Possibly Guadeloupe's best beach, Datcha is a dreamy strip of cream-hued sand, backed by shade-giving trees and fronted by calm, reef-protected sea. The scene is given focus by the delightful Îlet du Gosier and the moody mountains of Basse-Terre across the water. Beach cafes and bars feed and water beachgoers as they watch the numerous yachts that use the bay as safe anchor bobbing on the briny.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
19.79 MILES
Jacques Cousteau brought Pigeon Island to international attention by declaring it to be one of the world’s top dive areas, and the waters surrounding the…
3.24 MILES
Top billing in the French Antilles goes to this huge museum of slavery, opened by President Hollande in 2015. Housed in a spectacular silver-latticework…
19.01 MILES
One of Basse-Terre's most enjoyable attractions, the Maison du Cacao is for anyone who loves their chocolate. Presentations in English take place at 10am,…
17.19 MILES
One of Guadeloupe's must-sees, this excellent zoo, high in the mountains of Basse-Terre, combines animal enclosures with a jungle adventure. Follow the…
6.66 MILES
This headland of white sand about 2km west of Ste-Anne's center is one of Guadeloupe's very finest beaches – it's the Caribbean you probably came to see…
21.14 MILES
This superb golden-sand beach with no hotel development in sight is just 2km north of Deshaies. This is one of Basse-Terre's longest and prettiest…
16.03 MILES
This Unesco Biosphere Reserve just off the coast of Basse-Terre makes for an enjoyable day trip. A chain of coral islets sitting atop a 25km-long coral…
23.43 MILES
The horseshoe-shaped Baie de Pompierre is perhaps Terre-de-Haut's loveliest beach: a reef-protected golden strand with a splendid setting. There are even…
Nearby Grande-Terre attractions
0.44 MILES
Just 600m off Gosier is idyllic little Îlet du Gosier, surrounded by calm turquoise waters that have some good snorkeling. Motorboats (one way €5) shuttle…
1.9 MILES
Between Pointe-à-Pitre and Gosier, this marina has excellent facilities and a large number of restaurants, bars and cafes.
3.24 MILES
Top billing in the French Antilles goes to this huge museum of slavery, opened by President Hollande in 2015. Housed in a spectacular silver-latticework…
3.48 MILES
This popular market on the seafront in front of Place de la Victoire is Pointe-à-Pitre's main fruit-and-vegetable market. It's full of characters and you…
3.52 MILES
This three-level municipal museum occupies an outstanding example of 19th-century colonial architecture and is dedicated to renowned poet and Nobel…
6. Cathédrale de St-Pierre et St-Paul
3.56 MILES
Rather than the traditional arches, this attractively painted sand-colored church, nicknamed the ‘Iron Cathedral,’ is supported by iron girders intended…
6.66 MILES
This headland of white sand about 2km west of Ste-Anne's center is one of Guadeloupe's very finest beaches – it's the Caribbean you probably came to see…
9.7 MILES
Nestled in the hills west of Petit-Bourg, this mature 14-hectare botanical garden includes a wide range of tropical plants and flowers, a palmery, and…