Deshaies, Guadeloupe: The Paradise in “Death in Paradise”
Visiting Deshaies, Guadeloupe, the setting for the BBC series “Death in Paradise,” was a bit surreal for me: so beautiful and so strangely familiar.
Guadeloupe
Best things to do in Guadeloupe: A Guadeloupe guide
I have many articles on this website about things to do in Guadeloupe, yet I’ve never compiled them into an overview. After updating all of the separate articles, I figure it’s time, so here it is: a Guadeloupe guide. Note: at the bottom of this list you can find a map with all the sights…
The Chocolate Museum, Guadeloupe
Just seeing the bright hand-painted sign above the entrance to La Maison du Cacao (The Chocolate Museum) in Pointe Noire, Guadeloupe, was enough to make me happy. The truth is that pretty much anything chocolate-related makes me happy. I’m an addict. Disclosure: This article contains an affiliate link. If you make a purchase through the…
Kreol West Indies: a new concept
On my last day in Guadeloupe, I stumbled upon a special little museum. I was on my way to the easternmost tip of Grande-Terre, the eastern “wing” of the butterfly that makes up Guadeloupe’s main island. Called Pointe des Chateaux, it’s a windblown, craggy place. On the way, I noticed a brightly-colored building, only catching…
Impressions of Guadeloupe
I explained in an earlier post why I chose Guadeloupe for my sabbatical travels, but apart from that decision, I didn’t know much about the place. I knew that it was French: not just that it’s a former French colony but that it’s still part of France. They even use the euro as their currency. I…
4 Snorkeling Trip Surprises in Guadeloupe and Martinique
Sometimes an ordinary activity you’d do on any vacation can turn into something special. On my recent trip in the Caribbean, I took two snorkeling trips …
Carved Rocks Archeological Park, Guadeloupe
There’s not much left to show that the Arawaks ever lived on Guadeloupe. And it’s not completely clear what happened to them. One story is that they were all wiped out by the Caribs, who arrived in the 15th century. Another story is that they coexisted with the Caribs, but not for long, since Columbus…
The Rum Museum in Guadeloupe
I posted before about Guadeloupe’s quirky banana museum. Well, that wasn’t the only quirky museum I found there. The Musée du Rhum, or Rum Museum, is another one of those small museums filled with odd, disconnected collections of objects. But first, a disclosure: I was given free admission (normally 6 euros) in exchange for writing this…
La Soufrière Volcano hike in Guadeloupe
As you might have guessed from my description of walking to Le Carbet waterfall #2, I’m not much for walking or hiking. It’s not that I don’t enjoy a pretty view or like to catch sight of a colorful bird or picturesque waterfall. I do. It’s just that I’m terribly out of shape, and that’s…
Two Coffee Plantations in Guadeloupe
First of all, a confession: I don’t drink coffee. It’s not that I’m some sort of puritan; it’s just that I don’t like the taste. People say I could develop a taste, but I just don’t see why I would want to. When others drink coffee, I drink tea. Nevertheless, I visited two different coffee plantations…
Carbet Waterfall #2: A Rainforest Walk
Although it rains in Guadeloupe a bit much for my liking, the rain does have a few positive effects: a gorgeously lush, green environment, and gloriously full waterfalls. (Zie Nederlandse versie beneden.) Given many waterfalls to choose from, I chose Carbet Waterfall #2 because it would involve a walk, but not a serious hike. Carbet…
A quirky Banana Museum in Guadeloupe
If you’ve read this blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a fan of quirky, small museums. The Maison de la Banane (Banana House) in Trois-Rivières, Guadeloupe, certainly falls into that category. I knew this was going to be one of those odd little museums as soon as I pulled into the little parking lot in…
The night noises of Guadeloupe
It was four in the morning when I began writing this post. I just arrived in Guadeloupe last evening and, with the six-hour time difference, my internal clock told me it was well past time to get up. Seeing it was still dark out, I lay there listening to the sounds of the night and…