In December 2015, discount airline Norwegian Air added two non-stop routes from BWI Airport to Guadeloupe and Martinique. Previously both islands had been difficult, and expensive, to reach from the U.S. Now it only takes a 4-hour flight to reach these two beautiful French Caribbean islands from Baltimore – and it won’t empty your bank account either. Flights to both islands start at $220 per person, round trip, making it far and away one of the cheapest flights to the Caribbean from Baltimore.
(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)
There are, however, some added charges for checking in bags and seat selection, but when I flew to Guadeloupe in February 2016, my wife and I checked in one bag for the two of us, didn’t select seats in advance, and we were still seated together upon arrival. Food and drinks are extra, but priced reasonably, and there is free Wi-Fi on the flight.
The flights are seasonal beginning in November, which is the start of the high season. For Guadeloupe flights depart BWI on Saturdays and Tuesdays and for Martinique, flights depart on Fridays and Mondays, making it easy for travelers to vacation for a week or a long weekend.
So have you read enough? Ready to book your flight to Guadeloupe or Martinique? Here are some things you should know before you do…
Guadeloupe and Martinique are overseas territories of France, and thereby part of Europe. There aren’t many, if any, mega-resorts on Guadeloupe so you’ll be on your own for the most part whether you rent a condo, villa or stay in a hotel. I know this can be daunting, but it’s also a rewarding experience since you get to travel like a local. We rented a villa in the town of Saint Francois from Home Away; we use the website a lot when we travel and we’ve never had a bad experience with them. Similar sites like VRBO and FlipKey are also good places to find rentals often the same price, or cheaper, than a hotel.
Our rental car from Europcar was affordable – around $200 for a week – and driving in Guadeloupe was simple, but knowing how to drive a stick-shift is a must since automatic transmission cars are expensive. They drive on the right in both Guadeloupe and Martinique and the roads are well maintained and well marked with signs. Parking is free, even in most towns, and beaches have plenty of parking available. Put it this way, if you have the patience and skill to drive in Ocean City in the middle of summer, you’ll find driving here is a breeze by comparison.
Travelers familiar with English-speaking Caribbean destinations might be thrown for a loop since many locals don’t speak English well, and the French are much like Americans in that they expect foreigners to speak their native language. Brushing up on some common French phrases is helpful to avoid confusion, especially in restaurants where menus may only be in French. (Chicken is poulet, beef is boeuf, shrimp is crevette, etc.) And when speaking with someone, it’s always good to break the ice in French before launching into English. That said, with regular flights from the U.S. to both islands, the locals are speaking more English and willing to accommodate their English-speaking customers.
While the language barrier might be a drawback for some, it’s perhaps the only one. Since these islands are French, the food is of French quality with Creole flourishes, and I can vouch for it. It’s among the best food available in the Caribbean. Whereas some popular resorts and hotels in Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic might serve sketchy buffet food that can keep you in the bathroom, that’s not the case here. Naturally seafood dominates the menus of many restaurants, but pizza is hugely popular on the island of Guadeloupe and the food trucks at popular beaches offer everything from burgers and fries to fresh fish cooked whole. Meanwhile, grocery stores are clean and well stocked with everything you need. The currency is the Euro and the exchange rate isn’t too bad as I write this article so you can expect most items and meals to cost about as much as they do in the states.
Guadeloupe is a large island – it’s technically two main islands connected by a bridge – and driving from one side to the other takes around 3 hours. The eastern island, Grande-Terre, is relatively flat and more developed, whereas the western island, Basse-Terre, is mountainous and dominated by jungle. There are three smaller outlying islands: Le Desirade, Marie Galant and Les Saintes, making a boat trip mandatory to explore everything Guadeloupe has to offer. The long drive time kept us from visiting Basse-Terre, but we took a boat to Les Saintes, but be warned – it’s a very choppy two-hour trip each way from Saint Francois. The island of Les Saintes is postcard quality and the beaches are among the best in Guadeloupe, so depending on how seasick you get, the ride may be worth it.
The village of Saint Francois is a rustic town on the eastern side of Grande-Terre, complete with several restaurants and shops, a grocery store, hospital and golf course. It’s popular with tourists without being completely devoid of charm, and the same can be said of all of Guadeloupe’s beach towns. Remember, this is Europe and feels European in many ways.
The beaches in Guadeloupe may not rank as high as those in Cancun, the Dominican Republic or the Bahamas, but they’re very nice and more importantly, public. You won’t find gorgeous swaths of beach held hostage by a private resort here. The beach of Raisins Clairs was among our favorite of the beaches we visited, and it didn’t hurt that it’s just outside of Saint Francois, complete with powder white sand and calm turquoise water and lined with food trucks offering deliciously cheap food. I left Guadeloupe still craving the many bokits I ate there– a sandwich of endless possibilities made with fried bread, which usually ran about 3 euro, making it one of the cheapest food options on the island.
So if you’re a traveler in the Baltimore area who’s looking for something more adventurous than Ocean City, cruise ships, all-inclusive resorts, and guided excursions, Guadeloupe and Martinique are both great places to start. And thanks to Norwegian Air, it’s never been easier, or affordable, to reach these picturesque islands.
Sean is a Baltimore native whose love of the Orioles and Ravens is rivaled only by his love for travel. He’s been to over twenty countries including off the beaten path destinations such as Portugal, Croatia and Montenegro. Sean is a Destination Expert for Baltimore on Trip Advisor and currently lives in New Market, MD.