Les Saintes in Guadeloupe: our complete guide

After writing several articles about the Saintes archipelago, we still receive so many requests. That’s why I decided to put together a complete guide to Les Saintes: what to see, what to do, where to stay, how to get around… I’ll try to answer the questions we get most often! To tell you a little more, there are two main islands: Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, and I can tell you they feel very different! We were lucky enough to spend several weekends with our family on both islands. We took the time to get to know these two beautiful tropical islands, and both are full of surprises, from white-sand beaches to turquoise water! It’s worth spending a few days there to slow down and enjoy it, and honestly, it’s a great break from our everyday life in Saint-Claude.

First, I’d like to take a quick look at the geography of Les Saintes to give you a better idea of where you’ll be (as a geographer, I couldn’t resist!). Les Saintes is a Guadeloupe archipelago made up of several islands, the most important of which are Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. They are separated by a channel and, as I said, they are genuinely very different. On the one hand, there’s the more popular Terre-de-Haut, where you can enjoy idyllic beaches like Pain de Sucre or visit Fort Napoléon. The views are magnificent (more on this below). Terre-de-Bas, on the other hand, is more more unspoiled and wild, ideal for a quieter, more authentic stay. I’d recommend exploring the paths around the Mare Grand Trou at your own pace.

Since the boat ride from Guadeloupe to Les Saintes takes roughly 15 minutes to about an hour depending on your departure port, most travelers only spend a day there. Personally, I think that’s too short. You don’t really have time to do a lot of sightseeing or even soak up the local atmosphere. I would definitely advise you to spend a few days in this little archipelago, it’s well worth it!

Well, there’s a reason that I decided to start this article with Fort Napoléon! For me, it’s one of the must-sees in Les Saintes. To give you an idea of its location, it’s at the top of Morne-à-Mire, so you can imagine the view from up there! And if you’re interested in history, I’m sure you’ll enjoy visiting this monument, which tells you a lot about local history. Let me tell you a bit more about it: as the name suggests, this fort was built between 1844 and 1867, during the period of Napoleon III and was later used as a prison during World War II.

I particularly enjoyed the walk around the fort. I recommend taking the path that loops around the fort, which offers beautiful views of the famous Baie du Marigot and the village of Terre-de-Haut. It’s also surrounded by local flowers and shrubs, which adds to the charm of the place! One last piece of advice: come early in the morning when it opens. You’ll have more time to enjoy yourself and take your best shots!

Admittedly, this is a pretty obvious activity, but I still wanted to tell you about the beaches of Terre-de-Haut. They’re perfect for anyone who loves of turquoise waters and white sand. Of course, the beach to visit is Pain de Sucre. There’s a reason it appears in so many photos of the island, and honestly, it’s really nice. We went there twice: between the sunset and the crystal-clear lagoon, we made the most of it. A word of advice: wear proper shoes to walk down the access path, which is quite steep. If you prefer a quieter beach, Anse Crawen is great! It’s less crowded, so you can relax and just enjoy the scenery (and the sound of the water, haha).

As for us, our favorite beach is definitely Anse Rodrigue! We went there twice to swim and it had everything we love: turquoise water, white sand, cliffs and so on! I’d also like to mention the beaches of Grande Anse and Anse du Figuier, even though one of them is closed and the other is clearly not the most beautiful on the island (with the occasional sargassum).

If you’re more on the Terre-de-Bas side of the island, I’d recommend Grande Anse beach. Not to swim, but to discover this wild beach, surrounded by coconut palms, with a magnificent panorama (especially at sunrise). For the record, this is a black sand beach. I can tell you that the contrast between the color of the sand and the clear water is really beautiful! For swimming in Terre-de-Bas, there’s also the beach at Petite Anse. The kids really wanted to go there and we were right: it’s a beautiful beach with clear sand and crystal clear water!

After diving and snorkeling, I’d also suggest to discover the interior of Les Saintes, which is just as worth discovering! This time I’ll start with Terre-de-Bas and the blue trail. This is definitely a walk worth doing. It crosses the whole island, passing through the undergrowth, but also over the hills, with beautiful views of the sea and even Terre-de-Haut. As the island is still unspoilt by tourism, it’s almost as if you’re alone in the world. It’s quiet and peaceful (and good for you!).

In Terre-de-Haut, don’t miss the Chameau hike. Okay, I admit it’s a bit of a climb, but once you get to the top, the view is magnificent (and well worth the effort). You can see the whole archipelago and the ocean as far as you can see. And if you can get there at the end of the day to catch the sunset, it’s simply magnificent. If you want to explore at a more leisurely pace, there are several coastal walks. These will give you the chance to find some hidden coves!

