Things To See & Do in Martinique – Popular Excursions and Tourist Attractions
There are plenty of fun and interesting things to see and do on the French Caribbean Island of Martinique. The island is home to many buildings and sites of historical importance, as well as museums and a truly fascinating assortment of natural wonders to appreciate. Unsurprisingly, the Island of Flowers has many plantations and gardens as well. Of course, boat cruises provide a unique view of the island from the sea! For a list of Martinique tour operators and their offerings, follow the links below:
Popular Martinique Plantations and Gardens:
- Jardin de Balata, located just north of Fort-De-France, showcases the pride of the Island of Flowers – More than just the island’s local Botanical Gardens.
- Habitation Anse Latouche, located just south of Saint Pierre is home to the remains of a 17th-century plantation. Explore the garden and numerous old buildings, as well as the Zoo Martinique.
- The Céron Habitation, located just north of Le Precheur features Parks, Gardens, Chocolate, and more…
Popular Martinique Cultural and Heritage Sites:
- The Pécoul Habitation. located at the northeast end of Martinique, is an 18th-century Greathouse providing an example of Creole history and architecture.
- The Ruins of Saint-Pierre, are 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 and ash. See related museums below.
- Château Dubuc, located on the Caravelle Peninsula, is the remains of several buildings from the remarkable 18th-century plantation
- The Habitation le Galion, located just south of La Trinité is the last sugar factory operating in Martinique. Village and factory tours are possible from February to June.
- Fort Royal (Fort Saint Louis) in Fort-de-France, now an active naval base, offers tours of the remains of the 17th-century fortress
- Habitation la Sucrerie, located just southwest of Les Trois-Îlets takes one back to the 18th-century sugar cane industry (open in September only?)
- Musee de la Pagerie, located just south of Les Trois-Îlets, is the birthplace-turned-museum of the Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, known for being the first wife of Emperor Napolean
- La Savane des Esclaves, located just south of Les Trois-Îlets, is home to a reconstruction of a large 17th-century slave village
- Memorial de l’Anse Caffard (Mémorial Cap 110), located south of Les Anses-d’Arlet, is a sculpture-based art display preserving the memory and history of slavery (photo below), specifically a boating accident in 1830 that resulted in the death of dozens of slaves.
Popular Martinique Museums and Educational Centres:
- The Centre de Découverte des Sciences de la Terre (the earth-science museum), located just north of St. Pierre, includes an exhibit and film dedicated to Mont Pelée and volcanoes.
- The Franck Perret Volcanological Museum (Musée Volcanologique), located in Saint Pierre, is dedicated to explaining the Mount Pelee eruption of 1902
- Departmental Museum of Archaeology and Prehistory of Martinique (Musée Départemental d’Archéologie et de Préhistoire de la Martinique) and the Regional Museum of History and Ethnography (Musée Régional d’Histoire et d’Ethnographie de Martinique) are located in Fort-de-France
- House of Sugar Cane (Maison de la Canne), located just southeast of Les Trois-Îlets, is a museum housed in an old distillery building, displaying artifacts of the sugar industry.
- Le Musée de la Mer, located just southeast of Les Trois-Îlets, is a museum dedicated to the Sea, featuring a large collection of shells and marine life artifacts.
Other Popular Martinique Excursions and Tourist Attractions Include:
- The Zoo de Martinique is located just south of Saint Pierre
- The Banana Museum, located near Sainte Marie (northeast Martinique) is home to an exhibit, a garden and a shop – All things banana.
- Sacred Heart Church (Sacré-Coeur de Balata) / Balata Cathedral, located just north of Fort-De-France was inspired by Montmartre’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Paris.
- The Mangofil Treetop Activity Park, located just southeast of Les Trois-Îlets, is home to an outdoor adventure park featuring adventure courses (with ziplining), trampolines, giant swings, bungy catapult, mini-golf and more!
- Morne Gommier, located just northwest of Sainte-Anne, is one of the most-visited sightseeing destinations on Martinique, with spectacular views of the south of the island and the Caribbean sea.
Looking for a Martinique Nature Break?
- The Route de la Trace (highway N3) runs from Fort-de-France up through Fonds Saint Denis Rain-Forest and Le Morne Rouge to L’Ajoupa-Bouillon, with many scenic stops along the way. Attractions include a couple of waterfalls, les cascades de Didier just north of Fort-De-France, as well as Cascade du Saut du Gendarme inland from St. Pierre, as well as the Ombrages nature center and the Gorge de la Falaise located in L’Ajoupa-Bouillon.
- The Domaine d’Emeraude, located inland from St. Pierre, is a large 25-hectare arboretum with a pavilion, greenhouses and walking paths to observe Martinique’s rich biodiversity.
- The Tombolo of Sainte-Marie is an amazing natural phenomenon to experience. Every February/March, the seawater between Petite-Anse and the island of Sainte-Marie (almost) disappears, making it possible to walk the 200 meters across a large sandbar.
- The Savane des Petrifications, located just south of Sainte-Anne, is a desert-like rocky landscape one wouldn’t expect to see on a lush Caribbean Island (Photo above right). It also has great views of the Atlantic Ocean.
- Along the southern coastline due south of Les Trois-Îlets, one can observe Diamond Rock jutting out of the sea – A popular viewpoint of Martinique (photo below).
So, as you can see, there are plenty of things to do and see in and around Martinique. For Martinique tour operators offering island or ocean tours, follow the links below:
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 l’Anse Mitan, Grande Anse d’Arlet, Sainte Luce, and of course the Grande Anse des Salines.
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