Sights and ideas for your own excursion in Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe Excursions and Tickets

- Cruise Ship Berths

Guadeloupe consists of several islands, of which the main islands of Grand-Terre and Basse-Terre, which are close together, provide the largest land areas. Cruise ships moor quite close to the centre of Pointe-à-Pitre. The terminal buildings at the berths are modern and have tourist information booths, free Wi-Fi and a few shops selling mainly souvenirs for those back home.

- Taxis

Normally, there are plenty of taxis available for use at the cruise terminal after the arrival of a cruise ship. However, taxis are very expensive in Guadeloupe. The standard rate is one euro per minute. With a little skill, a cheaper fixed price can be negotiated for a variety of destinations. Drivers expect a tip of 15% for their services. For journeys at night from 21:00-07:00, a hefty surcharge of 40% is levied. Likewise on Sundays and public holidays.

- Buses

Pointe-à-Pitre has a public bus network that also serves the surrounding area of the city. The modern, orange-coloured buses of "KARU'LIS" operate in two tariff zones. Journeys in zone 1, the city area, cost 1.20 euros per person. If you use the second zone, it is a little more expensive at 1.80 euros per journey and person.

- Interurban Lines

From one of the two intercity bus stations, you can also get to more distant regions of the Butterfly Islands by bus. To the north and about 900 metres from the moorings is the bus station Gare Routiere de Bergevin, which can be reached on foot in 10 to 15 minutes. From here, buses serve Basse-Terre, the western part of Quadeloupe. On the other hand, towns on Grande-Terre can be reached from the Gare Routière de Darboussier bus station to the east. This is also about 900 metres from the cruise ship piers. The intercity buses are usually painted orange and white or green and white, and run Monday to Saturday from 05:30-18:30. On Sundays and public holidays, the wheels stand still.

- Interurban routes

- Guadeloupe Car Hire

With a rental car, you can usually get around well on Guadeloupe. The island has the usual right-hand traffic and the main roads in particular are in good condition. To rent a vehicle, you must have held a valid driving licence for at least 12 months and be 21 years old. Drivers under 26 are often charged a surcharge.

Excursion Offers and Entrance Tickets from

GetYourGuide

other Tours and Transfers...

- Shopping

Most of the shops in Pointe-à-Pitre are located on Rue Frébault and its side streets. Other shops, restaurants and bars can be found at a lower density on the parallel streets Rue Nozières and Rue Schoelcher. The city centre is a few minutes' walk from the moorings.

- Marketplaces

The city's markets are quite popular. For example, numerous traders gather under a historic roof construction from 1874 to sell a wide variety of goods from Monday to Saturday between 06:00 and 14:00. Spices, fruit, vegetables and other Caribbean specialities are the main products on offer. The Spice Market is centrally located in the southern part of Rue Frébault and is also known as the Marché Saint-Antoine. Another market, the Marché de la Darse, is a little further east. There, at the same times, the fresh catches of the local fishermen are offered alongside fruit and souvenirs.

- Park

In the immediate vicinity of this market is the large square Place de la Victoire. The Victory Square is park-like, commemorating the end of slavery and the victory over the British. A selection of royal palms and exotic trees provide pleasant shade. The square is surrounded by old merchants' houses, where you can occasionally find a gastronomic establishment.

- Iron Cathedral

To the north and not far from Place de la Victoire, you will find the Basilica of Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul in Place de L'Eglise. The church, which is now a listed building, was constructed in 1873. To withstand the sometimes violent storms, the church was given a supporting steel framework during construction. This earned it the nickname "Iron Cathedral". Opposite is the local courthouse and the Marché Aux Fleurs flower market is held daily from 06:00-14:30 on the square in between.

- John Perse Museum

Saint-John Perse, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1960, was born in Guadeloupe in 1887 under the name Marie-René-Alexis Saint-Léger. A small museum has been dedicated to him in Pointe-à-Pitre at No. 9, Rue de Nozières, and is open from Monday to Friday from 09:00-17:00 and on Saturday from 08:30-12:30. Admission to the Saint-John Perse Museum costs €2.50 each for adults and €1.50 each for children.

