Guadeloupe is most well known for its main butterfly shaped islands of Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, but it officially consists of six islands.
Îles des Saintes (or Les Saintes) is a small grouping of islands off the Southern tip of Basse-Terre, known for their stunning natural beauty and vibrant culture. The most popular island to visit is the tiny island of Terre-de-Haut, located only 30 minutes away from Basse-Terre by ferry. It offers a few different shops and restaurants alongside some world-class beaches, where visitors can relax under the sun or engage in water sports like snorkeling and kayaking.
Don’t be surprised to see goats on the island, either!
How To Get There
Although there is a tiny airport located on Terre-de-Haute island, the most realistic way to get to Les Saintes is a ferry from the main island. The fastest option is a 30 minute ferry from Trois-Rivières ferry port- you can see the island from the port!
Although visitors can purchase ferry tickets at the port, there are only a few ferries per day, so I suggest booking in advance during the busy season. We were able to arrange for our tickets through our hotel concierge.
Paid parking is available at the port for 5 euros per car, but the lot fills up quickly, so I recommend arriving early.
Everyone on the ferry must be seated- presumably to make sure that there are enough life jackets for everyone- and although I thought we’d gotten great seats on the top of the ferry, we got absolutely drenched by the sea spray! We made sure to get inside seats on the way home!
The ferry drops everyone off in the village of Terre-de-haut, which is a very picturesque village and the main hub of the island.
How To Get Around
Les Saintes is a car free island. This makes for a pleasant walk through the village of Terre-de-haut, but it’s far more tedious to explore the rest of the island. I highly recommend booking an electric scooter, bike, or golf cart to get around. Options are limited, so this is best booked in advance.
We booked a golf cart, and had a brief orientation drive around Terre-de-haut village, where the rules of the road were explained to us and then we were on our way!
What To See
Terre-de-haut
The village of Terre-de-haut is a must see on the island- and also somewhat inevitable given that the ferry port is right next to the main street in town. Immediately off of the ferry, Rue Jean Calot is lined with cute shops and cafes- perfect for a summery day out on the island.
We stopped for drinks at the Cafe de la Marine for its fantastic view of the bay just outside the cafe. I think I even saw someone kayak up for a a meal.
Keep an eye out for the Tourment d’amour, a beloved pastry of Les Saintes!
There are one or two other places to grab a bite on the island, but most of the restaurants are located along Rue Jean Calot.
We did a little bit of shopping here, then collected our golf cart to explore the rest of the island.
Fort Napoleon
Many roads on the island lead to Fort Napoleon, a massive structure that overlooks the island. This is a great place to stop for a Birds Eye view of Terre-de-haut, but you can even see Basse Terre and Terre de Bas from here!
The fort offers a historical museum, but typically closes around noon. If you’d like to take a peak inside, make this the first stop of the day!
Beaches
Given that Les Saintes is an island in a stunning part of the Caribbean, it’s not a surprise that it hosts a plethora of spectacular beaches!
We were unfortunately beset by a huge amount of Sargassum on this visit, which made many of the Northern beaches unbearably stinky, but our favorite beaches ended up being on the South shore anyway!
As you travel around the island, you’ll notice signs pointing to various beaches. We checked out several of these, but our absolute favorite was Anse du Pain de Sucre. It was a bit of a rocky walk down to the beach, but once we got there, we never wanted to leave the gorgeous cove!
I also really enjoyed Anse Rodrigue with its tall cliffs and tiny cafe- even if it was a bit too windy during our stop.
All in all, I highly recommend a visit to Les Saintes! It’s a great way to get out on the island and enjoy some really great beaches. It is possible to stay on this island overnight, but we were pleased with just our one day on the island.
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