Guadeloupe: The Most Diverse Island in the Caribbean
The Caribbean island Guadeloupe
If you are dreaming of a Caribbean escape but can’t choose between a relaxing beach holiday or an action-packed nature adventure, we have the ultimate destination for you. Welcome to Guadeloupe! Located in the French Antilles, this island group is technically a region of France—which means you get the incredible tropical vibes of the Caribbean combined with fresh French croissants, well-maintained European roads, and the Euro as currency.
After months of island hopping in the Caribbean from the Dominican Republic all the way South, Guadeloupe became island number 12 on our big journey. Spanning 1,600 square kilometers, it is the largest of the French Antilles and easily one of our absolute favorites.
Guadeloupe is shaped like a butterfly and consists of two main islands connected by a bridge, each with a completely different personality. Here is our complete guide on the best things to do in Guadeloupe.
Quick Guide: The Highlights of Guadeloupe
Don’t want to miss a thing? Make sure these iconic spots are on your Caribbean itinerary:
🌿 Basse-Terre & Carbet Falls: A wild island full of active volcanoes, lakes, and a massive National Park.
🏖️ La Caravelle Beach (Sainte-Anne): A picture-perfect paradise with swaying palm trees and clear turquoise water.
🦎 Îlet du Gosier: A tiny bounty island just off the coast, perfect for a quick boat trip or drone flight.
🪨 Pointe des Châteaux: The easternmost tip featuring a dramatic, dry moon landscape with crashing waves.
✈️ Ready to visit Guadeloupe in the Caribbean? Flying into the capital of Pointe-à-Pitre is very affordable from major hubs like Paris, London, Amsterdam, or New York. You can compare & book the best flight deals to Guadeloupe right here.
Getting Around & Where to Stay
Because the island is so diverse and large, you absolutely need a car to explore it all. We rented a car, which gave us the ultimate freedom to drive from the beach straight into the jungle.
Our Stay
We based ourselves just outside the capital of Pointe-à-Pitre in the lively coastal town of Le Gosier. We stayed at this hotel, which has a very unique architecture shaped like an upside-down boat! Waking up here to front-row seats of wild pelicans diving into the turquoise sea while enjoying an authentic French croissant is a memory we won’t easily forget.
If you want to experience this beautiful beachfront resort or search for other accommodations, you can find the best hotel prices for Guadeloupe here.
The Ultimate Breakdown: What to See & Do
1. Hike the Jungle of Basse-Terre & Chutes du Carbet
The western wing of the “butterfly” is Basse-Terre, and it is a complete contrast to the resort-heavy side of the island. Virtually the entire interior is covered by the lush National Park of Guadeloupe.
We hiked through the thick, tropical rainforest to witness the spectacular Chutes du Carbet (Carbet Falls). There are three waterfalls in total, with the highest dropping a jaw-dropping 115 meters down the mountain! We also recommend checking out the trail around Grand-Étang, a stunning jungle lake. Just remember: they don’t call it a rainforest for nothing, so be prepared for sudden heavy tropical downpours!
2. Relax at La Caravelle Beach in Sainte-Anne
When the rain catches you in the mountains of Basse-Terre, just jump in your car and head back East to Grande-Terre, where the sun is almost always shining. In the tourist town of Sainte-Anne, you will find La Caravelle, which is easily one of the most stunning beaches in the entire Caribbean. The shape of the coastline, the blinding white sand, and the wild iguanas roaming around the palm trees make it a dream location for drone photography.
If you are looking for more water sports, guided snorkeling tours, or cultural day trips around the islands, you can book the best Guadeloupe tours and activities online here. With this link you can download the app easily and get a 5% discount using our code WOUTOFTHEWORLD5!
3. The Extreme Landscape of Pointe des Châteaux
To see just how diverse Guadeloupe truly is, drive as far east as the road will take you. At Pointe des Châteaux, the white sand beaches disappear and make room for a dramatic, dry moonscape. Surrounded by crashing waves that strongly reminded us of the rugged coastlines of Australia, a short walk leads you to a massive, famous cross statue looking out over the Atlantic Ocean from the edge of the cliffs.
🎥 Watch our Guadeloupe Travel Video!
Want to see the pelicans at breakfast, the massive waterfalls, and the breathtaking drone shots of Pointe des Châteaux with your own eyes? Watch our full Guadeloupe travel episode below!
Next Stop on Our Island Hopping Journey: Dominica!
Guadeloupe feels more like a miniature continent than a small Caribbean island group. It offers the absolute best of everything: food, culture, beaches, and raw nature.
After packing up our bags (and cleaning up the massive toy mess Jens made in the hotel room!), it was time to continue our island-hopping journey. For the first time on our trip, we swapped plane rides for a ferry boat to cross over to our next destination: Dominica, an island rumored to have even wilder nature than this one!
🎧 Road Trip Entertainment: Want to keep the kids entertained during long ferry rides, flights, or scenic drives around the islands? Grab a free 45-day audiobook trial on Storytel right here—it’s a total lifesaver for family travel!
Are you planning your own Caribbean adventure? Don’t miss our ultimate guide to the Top 10 Best Caribbean Islands to plan your perfect route.
(Tech tip: Love the tropical soundtracks playing in our videos? You can get 1 month FREE on Epidemic Sound here to level up your own travel vlogs!)
Stay Connected 🌎
YouTube Channel: Subscribe for weekly travel vlogs, comprehensive destination guides, and practical travel tips that actually work.
Instagram: In addition, check out our daily updates, behind-the-scenes content, and live stories directly from our current destinations.
Your support means the world to us and enables us to create even better, and therefore more comprehensive content for the global travel community. Together, we’re making travel more accessible, inspiring, and achievable for adventurers everywhere!
Welcome to Wout’s World!
We’re Wout & Suus, traveling full time around the world with our little globetrotters Jens & Céline.
So far, we’ve explored and filmed 153 countries, capturing it all in complete video travel guides, inspiring travel articles and more, to help you plan your next adventure!
Enjoy reading and watching and don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to join the journey!
New videos every Saturday 11 AM GMT!
Explore More of the World
Find the Best Deals for Guadeloupe
Hotels
Check the best hotel deals
Transportation
Book your transport
Tours with 5% discount
code WOUTOFTHEWORLD5
Flights
Book your flights
Car Rental
Book A Rental Car
eSIM
Use code WOUTHOLA for 5% discount on your eSIM
This article contains affiliate links. That means if you click on one of these links and make a purchase or booking, we may earn a small commission — at no extra cost to you. It helps us keep creating free travel guides and videos around the world. We only recommend products and services we personally use and love.
