Natural attractions dominate things to do in Guadeloupe because this small Caribbean island chain is home to one the world’s most important biological reserves.
Tourists will find more than just a vast array of flora and fauna. They also will find one of the most active volcanoes and some of the highest waterfalls in the Caribbean.
Guadeloupe is a hiker’s paradise.
The Guadeloupe Archipelago is one of only 25 UNESCO biosphere reserves in the world, according to the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board. Biospheres are named for their great biological diversity.
The archipelago is a protected area consisting of 43,000 acres of Guadeloupe National Park (Parc national de la Guadeloupe) and the 9,200 acres of Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin Nature Reserve, a marine-protected area next to the national park.
Guadeloupe National Park is the seventh largest French national park.
They are the sites of some of the most popular attractions of Guadeloupe, starting with La Grande Soufrière and Carbet Falls.
La Grande Soufrière is an active volcano located on Basse-Terre island in Guadeloupe.
The name translates into Grand Sulphur Volcano in English. It is 3,864 feet high and last erupted in 1979. Hikers can climb to the top in about two hours.
The Guadeloupe tourist board says the volcano is the most active in the Lesser Antilles and the highest point in the region as well.
Carbet is a series of three waterfalls on the Carbet River in Basse-Terre. They are located on the lower slopes of the La Soufriere Volcano.
All three falls are reachable by trails, although steep at times. The highest falls is 410 feet, the next is 360 feet and the third is 66 feet.
Les Chutes du Carbet is the highest falls in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean, according to the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board. That falls and La Cascade aux Ecrevisses attract 200,000 visitors a year. They are a 55 minute drive from the Pointe-de-Pitre cruise port.
Another popular waterfall is Cascade aux Ecrevisses (the crayfish fall), which is located in the national park about half way along Route del la Traversée.
Route de la Traversee is a scenic drive through Parc National on Basse-Terre. The drive includes waterfalls, lookouts, picnic areas and a staffed roadside center at Maison de la Forêt.
Parc des Mamelles is an outdoor zoo in Parc National.
The aquarium has more than 30 ponds and 1,000 turtles, sharks and tropical fish. Address: Place Creole, Marina 97190 Le Gosier, Grande-Terre Pointe-a-Pitre.
Fort Napoleon is located at Terre-de-Haut island in the Isle des Saintes. The fort was destroyed by the British in 1809, rebuilt and became a penitentiary. It is now a local museum that includes a botanical garden.
Jardin Botanique de Deshaies is a botanical garden located in Deshaies. It is open every day from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and requires an admission fee. The garden has more than 1,000 species of plants along more than one mile of paths.
The Cousteau reserve is located near Bouillante. Visitors can view marine life by snorkeling, scuba diving or through a glass-bottom boat.