Martinique, an island in the Caribbean, is the part of the Lesser Antilles island cluster. Governmentally, it is an overseas region of France, with French being the official language and the Euro being the predominant currency. It is a luxurious tropical destination with all the postcard features: sand beaches, tropical rainforests, clean sea and an imposing volcano. The island is dominated by pure, chilled air brought by the Atlantic currents, by which intoxicating scents of palm, cloves, vanilla, coconut, nutmeg and cinnamon flow through the shoreline as a welcoming invitation to all sailors.
Why choose Martinique?
Martinique, located in the centre of the Caribbean island mass, is known as the part of the "Windward" islands. The Atlantic current flows besides the eastern shores of Martinique, whilst the warm Caribbean Sea embraces the western shoreline, producing a buzzing hive of underwater life activity. The southern part of Martinique is good place to find shallow sandy beaches, with coconuts falling from the nearby palms and warm waters to enjoy the splendour of the islands. The north side is covered by tropical rainforests and beaches of black sand, whilst in eastern Martinique, surfers will find big waves on the shore and nature enthusiasts many interesting specimens of flora and fauna in the Caravelle Peninsula. Wherever you go in Martinique, Mount Pelee will be somewhere, lingering in the horizon.
What to do and see on your yacht charter in Martinique?
The largest town in Martinique is Fort-de-France, where colonial architectural styles meet indigenous influences, creating a marvellous blend of vivid colours and unconventional beauty. Between all the stunning historic sights, the hardest to miss would be the Cathédrale Saint-Louis, seconded only by Fort Royal and the Musée Départemental d'Archéologie. After some potential sightseeing, Fort-de-France has a market where locally grown produce is available at exceptionally low prices, as well as souvenirs and other curiosities. Also, worth checking out is the Balata Botanical Garden, housing more than 3,000 species of tropical plants and flowers. During the duration of their stay here, many people come to appreciate and enjoy the music of Martinique, in forms of zouk, beguine or mazurka, whose sounds echo through the coastline from dawn till dusk. Sailing around Martinique, not to be missed is Saint-Pierre, a newly built city atop the ruins of Martinique's former capital, which was wiped from the face of the Earth in the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelee. Curiously, only one survivor out of 30,000 was left alive, a prisoner that was protected by the thick walls of his stone cell. As for the beaches, Les Salines is known to be the most beautiful beach on Martinique, named after a salt pond found near the shoreline. Three kilometres off the south coast of Martinique lies Diamond Rock, a volcanic mound rising upwards from the surface of the sea. This area is known as one of the best diving sites found on the island, with the beautiful Diamond Beach complementing the scenery.
Sailing season - When to charter in Martinique?
When sailing in the great Martinique region, all seafarers will be happy to discover all the advantages a mild tropical climate has on sailing. With an average constant air temperature between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius, Martinique is an ideal place to start planning numerous excursions to other islands in the Lesser Antilles, particularly St. Lucia and Dominica. North of Dominica is Guadeloupe and south of St. Lucia is St. Vincent and the Grenadines - further south is Barbados and Grenada. All these islands are equally good spots to add to your island-hopping itinerary. The best time to visit Martinique is May or November, avoiding the summer altogether because of hurricane season. Also, wise would be not to travel in the winter, because it can be notoriously expensive, especially from December to April.