Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica & St. Lucia Alive! (Hunter Travel Guides)

657 Pages·1999·3.58 MB·English

by  Lynne M. Sullivan

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LynneM.Sullivan
HUNTER
HUNTERPUBLISHING,INC.
130CampusDrive,Edison,NJ08818
(cid:1)732-225-1900;800-255-0343;fax[phone]
[email protected]
UlyssesTravelPublications
4176Saint-Denis,Montréal,Québec
CanadaH2W2M5
(cid:1)514-843-9882ext2232;fax[phone]
TheBoundary,WheatleyRoad,Garsington
Oxford,OX449EJEngland
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ISBN1-55650-857-3
©2000LynneM.Sullivan
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmayberepro-
duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy-
ing,recording,orotherwise,withoutthewrittenpermission
ofthepublisher.
This guide focuses on recreational activities. As all such
activities contain elements of risk, the publisher, author,
affiliatedindividualsandcompaniesdisclaimanyresponsi-
bilityforanyinjury,harm,orillnessthatmayoccurtoany-
one through, or by use of, the information in this book.
Everyeffortwasmadetoinsuretheaccuracyofinformation
in this book, but the publisher and author do not assume
and hereby disclaim, any liability for any loss or damage
caused by errors, omissions, misleading information or
potentialtravelproblemscausedbythisguide,evenifsuch
errorsoromissionsaretheresultofnegligence,accidentor
anyothercause.
MapsbyK.André©2000HunterPublishing,Inc.
1 2 3 4
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the relevant copyright,
designs and patents acts, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior
permission in writing of the publisher. eBooks Corporation
(cid:1)
From The Author iii
From The Author
S
inceIliveinDallas,ontheflat,landlockedplains
ofNorthTexas,Itakeeveryopportunitytotravel
to places with water, sand, mountains, and trees.
Now, after several years as a staff and freelance
writer for general-interest newspapers and maga-
zines,I'mabletodevoteallmytimetowritingabout
theplacesIvisit.
WhenIbegineacharticleandbook,mygoalistogive
readers something extra to make a destination real
andexciting,sotheywillwanttovisitthere,too.I'm
an avid walker and hiker who always wants to see
what'saroundthenextcornerandoveronemorehill.
SomedaysIprowlarounddressedincutoffsandaT-
shirt peeking into windows, following the locals to
out-of-the-way spots, eating in comfy family-run
joints, and checking out quaint little inns. At other
times, I dress up to fit in at the best resorts, restau-
rants, and shops. By the end of my trip, I've discov-
ered the best places to eat, sleep, and hang out on a
stingybudgetaswellasonunlimitedfunds.I'veseen
sitesandvisitedplacesthataren'tusuallymentioned
in travel guides, and talked to experts and average
citizenswhoknowthedestinationswell.
But the trip is only half the fun for me. Sharing my
discoveries is the other. By giving readers tips, help,
andsuggestionsonhowtomaketheirownvacations
exciting, unique, and worry-free, I get to experience
thevacationalloveragain.
www.hunterpublishing.com
Hunter’sfullrangeoftravelguidestoallcorners
of the globe is featured on our exciting website.
You’ll find guidebooks to suit every type of trav-
eler, no matter what their budget, lifestyle, or
idea of fun. Full descriptions are given for each
book,alongwithreviewers’commentsandacover
image. Books may be purchased on-line using a
creditcardviaoursecuretransactionsystem.
Alive Guides featured include: Aruba, Bonaire &
Curaçao, Buenos Aires & The Best of Argentina,
Venezuela, The Cayman Islands, Cancún &
CozumelandTheVirginIslands.
Check out our Adventure Guides, a series aimed
at the independent traveler who enjoys outdoor
activities (rafting, hiking, biking, skiing, canoe-
ing, etc.). All books in this signature series cover
places to stay and eat, sightseeing, in-town
attractions,transportationandmore!
Hunter’sRomanticWeekendsseriesoffersmyriad
things to do for couples of all ages and lifestyles.
Quaint places to stay and restaurants where the
ambiance will take your breath away are
included, along with fun activities that you and
yourpartnerwillrememberforever.
(cid:1)
About the Alive Guides v
About the Alive Guides
R
eliable, detailed and personally researched by
knowledgeable authors, the Alive! series was
foundedbyHarrietandArnoldGreenberg.
This accomplished travel-writing team also operates
arenownedbookstore,TheCompleteTraveller,at
199MadisonAvenueinNewYorkCity.
We Love to Get Mail
T
his book has been carefully researched to bring
youcurrent,accurateinformation.Butnoplaceis
unchanging. We welcome your comments for future
editions. Please write us at: The Alive Guides, c/o
Hunter Publishing, 130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ
08818,ore-mailyourcommentstokimba@mediasoft.
net.