If you’re more of an adventurer, there are also plenty of lesser-known paths leading to beautiful little spots: coves, ruins and more. Each path has its own surprise in store, so there’s plenty of room for exploring. I’d also say that what makes these walks special is everything you encounter: birds, an iguana crossing the trail… It’s these simple little things that make you feel immersed in nature.

Let’s be honest: this is definitely a different kind of walk, ahah! In Terre-de-Haut, although the narrow streets are very touristy, I think it’s worth taking the time to wander around. What’s more, by 5:30 p.m. most of the visitors had already left for Guadeloupe. You can take advantage of this time to wander through the narrow streets, which are so pretty and colorful. Take the time to have an ice cream in the village, stroll through the narrow streets and do some shopping!

On Terre-de-Bas, the atmosphere is quieter in the two villages of the island. You’ll feel at home here, and there’s no hustle and bustle! And if you’ve got children, both villages have playgrounds where they’ll have a great time!

If you’re in Les Saintes, I highly recommend exploring this beautiful little spot! There are several ways to get there. If you prefer an organized day out, I recommend Mawaly Excursion. Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, we took a boat trip to Les Saintes and had a wonderful time, sailing around the island without stopping. They can also drop you off on the island and take care of everything: transfers, meals… All you have to do is enjoy the snorkel stops, the turquoise water and the atmosphere on the catamaran. To tell you the truth, we’d love to do this on our next trip to Les Saintes!

As a second option, you can also reach the island by kayak. This is a completely different experience! You’ll have to paddle to the island while enjoying the beautiful surroundings. It’s more of an exercise, but if you’re motivated, you’ll feel good about yourself when you get there. It also adds a sense of discovery. Once there, you can leave your kayak, have a picnic, relax on the beaches and, most importantly, go snorkeling. There are some great spots around the island where you can see coral, tropical fish and maybe even turtles.

Whether you opt for an organized excursion or a kayaking adventure, discovering îlet Cabrit is an experience not to be missed in Les Saintes. It’s up to you to choose the option that suits you best. So, are you ready?

I know I’ve said it before, but Terre-de-Bas really is the kind of island where you take your time and appreciate the little things. There are no crowds here, just a great atmosphere and unspoiled scenery. In my opinion, it’s clearly the ideal place to disconnect, walk, observe and more! Of course I have a few recommendations for you:

• La Poterie Fidelin: I’d say it’s a piece of history and craftsmanship on Terre-de-Bas. For the record, it’s one of the last places in the West Indies where pottery is still made in the traditional way. So why not take a pottery souvenir home with you?
• Walking: If you like hiking and discovering nature, you’ve come to the right place! As mentioned above, the Trace Bleue hike is a great way to cross the island, from Petite Anse to Grande Anse, with panoramic views that are all the more beautiful for it. The paths are quiet and you can walk at your own pace, even if they are a little steep at times. Let’s just say that’s part of the adventure, ahah. There are also other trails to explore if you’re here for several days!
• The beaches: Well, you’ll find small, simple, natural and above all peaceful beaches here, even if the fine sandy beaches of Terre-de-Haut are more beautiful. Petite Anse is ideal for a family swim. Grande Anse, on the other hand, isn’t really suitable for swimming because of the sargassum, but it’s great for walks along the water’s edge, photography and so on. It’s also a bit of a change: it’s a black sand beach! For my part, I fell in love with Anse à Dos. It’s a small, quiet bay where you’re practically alone. It’s the kind of little gem I love!
• Eat at Eugénette: At the end of this little list of recommendations, my thoughts were with the gourmets. We’d heard about this snack bar, and we even had to book to make sure we had a table. We had cod accras (excellent, surely one of the best!) and tried the famous “poisson-coffre”. Needless to say, it was a real treat! There’s a reason why everyone’s talking about it and why you need to book in advance!

As you’ll have gathered, the waters and beaches of Les Saintes are simply magnificent and it would be a shame not to make the most of them! So I’ve put together a short list of water activities you can do in the archipelago. You can also go sailing and take a boat trip… But that’s all I’ll say, I’ll let you discover the rest!

We were lucky enough to go sailing with Mélanie and the kids. It was a first for us and Arnaud, the skipper, who was very nice and passionate, showed us the ropes. We set the sails, took the helm and even Louis got to take the wheel! We passed Pain de Sucre and Turtle Bay, which was beautiful. We took the opportunity to stop for a swim and watch the turtles! What really stayed with me was the silence: we sailed with no engine, no noise and just enjoyed the wind. I think that made all the difference! Not forgetting that Arnaud told us lots of stories about the region, which was a real bonus. I think by now you’ll have realized that we really enjoyed our trip to Les Saintes and would absolutely recommend it. If you’d like to read more about our sailing trip to Les Saintes, we’ve written a dedicated article.

