The most beautiful natural sites to discover South Caribbean

It is one of the closest beaches to the town of Sainte-Luce. Very popular with families (ideal shaded areas for picnics, calm sea, clean showers and toilets, not to mention a few snack bars and restaurants here and there), Gros-Raisins beach is very accessible and ideal for a quick sunbath or a moment of aquatic relaxation. The only drawback is that you won't be alone! The area is popular with a number of nearby residences and hotels. Nevertheless, the stopover remains very pleasant. Large, convenient parking lot.

The small Bakoua beach nestles in a quiet cove of Pointe-du-Bout. It's the perfect place for a relaxing day on the stilt bar, the famous Coco Bar, overlooking the turquoise waters - a must at the Bakoua hotel. The beach is open to the public, and deckchairs are available for hire. You can also have lunch on site at the La Sirène restaurant. A very pleasant stopover in Trois-Ilets, between coconut palms and white sand. For more information, contact the hotel of the same name.

The Atlantic coast from Grand-Macabou to Cape Macré is wildly beautiful. It is bordered by two very pretty beaches, notably Anse Grosse Roche in the north, fringed with grape trees on the seashore. Although the sea is often a bit rough (it's the ocean), swimming is still quite possible and the water color varies between deep blue and turquoise. To the south, the Caribbean coast of Pointe Borgnèse, at the entrance of the bay of Le Marin, the sea is calmer. Don't forget to take a mask and snorkel: the sea bed around the Pointe Borgnèse is beautiful.

Morne Larcher is the moving, discreet, unalterable guardian of the baie du Diamant. Eliminated, tired, gnawed, it seems quite fragile from the heights of the commune, before descending towards the city center. It is perched in the distance, always present in the corner of the eye, but it often fades away in the face of the effervescence that agitates the long sandy spit of the beach at Le Diamant. And yet, a few kilometers further, at the foot of the colossus, it is the inversion of the standards: one feels tiny, in front of the trace which snakes and clings to the morne until its summit (402 meters). Morne Larcher is an ancient volcano, now extinct.

From there, you have two options: rest on the beach of Anse Cafard, in the protective shade of the Larcher, or climb the mountain. In the second case, bring plenty of water and good shoes: the climb is short but intense, accentuated by the heat, the humidity and the sometimes very uneven or steep path. After an hour's effort, you will have a breathtaking view of the whole of Le Diamant and the south of the island. You may be disheveled by a razor-sharp paraglider, but you will always be happy with this unique spot! The descent can be done on the side of Anses d'Arlet, on less perched, but a little rockier path. Count then 4 km of coastal laces to find the starting point at Anse Caffard. Another solution can be to come with two vehicles.

This superb tropical estate extends over 75 hectares north of Sainte-Luce. The giant cheese maker is king on the edge of the marked trails: one of them even reaches 5.50 metres in circumference. The originality of the place lies in the presence of engraved rocks dating from the pre-Columbian period. The site was indeed one of the settlement sites of the Amerindians. The 900-metre Anoli trail and the 1.6-km Mongoose trail will take you to meet the plant and animal species of this mysterious forest.

A small strombolian volcano a few hundred thousand years old, this islet was quickly equipped with an artillery piece and fortified to the point of becoming an essential device for the defense of the bay of Fort-de-France. From 1703 to 1739, more than 200 cannons were built in Martinique! The fort, a simple battery around 1728 until the fortification project in 1746, forbids any intrusion into the bay, by aligning itself with the Pointe-des-Nègres. Ilet Ramiers (or Ilet-à-Ramiers) is the entrance to Fort-de-France coming from the South coast and Pointe-des-Nègres is the entrance to Fort-de-France coming from the North Caribbean coast. This islet, almost impregnable, is nestled on a steep rock. The attackers could only approach it from one place: a landing stage protected by a guardhouse. At the top is a flat plateau—only accessible by a ladder 70 feet above the sea—consisting of three coastal batteries, military housing, and a gunpowder magazine; several of these buildings are listed as historic monuments. The rock played a defensive role until 1876 and then served as a lazaretto and military hospital for brief periods in addition to the Pointe-du-Bout fort. A military rest center in the 1960s, this 3-hectare islet is now a site protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral for its flora and fauna, in particular the Lesser Antillean iguana, an endemic species. It is forbidden to enter the site.

