THIS LESSER-VISITED CARIBBEAN ISLAND HAS PRISTINE BEACHES, EXCELLENT RUM, RAINFOREST HIKES, AND INCREDIBLE BIODIVERSITY

The French overseas territory is perfect for adventurous travelers who love a mix of relaxation and activity.

Close enough to island hop to nearby St. Lucia and Dominica but worlds away regarding both language and customs, Martinique is an island that offers a distinctive Caribbean experience.

The French overseas territory is greatly influenced by its European counterpart; residents speak French, the euro is the official currency used, and the capital city of Fort-de-France’s outdoor bistros mimic those of Paris on a balmy summer day. Many residents speak Creole, too — a nod to the island’s rich West African heritage, which is celebrated and displayed yearly during the Carnival season. Infectious zouk and soca music fill the air, and the energy of the Nèg Gwo Siwo — revelers who coat themselves in cane sugar molasses and charcoal as a commemoration of enslaved people and their spirit of rebellion — is powerful to witness. 

Tour guide Devon Adrien of SDA Taxi says this cultural amalgamation is part of the island’s magnetism. “Our French and Caribbean culture here is part of what makes Martinique so special, from the languages spoken to the foods we eat,” Adrien tells Travel + Leisure. Some of the island’s dishes include colombo, made with a base of Creole curry flavors like turmeric, coconut milk, and brown mustard seed, typically served with tender bites of lamb or chicken. 

Beyond the island’s flavors, travelers with a spirit of exploration will have no shortage of ways to experience Martinique on both land and sea. “If one would like to have a bracelet on their wrist and sit on the beach all day, Martinique is not the best island. I’m not saying the beaches are not wonderful, but Martinique is the perfect island for people who enjoy being independent, like traveling in a foreign country, and like to be active," says Benjamin Mélin-Jones, a Martinican who is the managing director of Spiribam American, which distributes many of the island's rums. "What’s also great is that if you get tired of the beach, snorkeling, or trekking, there are about a dozen distilleries and tasting rooms scattered around the island where one can discover the island’s most precious treasure, the fabulous rhum agricole."

Indeed, rum enthusiasts will be more than content on Martinique, which holds the only French A.O.C. designation in the world for their varieties of the centuries-old “rhum agricole.” The spirit is produced from fresh cane juice and follows strict regulations to maintain quality and taste. You can find distilleries around the country and shouldn't miss the opportunity to experience a tasting or two. 

The island's natural wonders are the best thing to pair with its potent rums: The formidable waves of Diamant Beach on the remote southwestern coast, the turtle-hatching sightings on Anse Dufour, and the quintessential white sands of Plage des Salines are just a few of the island’s diverse networks of coastline.

Saut du Gendarme waterfall was named one of T+L’s Under-the-radar Spots to Visit in the Caribbean, According to Locals. Dense, colorful vegetation has bestowed the Eastern Caribbean country with the title of “the Isle of the Flowers,” and it won’t take long driving around before stumbling upon glowing hues of hibiscus, heliconia, and porcelain roses that bloom on mountainsides and in tropical gardens.

“All of the island’s rich biodiversity offers many trails to appreciate the specificity of our forests, and gorgeous landscapes. My favorite route is a road trip to the north, from Fort-de-France to Mount Pele, by the panoramic road of La Trace. It takes you to luxuriant forests, waterfalls (Saut gendarme), a stop to visit the botanical garden of Balata, and then you reach the Aileron site to appreciate the landscape on the north of the island,” says Gilles Vicrobeck, president of the Comité de la Randonnée Pédestre de Martinique, a hiking organization.

"Beyond those natural aspects, there are the people who animate this island–the Martinican people with a history and special hospitality towards visitors, who open their hearts and houses with a large smile," he adds.

Read on to learn more about how to experience the best of Martinique and its people.

Martinique

• At Bouliki Bio spa garden, unwind in an unforgettable forest retreat with a hammam, waterfall shower, and hammock relaxation area.
• Find out why Martinique is nicknamed “the Isle of Flowers” at Balata Gardens, located in a rainforest teeming with thousands of native plant species.
• Embrace a home away from home on the hillside La Suite Villa, where just nine garden villas and six sea-view suites create a welcoming, intimate atmosphere. 
• Integral to understanding the island’s history, Les Savane des Esclaves is an open-air museum that charts the island’s legacy of slavery through various structures and murals.
• Join residents on the weekend over glasses of rum cocktails at beachside Le Chill, where grilled fresh catches of the day and front-row seats to sunsets at Le Diamant beach are in high demand. 

Best Hotels and Resorts 

Simon Hotel

Located in the heart of the capital city, Fort-de-France, the Simon Hotel is a centrally located option with proximity to the cruise terminal and several restaurants and shopping in the island’s commercial center. The property features 93 rooms that are well-appointed with modern amenities for the business traveler. A breakfast buffet has an impressive variety of bread, fruits, and fresh juices. Their terrace bar is the place to be for a cocktail at night. 

La Suite Villa

An eclectic mix of art deco design and enviable sea views atop a hill in Les Trois-Îlets, La Suite Villa features nine garden villas and six sea-view suites, all newly renovated. A cascading swimming pool sits beside Le Zandoli, a French restaurant that offers French Caribbean cuisine set against the backdrop of brightly colored art and red chairs. Chefs at the restaurant have formerly worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, and that taste is evident through dishes like a lamb cooked with a white yam crumble and a tender cote de boeuf best paired with one of their Bordeaux wines. 

