Nightlife of Guadeloupe

The nightlife of Guadeloupe is as spicy as the Creole cuisine, including gambling, discotheques and restaurants that appeal to a range of tastes. Guadeloupeans love to dance. You can go to the discos on Grande-Terre after 11 pm and continue until dawn. An entrance fee of about 11 euros usually includes one drink.

Bas du Fort Marina has half-a-dozen waterfront nightclubs, usually filled to capacity. New Land outside Gosier has been one of the best for years. Other spots for hangouts are: Le Zenith, Pharaon, La Cascade and Vol du Nuit, all in the Gosier area; Shivas in Le Moule; Cararet in Abymes; Palace in Ste. Anne; and L'Extase in Jarry.

All of the large hotels on Grande-Terre offer typical gwo-ka music and folklore performances, as well as dinner dancing (beguine-style) with excellent local musical groups. In Pointe-a-Pitre, the Centre des Arts schedules concerts, ballets and plays with both local and international stars.

Among the choices on Basse-Terre are the disco Espace Vaneau in Bouillante, its alive until dawn on weekends; La Note Bleue in Deshaies where a piano player performs on Saturdays; Le Karacoli on Grande Anse Beach, which becomes a small disco on weekends; La Boite de Nuit in Pointe-Noire; and Le Pigeonnier in Pigeon.

Casino Gosier-les-Bains, 43 Pointe de la Verdure, Gosier is a famous nightspot for fun lovers.  A casually elegant spot, it's open daily from 10am until 4am, although the most interesting activities -- those associated with the roulette, chemin de fer, and blackjack -- don't open till 8:30pm. There's no cover, and no ID requested, for admission to the area with the slot machines, but entrance to the gaming tables and roulette wheels costs 10€ per person, and requires the presentation of a photo ID or passport. A smaller casino, with fewer slot machines but with the same opening hours and admission charge, is Casino de la Marina, avenue de l'Europe.

There are other night time diversions in Guadeloupe, although these tend to be seasonal, with more offerings in the winter. Lele Bar, at Le Méridien in St-François, is one of the most active on the island, attracting Guadeloupeans along with visitors.

Newer, and more closely linked to the nighttime esprit you might have expected in Paris, are the Zoo Rock Café at La Marina in Gosier. Sheathed in wood, and open to the outdoor breezes, it offers a revolving series of theme parties.  Equally up-to-date and cutting-edge trendy is Le Spy Bar, Rte. des Hotels, Bas du Fort. Associated with the hyper-stylish Hotel Le Coste in Paris, and a de rigeur stopover for the rich and the famous in Guadeloupe, it offers drinks, dancing, and dialogue about all things French and fashionable.