Travel guide Martinique
The exoticism of the Caribbean softened by the comfort of the language and by the infrastructures of an Overseas Department (DOM), this is what Martinique offers. The Island of flowers is first of all heavenly beaches with infinite gradations of white or black sand that can be enjoyed all year round thanks to a generous sun: Anse noire, Céron, Trabeau, Cap Macré or les Salines. It is also a great place for green tourism to be discovered with its tourist guide of Martinique. Hiking on the volcano of Mount Pelee, discovering the aquatic fauna in the Anses d'Arlet with mask and snorkel, kayaking in the mangrove of Trois-Ilets, canyoning in the Piton du Carbet massif... It is finally and above all a rich cultural heritage that museums, distilleries, gardens and other Creole houses tell you about between a zouk course, a plate of West Indian black pudding and a ti-punch.
What to see, what to do Martinique?
-
Book an activity
-
Customized travel
- The most beautiful cities Martinique
When to go Martinique ?
The best time to go to Martinique outside of the crowded areas is in May and June: the climate is pleasant and prices are at their lowest. Prices are also lower from September to mid-December: take advantage of it! In July and especially in August, the weather is very hot and more humid: it rains more often, which doesn't bother you at all. Don't forget that the long vacations allow the West Indians to come back home. It is often difficult to find a rental car and plane tickets are very expensive (especially if you book at the last minute). On the other hand, avoid planning a sailboat cruise in September, as the hurricane season is not over.
Suggested addresses Martinique
Travel Martinique
-
Find a hotel
-
Car Rental
-
International e-SIM package
-
Find a local agency
Accessible thanks to often attractive airline tickets, Martinique is a destination that combines all the assets: dream beaches, easy hiking, water sports, all in perfect safety! The island lends itself willingly to family holidays, alone or with friends, of variable duration: one week for the most in a hurry, fifteen days for the luckiest! Take a trip to paradisiacal places surrounded by turquoise waters. It will also be an opportunity, during your peregrinations, to discover a rich heritage, with strong traditions, welcoming inhabitants proud of their incredible land and authentic fishing villages. A getaway between land and sea, between idleness and sports, take the time to savour the riches offered by the tropical forest, the old plantations with an eventful history, to taste the colourful flavours of Martinique's gastronomy and to take the time to appreciate. Quite simply.
Find unique Stay Offers with our Partners
How to go Martinique
How to go alone
The price of a plane ticket depends on the airline used but especially on the reservation period. To obtain interesting rates, take advantage of the frequent promotions throughout the year. It is perfectly possible to organize your stay on your own. You will find many tour operators and service providers, inter-island connections as well as supermarkets and grocery stores.
How to go on a tour
Tours, hikes, relaxing stays, diving, catamaran or monohull combinations, cruises, honeymoons and wedding anniversaries... The offer for Martinique covers a wide range of activities and possibilities. The specialists are numerous and offer tailor-made trips.
How to get around
Public transportation on the island remains limited, even if a network exists in the Fort-de-France area and communal lines irrigate the outlying districts of the towns. It is therefore preferable to have a vehicle and a road map to get around. The plane allows you to travel between the islands. Air Antilles and Air Caraïbes offer many flights.
Featured articles Martinique
Discover Martinique
Gardens are an integral part of Martinique's exceptional history and heritage. Better still, they contribute to enriching it. Those who discover the island are amazed by the exuberance of its natural vegetation and by the astonishing diversity of its gardens, which are home to a unique biodiversity, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A wide variety of plants - market gardeners, medicinal plants and ornamental plants - grow side by side, giving the impression of a cheerful jumble. This is the legacy of a long-standing agroforestry tradition, handed down from Amerindians to slaves from Africa, and synthesized in the famous Creole garden. Despite the current climate changes, nature is still reclaiming its rightful place, thanks to the mix of vegetation inherited from the history and exceptional richness of the island nicknamed the "Island of Flowers".
The 12 keywords Martinique
1. #Carnival
It's undoubtedly the biggest party of the year, a jubilation that sweeps the whole island in its wake. At the heart of Carnival, each day is unique: Monday and its burlesque weddings, Mardi Gras marked in diabolical red and black, Ash Wednesday in black and white as a sign of mourning (this is the day when Vaval, the king of Carnival, is burned).
