A 6-day route across France’s two biggest Caribbean islands: two nights based at a marina hotel in Martinique for a rum estate and a full-day catamaran run past Diamond Rock, then a short inter-island flight to Guadeloupe for a volcano hike, reef snorkeling and a ferry day in the pastel fishing village of Les Saintes.
Day 1Arrive Martinique & a Rum Estate in Le François
A first afternoon on Martinique’s marina coast, with just enough daylight left for a stop at the island’s best-known rum estate.
✈️ Airport Arrival — A. Césaire International Airport
~25 min to Le François / Trois-Îlets by taxi or rental car
Martinique’s only airport sits just east of Fort-de-France. Renting a car at the arrivals hall is the easiest way to cover both islands’ driving days ahead; a prepaid taxi works fine for this first transfer.
🥂 Rum Estate Tour — Habitation Clément
~2 hours · approx. €16–18 ($17–19 USD) per adult
A 17th-century plantation house and distillery outside Le François, now a botanical garden, rum cellar and contemporary-art space in one. The self-guided grounds end, as they should, at a tasting counter of aged agricole rhum.
Habitation Clément · +596 596 54 75 51 · habitation-clement.fr
🏠 Overnight — Hotel La Pagerie
From $183 USD / night, for 2 people
A tropical-garden hotel on the Pointe du Bout marina in Les Trois-Îlets, a short walk from the beach and the passenger ferry to Fort-de-France — the base for two nights in Martinique.
Hotel La Pagerie · +596 596 78 47 84 · antillesexception.com/en/hotel/martinique/les-trois-ilets/La-Pagerie
Day 2Diamond Rock by Catamaran
A full day on the water with a local maxi-catamaran crew — the best way to see Martinique’s southern coast, Diamond Rock included, without driving a mile of it.
⛵ Full-Day Sail — La Créole Cata
~8 hours (9:00am–5:00pm) · approx. $105–120 USD per person
A 17.5-meter maxi-catamaran out of the Pointe du Bout marina with a captain, guide and onboard cook: a pass by Diamond Rock, snorkeling along the Lakay reef at Anses d’Arlet, a turtle-watching stop off Grande Anse and a zodiac run to the bat cave near Anse Noire, with a Creole lunch and unlimited ti-punch included.
La Créole Cata · en.martinique-tour.com
🍽️ Dinner on your own — Trois-Îlets village
Est. $20–30 USD / person
A short walk from the marina into the old sugar-town center, where a handful of Creole grills and seafood terraces stay open late for the yacht crowd.
🏠 Overnight — Hotel La Pagerie
From $183 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night on the Pointe du Bout marina before the flight to Guadeloupe.
Day 3Transfer to Guadeloupe & Deshaies
A relaxed morning before a short inter-island hop trades Martinique’s marina coast for Guadeloupe’s rainforest-backed northwest shore.
🏖️ Morning at Leisure — Pointe du Bout Beach
~2 hours · free
A last easy swim on the small man-made beach by the marina before the midday flight — calm, shallow water with a row of beach bars for a coffee.
✈️ Inter-Island Flight — Fort-de-France to Pointe-à-Pitre
~40 min · from $90–140 USD per person one-way (Air Antilles)
Several short hops a day link Martinique’s A. Césaire Airport to Guadeloupe’s Pointe-à-Pitre airport — far faster than the alternative overnight ferry.
Air Antilles · airantilles.com
🚗 Car Pickup & Drive to Deshaies
~1 hour from the airport
A coastal drive north past Pointe-Noire to Deshaies, Guadeloupe’s postcard fishing village on the Basse-Terre side, backed by rainforest ridgelines.
🏠 Overnight — Langley Resort Fort Royal
From $195–260 USD / night, for 2 people
A beachfront resort on its own cove in Petit Bas-Vent, just outside Deshaies — the base for three nights on Guadeloupe’s Basse-Terre coast.
Langley Resort Fort Royal · +590 590 68 76 70 · langleyhotels.eu/en/our-hotels/resort-fort-royal
Day 4La Soufrière’s Summit & Carbet Falls
A hike to the steaming crater of the Caribbean’s highest peak east of the Andes, then a waterfall stop on the drive back down.
🏔 Volcano Hike — La Soufrière (Savane à Mulets trail)
~3–4 hours round trip · free, no permit required
An active, 1,467-meter andesite volcano — the highest point in the Lesser Antilles — whose summit trail climbs through cloud forest to sulfur fumaroles still venting at the crater rim. Sturdy shoes and a rain layer are essential; the summit is often in cloud by midday.
🏖️ Carbet Falls (Chutes du Carbet)
~1.5 hours · approx. €3 parking/entry
A three-tier waterfall on the volcano’s eastern flank; the lower fall is a short, easy walk from the parking area and a good cooldown after the summit hike.
🍽️ Dinner on your own — Deshaies waterfront
Est. $20–35 USD / person
A small strip of fish grills and rum bars along Deshaies’ harbor, where the day’s catch usually shows up on the chalkboard menu.
🏠 Overnight — Langley Resort Fort Royal
From $195–260 USD / night, for 2 people
Second night on the Basse-Terre coast.
Day 5Reef Snorkeling & a Ferry to Les Saintes
A morning in the water at Jacques Cousteau’s namesake marine reserve, then a short ferry crossing to the volcanic islets of Les Saintes.
🦂 Snorkeling — Cousteau Reserve, Îlets Pigeon
~1 hr 45 min (incl. boat) · approx. €18 ($19 USD) per adult
A short boat ride from Malendure Beach in Bouillante to the Jacques Cousteau Marine Reserve, named for the diver who called it one of the world’s best, with coral gardens and reef fish in clear, calm water.
Icigo — Cousteau Reserve Snorkeling · +590 590 69 87 87 · icigo.com
⛵ Ferry Day Trip — Les Saintes (Terre-de-Haut)
~45–60 min each way · approx. €40–50 ($43–54 USD) round trip
A crossing to Terre-de-Haut’s pastel harbor town, overlooked by Fort Napoléon and ringed by some of Guadeloupe’s best beaches — easiest reached from Trois-Rivières on Basse-Terre.
L’Express des Iles · express-des-iles.com
🍽️ Lunch on your own — Terre-de-Haut village
Est. $15–25 USD / person
A walkable harborfront of Creole lunch counters and ice-cream stands, with no cars allowed beyond the odd electric cart.
🏠 Overnight — Langley Resort Fort Royal
From $195–260 USD / night, for 2 people
Third and final night on the Basse-Terre coast.
Day 6Pointe-à-Pitre Market & Departure
A last morning among spice stalls before the transfer to the airport.
🛍 Marché de la Darse, Pointe-à-Pitre
~1 hour · free to browse
A covered waterfront market of bagged spices, hot sauces and vanilla pods, a short walk from the ferry terminal — the easiest spot on the trip to pick up souvenirs that pack flat.
✈️ Departure — Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet Airport
Arrive at least 2.5 hours before an international flight
A straightforward end to a week spent between Martinique’s marina coast and Guadeloupe’s volcano and reef.
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