We tested the seaplane in Guadeloupe

It’s been a long time since we wrote about activities, and here we are again, on a hydroplane trip in Guadeloupe. We took advantage of Melanie’s dad’s visit and the fact that we had a bit more time during the school holidays to spend a day at Le Gosier, on the island of Grande-Terre, and discover some thrills!

As I often say, it may make you smile, but for us it’s a different island. It’s an hour and a half’s drive from Le Gosier, and I have to admit that we don’t set foot there very often. But we’re well aware that the Grande Terre is full of beautiful places that are different from what you’d find in Basse-Terre. Especially when it comes to hiking.

We’re always keen to try new activities. So we took the opportunity to try this new aerial activity. We killed two birds with one stone by spending part of the day on the îlet Gosier, opposite the town, and then taking a seaplane flight over the Petit-Cul-de-Sac-Marin (but in a larger version) for an unforgettable first flight in the air. Mélanie had been to the îlet Gosier several times, especially with her family, but this was the first time for me. In fact, we’re going to write a whole article about it after this. By the way, spoiler alert: flying over the lagoon is magical!

In a different vein, Alix also tried out a great paragliding experience in Le Moule for us!

As a fun anecdote, Mélanie and I drew straws to see who was going to get to experience this in Guadeloupe. I ended up winning, so I get to write about it. If you’ve been following us for a while, you may know that we spent 6 years in French Polynesia. During those years, I personally had the opportunity to fly two-seater seaplanes over the island of Bora Bora and experience the unique sensations that these planes offer. To be honest, I’d never seen anything so beautiful in Polynesia.

To be honest, because Bora-Bora is still one of the most beautiful lagoons in the world, the Pearl of the Pacific as it is called, I don’t expect it to be as beautiful from the air as what I saw in Bora-Bora. But I do know that once you get higher up, the colors come out much better and the contrast with the mountains in the background should be magical.

As with every article about activities in Guadeloupe, I’ll start by telling you about this experience. At the end of the article, I’ll give you some practical tips.

This article has been produced in collaboration with Manawa and les îles du ciel. We’re increasingly using the Manawa platform to book our holiday activities online. We’re even trying out new activities. I would like to assure you that I’m in complete control of everything that I write here and that my opinions are entirely my own. At the same time, you’d have to be pretty picky not to enjoy a flight in a sea plane, haha.

In any case, I hope this article inspires you to try this experience. It’s still fabulous and a must-do during your stay in Guadeloupe.

If you’re looking for something else to do during your holiday in Guadeloupe, we’ve also tried paddleboarding in the mangroves, microlighting over Pointe des Châteaux and La Désirade, and sailing in Les Saintes.

If you’re looking for more ideas, we’ve put together a guide to the best things to do in Guadeloupe!

Let’s go for a 35-minute flight and I’ll tell you all about it – you’ll love it.

Our first stop was the îlet Gosier at 9am due to a change of plans. I’m going to tell you more about this island in the article that is dedicated to it, as it is not the subject of this article. But you should know that if you’re on holiday in Guadeloupe, this is a great way to soak up the sun on some gorgeous white sandy beaches for a lot less money. Sure, it’s crowded, but even I, who don’t really like tourists, find it generally acceptable. It’s hard to complain about the scenery anyway.

We have an afternoon appointment with the seaplane at 14.30. We have plenty of time to enjoy îlet Gosier and have lunch on the spot. Knowing that I had kayaked to îlet Gosier the same morning, I set off again at 1.30 pm from the îlet in the direction of Plage de la Datcha, where I had set off from the previous morning at 9.00 am. Mélanie returns to the beach with the classic shuttle bus and we arrive at the seaplane site, 5 minutes from the beach, at 2pm.

Philippe and Tania, the couple who have just taken over the seaplane business, give us a warm welcome. On the edge of a beautiful lagoon, below (or almost below) the Fort Fleur d’Épée, the location is magnificent. The surroundings are truly beautiful and I quickly get to know the famous beast I’ll be flying in, a beautiful yellow seaplane. We’re on the beach at the Canella Beach Hotel, I’ll give you all the details.

We’re offered a cup of coffee, which we happily accept. We meet Tania and Philippe, who have had some pretty crazy experiences. Tania is Comorian. We chat about our life in Mayotte and our adventures during our stay on the island of Grande Comores. We lived in Mayotte from 2011 to 2015. We had the opportunity to discover the Comoros and a small part of Africa. Philippe has lived and worked a lot in black Africa in the past. Even then, he flew over the African bush in a small plane. It was quite a change from a turquoise lagoon, haha. We hit it off and the feeling with them is perfect. They are involved in developing here and even in the Comoros.

