Given the small size of the island, we were amazed how much Guadeloupe had to offer, both in terms of natural and cultural attractions. It’s also a surprisingly diverse place, consisting of two very different parts.

Grande-Terre, the eastern half, has a more developed infrastructure and offers mainly cultural attractions and a few popular beach resorts. Basse-Terre, on the other hand, features beautiful natural surroundings and has some cool places to go hiking.

The main island is surrounded by the outer islands of Marie Galante, La Désirade and the Îles des Saintes, which are very much worth visiting in their own right. Read on for my recommended one-week itinerary of beautiful Guadeloupe.

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Guided Tours of Guadeloupe

If you’re interested in taking a guided tour to some of Guadeloupe’s highlights, you can have a look at a few possible options here. We found that some of Guadeloupe’s destinations are kind of hard to reach by public transport, which is when a guided tour with transport can really come in handy.

The Perfect One-Week Guadeloupe Itinerary

Day 1: Pointe-à-Pitre

When planning your trip to Guadeloupe, it was probably the natural rather than urban attractions that made you want to come here. Still, Guadeloupe’s biggest city and the singular point of entry, whether by plane or boat) has enough worth-wile architecture and interesting museums to warrant some of your time.  

Foremost among the attractions is the cutting edge Memorial ACTe Museum of Slavery, but you can also check out the attractive cathedral, bustling fish market and pleasant Place de la Victoire Park. Apart from some of the beach resorts, Pointe-à-Pitre is also the only place on the island that has a notable bar-scene or night-life.

See also: The Best Things to do in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe

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Day 2-3: Grand-Terre and/or La Désirade Island

Move on to Grand-Terre, the eastern half of the island, where you could base yourself in one of the popular beach resort towns along the southern coast, like Le Gosier or Sainte-Anne. This would give you the choice to either lounge at the beach for a day or two, or explore the surroundings by rental car or public bus.

You could check out historic Forts Louis and Fleur d’Épée near Le Gosier, visit the Pointe de Chauteaux viewpoint or take a guided tour of the Damoiseau Rum distillery. Apart from that, we found a day trip to the nearby islet of La Désirade, to explore its historical sights and nice beaches, a great way to get away from it all.  

See also: What to know about visiting La Désirade Island, Guadeloupe

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Day 4-5: Îles des Saintes

Move on to the beautiful Îles des Saintes archipelago by taking the ferry from Pointe-à-Pitre or Trois Rivieres at the southern tip of Basse-Terre.  The main island “Terre-de-Haut” is a great location for aimless exploration by foot, bicycle or scooter.

I found the small village capital with its cute alleyways and colourful houses fun to explore, and also liked the historic Fort Napoleon, dating to the 18^th century. 

You could also hike up Le Chameau Hill or relax at some of the nicest beaches I’ve come across on Guadeloupe. Plage de la Pompierre would be my undisputed favourite among these. Great restaurants serving fresh seafood are another very good reason to stop by

See also: The ultimate travel guide to the Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe

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Day 6: La Soufriére Volcano

Next, head to Basse-Terre, the western half of the island, which differs from Grand-Terre so dramatically that it sometimes feels like a separate island. The landscape reminded us mainly of Dominica, the beautiful island located directly to the south of Guadeloupe. The one must-see attraction on Basse-Terre would be La Soufriére, an impressive active volcano and the highest peak in all of the Lesser Antilles.

The surrounding National Park offers many other attractive hikes as well, while the chance to relax in the warm sulphur spring at the trailhead to La Soufriére is an added bonus. We found the village of Sainte-Claude, halfway up the mountain, to be an ideal base for hiking La Soufriére.

See also: What to know about climbing La Soufrière Volcano, Guadeloupe

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Day 7: Basse-Terre Town and Deshaies

On your way back to the coast, I recommend that you stop in Basse-Terre, the attractive capital of Guadeloupe, where you can check out the parliament building and bustling produce market, as well some cool historical architecture.

From there you can catch a bus north along the coast to the attractive village of Deshaies, which fans of police procedurals will recognize as the filming location for the BBC series “Death in Paradise”. In the surrounding area you can also visit the famous Botanical Garden or hang at the splendid Grande-Anse Beach.

See also: Visiting the Filming Locations of BBC’s Death in Paradise in Deshaies, Guadeloupe

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Guadeloupe Itinerary Map

All the stops mentioned in my itinerary can be found on this map of Guadeloupe.

If You Have More Time

If you have more than a week, you certainly won’t run out of things to do on Guadeloupe. I’d recommend spending some more time on Basse-Terre, getting to know the National Park and its countless waterfalls. Another possibility would be to visit the island of Marie-Galante, which reportedly has a very relaxed vibe, making it the perfect island getaway.

If You Have Less Time

If you have less than a week to spend on the island, I’d recommend skipping Grand-Terre altogether and concentrating on the naturally more spectacular Basse-Terre. Hike La Soufrière, check out some waterfalls and relax at the beaches in Deshaies.

There’s enough to see in this part of the island to make even a short stop-over seem like a much longer holiday.

Accommodation on Guadeloupe

You can browse for more than the recommended options in this map of the island:

See also

The ultimate Guadeloupe Backpacking Guide