Basse Terre, Guadeloupe

Basse-Terre is Guadeloupe's capital and more scenic of the country's main butterfly shaped island. Visitors can travel along the coasts or into the national park, an ecological spread covering one-fifth of Guadeloupe's total terrain. The park has a lush rain forest, a sparkling waterfall and pond, and a zoo and botanical garden. It also has a rum museum and working sugar factory. There are miles of white-sand beaches, and offshore Pigeon Island is suitable for diving. From Basse-Terre there are great views of La Soufriere, a dormant volcano located seven miles away. For active visitors, Guadeloupe offers practically every sport imaginable, including golf, tennis, squash, biking, hiking horseback riding, scuba diving, sailing, snorkeling, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing, water skiing, yachting and plenty of spectator sports. Those who love to party will find nightclubs and discos in most large hotels and the island's casinos. Guadeloupe is called one of the culinary capitals of the Caribbean.