Tour Overview
| Duration | 8 Days / 7 Nights |
|---|---|
| Destination | Martinique — The Isle of Flowers (France Overseas, Caribbean) |
| Price From | $3,612 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | French Caribbean Discovery |
| Operator | Across Caribbean Excursions | Data: 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Martinique — Welcome to the Isle of Flowers
Arrive at Aimé Césaire International Airport in Fort-de-France. Transfer to Pierre & Vacances Villages Sainte Luce resort. Martinique is a full département of France — the euro is the currency, baguettes are fresh daily, and the roads have French names. Yet the vibe is unmistakably Caribbean: steel drums, rum distilleries, and a pace of life governed by the sun. Welcome dinner featuring accras de morue (salt cod fritters) and colombo de poulet (chicken curry, Martinique’s Creole answer to Indian cuisine). Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 2: Fort-de-France City Discovery
Explore the capital: the stunning Schoelcher Library, a wrought-iron masterpiece built in Paris for the 1889 World’s Fair, then dismantled and shipped to Martinique. Visit the Spice Market, where the scent of cinnamon, vanilla, and bois d’Inde (allspice) fills the air. Tour Saint-Louis Cathedral, an 1895 Romanesque-Byzantine structure with an unusual iron spire — designed by the same engineer as the Eiffel Tower. Walk La Savane park, where the headless statue of Empress Joséphine (Napoleon’s wife, born in Martinique) stands — beheaded by activists in 1991 for her role in reinstating slavery. Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 3: Les Salines Beach — Caribbean Postcard
Full beach day at Les Salines, Martinique’s most famous strand — a mile of powder-white sand lined with coconut palms, the water impossibly clear and warm. Snorkel among the offshore rocks where turtles graze on seagrass. Optional paddleboarding. Beachside lunch: grilled lobster, plantains, and a ti’punch — the Martinican ritual of rhum agricole, cane sugar, and lime that kicks off any proper meal. Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 4: Balata Rainforest & Canopy Walk
Visit the Jardin de Balata, a private botanical garden created by horticulturist Jean-Philippe Thoze. Hundreds of tropical plants from around the world grow around a restored Creole house, connected by rope bridges suspended high in the rainforest canopy. Walk among hummingbirds, heliconia, and towering bamboo. The canopy walkway offers vertigo-inducing views of the forest and, through the mist, the twin peaks of the Carbet Mountains. Afternoon: hike to the Absalon Waterfall for a cooling swim. Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 5: Route de la Trace & Northern Rainforest
Drive the Route de la Trace, the historic path cut through the rainforest by Jesuit missionaries in the 17th century. The road twists through misty mountains and ancient forest, crossing rivers on one-lane bridges. Stop at viewpoints over the Carbet Peaks — the highest mountains in the Lesser Antilles. Visit the Alma River, where scenes from the novel “Wide Sargasso Sea” by Dominica-born Jean Rhys are set. Picnic lunch in the forest. Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 6: Saint-Pierre & Mount Pelée
Journey to Saint-Pierre, once known as the “Paris of the Caribbean.” On May 8, 1902, Mount Pelée erupted, killing all 30,000 residents in under two minutes — only one man survived, a prisoner protected by his thick-walled cell. Visit the Volcanological Museum, built on the ruins of the old theater. Walk through the haunting remnants of the city: walls, staircases, and the cell of Ludger Sylbaris, the lone survivor. Continue up the slopes of Mount Pelée for views of the still-active volcano (last eruption: 1932). The contrast between devastation and the lush rainforest that has reclaimed the slopes is stark. Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 7: Guadeloupe — Cousteau Reserve (Day Trip)
Morning flight or ferry to Guadeloupe for a day at the Cousteau Reserve, named for Jacques Cousteau who declared it one of the world’s best dive sites. The protected marine area around Pigeon Island offers spectacular snorkeling: coral gardens, sea turtles, and walls of reef descending into the blue. Glass-bottom boat option for non-swimmers. The water clarity here is legendary — visibility often exceeds 30 meters. Return to Martinique. Farewell dinner: court-bouillon de poisson (fish in Creole sauce) and rum-soaked banana flambé. Overnight in Sainte Luce.
Day 8: Depart Martinique
Transfer to airport. Au revoir, Madinina!
Inclusions
- 7 nights 4-star resort with breakfast + dinner
- Jardin de Balata & canopy walkway entry
- Volcanological Museum entry
- Cousteau Reserve day trip (Guadeloupe ferry/flight + snorkeling)
- All guided tours and private transportation
- Airport transfers