Contents
INTRODUCTION
(cid:2)TheIslands..............................2
ReasonstoVisit..........................4
Location ................................4
Language ...............................5
Lifestyle ................................6
ACapsuleHistory ........................7
Climate................................10
TheLand ..............................12
PlantLife ..............................13
Birds..................................14
Mammals,Reptiles&Amphibians..........15
TraveltotheIslands .....................17
GettingAround .........................20
PlacestoStay...........................22
Food&Drink...........................23
MoneyMatters..........................28
EntryRequirements .....................29
Health&Safety.........................30
TheBestAttractions&Activities...........32
GoingMetric–Quick&Painless ...........33
CustomsRegulations.....................34
Electricity..............................35
TimeZones.............................36
MARTINIQUE
(cid:2)Overview...............................37
(cid:2)ABriefHistory..........................38
DiscoverybyColumbus...................38
ArrivalofTheFrench ....................39
Sugar,Slavery&TheBritish..............40
The20thCentury........................41
(cid:2)GettingtoMartinique....................44
(cid:1)
viii Contents
ArrivingByAir .........................44
ArrivingBySea.........................46
(cid:2)GettingAround .........................47
CarRentals ............................47
Buses .................................48
Taxis..................................49
Ferries ................................49
(cid:2)Festivals,Events&Holidays ..............50
(cid:2)ExploringtheIsland .....................53
Fort-de-France .........................53
SouthwesternTour ......................59
NorthCaribbeanCoastTour ..............64
RoutedelaTrace........................72
WestCoastTour ........................79
TheBestRumintheWorld................83
OrganizedTours ........................86
(cid:2)SunuptoSundown.......................88
FunintheSun..........................88
Beaches................................89
Diving&Snorkeling .....................96
Boating...............................100
Fishing ...............................103
Windsurfing&OtherWatersports.........104
Hiking................................105
Biking................................112
Motorcycling...........................113
Golfing ...............................113
Tennis................................114
HorsebackRiding.......................114
One-of-a-KindTours ....................115
ShopTilYouDrop......................116
(cid:2)AfterDark ............................122
Casinos...............................122
IslandShows ..........................123
Discos,Nightclubs&LiveMusic ..........123
(cid:2)BestPlacestoStay .....................126
Fort-de-France.........................130
(cid:1)
Contents ix
Schoelcher ............................131
Trois-IletsResortArea...................132
Sainte-Anne...........................139
Sainte-Luce ...........................141
LeFrançois............................143
CaravellePeninsula.....................144
Marigot...............................145
Basse-Pointe...........................146
Camping..............................147
(cid:2)BestPlacestoEat ......................147
Fort-de-France.........................150
Fort-de-FranceSuburbs .................154
SouthernMartinique....................157
NortheasternMartinique ................170
NorthwesternMartinique................174
(cid:2)MartiniqueA-Z ........................176
GUADELOUPE&THEOUTERISLANDS
(cid:2)Overview..............................183
(cid:2)ABriefHistory.........................185
DiscoverybyColumbus..................185
ArrivalofTheSpanish&TheFrench ......186
The20thCentury.......................188
(cid:2)GettingtoGuadeloupe...................188
ArrivingByAir ........................188
ArrivingBySea........................190
(cid:2)GettingAround ........................191
CarRentals ...........................191
Buses ................................193
Taxis ................................194
(cid:2)Festivals,Events&Holidays .............195
GRANDE-TERRE&BASSE-TERRE
(cid:2)ExploringtheIslands ...................199
Pointe-à-Pitre,Grande-Terre .............202
SouthernTour,Grande-Terre.............210
NorthernTour,Grande-Terre.............217
SouthernTour,Basse-Terre ..............222