Fort de France

Pointe Simon pier is now the main central dock. Some vessels use Tourelles, about 1.5 miles away or a 20 minute walk; a taxi has a set price of 8 Euro.

Hostesses wearing Creole costumes greet guests with smiling welcomes, maps and useful tourist-information leaflets. Local musicians play lively Caribbean tunes for arriving visitors.

The cruise village has many vendors who accept U.S. dollars: local clothing stands, jewellery and accessory designers, locally produced skin-care products and perfumes, souvenir shops, local artists showing paintings, and artisanal treats. Live music, local dancing and rum tasting add to the experience.

It is safe to walk from the Fort de France cruise terminal to downtown, taking about 15 minutes. Follow the blue line.

Martinique is a Caribbean Sea island, north of Trinidad and Tobago, and an overseas department of France.

The island is dominated by Mount Pelee, whose eruption on 8 May 1902 completely destroyed Saint Pierre and killed 30,000 inhabitants. In the South, beautiful beaches draw many tourists. The North is worth seeing for its rain forests and black sand beaches, and the interior is mountainous.

Fort-de-France is Martinique's largest city and its capital.

This bayside town blends New Orleans with a French Riviera setting, its narrow streets rising through surrounding evergreen hills.

La Savane Park is a large, attractive central park for an easy stroll. It contains statues, including Empress Josephine, and has pleasant views of the surroundings.

St. Louis Cathedral, in the city center, has a striking bell tower and intricate stained-glass windows. Its architecture and history make it a notable visit.

Many English speaking taxi drivers and tour guides offer services at the pier. If English matters, talk with a guide before agreeing: some manage the first few sentences but have exhausted their language skills after that. $50 per hour.

The ferry dock is directly to the right of the ship when facing inland and visible from deck. There are 3 companies: Madinina, Matinik and Petrolettes. Take Matinik to Trois Islets, a pretty village with no other attractions, for 5 euros return. The other 2 ferries serve Pointe de Bout, with shopping, hotels, a marina and beach, for 6.50 euros return; they don’t take dollars. Diamant beach, a few miles farther down the coast by cab, is better. Ferries run frequently, every 30-45 minutes, and a dispatcher sometimes helps at the dock and speaks some English.

Hiring a car is not recommended because traffic is hectic.

For a St. Tropez atmosphere, take the waterfront ferry to Pointe du Bout, a 20 minutes each way trip. It has beaches including Anse-Mitan and Anse-a-l'Ane, and major resorts such as Kalenda Trois Ilets and Bakoua.

Balata Gardens of Martinique are only seven miles from Fort-de-France and much appreciated by nature-lovers. Their innovative experience lets visitors stroll through the luxuriant canopy on fifteen-meter-high wooden bridges, over one-hundred-year-old trees, for breathtaking aerial views of the garden, Fort-de-France bay and Carbet Pitons. Balata Gardens is a real masterpiece and internationally renowned for rich botanical collections.

Excellent duty-free shopping is available at the cruise terminal.

On the north side of the park, near the harbor, an excellent crafts market sells a wide range of goods. Visit for local crafts, art and clothing.

Martinique rum is highly regarded, and distillery tours are offered.

Martinique is a dependent French territory and uses the euro. Shops do not take US dollars, although many restaurants and hotels accept credit cards. Banks or ATM's give the best exchange rates; where USD is accepted, the conversion rate is poor.

French and Creole patois are spoken on the islands, and some inhabitants know English.