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Guadeloupe, known as Gwadloup in the local creole, and sometimes known as the Butterfly Island (French: I'ile Papillon) on account of the shape of two of its major islands, is a group of islands in the eastern Caribbean and is a French overseas department. It is located southeast of Puerto Rico.
Pointe-à-Pitre is the economic capital of Guadeloupe.
Don't miss the spectacular waterfalls in the jungle of Basse-Terre (Carbet Falls). Some are within 5–10 minutes walking distance from the nearest parking lot, some require at least 3–4 hours of hiking (those are, of course, less frequented by other tourists and you might find yourself alone at a spectacular waterfall in the middle of nowhere - an amazing experience!).
The local rum distilleries offer tours (check for opening times as they may vary from... Read more
Guadeloupe, known as Gwadloup in the local creole, and sometimes known as the Butterfly Island (French: I'ile Papillon) on account of the shape of two of its major islands, is a group of islands in the eastern Caribbean and is a French overseas department. It is located southeast of Puerto Rico.
Pointe-à-Pitre is the economic capital of Guadeloupe.
Don't miss the spectacular waterfalls in the jungle of Basse-Terre (Carbet Falls). Some are within 5–10 minutes walking distance from the nearest parking lot, some require at least 3–4 hours of hiking (those are, of course, less frequented by other tourists and you might find yourself alone at a spectacular waterfall in the middle of nowhere - an amazing experience!).
The local rum distilleries offer tours (check for opening times as they may vary from season to season) which are certainly worth the while since rum production is a very integral part of Guadeloupe's economy. And sampling the local rums is definitely worth the while.
Even though they might not be the best way to get around the island, a ride on the bus is still an experience you should not miss. Cheap, full of locals, conducted by fearless drivers, you can enjoy the beautiful Caribbean panorama to the sound of Guadeloupean zouk music. Some routes are not good for passengers with weak stomachs.
Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes, Saint-Barthélemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin).
Subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity.
Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin.
Cars can be hired at the airport in Pointe-à-Pitre. The main roads are of the same quality as metropolitan France, but smaller roads are often uneven, pot-holed and frankly dangerous. Prudence is required! Drivers are often undisciplined, but rarely aggressive.
In contrast to the rolling hills and flat plains landscape of Grande-Terr, Basse-Terre (the western wing of the island) has a rough volcanic relief. Here you'll find the splendid Parc National de la Guadeloupe, a 74,100-acre protected rainforest with plenty of trails for expert and novice hikers. The park is home to the 1467m high peak of the La Soufrière volcano, the highest mountain peak in the Lesser Antilles. On its lower slopes are the grand Carbet Falls, a series of 3 waterfalls on the Carbet River and one of Guadeloupe's main attractions. For wildlife lovers, the Zoological and Botanical Park of Guadeloupe offers a great insight in tropical flora and fauna and its animal collection included rare and endangered species.
Basse-Terre city, the administrative capital of Guadeloupe, is home to a range of colonial buildings. Furthermore, there are the 19th-century Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul, the main square, and adjoining Jardin Pichon. In Pointe-à-Pitre, there are museums, a bustling creole market place, and aquarium and of course the impressive colonial fort to explore.
There are many festivals to attend in Guadeloupe. In Guadeloupe, they call them "parties on the street". They use colorful ribbons and tie them around their wrists to resemble the colors of all the nations. Their parties last all through the night until the early morning. They sometimes call them "swatson."
Not to be missed, the plate Colombo (chicken, rice, curry), imported from India, has become the typical regional plate.
The local drink is white rum. Do try the "'Ti Punch" (Petit Punch/small Punch) (rum, lime, and sugar cane/brown sugar). Packs a wallop, so be prepared to melt into the island way of life.
There is no particular disease but you should protect yourself from the sun. Sanitary and medical facilities in Guadeloupe are good. Health care in Guadeloupe is controlled by a state-owned organization (Sécurité Sociale). Doctors are available in almost every village. Tap water is usually safe for consumption. Public sources of water are unsafe if labeled with "Eau non potable" (no drinking water). Visitors from the European Union should bring an E111 form with them. Ask details at your local health care organization.
French is the official language, although Guadeloupean Créole (very different from French) is the native language. Everyone speaks French but few people understand English. Most people working in the tourism industry will speak English and sometimes Spanish or German.
LOCAL TIME
7:40 am
March 6, 2021
America/Guadeloupe
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Thanks, Valerie, for the advice!!! The beach there is really beautiful! But in my dreams were radiant sunshine and warm ocean, and in Sainte-Anne, they were almost overshadowed by the topless ladies of different ages and figures. French grandmothers are so accustomed to the... |
The Caribbean Sea is dotted with plenty of islands-states. Today I will tell you about one of them – Guadeloupe, a small piece of land which is one of the destinations of most Caribbean cruises.
Officially Guadeloupe is a commonwealth of 6 islands, but often the small ones aren't taken into... |
After the tour, we decided to go to the beach.
Tourists get information in
Pointe-A-Pitre
. We were shown a big beach on the map. We went there by taxi.
Our liner:
We are here.
We were told that it takes 10 minutes to get to the beach. But there was a traffic jam on our... |
From the
Botanical Garden
we went to the plantation where sugar cane is grown and rum and punch are made.
Driving. Picture from the window of the bus.
Bananas. Fruits are covered by blue packs. To protect them from birds and monkeys.
Arrived. We were met by the dog.
The dog follows us... |
We arrived at the
Botanical Garden
.
Here is a flowering banana. This is now no surprise. It turned out that there are also miniature bananas with crimson fruits.
Ok, first things first.
It's not just the Botanical Garden. Little children can ride donkeys there. And there are horses... |
Guadeloupe island has the shape of a butterfly.
"Butterfly" belongs to France. It is French overseas territories. The island is well developed and there are even traffic jams :)
Columbus discovered the island in 1493 and named it Santa Maria de Guadalupe - d'Estremadura (in honor of St.... |