Staying with the same theme and with Arnaud, you can also take a two-hour catamaran introductory course. This will give you the chance to learn the basics of sailing in a postcard-perfect setting. Of course, you can also take a snorkeling break at Grande Baie to explore the seabed and, with a bit of luck, spot some turtles. Whether you’re with friends or family, I think it’s a really fun activity! It’s a nice change from the usual excursions!

We went on a boat trip around Les Saintes (with Mawaly Excursion, the company I mentioned above) about a month ago (it’s still fresh in my mind!). Honestly, it was a great half-day outing. We went on board from Terre-de-Haut for a trip that went by very quickly! The atmosphere on board was great and Rémy, the skipper, was really nice.

Getting back to the itinerary, we were taken to Marigot Bay, Islet Cabrit and Anse Crawen. We even went to the wilder islands of La Coche and Les Augustins (we had never been there before). In between we took a snorkeling break, but I wasn’t lucky enough to see any turtles this time (pity, maybe next time, haha). For more details, read our article on this cruise to Les Saintes.

I almost forgot, this trip is also available from Trois-Rivières, so that may be a good option!

If you’re looking for ideas for activities to make the most of Terre-de-Haut’s crystal-clear waters, kayaking, Seabob and paddleboarding could be just what you’re looking for. These three activities are organized by Loisirs aux Saintes, which we really enjoyed. In fact, in this article we’ve described the activities in Les Saintes that we were able to try with them!

If you decide to go kayaking, you can explore the bay of Terre-de-Haut at your leisure and even go around the Pain de Sucre. It’s easy, quiet and costs from €25 for an hour. Paddleboarding is also a good option for a more leisurely activity on the lagoon. You can even choose between different types of paddle: classic, with electric assistance, or a step-paddle (it’s like walking on a gym mat, only better!).

And for a more active outing, try the Seabob (electric underwater scooter)! You’ll get all the thrills of gliding through the water and diving down to explore the seabed.

If you can’t decide between all these activities and want to try them all, you can! There are several discovery packages that combine the three activities, departing from the town center or from the Hotel Bois Joli, and for different durations (from a few hours to a whole day). There’s plenty here to keep you busy in this archipelago paradise!

If you’re interested in kitesurfing and would like to give it a try, Les Saintes is the place to be! You can take two- or three-day courses on beaches such as Grande Anse, accompanied by instructors. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, the lessons are adapted to your level! Between Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas, it’s a great sport in the heart of a beautiful setting.

Try your hand at kitesurfing

If you want to take to the sea and explore the archipelago on your own, hiring a boat in Les Saintes (without a license, of course) is an excellent option! You’ll have a pontoon boat all to yourself, with tables, benches and even a barbecue. You can sail around Pain de Sucre, Islet Cabrit or even stop to snorkel in the turquoise waters.

Just so you know, the boat can accommodate up to 9 people, so there’s plenty of room for a day out with family, friends or even just the two of you, haha. But remember, the sea is dangerous too!

Rent my boat without a license

Here’s another type of boat you can rent! The name pretty much says it all. They are small round boats with a barbecue in the middle. They come in two sizes: small (2 to 5 people) and large (6 to 10 people). On board you’ll find everything you need: benches, a shade awning and the famous barbecue. You can bring your own food or opt for a cooler with drinks and food for €32 per person. It’s up to you!

If you ask me, it’s the perfect activity for a group to enjoy for half a day or a whole day!

Although I’ve saved this activity for last, I won’t pretend otherwise that diving is a must in Les Saintes. There are there are some very good spots with rich waters for observing marine life: rays, colorful fish, blacktip sharks and even turtles. Frankly, it would be a shame to miss it.
Whether you’re looking for an introductory course or a session, here are a few diving clubs in the archipelago:

• La Dive Bouteille Plongées des Saintes: a club I’ve heard only good things about! To give you an idea of what it might cost, a first dive is €80, while an exploration is €65. There are also multi-dive packages from €126 for two exploration dives,
• Pisquettes Plongée: This is another club with a good reputation that I haven’t tried yet. Prices are €70 for a first dive and €60 for an introductory dive, including equipment. You can also opt for a package of several sessions. A package of 5 sessions costs €250.

I’ll leave you to compare prices and see if Les Saintes is the place for you!

