The island of Martinique, discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, is a magnificent small island that is famous for its amazing nature, excellent Martinique beaches and fascinating sights. The previous name of the island was Madinina, which means "island of flowers". The island of Martinique can rightly be considered the pearl of the Caribbean Sea. In the northern part of the island, there are beaches with black sand, with golden sand in the southern part. From the Montagne Pele volcano, you will have a stunning view, and the depths of the sea will reveal the treasures of the underwater world. Here you can feel the Creole spirit everywhere – colourful boats, delicious smells from the shops and, of course, Caribbean music.
Are you wondering where is Martinique? Martinique on the world map is located in the northern part of America. Martinique on the world map is located in the central part of the Lesser Antilles' archipelago, which is located in the Caribbean. Martinique on the world map is located next to Dominica in the north and Saint Lucia in the south. The island of Martinique in the northern part is completely covered with volcanic massifs.
Administratively, the island of Martinique is a district and overseas department of France. The capital of Martinique is Fort – de-France.
In fact, Martinique's island is a single large resort, in each part of which everyone can find something interesting. However, first of all, all travelers like the local amazing nature, namely the island can be proud of its excellent beaches, secluded coves, lush tropical forests, and many places for scuba diving and other sports. Special attention is paid to the turbulent mountain rivers, which form a large number of waterfalls. Also in the country, there is a considerable number of fashionable islands, small towns with colonial buildings. Martinique transport infrastructure and communication facilities in the country are also quite developed.
1. The capital of Martinique
Fort-de-France Martinique's capital is distinguished by crooked narrow streets, dilapidated buildings, a large number of small comfortable street cafes and park areas. The small town is the largest on the island and is very colorful. The central part of the city is the large park La Savane, where you will see enough fountains, palm alleys, and outdoor concert venues that delight visitors' eyes. Tourists are attracted by the local, unlike other nature. The huge park is covered with grassy lawns, bamboo bushes, huge centuries-old trees. In the northern part there is a statue of the unique Empress Josephine - the wife of Napoleon. Also in this park, a large Carnival and other grandiose folk festivals are held. Martinique's capital looks quite a business city, as it is the largest port from which high-quality rum, cocoa beans, and sugar are exported. The city is full of tourist attractions. Among them is the Fort St. Louis of 1640, whose purpose then was to protect the citizens from enemies. There are also many museums open to tourists, such as the Museum of Van Gogh, Josephine Beauharnais (wife of Napoleon), Archaeological, History and Ethnography, where you will learn about the history of the country, as well as admire the archaeological finds. Be sure to visit the magnificent Cathedral of St. Louis, the Palace of Justice, the Scholscher Library, which is a wonderful building with a dome in the Byzantine style, as well as an amazing Aquarium. Another attraction of the capital is the Park Florale. The park area is rich in all kinds of flowers. Flowers in the parks are complemented by intricate and rare palm trees, as well as eucalyptus groves. The park is ideal for endless walks or gatherings on a bench just to enjoy the colorful panorama of the surrounding nature. Besides, this part is rich in food fairs and shopping malls, where you can buy products that are created by local artisans. Also, the capital of Martinique has a fairly cultural and rich life, namely, various exciting holidays and carnivals are organized here throughout the year. The most entertaining of them is the festival, held every year and accompanied by solemn processions and music and dance groups' performances.
2. Martinique beaches and Diamond Rock
The island is just full of beautiful Martinique beaches. The most popular and picturesque beach on Martinique's island is the Salines Forest, located south of Sainte-Anne. The one kilometer stretch has indescribable Caribbean landscapes with clear water and white sands. The beach is ideal for a family holiday. In addition to the beach in the town, there is also a wonderful lake Etan de Saline, which pleases its visitors with indescribable beauty. The diamond rock. If you are going to visit Martinique, be sure to include in your program one of the famous places here – the Diamond Rock, where you will like the amazing and incredibly picturesque ecosystem.
3. The Route de la Trace Hiking Trail
The Route de la Traceor Jesuit trail, which runs through the rainforest, evokes travellers' charm. It starts from Fort de France Martinique and stretches to the Piton du Carbe ridge. The trail passes between huge volcanic formations near the church and the Balata Botanical Garden. In some places, the mountain river Alma flows. Walking along the trail of twenty-nine kilometers, you can enjoy the beauty of the local nature: here you will meet a huge number of flowers, huge trees covered with vines, numerous birds, gullies with streams. But walking here in the dark is definitely not recommended.
