Our Highlights for Guadeloupe
Let's be honest... we sometimes recommend a cruise to explore Caribbean islands, but for Guadeloupe that would truly be a shame. Plan a longer round trip and discover Guadeloupe along with neighboring islands like Marie-Galante or Les Saintes. And definitely climb the active Soufrière volcano — an absolute must, even if you'll feel like a mountain goat at times!
The island looks like a butterfly from above. It is divided into Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre.
Basse-Terre is volcanic and mountainous, with the active Soufrière volcano reaching 1,467 m. It's slightly cooler and rainier than flat Grande-Terre, which is drier, mainly limestone, and has the best beaches.
Guadeloupe is paradise for:
- Diving
- Hiking
- Swimming
- Sailing / Boating
- Canyoning
Highlights:
- Islands of Les Saintes, Marie-Galante & La Désirade
- Guadeloupe National Park
- The Orchid Park
- Various rum distilleries
- Jardin Botanique
- Guadeloupe Zoo with botanical garden
Weather, Climate & Best Time to Visit Guadeloupe:
The climate features subtropical temperatures moderated by trade winds. As on all eastern Caribbean islands, it rains regularly. Hurricane season coincides with the rainy period from July to November.
Guadeloupe is a year-round destination. December to February brings mild evenings with daytime temperatures of 19-28°C. The driest months are February through April. Most cultural events take place in spring and summer.
Entry Requirements & Travel Info for Guadeloupe
Note: Entry requirements may change. Please check with the relevant authorities.
French entry requirements apply. Passport must be valid for 6+ months.
EU citizens (except Romania and Bulgaria) and Swiss nationals need no visa for up to 3 months.
No vaccinations beyond standard recommendations are required.
Guadeloupe is a French département with excellent healthcare and few tropical diseases.
A few tips:
- Rare Dengue fever cases have occurred. Protect against mosquitoes, especially in the rainy season!
- High-SPF sunscreen and sun-protective clothing are essential!
- Beware the Manchineel tree — its sap causes burns. Mostly removed on the main island but common on Les Saintes and Saint-Barthélemy (usually marked).
- Some fish may contain toxins causing food poisoning. Don't eat self-caught fish!
- The black sea urchin with long spines is venomous.
- Watch out for the scolopendre (armored centipede) — painful sting.
Getting to Guadeloupe & Getting Around
Air France flies from Paris (approx. 8 hours). Other airlines from Paris: Air Caraïbes and Corsair. From Germany, travel via Paris — since it's a French "domestic flight," fares are often affordable!
The international airport is about 10 km from Pointe-à-Pitre with car rental and duty-free shops.
Neighboring islands La Désirade, Marie-Galante, Les Saintes, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin have regular flights.
Numerous ferry services connect Les Saintes, Marie-Galante, Antigua, St. Lucia and Dominica.
Buses are modern and run regularly, with Pointe-à-Pitre as the central hub.
The 2,000 km road network is well maintained with European traffic rules.
Where is Guadeloupe?
Guadeloupe consists of eight inhabited islands.
The main island is divided into Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, separated by a narrow channel just 50 m wide — giving the island its butterfly shape. Nearby lie Marie-Galante, Îles des Saintes, La Désirade and the uninhabited Îles de la Petite Terre.
Guadeloupe belongs to France and the EU. With Martinique, Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, it forms the French Antilles.
South lies Dominica, northwest Montserrat, northeast Antigua.
The capital is Basse-Terre, on the southwest coast at the foot of La Soufrière volcano.
History of Guadeloupe
- Archaeological evidence dates human habitation to 3500-3000 BC. Saladoids (Arawaks) settled the Antilles around the start of the Common Era.
- Columbus reached the island on November 4, 1493, naming it Guadalupe after a Spanish pilgrimage site.
- France colonized Guadeloupe in 1635 and it has remained French since, with few exceptions.
- Full French control from 1674.
- British occupation during the Seven Years' War (1759-1763).
- Slavery abolished during the French Revolution (1789), then reinstated by Napoléon in 1802. Freedom fighters Delgrès and Ignace died resisting.
- Britain captured it again in 1810, ceded it to Sweden in 1813, which returned it to France in 1814 for 24 million Francs.
- Slavery permanently abolished in 1848.
- Became a French overseas département on March 19, 1946 — no longer a colony but an integral part of France.