Located between Le Diamant and Les Anses-d'Arlet, Petite-Anse is no exception to the rule: fine sand, coconut palms, a volleyball court and small restaurants are all popular with visitors. To get there, all you have to do is follow the seafront and its fishing boats. The road from Le Diamant to Petite-Anse is very pleasant and offers some choice panoramas of Le Diamant rock and the bay, not to be missed. The area is relatively unspoilt by tourism, with limited but excellent accommodation.

This pretty walk links the village of Anses-d'Arlet to Grande-Anse in one hour. The departure at the village cemetery goes up a little on the side of the Morne Champagne hill. The walk continues through the savanna, towards the beach of Grande-Anse. Enjoy the beautiful views of the village and the Caribbean coast, and the abundance of tropical forest, between gum trees and heliconias. A superb and easy walk without hesitation. However, bring good shoes.

Gateway to the Cul-de-sac du Marin, this beautifully preserved nature reserve is the favourite starting point for divers on their excursions to the Caribbean Sea. But not only: the turquoise waters offer bathers equipped with a simple mask and a snorkel some magnificent surprises as the depths are so colourful! You will also find a white sandy beach with a few corners of shade, very pretty but quickly taken by storm. This still wild place also offers superb views of the bay of Le Marin.

Moving in towards the sea, Cap Macré is bordered along its entire length by two very pretty beaches (to the north, Anse Grosse Roche) which meet at the end of the Cape.

Several hikes with beautiful beaches are located between Le Marin and Sainte-Anne.

From Le Marin, follow the direction of Sainte-Anne and then, at the traffic circle, turn left towards Cap Macré, in front of the residence Cap Evasion, renting furnished apartments by the month or by the week. The road, bordered by gentle hills with southern vegetation, is ideal for cyclists and hikers alike. A fork invites you to choose between Grand-Macabou on the left (stop at the pretty viewpoint on the sea a little further) and Cap Macré on the right. Cross the rock to go down to the cape, surrounded by scrubland. The Conservatoire de l'espace littoral et des rivages lacustres protects the natural site of the Grand-Macabou domain. It is located at the Cape Beauchêne: no beach, just a starting point for hikes. A small stone church, at the end of the cape, on the edge of the cliff, overlooks the sea.

You can follow footpath n° 29, the trace des Caps, which crosses the southern tip of the island from Cap Macré to Anse-Caritan. Remember to bring a bottle of water. A superb walk, with no major difficulties, except for its length. Count about 5 km from Petit-Macabou to Cap Macré, 7 km between Cap Macré and Cap-Chevalier, 6.5 km between Cap-Chevalier and the Baie des Anglais (Anse-Trabaud), 5 km between Anse-Trabaud, considered as the most beautiful beach of Martinique, and Les Salines, and 4.5 km from Les Salines to Anse-Caritan. This amounts to a total of 28 km from Petit-Caribou to Anse-Caritan (the sign indicates about 12 hours, but good walkers will do it in 6 hours without any problem).

From Cap Beauchêne to Cap Chevalier. On the way back to Sainte-Anne, reach Cap-Chevalier by a pretty road invaded by goats and lined with small white houses. The beach of Cap-Chevalier, nicer on its left side (with more sand and immaculate bottoms), is open to the Atlantic Ocean. Its narrow strip of sand is strewn with seaweed, rafts and a few fishermen's boats, from which the restaurants in the area get their supplies. You can dive with just a mask, fins, and snorkel to discover the rocky barrier. By choosing the road on the right, reach the seaside, in front of the “îlet Chevalier”, a nice opportunity for a beautiful marine stroll. You can get there with a shuttle called “taxicap”.

Starting from the Gallochet district, the Arlet trail leads you to the Grande Anse beach. The seven-kilometer trail starts by going along the Anse Noire ravine to go up to the black sand beach of the same name. You will then reach its neighbor, Anse Dufour, before heading inland to go around the Morne Réduit. On the way, you will have access to beautiful viewpoints on the coast. Finally, you will go back down towards the beach of Grande Anse, where the walk ends. Count 2 hours. Easy level.

To the north of Grande Anse, a path goes through the thickets before continuing along the sea. After an hour's easy walk, reach the underwater trail set up by the Conservatoire du Littoral (Coastal Protection Agency). Armed with a mask, a snorkel, and flippers, dive to discover the 5 buoys under which reside unique underwater fauna and flora: seagrass beds, rocky bottoms, coral massifs, fish of all colors… Out of the water, a carbet (native hut) with educational panels indicates the animals and plants that you are likely to meet.