Sports and leisure activities Martinique

Budget & Tips

With warm waters all year round (28°C on average), Martinique is a paradise for swimmers and snorkelers alike! Armed simply with a mask and snorkel, you'll discover an incredibly rich and colorful underwater life. A word of advice: never go alone, and remember to signal your presence with a brightly-colored towed buoy.

Hiking. On land, the island is also a veritable Eden for hikers: no fewer than forty marked trails are scattered across Martinique. Classified into four categories, the walks are not particularly difficult. Tourist offices provide a departmental map of walking and hiking itineraries. For excursions and hikes involving mountainous terrain, we strongly advise you to be accompanied by qualified and certified guides, and to be aware of weather conditions, which can change very quickly. There are a number of reputable associations that can offer you a wide range of tours and walks. A number of mountain guides have opted for quality in order to gain recognition for their profession. All professionals, they have joined forces to form the Association Martiniquaise des Accompagnateurs en Montagne. Respecting mountain hiking legislation, they take care of everything. The principle: you come with your walking gear (clothes and shoes) and, of course, an idea of the region you want to cover, they define the itinerary according to your wishes and provide everything you need in terms of additional equipment or food. Their knowledge of the island means safety, ease of use and enjoyment. In any case, always bring good shoes, a hat, sun cream, a bottle of water and mosquito repellent.

Kitesurfing. The South Atlantic coast (Cap-Chevalier, Le François) and the Pointe-du-Bout stretch of water (opposite Fort-de-France) are particularly popular for this board sport, a curious mix of surfing, windsurfing and kite-flying! Clubs have set up in these areas, offering introductory and advanced courses. A medical certificate of fitness to practice kitesurfing is now compulsory. Similarly, if you're already an autonomous kitesurfer, you'll need to prove that you have FFVL green levels and IKO level 3. If you already have them, you can hire the equipment from the club. Otherwise, lessons are compulsory.

Sea scooters. This discipline is now accessible to all without a sea licence, provided you are supervised by qualified instructors working at a base approved by the Affaires Maritimes. Under these conditions, instructors with a "brevet d'Etat" can teach scooters in a safe and appropriate environment. They are authorized to supervise up to four machines (i.e. eight people) on tours along Martinique's coastline.

Surfing. The Tartane spot (commune of La Trinité, north Atlantic coast) is the best served in terms of waves, thanks to the regularity and size of the swell. Grand-Rivière, at the northern end of the island (opposite Dominica), is reserved for more experienced surfers. When it comes to equipment, it's best to travel with your own board, but beware of transport conditions. It's best to check with your airline. This individual sport, which is practiced on natural sites, is, of course, free of charge. But it's a good idea to bring your license with you, to avoid any nasty surprises, and to take out civil liability insurance in case of accidents in the water with other surfers.

Diving. Accessible to everyone from the age of 8 and with no age limit, scuba diving is the island's leading tourist activity, and too many people still think it's only for experienced divers. In fact, there's something for everyone! The north, with its dizzying drop-offs and historic wrecks sunk by the eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902. The south, with its white sands and turquoise waters. Coral plateaus offering garden and pool dives, as well as some beautiful drop-offs. Not forgetting the famous Diamond Rock. Feel like taking the plunge? Try a first dive in Martinique, where the seabed is full of marvellous things without going too low. Always choose an approved club with state-certified diving instructors. For experienced divers, Martinique has many remarkable sites. Don't hesitate to ask to be supervised on certain dives, so you don't miss out on the best. For more experienced divers, Martinique's dive clubs offer FFESSM and ANMP diving courses from level 1 to level 4, as well as PADI courses from Discover Scuba Diver to the Dive Master professional diploma. If you already have a level, remember to bring your diploma or logbook with you.

Canyoning. Northern Martinique offers a prodigious playground for canyoning enthusiasts. The river gorges in the foothills of the volcano lend themselves to sensational descents. From family-friendly strolls to more technical canyons reserved for connoisseurs (a 70 m abseil, for example!), there's something for everyone! Thrills guaranteed. Never venture out on your own, and choose certified instructors who offer "canyoning" packages, either full-day or half-day.

What's very local

The Martinicans love cycling! On Sundays, you will regularly come across clubs of cyclists out and about. If the roads are not necessarily the best places to practice, the fields of cane and banana offer gorgeous alternatives. But you have to know them… Ask for the way.

Your documents please

A boating license is required for motorboats with 6 HP or more. Please note that navigation in the Caribbean is the same as in the USA, i.e. everything is reversed (green to port, red to starboard)!

Gun fishing with bottles is strictly forbidden. So is picking up coral, even dead coral. Nor are you allowed to fish for lambis or sea urchins from January to September. Finally, the speed limit in coastal areas is 5 knots within 300 m of the coast and around islets.

To be booked

You can practice all kinds of outdoor sports in Martinique: horseback riding (a dozen ranches across the island), golf (the Espérance golf course in Trois-Ilets is the only 18-hole course on the island), and of course all kinds of water sports: rafting, canyoning, kayaking, sailing, kitesurfing and paddleboarding, which are all very fashionable. From the initiation to the more experienced practice, think, in high season, to book in advance with an operator to choose what suits you, from the training course over several days to the one-day excursion. Knowing that the weather will have the last word anyway. But it is better to be careful and to anticipate if you want to do certain activities.

Centers offer the "rental" formula by the hour, by the half-day or in a longer package. Training courses are organized for all levels, from beginners to the most advanced. Some clubs are located within the hotels but are open to the public, others are independent private or public structures.

Main events

In July, two sporting events unleash Martinican passions: the Tour des yoles rondes, a seven-stage race that circles the island aboard Martinique's famous colorful boats, and the Tour cycliste de la Martinique, which takes place in nine stages and brings together some 100 participants.