Guadeloupe Islands

Fast Facts

Location: Eastern Caribbean, Southeast of Puerto Rico
Significance: Exotic Island
Attraction Types: Beaches, Hiking, Wildlife, Nightlife, Shopping
How to Reach: Guadeloupe Airport is well connected to almost all major Caribbean and American airports. There are flights from Europe as well. It can also be reached by boat from other Caribbean islands like Martinique, Dominica and Saint Lucia.
Nearest Airport: Guadeloupe Airport

There is a distinct Indian touch in the Guadeloupe Islands, in the way of delicacies. Colombo, the most characteristic local preparation of the Guadeloupe, a combination of rice, chicken and curry has Indian routes. The distinctly cosmopolitan nature of the island is evident all over the island. Guadeloupe mixes the best of what is French to the best of what is Caribbean, with all other influences thrown in between. Politically, it is a French overseas department located in the eastern Caribbean, to the southeast of Puerto Rico. Also known as the Butterfly Islands because of its unique shape, this archipelago has turned into a very popular tourist destination because of its great beaches, exciting watersport opportunities and fascinating nightlife and party life.

Islands in Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is a combination of a large number of islands. Some of the most important islands of the group include Grand Terre, Marie Galante, La Desirade, Petite Terre, and Basse Terre.

Each island is unique in its topography and the kind of attractions it present to the travelers. While some of them are lush with a canopy of green vegetation, others are dry, mountainous and uninhabited. Grand Terre is the tourist capital with a large number of beautiful beaches and tourist attractions.

Things to do in Grand Terre

Although there are tourists who would like to explore the less popular islands, Grand Terre is the island with the largest number of tourist attractions. Some of the most popular attractions of the island include:

Point-a-Pitre: This is the economic capital of Guadeloupe, with all the major government and financial buildings located around this region. Gosier: The best place to enjoy nightlife in the Grand Terre.

St. Anne Beach: This is the most popular beach in the Guadeloupe region. There are a large number of bars and restaurants that offer live music and other forms of entertainment that run late into the night. There are opportunities for on-shore and off-shore activities as well. You can join a dance course, enjoy beach volley, windsurf, go for boating or join a gym. However, it is a little crowded and may not be the best place if you are looking for some quiet seclusion.

Terre-de-Haut: If you find the St. Anne Beach too crowded and too touristy to your liking, you can travel to this tiny island. It is quiet and has a very modest and understated elegance.

La Soufriere: This is an activity with a difference. You have great hiking opportunity to the top of this brooding volcano.

Accommodation in Guadeloupe

There are a number of hotels, villas, boutique villages and inns spread all over Guadeloupe. However, some of the most popular ones are PV-Holidays Sainte Anne Holiday Village with its several hotel apartments, exotic 2 floor houses located amidst a self catering village. Chalets sous-le-Vent-Reserve Cousteau is another extremely popular accommodation destination. It presents excellent lodging activities with the main adventure destinations located only a short distance away.