Things to do in Martinique

25 things to do in Martinique

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Hike to the summit of Mount Pelée

  Trek through fern-filled rainforest to the caldera of this still-active volcano, where you can peer into its steaming vents and enjoy sweeping views of both the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

  Morne-Rouge / Saint-Pierre

• Soak up the sun at Les Salines beach

  Spread your towel on Martinique’s most iconic palm‑fringed stretch of white sand, where the turquoise water stays shallow and calm enough for a long, lazy swim.

  Sainte-Anne

• Snorkel with sea turtles at Anse Dufour

  Enter a tiny, sheltered cove where green turtles and colourful reef fish glide right up to the shore, making it an effortless snorkelling spot for all ages.

  Anses-d'Arlet

• Wander through the Jardin de Balata

  Peruse thousands of tropical plants and flowers in a hillside garden laced with rope bridges that dangle high above the treetops, offering a bird’s‑eye view of exotic blooms and hummingbirds.

  Fort-de-France

• Tour the Rhum Depaz distillery

  Walk amid sugar‑cane fields on the slopes of Mount Pelée and learn how volcanic‑enriched soil produces the estate’s full‑bodied rum, then taste the velvety results in the ageing cellars.

  Saint-Pierre

• Explore the ruins of Saint-Pierre

  Roam the tragic town that was wiped out in 1902 by the Mount Pelée eruption; see the theatre steps, the prison cell of lone survivor Cyparis, and the Volcanological Museum that tells the story.

  Saint-Pierre

• Visit Fort Saint-Louis

  Step inside a still‑active French naval base that guards the bay of Fort‑de‑France; a guided tour reveals ramparts, cannons, and panoramic harbour views you can only get from the fort.

  Fort-de-France

• Browse the Grand Marché Couvert in Fort-de-France

  Get lost in the colourful aisles of the covered market, inhaling the aromas of spices, vanilla, and tropical fruit while hunting for madras fabrics and local hot‑sauce souvenirs.

  Fort-de-France

• Scuba dive the pinnacle of Diamond Rock

  Descend around a dramatic volcanic rock that rises sheer from the sea; the submerged walls team with barracuda, turtles, and corals, making it one of the Caribbean’s most spectacular dives.

  Le Diamant

• Swim in the natural pools of Gorges de la Falaise

  Follow a short canyon trail that squeezes between moss‑covered walls, then plunge into emerald‑green pools fed by waterfalls – a cool, hidden reward deep in the rainforest.

  Ajoupa-Bouillon

• Canyoning through the Absalon River

  Jump, slide, and abseil down a succession of waterfalls in a river canyon carved out of the lush Pitons du Carbet foothills, guided by experts who provide all the gear.

  Fort-de-France

• Spot hummingbirds at Domaine d’Émeraude

  Walk an easy interpretive loop through a tropical garden and nature reserve where dozens of hummingbird species zip between the flowers, and learn about the island’s endemic flora.

  Morne-Rouge

• Step back in time at La Savane des Esclaves

  Wander a re‑created Creole village and the former plantation grounds, where traditional huts, gardens, and exhibits tell the story of enslaved Africans and their descendants.

  Les Trois-Îlets

• Feast on toes-in-the-sand Creole tapas at Le Petibonum

  Sink your feet into the black sand of Le Carbet while tasting spicy accras, grilled lobster, and inventive rum cocktails from celebrated chef Guy Ferdinand at his beachfront shack.

  Le Carbet

• Visit the birthplace of Empress Joséphine

  Tour the stone‑built Pagerie museum, the childhood home of Napoleon’s first wife, set in a former sugar estate with period furniture, love letters, and a lush tropical garden.

  Les Trois-Îlets

• Hike the coastal Trace des Caps trail

  Follow this cliff‑hugging route past windswept savannah, hidden coves, and dramatic rock formations along the wild south‑east coast, with waves crashing at your feet.

  Sainte-Anne

• Sip aged rum at Rhum Box in Fort-de-France

  Pull up a stool at this tiny, atmospheric bar where you can sample dozens of rare rums from the French West Indies, accompanied by expert advice and Creole‑inspired tapas.

  Fort-de-France

• Paddle a kayak through the mangrove islets of Le Robert

  Glide silently into a maze of mangroves and tiny islets, including Ilet Chancel with its colony of shy iguanas and the ruins of an old sugar plantation, all reachable only by kayak.

  Le Robert

• Explore Habitation Clément and its sculpture garden

  Roam a beautifully preserved 18th‑century rum distillery, then wander the estate’s contemporary sculpture park where artworks are set among formal gardens and ancient ceiba trees.

  Le François

• Relax on the black volcanic sands of Anse Céron

  Drive to the end of the road near Le Prêcheur for a wild, dark‑sand beach framed by soaring cliffs, where the only soundtrack is the roll of the surf and the rustle of coconut palms.

  Le Prêcheur

• Catch waves at Plage de la Brèche in Tartane

  Grab a board and join local surfers at this consistent reef break on the Caravelle Peninsula, where the Atlantic swell delivers fun waves for all levels against a backdrop of rugged cliffs.

  La Trinité

• Browse the Musée régional d’histoire et d’ethnographie

  Duck into a 19th‑century townhouse in the capital to see Creole costumes, mahogany furniture, and old photographs that reveal the island’s social history and cultural roots.

  Fort-de-France

• Discover the Grotte de la Vierge

  Enter a cave perched above the crashing waves that houses a statue of the Virgin Mary amid stalactites and natural light openings, with a viewing platform overlooking the northeast coast.

  Le Vauclin

• Kitesurf the shallow lagoon of Pointe Faula

  Launch from a long, sandy beach into a vast, waist‑deep lagoon where steady trade winds make it one of the best spots in the Caribbean for beginners and freestyle kitesurfing.

  Le Vauclin

• Taste bean‑to‑bar chocolate at La Cabosse d’Or

  Visit a small‑batch chocolate workshop in the hills of Morne‑Vert to see how local cocoa is transformed into silky dark bars and sip a cup of freshly made cocoa tea.

  Morne-Vert