WHERE ADVENTURE MEETS ELEGANCE IN THE FRENCH CARIBBEAN
By: Jarone Ashkenazi
Martinique has long seduced travelers with its sugar-soft beaches and turquoise bays, but this French Caribbean island is so much more than its postcard-perfect shoreline. Here, adventure hums beneath the rainforest canopy, rumbles from the slopes of a restless volcano, and whispers through mangrove tunnels where herons glide low over glassy water. The island blends old-world French charm with untamed natural beauty, creating a rare destination where luxury and raw nature meet in perfect rhythm.
For travelers craving an elevated escape that stirs the spirit as much as it soothes it, Martinique is an island that invites you to go deeper—into its forests, its culture, its flavors, and its fiercely protected heritage.
A CREATIVE, COLORFUL WELCOME IN TROIS-ÎLETS
Your Martinique journey begins at Village de la Poterie, a vibrant enclave in Trois-Îlets where the island’s artisanal heart beats strongest. Once home to a colonial pottery site, it has evolved into a lively creative village filled with terracotta workshops, boutiques, and breezy cafés. Travelers can slip their hands into cool clay during a pottery lesson—an unexpected, grounding moment that sets the tone for the immersive days ahead.
Just minutes away, Hotel Bambou offers the perfect base for a stylish nature-forward escape. Its colorful Creole bungalows spill through tropical gardens toward the sea, and the property’s three hillside villas—private, serene, and kissed by Caribbean breezes—give guests a blissful hideaway overlooking Anse Mitan. It’s the kind of place where you unpack once and instantly exhale.
MANGROVES, MICROBREWS & MEANINGFUL HISTORY
Morning breaks in the mangroves of Ducos Canal Cocotte, where narrow waterways twist through emerald-green tunnels of interlaced roots. Herons and egrets skim the water as crabs scuttle along the banks—an untouched ecosystem best explored quietly, slowly, reverently.
A short drive leads to BenZel, a microbrewery in Rivière-Salée turning local ingredients into crisp, golden expressions of Martinican terroir. As the island’s first Silver medalist at the 2025 General Agricultural Competition, it’s a must-stop for craft beer lovers seeking a taste of the unexpected.
But Martinique’s stories run deep, and nowhere is that more powerfully felt than at Cap 110 in Le Diamant. Artist Laurent Valère’s fifteen stark white statues face the sea, honoring enslaved Africans lost in a nearby shipwreck. It’s a moment of quiet reflection—solemn, humbling, and grounding.
Evening brings you back to the calm shores of Anse Mitan for dinner at Kano Restaurant, where the setting sun bathes the water in warm gold and each plate celebrates the island’s culinary soul.
RAINFOREST ROADS & RUINS RECLAIMED BY TIME
The next day unfurls on La Route de la Trace, a lush, serpentine road slicing through the northern rainforest. Mist lifts off the treetops as you step into Balata Garden, a dreamy botanical haven filled with towering palms, tropical blooms, and suspended bridges offering sweeping canopy views.
Not far away lies Saint-Pierre, once the cosmopolitan “Little Paris of the Caribbean.” The town’s cobblestone streets and preserved ruins whisper the story of Mount Pelée’s 1902 eruption, which forever changed the island’s history. Standing inside the jail cell of the eruption’s sole survivor is a stark reminder of nature’s force—and human resilience.
RUM, RHYTHM & THE ISLAND’S WILD SOUL
Martinique’s rum heritage is legendary, and no trip is complete without exploring its AOC-protected rhum agricole. At Le Petibonum, a lively beachfront spot, the rum masterclass dives deep into the art and science of sugarcane distillation. Afterward, Chef Guy Ferdinand serves a feast of seafood and Creole specialties steps from the surf—an only-in-Martinique kind of experience.
Thrill seekers set their sights on Mount Pelée, the island’s crown jewel. Guided by local expert Gilles Vickrobek, trekkers ascend through mist-wrapped forests to the volcano’s 1,397-meter summit. At the top, a view that spans from the Caribbean to the Atlantic feels like a reward the Earth itself has offered.
After the descent, a refreshing dip in a mountain river near Grand-Rivière restores every tired muscle. Lunch at Chez Tante Arlette, a beloved local institution, brings comfort on a plate. The afternoon unfolds with a lesson in Bwa Flo, an ancestral sport involving tree-trunk surfing—pure joy, pure Caribbean tradition.
ART, CULTURE & STORIES WOVEN THROUGH TIME
Even the capital city pulses with adventure. A morning ride with Cyclo’comm reveals Fort-de-France through the eyes of a local—colonial landmarks, lively markets, breezy waterfronts.
The cultural journey continues at Habitation Clément, a historic rum estate turned open-air art museum. Contemporary sculptures dot manicured lawns, while the distillery and tasting rooms blend heritage with modern creativity.
Back in Trois-Îlets, La Savane des Esclaves adds powerful context to the island’s past. Built by hand by Gilbert Larose, this extraordinary open-air museum traces four centuries of Martinican history through recreated villages and stories that honor resilience and tradition.
As night falls, dinner at Le Pitaya near the marina offers a stylish finish, complete with a kaleidoscope of poolside lights and refined island flavors.
A GENTLE FAREWELL TO AN ISLAND THAT STIRS EVERY SENSE
Your final morning invites a softer adventure: horseback riding with Ranch Jack, where trails meander through sunlight-dappled fields and down to the shore. It’s peaceful, cinematic—an exhale after days of exhilaration.
A stop at Le Monde des Épices ensures you bring a piece of Martinique home: vanilla pods, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, and spices bursting with the fragrance of the island’s volcanic soil.
Because in Martinique, adventure and elegance aren’t opposites—they’re dance partners. This is an island where mountain and sea, past and present, thrill and tranquility come together seamlessly. Alive. Authentic. Unforgettable.
Martinique doesn’t ask you to choose between luxury and adventure. It simply invites you to experience both—deeply.
For those seeking an intimate escape where luxury is measured not in opulence but in heritage, soul, and connection, East Winds is Saint Lucia at its most timeless.
