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Les Saintes
A small archipelago off Guadeloupe with one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful bays and a laid-back village
A small archipelago off Guadeloupe with one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful bays and a laid-back village
A 19th-century fort above the bay, with a museum, a garden of cacti and succulents, and iguanas.
Walk up in the morning before the heat.
Photo: Filo gèn’, CC BY-SA 4.0
A small sugarloaf-shaped peninsula of basalt columns with a sheltered beach that is good for snorkelling.
Photo: Filo gèn’, CC BY-SA 4.0
A calm, horseshoe-shaped bay with soft sand and shallow water, popular with families.
Photo: Patrice78500, CC BY-SA 3.0
Fresh fish and Creole dishes such as accras (fritters) and colombo (curry) are served around the bay.
Try the island’s coconut-filled pastries, tourments d’amour, sold by vendors at the ferry dock.
Ferries take around 25 minutes from Trois-Rivières on Basse-Terre, with longer crossings from Pointe-à-Pitre and Saint-François. On Terre-de-Haut, walk, hire a scooter or e-bike; cars are few and roads are steep.
Guadeloupe is an overseas region of France and part of the EU, and uses the euro, but it is not part of the Schengen area. EU citizens need only an ID card; citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for short stays. Check current rules before you travel.
Les Saintes is mid-priced, with small hotels and guesthouses.
Bay, forts and beaches.
Visit Fort Napoléon, swim at Pompierre and walk through the village at sunset.
Snorkel at Pain de Sucre, then climb Le Chameau, the island’s highest point, for views over the archipelago.
Take water; the climb is steep and exposed.
The tropical sun is strong; use reef-safe sunscreen and drink plenty of water.
June to November is hurricane season, with the highest risk from August to October; check forecasts and travel insurance.
Check the last ferry back if visiting on a day trip; boats can sell out on holidays.
Scooters are the easiest way to get around but the hills are steep; ride carefully.
Quick answers for planning time in Les Saintes.
Guadeloupe is part of France and the EU but outside the Schengen area. Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for short stays.
By ferry, about 25 minutes from Trois-Rivières, or longer from Pointe-à-Pitre and Saint-François.
Yes, but staying a night lets you enjoy the island after the day visitors leave.
Very few; most visitors walk or hire scooters or e-bikes.
Pompierre for families and calm water; Pain de Sucre for snorkelling.
Google Maps works well; a hire car is the easiest way to get around Guadeloupe.
Free
French and Guadeloupean Creole are spoken; English is less common outside hotels.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Guadeloupe travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.