French Antilles

Guadeloupe

There is a very strong French flavor to Guadeloupe, and it is a favorite destination for French tourists. Guadeloupe's two main islands, Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre, are separated by a narrow channel called the Riviere Salee. Together, the two have an area of 629 square miles. Guadeloupe's beaches are often very narrow and sometimes can be quite crowded. It should be noted that the water off the beaches that face the Atlantic of Guadeloupe's northeast coast may be too rough for swimming. Diving is especially popular at Cousteau Underwater Park, off Basse-Terre. On land, there are many hiking trails at the 74,100-acre Parc National de la Guadeloupe, which has been designated a World Biosphere by UNESCO. The islands are a region within France. Official language: French, although most people speak a Creole patois.

Martinique

This 425-square mile island is the largest in the Windward group. Its Arawak name was Madinina, the Island of Flowers, and that floral heritage remains today. Martinique is home to Mont Pelee, the volcano that erupted in 1902 with such a force that the 30,000 residents of the town of St-Pierre were killed in the space of two minutes. All of the island's beaches are open to the public, though hotels may charge visitors to use changing rooms. There is no official nude beach, but topless sunbathing is common. Although the waters on the Atlantic side of Martinique may be too rough for all but the most experienced sailors, those who wish to rent sailboats for use on the Caribbean side should have no problem. Official language: French, although most people speak a Creole patois. Visitors who speak only English should have a better time communicating on Martinique than on some of the other French islands.

St. Barthelmy

St. Barths is developed enough that visitors can have their choice of more than 100 restaurants, but it has not yet attracted the mega-resorts found on some islands. In fact, more than half of the accommodations on the island are villas. The island, named for the brother of Christopher Columbus, was first settled by the French in 1648. Sweden controlled the island from 1784 until 1877, when it reverted to French control. The island has many fine quiet beaches. Topless sunbathing is common. Official language: French, although many people speak Creole.