Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica & St. Lucia Alive! (Hunter Travel Guides)

This text focuses on the islands of Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica and St. Lucia, looking at their beaches, sightseeing opportunities and nightlife. The book also features Dominica's rainforest, aspects of Carib Indian culture and the shops of French Guadeloupe and Martinique. Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 18 The Islands 2......Page 19 Location 4......Page 21 Language 5......Page 22 Lifestyle 6......Page 23 A Capsule History 7......Page 24 Climate 10......Page 27 The Land 12......Page 29 Plant Life 13......Page 30 Birds 14......Page 31 Mammals, Reptiles & Amphibians 15......Page 32 Travel to the Islands 17......Page 34 Getting Around 20......Page 38 Places to Stay 22......Page 39 Food & Drink 23......Page 41 Money Matters 28......Page 45 Entry Require ments 29......Page 46 Health & Safety 30......Page 47 The Best Attractions & Activities 32......Page 49 Going Metric - Quick & Painless 33......Page 50 Customs Regulations 34......Page 51 Electricity 35......Page 52 Time Zones 36......Page 53 Over view 37......Page 54 Discovery by Columbus 38......Page 55 Arrival of The French 39......Page 56 Sugar, Slavery & The British 40......Page 57 The 20th Century 41......Page 58 Arriving By Air 44......Page 61 Arriving By Sea 46......Page 63 Car Rentals 47......Page 64 Buses 48......Page 65 Ferries 49......Page 66 Festivals, Events & Holidays 50......Page 67 Fort-de-France 53......Page 70 Southwestern Tour 59......Page 76 North Caribbean Coast Tour 64......Page 81 Route de la Trace 72......Page 89 West Coast Tour 79......Page 96 Organized Tours 86......Page 103 Fun in the Sun 88......Page 105 Beaches 89......Page 106 Diving & Snorkeling 96......Page 113 Boating 100......Page 117 Fishing 103......Page 120 Windsurfing & Other Watersports 104......Page 121 Hiking 105......Page 122 Biking 112......Page 129 Golfing 113......Page 130 Horseback Riding 114......Page 131 One-of-a-Kind Tours 115......Page 132 Shop Til You Drop 116......Page 133 Casinos 122......Page 139 Discos, Night clubs & Live Music 123......Page 140 Best Places to Stay 126......Page 143 Fort-de-France 130......Page 147 Schoelcher 131......Page 148 Trois-Ilets Resort Area 132......Page 149 Sainte-Anne 139......Page 156 Sainte-Luce 141......Page 158 Le François 143......Page 160 Caravelle Peninsula 144......Page 161 Marigot 145......Page 162 Basse-Pointe 146......Page 163 Best Places to Eat 147......Page 164 Fort-de-France 150......Page 167 Fort-de-France Suburbs 154......Page 171 Southern Martinique 157......Page 174 Northeastern Martinique 170......Page 187 Northwestern Martinique 174......Page 191 Martinique A-Z 176......Page 193 Overview 183......Page 200 Discovery by Columbus 185......Page 202 Arrival of The Spanish & The French 186......Page 203 Arriving By Air 188......Page 205 Arriving By Sea 190......Page 207 Car Rentals 191......Page 208 Buses 193......Page 210 Taxis 194......Page 211 Festivals, Events & Holidays 195......Page 212 Exploring the Islands 199......Page 216 Pointe-à-Pitre, Grande-Terre 202......Page 219 Southern Tour, Grande-Terre 210......Page 227 Northern Tour, Grande-Terre 217......Page 234 Southern Tour, Basse-Terre 222......Page 239 West Coast Tour, Basse-Terre 230......Page 247 The Northern Loop, Basse-Terre 236......Page 253 Organized Tours 241......Page 258 Beaches 242......Page 259 Diving & Snorkeling 253......Page 270 Sailing 255......Page 272 Boat Excursions 257......Page 274 Fishing 259......Page 276 Windsurf ing & Other Watesports 260......Page 277 Hiking 261......Page 278 Biking 268......Page 285 Tennis 269......Page 286 Spa & Fitness Services 270......Page 287 Shop Til You Drop 271......Page 288 Theater & Music 275......Page 292 Bars, Night clubs & Discos 276......Page 293 Best Places to Stay 278......Page 295 Grande-Terre 281......Page 298 Bas-du-Fort/Gosier 282......Page 299 Pointe de la Verdure/Gosier 284......Page 301 Downtown Gosier & Surrounding Area 288......Page 305 Between Gosier & Ste.-Anne 290......Page 307 Sainte-Anne 291......Page 308 Between Sainte-Anne & Saint-Francois 294......Page 311 Saint-François 295......Page 312 Le Moule 301......Page 318 Petit-Bourg & La Route de la Traversée 302......Page 319 Trois-Rivières 303......Page 320 Saint-Claude 305......Page 322 Deshaies 307......Page 324 Sainte-Rose 309......Page 326 Best Places to Eat 310......Page 327 Pointe-à-Pitre 314......Page 331 Bas-du-Fort Marina & Gosier 318......Page 335 Sainte-Anne 323......Page 340 Saint-François 325......Page 342 Le Moule 328......Page 345 Campêche 329......Page 346 Chutes du Carbet 330......Page 347 Saint-Claude 331......Page 348 Bouillante 332......Page 349 Deshaies 333......Page 350 Pointe-Noire 334......Page 351 Sainte-Rose 335......Page 352 Trois-Rivières 336......Page 353 Guadeloupe A-Z 337......Page 354 Overview 341......Page 358 A Brief History 342......Page 