4. The church and the Botanical garden of Balata
The Church Of Balata is one of the best places to visit in Martinique. The church, located ten kilometers from Fort de France Martinique and built-in 1928, copies the Sacre Coeur's French basilica. The building is rectangular in shape, topped by a dome, reminiscent of a basilica silhouette. On the outside, it is decorated with sculpture, and inside there are many stained glass windows and mosaics depicting scenes from the Bible. The church is surrounded by artificial ponds that are full of lilies and water lilies. The next best places to visit in Martinique is the Botanical garden of Balata. The garden, which took two decades to create, fascinates its visitors with a huge variety of flowers. Here grow both varieties of European plants such as pines, orchids, and exotic plants such as dragon trees, reeds and cordylines. In total, the garden has over three thousand different trees, shrubs and flowers. The beautiful garden also has several ponds filled with lilies and water lilies.
5. Kitchen
The main ingredients used in the preparation of national dishes are seafood (crabs, various types of fish, shellfish, squid), rice, and exotic fruits due to the island location of the country. Several dishes are a must-try in Martinique: 1. Crab-Farsi, which is a stuffed crab seasoned with various spices; 2. Flying fish fillet, which is cooked in garlic sauce; 3. Balau, small fish and freshwater shrimp are used in the cooking process. You should also taste the fish, the sun, fried snapper, clams, produced on the coals.
6. Climatic conditions
If you are planning a vacation on the island, be sure to check out the upcoming weather before your trip, as well as whether hurricanes are expected. The temperature here ranges from +25 degrees Celsius to +30 in the hottest months. The most suitable month is April when it is not very hot, there is no probability of a storm and there are not so many tourists with children due to the school year. If you prefer hot weather and are not afraid of thunderstorms and hurricanes, you can plan a trip in summer. With the onset of July and until the end of August, hurricanes and thunderstorms continue here and many Martinique hotels are closed. From September to November, in the post-hurricane period, activities are again activated, excursion routes are restored, and there is an influx of tourists.
7. Recreation and entertainment
The most important holiday and entertainment on Martinique's island is, of course, a beach holiday. Visitors enjoy the amazing Martinique beaches and plenty of swimming in the sea. Outdoor enthusiasts will also have an exciting time, as they will be able to enjoy water skiing, aquabikes and surfing. In particular, a trip by boat or yacht will not be superfluous, which will allow you to look at the island from the other side. Diving is also popular here, as a result of which you can see the charming underwater world. An extreme sport like jeep safari is also common. Horse riding is also famous. Young tourists will enjoy visiting night clubs, which are enough in the country. Such places are notable for their special national music, which combines the music of the 40s and 60s and Martinique's national music.
8. The Museum of Rum
The town of Sainte-Marie, located in the north-east of the island, is the capital of rum production, which is considered first-class here. Rum production on the island began in 1660. In the northern part of this small town is the famous Rum Museum, which is located on the old St. James Plantation distillery site. The Rum Museum is a place that is ideal for connoisseurs of strong drinks, which does not leave them indifferent. Here you can get acquainted with the history of the drink and observe the subtleties of this drink's production technology, starting from the collection of sugar cane and ending with the bottling of rum. A pleasant end for you will be the process of tasting the best and most popular varieties in a special tasting room. The various mechanisms used in the island's distilleries are considered the best in the Caribbean. The local rum is not inferior to the Cuban one. Rum, which is made with herbs is called "decollage" on the same fruit – "plantar".
9. Martinique tours
When searching for "Martinique tours", first of all, you will come across boat tours from Pointe do Bout, which is very popular among tourists. A must-have cruise starting from the beautiful Bay of Fort de France, like all other boat trips. Among the" Martinique tours", dolphin cruises are also popular, leaving travelers with unforgettable memories.
10. Mount Pelee Volcano
The Martinique volcano "Mon Pele", whose name translates as "bald mountain", got fame thanks to the heavy chronicle. Mount Pelee Volcano is quite calm, but at the same time extremely dangerous. Back in the XVIII century, it gave signals of an approaching eruption, namely, the islanders heard tremors and heard a strong rumble, and flame pillars appeared more than once over the crater. However, its forces accumulated until the beginning of the XX century, when there was a major eruption in the spring of 1902. The worst moment came on May 8. The eruption was so strong that in just a few minutes the former capital of the state, the city of Saint – Pierre, was wiped off the face of the earth, and ships in the harbor were burned. In addition, in addition to lava, toxic gas was released into the atmosphere, which caused the death of thousands of people and poisoning of thirty thousand residents. Blooming Saint-Pierre - "Paris of the Antilles" stood in ruins as it was called then. Today, the city opened a Museum of Volcanology, located on the hillside. The one-room volcanological museum is full of interesting exhibits, among which the charred remains of objects saved from the old town and the harbor are very remarkable. All this reminds of the tragedy and allows visitors to be transported back to when the disaster occurred.
