Planning a trip to Martinique

When to Go

Carnival

If you like masquerades and dancing in the streets, you should be here to attend Carnival, or Vaval, as it's known here. Most of the celebrations associated with Carnival occur, depending on when Lent falls, for 5 days in either late February or early March, but there is also usually some form of celebration or contest conducted for the six Sundays prior. Most visible of these is the election of the Carnival Queen, a contest that's usually held the first Sunday before the actual week of Carnival. Each village prepares costumes and floats. Weekend after weekend, frenzied celebrations take place, reaching fever pitch just before Lent. Fort-de-France is the focal point for Carnival, but the spirit permeates the whole island. On Ash Wednesday, the streets of Fort-de-France are filled with diablesses, or she-devils (portrayed by members of both sexes). Costumed in black and white, they crowd the streets to form King Carnival's funeral procession. As devils cavort and the rum flows, a funeral pyre is built at La Savane. When it's set on fire, the dancing of the she-devils becomes frantic (many are now thoroughly drunk). Long past dusk, the cortege takes the coffin to its burial, ending Carnival until next year.

Getting There

By Plane

Airport Martinique Aimé Césaire (tel. 596/42-18-05) is outside the village of Lamentin, a 15-minute taxi ride east of Fort-de-France and a 40-minute taxi ride northeast of Les Trois-Ilets peninsula (the island's densest concentration of resort hotels). Most flights to Martinique require a transfer on a neighboring island -- usually Puerto Rico, Antigua, or Barbados; from there another stopover or transfer in Guadeloupe is often required. Nonstop flights to any of the French islands from the U.S. mainland are rare.

Passengers living in the southeast United States can take a weekly direct flight on Delta (tel. 800/241-1212 in the U.S. and Canada; www.delta.com) from Atlanta. Many passengers from other parts of America fly into Atlanta to make this connection. Otherwise, Air France (tel. 800/237-2747 in the U.S. and Canada; www.airfrance.com) flies to Martinique several times a week from Miami, with stopovers in either Haiti or Guadeloupe. Many passengers also fly to San Juan on various airlines, connecting to Martinique on American Eagle (tel. 800/433-7300 in the U.S. and Canada; www.aa.com).

Other smaller airlines flying to Martinique include Air Antilles Express (tel. 0890/64-86-48; www.airantilles.com), flying in from Guadeloupe or St. Maarten; and Air Caraïbes (tel. 590/82-47-56), also flying in from Guadeloupe and St. Maarten.

British Airways (tel. 800/247-9297 in the U.S. and Canada, or 0870/850-9850 within the British isles; www.britishairways.com) flies separately and daily to both Antigua and Barbados from Gatwick in London. From either of those Caribbean islands, LIAT (tel. 888/844-LIAT [5428]; www.liatairline.com) connects to Martinique. LIAT also flies into Martinique from other islands.

By Ferry

One particularly evocative means of travel between Martinique and Guadeloupe involves taking one of the motorized catamarans that are maintained by a local operator, Express des Iles. Carrying between 395 and 495 passengers, depending on the boat, they require 3 3/4 hours of waterborne transit, which includes an intermediate stopover on either Dominica or Terre-de-Haut, in the Iles des Saintes. The company usually operates three passages a week and sometimes more, between the two largest islands of the French West Indies.

Morning departures from Pointe-à-Pitre for Fort-de-France are usually at 8am (Sat at 11:30am, Sun at 10am), and departures from Fort-de-France for Pointe-à-Pitre are usually at 1pm, although the schedule can vary unexpectedly according to the season and the day of the week. Fares are 100€ round-trip or 67€ one-way (52€ one-way for children 11 and under). For details and reservations, contact Express des Iles, Gare Maritime, de Bergevin, 97110 Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe (tel. 590/91-52-15), or Terminal Inter-Iles, Bassin de Radoub, 97200 Fort-de-France, Martinique (tel. 596/42-04-05).

Getting Around

By Rental Car

Unless you never plan to leave the beach, you probably want to rent a car to explore the island. 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 firms. Driving in Martinique is on the right side of the road. Note: An international driver's license is required.

