Martinique is an island found in the middle of the Caribbean archipelago; a part of the group of Lesser Antilles called the ‘Breezy Islands’. This is an island with all the charm of a little French village, has some Creole flavor and spice which you is eminent in its food, customs and languages.
Tourism is an important part of the economy of Martinique with the hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting it every year. The beautiful beaches of the island are surrounded by banana, palm, sugar and pineapple plantations.
The capital of Martinique is Fort-de-France filled with winding streets and colorful markets. You find a statue in La Savanne, a park in the center of the town that commemorates Napoleon’s Empress Josephine.
Martinique’s major resort area, Pointe du Bout, is located at the south of the island. Ste. Anne, Les Anses d’Arlets and Le Diamant offer some great bathing beaches. Martiniquais have a mixed ancestry as descendants of its 17th century French settlers and African slaves that were brought to work on the island’s plantations. Martinique boasts of a rich and diverse history.
You find the La Pagerie, where Napoleon’s empress Josephine was born, the modern Pompeii and the pinnacle in the sea, Diamond rock worth visiting. Pompeii was the most important city of Martinique till 1902, when Mt. Pelee erupted to wipe both the city and its inhabitants in three minutes.
Only one prisoner survived in an underground cell, who was subsequently pardoned. Diamond Rock is a rock that was designated a man-of-war by the British during the Napoleonic wars.
Today Mount Pelee lies dormant, is the highest mountain in the island and the home of Martinique’s great tropical rainforest. A visit here makes you think that the Garden of Eden still exist because of the unspoilt beauty of the region. Moreover, the remains of St. Pierre, the city where the mountain is found is now a tourist attraction.
There are lots of things you can do in Martinique like yachting, surfing, sailing, kite surfing, hiking, mountain biking and even canyoning, the sport of throwing yourself into waterfalls, into pools. Large hotels have tennis courts while there are about 40 tennis clubs in the island.
You can get a membership in these clubs and play tennis day and night. Trois-Ilets is an 18 hole golf course you can try out while horse riding is a great way to explore the island’s countryside. If all this is too much for you, you could spend the day lazing on the sandy, white beaches.
Entertainment
You will love to listen to the two beat local music called zouk, which is similar to the music meringue but unique to Martinique. The locals are really proud of this music and play it loudly, with pride. And you should never leave the island without tasting its rum, one of the best in the world.
Jamaica is indeed a great island to visit for a complete holiday of relaxation, adventure, entertainment and food.