With its tropical climate, laidback lifestyle, Creole specialties and idyllic sandy beaches, Martinique is particularly popular with those who enjoy a relaxing vacation.
However, the island of flowers is also an excellent spot for nature lovers. With most of the island protected by the Regional Nature Park, it has exceptional biodiversity as well as extraordinary, unspoiled landscapes perfect for hiking.
On top of that, you’ll find a fascinating architectural and cultural heritage in both the vibrant capital city of Fort-de-France and the picturesque coastal towns.
If you want to properly experience this unique Caribbean island, rent a car and explore the diversity Martinique has to offer on several day trips! In this post, I’ve listed over 12 awesome day trip ideas from your base in Fort-de-France or any other location on the island.
Trois-Ilets
Located in the south-west of the island, opposite Fort-de-France Bay, the coastal community of Les Trois-Îlets is one of the most popular tourist areas in Martinique. Plenty of hotels, restaurants, and cafés can be found in Pointe-du-Bout and along Anse Mitan beach.
I preferred the bay next to Anse Mitan, which is just a short car ride away. Anse à l’Ane is a gorgeous beach and has a few small beach bars, which are perfect if you want to enjoy a beer while watching the sun dip into the ocean at night.
>> Read More: Best Beach Sunset Locations In The World
Balata Gardens
In the hills near Fort-de-France, just a few kilometers north of Martinique’s capital city, a fantastic attraction lies deep in the tropical forest: the Balata Gardens.
Created in 1982, this tranquil, tropical paradise covers no less than two hectares of land and boasts a fabulous array of tropical plants. While strolling through the gardens, you can see all kinds of palm trees, exotic flowers in dazzling colors, giant bamboo and Zen ponds delicately covered with water lilies.
Certainly one of the highlights here is a treetop trail made up of hanging bridges attached to giant mahogany trees. At heights of nearly 15 m and complete with safety nets, this attraction offers a beautiful view of the whole botanical garden.
Rum Distilleries
Just like in Martinique’s neighboring islands, rum is the agricultural lifeblood of the island. There are many rum distilleries operating on the island, which you can visit as part of your day trip.
Martinique is mostly known for its agricultural rum made directly from cane, not molasses, which makes it unique around the world.
For rum lovers, there’s even a rum tour guide available as well as a special Route de Rhums, which directs visitors from one distillery to the next throughout the whole island.
Anse Noire
Located between Anse d’Arlet and Trois Îlets, Anse Noire is a tranquil, little beach. With its black volcanic sand, it is a real hidden gem among the bays in Martinique.
However, this beach not only is a peaceful beach for an after-lunch nap underneath the coconut trees, but it also offers an incredible flora and fauna, both above the water and below. Don’t forget to bring your snorkel and fins!
If you don’t feel like relaxing at the beach all day, I highly recommend renting a kayak with the local kayak operator at the beach. Paddle along the cliffs on the right. Sea kayaking can be pretty tough, but your efforts will soon be rewarded when exploring caves and finding hidden bays and secret beaches that you’ll have all to yourself. In fact, kayaking near Anse Noire was one of my ultimate top 5 travel experiences in Martinique.
Mind you, the currents can get pretty intense, so a little kayaking experience does no harm.
>> Read More: My Ultimate Top 5 Places To See In Martinique
Anse D’Arlet
On the south Caribbean coast of Martinique lies Anse D’Arlet, which stretches over three large main bays: the large bay to the north, the bay in the center and the small bay to the south.
Anse d’Arlet is an ideal place for a relaxing day in the sun. Its long, white sandy beach with a seafront promenade is visited by many people on the weekend, though only a few tourists come here during the week.
It is also a perfect spot to watch the sky turn from blue to pink to red in the most beautiful setting.
⭐ TopTip: Ti Sable is an excellent place to watch the sunset and enjoy a few drinks – they have beach access, great food and open-air live music every week.
>> Read More: Best Beach Sunset Locations In The World
Cap 110 Memorial & Diamond Rock
At Cafard Cove, not too far from Anse d’Arlet, you’ll find the fascinating Cap 110 Memorial. With its group of white statues, it commemorates a tragic incident that took place in 1830. These fifteen imposing sculptures were created in memory of the 300 shipwrecked slaves, of whom only 86 survived. A place that’s both moving and stunningly beautiful. Also, it offers a lovely view of Le Diamant Bay and Diamond Rock.
