Overview: The terrain is mountainous, especially in the rain-forested northern part where Mount Pelée, a volcano, rises to a height of 4,656 feet. In the center of the island the mountains are smaller, with Carbet Peak reaching a 3,960-foot summit. The high hills rising among the peaks or mountains are called mornes. The southern part of Martinique has only big hills, reaching peaks of 1,500 feet at Vauclin and 1,400 feet at Diamant. The irregular coastline of the island provides five bays, dozens of coves, and miles of sandy beaches. Almost a third of the island's year-round population of 360,000 lives in the capital and largest city, Fort-de-France. Don't stay in town if you want a hotel near a beach. If you do opt to stay in Fort-de-France, you'll have to take a ferryboat to reach the beaches at Pointe du Bout. The one exception to this is the Hôtel La Batelière, which opens onto a small beach, but it's in the suburb of Schoelcher.

Location: Martinique is a tiny island located in the eastern Caribbean. It's bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west and the Atlantic Ocean to the north and east. The island of Dominica is Martinique's neighbor to the north; St Lucia is to the south.

Size: The surface of the island is only 420 square miles--50 miles at its longest and 21 miles at its widest point.

Climate: The climate is relatively mild, with the average temperature in the 75° to 85°F range. At higher elevations, it's considerably cooler. The island is cooled by a wind the French called alizé, and rain is frequent but doesn't last very long. Late August to November might be called the rainy season. April to September are the hottest months. Note that this is also the peak tourist season and prices will be highest and attractions and lodgings most crowded

Arriving by Air: American Airlines flies into its busy hub in San Juan, and from here passengers transfer to one of usually two daily American Eagle flights heading to both Martinique and Guadeloupe. The Eagle flights usually take between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. Off-season, the evening flights to both islands are sometimes combined into a single flight, landing first on one island before continuing on to the next. Return flights to San Juan usually depart separately from both islands twice a day. Antigua-based LIAT flies from Antigua and Barbados to both Martinique and Guadeloupe several times a day. Depending on the season, flights to the two islands are either separate or combined into a single flight, with touchdowns en route. Both Antigua and Barbados are important air-terminus links for such larger carriers as American Airlines. Another option for reaching either Martinique or Guadeloupe involves flying BWIA, the national airline of Trinidad and Tobago, from either New York or Miami nonstop to both Barbados and Antigua, and from there, transferring onto a LIAT flight to either of the French-speaking islands. Air France, an outfit that's heavily subsidized by the French government as its airborne ambassador to the world, flies from Miami to Martinique, sometimes with a touchdown in Guadeloupe en route, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday year-round. Committed to its role of binding together the country's far-flung overseas départements, it also operates separate nonstop flights from Paris to both Martinique and Guadeloupe. These depart at least once a day, and in some cases, depending on the season and the day of the week, twice a day. The airline also maintains three weekly flights from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to Martinique, and three flights a week, depending on the season, between Cayenne, in French Guyana, and Martinique.

Arriving by Sea: You can travel between Guadeloupe and Martinique by boat in a leisurely 3 3/4 hours with an intermediate stop on Dominica or Les Saintes. Exprès des Iles operates at least one (sometimes two) modern, comfortable ferryboat a day between the French West Indies' two largest islands. Morning departures from Pointe-à-Pitre for Fort-de-France are usually at 8am, and departures from Fort-de-France for Pointe-à-Pitre are usually at 2pm, although the schedule can vary unexpectedly according to the season and the day of the week. One-way fares are 340 F to 535 F round-trip.