2. #Unesco
On September 16, 2023, the outstanding universal value of Mount Pelée and the Pitons of northern Martinique was officially recognized by Unesco's World Heritage Committee in Riyadh. With its exceptional geology and biodiversity, this site is now included on the list of World Heritage Sites.
3. #Creole
Originally born of the need for communication between white masters and uprooted black slaves, Creole is a language in its own right, not a patois, with its own grammar and rules. A suggestive language by nature, it alludes to numerous images, often with sexual connotations, and is a strong element of Martinican identity.
4. #Flowers
It's no coincidence that Martinique is nicknamed the "Island of Flowers". Here, flowers are everywhere: alpinias, bougainvilleas, hibiscus, allamandas, balisiers, cassia alatas, porcelain roses, Malaysian queens, orchids, periwinkles, and they grow on their own, thriving in their natural habitat or in dedicated gardens.
5. #
Hated by sailors, loved by tourists, they are part of the island's mythical paradise. These immaculate sandy seabeds, offering very little depth, flourish along the Atlantic coast, between Robert, François and Sainte-Anne, passing by the legendary bathtub in which Joséphine so loved to cool off...
6. #Habitation
By extension, the term refers to the estate of the owner of a sugar cane or tobacco plantation. It consists of the manor house, often perched on top of a dreary hill, administrative buildings, shops to store goods, workshops, with around the famous "cases-nègres" streets where slaves were piled up.
7. #Crayfish
Once considered as the dish of the poor (how times have changed!), this shellfish with long antennae is king in Martinique. It can be eaten in many ways. Its fishing is prohibited between January 1st and March 31st (reproduction period) and its size must not be less than 22 cm (or 14 cm for the Brazilian) at the time of capture.
8. #Markets
They start very early in the morning and each town has its own. Often small, simple, friendly and sometimes disorienting, the fruit and vegetable markets are very colorful. One comments the fact of the day around a kilo of sweet potato, yam or manioc. It is necessary to be on first-name terms and Creole is highly recommended!
9. #Morne
Numerous in Martinique, the mornes are small hills at very different altitudes depending on the location, from forty to several hundred meters. They generally offer sumptuous panoramas of the coasts, Caribbean or Atlantic, and sometimes turn into peaks in the north, or even mini-mountains all over the island!
10. #Ti-punch
Some like it "sec-sec" (without anything!), others prefer it with a dash of lemon and a hint of sugar. Either way, ti-punch is an institution in Martinique. The expression was inspired by the "punchon", a small barrel used to pack tafia, itself derived from the old French "ponçon", "ponchon", "poinçon"…
11. #Yole
The history of this unique boat, typical of the island, begins with the first Native American navigators. The result of a traditional skill inherited from the ancients to create a hull with pure lines and a large square sail, without ballast or lead keel, the yole, with its colored sails, symbolizes the osmosis between Man and the sea.
12. #Zouk
This musical genre created in the early 1980s was popularized by the group Kassav'. If the discerning ear can easily distinguish between the different types of zouk (concrete zouk, love zouk and even metal zouk), today "zouk" refers to music, dance or the place of celebration. Much better than medicine, it is a true remedy against gloom.
You are from here, if...
"Pani pwoblem" is your motto. Renowned for their cool attitude, the people of Martinique always take life in the right direction and are rather relaxed. Here, stress is not a problem and you take your time to live.
You are up early in the morning and jump out of bed as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear. In Martinique, life starts early. People organize themselves to done everything done before nightfall at 6pm. Night owls beware, because after 10 pm it is not always easy to find an open restaurant.
You buy coconuts on the roadside, smoked chicken and fresh marlin on the roundabouts.
You hitchhike rather than wait for the bus!
You prefer Lorraine to generic lager and coconut water to apple juice.
You say good evening as from midday and use the familiar form of address for everyone.
You call your half "doudou" (cuddly toy).
Zouk is your religion!
You always walk around with your bathing suit and towel at hand, because in Martinique the sea is never far away!