About La Desirade Island

La Desirade is a small island 10 kilometres off the east coast of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles group. The island, which is the oldest in the Caribbean, has a pristine natural landscape with an incredible variety of vegetation and wildlife, most notably the abundance of iguanas thanks to its classification as a national natural reserve. Given its diverse terrain, La Desirade offers a wide range of outdoor activities, too. You can hike through various surroundings including salt marshes, cliffs, lagoons and sandy shorelines. Also, as you would expect from a Caribbean island, there are some stunning beaches with excellent snorkelling and diving spots. La Desirade’s main ferry terminal is in Grand Anse towards the south, situated just off the singular road along the east coast. There are fast and frequent sailings provided to Saint Francois on the island of Grand-Terre in Guadeloupe.

About Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe is a butterfly-shaped archipelago and French overseas territory in the Caribbean Sea, with Montserrat to the north and Dominica to the south. Joined by a mangrove swamp, the two main islands are named Grand-Terre and Basse-Terre, offering lively beach towns and a vast national park respectively. The former also boasts some truly wonderful stretches of sand and the usual Caribbean seaside activities, whilst the latter is a haven for nature lovers and hikers, with the Soufriere volcano dominating the landscape. Guadeloupian rum is held in high regard around the world and the production of which is a thriving industry, with many distilleries offering fascinating guided tours. The culinary expertise is one of the most refined in the Caribbean, too, thanks in part to the French heritage. With its cluster of islands, travelling by ferry throughout Guadeloupe is an easy way to get around. Both of the main islands are easily reachable from Marie-Galante and La Desirade to the south, with regular, high-speed crossings to choose from.