5 Essential Tips for Planning a Martinique Vacation

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5 Essential Tips for Planning a Martinique Vacation


As quickly as we returned from our Martinique trip I knew there have been a couple of ideas that I wanted to share with everybody planning a visit to Martinique. But first, let me clarify why we ended up in Martinique for spring break.

I really gained a free journey to Martinique at a journey occasion that I attended. The prize from Martinique Tourism included round-trip airfare for 2 and three nights on the five-star La Suite Villa Hotel in Trois-Ilets. Since we didn’t need to fly to the Caribbean for such a brief journey, we determined to increase our stick with three nights on the Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek.

Since we have been in a position to keep in two components of the island and use our rental automotive to discover different areas, we have been in a position to get a greater sense of what the island is like for a Martinique trip.

Martinique Vacation Planning Tips

Martinique vacation Club Med Buccaneer's Creek

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If you’re planning a visit to Martinique, listed here are the issues that it’s important to know.

1. Martinique is just not Your Typical resort island – But There are some Gems

When you consider the Caribbean, it’s straightforward to consider lengthy stretches of sandy seashores lined with sprawling resorts. Places just like the Dominican Republic are identified for his or her all-inclusive resorts, and others like Turks & Caicos are identified for lovely seashores.

There are some islands, like Jamaica, the place you go and by no means actually go away the resort besides maybe for an tour to Dunn’s River Falls.

It actually isn’t like that in Martinique. Martinique is likely one of the eighteen areas of France (clearly certainly one of its abroad areas.) It is a residing and dealing island of practically 400,000 individuals, with its most important industries being building, rum (from the sugar cane grown on the island), oil refinery, cement, sugar, and tourism. The island is neither posh nor impoverished.

As a mountainous island, the seashores are extra restricted and plenty of of them are comparatively small and rocky. The glittering lights of cities dot these hillsides and driving by way of the island you can find all of the issues wanted to maintain its inhabitants — shops, colleges, farms, neighborhoods, and so on.

Small inns are clustered round these seaside areas and within the metropolis of Fort-de-France, the place the cruise ships dock and the place you can find the worldwide airport.

Club Med Martinique water ski dock
Dock at Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek

The nicest seaside is down in St. Anne, and the Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek, the place we stayed, is far more like a typical Caribbean resort than what we noticed in different components of the island. The south generally is lusher, with rolling hills and sugar cane plantations.

The island is understood for its culinary scene, with a mixture of French and Creole influences. However, you gained’t discover any well-known American or high-end worldwide resort manufacturers.  I’d additionally say that the resort rankings don’t examine to comparable rankings within the United States and main European cities.

Because of the smaller inns, additionally, you will discover many guests lease houses or flats and stroll to native seashores and eating places. It is unquestionably a vacation spot for the extra impartial and intrepid traveler than somebody that likes to be pampered and have U.S.-level five-star service and facilities.

Where to Stay on Martinique

While I used to be right here, we went to take a look at a couple of different inns and one I actually preferred for households was the Hotel Bambou. Although solely rated two stars, they’ve very cute bungalows for households (and suites/rooms for adults solely too), in addition to full facilities — swimming pools, seaside entry, restaurant, bar, water sports activities, and so on.

Hotel Bakoua can also be a full-service resort resort on a small seaside, providing connecting rooms and suites for households. The rooms right here have been a little bit extra worn wanting and didn’t have the identical attraction as Hotel Bambou however extra rooms are beachfront.

If you don’t care a couple of beachfront location, La Suite Villa is actually beautiful, particularly for {couples}. While not on the seaside, La Suite Villa is only a 15-minute stroll into city and close by seashores, nestled on a hill overlooking the harbor. From city, you’ll be able to catch a ferry over to the capital of Fort-de-France (saving you from the 45-minute drive.)

La Suite Villa infinity pool
Infinity pool at La Suite Villa

La Suite Villa gives the French-Caribbean attraction and character that you just simply gained’t discover at a seaside resort. We actually loved our keep right here over and above our keep at Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek from a resort high quality standpoint.

The resort has a cool, inventive vibe and the bedrooms have numerous character. Ours included a balcony with a sizzling tub, which we took full benefit of, along with the infinity pool. Dining at La Villa Hotel was a real delight and an opportunity to understand the French-Caribbean influences of Martinique.

