Martinique is part of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea and an official overseas department of France. A local historian, Gilbert, calls it “civilized Caribbean,” it draws visitors from around the world with its rare blend of postcard-worthy nature and unmistakable French culture.
Here you can stretch out on white-sand beaches, hike to the summit of a volcano, wander through tropical forests, taste authentic Creole cuisine with a French twist, and sample the island’s famed rum.
What we especially love is how safe the island feels, the high level of service, and the fact that the euro is the local currency. If you’re looking for exotic beauty without giving up comfort, Martinique is your place!
Getting to Martinique: Flights, Costs, and Entry Rules
Reaching Martinique is easier than you might think. From the U.S., American Airlines runs a nonstop service from Miami to Fort-de-France in just under four hours, with fares often starting around $250 one-way. Canadian travelers can fly direct from Montreal or Toronto with Air Canada and Air Transat.
From Europe, the island is seamlessly connected to Paris by Air France, Corsair, and Air Caraïbes, with seasonal routes from other French cities and even Frankfurt. Most European flights take about eight to nine hours.
No visa is required for short stays if you’re traveling with a U.S., Canadian, or EU passport—just make sure yours is valid for the length of your trip and that you have a return ticket in hand.
hat to Know Before Traveling to Martinique: Key Tips
- Currency: The official currency is the euro. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, but in the mountains and at local markets you’ll need cash. Prices are generally on par with southern France.
- Best time to visit: The dry season runs from December to May, when the weather is almost guaranteed to be good. Expect daytime temperatures of 79–86°F (26–30°C) and very little rain.
- Getting around: Distances are short, but without a car the island is tricky to navigate. Public transport is limited and taxis are expensive, so rent a car—roads are good. Don’t forget to bring an international driving permit.
- Regions: The south (Trois-Îlets, Sainte-Anne) is all about beaches, resorts, and infrastructure. The north (Saint-Pierre, Ajoupa-Bouillon) is nature, jungle, and the volcano.
- Accommodation tip: Choose a hotel or villa with a pool. The ocean isn’t always calm, and there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to swim in it every day.
- Language: The official language is French. English is spoken only by a few, so a few words of French will go a long way.
Where to Stay
Martinique has a well-developed tourism infrastructure, and you can choose exactly how you want to stay: in a small boutique hotel, in a private villa with its own pool and garden, in a classic beachfront resort with full amenities and activities, or in a secluded rental far from everyone else.
Hotel French Coco — a private Creole-style boutique hotel
Address: 33 La Distillerie, 97220 La Trinité, Martinique, France
Website: hotelfrenchcoco.com
This small boutique hotel sits in the fishing village of Tartane, right next to the Caravelle Nature Reserve and the Atlantic Ocean. A few steps across the grounds and you’re in a tropical dreamscape filled with floral scents and birdsong.
There are just 17 rooms, 16 of them with their own private pool and garden, which gives the impression of having the island almost to yourself. Interiors mix natural materials with Creole aesthetics: wood, silk, soft pastels, open-air bathrooms, and terraces.
This retreat also has its own restaurant serving Creole-Caribbean cuisine, plus a full-service spa. Treatments are offered in serene corners of the property—sometimes with views of the gardens, sometimes beneath the canopy of a teak tree. There’s also a shared pool surrounded by sun loungers and greenery, perfect for unwinding after a day’s excursions, reading, or a morning yoga session.
Rates start at around $300 per night.
Les Villas du Lagon — premium retreat on Martinique’s east coast
Address: Quartier La Prairie, Le François, 97240 Martinique, France
Website: lesvillasdulagon.com
One of the most elegant and private hotels in Martinique, this retreat sits in a picture-perfect lagoon on the island’s east coast. The property is made up of 18 designer villas and apartments, many with their own private plunge pools on the terrace. At the center, an infinity pool is framed by tropical gardens, hammocks, and beautifully landscaped grounds.
