Guadeloupe is an incredible group of islands and although we had been there in 2018, we were so excited to be back. There is really something for everyone to do here from climbing a volcano to diving in the marine reserve at Pigeon Island and then visit the smaller group of islands called Iles Des Saints. Would I go back there for a 3rd time? Hell yes, count me in.
We sailed from Dominica to the small island group called Iles Des Saints which is part of the butterfly shaped island, Guadeloupe. The main island of Iles Des Saints is Terre De Haute and I think I could easily spend 2 weeks here. The main road running along the shore has stunning restaurants and coffee shops either side of it. The restaurants overlook the quiet bay where you can sit and watch boats come and go. There is a fantastic vibe here and I think that may be due to the fact that only locals can buy land or property on this Island – Well done Guadeloupe, keep it for the locals!
We did a hike up to fort Napoleon. Although it was closed when we were there, it was well worth the walk and there are some great views. Mooring Buoys are provided at a cost and there is a small area to anchor in at no charge.
From here we made our way up the west coast of the main island and had a fantastic sail to Pigeon Island which is a Marine Reserve designated by Jaques-Yves Cousteau. If you like to dive or snorkel, make sure you stop here. The anchorage is on the main island, and you use your dinghy to get to Pigeon Island. There are a few restaurants and dive shops on the main island and we like the beach here. Watch-out for falling coconuts.
Our next stop is a village called Deshaies. From here we hired a car and drove to La Grande Soufrière, which is an active stratovolcano. It is the highest mountain peak in the Lesser Antilles, rising 1,467 m high. The hike up and down takes about 4 hours and typically involves some near vertical climbs, rain, mud and a lot of wind. We all loved it including the smaller children.
After that we drove to Les Chutes du Carbet which is a double waterfall and visible from the sea. The first waterfall is 125m high and the second 110m high. In 1493 they were noted by Christopher Columbus in his shipboard log thereby encouraging him to land on Guadeloupe in search of water. Quite something to see from the ocean. The vegetation in this area is worth seeing. Explore the back roads when you visit.
In Deshaies there is a Botanical Garden. If you are in Guadeloupe, make sure you visit the gardens. We missed the free Botanical Garden bus back down to the village of Deshaies and the walk back is not only quite long but a little bit dangerous as there is no pavement, so one of the staff members offered us a lift in their car. We made it back ok.
Leaving our dinghy tied up to the dock for a day is always a bit worrying. We always tie the front of it to the dock and drop an anchor off the back so that the dinghy can be pulled away from the dock a bit by the anchor rope. This will hopefully prevent it from banging into the dock the whole day.
We also chain it to the dock to prevent it from being stolen. Dinghy theft in the Caribbean is a real problem but not on all the islands. 2 other boats we sail with have been victims. Both were stolen whilst attached to the boat. One was on the foredeck and the other hoisted up on the dinghy davits. It is not so nice when what we call our ‘car’ gets stolen.
Watch our next episode as we explore Antigua & incredible Barbuda.