Budget has an office at 30 rue Ernest-Desproges, La Baie, Cruise Terminal, Fort-de-France, in addition to one at Lamentin (tel. 800/472-3325 in the U.S. and Canada, or 596/42-04-04; www.budget-martinique.com). Avis is located at Airport Martinique Aimé Césaire (tel. 800/331-1084 in the U.S. and Canada, or 596/42-11-00; www.avis-antilles.fr), as is Hertz (tel. 800/654-3001 in the U.S. and Canada, or 596/51-01-01; www.hertzantilles.com).

Regardless of which company you choose, you'll be hit with a value-added tax (VAT) of 8.5% on top of the final bill, plus either a charge of around 25€ if you ask the car to be delivered to your hotel, or an airport pickup charge of about 20€ if you retrieve your car at the airport. Collision damage waivers (CDWs), which eliminate some or all of your financial responsibility in the event of an accident, cost between 12€ and 25€ per day at Budget and Hertz, and usually a bit more at Avis. Of these three car-rental companies, the rates at Budget tend to be the least expensive, although that depends on a wide array of seasonal variations.

By Taxi

Local laws demand that any bona-fide Martiniquais cab must contain a working meter. For specific itineraries -- wherein a passenger tells the driver where he or she wants to go -- the meter must be "on" and functioning. The island's largest dispatcher advises us that if a taxi driver quotes a flat rate to a passenger instead of activating the meter, you're being robbed, and you should immediately get out and find another cab. For an idea of prices, taxi rates between Fort-de-France and any hotel of La Pointe du Bout are 65€, but only 50€ from Airport Martinique Aimé Césaire to any hotel of La Pointe du Bout. For a general tour of the island, prices are negotiable with the driver. Between 7pm and 6am, a 40% surcharge is assessed.

The rule about using a taxi's meter does not apply to passengers who want to hire a taxi for a general tour of the island. If that is your goal, expect to pay from 50€ per hour for up to four passengers, depending on the itinerary and routing you negotiate with the driver. Frankly, we find touring the island by taxi so expensive, and so easily corrupted by the whims of the individual driver, that we advise visitors to rent their own car for the day, driving themselves -- armed with a good map -- around the island's many rutted but often panoramic roads.

Taxi companies include Airport Taxi Stand (tel. 596/42-16-66) or Madinina Taxis (tel. 596/70-40-10), the latter offering more luxurious cars, such as a Mercedes-Benz.

By Bus & Taxi Collectif

There are two types of buses operating on Martinique. Regular buses, called grands busses, hold about 40 passengers and cost 2€ to 2.50€ anywhere within the city limits of Fort-de-France. To travel beyond the city limits, nine-passenger 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 about 8€ to 10€. 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 -- these vehicles are crowded and not very comfortable.

By Ferry

The least expensive -- and most colorful -- way to transfer between Fort-de-France and the hotel and tourist district of Pointe du Bout is via one of the vedettes (ferryboats) that depart from rue de la Liberté in Fort-de-France. Transit costs 4.30€ one-way or 6.50€ round-trip. Schedules for the ferryboats, at least 20 of which run at regular (usually 60-min.) intervals every day between 6:30am and 9pm, are printed in the free visitor's guide Choubouloute, in French and English, which is distributed by the tourist office. However, because the ferries are so frequent, most visitors dispense with attempting to understand the schedule altogether, and meander down to the waterfront to wait for the next boat.

There's a smaller ferryboat that runs between Fort-de-France and the unpretentious resorts of Anse Mitan and Anse-à-l'Ane, both across the bay and home to many two- and three-star hotels and modest Creole restaurants. The boat departs from rue de la Liberté in Fort-de-France at intervals of between 20 and 30 minutes every day from 7:30am to 6pm. The trip takes about 20 minutes. One-way and round-trip passage cost 3.80€ and 6€, respectively. If seas are extremely rough

Fast Facts

Banks -- Most of the banks of Martinique maintain the following hours: Monday to Friday 7:30am to noon and 2:30 to 4pm. A few of them have opted to close on Wednesday afternoon. Others maintain a policy of remaining closed all day Monday, but opening their doors every Saturday morning between 7:30am and noon. There are about a dozen ATMs in Fort-de-France, at least three at Lamentin Airport, and a scattering of others throughout the island, usually in such touristed areas as Pointe du Bout, Le Diamant, and Ste-Anne.