The hotel also boasts its own private beach with a jetty, a tennis court, and Lili au Lagon, a beachfront restaurant serving international and Creole cuisine. Guests can relax by the pool or book treatments at the spa, try kayaking, or take a boat trip across the lagoon.
Nightly rates start around €250, depending on the type of accommodation.
Hôtel Bambou & Spa
Address: Anse Mitan, Les Trois-Îlets 97229, Martinique, France
Website: hotelbambou.fr/en
If you want to stay right in the heart of the resort zone, this hotel is one of the best-known addresses in Martinique. It sits directly on Anse Mitan beach, within walking distance of shops, cafés, and the marina, where water taxis leave regularly for the capital, Fort-de-France.
The surrounding area, Les Trois-Îlets, is among the island’s most tourist-friendly, yet it manages to keep a fairly relaxed pace. Accommodation ranges from standard sea-view rooms to villas and suites, with an Adults Only section for those seeking extra privacy.
On the grounds you’ll find two pools, including an infinity pool with a view of the Caribbean Sea, three restaurants, two bars, tennis courts, equipment rentals (kayaks, paddleboards), and a spa area with a hammam and jacuzzi. Nightly rates start at around €200.
Where to Eat and Drink
Martinique has no shortage of restaurants, beach bars, and cafés—here are a few of the most interesting.
Restaurant Zanzibar au Marin — dinner with a marina view
Address: 11 Bd Allègre, Le Marin 97290
Phone: +596 596 74 08 46
Website: restaurantzanzibar.com
A picturesque spot in an authentic Creole mansion right on the water, with views of the yachts—perfect for a leisurely dinner and watching the sunset. Choose a table on the terrace, set with crisp white linens, and enjoy the freshest seafood.
The restaurant positions itself as créole-gourmet: local seafood and seasonal produce from island farmers and fishermen, prepared with modern European techniques. Highlights include the grilled tuna steak and the fillet of lobster, delicately seasoned and ideal with a glass of white wine.
Dinner is served from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and for a terrace table with a view of the bay, it’s best to book in advance.
Le Petibonum — private beach and rum bar
Phone: +596 596 78 04 34
Website: petibonum.com
An unusual mix of beach chalet and fine-dining restaurant with a laid-back atmosphere right on the sand, Le Petibonum sits on the volcanic Plage du Coin in the commune of Le Carbet, on Martinique’s northwest coast.
Here, black sand meets the Caribbean Sea, with the dramatic backdrop of the Pitons du Carbet mountain range. By day, there’s a private beach area; by evening, the place transforms into a romantic restaurant at the water’s edge. The kitchen is led by chef Guy Ferdinand—a local self-taught talent who draws on both Creole and French culinary traditions.
The menu blends local seafood with creative chef’s dishes: conch ceviche, crayfish fricassee in a vanilla sauce, chicken Colombo, and the freshest shrimp. At the bar, expect a wide selection of Martinique’s AOC rums alongside inventive tropical cocktails.
Hours run from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., with closing extended to midnight on event nights.
Le Kano — a Sunset Aperitif Bar
Phone: +596 5 96 78 40 33
Website: lekano.fr
Another spot worth lingering by the water is a bar set directly on Anse Mitan beach, with a terrace and sand underfoot. The interior leans into tropical-deco—wood accents, lush plants, cozy lounge corners, and a bar that faces the sea.
The beachside section is best for an aperitif or a cocktail before dinner, and it’s usually easy to find a seat. Stop by during happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. for well-priced drinks.
After nine, the place comes alive with live music—if you want a terrace table, book ahead. Weekends bring DJs and full-on parties.
Garage Popular
It is a bar/pub that remains the more rough-and-ready local hangout, but this is where you come for a breezy evening by the water.
