Martinique

When Christopher Columbus landed in Martinique in 1502, he discovered that the Carib Indians called it “Madinina” or “island of flowers”.  Today, Martinique is still a very green island with large stretches of banana plantations and an abundance of tropical plants.  A French department since 1946, Martinique maintains a strong Creole culture, seen in the colorful madras fabrics of the traditional costumes, its language and the spicy nature of the delicious cooking.  The northern end of the island remains less developed than the south, with charming villages that appear untouched by time.  Sailing is an extremely popular sport here, with the local “yole ronde”, or small yawls taking part in the annual Tour de la Martinique around the island race each year in August. 

From the quiet to the quite exciting…the island of Martinique blends French sensibility and West Indian charm to offer something for everyone.  Waterfalls, tropical forests, green mountainsides, a desert of petrified wood, and active volcano and jungles overflowing with displays of hibiscus, poinsettia, anthurium, bougainvillea and more. Martinique also has miles of salt and pepper beaches, Spicy Creole and French cuisine.  Hot meringue, mazurka and beguine dancing make for a hot nightlife.  Excellent duty free shopping in Fort-de-France….and an array of sporting activities that includes fishing, golfing, hiking sailing and scuba diving.  The population of Martinique is 414,516 with a surface area of 417 square miles.  The language is French, Creole and the currency is French francs.