Currency -- Because Martinique falls under the same monetary system as mainland France, the island uses the euro (€) as its mode of exchange. The rate of exchange at press time was 1€ to US$1.42. Change Caraïbes maintains full-service foreign currency divisions, as well as ATMs, at both Lamentin Airport (tel. 596/42-17-11) and 4 rue Ernest Deproge, in the center of Fort-de-France (tel. 596/60-28-40). Banks give better exchange rates than hotels. Prices in this guide are quoted in euros.

Customs -- Items for personal use, such as tobacco, cameras, and film, are admitted without formalities or tax if not in excessive quantity.

Documents -- U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport. A return or ongoing ticket is also necessary. British citizens need only an identity card.

Electricity -- Electricity is 220-volt AC (50 cycles), the same as that used on the French mainland. However, check with your hotel to see if it has converted the electrical voltage and outlets in the bathrooms (some have). If it hasn't, bring your own transformer and adapter for U.S. appliances.

Emergencies -- Call the police at tel. 17, report a fire by dialing tel. 18, and summon an ambulance at tel. 17 or 18.

Hospitals -- There are about 18 hospitals and clinics on the island, and there's a 24-hour emergency room at the island's largest, Hôpital Pierre Zobda-Quitman, Cháteauboeuf, 5km (3 miles) south from Fort-de-France (tel. 596/55-20-00), on the road to Lamentin Airport.

Information -- The Tourist Office of Fort-de-France is at 76 rue Lazare Carnot in Fort-de-France (tel. 596/60-27-73; www.tourismefdf.com).

Language -- French, the official language, is spoken by almost everyone. The local Creole patois uses words borrowed from France, England, Spain, and Africa. In the wake of increased tourism, English is occasionally spoken in the major hotels, restaurants, and tourist organizations -- but don't count on driving around the countryside and asking for directions in English.

Liquor Laws -- Liquor is sold in grocery and liquor stores on any day of the week. It's legal to have an open container in public, though the authorities will be very strict with any littering, disorderly behavior, or drunk driving.

Pharmacies -- Try the Pharmacie de la Paix, at the corner of rue Perrinon and rue Victor-Schoelcher in Fort-de-France (tel. 596/71-94-83), open Monday to Friday from 7:15am to 6:15pm and on Saturday from 7:45am to 1pm.

Safety -- Crime is hardly rampant on Martinique, yet there are still those who prey on unsuspecting tourists. Follow the usual precautions, especially in Fort-de-France and in the tourist-hotel belt of Pointe du Bout. It's wise to protect your valuables and never leave them unguarded on the beach.

Taxes & Service Charges -- Most hotels include a 10% service charge in the bill; all restaurants include a 15% service charge. Also added onto your hotel bill is a resort tax known locally as une taxe hotelière, which ranges from 1.50€ to 2€ per person per night, depending on the hotel's rating and category.

Telephone -- To call Martinique from the United States, dial 011 (the international access code), then 596 (the country code for Martinique), and then, if it's a conventional (that is, noncellular) phone, dial 596 again, followed by the six-digit local number. If the number you're calling is a cellphone, dial 011, followed by 596, followed by 696, followed by the six-digit local number. To call the United States from Martinique, dial 19-1, then the area code, then the seven-digit local number. To make a call within Martinique, dial 0596 followed by the six-digit local number.

Time -- Martinique is on Atlantic Standard Time year-round, 1 hour earlier than Eastern Standard Time except when daylight saving time is in effect in the U.S. -- then Martinique time is the same as on the East Coast of the United States.

Tipping -- Restaurants generally add a 15% service charge to all bills, which you can supplement if you think the service is outstanding. Some hotels also add a 10% service charge to your bill. Tip taxi drivers at least 15% of the fare.

Water -- The water is safe to drink throughout the island, but most residents stick to bottled water anyway.

Weather -- The climate is relatively mild -- the average temperature is in the range of 75°F to 85°F (24°C-29°C).