Gorges de la Falaise, near Ajoupa-Bouillon. 8:00h-17:00h. On a length of about 200 meters the river Falaise flows through a canyon (some ten meters deep and 1-3 meters wide). You can discover the canyon by a combination of walking and swimming. The canyon is on private property, hence the fee (it also pays for the guide).

Be aware that some parts of the route can only be crossed by swimming, so you should wear swimming gear (no jeans, shirts, not even hats). However, you need to wear hiking shoes (no flip-flops etc.) as the hike goes over slippery stones. You can rent appropriate shoes at the entrance.

Note that the guide might be able to carry small cameras, but don’t bring mobile phones, huge cameras or other stuff. You can leave your clothes, wandering gear, electronics etc. at the hut where the guide is waiting.

What to buy

Martinique is a dependent territory of France and uses the euro as currency. US dollars and Eastern Caribbean dollars are not accepted in shops, but some stores and many restaurants and hotels take credit cards. The best exchange rates can be had at banks. Not all banks will do foreign exchanges and may direct you to Fort De France to do such transactions.

Reportedly, the best offerings include French luxury imports (e.g., perfumes, fashions, wines) and items made on the island, e.g., spices and rum. And some merchants offer 20 percent tax refunds for purchases made by credit card or travelers’ checks, though many may not accept the latter.

Shopping opportunities include:

Galleria, in Lamentin (near airport), is the island’s largest mall, with several European branded stores and others.

Fort-de-France’s Spice Market offers stalls full of local/unique flowers, fresh fruit and vegetables, and herbs and spices.

Rue Victor Hugo…Fort-de-France’s main shopping street…a strip of sometimes tiny, Paris-like boutiques, island shops and vendors of fresh fruit and flowers

As a decidedly Catholic island, very few stores are open on Sundays or holidays celebrated in France.

Business hours: Sundays may find many stores closed. Check in-advance before hiring transport to any particular store or shopping area.

What to eat

Martinique is unique in contrast to the majority of the other Caribbean islands in that it has a wide variety of dining options. There are  456 cafés and/or restaurants on the island – not including the various bars some of which serve food as well as alcohol; and up to 500 food-service related establishments. Restaurants in Martinique range from the exclusive high-end gourmet restaurants to the crêpes, accras, boudin, fruit juices, and coconut milk one can purchase from food merchants on the beach or at snack stands/restaurants in town.

The abundance of both Créole and French restaurants reflects the predominance not only of French tourists in Martinique but also of the island’s status as a French DOM. There has been a growing interest in the traditional dishes of the island, and therefore, a more recent profusion of the number of Créole restaurants. Many of the restaurants tailor their menus to cater to both Créole and French tastes

The changes in tourist composition (behavior, interest) may very well account for the evolution in the culinary offerings in many of today’s restaurants. Restaurants in Martinique offer not only French and other International cuisines, but also the possibility of consuming local foods. Visitors can catch a glimpse of the behind the scenes reality regarding Martiniquan culinary practices through an ‘authentic’ Créole cuisine.

Restaurants, Créole cookbooks, public fairs and festivities, and the expensive dining rooms of foreign-owned luxury hotels where food is served, all present themselves as crucial staging grounds where ideas about Martinique cuisine, and therefore, identity, authenticity and place are continuously tested.

What to drink

As in France, water is safe to drink from the tap, and restaurants will happily serve this at no extra charge.

Fresh fruit juices are also very popular on the island along with jus de canne which is a delicious sugar cane drink which is often sold in vans in lay-bys off the main roads. This juice does not stay fresh for long, so ask for it to be made fresh while you wait and drink it as quickly as possible with some ice cubes and a squeeze of lime.

Martinique is famous for its world class rums and the island today still hosts a large number of distilleries inviting tourist to explore its history. Production methods emphasize use of fresh juice from sugar cane to produce “rhum agricole”, rather than molasses widely used elsewhere.

Although rum is far more popular, the local beer in Martinique is Bière Lorraine.

Stay safe

Bring lots of sunscreen!

Also, keep hydrated, especially when hiking in the mountainous areas. A hat is often a good thing to have because the sun can get extremely hot.

Respect

Polite manners will go very far in this jewel of the Caribbean. When entering a business establishment, always say, ‘Bonjour’ and ‘Merci, au revoir’ when departing. Also note that things often run a lot slower here, so patience is a must. Also, don’t expect kowtowing, smiling ‘natives’. The Martiniquais are a very proud, dignified people and are often wary of impatient tourists without manners.

Unaccompanied women in tourist and beach areas are likely to experience frequent cat-calling and similar attention from men. A popularly stated reason for this is that there are a greater number of women than men on the island. The best way to deal with unwanted attention is to ignore the attention or firmly state a lack of interest.