2. You actually ought to lease a automotive

St Pierre Martinique

Some of you might have already learn on Facebook or Instagram about my debacle upon arriving in Martinique. Hopefully, nobody else makes the errors that I made however even nonetheless, I extremely advocate renting a automotive, and right here is why:

  • Taxis are costly. From Fort-de-France to Trois Ilet is 60-80 euro. From Fort-de-France to St. Anne within the south is over 100 euros. Even although I knew this, I assumed it could be simpler to get a taxi than to lease a automotive, however I used to be flawed.
  • Taxis don’t take bank cards. Unfortunately, they solely take money and solely euro, so except you come geared up with numerous euros (or neglect your ATM card like me), you’re out of luck.
  • Taxis are exhausting to seek out. When we arrived on the airport at 9 pm there have been hardly any taxis out there. And those that have been there, have been fairly choosy about who they might and wouldn’t take. So if you’ll an space they don’t need to drive to, robust luck.
  • You want to maneuver round. As I discussed above, this isn’t an island the place it’s all in regards to the resorts and folks don’t go away the resorts. You want to maneuver round. With the exception of Club Med, which is likely one of the few all-inclusive resorts, you’ll want to go away your resort for some meals and probably to get to the seaside or discover different areas. There aren’t traces of taxis round so this may be difficult.
  • There isn’t any Uber. Need I say extra?

That mentioned, it’s essential to make a reservation upfront. When I arrived, most of the automotive rental counters have been closed for the night and those that have been nonetheless open wouldn’t lease to me and not using a reservation.

Car leases should not low-cost, however on reflection, it’s value it as a result of it’s really LESS problem than discovering a cab. The line for Budget / Enterprise was HUGE on the airport so to keep away from that mess, you could need to go together with one other model like Jumbo Cars (Sixt was closed additionally after we arrived.)

I sometimes use Auto Europe when evaluating automotive rental charges abroad.

I ended up renting in Trois Islet and returning to the airport from Europcar. I take advantage of Europcar usually, so I’ve a excessive degree of belief within the high quality of their autos. I often simply search with Auto Europe and e book the very best deal that comes up.

3. Bring Plenty of Euro money

St Pierre harbor

As a French area, the foreign money is the Euro. Perhaps it’s totally different within the cruise port, however within the many retailers and eating places we visited, I noticed just one that had an indication displaying that they took US {dollars}. And, as I discussed earlier, cabs solely take euros (no bank cards.)

Most retailers and eating places will take bank cards however numerous eating places are small roadside institutions from somebody grilling up chickens to meals vehicles or produce stands.

When you’re having hassle discovering restaurant availability, this can be your solely possibility (sure, we have been turned away from a restaurant and not using a lunch reservation — I feel as a result of they have been anticipating a tour group.)

Unlike international locations like Iceland the place just about everybody took bank cards, I didn’t discover fairly the identical in Martinique so I’d be sure to have some money available.

4. Learn Some French

Trois Ilet view

Martinique is a part of France. They communicate French. Many of their guests are from France. Until not too long ago with new airline routes opening up, there wasn’t an enormous want for locals to talk English exterior of the cruise port space.

This could be true in eating places, retailers, and even resort check-in. It actually helps to both brush up on some French phrases (I really like DuoLingo for language studying), obtain an offline French phrase e book (I like Fodor’s Travel Phrases app), or preserve your telephone related to knowledge to make use of Google Translate.

Even studying the menus is usually a problem if you’re not a French speaker. This bought us in some hassle in Paris a couple of years again, so a menu translator app or Google Translate is vital.

5. Watch your Speed When Driving

Club med sunset

After my advice to lease a automotive, I want so as to add that it’s essential to watch your pace. I used to be a really cautious driver on this journey, many instances with locals flying previous me once they bought the prospect.

And nonetheless, I woke to an electronic mail (in French in fact) that notified me of a site visitors violation. Apparently, in some unspecified time in the future on our travels, I exceeded the pace restrict, though it’s exhausting to think about the place, and I used to be caught by a site visitors digicam.

Not solely do I have to pay a effective to France, however I additionally had a further charge to pay with my rental automotive firm. This additionally occurred to us in Iceland, so I feel it’s a good however tough strategy to generate extra income for the native authorities. Driver beware!

Bonus Tip: Avoid the Beach at Dusk or Dark

One extra tip is to keep away from strolling barefoot on the seaside at sundown or after darkish. There are little sand fleas that prefer to chunk round that point of day. Otherwise, ensure that to carry your sunscreen and bug spray, and have enjoyable!

Those are my high ideas for planning a Martinique trip! I hope you don’t make the identical errors I did (simply don’t neglect your ATM card and ensure to e book a rental automotive upfront of arrival.)

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5 Tips for planning a Martinique vacation #Martinique #Caribbean #ClubMed

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