La Pagerie –Tropical Garden Hotel

Ninety-five rooms are spread about a lagoon-style pool with a swim-up bar at this Les Trois-Îlets hotel. Each accommodation has a terrace that overlooks the foliage below, and the property is within walking distance of a village with several shops and dining. Events that guests can enjoy include rum tastings and local art exhibits. Restaurant Le Pitaya serves Creole-influence food such as chicken with a yam mousseline and rum jus.

French Coco

Located along the island’s Atlantic coast, French Coco offers 17 suites, six of which feature a private pool in its own tropical garden. The boutique hotel is a five-minute walk from the bronze-colored sands of Plage de la Breche and is a quiet retreat and favorite of couples. Guests can enjoy dishes of carpaccio infused with coconut oil and mango pomegranate salsa at the YLANGA Cocktails & Tapas Lounge on the property.

Best Things to Do

See Les Savane des Esclaves

The passion project of Martinican Gilbert Larose, Les Savane des Esclaves is an open-air museum set on a hillside teeming with flora and fruits in Trois-Îlets. Meant to replicate a Maroon village post-slavery, the grounds share the history of colonialism, the slave trade, and the aftermath through a series of murals and sculptures. Make your way to the top of the site and enjoy freshly made crepes in an al fresco cafe. 

Experience Some of the Best Rum in the World

To experience some of the island's best rhum agricole, head to Rhum J.M.’s distillery, located on 100 botanical acres. A self-guided tour and tasting are complimentary. Habitation Clément  is another popular distillery tour, and you could easily spend a day roaming the botanical gardens, distillery, and on-site museum. Tours are readily available. “The tropical volcanic terroir makes for growing some of the most flavorful sugar cane. Rhum Agricole is truly different from what most believe is rum. The best way to enjoy it is how the locals have it, which is part of their daily ritual. It is the simple Ti’ Punch, the most iconic French Caribbean cocktail,” says Mélin-Jones.

Unwind at Bouliki Bio in Saint-Joseph

Complete alignment with the surrounding environment is the ethos of the spa garden Bouliki Bio, from the riverside massages to food grown on the grounds and served as lunch. Located in Saint-Joseph, the property was created by farmers to immerse guests into nature with amenities like a sauna hammam, a riverside body scrub and massage, and a hot bath infused with herbs and flowers to stimulate circulation. Mid-afternoon snacks are also served with produce from the on-site garden. 

Discover the Coastline of Diamant and Anses d’Arlet

Make your way down the coastline of Diamant, a town located on the southern coast. Make a stop to witness Diamond Rock, a 575-foot-tall basalt rock in the middle of the sea that gives the appearance of a floating iceberg. Nearby, Anse Cafard Slave Memorial features 20 white stone effigies that commemorate an 1830 shipwreck that killed many enslaved West Africans onboard. The 8-foot statues are a sobering and powerful reminder of the lives lost. Nearby, the black sands of Diamond Beach attract families for picnics and loungers for a day of relaxation.

Balata Gardens

Balata Gardens is a 7-acre private garden just outside Fort-de-France, home to more than 300 plants. Walk through the grounds and find bromeliads, begonias, hibiscus, and more. There are several shaded areas and fish ponds to take a moment, as well as an aerial walkway for sweeping views. Walking the entire grounds takes about an hour, and there are marked signs throughout the gardens.

Best Restaurants

Le Petibonum 

At this popular beachside restaurant on Plage du Coin, you can taste Martinican gourmet food like the national dish, Colombo. Le Petibonum is owned by Guy Ferdinand aka “Chef Hot Pants'' because of his signature shorts. You can also taste some of the best agricole rums in the world here, while taking in a stunning on the sand.

Le Zandoli

Located poolside at the colorful La Suite Villa hotel, Le Zandoli offers French Caribbean cuisine from Michelin star chefs with dishes that are seasonally driven. Popular dishes offered in the al fresco setting include the roasted fish of the day lacquered with tamarind and served with sweet potato ravioli. A glass of Bordeaux is a great accompaniment to their tender cote de beoug, which is cut tableside. 

Chill

This beachside restaurant is the place to be for a rum inspired cocktail and food, particularly on the weekends. Located on Diamant Beach, there are also a number of loungers to relax right next to dining tables and a central bar that offers a variety of local Neisson rums. Start with accras–crispy salt cod fritters–then consider the whole grilled snapper as your main course.

Le Kano

Step past the swaying white drapes into this trendy bistro beach bar on Anse Mitan in Trois-ilet. Menu items include creole-inspired tapas like vegetable accras and cassava fries. The vibe here is lively, with rotating DJ’s on the weekends and people looking to unwind after work. There is also a great range of rhum varieties here.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Martinique is during April and May, when temperatures are agreeable. Be aware that hurricane season begins in June and lasts through November, with September typically being the wettest month. Hotel prices and crowd numbers rise during the peak season of December through April.

How To Get There

Many travelers will need to fly to neighboring islands such as Puerto Rico or Barbados in order to reach Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF).There are also nonstop flights from Miami on American airlines. A 15-minute cab ride from the airport will land you in the capital city of Fort-de-France.

How to Get Around

Your best bet to get around Martinique will be to rent a car from the airport from companies like Budget or Avis. Cabs are notoriously expensive, particularly for sightseeing. You can also consider hiring a tour guide like Adrien of SDA Taxi. Metered taxis are available via your hotel and the airport. For another way to view the island, consider the ferry boats (called vedettes) that depart from rue de la Liberté in Fort-de-France and ride between the east coast’s marinas. Round trip tickets are 6.50€ and run from 6:30am to 9pm daily.

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2024-06-25T19:51:25Z dg43tfdfdgfd