Getting Around Martinique: 

     Taxis - Travel by taxi is popular but can be expensive. Most of the cabs aren't metered, and you'll have to agree on the fare before getting in. Most visitors arriving at Lamentin Airport head for one of the resorts along the peninsula of Pointe du Bout--a ride that costs about 170 F during the day, about 255 F in the evening. Night fares are in effect from 7pm to 6am, when 40% surcharges are added. If you want to rent a taxi for the day, expect to pay from 700 F to 850 F and up for a 5-hour tour, depending on the itinerary you negotiate with the driver. Generally, four passengers sharing a cab are charged 200 F per hour

     Buses: There are two types of buses operating on Martinique. Regular buses, called grands busses, hold about 40 passengers and cost 5 F to 8 F to go anywhere within the city limits of Fort-de-France. To travel beyond the city limits, taxis collectifs are used. These are privately owned minivans that traverse the island and bear the sign TC. Their routes are flexible and depend on passenger need. A one-way fare from Fort-de-France to Ste-Anne is 30 F. Taxis collectifs depart from the heart of Fort-de-France from the parking lot of Pointe Simon. There's no phone number to call for information about this unpredictable means of transport, and there are no set schedules. Traveling in a taxi collectif is for the adventurous visitor--they're crowded and not very comfortable.

     Rental Cars: The scattered nature of Martinique's geography makes renting a car especially tempting. Martinique has several local car-rental agencies, but clients have complained of mechanical difficulties and billing irregularities. We recommend renting from one of the U.S.-based "big three" (Hertz, Budget, and Avis). You must be 21 and have a valid driver's license to rent a car for up to 20 days. After that, an International Driver's License is required. Note that traffic moves on the right side of the road.

     Mopeds: The scattered nature of Martinique's geography makes renting a car especially tempting. Martinique has several local car-rental agencies, but clients have complained of mechanical difficulties and billing irregularities. We recommend renting from one of the U.S.-based "big three" (Hertz, Budget, and Avis). You must be 21 and have a valid driver's license to rent a car for up to 20 days. After that, an International Driver's License is required. Note that traffic moves on the right side of the road.

Beaches: Many of Martinique's nicest white or tan-sand beaches and best swimming are on the southwestern coast; the gray- and black-sand beaches on the northeastern coast generally have dangerous water conditions. In the Trois-Ilets area, Anse-à-l'Ane and Anse Mitan both have sandy beaches that attract crowds. Popular east-coast beaches include Cap Chevalier and Macabou to the south and the Caravelle Peninsula beaches of Anse l'Étang and Tartane.

Watersports: The coastline is varied: steep cliffs and volcanic, black sand coves in the N and on the rugged Atlantic coast, and calmer seas with large white or grey sand beaches in the S and on the Caribbean coast. All beachfront hotels have windsurfing equipment for use by guests and many offer lessons. Rental is from 60F to l00F per hour; a l/2-hour private lesson averages 60F to 80F. Away from the hotels, there are countless windsurfing havens. Among the best spots is Cap Michel, near Cap Chevalier in the south, but there are no rental facilities here.

Sailing: Sunfish, sailfish, hobie cats and windsurfing can be secured on almost any of the island's beaches. Yacht sailing, catamarans or motorboats can be rented at the island's largest outfit ATM in Le Marin. Bambou Yachting in Le Marin has a catamaran fleet and Ecole Nautisme Accastillage's, in Le Robert, specialty is motorboats. If scheduled, don't miss the high-speed racing yoles (fishing boats) with expert seaman hanging from the riggings. It's a thrill of a lifetime.

Scuba Diving/Snorkeling: More than a dozen ships were sent to the bottom of Saint-Pierre Bay by the 1902 volcanic eruption, which makes it an excellent area for diving. Grand Anse, with its calm waters and good coral, is a popular dive spot for beginners. Cap Enragé, north of Case-Pilote, has underwater caves housing lots of fish and lobsters. Rocher du Diamant (Diamond Rock) also has cave formations but trickier water conditions. Ilet la Perle, a rock off the northwestern coast, is a good place to see groupers, eels and lobsters when water conditions aren't too rough. Snorkeling is good around Grand Anse and Sainte-Anne, and along the coast from Saint-Pierre to Anse Céron.

Fishing: Expensive and for the serious-minded fisherman, contact Captain Rene Alric in Case-Pilote, who will schedule excursions of up to five days on his Rayon Vert. Bathy's Club at the Meridien, charters half-day excursions which include breakfast.