Address: 116 & 121 Rue Lamartine, Fort-de-France, Martinique
Phone: +596 596 79 86 76
Facebook: facebook.com/garagepopular
The vibe here is pure garage-pub: open metal doors, décor made from car parts and license plates, a lively buzz, and sports often playing on TV. Both locals and visitors gather, and after 8 p.m. there’s frequently live music.
It’s best to come in the evening when the place is at its liveliest. Order a pizza or a crunchy sandwich, and don’t miss trying one of the local cocktails.
Things to Do and See on the Island
Plage des Salines (Grande Anse des Salines)
The quintessential “Bounty-ad” beach: postcard-perfect white sand, calm turquoise water, and palm trees framing the shoreline.
Location: Google Maps link
This is the kind of beach you’ve seen a hundred times in dreamy Caribbean postcards—and here, it’s real. The sand is dazzling white, the water calm and translucent turquoise, palms leaning toward the shore. Stretching more than a kilometer, it’s perfect for swimming as well as long walks.
You can rent a sun lounger or slip away to the wilder end of the beach for a quiet spot and those picture-perfect views. Along the shore, small kiosks sell water and snacks, but there aren’t full-service cafés, so if you plan to spend the whole day, it’s wise to bring food with you. The beach is easily accessible by car, with parking available right nearby.
Hiking Montagne Pelée
Starting point: Google Maps link
If you tire of lying on the beach under palm trees with a coconut in hand, set out on one of Martinique’s most striking natural adventures: a hike up Montagne Pelée, the active volcano that rises 1,397 meters above sea level. The mountain is infamous for its 1902 eruption, which destroyed the city of Saint-Pierre and claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Today, the climb is safe, popular, and well organized. Several marked trails lead to the summit, the most well-known being the Sentier de l’Aileron, which begins along the D39 road. Depending on your pace, the ascent takes between 2.5 and 4 hours. Along the way, the path moves through cloud forests, lava fields, and rocky ridges before reaching the crater, where—on a clear day—you’re rewarded with sweeping views of the island and the Caribbean Sea.
It’s best to start early in the morning; by midday the peak is often wrapped in fog and rain. Bring sturdy shoes, a wind- and rainproof layer, and plenty of water.
Fort Saint Louis (Fort in the center of Fort-de-France)
Address: Pointe du Bout, Fort-de-France, Martinique
Location: Google Maps link
This 17th-century fort is more than just a relic—it’s still an active French naval base as well as a protected historic monument. Parts of the grounds are open to visitors, where you can wander past bastions and courtyards, take in sweeping coastal views, and spot iguanas roaming freely among the stone walls. The site captures both the colonial legacy of Martinique and its ongoing role in maritime defense.
Distillerie Saint-James (Saint-James Rum Museum)
Address: Boulevard des Pointes, Sainte-Marie, Martinique
Location: Google Maps link
On an island famous for its rum, a visit to a rum museum is a must. Distillerie Saint-James is one of Martinique’s oldest—and still active—AOC rum producers, founded in 1765. Here you can wander through the Rum Museum and the Still Museum, where historic distillation columns, steam engines, vintage barrels, and an impressive collection of early bottles are on display. For the full experience, it’s worth joining a guided tour, which includes a tasting.
Saint-Pierre at Montagne Pelée — the ruined city
Address: Saint-Pierre, at the foot of Montagne Pelée
Location: Google Maps link
The city once called the “Paris of the Caribbean” was destroyed in the devastating eruption of 1902, when nearly all of its 30,000 residents perished. Today you can still walk among the surviving ruins of the amphitheater, theater, and church, or visit the Musée Franck A. Perret, a memorial museum dedicated to the disaster.
If you make it here, don’t miss climbing Montagne Pelée to take in its waterfalls and volcanic landscapes.
If you’re island-hopping, ferries also connect Martinique with its neighbors. High-speed boats run to Guadeloupe, Dominica, and St. Lucia, making it easy to pair Martinique with another Caribbean stop. It’s slower than flying, but the sea views make the journey part of the experience.
