'Chic' Martinique - Jan 2012

Arrival by:       Ferry from Dominica (Roseau) into Fort-de-France
Ferry details:   2 1/2 hours
Departure by:  Air (to Guadeloupe)
Status:              Overseas department of France, EU
Capital:            Fort-de-France
Currency:        Euro
Language:        French, Creole
Native drink:   Ti Punch (neat rum, sugar and a squeeze of fresh lime)
Island Tip:       New Year's Eve is celebrated with a BIG PARTY - but it happens on 30 December!
                          31 December is a day for family get-togethers and all shops and most restaurants
                          are closed!

Accommodation:  Hotel L'Imperatrice, Fort-de-France
                               Hotel Le Mangier, Tartane
                               Hotel La Pagerie, Pointe du Bout

Notes on island travel:

Martinique (Martinique) is named after the Carib Indian expression 'Madinina', meaning the island of flowers.  It's worth spending a few days here to discover these beauties:

Presqu'ile du Caravelle - This 12 km long peninsula pierces the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern side of Martinique.  It's fairly flat, but the small villages along its northern shores are worth exploring.  Tartane was our choice for an overnight stay, with our hotel affording a magnificent view from the hill across the bay and town.  We took lunch in a roadside cafe/restaurant 'chez Susy', with starters of local delicacies such as acras, crab, and boudin, followed by fresh fish from the grill and an excellent bottle of chilled white wine :)


Les Salines - This southern location has a beautiful beach, with palms draping themselves over the white sand and with gentle waves, so great for enjoying the ocean.  But the real treat here is the absence of any large tourist developments, allowing for an unusually relaxed experience.  Some small trade stalls hide in the shade of the palms, where refreshments and snacks can keep you going all day.  A must-do, not far from the beach is a salt pond, the Etang des Salines, which has an elevated walkway built across the pond to allow a stroll so as to admire the dry landscape, waders standing around in the low waters and thousands of crabs of all shapes and sizes dashing about as soon as they notice any movement.


Ste-Anne - Near Les Saline, this is a lovely small fishing village, where an hour or two can be lazed away strolling along the water and taking a coffee by the beach.  Walking south from the pier, a patisserie offers sandwiches, cakes and coffees - but the surprise is that you can walk out through the back, past where the fresh bread is being baked, onto a terrace which is right on the beach and by the water ... a real treat if you can find it.




Anse Caffard Memorial - On the southern foothills of Morne Larcher, just by the ocean, this memorial stands to remember the lives lost when a ship carrying African slaves ran aground in raging seas in April 1830.  There are 15 statues in all and they make quite an impact when spotted from the road.  Stop here and reflect on this incident while looking across the waters that caused it to happen.




St-Pierre - Travelling north-west from Fort-de-France the road takes you to St-Pierre, the former capital of Martinique.  It is famous mostly for being destroyed by an eruption of volcano Pelee, which looms just beyond the town, often shrouded in heavy clouds.  Visit the many ruins of places which have never been rebuilt ...

'Natural' Domincia - Dec 2011

Arrival by:       Ferry from Guadeloupe (Pointe-a-Pitre) into Roseau
Ferry details:   2 1/4 hours
Departure by:  Ferry (to Martinique)
Status:              Independent (Commonwealth of Dominica)
Capital:            Roseau
Currrency:       East Caribbean Dollar (EC$)
Language:        English, Creole
Native drink:   Rum Punch and Kubuli beer
Island Tip:       The majority of fresh juices are freshly prepared from locally grown produce
                          - a real treat! Also try the salads (they taste wonderfully earthy) and 'provisions'
                          (the local root vegetables).

Accommodation:  Fort Young Hotel
Whilst checking in, the reception staff provide us with a 'cooling' wet towel and a 'cool' local juice!
Friday nights at the hotel are 'Local' events, with a creole food buffet and drinks.
Choose your preferred options, pay for them, get a ticket and redeem at the buffet/bar.
Great fun!

Notes on island travel:

Map of the Eastern Caribbean, as printed on the Eastern Caribbean Dollar notes.