Les Salines
Situated around four kilometers south of Sainte-Anne, Les Salines beach looks like something from a picture postcard.
Les Salines Beach is often considered the most beautiful beach on the island and is probably one the most photographed and instagrammed places in Martinique. In this beautiful place, you’ll find everything you could wish for in a beach: coconut trees, fine sand and turquoise water.
Didier Waterfall
If you’re into jungle-trekking and exploring places off the beaten path, Didier Waterfall is a nature gem worth checking out.
While it is quite tricky to actually get there, your efforts will be rewarded once you get there. The waterfall is stunning, and you can take a dip in the refreshing natural pool of the fall.
My Martiniquais host family recommended to explore this waterfall, and it seems to be a little hidden gem mostly locals know about.
If you’re considering to hike there, take a look at this super helpful hiking guide I found online.
Saint Pierre
Founded in 1635 as one of the first permanent colonies in Martinique, Saint-Pierre is located around thirty kilometers north of Fort-de-France on the magnificent Caribbean coast, at the foot of the famous volcano Mount Pelée.
Saint Pierre used to be Martinique’s capital city, yet it has become most famous for its painful destruction as a result of Mount Pelée’s volcanic eruption in 1902, killing nearly 30,000. The town rose from its ashes in the 1920s.
While the charming town of Saint-Pierre with its harbor is a gorgeous place to visit for a day or just a few hours after climbing Mount Pelée, it is also particularly interesting for divers as there are numerous shipwrecks worth exploring.
Mount Pelée
At 1,395 meters above sea level, Mount Pelée is the highest point on the island of Martinique and a favorite among hikers from all over the world. In fact, it was one of my personal highlights during my 6-week stay in Martinique.
Mount Pelée is actually an active volcano, whose seismologic activities are closely monitored. Its last eruption was in 1929, though.
The mountain offers magnificent hiking trails with exceptional views. A climb up the mountain is a must for any nature lover, and there are several routes of varying difficulty. Be sure to climb the volcano on a clear day and don’t forget to bring water, a hat, decent footwear, and a jumper as it can get quite chilly at the top of Mount Pelée.
>> Read More: My Ultimate Top 5 Places To See In Martinique
Scuba Diving
Diving is a huge part of Martinique’s tourist attractions.
The dive sites are scattered along the coasts and are very diverse. You’ll have the chance to explore wrecks, underwater canyons, drop-offs, coral gardens and colorful reefs. It is rarely necessary to descend below 20 m, which allows dive times of around 40 to 50 minutes. Also, the diving conditions are absolutely great with water temperatures averaging around 27° C and a visibility of 15 – 40 m.
Over the years, many dive centers have been established in Saint-Pierre, Trois-Îlets, Diamant, Sainte-Luce and Sainte-Anne. One of my favorite areas for diving is Anse à L’Ane, which is home to stunning reefs and canyons just a few minutes by boat.
Catamaran Excursion
Catamaran cruises are a popular activity among travelers in Martinique. And there’s a good reason why:
If you have limited time on the island, this full-day, all-inclusive boat trip has the full package of sun, fun, culture, snorkeling, paradise beaches and blue lagoons.
A catamaran cruise is certainly not the cheapest day trip you can take, yet it offers good value for money.
I recommend booking a trip that also stops over at Ilet Chancel, which is famous for its iguanas, an incredible flora, and history. On top of that, you’ll be served a Creole lunch on board of the catamaran, cold drinks and rum cocktails, you’ll get to swim in a turquoise water lagoon, and you’ll be able to snorkel or free dive in a stunning reef off the coast of a tiny island.
Dolphin Watching
Dolphin watching tours have become increasingly popular on the island of Martinique, and operators have multiplied in Trois-Ilets, even in Anse d’Arlet. However, it is in the northern part of the island, especially in the waters off Bellefontaine (on the island’s northeast coast, south of St. Pierre), where you have excellent chances of encountering these playful creatures.
If you’re based in Trois-Islets, you can join Dauphins Martinique on a half-day trip to watch dolphins in an ethical way.
For trips near Bellefontaine, try Patrick Ledoux catamaran cruise or Miss Ness, which also organizes full-day trips to explore a few other places after seeing the dolphins.