They recently took over the business in February, which had been closed for several years.

After chatting and laughing, it’s time to get ready. Philippe explains how the flight is going to go and what we’re going to be flying over on a map that we’ve hung up. We’ll be flying the Échappées Belles circuit, an extended version of the Petit-Cul-de-Sac-Marin. I’ll tell you more about this later, but of course you can do other, much bigger tours, with overflights of La Désirade, Marie-Galante and even Les Saintes.

For today’s flight, we’re looking at a 35-minute flight that will take us west to îlet à Cochon, then îlet Boissard, then on to Petit-Bourg, then Goyave, along the coast to île Fortune, then to a famous wreck off the coast of île Fortune, before finishing with a flight over îlet Gosier, where we spent the morning with the family.

Although I don’t know the area at all, it all looks very nice. On a boat trip with Mélanie, we were able to discover part of the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin. Click on the link above to read about our experiences.

Now it’s time to leave. Philippe fitted me with a lifejacket in case of a water landing. To be honest, no one expects it, haha. He explains the safety instructions to me, which aren’t really that many, apart from the fact that you shouldn’t touch anything in the plane, neither the buttons nor the controls. That seems obvious, doesn’t it?

Being a keen photographer, I set off with our two hybrid cameras (Sony A6600 and A7III) and two lenses, knowing that I wanted to get some good pictures for this article. The idea was to be able to shoot wide angle (using my Sony E PZ 10-20mm f/4G) and zoom with my Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8. In addition, Mélanie wanted me to do some video shooting with her mobile phone. Suffice it to say that I’ll be loaded like a mule and will have to take turns with the three cameras… not to mention the fact that I’ll be wearing headphones for the noise, with a cable that will get a bit tangled with everything! Still, I know I want to enjoy the experience and live it only through my cameras, which would be a shame!

I take my seat on the right, next to Philippe, in the very small but spacious space. I am going barefoot, which is quite nice. The cockpit is really tiny. It’s great to see all the buttons and dials right in front of us! Oh yes, I almost forgot, we have an open door, which wasn’t the case in Polynesia (great for taking photos!).

We’re finally ready to go. Philippe quietly starts the seaplane, we unhook from the shore and the wind puts the seaplane in just the right position for take-off. Just long enough to get away from it all, we take off and glide gently into Grande Baie. Then comes the moment when Philippe tells me we’re ready to take off. He gives us a little power and we take off quietly from Grande Baie. I wouldn’t have thought that take-off could be so smooth, it’s actually very easy and you have a feeling of complete safety. It’s much quieter and lighter than a helicopter, as far as I know.

The first aerial views of Grande Baie are superb, and we can already see the Bas du Fort area, with Fort Fleur d’Épée directly in front of us, the Hotel Fleur d’Épée a little further on, and finally the Bas du Fort marina on our right. The view from the air is always impressive and we realize just how much development has taken place in the area. It has to be said, though, that we’re right next to Pointe-à-Pitre, so it’s only to be expected…

We then fly over the first islet, the locally famous îlet à Cochon. The island is virtually deserted, except for a large red-roofed house on the Pointe-à-Pitre side. Originally inhabited by Amerindians, the island was colonized and developed for agriculture and lime production in the 18th century. Despite its rich history, marked by military occupation and destruction by a cyclone in 1928, it is now best known for its white sandy beaches, which are shared by several owners. It’s really quite beautiful from the air, and you can really see the colors around the island and the beautiful coral reefs.

When we reach the Boissard and Chasse islands, we’re flying over a beautiful shallow area with magical colors on our right. The most memorable part of the flight, of course, is over Boissard Island, which is completely urbanized. I won’t go into the history of this island, but it’s fun to see from the air the beautiful houses, swimming pools and even a tennis court! In the background, it’s easy to see the industrial area of Jarry, which has been reclaimed from the sea over time. It’s not the most photogenic, but it’s always nice to see it from the air.

Flying high enough to get a good view, but still low enough, is always nice to feel. We can see the peaks of the island of Basse-Terre, which are very clear. The views on the mountain side are magnificent. Continue towards Petit-Bourg. The numerous shoals and coral reefs can be admired at this altitude. We will fly over the two small islands opposite the Pointe à Bacchus, the îlet à Nègre and the îlet à Cabrit. These two islets are completely covered with mangroves. These mangroves are probably on the verge of extinction. Seen from the air, they are very impressive and photogenic.

