MARTINIQUE - A Touch of Paris and a Dash of Caribbean....
Written: May 11 '00 (Updated May 12 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Weather, Shopping, Water Sports and Beaches, Food, etc. etc. etc.
Cons: None in my book
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| jaedykes's Full Review: Martinique |
Are you looking for a vacation spot with white, sandy beaches and blue-green water? Perhaps you enjoy hiking and communing with nature. Do thoughts of shopping and eating at elegant restaurants make you long for time off from your busy schedule? Then this beautiful Caribbean island is for you, because it has all of these things and more!
Martinique has a predominantly French influence, yet possesses a unique culture of it's own. Located in the Southern Caribbean in between Dominica and St. Lucia, this lovely island continues to be a popular port of call for several cruise ships. If you can recall some of the French you learned in High School, you may get to know some of the proud locals. Although some of the people are familiar with the English language, they seem to be more willing to communicate if you make some effort to speak their language.
Christopher Columbus landed on this island in 1502 and named it "Martinica" in honor of St. Martin. At the time, the Carib Indians inhabited Martinique and chose to call it "Madinina", Island of Flowers. Over the years, many battles and skirmishes were fought to gain control over the Indians. In 1635 it was colonized by the French, who took reign over several sugar cane plantations. That also prompted many West Africans being brought over and sold into slavery to work the sugar cane fields. Slavery wasn't abolished until 1848. The "Chateau Dubuc" is an old, abandoned plantation house that still shows evidence of slavery. This, and several others, have been restored and are interesting to tour.
The capital of Martinique is Fort de France. You will find an abundance of local cab drivers from which to choose. We had the best success in negotiating directly with the locals to find the best deal to tour the island. They are anxious for the business and this gives you the flexibility of designing the tour to best suit your preferences. For a little more than half the price of a tour package, my sister and I were able to see the residential areas of Martinique. Our cab driver was well versed in historical facts of his homeland and we learned that the Empress Josephine, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, was a native of this island.
We also were able to browse many beautiful, French boutiques. Some of the items were "pricey", but you can find bargains on perfumes and silk scarves. Another favorite was the many cafes that offered French and Italian cuisine. You can purchase a variety of sandwiches and pastries at reasonable prices. However, expect to pay at least $20-25 per entree in some of the more desirable restaurants for dinner. Most the nicer establishments also require a coat and tie.
Since Martinique is surrounded by water, you would expect seafood to be part of their economy. The fish market in Forte-de-France is located along a river, so you can watch the local fisherman as they unload their boats to local vendors. We were not sure of the rules and regulations in regards to bringing agricultural items onto the ship, but there are many vegetable, fruit, and flower stands within the market. I would recommend the fresh coconut. They will gladly slice it into small pieces which makes for a nice snack, or you might enjoy the refreshing coconut milk to soothe your thirst.
I have visited this island three different times, all of which were ports of call with different cruise ships we traveled. There are a number of hotels and resorts in Martinique and they range in price from $75-350 per night. According to the locals, however, many Americans are disappointed with the accommodations because they expect rooms to be similar to the standards of a Hyatt or Marriott Hotel. Many hotels do not offer air conditioning, but all are surrounded by gorgeous foliage and have a distinct tropical ambiance. You may not find a TV, carpet, or the usual conveniences expected at a hotel here in the States, but the service is very good and your room is kept clean and is quite comfortable. This is true of many Caribbean islands and we find this to be part of their charm. If you would rather watch sitcoms than stroll a beach in the moonlight, then stay at the local Holiday Inn - it's cheaper.
There are many architectural spots throughout the island. One photo taking opportunity included a beautiful old church, the Cathedral St. Louis, which was built in 1878. It is filled with beautiful stained glass and a large pipe organ, and tours are welcomed daily. However, our cab driver brought us there when there were no large groups of tourists around and we were free to explore and take pictures on our own.
Again, a cab ride is recommended because the capital city is densely populated and traffic is quite busy along the narrow streets -not to mention that they drive on the left hand side of the road. Our cab driver was very accommodating and made several stops at our request for taking pictures, looking in shops, and taking a lunch break.
The hilite of all of my visits to Martinique was the snorkeling! There are several organized tours available which include glass bottom boats, scuba diving, snorkeling, or just a day at the beach. Don't be surprised if you see topless or nude sunbathers ~ I'm sure this will be a huge disappointment to the gentlemen, but my mother was less than amused. There are many small beaches and coves that are wonderful for snorkeling . We took a 20 minute boat ride to a small beach. The views were incredible! We could see Saint-Louis Fort from our boat. It's high stone walls and canons still stand along the shore line where the French defended themselves against attacks many years ago. Mountainous terrain is covered in green, tropical foliage - everywhere you look gives you a Kodak moment.
The boat tours offer a fun, party atmosphere with rum punch and reggae music - we were proud to lead several folks in the Macarrena (yes, it's still popular there!). When we finally reached our destination, we were free to swim out on our own or stay with the tour guide who let us touch an octopus (okay - I didn't touch it! but I got great underwater photos.). The coral and fish are indicative of the beautiful colors you find throughout the Caribbean. I photographed canary yellow fish with black stripes, cobalt blue fish, and deep orange bulldog looking fish when out on our own (and if I ever figure out .html, I'll provide a link to photographs taken on these trips). The finale of the day was a stop at a near by cave filled with bats. Since I've taken this particular boat trip twice, I worked up the nerve to swim into the cave the second time. I didn't actually see any bats, but we sure heard them and I think I increased my swimming speed significantly.
The best time to visit Martinique is November through May. The weather is a constant 70-75 degrees with low humidity. However, one of my visits was during the month of September. Even though this is during the hurricane season, the weather was warm and calm. We did encounter several light rain showers, but I didn't see the need for an umbrella.
Whether visiting Martinique as part of a cruise tour or staying at a hotel or resort, there is plenty to do and see. Not only do I recommend it, I plan on going back!
Recommended:
Yes
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jaedykes
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Location: The Buckeye State
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