top of page

Destination Guadeloupe

After a few hours of flight you will land in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) in a humid tropical climate. This Overseas Region located in the Lesser Antilles is an archipelago comprising the islands of Guadeloupe, Les Saintes, Desirade and Marie-Galante. Guadeloupe is composed of two very close islands (Basse Terre and Grande Terre) in the shape of a butterfly, separated by the salty river which is a narrow arm of the sea bordered with mangroves. It connects the Small cul-de-sac on the Atlantic side exposed to the dominant swell, to the Great cul-de-sac located on the Caribbean side, sheltered from the dominant swell.

 

The Basse-Terre is volcanic and mountainous, widely covered by a rain forest where magnificent rivers flow all around the island. A large part of the mountain range is classified as a national park and as such is a fully protected area.

The Grande Terre is mostly flat and made of limestone covered with dry forest and savannah. It is reknown for its large beaches of clear sand and lagoons with crystal clear waters.

The meeting of these two contrasting islands offers a diversity of landscapes and aquatic ecosystems unique in the Caribbean: rivers, beaches, lagoons, coral reefs, sea walls, islets, mangroves, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic ocean.

IMG_20200204_092226.jpg
20191202_152258.jpg
IMG_20200303_154349.jpg
ilet caret.jpg
20170212_094009.jpg
20190420_115606.jpg
20170212_120416.jpg

Fishing is a traditional way of feeding for the resident population and is very popular throughout the island.

Deep-sea fishing is well represented thanks to the Guadeloupe Marlin Club and the tournaments they organize.

Recreational fishing with lure and flies has been developing in recent years thanks to enthusiastic people and professional fishing guides.

The island is highly visited during the tourist season from November to March and it has become an art  to lure fishes more and more solicited by recreational fishermen.

The fishing pressure from the shore is important and most of the areas accessible on foot are overfished. Finding big predatory fish from the shore becomes very technical. It requires a real knowledge of their territory and behavior, and ones need to be patient to make a successful catch.

Fishing with lures from the shore is an excellent way to discover the island. A 2m40 rod with a casting power of 10-40 gr and a 3500 reel with 20lbs braided line will be appropriate for most situations.

You will be able to fish at any time of the day or night, without the need for a fishing license. However beware to respect the law on recreational fishing and the zones where fishing is prohibited (natural park reserves and chlordecone zone). If you wish to eat your fish instead of releasing it, refer to the list of species at risk of ciguatera.

IMG_20200107_132013.jpg

The island is fanned by the Alizes winds that blow from the East South-East sector at an average speed of 20km/hour, maintaining a pleasant temperature of about 30 degrees all year round. However, it happens that the wind can drop or turn into a hurricane during the "hurricane season" from July to November.

For some years now, sargassum has been stranding intermittently in large shoals on the shores of the Atlantic coast from March onwards.

 

A wide variety of accommodations are available: hotels, bungalows, bed and breakfast... Camping is unusual for Guadeloupeans, and is not recommended.

Public transport is poorly developed, a vehicle is essential to visit the island and to go to the fishing spots.

The island offers a wide choice of restaurants, bars, bakeries and food-trucks during the day as well as in the evening all around the island.

French and Creole are spoken, much less English or Spanish.

20190908_180941.jpg
IMG_20200612_181333.jpg
IMG_20200206_151818.jpg
IMG_20200223_093546.jpg
IMG-20200704-WA0024.jpg
bottom of page