment, we continued to follow the trail up a small hill to a small wooden structure with a grinding stone. The sugar cane crushing machinery would have been powered by a donkey walking around and around in circles. From this vantage point we had a great view of the palm grove and buildings below. At the bottom of the hill, the path took us through a wonderful variety of palm trees of different colours, shapes and sizes. We also passed another small pond, this one the canvass for another art display. From there we walked through a small patch of sugar cane and then things started to get more exciting, or at least more rhum themed.
We approached a building that just oozing with the strong but appealing smell of wood and aging rum. The scent was emanating of course from a warehouse full of rhum barrels – An overload to the nasal senses for sure. A little further along the trail and we came across a couple more warehouses filled with more Clement-stamped barrels of assorted shapes and sizes. After admiring the vast quantity of barrels in storage we went up the Clement Creole village consisting of a few old buildings that included a stable, a separate kitchen-house as well as the iconic Clement Greathouse, a graphic of which is used as their logo on every bottle of rhum and other products they sell. There is also a building that houses their renowned art exhibits. I was also enamored with the amazing old trees in the area, my favourites being a figuier, a red mahogany and a tamarind tree.
The path then took us into the old distillery for more things to see. It is no longer operating, however there are several old stills and various distillery machinery to look at. Upstairs the building houses an amazingly set of displays and presentations providing a detailed record of the history of sugar cane, rhum making, Martinique and Habitation Clement – Extremely informative and fascinating. By the way, an audio guide is available on your smartphone if you are interested in hearing all the details of the art displays and buildings encountered on the self-guided tour.
Eventually, our self-guided tour spilled us out into a small shop and sampling bar where some of Clément’s finest can be tasted. Latest offerings from Clement include a variety of white and aged rhums, as well as several rhum liqueurs and pre-mixed concoctions. I tried a white rhum and a young-age rhum as well as some rhum liqueurs and pre-mixed concoctions, with the highlight having to be a taste of a very well-aged cuvee – Extremely smooth and complex. That said, we ended up purchasing their Antilles (Planters) Punch to savour while we continued to vacation on the island.
It was a very enjoyable couple of hours, walking the well-manicured lawns, soaking up the warmth of the sun, appreciating the art, smelling the aromas of the barrel warehouses, and of course sampling Clement’s fine rhums and rhum liqueurs.
After one of our other Martinique adventures, we accidentally came across a distillery located on the western side of Martinique, just south of Le Carbet. Invited by the ‘Neisson Rhum’ signs along the N2 road, we thought we venture in for a look. We didn’t have time for a tour of the facility, however I understand that it consists of a stroll through a number of buildings that house a mill, a boiler, fermentation tanks, a column still, warehouses used for aging their rhums, as well as a bottling facility. After a brief look around, we visited their shop to sample a couple of aged rhums, and I ended up picking up one of their bottles of VO rhum, something I would never be able to find at home. I’ve never tasted a rhum so light and floral in my entire life – Very interesting. We enjoyed our brief visit to Rhum Neisson, and left with the impression of a small boutique rhum producer.
Ahhh – So many Martinique rhums, so little time… Other distilleries that I would have liked to have visited while we were on the island include La Mauny, Trois Rivieres, Habitation Saint Etienne (HSE), Dillon, La Favorite, J.M. and A1710 (Habitation Simon). Maybe next time 😊
If you’re interested in reading more about rum, check out our Caribbean Rum page and our Martinique Rhum page, which includes a list of Tour Operators who will get you sampling the island’s finest.
For an overview of beautiful and rugged Martinique, take a look at our Martinique Vacations page
For other great Tourist Attractions on the island, check out our Things to Do in Martinique page
ACT Staff
