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With so many Caribbean destinations to choose from, smaller places like Martinique island fly under most travelers' radars. But overlooking this laid-back, largely untouched isle means missing out on a rare side of the Caribbean you won’t find elsewhere: French-Caribbean charm (without the pomp or price tag of St. Bart’s), lush jungle terrain and wild beaches, volcanic hikes, and ever-flowing sugarcane rum. Plus, the island is small enough that you can cruise from one place to another in the span of an hour.
Fly via Miami into Fort-de-France, the island's capital, and launch your road trip from there. Or, take advantage of the new JetBlue direct flight from New York City's JFK to Guadeloupe's capital of Pointe-à-Pitre, which takes just four-and-a-half hours, and then hop on a 45-minute puddle jumper over to Martinique (there are nearly a dozen flights a day).
The trip: Three days, 100 miles
At just 50 miles long and 22 miles across, Martinique island is relatively small, but its roads are at times narrow and windy, so it can take longer to drive a fairly short distance. (You’d need a week to loop the entire thing.) If you want to space out the driving, know that you could easily stay an extra day in any of the destinations below, which also provides a chance for side trips to neighboring villages. Some travelers might want to tack on a day in the capital.
What to drive
Get a small car you feel comfortable zipping along the coast in. You can rent a car at the Fort-de-France airport from Enterprise, Avis, Alamo, and a handful of European companies. Plan to do your longer drives in the morning, as some of these cross-island roads are unlit, which can be challenging for first-time visitors (plus, the views on every bit of this loop are unmissable).
When to go
The North American winter and spring (from December to April) is the island’s high season, and understandably so—the warm weather remains consistently in the high 70s to mid 80s, and Carnival, usually in February or March, attracts its own crowds. June marks the start of the rainy season, and hurricane season comes in the fall.
Day 1
From Fort-de-France, head north on the coastal N2 highway to the town of Saint-Pierre. If your GPS sends you on the inland N3, ignore it: You won’t want to miss the ocean views along the way. An hour in, you’ll spot the Mount Pelée volcano looming up ahead: That tiny smattering of pastel-colored buildings in the forefront is Saint-Pierre. Once known as the “Paris of the Caribbean,” Saint-Pierre was entirely wiped out by the eruption of Mount Pelée in 1902, leaving just two survivors. The town has since rebuilt and repopulated—the volcano is now dormant—but you can still see ruins throughout the town, shipwrecks off the coast, and volcanic black sand beaches.
There aren’t many hotels here, so nab an Airbnb like Villa Escale de Sainte Philomene or La Villa du Morne d’Orange for the night. Don’t get stuck in the house though; there’s plenty else to do and see. Get your bearings walking through town, explore the Cachot de Cyparis Prison ruins, or get a taste of local star fruits and bokit (stuffed fried bread) at the Saint-Pierre Marché market right in front of the beach. Then, linger over a lunch of creole seafood dishes at Le Fromager, where the hillside views are as delightful as the conch fricassee (just make sure to book a reservation in advance, as this lunch-only spot is very popular with locals and visitors alike).
Spend the afternoon on Saint-Pierre beach, known for its black sand. If you’re a scuba diver, you can also head out on a wreck dive (there are several dive shops, including Apapa D'Lo Plongée, on the main street through town, D10). On the very south end of the beach sits an unmarked shack serving rum drinks to guests at picnic tables and on lounge chairs—post up there until sunset.
Most of the town shutters by nightfall, a theme across most of the island, but 1643, which nails upscale French classics like duck with foie gras, is always open for dinner.
Day 2
If you’re itching to hike up Mount Pelée, you'll want to tack on another night in Saint-Pierre. Otherwise, hit the road and head east across the island toward the the lush Caravelle Peninsula in Trinité, a protected natural reserve with great hiking trails, a decent surf scene, and even thinner crowds than the Caribbean side. To get there, follow the D1 highway as it winds up the mountains through banana and sugarcane fields and into a stretch of heavy jungle, before heading back down down to the windswept Atlantic coast—all in just over an hour. Your base here is French Coco, a new upscale boutique hotel and quite possibly the best stay on the entire island.
The fishing village of Tartane will be your go-to for food and necessities throughout the day—you won't be straying far. (Don't miss Pains Plaisirs et Cannelle for French pastries, including buttery pain au chocolat and fresh baguettes, and very decent espresso.) Drive along the D2 to the ruins of Château Dubuc for a hike: While there isn’t much left of the former 17th-century castle, history buffs can grab an audio guide to learn more about the area's former sugar estate, smuggling operations, and role in the slave trade. Alternatively, take in the ruins from afar on one of the hiking trails that loop the surrounding fields. There are one mile and 7.5 mile options, both of which will take you past mangroves, the waterfront, and views of the ruins, before bringing you right back to your car.
Grab lunch back at one of the roadside grills in Tartane—order poulet roti (roast chicken) with a hearty slathering of spicy, herbed creole sauce—and then walk over to Tartane beach, just past the local fish market. If you’re here to surf, rent a board or sign-up for an afternoon lesson at Bliss Surf School; just be there no later than 3 p.m., when classes end for the day. Circle back to the same stretch of seaside restaurants in the evening and choose whichever is still open—the food is quite comparable across the board, unlike the widely varying schedules—and order local classics like curried chicken colombo and salt fish fritters called accras, washed down with a daiquiri-like ti’ punch rum drink (the national cocktail).
Day 3
If you’re looking for white sand beaches you'll want to drive along N1 to the more touristed south end of the island—from Les Trois-Îlets and Les Anses d’Arlet in the west to the southern peninsula of Sainte-Anne in the east. The latter is home to the island’s best beach, Grande Anse des Salines, known for its flawless white sand, turquoise Caribbean waters, and strip of palms swaying in the breeze.
Break up the 1.5 hour drive with a pit stop at Habitacion Clement, a historic distillery known for its cane juice rum. If you’re the designated driver, don’t worry—the sweeping 400 acres of manicured property are worth a visit alone, and you can enjoy a tour before grabbing a bottle to take home. Then, follow the N6 south to land in Sainte-Anne. Since the hotel scene in these parts hasn’t caught up to the crowds, your best bet for accommodation is another Airbnb, like the Kouri Vini house right near the Sainte-Anne marina.
Spend the rest of the day at Grand Anse des Salines. There are surf rentals on the beach, but there’s nothing wrong with making a coconut sorbet run the biggest undertaking of your day. (The woman doling out ice cream rings a bell in the afternoon when she arrives.) The top restaurants are in the town center of Sainte-Anne. Les Tamariniers, right next to the chapel, serves fresh seafood with classic creole and French flavors. The best spot, though, is Chez LaMartine, a tiny nondescript shop that sells bottles of rum and some of the best salt fish fritters on the island. Stick around with the handful of locals who linger into the evening and you'll wonder why you’re leaving after all.
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