The 10 Best Things To Do in Martinique

Martinique is a Caribbean island that is part of the Lesser Antilles. Its shores are met in the West by the Caribbean Sea and in the East by the Atlantic Ocean and its neighbors, St.Lucia and Dominica, are close enough so that you can see them on a sunny day.

The island’s culture reflects a distinctive blend of French and Caribbean influences and its population is diverse. This diversity results from the mixing of the way of settlement of the island, in relation to history and colonization: Amerindians, Europeans, Africans, Indians, Levantines and Asians.

Its heritage of craftsmanship, its rich literature of renowned writers and great poets, music and dance as well as gastronomy make Martinique a land of tradition and culture.

The island has a lot to offer and if you’re reading this, you’re probably one of the lucky people that will soon be flying into this paradisiac island and you’re likely wondering what to do in Martinique. In this article, we discuss unique things that Martinique offers with a list of the top 10 things to do on your vacation: Planning a family trip to Barbados? Bookmark this handy guide for the 10 best beaches in Barbados. These are the soft sand destinations as approved by sun-kissed kids and their happy parents.

1. Visit Fort de France

No trip to the Martinique is complete without a visit to Fort de France, Martinique’s capital and the island’s main port. It is renowned for its colonial architecture, historical monuments and beautiful white sandy beaches. The city offers a full range of restaurants, museums, shops and experiences to keep you entertained.

While you’re there, make sure to visit the Fort St-Louis, the Schoelcher library and the St-Louis Cathedral. You will also enjoy exploring the Grand Marché and taking a walk at ‘’La Française’’ beach.

2. Take a drive on Route de la Trace

It is in the heart of the rainforest that this road winds for about forty kilometers, just at the exit of the city of Fort-de-France to Ajoupa-Bouillon. This scenic road is filled with vegetation such as tree ferns, balisiers, bamboos, giant trees and lianas. While you’re enjoying the ride on this road, there are also a few stops you won’t want to miss such as the Balata Cathedral and the Balata Botanical Gardens.

3. Discover the Jardin de Balata

The Balata Botanical Gardens are a short 10 km drive away from Fort de France and are a must see on your trip to Martinique. Founded in 1982 by Jean-Philippe Thoze, the Jardin de Balata extends over around two hectares and contains an amazing range of tropical flora.

Enjoy a pleasant walk with magnificent views and discover hundreds of species of palm trees and exotic flowers. In addition to this, the botanical garden has suspended bridges hanging from giant mahoganys. This attraction offers a beautiful overview of the botanical garden and allows you to live unforgettable moments at the treetops!

4. Explore Saint-Pierre

Saint-Pierre, also known as the Paris of the Caribbean, used to be Martinique’s capital but after Mount Pelée erupted in 1902, the city was destroyed and 30,000 people were killed. After this tragedy, the city was never fully restored to its original state. Nevertheless, today, Saint-Pierre is a great destination with many things to explore.

A trip to the city will allow you to learn more about the island’s history and to discover the remains of the great era of the city such as the old theater, the ruins of the fort and the dungeon of Cyparis – the prisoner who survived the volcanic eruption. If you want to learn more about the volcanic eruption, you’ll want to visit the Volcanological Museum.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, many hikes are available from St Pierre. In this small and wonderful fishing village, you should explore what nature has to offer such as the black sandy beaches and impressive waterfalls. Also, make sure to try some local delicacies such as the cod fritters and stuffed crabs!

5. Visit Le Carbet

Le Carbet is a charming town located between Saint-Pierre and Bellefontaine. It is famous because it’s known as the place where Christopher Columbus landed in 1502 on his last trip. While you’re there, make sure to visit the Martinique Zoo, which is located in a former sugar factory, as well as the slave canal and the Paul Gauguin Interpretation Centre.

6. Go on an excursion to the Diamond Rock (Le Diamant)

The Diamond rock is a remnant of the volcanic activity of Martinique, whose shape, approximating the famous jewel that is the diamond, earned it its name. The rock is a real refuge for some species such as ‘’La Couresse’’, a species of snake which today is only found there. It is also home to many bird species, some of which are on the verge of extinction.

Although it is now forbidden to dock or climb its walls, there are alternative ways to visit the island. You can take a boat ride and get closer to the island to gaze at its flora and fauna and take beautiful photos but you can also go scuba diving. If you want to treat yourself, helicopter tours are also available.

7. Go to Saint-Anne

Saint-Anne has a lot to offer and is very appreciated by tourists. One of the main reasons you should visit Saint-Anne is to go to the iconic beach of Les Salines. Les Salines is a breathtaking white sand beach, which stretches for more than one kilometer, and offers great relaxing views over the calm turquoise waters of the sea.

Apart from relaxing on sandy beaches, while you’re in Saint-Anne used to be, as well as the Martinique Regional Nature Park.

