Guadeloupe vacation rentals

Tiptoe to the sea in Guadeloupe

Lying in the heart of the Caribbean, the dozen or so islands that make up the Guadeloupe archipelago are picturesque to say the least. Most visitors stay in one of the Guadeloupe vacation rentals on the 2 larger islands, which are split by a narrow waterway. Your days can be whiled away on the vast stretches of white, sandy beaches flanked by swaying palms, occasionally punctuated by tiptoeing down to the Caribbean Sea to cool off. After sunset, you can amble off to gorge on some mouth-watering Creole cuisine and seafood while listening to the sounds of zouk music.

Rum distilleries and botanical gardens in Guadeloupe

There's no shortage of things to see when you step out of your Guadeloupe vacation rental. Hugging Basse-Terre's northern coast, the Jardin Botanique de Deshaies is filled with colorful hanging bougainvillea, little rocky cascades and ponds awash with lily pads, not to mention the multi-colored rainbow lorikeets, which swoop around. Alternatively, you can catch one of the boats out to Terre-de-Haut, an island packed with beautiful pastel-colored houses, some historical museums and Fort Napoleon. The tiny island of Marie-Galante is well known for their rum distilleries. There are few places better to sip on the sugarcane beverage than this rugged little headland spot.

Activities for seafarers and landlubbers in Guadeloupe

Book a Guadeloupe vacation rental, and, if you like to walk, you can hike up La Grande Soufriere, an active volcano, passing hot springs, waterfalls and one of the biggest mountainside lakes. It can easily be done within a day and you don't need a guide to walk it. Alternatively, you could drop down below the surface of the water to dive or snorkel with turtles and large schools of colorful fish in coral gardens. Landlubbers can ditch the snorkel and flippers to hit the colorful the markets in Pointe-a-Pitre.

For winter sun, Guadeloupe shines

If you're looking for warm, but not overly hot weather, bright skies and a lovely sea breeze, make a beeline for a Guadeloupe vacation rental between December and May. It's also the busiest season, so be sure to book up early. If you like the weather to be a little hotter and don't mind the odd spot of rain, visit between June and July or October and November. Though you may have to dive for cover occasionally, when the skies brighten up again, you'll have far fewer travelers to contend with on the beaches.

The gentle giants of the sea

You're never far away from wildlife when you stay in a Guadeloupe vacation rental. Arguably one of the best spots, though, is the Guadeloupe National Park on Basse-Terre. Designated a UNESCO reserve, it attracts many a wildlife lover who come to see myriad birdlife. Here, you can expect to sport black woodpeckers and lesser Antillean pewees, not to mention the dozens of colorful orchids. There's a whole world of marine creatures to spot around the rich waters off Guadeloupe. If you visit at the right time, whales stop on their migration to feed off plankton while dolphins jump and play in the wake of boats.