The world is a strange place, sail to the America’s and find yourself in the EU. Guadeloupe and Martinique both take Euros and let’s hope we don’t have to test our new UK Medical card there, but take them because they are supposed to work if you have to stay on the island. Your insurance company may expect you to claim even if they pay. Our EHIC blog
This is a place to take an excursion or get to a beach, but our film below shows you around the town. Our favourite beach is Anse Dufour, which is a fishing village in the south of the island. It is authentic and offers snorkelling where you are likely to see fish and turtles. It is great for marine life. It is best to get there by boat or public bus.
If you are staying in town, the large tourist map we were offered was in French, check first. The small folded A4 sheet is in English and suggests there is a 12-step audio tour you can take so as not to miss anything. We were there on a Sunday, so most things were closed from the market to the fort, and the supermarkets close on mid-day Sundays. The film gets most bits of the town, but Martinique is about diving, the sea and a seductive mix of magnificent beaches and lush mountains. Walking to the left you would find the Balata Botanical Gardens very nearby. Owned by passionate horticulturalists, the Balata Botanical Gardens (Jardin de Balata) features more than 3,000 species of tropical plants and flowers. It is well landscaped with ponds full of water lilies and lotus blossoms. A treetop walk on rope bridges gives visitors a fantastic view of the gardens while hummingbirds play (the only bird that can fly backwards). There are also benches for relaxing. That is probably the best option in town. The ferry to the beaches is to the right, see the film.
You will find the ship offers tours to explore Martinique, enjoy the wonderful sea, explore the botanical gardens and a rum and banana excursion.
Ferry Destinations – Martinique’s main resort area is said to be south of Fort-de-France, Pointe du Bout. It is far more cosmopolitan than the port town with boutiques, ice-cream parlours, and restaurants. The seafront resorts patrol their own beach sections. The ferry from Fort-de-France goes there. West of Pointe du Bout is Anse Mitan, one of the best beaches on the island, with snorkelling opportunities just offshore.
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Essentials – cruise travel labels and our cruise crime novels – oh, and the seasickness bands.
The Port guides here on Doris Visits are a great way to remember your cruise and share with your friends. The mystery thrillers are a whole new way to experience cruising. You may not have been to the ports in the novels, you certainly won’t have been to the parts of the ship they use. All the cruise crime novels will make you feel like you are in the adventure and on the ship – dodge the bullets and stay out of the romance. Ship and cruise accurate, the novels are a great way for new cruisers to discover a ship too.
