Guadeloupe Beach Vacation Guide

Guadeloupe (population roughly 400,000) is not one island, but the largest archipelago of the Lesser Antilles. The main island of Guadeloupe is called the Butterfly Island due to its shape: it's comprised of two islets separated by a narrow seawater channel known as the Rivière Salée. Rich rainforest carpets its mountainous interior and stunning beaches line its coasts. Grande-Terre is the eastern part of the island, which is relatively dry and flat and is home to the economical capital of Pointe-à-Pitre. The town is full of colonial buildings and spice and flower markets, but most travelers simply head here for the reasonable prices on French luxury goods. Basse-Terre, the western part of the island, is ruggedly mountainous—its 74,100-acre Parc Naturel de Guadeloupe has excellent hiking trails—and is capped by the active volcano La Soufrière, which at 4,736 feet is the tallest peak in the Lesser Antilles.Read More