In Les Saintes, you must try the tourments d’amour and the coconut sorbets! Tourments d’amour are little cakes made with coconut, guava or banana jam (since we’re there, let’s try all three, haha). I can assure you, they’re excellent! To cool down, try the coconut sorbets: they’re really good. You’ll usually find them by ladies on the roadside or in the ice cream parlours (in the towns).

The ferry to Les Saintes usually leaves from Trois-Rivières, although it is possible to leave from Pointe-à-Pitre (it just takes longer, up to about one hour). The crossing will give you a good idea of what awaits you! You’ll be in the middle of the water, with the islands of Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas in the distance. A word of advice: take it in the late afternoon to catch the sunset – it’s even more beautiful!

The only downside is that the waves can make you seasick, especially if you are not comfortable in a boat. But I can assure you that the scenery is well worth the effort, haha.

As I know that most people want to do Les Saintes in one day, you have several options depending on what you want to do.

• If you’re there to enjoy the beaches and the sun, you can plan on renting a golf cart or scooter in Terre-de-Haut. Once you’ve arrived, you can simply pick up your vehicle and set off to explore the beaches of the island (Pain de Sucre, Anse Figuier and more), stopping at a restaurant for lunch.
• For hikers, I recommend the Chameau and Morne Morel hikes. In my opinion, these two walks will give you a good workout. I’d also recommend taking time out for a swim at Pain de Sucre, for example. A swim after the effort always feels better!
• For a mix of culture and swimming, you could spend the morning visiting Fort Napoléon. Then enjoy a bite to eat at lunchtime, before heading to Crawen or Rodrigue Beach in the afternoon. It’s a busy day!

As for me, if I had to give you my favorite itinerary for a day in Les Saintes, here it is:

• Visit Fort Napoléon in the morning (between 9 and 11am) where the view is magnificent!
• A quick swim at the beaches of Pompierre, Rodrigues or Crawen (to see the turtles) just before lunch.
• Lunch at La Balançoire or Ti Bo Doudou (you’re in for a treat!)
• Paddle from Hotel Bois Joli to Pain de Sucre or Crawen and snorkel there.
• Head back to town for an ice cream at around 4pm.
• Return to Guadeloupe by boat at 4:30 p.m..

These are the possible itineraries depending on the day you want to spend! I hope this will help you organize your trip!

As usual, I’ve put all the practical questions in this section: how do I get to Les Saintes? How many days should I plan to spend there? How do I get around? What type of accommodation should I choose in Les Saintes? You should find all the answers to your questions here! The aim is to help you plan your trip to Les Saintes.

That’s a very good question! If you’re coming for a day trip, you’ll probably have to choose between the two. In fact, it all depends on the type of day you want. As I said, they are two very different tropical islands.

Terre-de-Haut is the best known and busiest, and therefore the most touristy. Here you can walk along the beautiful beaches, eat in some very good restaurants and there are plenty of places to visit, such as Fort Napoléon.

When it comes to Terre-de-Bas, it’s the ideal place to take a quiet break and enjoy the authentic atmosphere. You’ll be far away from the tourist crowds (a very good point, haha).

But if this is your first visit to the Saintes archipelago, I’d recommend Terre-de-Haut. I think there are more must-sees on this island, even if Terre-de-Bas has plenty to offer too!

As I said at the beginning, if you’re short on time, you can visit Les Saintes in one day. But to be honest, I’d advise you to spend 4 or 5 days in this archipelago. As you’ve seen, there’s a lot to see and do! With 4 or 5 days, you’ll be able to take your time to discover each of these natural wonders: walks, beaches, lagoons, and so on. Not forgetting all the water activities: diving, kitesurfing and much more! If you’re in a group, there’s something for everyone.

In my opinion, a visit to Les Saintes is the perfect opportunity to take a break from your trip to Guadeloupe and enjoy a beautiful island break. But, as I said, it’s better to spend a few days there to get the most out of it! That’s up to you, of course, depending on how much time you have in the Caribbean.

We all agree that to get to Les Saintes you’ll have to come to Guadeloupe. You’ll probably arrive via the airport at Pointe-à-Pitre, from Paris or even from cities in mainland France. Once in Guadeloupe, you’ll need to take a boat to the Saintes archipelago. You’ll probably need to hire a car and we suggest you check out DiscoverCars to compare prices with the various car hire companies on the island!

The easiest way to get there is from Trois-Rivières, which is directly opposite Les Saintes. The ferry ride takes around 15 to 20 minutes to Terre-de-Haut. Three companies operate this service: Val’Ferry, CTM Deher and Beatrix, with adult round-trip fares around €25 to €30.

