It has one of the grandest marinas in the Caribbean at Bas du Fort and, perched above and facing the mountains of Basse-Terre, a coral-built, 18th-century fort (Fort Fleur-d'Epée), built to repel invaders, but nowadays life is slow and sweet and visitors are welcomed.
Barefoot tourist life revolves around the little restaurants and nightclubs of the south Atlantic coast. Le Gosier offers local food, sugarcane rum, zouk and a taste of the real Caribbean while the French-influenced village of Ste Anne, also laidback, has the added advantage of sitting on one of the loveliest beaches.
While warm breezes, flame trees and hibiscus, white-sailed yachts, villas and glittering azure sea dominate most people's memories of Guadeloupe, there's also the frenetic activity of Club Med and luxurious opulence at St François, where visitors arrive on private jets and live like royalty.
The old wooden French colonial houses of Pointe-à-Pitre are worth a look, as are the rugged rock formations at Pointe des Châteaux. After that, the best idea would be to take a ferry and explore the smaller islands or head to Malendure and explore the underwater world of Réserve Cousteau. Established by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, this underwater land, warmed by hot volcanic springs, is considered one of best dive sites in the world.
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