Guadeloupe Packages/Deals & Travel Agents Near Me

A visit to Guadeloupe can be as varied as the flowers, cuisine and music found on the six idyllic inhabited isles and a handful of smaller ones that make up its archipelago. Reactions to Guadeloupe often fall into the love-it-or-hate-it category. For some visitors, the beauty of the geography, the warmth of the native Creole population, the superlative cuisine and the potential for adventurous activities are so compelling that they never leave. Others, particularly those who arrive here for a few hours of frenzied shopping and don’t venture past the decrepit Pointe-a-Pitre, do not care for what they experience and never return.

For many newcomers, this set of outcroppings in the blue waters of the Lesser Antilles is paradise, thanks to the pristine beaches, accommodation options and French-inspired cuisine. The boisterous backdrop of gwo-ka music, beguine dancing and other colorful Creole traditions are unique and unforgettable. Guadeloupe offers something for all tastes, budgets and philosophies in one location.

Dust off your French-language dictionary, but don't be overly concerned about your grammar. Guadeloupe natives are Creole speakers, meaning that you will hear a melange of words borrowed from English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and African dialects, spoken in a singsong patois. Listen to the locals talking among themselves and you will soon understand that laughter is never far away from any verbal exchange and that Guadeloupe is about passion for life in many forms. So relax, smile a lot and begin each attempt at communication with a sincere "Bonjour." The rest will pleasantly surprise you.

Geography

The principal island, Guadeloupe, is really two islands with two very different topographies (they are separated by a saltwater river and joined by two bridges, the Pont de la Gabarre and Pont d'Alliance). To the west is volcanic Basse-Terre, a third of which is mostly given over to the National Park of Guadeloupe, a mountainous rain forest that covers a fifth of Guadeloupe's total area. Grande-Terre, to the east, is flat and—except for the towns—mostly planted with sugarcane and other crops. It has most of the island's hotels and the best beaches.

Guadeloupe also incorporates the neighboring Les Saintes archipelago (which consists of eight volcanic islands, two of which are inhabited: Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas), as well as the islands of Marie-Galante and La Desirade. Also within Guadeloupe's area there is the Petite Terre Islands National Nature Reserve. This reserve consists of two protected uninhabited islands (also called Terre-de-Bas and Terre-de-Haut).

History

Long before it became a part of France, Guadeloupe was home to the Arawak Indians and then the Caribs. The latter called the island "Caloucaera" or "Karukera": Isle of Beautiful Waters. Despite attempts by the Spanish in the early 1500s, Guadeloupe wasn't successfully colonized until French settlers arrived in 1635.

After they defeated the Caribs, the French established a plantation economy and imported slaves from Guinea and other parts of West Africa to work the sugarcane fields. Like most other parts of the Caribbean, Guadeloupe was targeted for takeover by rival colonial powers in the 1700s and 1800s. Except for some limited periods of British rule, the French remained in control of the islands. In time, Guadeloupe became the most lucrative island in the French West Indies.

The French Revolution reached the islands in the late 1700s: Victor "The Terrible" Hugues freed the slaves and executed many of the royalist plantation owners, but Napoleon re-established slavery after he came to power in the early 1800s. Slavery was permanently abolished in 1848, largely through the actions of Victor Schoelcher. Workers from India were then brought in to work the fields.

Guadeloupe gained representation in the French parliament in 1871 and was made an overseas departement of France in 1946. St. Martin and St. Barthelemy (St. Barts), parts of the French West Indies, were are also administered from Guadeloupe until 2007 and 2003, respectively.

After a number of years plagued by a combination of natural disasters and political shenanigans, the Guadeloupean regional government has managed to establish a peaceful political and social landscape. A new generation of Guadeloupeans, including many who are returning home after time spent overseas, is creating new economic opportunities for the island.

Tourism is also on the rise due to more direct flights in the winter season from the U.S. and Europe. During the low season, connections to Guadeloupe from the U.S. remain limited.

Snapshot

Guadeloupe has a variety of attractions: more than 250 beaches, a lush rain forest, volcanic mountains, hot springs, excellent French and Creole cuisine, shopping, beaches, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, scuba diving, some gambling and a number of historic sites.

If you are looking for lush, tropical mountain scenery, extraordinary beaches (with several colors of sand) and a rich local Creole culture—and if you are comfortable with a French-speaking environment—you will love Guadeloupe. If a non-English-speaking environment and not-always-polished surroundings bother you, you will be less impressed. Relative to the rest of the Caribbean, costs on Guadeloupe are somewhat high, and it's a bit more challenging to find organized tours. As far as Caribbean islands go, Guadeloupe is more of an independent traveler's destination.

Potpourri

Guadeloupe produces two-thirds of the bananas eaten in France.

If you buy a hat made from madras fabric, be aware of what the hat is saying about you: Those with one point signify that your heart is available, two points mean your heart is already taken, three points—the "matador"—mean your heart is taken, but you're still open to offers.

The village of Bourg, on the island of Terre-de-Haut, has its own style of headgear, the salako, a straw or bamboo platter covered with cloth.

Petite Terre, a nature reserve consisting of two uninhabited islands, is the world's best place to see the endangered Lesser Antillean iguanas. There are more than 10,000 of them living on Petite Terre. On the other islands in Guadeloupe you will mostly find just green iguanas, or hybrids of the green iguana and the Lesser Antillean iguana.

On Grande-Terre, you may still see the crops being brought in from the fields in carts pulled by oxen. However, pick-up trucks are becoming the more common transport method.

Of all the residents of France and its territories, Guadeloupeans consume the most champagne.

The trade winds are called les alizes.

Carnival is celebrated with special vigor in Guadeloupe. There are lots of parties you can join and cultural parades to observe. In addition to the skimpy, shiny bikini-like outfits that many associate with Carnival, Guadeloupeans have their own traditional outfits. Many draw inspiration from tropical nature: Groups may dress in giant palm leaves or cover themselves in mud. During Carnival weeks, children and teenagers carry whips made of rope and tape that are smashed onto the concrete for loud sound effects. This symbolizes the way slaves were whipped with ropes and helps Guadeloupeans to take ownership of the past.

Location

On Grande-Terre, two large cruise liners at a time can tie up at the Bergevin cruise port, a five-minute walk from downtown Pointe-a-Pitre. Upon disembarking their ship, the visitors will find a range of tourist shops clustered within the gated port area, in an open-walled craft village. The port also features a VIP Lounge, a small bar, free Wi-Fi and restrooms. Taxis are available just outside the gate. http://guadeloupe-portcaraibes.com.

There is a small tourist information booth near the exit gate where you can get maps of Guadeloupe. The main tourist office is in the center of Pointe-a-Pitre in a wooden tourist information booth on the square, Place de la Victoire.

Some small cruise ships call on the island of Basse-Terre, in the tiny town of Deshaies on the western coast. There passengers are tendered to small jetties. Deshaies has some stylish waterfront restaurants and small souvenir shops in the center and many places of interest nearby, such as the long Grande Anse beach and the extensive Deshaies Botanical Garden. Deshaies is well situated for exploring the Guadeloupe National Park and the Cousteau Underwater Reserve.

Shore Excursions