Approaching the island by ferry affords a wide mountainous and lush green view of the approaching destination.  Dominica has an immediately noticeable relaxed and happy atmosphere.

DRIVING - The quality of Dominica's road network varies widely, with the road running along the West side of the island being the best.  Other roads can be narrow and strewn with potholes, so that small distances can take much longer to drive than visitors may be used to.  Due to these road conditions, in addition to some steep inclines, it's worth hiring a 4x4 vehicle.  Public transport is restricted and won't cover routes further afield.  All vehicle hire requires the driver to purchase a temporary Domincian driving licence, which the Agents will supply instantly.  Once you have your car, don't forget to beep the horn at every corner, to say thank you, to let someone overtake, to let someone turn, when driving uphill, when going downhill, etc ... :)

ROSEAU - Staying in Roseau is a good option, as it gives access to all main facilities, not to mention the most glorious sunsets!  Get up at daybreak and walk the deserted streets and enjoy the vibrantly coloured buildings, before all the local hustle and bustle begins.  Most days, around 08:00 am, a cruise ship will pull in on the dock right on the seafront, obscuring the view out to the Caribbean.  Hordes of (mostly) American tourists flood into Roseau at once, filling the previously empty streets.  The cruisers are usually gone by 17:00 hrs, at which point the traders pack up all their merchandise and take it home, until the following day they set up again ...

One of the great places to hang out in is the Ruins Rock Cafe, on the corner of King George V Street and Old Street.  As the name suggests, the cafe is housed in a ruin, covered with a plastic corrugated roof and long communal tables.  The food served is local and their rum punches deliver a 'punch' indeed.  During the day, when the cruise ships have docked, this place is brimming with tourists, all skyping, facebooking, and generally sitting together around the tables, but not communicating with each other at all - an education to watch! Our favourite evening past time was to enjoy the rum punch on the 'only' bench outside of the cafe, watching the traders move their dismantled stalls around, taxis picking up locals at the end of the day, and a one-armed 'friend' trying to entice us to a particular restaurant, and ... for more information ... take a trip yourself and send us your stories.

SOUTH WEST - In the south-west of the island a spit of land 'Scotts Head' protrudes from the island and its worth taking a walk to.  It's quiet here - on the southern side of this 'tongue' the Martinique Channel throws excited waves against the beach, while on the northern side a peaceful ocean laps it calmly.

NORTH WEST - Travelling north towards Portsmouth, watch out for signs to the Syndicate Reserve, a definite must-stop-off point if you are interested in the 'nature' side of things.  But beware that from the turn-off point on the main road it will take a good half an hour to drive to the reserve.  This road is narrow and remote, and it winds through lush tropical greenery spilling over onto the road.  This is also where Dominica's fruit is grown, as acres and acres of banana plantations and citrus fruit orchards keep each other company.  The Reserve lies at the end of this 'forgotten' road.  It is here, guide books tell us, that you have the best chance of spotting the Dominican Sisserou and Jaco parrots.   When we arrived we were the only visitors at the Reserve.  As soon as we opened our car doors we could hear the loud and excited chatter of the parrots sitting in and flying among the trees.  From the clearing at the car park we had a marvellous view, particularly when using our binoculars.   During our hike in the rainforest we didn't hear or see the parrots at all, but seeing so many buttress roots, smelling the earthy air and hearing the raindrops falling, more than made up for it.

EAST - The drive along the eastern coast is far more rugged, as the Atlantic pounds the coastline and spreads wave mist into the air.  It is this side of the island that is still home to some Carib villages, with the local Kalinago people still living in their stilted houses and working the land. 

Overall, a peaceful and safe environment with locals keen to make contact, some fantastic scenery, and tasty barbecued road-side food - highly recommended!  

NOTE:  When on or near beaches, look out for trees marked with a band of red paint; they are Manchineel trees and if their sap gets in contact with your skin, you can get burn marks and even blistering.  I woke up one morning with red marks on my right arm, which I couldn't explain at all.  Luckily there was no pain, but eventually some blisters developed and this in turn caused itchiness.  The local pharmacies are all aware of this and can supply a cream which will help calm the burns.  Because I'm not very brave, I actually visited a doctor, who drained the blisters, which accelerated the healing process.  Six weeks on, there is still some redness, but now I'm very proud of it!