- Victor Schœlcher Museum

The Musée Schœlcher is located in an old colonial house at 24 rue Peynier. This museum is dedicated to Victor Schœlcher, who played a decisive role in the abolition of slavery in Guadeloupe in 1848. Unfortunately, most of his personal belongings were destroyed in a devastating storm in 1928. So only a small part of it can still be seen today. Nevertheless, it tells an impressive story of the history of slavery and gives an impression of Victor Schœlcher's life. The building is open to interested visitors Monday to Friday from 09:00-17:00. The entrance fee is 2 euros per person.

- Memorial ACTe

An impressive exhibition on the history of slavery and the slave trade in Guadeloupe can also be found on Rue Raspail. The Memorial ACTe Museum, which opened in summer 2015, has a modern design and provides visitors with a multilingual audio guide for the duration of their stay, which also speaks German. The guide guides visitors through the exhibition, which is well worth seeing, and provides a lot of interesting information on a total area of 7800 square metres. The permanent exhibition alone takes up around 1700 square metres. In addition, there are the temporary exhibitions, the Morne Memoire (Memory Hill) Park, two restaurants and a souvenir shop. The park can be reached from the main building via a 275-metre-long footbridge. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 09:00-19:00 and Sundays from 10:00-18:00. Closed on Monday. Admission costs 15 euros per person. Children from 3 to 12 years pay 5 euros each. From the moorings, it takes 15 to 20 minutes to walk to the memorial, covering about 1.4 kilometres. By taxi it is only a short ride of about 5 minutes.

- Memorial ACTe (en)

- Aquarium

To the south-east of the memorial and about 3.2 kilometres from the moorings is an aquarium. By taxi or rental car, this distance takes less than 15 minutes. By foot, on the other hand, it takes 40 to 45 minutes each way. Opened in 1987, the "Aquarium de la Guadeloupe" presents a wide variety of marine life from the nearby Caribbean Sea in over thirty tanks. The size of the aquarium is quite manageable, and the duration of the visit is not very time-consuming at 60 to 90 minutes. Access is granted daily from 09:00-18:30 and the regular entrance fee is 14 euros per person. Children aged 4 to 12 years pay 8.50 euros each and children under 4 years are admitted free of charge.

- Aquarium of Guadeloupe (fr)

- Datcha Beach

The south coast of Grande-Terre is blessed with beautiful beaches and is well developed for tourism. You can find one in the seaside resort of Le Gosier, 7.5 kilometres away, and after a 20 to 25-minute drive you will find the fine sandy beach Plage de la Datcha. It is also known as "Plage de l'Anse Canot". There are a few parking facilities, bars, restaurants and an obvious pier nearby. At the latter, there is an enclosed swimming area and a landing stage for small ferry boats that cross to the offshore island of Îlet du Gosier. A return ferry fare of 8 euros per person is charged. The small island has a beautiful sandy beach with a beach bar and an old lighthouse.

- Petit-Havre Beach

A little further east, almost midway between the towns of Gosier and Sainte-Anne, is a popular section of beach. The Plage de Petit-Havre is located in the small village of Mare Gaillard and can be reached via a side road that branches off from the main N4 road and whose end leads into a car park with a capacity for about forty vehicles. In the immediate vicinity, there are shady plants that are well spread out, reaching almost to the shore. Showers and a beach bar are available. From the moorings, it takes about 35 to 40 minutes by taxi or rental car to cover the distance of about 17 kilometres. On the opposite side of the headland is the quietly situated Anse à Jacques beach, which can be reached on foot from Petit-Havre in a few minutes.

