Martinique has dozens of seashores, from lengthy palm-fringed stretches of white sand within the south to black volcanic coves beneath Mount Pelée within the north. One of the best ones for swimming are on the calm Caribbean aspect of the island; the Atlantic aspect is wilder, windier and higher for browsing, kitesurfing and walks.
Fast reply: for traditional white sand, go to Grande Anse des Salines. For snorkeling with turtles, head to Anse Dufour, Anse Noire and Grande Anse d’Arlet. For a wilder, quieter really feel, strive Anse Couleuvre within the north or Anse Trabaud on the Atlantic aspect. Beneath you will discover what every seashore is like and the way to decide on between them.
Martinique’s Seashores at a Look
| Seashore | Space | Sand | Finest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grande Anse des Salines | Sainte-Anne (south) | White | Traditional Caribbean seashore day |
| Anse Dufour and Anse Noire | Les Anses-d’Arlet (southwest) | White and darkish | Turtles, snorkeling, fishing-village environment |
| Grande Anse d’Arlet | Les Anses-d’Arlet | Golden | Turtles, households, eating places |
| Anse à l’Âne and Anse Mitan | Les Trois-Îlets | Golden | Calm water close to inns and ferries |
| Grande Anse du Diamant | Le Diamant | Golden | Lengthy walks and views of Diamond Rock (swim with care) |
| Anse Trabaud | Sainte-Anne (Atlantic) | White | Wild surroundings, bodyboarding |
| Pointe Faula | Le Vauclin (Atlantic) | White | Shallow lagoon for youngsters, kitesurfing |
| Anse Couleuvre | Le Prêcheur (north) | Black | Rainforest setting, snorkeling |
North vs South: How Martinique’s Seashores Differ
The south is the place most guests keep. Its seashores have pale sand, calm water and loads of eating places, seashore bars and lodging. The north Caribbean coast, from Le Carbet to Le Prêcheur, has darkish sand shaped by Mount Pelée, a greener, steeper panorama and fewer individuals. The Atlantic coast on the east aspect faces the commerce winds, so it has waves, stronger currents and guarded lagoons behind the reef in just a few locations. It’s also the aspect most affected by sargassum seaweed.
Grande Anse des Salines (Sainte-Anne)
On the southern tip of the island, Les Salines is Martinique’s postcard seashore: a protracted curve of white sand backed by coconut palms and sea grapes, with clear turquoise water and views towards Saint Lucia on a transparent day. The water is often calm, and the seashore is lengthy sufficient to search out area even on busy days.
- Meals vehicles and snack bars close to the parking areas promote grilled fish, accras and recent juice.
- It will get very busy on weekends and public holidays, when native households come for the day. Arrive early or go to on a weekday.
- Shade comes from bushes, however look out for manchineel bushes, that are poisonous (see the information beneath).
Options to Les Salines
If Les Salines is just too crowded, there are a number of good options close by:
- Anse Trabaud: on the Atlantic aspect, about 1 km of white sand with no buildings. A automobile monitor crosses personal land with a small per-car price and restricted opening hours; you can too stroll there alongside the coastal path from Les Salines. Waves are widespread, which makes it standard with bodyboarders.
- Pointe Marin: a household seashore on the sting of Sainte-Anne with services and water sports activities.
- Cap Chevalier and Anse Michel: shallow, sheltered water, a kitesurfing spot and boat journeys to the close by Îlet Chevalier.
- Sainte-Luce: seashores similar to Anse Corps de Garde have calm water, loads of shade and quick access from the coastal highway.
Anse Dufour and Anse Noire (Les Anses-d’Arlet)
These two neighboring coves on the southwest coast are among the many hottest snorkeling spots in Martinique. Anse Dufour is a small fishing village with white sand, colourful fishing boats and easy eating places. Inexperienced turtles feed on the seagrass within the bay, and you may typically see them from the seashore with only a masks and snorkel.
A brief stroll away, Anse Noire is a tiny cove of darkish sand framed by forest, with a picket jetty and clear water over rocks and coral. The distinction between the white and black seashores aspect by aspect is likely one of the island’s curiosities. The parking space is small, so come early, particularly on weekends.
Grande Anse d’Arlet and the Bourg
Simply south, Grande Anse d’Arlet is a broader golden seashore lined with eating places and fishing boats, and turtles are repeatedly seen within the bay right here too. The village of Anses-d’Arlet itself has a reasonably seashore with a pontoon and a white church proper behind the sand, certainly one of Martinique’s most photographed scenes. Small coves like Petite Anse and Anse Chaudière are quieter choices close by.
Le Diamant and Anse Cafard
Grande Anse du Diamant is likely one of the longest seashores in Martinique, stretching for a number of kilometers with views of Diamond Rock, a volcanic islet simply offshore. It’s excellent for walks and sunsets, however the sea right here is uncovered: waves and currents will be sturdy, so swim solely when situations are calm and keep near shore.
