Top Things To Do in Basse Terre

Deep in the rainforest of the National Park and along the Carbet river, the three Carbet Falls are some of the tallest and most beautiful in the Lesser Antilles. The second in size (at 110m) comes first in popularity, with a signposted, paved footpath from the visitor centre providing smooth access to a viewing point (in 20-30 minutes). The other two – one taller, one smaller – require longer and more challenging hikes, lasting 3-5 hours. The tallest clocks up 115m in height, and the third waterfall’s a tiddler in comparison, only 20m high but with a gorgeous pool at the bottom (there’s a shorter route to this one from Capesterre-Belle-Eau to Routhiers). Experienced hikers can hire a guide to experience all three.

The Parc de Mamelles zoo covers four hectares of rainforest, overseeing the conservation of hundreds of species of tree, bird, reptile and mammal - many rare and endangered. Has the EAZA quality label for quality and animal welfare. There’s a spectacular tree-top trail and kid’s go wild for the wooden play park

Wonderfully white sands, brilliant blue waters, a huddle of palm trees and not much else – these are the makings of the tiny Ilet Caret. Near the Grand-Cul de Sac Marin nature reserve, you can hire a boat to take you to this little slice of Caribbean heaven off the shore of Sainte Rose.

The beauty’s not only in the beaches of Guadeloupe. A case in point: head to the edge of the rainforest in Petit Bourg and you’ll find these glorious botanical gardens, brimming with tropical flowers, trees and herbs. Take a short hike to the natural waterfall or visit the equestrian centre. If you’re here with children, pack swimmers – they’ll love the water playground with its sprinklers and fountain.

This portion of National Park surrounds the Pigeon Islets off the shore of Bouillante. A French Naval officer, filmmaker, author and co-developer of the aqualung, Captain Costeau fell in love with the area when he shot parts of his film Le Monde du Silence here in the fifties. He encouraged its conservation, and it’s become one of the finest dive sites in the Caribbean. Besides corals, barrel sponges and fish, turtles and seahorses, underwater attractions include three shipwrecks and a bronze bust of Costeau in the middle of the coral garden.

Since it was built ‘Fort St Charles’ to defend the island against the Brits in 1643, the fort has been constantly developed and renamed. When the British took charge in 1759 during the Seven Years’ War, they called it ‘Fort Royal’. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Napoleon sent soldiers to get Guadeloupe back. The fort was known as ‘Fort St Charles’ again by the resistance, then ‘Fort Richepanse’ when the French took over. After being decommissioned and developed into a museum, it’s now named after Louis Delgrès, who led the resistance against the French and fought to defend the freedom of slaves. These days it’s one of the most popular monuments on the island, with exhibitions and a memorial to Louis Delgrès. The views over the coast are incredible.

Zipline and high-rope through Bouillante’s stunning rainforest, which has everything from 1km+ lines to fabulous child-friendly loops of zip-lines, bridges and swings.

Off the islands of Basse and Grande-Terre, a socking great lagoon plays home to a bucket-load of eco-systems, including a 29km coral reef, a massive mangrove, forests, seagrass beds, marshes and the Kahouanne and Tête-à-l’Anglais islets. In turn, these are the habitats of sea, freshwater and land birds as well as turtles and gazillions of fish. Several tour companies run kayak and boat trips through the Grand cul-de-sac Marin, sometimes stopping off on islets for picnics and birdwatching.

In Vieux Habitants, the coffee house is a group of restored listed buildings that began life as a plantation in the 18th century. Wander around the gardens and see how coffee, cocoa and other crops like vanilla are harvested and processed. Then sample them for yourself with a hot chocolate or coffee.

In Petit Bourg and the National Park, Ecrevisses waterfall gets lots of visitors because it’s so easy to reach, via a wheelchair and buggy friendly path from the car park. A platform looks over, or you can head down and swim. The best time to go is usually the morning, when it tends to be quieter.

It hadn’t yet appeared when Columbus disembarked in 1493, but came to be around fifty years later, making this…. With more than 10 metres of rainfall a year, this is one of the rainiest places on the planet. The peak is hidden by clouds for around 300 days of the year. Strong winds whoosh through from the east. How the vegetation that survives these conditions on top of the volcanic fumes is remarkable. The weather can range from muggy, to drizzly, to complete and utter downpour – but don’t let that deter you. Wear good shoes and bring a raincoat, then head to Bains-Jaune for access to the Pas di Roy trail, where signs direct you to the summit (the hike takes 3-5 hours).

Parc Archeologique des Roches Gravees (or the Engraved Rocks Archaeological Park) is a public park and garden in Trois Rivieres featuring petroglyphs by the Arawak Indians - for a glimpse of life in Guadeloupe before the arrival of European settlers. There are about 20 rocks, with over 200 engravings – look out for faces, totems and animals. The best time to visit is the morning, when the sun lights up the markings – tours take around an hour. Propriété Derussy is another good site, with over 70 rocks and 250 carvings – some moved into a ring formation. There’s also Anse des Galets, a pebble beach with nearby rock carvings.

Full and half day boat trips are available from different companies in Bouillante, giving you the chance of spotting sperm whales, humpbacks, orca and dolphins. Often a marine expert will talk about the mammals, their habits and how to identify them.

The main square of Basse-Terre town (off Rue Victor Hughes), with colonial buildings surrounding a war monument. Also, home to the Rex D’Arbaud cinema.

Seven hectares of tropical plants, flowers and trees to wander around (meeting lorikeets, flamingos and hummingbirds along the way). There’s a fabulous panoramic restaurant where you can have lunch looking over the ocean.

Up in Sainte Rose, the Rum Museum takes you over the last 300 years of life in Guadeloupe’s sugar plantations and distilleries. Watch a video filmed at the distillery next door and learn about the manufacture process of rum. Other displays include sailboat models, insects and local crafts.

Four generations have looked after the distillery since Henri Longueteau took charge in 1895. It’s the only distillery in Guadeloupe that uses only its own sugar cane, from plantations in the foothills of the mountains.