- Caravelle Beach

Continuing east, you come to the resort of Sainte-Anne with its sandy beaches, some of which are quite popular. The Plage de la Caravelle is definitely one of them. Although this beach is located at "Club Med La Caravelle", it is open to the public. The hotel resort itself occasionally offers day passes for a fee, which allow non-hotel guests to use the hotel's facilities. The Plage Caravelle is quite wide, has numerous palm trees and the fine, white sand runs flat into the turquoise sea. A wide variety of water sports activities are usually offered. This beach is about 20 kilometres from the moorings. By taxi or rental car, you should plan on a journey of 35 to 40 minutes in each direction. By taxi, you can expect to pay 10 euros per person and direction and it is advisable to arrange a fixed pick-up time with the driver.

- Du Bourg Beach

Another popular beach in Sainte-Anne is the Plage du Bourg, which is located directly in the village. This beach is not quite as wide, but still has a sufficient sandy area, where a few palm trees also provide pleasant shade. Here, too, the water is fairly shallow and refreshing. Several cafés and restaurants are located nearby. There are also a few shops in the neighbouring streets. Sun loungers cost 10 euros each to rent.

- Bois Jolan Beach

The long Plage de Bois Jolan, located just outside Sainte-Anne, is a natural beach. Nearby buildings are the exception, but there are many shady plants. Due to the offshore reefs, the shallow water is quite calm. In general, this section of beach is always quite empty, but the locals like to use it on weekends and holidays. It can get crowded then.

- Viewpoint

There are a few viewpoints on the main island of Grande-Terre that are easily accessible by rental car. For example, in the extreme southeast is the Pointe des Châteaux. This is where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean Sea and a large cross marks the most easterly point of Guadeloupe at the so-called "Pointe des Colibris". The surf is usually very strong here, as are the currents, so swimming on the adjacent beach is prohibited. Instead, a walk along the otherwise rocky, rugged but charming coastline is relaxing. In good weather, the view extends as far as the neighbouring islands. From the cruise ship pier, you can plan on a journey time of 70-80 minutes each way, covering a distance of about 46 kilometres.

- Viewpoint

In the very north of Grande-Terre is another viewpoint, the Pointe de la Grande Vigie. The rocky cliff here rises up to 80 metres, offering a great panoramic view of the open sea. On days with good weather, the neighbouring islands of Montserrat and Antigua can be seen on the horizon. There are about 41 kilometres of road between the Pointe de la Grande Vigie and the landing stages, which takes about 65 to 70 minutes each way by taxi or rental car.

- National Park

The landscape of the larger main island of Basse-Terre, with the capital of Guadeloupe of the same name, is completely different. The mountainous backdrop is mostly heavily forested and dominated by the volcano La Soufrière, which is also the highest point at 1467 metres. The National Park "Parc national de la Guadeloupe" extends over an area of around 17,000 hectares. This park was founded in 1989 and is home to numerous different plant and animal species that can be discovered on hiking trails. The narrow paths and trails criss-cross the entire area, some of which are quite challenging, sometimes lead up high and offer great views.

- Carbet Waterfalls

In the middle of the rainforest and on the east side of the volcano La Soufrière, the three cascades Premiere Chute, Deuxieme Chute and Troisieme Chute of the Waterfall Chutes du Carbet run. As they are located at some distance from each other, they can be explored along partly different paths. The easiest to reach, for example, is the middle waterfall. It plunges 110 metres into the depths, which is impressive to watch from a safe distance. There is a charge for visiting the waterfalls, which can be paid at the ticket booths on site. Adults are charged 2.30 euros per person and children up to the age of 12 1.20 euros. Open daily from 1 May to 30 June and from 1 September to 31 October from 08:00-13:00. Also open daily, but from 8:00 to 16:30, is from 1 November to 30 April and in July/August. If you travel by car*, you can expect to cover a distance of around 47 kilometres, which takes about an hour each way.

- Fort Delgres

On the other hand, the former defences of Fort Delgrès in the island's capital Basse-Terre can be visited free of charge. Constructed in 1643 to protect against British attacks, it is still in good condition today. It also houses a historical museum where visitors can learn more about the history of the fort. However, most of the written explanations are in French. The area is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:30-16:30 and closed on Mondays. To reach the fort from the moorings, you have to allow for a distance of about 60 kilometres, which in turn takes about 70 minutes in each direction.

