Guadeloupe travel guide

Getting there

Pointe-à-Pitre Le Raizet airport receives direct flights from France, North America and other Caribbean islands. Ferries also link Guadeloupe with Dominica, Martinique and Saint Lucia.

Best time to visit: Dec–May – dry season with sunshine and lower humidity.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: August-October – the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, with heavy rain and the occasional storm.

Weather by month in Pointe-à-Pitre

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Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: America/Guadeloupe. Compare with your local time.

Official advisory: Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-08-20). Read the advisory.

Stay

Most trips to Guadeloupe are based around Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre or Deshaies. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$70–100 for a backpacker and US$150–280 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: C, E. Voltage: 230 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +590.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Basse-Terre (Western island · volcano & rainforest): Mountainous and green, with the national park, waterfalls, hot springs and black-sand beaches.
• Grande-Terre (Eastern island · beaches): Flatter limestone island with white-sand beaches around Sainte-Anne and Saint-François.
• Deshaies (Northwest Basse-Terre · village & beach): A colourful fishing village near Grande Anse, one of Guadeloupe's finest beaches.
• Les Saintes (Southern islands · bays): A small archipelago with a beautiful bay, forts and a relaxed Breton-influenced village.
• Marie-Galante (Southern island · rum & beaches): Known as 'the island of a hundred windmills', with empty beaches and famous rum.
• Pointe-à-Pitre (Main town · markets & history): Busy markets, colonial streets and the Mémorial ACTe museum.
• La Désirade (Eastern island · nature reserve): A quiet, arid island with geological reserve status, iguanas and peaceful beaches.
• Guadeloupe National Park (Basse-Terre · protected forest): A UNESCO biosphere reserve of rainforest trails, rivers and volcanic peaks.

Things to do

• Climb La Soufrière. Hike through cloud forest to the steaming summit of the Lesser Antilles' highest volcano.
• See the Carbet Falls. Walk through rainforest to the tumbling cascades on the slopes of La Soufrière.
• Snorkel the Cousteau Reserve. Swim among turtles and coral gardens around the Pigeon Islets off Malendure.
• Watch sunrise at Pointe des Châteaux. Stand on the wild, wave-battered headland at Grande-Terre's eastern tip.
• Island-hop to Les Saintes. Take a ferry to Terre-de-Haut for a pretty bay, Fort Napoléon and laid-back village life.
• Tour a rum distillery. Learn how rhum agricole is made from fresh cane juice on Basse-Terre or Marie-Galante.
• Visit the Mémorial ACTe. Explore the powerful museum on slavery and Caribbean history in Pointe-à-Pitre.
• Kayak through the mangroves. Paddle the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin lagoon, a protected area of mangroves and reef.

Eat and drink

• Bokit – fried bread sandwich with fillings
• Accras – crispy salt-cod fritters
• Colombo – Creole curry with chicken or goat
• Ti' punch – rum, lime and cane sugar drink

Money and safety

Currency: Euro (EUR). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Service usually included; rounding up is appreciated.

Emergency numbers: 112 general · 17 police · 18 fire · 15 ambulance.

• The currency is the euro.
• Cards are widely accepted, and ATMs are common in towns, though fewer on the small islands.
• Guadeloupe is generally safe, but don't leave valuables in cars or unattended on beaches.
• Check volcanic activity updates and trail conditions before hiking La Soufrière.