Continue towards the famous îlet Fortune, opposite the town of Goyave. On the way, we can still see the shoals that are so common in this area, and we can even make out the little white sandy islets that pop up left and right. When we arrive, Philippe tells me that îlet Fortune is actually a public island and that you can get there by boat (although you do need a boat, don’t you?). I’ve never heard of a service that takes you to this islet, but it’s possible that it exists. The island and its surroundings are truly magnificent and the arrival is a sight to behold. Philippe first circles the island and we are even treated to a slow water landing right next to the island, but it’s quite impressive to touch the water for ten seconds or so and then take off again as if nothing had happened in the sky. I hadn’t had the chance to touch the water on my first seaplane flight in Bora-Bora, and I have to say it’s a pretty cool feeling.

We then continued north-east to the famous wreck of the îlet Fortune. The wreck is clearly visible, rising out of the water on a high seabed. Once again the colors are breathtaking. We continue towards the îlet du Gosier and Philippe takes the opportunity to descend to just a few meters above the water. It’s a strange feeling and, as he says, it’s like being on a boat without the inconvenience of seasickness, haha. The crossing between the wreck and the îlet du Gosier takes only a few minutes and we soon discover the magnificent colors and coral reefs that surround the îlet du Gosier.

Although we’d walked around the island a few hours earlier, it’s always impressive to see it from the air. You get a sense of its size and features. You can clearly see the white sandy beaches to the north, on the town side, and the limestone cliffs to the south, where the lighthouse is clearly visible from the air. Clearly, it’s an absolute beauty when seen from above!

We finish with a few short circuits around the island of Gosier, to take a few more photos from other vantage points, and return to the hangar a few minutes later, skirting the coast. Once again, the landing went without a hitch! You really get a feel for the urban character of the area, and you can see all the big hotels in the area.

To put it bluntly, the 35-minute flight made me feel like a happy child who’d eaten chocolate. Even though I don’t like to do it, I wasn’t as impressed as I was with the flight over the island of Bora-Bora, but at the same time it’s like comparing apples and oranges, it’s got nothing to do with it. If you’ve never had the chance to fly over a lagoon from the air, now is the time and it’s a real treat.

It’s a really pleasant, light feeling, and being able to see these different places from the air really makes you appreciate the beauty of the place. I had the chance to do the Échappées Belles tour, but to be honest, I’d probably recommend going further and flying over the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin or even the Saintes Archipelago, just opposite where we live. It must be breathtaking from the air! In any case, I came away from the flight more than satisfied and my eyes were truly filled. I’d recommend it 100%.

As I said above, the company has only recently been taken over, so things are likely to change from what was previously presented. But you should know that the following tours are available:

• Over the Saintes
• Flight over the Grand-Cul-de-Sac Marin
• Flight over Désirade
• Flight to Marie-Galante
• Flight over and around Grande-Terre
• Flights around Petit Cul-de-Sac Marin

In any case, there’s a huge range of flights available and I’m sure you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for, depending on what you want and your budget, of course.

As usual, I’ll end this article with a few quick practical tips.

First of all, you have to get to the commune of Le Gosier, so it all depends on where you’re leaving from. From Pointe-à-Pitre it takes about 15 to 20 minutes and from Basse-Terre about 1 to 1.5 hours. Here, for example, is the itinerary from Pointe-à-Pitre, which you can modify according to your point of departure.

The company is located in the Grande Baie, on the beach of the Hotel Canella Beach. There’s a sign at the entrance so it’s easy to find.

You may be looking for a place to stay not far from where you did your float flight. We don’t know the area inside out, but we’ve done our research and have some good recommendations. I’m deliberately not going to tell you about the hotels very close by, which we know are of average reputation, so here are three recommendations not far away:

• Résidence de la Vieille Tour: You’ll enjoy an exceptional setting combining modern comfort and charm, perfect if you want to immerse yourself in the beauty of Guadeloupe. Travelers love it for its warm welcome, stunning sea views and direct access to a heavenly beach.
• Studio cosy plage et piscine à Bas Du Fort: Set out for an intimate, comfortable experience with its cozy ambiance and meticulous decor, perfect for couples or solo travelers looking to escape. Prized for its ideal location and privacy, this haven of peace promises unforgettable moments and proximity to the sea!
• Le Roof Top: Here’s another great spot that offers a unique experience with its panoramic terrace that promises breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea. A very good choice with a good reputation!

Well, that’s it for this article on hydroplaning in Guadeloupe, and I hope I’ve inspired you to give it a try.

Take my word for it, flying over a lagoon is something you should do at least once in your life. I’d say if you can, budget a little and treat yourself to it on your holiday in Guadeloupe.

I’ll see you soon for a new article, and in the meantime, if you want to discover the region, don’t hesitate to check out the island of Marie-Galante.

See you soon, and don’t hesitate to let me know what you think in the comments! So who’s going to have the pleasure of flying with you?

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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