If you’re in Pointe-à-Pitre, you can also take the ferry to Les Saintes. It takes a little longer (about 1 hour) and costs a little more (from around €35 to €40 depending on the company and date).
Some companies now offer transfers by catamaran or water taxi if you want a more exclusive crossing. It won’t be the same price, of course. But if you want to treat yourself, here’s your chance!

Well, I’d better warn you: in Terre-de-Haut, doing everything on foot can quickly get complicated. So you’ll have a number of options, but it all depends on the number of people you’re going with. If you’re traveling as a family, I’d recommend hiring an electric golf cart. That’s what we did and it was very practical for getting around and parking! If you’re traveling with a partner, you can hire a scooter or bicycles. It depends on whether you want to do a bit of sport during your visits, ahah. After all, one doesn’t exclude the other.

Visiting Terre-de-Bas on foot is very time-consuming, but not impossible! You’ll cross the whole island on foot if you follow the blue trail. But if you are staying for several days, it can get tiring and take up a lot of your time.

So here are some solutions:

• Taxi: For all your travel needs, it’s just €2 per person per trip. We did this for 4 days and it worked really well for us! We were going to rent a car in Les Saintes, but it was too late…
• Rent electric bikes: There are quite a few on the island and we quickly realized why. They’re really handy and with electric assistance you should be able to cope with the effort, haha.
• Rent a scooter: If there are two of you, this is a quick and cheap way to get around the island!

To give you an idea of the prices of transport and vehicles in Les Saintes for a day:

• Rent a regular bike: you should pay around €12/day
• Rent an e-bike: more like €20/25/day
• Rent a scooter in Les Saintes: between €35 and €40 depending on the model.
• Scooter rental in Les Saintes: between €35 and €40 depending on engine capacity
• Car rental in Les Saintes: expect to pay between €60 and €80 per day depending on the number of seats (2 or 4).

It’s true that this question is often asked by readers. That’s why we’ve written a complete guide to accommodation in Les Saintes. So I won’t go into detail here. There are only four hotels in Les Saintes. So if you really want a hotel, you’ll have to book early! As for the rest, you can rent beautiful villas, stay in guesthouses or even Airbnb. The choice is yours! At the risk of repeating myself, I’d recommend staying 3 or 4 nights to see everything and enjoy the Saintes archipelago!

In the meantime, here are my recommendations:

On the island of Terre-de-Haut:

• Hôtel Bois Joli: This place is simply tried and tested by us! We spent 3 days there for a long weekend on the island. Its location is perfect, very close to Pain de Sucre and Anse Crawen. As for the accommodation, the rooms were comfortable and had beautiful sea views. Frankly, you can choose this charming hotel in Les Saintes without hesitation!
• Village Le Pre: An apartment hotel in the heart of a lush tropical garden where you can enjoy a natural environment! The apartments are spacious, modern and well equipped. As a bonus, the hosts are friendly and will make you feel at home. Between us, you’ll have everything you need!

On the island of Terre-de-Bas:

• Résidence Soleil Demery: This is where we stayed the last time we were in Les Saintes! This residence has several well-equipped studios with kitchens, terraces, dining areas and air conditioning. The little bonus: the swimming pool in the middle of the residence. All in all, we have fond memories of our stay there!

To find more places to stay, you can use this map of Les Saintes to search by location. It might be easier for you!

You can visit Les Saintes all year round. The climate is pleasant, with temperatures around 28-30°C (sounds like a Caribbean holiday, haha). But there is still the rainy season, which lasts roughly from June to November. To avoid this, it’s best to come between January and March for a midwinter break in the sun. This way you can enjoy all the must-do activities: diving, hiking, sightseeing, without worrying about the weather.

As you might have guessed, there are a lot of tourists during the holiday season and airfares are inevitably more expensive. Not surprisingly, this is also true for the summer months of July and August, so try to avoid these as well! The best time to visit Les Saintes in Guadeloupe is clearly from January to April, and you can even go into June (the rains are still moderate). That’s all I can tell you about the weather in Les Saintes and the best time to come, although we agree that you can come whenever you want!

I’m coming to the end of this article about the Saintes Archipelago in Guadeloupe. Now you have a solid overview! You know where to stay and what to do in Les Saintes, Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. I hope this article has inspired you to spend one or more days in Les Saintes…

To help you organize your trip here, I suggest you read our article on budgeting for a trip to Guadeloupe. Vacations are great, but a budget is just as important!

See you soon for more of Guadeloupe!

Written by Sylvain PONS

Since 2021, I've been living in the Guadeloupe archipelago with Mélanie and our two children. We are exploring these beautiful islands and discovering the treasures that we are happy to share with you!

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