On the western finish, Anse Cafard is residence to the Cap 110 memorial by Laurent Valère, a gaggle of enormous white figures dealing with the ocean that commemorates the victims of a slave ship wrecked off this coast in 1830. It’s a highly effective place to cease, even when you don’t swim.
Les Trois-Îlets: Anse Mitan and Anse à l’Âne
Throughout the bay from Fort-de-France, Les Trois-Îlets is a significant lodge space. Anse Mitan and Anse à l’Âne have calm water, quick access, eating places and water sports activities, and ferries join them with Fort-de-France. They’re much less spectacular than Les Salines however very handy in case you are staying close by or touring with no automobile.
Atlantic Coast Seashores
The Atlantic aspect is for many who like wilder landscapes. Select your spot fastidiously, as many seashores right here have tough water.
- Tartane and the Caravelle Peninsula: Anse l’Étang is a widely known surf seashore, whereas the Baie des Trésors, reached on foot throughout the Caravelle nature reserve, has calmer, sheltered water.
- Pointe Faula (Le Vauclin): a large, very shallow lagoon protected by the reef, ultimate for younger youngsters and standard with kitesurfers.
- Anse Grand Macabou (Le Vauclin): a distant golden seashore with waves and no improvement close by.
- Fonds Blancs (Le François): not a seashore however shallow white sandbanks within the bay, together with the well-known Baignoires de Joséphine, the place you’ll be able to stand waist-deep within the sea. They’re reached by boat journeys from Le François.
North Caribbean Coast: Black-Sand Seashores
- Anse Couleuvre (Le Prêcheur): a black-sand cove on the finish of the highway, surrounded by rainforest and cliffs beneath Mount Pelée. The snorkeling will be good when the ocean is calm. Trails lead on into the forest.
- Anse Céron (Le Prêcheur): a dark-sand seashore backed by coconut palms, with Îlet la Perle offshore.
- Anse Turin (Le Carbet): related to Paul Gauguin, who stayed close by in 1887.
- Saint-Pierre: the city seashore is darkish and easy, however the bay is known amongst divers for the shipwrecks sunk through the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée.
Finest Snorkeling Spots
| Spot | What you might even see | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anse Dufour | Inexperienced turtles over seagrass | Straightforward entry from the seashore; typically crowded with snorkelers |
| Anse Noire | Reef fish, rocks and coral | Clear water, small cove |
| Grande Anse d’Arlet | Turtles, fish, seagrass | Good for inexperienced persons |
| Anse Couleuvre | Fish and rocky reefs | Finest when the ocean is calm |
| Diamond Rock | Partitions, caves, bigger fish | Dive journeys solely; for licensed divers |
Preserve your distance from turtles, by no means contact or feed them, and don’t stand on coral. For diving in mainland France and past, see our information to the finest scuba diving spots in France.
Seashore Suggestions: Sargassum, Shade and Amenities
- Sargassum: mats of brown seaweed periodically wash up, totally on Atlantic and southeast-facing seashores. When it rots it smells and will be unhealthy to breathe shut up. Native authorities publish forecasts and bulletins, so test earlier than selecting a seashore or lodging.
- Manchineel bushes: the mancenillier grows on many seashores. Its small inexperienced apples, sap and even rainwater dripping from its leaves can burn pores and skin and eyes. Trunks are sometimes marked with a purple band; by no means shelter below one throughout rain.
- Shade and solar: the solar is powerful year-round. Carry reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and water, and search for pure shade early.
- Amenities: busy seashores like Les Salines, Anse Mitan and Grande Anse d’Arlet have eating places and snack bars; wilder seashores don’t have anything, so carry provides.
- Security: Atlantic seashores can have sturdy currents. Lifeguards are current solely at some seashores and a few instances of yr. Don’t depart valuables in vehicles.
- Getting there: a rental automobile is the best solution to go to a number of seashores. Weekends are a lot busier as a result of residents additionally head to the coast.
The place to Keep for Seashores
Sainte-Anne and Sainte-Luce are the perfect bases for the southern seashores, Les Anses-d’Arlet fits snorkelers, and Les Trois-Îlets is handy for ferries and inns. For a mixed journey, learn our comparability of Martinique vs Guadeloupe, and for sights past the sand, see our record of issues to do in Martinique. In case you are planning a seashore journey round mainland France as effectively, our information to the finest seashores in France has extra concepts.
Abstract
Martinique’s finest seashores for swimming are on the calm Caribbean coast within the south: Grande Anse des Salines for white sand, and Anse Dufour, Anse Noire and Grande Anse d’Arlet for turtles and snorkeling. The black-sand coves of the north and the wilder Atlantic seashores add selection. Examine sargassum experiences, keep away from manchineel bushes, and go to standard seashores on weekdays for the perfect expertise.
