Martinique - Martinique (7 days - 204,50 NM)

Our adventure at sea starts on the island of Martinique, one of the Leeward Islands. This island is a little piece of France in the tropics. The inhabitants speak French (official language), pay with euros and consume baguettes. However, they also have their own culture which is influenced by the Creole traditions of the Antilles. A large indicator of this is that zouk can be heard everywhere. Zouk means "party" in Creole and is a rhythmic music that inspires the Antilleans to dance sensually and provocatively. The airport is in Lamentin, close to the capital Fort-de-France. When we arrive, we will head south to Le Marin port where we will board our boat charter (sailing boat, catamaran, yacht or gulet) in the afternoon and set off on our wonderful trip.

Formerly known as the Little Paris of the Antilles, Saint-Pierre was the capital of Martinique until 1902 when it was completely destroyed in a volcano eruption. With a visit to the Volcanology Museum, you can soak in the city’s recent past and even see some of the objects that suffered the effects of the eruption. South of Saint-Pierre on the large beach of Anse Turin is where the Paul Gauguin Museum is located. The museum displays a collection of maps and reproductions of paintings that the artist painted during his five month stay here in 1887. Once our time in Saint-Pierre is over, we will embark on one of the longest legs of the trip, cruising in a sailing boat or yacht to the neighbouring island of Dominica, a Caribbean republic and member of the Commonwealth.

We will cruise westward towards Les Anses d'Arlet where we will enjoy beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters. There’s no marina but it’s a nice peaceful place to anchor the yacht or catamaran charter. At night, we can take the dingy to the beach where we can try Caribbean delicacies at the bars and restaurants

We will skirt the west coast of the island of Dominica until we reach Portsmouth, the second largest city on the island. The city is in the north of the island, next to the Indian River which is a wonderful river with Amazon-like landscapes that can be visited after mooring the boat charter in the port of Portsmouth. It's also worth taking a visit to the Cabrits National Park, a protected area home to tropical forests, coral reefs and wetlands. In the park, you can also visit the ruins of a couple of forts (Prince Rupert and Shirley) testimonies to the island’s convulsive colonial history.

The Îles des Saintes (islands of the Female Saints in English) or simply Les Saintes are a group of islands in the Guadeloupe Archipelago that belong to the French Overseas Department. Breaking with the routine of travelling aboard a boat, we will spend two days on these islands to really get a feel for them and enjoy their beaches and marvellous lagoons to the max. The two main islands are Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. The first one is known for its splendid bay of turquoise waters. Here the inhabitants, whose origins lie in Brittany and Normandy, practice a type of canoe fishing called “saintoises”. We can visit Napoleon Fort and enjoy tasty tropical cuisine in any of the restaurants on the island. Terre-de-Bas is less popular than its sister but it gives visitors the chance to experience its peaceful and smooth lifestyle as well as the hospitality of its inhabitants.

From Les Saintes, we will cruise back to the island of Dominica and more specifically to its capital, Roseau, which is the last stop in our boat trip before heading back to Le Marin. Tip: Take your time to get to know the city. You can start by discovering the botanical gardens and the 50 plant varieties that are unique to the island. After, take a visit of the National Museum and the cathedral and then stroll along the lively streets admiring the colonial constructions from 1800. If you want to buy souvenirs or spend a night out on the town, head to the old market square where pleasant market stalls and bars await. If you eat dinner at a restaurant, try the mountain chicken, the delicious seafood (lobster, shrimp, prawns, etc.) and the buljow (cod with bananas and vegetables).

Can you believe that a week has already gone by? It may be hard to believe but our trip has come to an end. Now it's time to disembark the yacht charter or sailing boat that has been your home for the past seven days as we cruised through the Caribbean, discovering paradisiacal beaches, reefs and jungle landscapes with the sounds of zouk brightening our eardrums and seducing our souls. You will definitely go back home with your batteries fully recharged. When they are running low again, you know where to find us.

*The itinerary is only a guideline. Errors in the content do not justify grounds for filing a legal complaint. If you want to visit other places, the itinerary can be modified according to your preferences. If chartering a boat with skipper, the skipper may decide to change the planned itinerary due to unexpected and/or unrelated causes to the organisation.