You’ll discover plenty of delicious traditional gastronomic delights in Guadeloupe to tantalise your taste buds. Local fare is influenced by creole, French and Caribbean cuisine. Fish, pork, beef, poultry, sweet potato, rice, beans and plaintains feature prominently in many of the most popular island dishes. Porc Colombo is the scrumptious national dish which consists of port that is seasoned with cinnamon, curry powder, thyme and served with rice and vegetables.

Another flavoursome dish is crabes farcis, which is fresh crabs stuffed with a spicy mixture of crabmeat, shallots, garlic and parsley, cooked to perfection in the crab shell. You'll discover plenty of wonderful fresh seafood specialities in cafes and restaurants all across Guadeloupe, featuring octopus, lobster, shrimps and other fruits of the sea.

Rum-flavoured Bananas flambé is a popular local dessert and you'll come across delicious jams made from locally-grown papaya, pineapple, guava and passion fruit. Ti Punch is the much-loved local tipple featuring white rum, lime juice and syrup or cane sugar.

Guadeloupe has a tropical climate and enjoys plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures all-year-round. Average temperatures vary very little throughout the year. The most humid month is November and the least humid month is March. The rainy season runs from July to the end of October, with a very low risk of hurricanes. Downpours are normally very strong, but short-lived.
The warmest time of year is usually late September when highs are around 31.7°C, with the mercury rarely dropping below 25°C at night. A great time to visit Guadeloupe is between December and June when conditions are ideal for a beach holiday, with around 8 hours of sunshine daily and sea water temperatures around 26°C. The busiest time of the year, crowd-wise, is January, followed by February and June.

Guadeloupe is packed with exciting things to see and do, from awe-inspiring natural attractions to enthralling cultural and historical landmarks. Outstanding natural wonders which are definitely worth visiting include Guadeloupe National Park, Jardin Botanique de Deshaies, Bassin Paradis and Cascade aux Ecrevisses, an idyllic jungle waterfall. Put on your walking boots and hike to the top of the 1,467metre high La Grande Soufrière volcano or learn about the history of Guadeloupe in the excellent museum inside Fort Napoléon des Saintes, an imposing hilltop fortification offering incredible ocean views. Zoo de Guadeloupe au Parc des Mamelle, which is home to monkeys, parrots, anacondas, iguanas and the chance to feed racoons, is a big favourite with young holidaymakers and Karukera Land is another superb family attraction, boasting games, activities, animals and fabulous gardens.
There are several rum distilleries which are open to the public where you can learn about the history of rum-making in Guadeloupe and get to sample the produce. Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre also have an impressive range of shops for stocking up on duty-free goods before heading home. Guadeloupe is blessed with many jawdropping sandy beaches – the best among them include Grande Anse, Anse Laborde, Plage de Pompierre, Plage de Bananier and La Datcha Beach. Popular outdoor activities in Guadeloupe include hiking, snorkelling, biking, golf, tennis, scuba diving, caving, jeep safaris, ziplining, windsurfing and kayaking.