Martinique in 17 days

Ah, Martinique, we had been dreaming about it! After three summers spent in France and in Europe since 2019, we wanted a bit of the exotic and a change of scene. With the health situation gradually easing, we could consider taking a long-haul flight to head off to the other side of the Atlantic. The idea for the destination was (strongly) suggested to us by our friend Dimitri, who holds Martinique close to his heart: his arguments finished convincing us!

We booked the plane tickets quite late, at the beginning of May, for a departure on 21 July: remember to plan ahead to find good prices! Three airlines offer direct flights to Fort-de-France: Air France, Corsair and above all Air Caraïbes, which we recommend. The outbound flight plunges you straight into a holiday mood thanks to the smiling crew on board and the Creole dishes served at lunchtime.

As soon as the plane tickets were booked, we looked into the matter of the rental car and chose a local company rather than an international chain. The rates were better and the reviews unanimous on the quality of the service. We went for Aloe locations and we are very happy with it! On arrival at the airport, a shuttle comes to pick you up and take you to the car pick-up point, and in our case the car was brand new. You can also have a look at Alwego, which was recommended to us.

In this article, we share our itinerary, our budget, our three places to stay and our favourite spots from our 17-day trip to Martinique. A trip we are not about to forget!

The essentials to pack in your suitcase

We strongly recommend taking a checked bag for this kind of trip so you can take products over 100ml with you, but also so you can bring back plenty of souvenirs (edible ones!).

A few essentials: factor 50 sunscreen that is reef-friendly, insect repellent and soothing gel in case of bites, a waterproof camera and/or a waterproof case for your phone, snorkelling masks (like the very well known ones from Décathlon)…

Our programme for 17 days in Martinique

Our budget for 17 days in Martinique

• Flights: 1390€ return for two with Air Caraïbes + 120€ for the checked bag, so 755€ per person
• Accommodation: 1524€ for 16 nights
• Rental car: 654,83€ for 17 days with Aloe Location
• Petrol: 144,22€
• Restaurants and snacks: 387€ for two
• Groceries: 49€
• Visits and activities: 298€
• Souvenirs: 98€

A total of 4725€ (roughly) for 17 days for two (so 2362€ per person).

Where we stayed in Martinique

We chose to drop our bags in three different regions in order to explore the island as much as possible, without losing too much time on the road. If you want to discover every side of the island, we strongly recommend doing the same! At the very least, one place in the north and a second in the south. In the north, we suggest staying in Le Carbet or Saint-Pierre so you can cover the whole area and be close to the beaches and the hikes. In the south, several options are possible: we chose to focus first on the south-west around Anses d’Arlet. It is also possible to stay near Trois Îlets. In the south-east, one of the best options seems to be Sainte-Anne, which lets you move around easily in the south and also along the east coast.

• Kaylidoudou in Le Carbet: up on the heights of the town, a set of 4 studios with a terrace run by Dominique, a very friendly host who shared his favourite spots in the north of the island with us. The big plus: the pool with a magnificent view over the sea. Also available on Airbnb but we recommend going direct to avoid the fees! 355€ for 5 nights, so 71€ a night.
• Ti’Bakoua in Petite Anse: a small one-bedroom flat (Hibiscus) with a private terrace and a view over the mornes. Its strong point: the very beautiful pool with a view. Also available on Airbnb. 551€ for 6 nights, so 91€ a night.
• Rêves de soleil in Sainte-Anne: a place (Sweet Sunset) with an open kitchen and a stunning view over the bay of Sainte-Anne, facing the shared pool. Available on Airbnb. 618€ for 5 nights, so 123€ a night.

Our favourite places to eat in Martinique

In the north

• Wahoo Café in Le Carbet: a nice beach bar for our first evening. 26€ for accras, marlin rillettes and a fish burger.
• ❤️ Ziouka Glaces in Le Carbet: a legendary spot for artisanal ice creams in exotic flavours. 5€ for two scoops.
• ❤️ Arhum Glacé in Saint-Pierre: a very good ice cream shop with local flavours. 5€ for two scoops.
• La Terrasse in Saint-Pierre: a local snack bar at unbeatable prices (7/8€ a dish), place de la Roxelane.
• Le Grill Riverain in Grand-Rivière: the snack bar at the end of the world, facing the sea. 10/12€ a dish.
• Bakana Grill in Sainte-Marie: a good snack bar near Anse Azérot. 33€ for two for two dishes, accras and a coconut flan.
• Boulangerie La Guérande in Ducos: very good and generous homemade sandwiches (avoid the macarons though, they have no taste at all).
• Pâtisserie Surena in Fort-de-France: a small traditional patisserie well known in the town centre (very good coconut and pineapple rolls).

In the south

• Coco Bello in Pointe du Bout: good artisanal ice creams (5€ for two scoops).
• Vit et Frais in Pointe du Bout: for healthy and generous salads at a small price (7€ the plate of your choice).
• ❤️ La petite crêperie in Anse Mitan: a place for a change from grilled chicken, where we went twice; nice atmosphere and very reasonable prices (9-10,90€ for the galettes).
• Snack Le Rocher La Kay in Anses d’Arlet: a beach snack bar where you eat local dishes with your feet in the sand (service is rather slow). 33€ for two dishes and Creole boudins.
• Le palmier snack chez Suzette in Sainte-Luce: a roadside snack bar with homemade cooking (a few tables outside and one inside). 11€ for a generously served dish.
• Le Frisson Sucré in Le Diamant: very good ice creams and waffles, to enjoy by the sea. 5€ for two scoops.
• O’bourg in Le Marin: a small bar-snack with homemade dishes (13,90€).
• La Cour Créole in Sainte-Anne: a good place for Creole food in the town centre (covered terrace). 26,80€ for two for Creole boudins, féroce d’avocat and a coconut chicken.
• La Daurade in Sainte-Anne: very good smoked chicken to take away (12€ for a whole chicken); avoid the accras, too greasy.
• ❤️ Ti Plézi in Sainte-Anne: an excellent (and friendly) ice cream shop in the town centre with homemade flavours (coconut, roasted pineapple, fruits du soleil, chocolate sorbet…). 5€ for two scoops.

What we thought of Martinique

This summer trip to Martinique was a real favourite! The island of flowers easily climbs onto the podium of our most beautiful trips. Martinique is not a “lazing around” destination and has far more to offer than beautiful fine sand beaches lined with palm trees. It is a rich island with varied landscapes and very different regions. The authentic, green north, the rocky east with its rough coastline and the lively, colourful south all won us over! And as our very good Martinican friend told us, Madinina is the island of those who come back: we will return.
If you were still hesitating about booking your tickets to Martinique, no more doubt! This island is perfect if you were looking for a destination that is both nature and culture, in winter as in summer, avoiding the cyclone season in mid-August/September though.

Read all our articles about Martinique!