MARTINIQUE, A WATERSPORT HEAVEN
If your idea of a great vacation involves picture-perfect beaches, then Martinique is for you ! Blessed with a breathtaking natural beauty and a preserved environment, the island is a water sports paradise : sailing, diving, surfing & kite surfing, kayaking, deep-sea fishing and much more are available all around the island.
Swimming
Explore a shoreline with beaches of every natural hue, from the silver-grey volcanic sands in the north to the brilliant white shores of Les Salines in the south.
Along Martinique’s southern coast, you’ll find idyllic white-sand beaches lapped by clear turquoise waters. The north also has lovely beaches known for their silver or blue-gray volcanic sand.
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving
Martinique features more than 90 dive sites, no two exactly alike: all you need to spice up your undersea adventures !
Dive conditions remain pleasant year-round, with water temperatures range between 80 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, excellent visibility and abundant sea life.
Surfing, windsurfing, and kite surfing
The Northern part of Martinique is also well known for its surf spots, especially on the Atlantic side where you can enjoy 10 famous locations on site, from Tartane to Le Prêcheur.
The best season for surfing is from October to March.... Thrills guaranteed ! The southern beaches are best for windsurfing, while the southeast is the place for kitesurfing, where trade winds blow in at ideal speeds.
Sailing
You can rent a Hobie Cat, Sunfish, or Sailfish by the hour or charter a well-appointed yacht and sail in luxury for a day, a week—or even a month.
The Yoles Boat Race
Martinique’s summer schedule of festivals and special events offers fun and excitement for foodies, sports enthusiasts, the culturally curious, and more. One event, above all, incorporates these many interests, with a flair that is distinctly Martiniquais – the Tour des Yoles Boat Race.
An annual highlight of the Martinican social calendar, the Yoles Boat Race is a veritable Carnival At Sea. In addition to being a great “fête”, it also helps to preserve Martinique’s rich seafaring past underlining the importance that the daily catch still holds in the island’s local society today. Yole boats are constructed with great attention to detail, maintaining the grand tradition of Martinican fishing vessels initially developed by local craftsmen in the 1940’s.
Each vessel flies brightly colored rectangular sails over rounded canoe-like wooden hulls made from local pear trees. Teams representing various towns across Martinique compete, as visitors and locals turn out by the thousands each day of the race to offer enthusiastic support and enjoy the festivities. Charter boat operators offer affordable race packages, including meals, excursions to secluded beaches, and more, allowing visitors to experience the race up-close and at sea.
The race is contested over seven stages, one stage per-day for a full week. Each day’s race culminates in a carnival-style celebration complete with live music, dancing, food, and fun. The course eventually sees the yoles circumnavigate the entire island in a counterclockwise fashion, with the largest fête reserved for the race finale and the crowning of the overall winner.