8. Hike around the Caravelle Peninsula

There’s nothing better than a beautiful hike with breathtaking viewpoints. Caravelle peninsula is a protected land located on the southern coastline of La Trinité, which offers a wild diversity of landscapes ranging from banana plantations, dry forests, tropical forests to mangroves and sheltered beaches.

While you’re there make sure to also visit the pleasant fishing village of Tartane where vendors sell fresh seafood.

9. Grand’ Rivière

Grand’ Rivière is the smallest municipality of Martinique. This small fishing village is hidden between vertiginous cliffs, the sea and the Pelée mountain. Despite its isolation, this little corner of paradise has kept all of its authenticity.

Narrow streets, colorful boats and pretty houses are part of the charm of Grand’ Rivière. During your visit, you will enjoy visiting the old distillery of Habitation Beauséjour as well as the remains of Habitations Fond Moulin and Malakoff, which produced cocoa and coffee.

10. Discover La Savane des Esclaves

La Savane des Esclaves is a small village created by Gilbert Larose in a beautiful park located in Trois Ilets. In this village you will find a large carbet built according to tradition with a roof made of sugarcane leaves as well traditional huts and a garden with medicinal plants and fruits and vegetables.

During your visit, you will be able to learn more about Martinique’s ancestral traditions: how they pressed the sugarcanes to extract juice, how they made cocoa sticks and cassava flour, etc.

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15 WAYS TO ENJOY A MORE FULFILLING VACATION

By Spotzer Spotzer • September 25, 2025

With over 25 years experience in luxury travel industry, we have seen it all. To help you enjoy your next trip to the fullest, the ZenBreak’s team has compiled the best and worst travel experiences and extracted the lessons we learned from the past. Our recommendations applies to business trip, short weekend get away or long escape on the beach. If you like staying in luxury hotels or are planning to go backpacking for a while, any of the following will apply. BOOK AHEAD Yes, there are tons of flight comparison websites, and you’ve just spent the last hour looking for the best deal possible. However you’re not the only one searching and those internet cookies leave crumbs behind. Next time you go back online, the probabilities are that the price you loved today will be higher. Time flies! Book that trip before the price goes up or you might regret it. DON’T BE FLASHY Never underestimate the eyes of pickpockets. Wearing a fancy watch, or even an unnoticeable bracelet might not seem like something to think about when you travel. However, you never know who’s watching you. Being discreet is the best way to avoid embarrassing or unfortunate situations. Don’t show off and remain anonymous. KEEP A JOURNAL Met someone special? Had an interesting or unusual chat? Writing down how you were affected by certain experiences creates a better platform for reflection at a later date. Souvenirs may not always be photos, words carry your emotions much better sometimes. Remember that by writing what you experienced, you drastically increase the probability of remembering what you lived in the future. WRITE THINGS DOWN Just had directions explained to you in a strong hard-to-understand accent? Not sure you’ll remember the details of which way to go? Just write it down. Take that extra minute to recap and make sure you don’t miss the essentials. It may save you, valuable time later on. MORE TIME, FEWER PLACES Would you rather know a limited amount of information about many different places, or really experience and immerse yourself in a few areas? The world is huge and it’s just impossible to go everywhere. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you can only remember how clean or dirty airports or trains were. Try dedicating a full week to explore a large city. I was once forced to increase my stay in Bangkok from 2 days to 7 due to the SARS virus in Hong Kong. It turns out to be one of the best experiences I ever had. ALWAYS ASK HOW MUCH ($) You’ve just got in a cab, and you’re asking yourself if you’ve got enough cash? Don’t put yourself in a situation where you don’t know how much something costs, and don’t be afraid to ask for the price before committing. If it’s too much, feel free to find another option. This applies to taxi, but also to excursions, restaurants, bars and hotels. Many unscrupulous institutions will inflate their prices when a foreigner show up at their door. Be sure not to be the sucker they all remember. If you feel the pressure to commit, just walk out. LEARN SOME BASIC LANGUAGE Hallo! Ciao! Hej! Namaste! Bonjour! xin chào! It may not be the best, but at least you’re making an effort. It may sound rude only speaking your own language, show you are considerate and learn a few simple words on the way to a foreign country. There are no better ways to make friends. PUT YOUR MOBILE PHONE AWAY Why would you travel thousands of miles to stay hooked on your phone? Forget about social media and various apps during your stay and enjoy a little more of the world around you. Rediscover what it is to live disconnected. You may realize you don’t miss your phone at all! TRY THE STREET FOOD Restaurants are nice, but street food is the real deal. Nobody ever died from eating skewers or local specialties from street vendors. Cheap, fast and authentic, eating outside can only do you good. They will leave you with unbelievable memories. DON’T COMMUTE TOO MUCH Yes, you may feel like there is so much to do! And no, unfortunately your holidays won’t last forever. But is it really worth trying to reach every single town of a country you are only just discovering? Take the time to really explore the town you’re in, you can always come back for a future vacation. ALWAYS SAY THANK YOU! Politeness is universal and enjoyed by all. Don’t be rude, even with the insistent seller at the market, culture varies from one place to the other, what may seem like an aggressive sale pitch may just be the norm where you are. Show appreciation to locals, and earn their respect. This may lead to more chances to say thank you! REMEMBER TO CARRY WATER Don’t risk getting ill from tap water because you forgot to pack a bottle in your bag. A little flask is your best friend for hydration. Don’t forget to wash your hand regularly, or if no fresh water is available, to use alcohol-based hand sanitisers. LEAVE REVIEWS Try to leave a short review on commonly used platforms such as TripAdvisor or Google My Business. Do it, whether your experience was incredible, average or poor? Statistics show that those platforms are the number driver when you pick a service or a restaurant. If we don’t leave negative comments to avoid hurting someone, the owner may not find out that you were unsatisfied and the next traveller will not be informed of your experience. On the other end, if your experience really exceeded your expectations, don’t hesitate to mention the individual who provided outstanding service. They may get rewarded. SLOW DOWN, STOP AND OBSERVE Do you feel that you rush around too much in your everyday life? Take the time to look at all the interesting and different things around you. If you enjoy taking pictures, you are sure to find many things to shoot if you slow down a little. Discover the local day-to-day life, this is where the true beauty hides. GET UP EARLY The early bird catches the worm. Rising early gives you more time for exploring, miles traveled and a better overall experience. Early birds enjoy their time off even more! …and finally, to get the best vacation possible, nothing better than saving some money, enjoy the best price guaranteed on your vacation rental with ZenBeak.com

