Beaches of Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe has some 50 astounding beaches with turquoise blue, soothing warm waters and palm trees swaying in soft trade winds. Guadeloupan beaches are the main prop of the country's tourism industry.

Each little bay has its own character and spirit: powder-like white sand on Grande-Terre, golden brown sand on the leeward coast, black sand from the volcano on the west-end of Basse-Terre and grass on the edge of the mangroves while some beaches are full of pebbles.

You will come across on the sandy expanses innumerable starfishes, white sea-urchins, the only ones that are edible on Guadeloupe, many shells like lambis, helmets or Tritons. Omnipresent is the sea, warm and clear, with an incredible underwater world which everyone should explore by snorkelling.

High sun protection is absolutely necessary especially at the beaches sans plants providing some shade or at the nude beaches of Anse Tarare next to Pointe des Châteaux and Pointe du Petit-Bas-Vent in the north of Basse-Terre.

Most of the best beaches lie between Gosier and St-François on Grande Terre. Visitors usually head for the hotel beaches at Gosier. Stone jetties were constructed here to protect the beaches from erosion. Since this area has the largest concentration of tourists, it's likely to be crowded.

There's no shade at the Creole Beach fronting Creole Beach Hotel, although you can retreat to the bar there for a drink. A stone retaining wall blocks access to the water. Nearby, the Salako Beach has more sand and is set against a backdrop of palms that offer some shade. Part of this beach also leads up to a jetty. This is a fine sandy beach, although a little too crowded at times, and it also contains a snack bar.

Also nearby, Arawak Beach is a gorgeous spot, with plenty of swaying palm trees providing a bit of shade on the beige sands. It too, is protected by jetties. Close at hand, Callinago Beach is smaller than Arawak, but still has a pleasant crescent of beige sand and palms.

Le Bas du Fort, 3km (2 miles) east of Pointe-à-Pitre and close to Gosier, is another popular area. Its beaches, also protected by jetties, are shared by guests at the Hotels Fleu d'Epée and Marissol. This is a tropical beach with tranquil waters, plenty of sand, and palms for shade. There are hotel bars as well as snack bars.

Some of Grande-Terre's best beaches are in the Ste-Anne area, site of a Club Med. Plage Caravelle is heaped with white sand, attracting crowds of sunbathers; snorkellers, too, are drawn to the beach's reef-protected waters. The French visitors here often like to go nude, and there is no finer nude beach than Pointe Tarare, a 45-minute drive from Gosier.

This beach lies east of St-François at Pointe des Chateaux. It's one of the island's most pristine, tranquil beaches, but there's no shade to protect you from the fierce noonday sun. If you're not a nudist, you can enjoy the lovely strip of white sand at Anse de la Gourde, lying between St-François and Pointe des Chateaux. It has good sand, but it tends to become crowded on weekends.

The eastern coast of Grande-Terre is less desirable for swimming, as it fronts the more turbulent Atlantic. Nonetheless, the sands at Le Moule make for an idyllic beach because a reef protects the shoreline. There are also beach bars here and of course the inevitable crowds, especially on weekends. You'll find a more secluded strip of sand north of here at La Porte d'Enfer.

There are two other excellent beaches on the northwestern coast: one at Anse Laborde just outside the village of Anse-Bertrand, the other called Anse du Souffleur at Port-Louis. The beach at Souffleur is brilliant for its flamboyant trees that bloom in the summer. There are no facilities here, but you can pick up provisions in the shops in the little village, and then enjoy a picnic on the beach.

In Basse-Terre, a highly desirable beach is La Grande-Anse, just outside Deshaies, reached by heading west from Sainte Rose along the N2. Another beautiful beach is Plage de la Malendure, on the west coast (the more tranquil side) of Basse-Terre across from Pigeon Island. This is a major center for scuba diving, but the sand tends to be dark here.

If you want to escape the crowds, seek out the spurs and shoulders produced by the mountains of Basse-Terre, the capital of Guadeloupe. In the northwest is a string of fine sandy beaches. Although small, these are highly desirable enclaves for sunbathing and swimming. Favourites include La Plage de Cluny (near Pointe Allegre), Plage de la Tillette, and Plage de la Perle.

South of Pointe Noire, also on the west coast of Guadeloupe, is Plage des Caraibes, with its calm waters and sandy strip. This beach has picnic facilities, a shower, and toilets.

Other good beaches are found on the offshore islands, Iles des Saintes and Marie-Galante.

Warning: The beaches on the north coast of Basse-Terre are exceedingly dangerous for swimming.