Flying Tours: A 3-seat Cessna 172 can be booked for 1500F/hr, with pilot, and has removable panels to permit aerial photography. To fly solo, a French equivalent of your back-home license is needed. Just present your license to the CAB at Lamentin Airport, then, contact local plane owners through the Aéro-Club de la Martinique" at Lamentin. Sightseeing excursions by plane are available through Aéro-Club de la Martinique, also at Lamentin. Planes with from 10 to 30 seats can be chartered, and rates depend on the number of persons and the distance flown.

Tennis: Enthusiasts can contact the Tennis Club of Fort-de-France or La Ligue Regionale de Tennis to arrange a good match against island residents. Many of the island hotels have courts, with some the best at: la Bateliere Hotel & Casino, 8 courts; Club Mediterranee, Ste. Anne); Marine Hotel Diamant, Diamant, 2 courts and Hotel Meridien Martinique, 2 courts.

Golf: Golf de l'Imperatrice Josephine, in Trois-Ilets, complete with an English speaking pro, has a beautiful 18-hole course. Call well in advance for starting times.

Horseback Riding: Martinique offers many equestrian itineraries, some along scenic beach routes, others through tropical hillsides. A one-hour lesson on a horse is $150F (about $27), on a pony 100F (about $18). A pony ride: 30F (about $5.50).

Cycling: In cooperation with local bike clubs, the Parc Naturel Régional, 9 Blvd Général de Gaulle, Fort de France 97206, has designed some unusual itineraries. The 18-speed VTT (vélo tout terrain or all-terrain bike) makes for great cycling. Tours with a guide and meal, cost on average 280F or approximately $51.

Hiking: Martinique's highlands offer great hiking within easy reach of Fort-de-France, particularly through the rainforest in the Pitons du Carbet or to the ruins of Château Dubuc on the Caravelle Peninsula. Among serious hiking tours is a two-hour climb, with guide, up Mont Pelée Volcano through thick foliage and overgrown trails. Less difficult, but still requiring skill, is the trek through a dense coastal rain forest between Grand'Rivière and Le Prêcheur. Fairly easy are hikes at Les Ombrages, a nature trail at Ajoupa-Bouillon, a ravine leading to waterfall where guided canyoning is the local sport. Presqu'Ile de la Caravelle, a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic near the town of Trinité, has safe beaches and well-marked paths to historic Château Dubuc's ruins.

Exploring: The north of the island will appeal to nature lovers, hikers, and mountain climbers. The drive from Fort-de-France to St-Pierre is particularly impressive, as is the one across the island, via the town of Morne Rouge, from the Caribbean to the Atlantic. This is Martinique's wild side - a place of waterfalls, rain forests, and mountains. The highlight is Mont Pelée. The south is the more developed half of the island, where the resorts and restaurants are, as well as the beaches.

Shopping: French fragrances and designer scarves, fine china and crystal, leather goods, and liquors and liqueurs are all good buys in Fort-de-France. Purchases are further sweetened by the 20% discount on luxury items paid for with travelers checks or certain major credit cards. Among locally made items, look for creole gold jewelry, such as hoop earrings and heavy bead necklaces; white and dark rum; and handcrafted straw goods, pottery, and tapestries. Following the roadside signs advertising "Ateliers Artisanales" (art studios) can yield unexpected treasures, many of them reasonably priced.

Nightlife: Although Martinique is dotted with lively discos and nightclubs, nightlife isn't confined to partying. Most leading hotels offer nightly entertainment in season. A good example is The Village Créole complex, which has a good line-up of entertainment that includes music, theater, and art expos. In addition, many restaurants offer live entertainment, usually on weekends. Martinique has two casinos. At either one, you'll need to show proof of identity (passport or photo ID) and pay a fee to enter the gaming rooms. Minimum gaming age is 18. Your hotel or the tourist office can put you in touch with the current "in" places to go dancing. It's also wise to check on opening and closing times and cover charges. For the most part, the discos draw a mixed crowd.