ACCEPT DOGS IN YOUR HOLIDAY HOME ANDINCREASE YOUR BOOKINGS.

By Spotzer Spotzer • September 25, 2025

Did you know that on Airbnb, ‘pet-friendly’ is the fourth most popular request when looking for an apartment or a villa? The top three in order are: Free parking A full kitchen Pool Being dog friendly ranks even higher than wifi. Accepting dogs in your vacation rental will increase your income. For many, dogs aren’t seen as pets but as family members. They are often our best friends, they bring joy wherever they go. No home feels quite right without your pet, so why not bring them with you? 48% of American families own a dog. The number of guests traveling with dogs is increasing every year. According to a TripAdvisor survey, 53% of pet owners take their furry friends on the road with them. However, less than 25% of vacation properties welcome pets with their owners.This ratio plays a big role in favour of those who open their holiday home to dogs. With so many potential customers looking for pet-friendly properties, offering this service is likely to increase your bookings and will allow you to increase your stay costs. Being pet-friendly when renting out your home or villa means that your potential clientele will increase greatly, resulting in a higher occupancy rate. After analyzing the statistics of our partners, such as Airbnb and Homeaway, we found that pet-friendly vacation rentals generated higher rental income and occupancy than those that did not accept dogs – between 10% and 20% more. Accepting dogs will generate repeat rentals from the customers. Paying someone to feed, walk and watch your dog every day can be very expensive for the owner, not to mention the anxiety and stress of separation for both parties. By providing dog-friendly accommodations, you allow patrons to create memories with the whole family, which is likely to generate a return for your visitors in the years to come. Man’s best friend will also allow you to increase the length of the stays of the travelers. When a traveler wants to relocate for a long time, it becomes essential for them to find a property that will accept their faithful companion. Asking their friends and families to keep Fido for a week or two, can work, but when the stay stretches over 3 weeks or more, family and friends become scarce and the cost of institutional care becomes prohibitive. Do not worry about the condition of your property. Worried about the damage that Fido could cause you to your rental property during his visit? Statistics show that tenants of short term rentals that accommodate dogs and those who refuse them show the same cleanliness score and the same house conditions when the visitors leave. Dog or no dog, you won’t tell a difference. You will increase the off-season rental occupation. Looking to fill slow rental periods? Opening your doors to pets will increase rentals during times of low traffic. We found that occupancy rates were much higher in dog-friendly houses during the slow season. Note that guests book more last-minute trips out of season. With a small window between the reservation and the stay, it can be difficult to find a place to keep the dog. Competition for dog-friendly homes is lower at this time of year, guests can both book the perfect accommodation and be accompanied by their dog. In conclusion Open your doors to pets, especially dogs. By accepting dogs in your holiday home, you will increase bookings throughout the year and you will also see increased returns from past clients. The risk of damage is far outweighed by the increase in income, which in addition will not prevent you from increasing cleaning costs when a client reserves with a pet, a practice widely accepted by dog owners. So, make the right decision and increase your income, say: Good boy Fido, good boy!