CARIBBEAN GUADELOUPE DESTINATIONS A


sk your average Brit to find Guadeloupe on a map, and


chances are they might struggle. But that sense of stumbling upon something unknown is exactly where its appeal lies. This lush archipelago set in the Antilles, and officially a department of France, feels remote, untouched and authentically Caribbean. Even on its largest islands,


Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, the vibe is all ramshackle houses in bright candy colours; reggae bands playing on rugged streets; and rustic, back-to-nature hotels bordering quiet little beaches, and it’s utterly charming.


Gaudeloupe is also incredibly


diverse, with French, Creole, African and Indian influences shaping its food, music and people, so the culture feels both familiar and exotic at the same time. It’s just as varied on the nature


front, with smoky volcanoes, bright-green sugarcane fields and sprawling banana plantations giving it a distinctly tropical feel. That makes it a good alternative


for those looking to escape the crowds and immerse themselves in a raw, unpolished place that hasn’t yet been overrun with big- name hotels and glossy chains. Here’s our guide to the highlights.


 BASSE-TERRE:


ADVENTURE The biggest and most dramatic of the two main islands, the volcanic-based Basse-Terre is where you’ll find Guadeloupe’s wilder side. Cloud-capped mountains, tumbling waterfalls and emerald rainforest fill its hilly, lush-green surface, giving it the edge for adventurers. At its heart is La Soufrière,


a steaming volcano in the Unesco-listed Parc National de Guadeloupe with a pointed peak that’s visible across the island. Active types keen to take on a challenge can climb it, with trails starting in the mist-drenched,


bottle-green rainforest below. It’s a fairly strenuous clamber up steep, slippery rocks, but it’s worth it for the extraordinary show at the top: puffs of sulphur spewing out from live, hot craters; jagged volcanic rocks dyed lime green from the gases; and carpets of green rolling off in every direction below. Otantik Tours offers private trips from €88 for those wanting a guide. It’s not only about the hiking


here, of course. Basse-Terre is known for its diving thanks to a handful of vivid coral reefs, and at its core is the Cousteau Reserve, named after renowned oceanographer


24 January 2019travelweekly.co.uk57


TOP TIP


Guadeloupe doesn’t have five-star hotels, so sell it to clients who like nature,


culture or one-off boutiques


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