359 Getting to La Désirade 343......Page 360 Grande-Anse 344......Page 361 Coastal Treats 345......Page 362 Best Places to Stay 346......Page 363 Best Places to Eat 348......Page 365 Overview 349......Page 366 A Brief History 350......Page 367 Getting to Les Saintes 351......Page 368 Getting Around 353......Page 370 Le Bourg 354......Page 371 Coastal Treats 355......Page 372 Adventures 356......Page 373 Shop Til You Drop 357......Page 374 After Dark 358......Page 375 Best Places to Stay 359......Page 376 Best Places to Eat 362......Page 379 Overview 365......Page 382 A Brief History 366......Page 383 Getting to Marie-Galante 367......Page 384 Getting Around 368......Page 385 Grand-Bourg 370......Page 387 Touring Les Bas 371......Page 388 Touring Les Hauts 373......Page 390 Adven tures 374......Page 391 Best Places to Stay 375......Page 392 Best Places to Eat 377......Page 394 Overview......Page 396 A Brief History......Page 399 Getting to Dominica......Page 403 Getting Around......Page 406 Festivals, Events & Holidays......Page 409 Roseau......Page 416 Touring the Southern Tip......Page 422 West Coast Tour......Page 426 East Coast Tour......Page 436 Inland Tours......Page 442 Organized Tours......Page 447 Sunup to Sundown......Page 448 Beaches......Page 449 Rivers & Natural Pools......Page 452 Diving & Snorkeling......Page 454 Whale- & Dolphin-Watching......Page 458 Fishing......Page 460 Windsurfing, Sailing & Kayaking......Page 461 Hiking......Page 463 Shop Til You Drop......Page 470 After Dark......Page 478 Clubs, Pubs & Bars......Page 479 Best Places to Stay......Page 480 In & Around Roseau......Page 483 Castle Comfort......Page 486 Mid-West Coast......Page 489 In & Around Portsmouth......Page 491 Scotts Head & Soufrière......Page 492 Way Off the Beaten Track......Page 494 Along the East Coast......Page 495 Mountain Lodges, Hotels & Inns......Page 498 Camping......Page 504 Best Places to Eat......Page 505 Roseau......Page 509 Castle Comfort......Page 515 Scotts Head & Soufrière......Page 517 In & Around Portsmouth......Page 519 Elsewhere on the Island......Page 522 Dominica A-Z......Page 524 Overview......Page 530 A Brief History......Page 534 Getting to St. Lucia......Page 537 Getting Around......Page 541 Festivals, Events & Holidays......Page 544 Exploring the Island......Page 548 Castries......Page 550 Northwestern Tour......Page 553 The Southern Loop......Page 557 Organized Tours......Page 565 Sunup to Sundown......Page 566 Beaches......Page 568 Diving & Snorkeling......Page 573 Boating......Page 577 Fishing......Page 580 Hiking......Page 581 Horseback Riding......Page 585 Shop Til You Drop......Page 587 After Dark......Page 596 Best Places to Stay......Page 598 Northern Saint Lucia......Page 603 Southern Saint Lucia......Page 618 Best Places to Eat......Page 624 Castries......Page 625 North of Castries......Page 629 Marigot Bay......Page 632 Soufrière......Page 635 Saint Lucia A-Z......Page 638 Index......Page 644 Other Books In This Series......Page 654 Adventure Guides......Page 655 Annotation Feeling "alive" is commonly used to describe the state when you are energized, excited, full of life! And that's exactly what these books inspire -- a feeling of eagerness to explore and discover. Alive! Guides are a refreshing change from the "same-old" guidebooks. They are written for the savvy traveler who is looking for quality and value in accommodations and dining, with a selection of activities to fill the days and nights. Each book's introduction covers the basic travel information, including climate, when to go, what to pack, history, package tours, geography and -- for overseas destinations -- currency concerns and health issues. Daytime pursuits are detailed in the "Sunup to Sundown" section, which cover the best beaches, walking tours, driving excursions, nature trips and sightseeing. Shopping plays a big part, with tips on how to barter in island crafts markets and where to find the best deals. And if you're looking for some fun when the stars come out, tu The only guide on the market to offer detailed information for travelers to these four stunning islands. Delve into Dominica's rainforest and Carib Indian culture. Relax on romantic St.Lucia. Shop, wine and dine on French Guadeloupe and Martinique. Whatever your looking for, this guidebook tells you what you need to know. A top-notch resort high on a mountain slope? Got it. Want to treat that special person in your life to a five-star restaurant? Got it. Or perhaps you want to relax on the best beach sipping a cocktail. Got it! "The earliest inhabitants called it the island of flowers and Christopher Columbus was so awed by it that he wrote ""it is the best, most fertile, the softest... the most charming place in the world.""" A guide to traveling in Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica, and St. Lucia that provides information on each island's climate, culture, landmarks, history, language, activities, and more