Travel to Martinique

So you've bought your airline or boat tickets to come to Martinique, the only thing left to do is find accommodations and rent a car on this idyllic island! Here are some tips to help you prepare your holiday in Martinique in the French West Indies.

How to choose your accommodations on the island of Martinique?

Hotel or seasonal rental on the island of Martinique?

In Martinique, there are large hotel groups such as Pierre et Vacances, the Karibéa hotels in Sainte-Luce and Club Med in Sainte-Anne. These resorts propose all-inclusive packages. You'll enjoy direct access to a number of services, just perfect for those looking to relax. You also have the option of a holiday rental in Martinique.

By choosing an appartment or villa in Martinique, you can live at your own pace with the possibility of cooking when you feel like it. Many rentals are only a short walk away from the beach. At VillaVEO, we pay special attention to the quality of the accommodations and services proposed. Most of our rentals have air conditioning, a washing machine and Wifi.Household linen is systematically available to make your stay more comfortable.

Why trust VillaVEO to choose your accommodations?

There are many types of accommodations to choose from on the island of Martinique. On the plus side, you'll have a wide selection to choose from .Villas with infinity pools, luxury villas, charming Creole-style villas with flower gardens…..these are just a few of the options! On the minus side, it can be very tedious reading through all the descriptions, verifying the availabilities, comparing the prices, etc. You'll soon have the feeling that you're not making progress having read too many descriptions and feeling a bit lost in your search.

Make things easier for yourself by letting us know what you're looking for, we'll take care of the rest! There is no charge for this search and you will benefit from the best prices available. This means that you won't find lower prices on any other website. The owners with whom we work provide us direct prices. In addition, we take the time to put together a virtual visit, a description and photos for each rental. As a result, you'll be able to immerse yourself to the greatest possible extent in your future holiday rental.

When is the best time to book your rental for a holiday on the island of Martinique?

If you are traveling in a group, or with family or friends, please note that villas for large groups in peak season are easily rented 8 to 12 months in advance. The longer you wait, the less choice you will have. It should also be noted that if you travel outside the school holiday period, there is greater choice and you can take your time to compare offers. For stays for two guests (studio apartment, appartment), there is a longer availability period, on average three months to one week before the scheduled arrival.

How to get around the island of Martinique during your stay?

If you want to discover everything Martinique has to offer during your stay, we strongly recommend that you rent a car. The distance between Martinique's northernmost point (Grand Rivière) and its southernmost (Sainte-Anne) is ninety kilometers. Local transport networks mainly run in the central part of the island. As a result, if you don't rent a vehicle, you'll be limited in where you'll be able to go.

If you have no intention of renting a vehicle during your stay in Martinique, we suggest a stay in Pointe du Bout. In this resort town on the Caribbean coast, everything is just a short walk away, including restaurants, shops, activities and beaches. From the marina at Pointe du Bout, a ferry will take you to Fort-de-France, ideal for spending part of the day at the market there! Lastly, you'll be able to rent a car for the day from the rental agencies with offices at Pointe du Bout.

Rent a vehicle in Martinique from traditional rental agencies

We recommend that you rent your car before arriving in Martinique. Most traditional agencies propose the best prices online. If you're traveling with a large group, don't wait until the last minute to rent your vehicle. The number of vehicles able to accommodate a large group is limited and there might not be any left if you wait too long.

For your information, all the rental agencies have offices at Aimé Césaire Airport (Budget, Sixt, Europcar, Hertz, Rent a car). Shuttle services are available to drop you off at your rental agency's parking lot so that you can pick up your vehicle.

Rent a vehicle directly from the car's owner in Martinique

You can also rent a vehicle in Martinique through a peer-to-peer car rental service. The website Carfully proposes this kind of service.With rates often lower than those of traditional agencies, you can pick your car up directly at Aimé Césaire Airport in Lamentin without having to wait in line at the counter. This is a big advantage in peak season when it's not rare to wait for an hour before picking up a car!

What type of vehicule should you rent when visiting Martinique?

You won't necessarily need to rent a SUV or 4x4 to get around the island of Martinique. The roads are in quite good condition. In addition, unless you intend to drive off the main roads, a Category A vehicle is all you'll need! However, you should keep in mind that you might be traveling with a lot of luggage! Plan on renting a vehicle with enough trunk space or additional seating capacity to avoid making several trips to the airport. All vehicles have air conditioning.

What is there to do in Martinique during your stay?

Well, it all depends on what you want to do! There are many actvities and beautiful landscapes to choose from on the island of Martinique. By choosing a holiday rental, you can organise your stay as you like!

A relaxing stay in Martinique

Beach lovers will choose the southern part of the Isle of Flowers and more specifically the Caribbean coast and its idyllic beaches like Anse Dufour or Les Salines. By choosing a luxury villa with a swimming pool you'll have the best of both worlds—being able to swim in both the pool and the sea! Take advantage of the beautiful weather in Martinique and live outdoors!

Anse Michel Beach is in our opinion one of the most beautiful— a white sand beach surrounded by a pretty lagoon. A postcard-like setting with everything you'll need—coconut trees, a small water sports centre where you can rent kayaks and a beachfront restaurant serving delicious West Indiancuisine. It's without a doubt one of the prettiest beaches on the island.

Sports activities on the island of Martinique

For a stay 100% devoted to scuba diving, choose the towns of Anses d’Arlet and Case Pilote. There's a wide variety of diving spots along the coast. The sea surrounding Martinique is home to a wide variety of tropical fish and even some shipwrecks. For water sports enthusiasts, and more specifically kitesurfing, the towns of Vauclin or François is where you'd want to be. The best kitesurfing spots can be found on the Atlantic coast. For surfing enthusiasts, rent a holiday villa on the Caravelle peninsula and more specifically in Tartane. You can then fan out to Basse Pointe or Sainte Marie to discover other great spots. Kitesurfing, quadding, canyoning, paragliding, flying over the island in a helicopter, stand-up paddling—there is a wide variety of things to do in Martinique!

Must-see sights during your stay in Martinique

Plan on visiting at least one distillery during your stay! Martinique's agricultural rum is one of the best in the world! There are close to ten distilleries on the island of Martinique (Clément, JM, Depaz, Neisson, Trois Rivière, Saint James, HSE, etc.) Soak in the local atmosphere at the markets, especially the one in Fort-de-France where you can also grab a quick lunch.

Try Creole-style cuisine, buy a poulet boucané (smoked chicken) from the side of the road for a lunchtime picnic or still warm accras (codfish fritters) for cocktails in the evening! Taste fresh passion fruit juice or coconut sorbet at Salines Beach. Put on a mask and swim with the turtles in Anse Dufour in Anses d’Arlet.

Visit the enchanting Balata Gardens above Fort-de-France and go out on a motorboat or catamaran to discover the fonds blancs (coral sandbanks which trap seawater between them resulting in what is effectively a seawater swimming pool).Climb to the top of Morne Larcher to take in the breathtaking view of Diamond Rock or to the top of Mount Pelée with its magnificent view of the coast.

There are so many things to do in Martinique that one trip won't be enough. That's why Martinique is referred to as the island you'll always come back to!