- Guadeloupe Zoo

Approximately in the middle area of Basse-Terre is a beautifully landscaped botanical garden with an integrated zoo. The Parc des Mamelles, also known simply as the Guadeloupe Zoo, is located on the Route de la Traversée road (D 23), which runs right across the mountainous island. In addition to numerous plant species, around 450 animals from 85 species can be discovered on the 4-hectare site. For a relaxed tour, the average visit to the park takes two to three hours. It is open daily from 09:00-18:00, with the last admission at 16:30. The regular admission price is 14.90 euros per person. Children aged 3 to 12 pay 8.50 euros each and children under 3 get in free. Audio guides are available in German and other languages and are available for a rental fee of 3 euros. The one-way journey from the cruise ship piers to the Parc des Mamelles is about 31 kilometres, which takes about 35 minutes by rental car or taxi. There is a small restaurant at the parking areas, on the edge of the park.

- Parc des Mamelles (en)

- Botanical Garden

Another botanical garden can be found in the north of Basse-Terre, near the village of Deshaies. The Jardin Botanique de Deshaies also has a variety of plants and trees, as well as a selection of animals that can be observed on a tour of the 7-hectare area. The integrated panoramic restaurant also offers a varied menu and beautiful views of the Caribbean Sea. Admission is granted Monday to Sunday from 09:00-16:30 and then closes at 17:30. Children aged 5 to 12 are charged 10.90 euros each. If you are older than 12, you can pay 15.90 euros per person. Depending on the traffic, it takes 45 to 55 minutes each way to cover the 42-kilometre distance from the berth.

- Botanical Garden (en)

- Grande Anse Beach

To the north of Deshaies is the popular section of beach of the Plage de Grande Anse. The fine, golden-yellow sand of the beach is surrounded by lush greenery on the land side. There are no dominant hotel complexes or tall buildings here. Thus, Grand Anse Beach retains its natural surroundings and is the largest beach in Guadeloupe. There are a few bars and restaurants not too far away. You can expect to drive about 40 kilometres from Pointe-à-Pitre. This distance takes about 45-50 minutes by rental car or taxi, depending on the direction.

- Excursion Portals and Excursion Providers

Through the tour and excursion providers GetYourGuide, Meine Landausflüge* and Viator, you can book various excursions, activities, tours, tickets and entrance fees on Guadeloupe, which are often offered at much lower prices than comparable excursions by the shipping companies. Thus, if you book in time, you can realise a variety of excursions on your own.

A small pre-selection of shipping company independent excursion offers

for, in and around Pointe-a-Pitre,

we have put together for you here.

- Cruises and Offers

If you haven't booked a Caribbean Cruise yet, but would like to get to know Guadeloupe personally and go on excursions on your own, you will find great offers with the major cruise operators in the German-speaking region. Aida, Costa and Tui Cruises - Mein Schiff offer charming itineraries with their modern cruise ships, along with other interesting destinations. Book your next dream holiday directly with your favourite cruise line at the best conditions.

All ocean and river cruises can also be booked conveniently and inexpensively online with the cruise specialist Kreuzfahrten-Zentrale Astoria. You can choose from a wide range of daily offers from various shipping companies. These include AIDA Cruises, Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and TUI Cruises. The popular special offers are also attractive, with which you can travel particularly cheaply and possibly also get a great bargain.

Shore excursions Guadeloupe ..... go to 2nd page

More port information of popular cruise destinations in the Caribbean

Antigua - Saint John's

Aruba - Oranjestad

Barbados - Bridgetown

Bonaire - Kralendijk

Cozumel - San Miguel

Curacao - Willemstad

Grand Cayman - George Town

Grenada - St. George's

Guadeloupe - Pointe-a-Pitre

Jamaika - Montago Bay

Martinique - Fort de France

St. Lucia - Castries

St. Vincent - Kingstown