'Belle' Guadeloupe - Dec 11 / Jan 12

Arrival by:       Air
Flight details:  7.5 hours from Paris Orly to Pointe-a-Pitre
Departure by:  Ferry (to Dominica) & Air (to Paris)
Status:              Overseas department of France, EU
Capital:            Basse-Terre, on Basse-Terre island
Currrency:       Euro
Language:        French
Native drink:   Ti Punch (rum punch)
Island Tip:        Most bakeries or 'boulangeries' have cafe-style tables and chairs, so they make for a
                           good pit-stop during your travels.

Accommodation:  Grande-Terre @ Canella Beach Hotel
                               Basse-Terre @ Hotel Fort Royal Deshaies

Notes on island travel:

The immediate impression upon leaving the airport terminal is the intensity of the concert given by local birds and insects. Arrival in paradise!  Made up of two distinct and very different islands, Guadeloupe is divided only by a narrow salt river.

It's easiest to get around the islands by car.  Public transport timetables are not easy to get hold of and even then somewhat unreliable.  Although, it's quite nice to wander around on foot if you have the time, which can lead to some unusual interactions with the
                                                      locals, such as people leaving church or coconut sellers by the road.


Grand-Terre  -  The most developed tourist area is on the eastern island of Grande-Terre.  The major development of St Gosier on the south side is home to many hotels with some pretty white-sand beaches.  As you travel east, the towns of St Anne and St Francois also accommodate travelers, with St Francois being the less crowded and prettier choice of the two, including a well kept marina.

At the most eastern point of Guadeloupe named 'Pointe des Chateaux', it's worth climbing all the way up to the cross, from where you can look back onto Guadeloupe and observe how narrow this bit of eastern land is.  The southern side is hugged by mangraves, whereas the north-eastern side's beaches are lapped by Atlantic waves.  Further east you can also spot the island of La Desirade, part of Guadeloupe.


Traveling north, the landscape changes to agriculture, mainly sugar cane, with a much more rural feel to it.  Here, it feels even more quiet and remote.  At the northern-most point of Grande-Terre, Pointe de la Grande Vigie, a boardwalk allows a walk around the tip, and views north across the Caribbean to the islands of Montserrat and Antigua.

In the eastern small town of Petit-Canal remnents of the slavery days can still be found on the steps to the town church.  Small wooden boards are attached to the walls by the steps, into which the African tribal names are enscribed, of those brought here to be dispatched or sold.  Just down the road from the church are boats moored, allowing boat trips through the mangroves.

Basse-Terre  -  This western island of Guadeloupe is much more rugged and untouched.  A couple of forts make for stop-off points:  Fort L'Olive in the south and Fort Delgres on the outskirts of the capital Basse-Terre.  The latter and larger fort is named after the anti-slavery supporter Louis Delgres, and both are free to roam around in.

The road cutting this island in half 'Route de la Traversee' makes for a worthwhile drive, with options for hiking, rainforest walks, and waterfalls.  The oversized plants of the rainforest are wonderfully rich in colour and a great reminder of where you are ...

The western side of Basse-Terre is the best place to enjoy amazing Caribbean sunsets, with each day's colours changing and making them unique, particularly if you have a cocktail in your hand!  The town of Deshaies is quaint and mostly unspoilt by tourism.  The boulders of the break-water make for a good vantage point for a view across to the town.

Walk the beach of Grand Anse barefoot and enjoy the tranquillity, not easily found on many of the busier Caribbean islands.  There are also pretty and accessible beaches further north from Deshaies, which are protected for nesting turtles.

The charm of Guadeloupe comes from goats roaming by the roadside, ram-shackle houses painted in the wildest colours imaginable, red and green shiney rooftops, green landscape framed by the blues of the ocean and the sky, friendly locals, unspoilt and mostly untouched landscapes and pelicans diving impressively into the ocean for food.