Martinique – The Cultural Hub of French Caribbean

The Island of Martinique is in the Caribbean.

The Caribbean Islands or the West Indies with its over 3000 Islands of West Indies form the bridge between the Caribbean and the North Atlantic Ocean.

The Bahamas are in the north with over 3,000 individual islands and reefs. To the south of it are the Greater Antilles in the central West Indies that include countries of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic (Hispaniola) and Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles in the Southeast are three of its main island groups. The latter are further divided into the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands.

With an area of about 1,128 square kilometers, Martinique is situated between Dominica and St Lucia in the Windward Island of the Lesser Antilles.

Best time to visit

Like in other Caribbean Islands, all of which experience a tropical climate, mid December to mid April is the peak tourist season here.

How to reach

Quite a number of major international airlines such as the American Airlines and Air France serve the Lamentin International Airport here, near Fort de France – the Island’s Capital. You might, however, need to catch a connecting flight to this Island from Puerto Rico or other Caribbean Islands like Antigua.

Many travelers are taking on the waterways on cruise, yacht or sailing to reach Martinique. Fort de France is a beautiful marina here.

To explore the Island once here, you can rent a car, hire a tax, rent bikes or mopeds or hop on to the buses.

Music, towns and beaches of Martinique

Martinique is home to characteristic beaches. For the white sandy beaches such as the Cap Chevalier and Plage de Salines, head down south. Those in the north like the Anse Ceron have black sand, sometimes in combination with white sand, testifying the volcanic birth of Martinique.

Rough shores with turbulent water adorn the eastern coast here, but some like Anse Azerot beach have calm waters great for swimming.

Snorkelers and scuba divers can have a nice time exploring the sea beds here, especially around Anse Couleuvre, Anse Noir and Cap Chevalier.

Martinique is worth a visit even off the shores. Walking on the roads here, you will cross spectacular terrains, art and history museums, historical sites like forts, botanical gardens for a nature walk and other interesting diversions.

That Martinique culture is a blend of many cultures is substantiated by the presence of religious sites of different communities. For instance, there is a Hindu temple here and so are Christian sites like St Louis Roman Catholic Cathedral built in 1875.

Casinos can be fun too, if you are into gambling for fun.

Exploring Martique on foot is in one simple word pleasure. The Isand’s Capital Fort de France has the beautiful La Baie de Fort-de-France Bay. Floral Park is another attraction here.

The quaint villages like St. Pierre with its Frank Perret Museum of Volcanology and Trois-IIets that’s home to Pragerie Museum, the fishing village of Les Anses d’Arlet with its beautiful beaches, the Montravail Forest of Saint Luce and the Savanna of Saint Anna, the cliff towns of Bellefontaine and the Le Macouba known for its rum distillery, all these make for pleasing trails.

Other interesting places of Martinique include the towns of Morne Rouge, Le Carbet and Le Precheur to name a few.

Also characteristic to Martinique are the French-Creole Cuisine, the carnivals, parades and other festivals like the Jazz festival of December, its love and form of music like Biguine, Chouval Bwa, Zouk as well as rap, the guitar music and other forms of music.

Martinique is pretty much a cultural hub of French West Indies. Music, venue is already here and a vacation and bookings, that’s all you need to do is, get to Martinique and have nice time.