The gallic-tinged Guadeloupe remains an integral part of France in the Caribbean. A large and seemingly unwieldy mass, Guadeloupe is in reality two islands separated by a narrow waterway. Each island has its own personality; Basse-Terre is mountainous, wild and volcanic while Grand-Terre is dry, flat and dotted with sandy beaches. Small yet populous, with some 340,000 inhabitants, the numbers swell in tourist season with daily arrivals from France as well as North America.
Nearby islands - Les Saintes, Marie Galante and La Desirade - have excellent beaches (for those who know) as does the southern side of Grande Terre, the eastern most island of Guadeloupe.
The western part of Basse-Terre contains the beautiful Parc Naturel with incredibly scenic green mountainous hikes nearby startling waterfalls. You can also see the dormant - yet still bubbling - island volcano known as La Soufriere.
