Our Highlights for Martinique
Martinique stands out for its magnificent flora — it's not just about lounging on gorgeous beaches, but also exploring the lush interior. Our personal insider tip: Gorges de la Falaise — a steep descent leads into a canyon where you can "hike" through the river to a waterfall. It's a wonderfully refreshing adventure, and your guide will make sure to capture the perfect shots on this stunning Caribbean island.
In the language of the indigenous people, Martinique is called Madinina, meaning "Island of Flowers." Locals still use this name today, and it's easy to see why — the island is incredibly green and colourful. There are many gardens and parks to explore. In the north, a mountain range is crowned by the volcanic Montagne Pelee (1,397 m), where temperatures can be a bit cooler. Sugar cane is omnipresent, and you can visit sugar cane factories. The charming little towns with their historic churches and buildings are also well worth a visit.
Climate & Best Time to Visit Martinique
Martinique enjoys a tropical climate with average high temperatures of 21 °C to 27 °C in January and February, and 24 °C to 30 °C from August to September.
During the rainy season between June and October, rain falls on several days — up to 26 days in September. April is the driest month, with an average of only 13 rainy days. The rain tends to be short and intense, so it's really no big deal.
Average humidity on Martinique ranges from 80 % in March and April to 87 % in October and November. The mountainous interior in the east is cooler and wetter than the coast. The heavy rainfall has created a rainforest that is absolutely worth exploring.
From July to October, water temperatures can exceed 28 °C, and even in February they rarely drop below 25 °C. We actually went swimming in the sea around midnight on Martinique! Note: hurricane season runs from June to November.
Best time to visit: Martinique is warm all year round. The ideal time is the slightly cooler, dry season from February to May, when highs average around 26 °C. However, this is also peak season with higher prices and heavy demand — book early. Travelling in autumn is genuinely affordable, and the occasional rain shower is really nothing to worry about...
Entry Requirements, Vaccinations & Useful Info for Martinique
Note: Entry requirements can change at short notice. Please check with your country's foreign affairs department before travelling.
Martinique is a French overseas territory, so French entry rules apply. A valid national ID card or passport is required in all cases.
No vaccinations are mandatory for entry to Martinique. However, due to the risk of dengue fever, it is advisable to protect yourself from mosquitoes by wearing long-sleeved, light-coloured clothing and sleeping under mosquito nets. Standard vaccinations against tetanus, polio, and diphtheria are recommended.
Note: Always use adequate sun protection, even on overcast days.
Getting There & Transport on Martinique
From Europe, Air France flies daily via Paris to Fort-de-France (approx. 9 hours). Other airlines from Paris include Air Caraibes and Corsair. From Germany, the journey goes via Paris — since it counts as a French "domestic flight," fares are often more affordable. If you live near France, consider booking a feeder flight from a French airport.
Public minibuses and shared taxis are inexpensive and reliable. To explore the island properly, a rental car is the best option. We recommend booking one from home before your trip.
Where Is Martinique?
Martinique belongs to the Leeward Islands — Windward Islands. The island measures roughly 35 km wide by 79 km long and lies about 37 km north of St. Lucia and 25 km south of Dominica.
Martinique is a mountainous island dominated by the 1,397-metre-high active volcano Montagne Pelee.
The capital Fort-de-France sits on the west coast and, with around 80,000 inhabitants, is the island's largest city.
The History of Martinique
- The earliest settlements date back to around 4,000 BC.
- Around 100 BC, the Arawak people from Venezuela settled on Martinique.
- The Caribs followed in the 10th century.
- The first European to discover Martinique was Christopher Columbus. He landed near present-day Carbet on 15 June 1502 during his fourth voyage.
- In 1635, the island was colonised by the French Compagnie des Isles d'Amerique and remained, with three brief periods of foreign occupation, in French hands.
- In 1648, the Compagnie des Isles d'Amerique went bankrupt. The island was ceded to Jacques Dyel du Parquet, who founded Fort-de-France and introduced sugar cane cultivation, sparking the island's first economic boom.
- By around 1660, nearly the entire indigenous population had been wiped out.
- In 1664, Martinique became a possession of the French Crown after Jean-Baptiste Colbert founded the French East India Company. Battles between England, France, and the Netherlands erupted repeatedly, but Martinique largely remained under French control.
- In 1685, the Code Noir officially sanctioned slavery in French colonies. Slaves worked primarily on sugar cane plantations and in distilleries. Dominican friar Pere Labat eased their labour around 1694 through the invention of windmills and improved rum distillation. Nonetheless, vast numbers of slaves were needed — by 1783, Martinique had roughly 60,000 slaves.
- A civil war raged from 1787 to 1802 due to conflicts between plantation owners and merchants, compounded by a slave revolt.
- In 1794, the French Convention voted to abolish slavery. However, Napoleon reinstated it in 1802.
- On 22 May 1848, slavery was definitively abolished. Due to the resulting labour shortage on the plantations, workers from India and China were brought in.
- On 8 May 1902, the volcano Mont Pelee erupted. A pyroclastic flow killed more than 30,000 people. Only one person survived in Saint-Pierre, which had been the island's most important economic centre.
- In 1964, Martinique became a French overseas department, politically part of mainland France. It was allocated four deputies and two senators.
- In 1974, Martinique also gained the status of a Region, parallel to its DOM (Departement d'Outre-Mer) status.
- In 1983, the Regional Council was introduced as part of decentralisation. In 1999, Martinique's bananas became the subject of a trade war between Europe and the USA. In 2003, the dual status as Region and Department (DOM) was confirmed. Martinique is an integral part of the French state and therefore also part of the European Union. Together with Guadeloupe, it forms the French Antilles.
By the way: On 23 June 1763, Josephine — Napoleon's future wife — was born in Trois-Ilets near Fort-de-France on Martinique. The sugar cane plantation her parents ran can still be visited as a museum today. A small statue of Josephine stands in Fort-de-France, though it has been headless since 1991, as she became unpopular after the reinstatement of slavery on Martinique.
