After some hesitation between Martinique or Guadeloupe, you opted for the Emerald Isle but don't know where to go in Gualeloupe? This was also the case when I had the chance, 4 months ago, to be able to spend a short week of vacation there.

When I wanted to book my hotel, I asked myself where to stay in Guadeloupe : in Grande Terre, Basse Terre or in one of the southern islands (Marie-Galante, La Désirade or Les Saintes)?

So I did research on the Routard guide, the Lonely planet, travelers' blogs and forums. I found reliable information (no advertising or incentives) on the different places in Guadeloupe and their particularities.

This is how I selected the best place in Guadeloupe to spend a dream vacation between tourism and paradisiacal beaches ! And after having been there, I confirm that it was the right choice!

When to go to Guadeloupe?

Guadeloupe is an archipelago of the Antilles ideal for going to enjoy the sun when winter is freezing in France!

Indeed, the best season to go is between December and April. But for those who hesitate, you should know that the months of May and June are also favorable in Guadeloupe.

What are the islands of Guadeloupe?

If it is easy to choose where to stay in Martinique, it's more complicated for Guadeloupe.

Indeed, Guadeloupe is made up of:

• 2 main islands separated by the “Rivière Salée”: Grande Terre et Basse terre ;
• de Marie Galante, another island south-east of Grande Terre;
• small islands that make up the Saints south of Grande Terre.

And these different parts of Guadeloupe are very different!

Where to go in Guadeloupe for the beaches?

We are not going to lie to each other, if we go to Guadeloupe it is above all for its dream beaches. Yes, we also take the opportunity to go sightseeing, visit some must-see sites and discover Creole culture ... But what attracts tourists the most to Guadeloupe are the beaches!

Best beaches in Guadeloupe at Sainte Anne (Grande Terre)

Sainte-Anne on the south coast of Grande-Terre is the ideal place to enjoy the beautiful beaches.

Indeed, this part of Guadeloupe is famous for its paradisiacal beaches with white sand, turquoise waters, lagoons surrounded by a coral reef. The 3 most popular are:

• With its coral reef and clear and crystalline waters, the Caravelle beach is one of the most beautiful in Guadeloupe. It also has some very popular scuba diving spots!

• la Bois Jolan beach towards Saint-François which is wilder and less crowded than the others. than its sisters and less frequented, especially during the week. Bordered by coconut palms and grapes, it stretches over 2 kilometers.

• La Bourg beach is also famous for its coral reef which protects waters of an emerald turquoise blue. Swimming is king there because the sea is calm and shallow. It is a beach that appeals to families and locals alike.

Where to stay in Sainte Anne?

To stay in Sainte Anne, as close as possible to the Caravelle Beach, I offer you the Cotton Residences. These are apartments whose location is simply perfect, 300 m from the beach and right next to a very good little restaurant, Koté Sud.

Best beaches in Guadeloupe in Le Gosier (Grande Terre)

With the view of the islet of Gosier, this locality of Guadeloupe offers a multitude of beaches, each one more beautiful than the next (Salines Beach, Petit-Havre Beach, Bas du Fort Beach...).

Beside the Petit-Havre beach, you can discover the Datcha beach. It is superb with the view of the islet of Gosier where you can go swimming or kayaking.

Where to stay in Le Gosier?

Only 400 meters from the Gosier Lagoon beach, I recommend you The Residence Turquoise Guadeloupe. It offers apartments for rent with sea and lagoon views.

A small shopping center is less than 500 meters away and the airport is just a 15-minute drive away. It's ideal when you don't want to spend too much time in transport ...

Best beaches in Guadeloupe at Marie-Galante

If you dream of fine sand, turquoise waters, coconut palms and multicolored corals far from mass tourism, then head to Marie-Galante and its superb beaches:

• La Folle Anse beach is a large, calm beach where the sea is shallow;
• La Saint-Louis beach in a beautiful bay is also a postcard beach. You can enjoy a magnificent view of the archipelago of Saintes.
• La Anse de Mays beach is also a magnificent and fairly quiet beach because it is not very crowded.

Personally, for a short week, I preferred to stay in Grande Terre so as not to have to carry on transportations and crossings which generally take a lot of time.

Best beaches in Guadeloupe at La Désirade

If you are looking for a peaceful holiday, the island of La Désirade has some paradisiacal beaches where you will have the impression of being alone in the world.

Where to go in Guadeloupe to visit?

If you only have one week, you can visit the main tourist sites of Basse-Terre and Grande Terre.

In fact, Basse-Terre can be discovered for its mountains, its tropical forest and its many rivers and beautiful waterfalls such as the famous Carbet kicks. But in Basse-Terre, there is mainly to climb the Soufriere volcano 1467 meters high.

On Grande-Terre, we visit Pointe à Pitre, Port Louis, the islet of Gosier and its entire coast to the south with its white sand beaches and coconut palms. It is also a paradise for divers who can admire the splendid seabed there.

Where are the tourist sites of Guadeloupe located?

To summarize, the must-see sites of Guadeloupe (excluding Marie Galante and Les Saintes) are spread over Grande Terre and Basse Terre. But they are far from each other as you can see on the map below.

Map of must-see tourist sites in Guadeloupe

Where to stay in Guadeloupe to visit everything?

If you have 1 week and you want to visit the most beautiful tourist sites in Guadeloupe, I recommend that you book 2 accommodations: 1 in Grande-Terre and 1 in Basse-Terre. So you can split your stay in two and not waste too much time on the road.

Here is the accommodation I recommend in Grande-Terre:

Here is the accommodation I recommend in Basse-Terre:

Where to stay in Guadeloupe for 2 weeks?

If you are lucky enough to spend 2 weeks in Guadeloupe, I advise you to do a week of relaxation + visits to the islands in the South (Marie-Galante, La Désirade, Les Saintes) and to devote the other week to a road trip for go around Grande Terre and Basse Terre (see itinerary on the map above).

And the best way to do a road trip in Guadeloupe is to do it in a motorhome. There are motorhome rental sites to book one on site in Guadeloupe.

Where to go in Guadeloupe for diving?

Guadeloupe is renowned for being a high place for diving because its marine territory is extraordinary. Yes, but where are the most beautiful spots?

West Coast of Basse-Terre

The best known and most emblematic is found in Pigeon islets on the west coast of Basse-Terre, in the heart of the Cousteau Reserve. In fact, it was the great Commander Cousteau who discovered this site in 1959. He also wanted to preserve the richness of this biodiversity. But it was only in 2009 that this spot was classified and protected as National Park of Guadeloupe.

This spot is a must for diving enthusiasts.

On this west coast of Basse-Terre, there are other magnificent diving spots that allow you to practice this activity under different conditions.

If you wish to take advantage of it, you will have to choose accommodation in the municipalities of Boiling and of Blackhead.

La Désirade with its islands of Petite Terre

 Petite Terre islands which are located to the south of the island of Désirade is also a wonderful place to go diving. Indeed, the seabed around these islands is full of turtles, barracudas, lemon sharks… On the flora side, you will discover a dream lagoon where nature reigns supreme! Moreover, it is a protected nature reserve.

The Saints

The archipelago of Saintes is the best of the best for diving enthusiasts. The Sec Pâté spot is also classified as the most spectacular in the entire Caribbean Sea.

See also: Where to go in the Maldives to swim with sharks and manta rays