Great Sailing Vacation in Martinique

Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea.Martinique is also one of the twenty-six regions of France and an integral part of the Republic. As part of France, Martinique is part of the European Union, and its currency is the Euro.It has a land area of 1,128 square km and a population of around 402,000.

A sailing vacation in Martinique is just one of the showcases in the French Caribbean. Not only will tourists be able to enjoy the flawless beaches, lush forests, beautiful flowers and coral reefs but also the culture and panache of French culture. There are four places to visit here when you decide to go inland.

First is the capital itself that is Fort-de-France. There are a lot of old churches here like the St. Louis Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Sacre-Coeur de Balata Cathedral, that is a replica of the original in France, the Bibliotheque Schoelcher, which was built for the 1889 Paris Exposition, and then shipped to Martinique and reassembled, or the beautiful La Savane, a large park with walkways, views, and a marble statue of Empress Josephine.

Second is Saint-Pierre that was once the island's capital before it was badly damaged by the volcanic eruption more than a century ago. The beaches here are quite different because where else on earth will you be able to walk on sand that are grey or black in color.

Third is the the Anse Turin beach just to the south which has grey sand, jungles nearby, and the Musee Paul Gauguin, and the Anse Ceron beach that is a short drive on the north, has black sandy beaches, coconut palms, and some fantastic diving.

Fourth is The Grand-Riviere which is a fishing village situated on the cliffs on the northern tip of the island. It has some scenic roadways, which help to relax the mind. The tourist booth called the Syndicat d'initiative offers some group hikes up to the nearby Mont Pelee, or you can fish or even try a little surfing while you're here.

You won't have a problem looking for charter companies as there are plenty of them on the island. The best place will probably be Port de Plaisance which can be found in Le Marin in the south that happens to be the biggest and most well-equipped marina on the island.

There is also a port at Pointe du Bout, which is located across from Fort de France, and there are ports in Le Robert and Le Francois on the Atlantic, and in Sainte-Anne, on the south of the island.

To give you an idea of what is being offered, there are three types of boats to choose from namely bareboats, skippered boats, and crewed.

Bareboat - In order for you to rent a bareboat, you must present a license so the company knows that their vessel will be returned in piece. They usually don't come with extras like kayaks or scuba equipment so you will have to rent these separately.

Skippered Boat - Skippered boats on the other hand come with a captain who will serve as both your guide and navigator. The cost of getting one is almost the same as a crewed boat but it does not include any meals.

Crewed Charter - For those who have money, then go with a crewed charter. This is because everything you need will be taken cared of including the food so sit back, relax and enjoy the ride.

You should be careful when you are going on a sailing vacation in Martinique and the nearby area so as not to cause damage to the vessel or the coral reefs. A bigger danger you should be aware of is the harsh weather during the summer as this causes choppy waves since it is hurricane season. The important thing is for you to have a safe journey while you are in the water until you return to port.