Guadeloupe% POP 405,700 / 590

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Includes  Why Go? Grande-Terre. . . . . 459 Guadeloupe is an archipelago of over a dozen islands that Basse-Terre Island. . . 469 combine to offer travelers a wealth of attractions from Les Saintes...... 475 deserted beaches to soaring mountains. Guadeloupe’s two Marie-Galante...... 479 main islands look like the wings of a butterfly and are joined together by just a couple of bridges and a mangrove swamp. La Désirade...... 482 Grande-Terre, the eastern of the two islands, has a string of Understand beach towns that offer visitors marvelous stretches of sand Guadeloupe...... 483 to laze on and plenty of activities. Mountainous Basse-Terre, Survival Guide ...... 484 the western island, is home to the wonderful Parc National de la Guadeloupe, which is crowned by the spectacular La Soufrière volcano. As well as the ‘mainland’ of Guadeloupe, there are a num- Best Places ber of small offshore islands including Les Saintes, Marie- to Eat Galante and La Désirade, each of which gives visitors its ¨¨La Touna (p473) own taste of Guadeloupe’s yesteryear. These are some of the most evocative and untouched destinations in the French ¨ ¨Le Mabouya dans La Antilles, and shouldn’t be missed. Bouteille (p467) ¨Ïguane Café (p467) ¨¨La Playa (p481) When to Go ¨¨Couleurs du Monde Dec–May Guadeloupe’s busiest time; the weather is (p478) warm and dry, and the average humidity is around 77%. Jul–Nov The wettest period, when rain falls about 14 days a month and the average humidity reaches 85%. Try Best Places to avoid Christmas, the French February holidays and to Sleep July and August, as prices are sky-high and rooms scarce at this time. ¨¨Tendacayou Ecolodge & Spa (p470) Jan–May The drier months are the best time for diving and snorkeling. ¨¨La Toubana Hôtel & Spa (p465) ¨Äuberge Les Petits Saints (p476) ¨¨Hostellerie des Châteaux (p466) ¨Ë.Gwada Hostel (p463) Guadeloupe GranGRANdDe-TerreE TERRE 459 e d 7 ra # i s m é k s D 0 e s l 2 i e x a d u m L

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H é i a P B Is a e a r L l Guadeloupe Highlights Guadeloupe s P ourishing your inner Nourishing your and encountering gourmet the around from boaties in this charming world village. fishing Hiking through the rainforest the rainforest Hiking through this summit of the misty to volcano active brooding, Touching the underwater the underwater Touching 3 2 1

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6 6 6 A GRANDE-TERRE Grande-Terre – which despite its name is – which despite its Grande-Terre mostthe is – Basse-Terre than smaller far southernvisited island of Guadeloupe. Its coast,reef-protectedits with and waters main beaches, is Guadeloupe’s golden-sand