Guadeloupe

[TeaAndHobnob]

Anyone been?

We're due for a voucher from KLM for flights we couldn't take this year and next Feb is a big birthday for me. Never been to the Caribbean but I didn't fancy a big AI resort. It's a long way to go for a week but that's the max time I can take.

Everything I book will be fully cancelable so I'm not worried about that side but any tips would be great.

@TeaAndHobnob

There are plenty of villas for hire (self-catering) and small hotels with apartments (with small kitchen facilities) and pool. I would look for place where they have mosquito nets above bed.
You will need to hire a car as anywhere you go is at least 15-20 minutes driving distance. Buses between villages/small towns are unreliable and not air conditioned.
You will need the strongest mosquito repellent spray you can find - you will be eaten alive by those mosquitoes. Watch out for scolopendras - their stings are nasty and require hospital treatment, hence wear slippers even in the shower! (especially if you are in villa and are on the ground level).
Do not sit under coconut trees looking for shade (coconuts might fall on your head).
November to May is tourist season; the rest of the months is raining heavily and can be windy (possibility of hurricane).

I didn't really like it. If it is a KLM voucher , why not go to St Bart instead?

Why didn't you like it?

Thanks @LaughingDonkey - I've just googled scolopendras

@TeaAndHobnob I was quite disappointed by the beaches having previously been to the Domenican Republic and the Bahamas.
The Inland was beautiful, very green but We went there for the beaches and it wasn't that great.
The main thing that left a bad taste was being the street harassment when I was walking alone early in the morning (7-ish bright daylight ) on my way to the bakery for croissant or the market for fruit , those groups of men, saying unpleasant things (mainly calling me chienne which is a nasty French insult). One morning I was walking back with fruit and one of these groups in a car swerved towards me and made me fall. I stopped going out alone after that, as this never happened when I was with my husband.

That's horrible @LeGrandBleu no wonder that spoiled the trip.

I have no previous to compare to with the beaches really, but it's a shame you were disappointed. I quite fancy doing some walking, looks like there's a few Caribbean islands with good hiking trails, we go on a lot of hiking holidays normally.

Isn't St Bart's supposed to be super expensive? I cba with all that tbh. Unless my impression is unfair!

If you could go on a holiday anywhere in the Caribbean where would you go? I only picked Guadeloupe (and I think Martinique would fit the bill too) as I got the impression it was a bit more low key as a destination than some others.

Bahamas or Aruba. But that was more than 10 years ago. No idea if hurricanes have done damage.

These two for the beauty of landscape and paradise beaches. However we had a great holiday in the Dominican Republic and prices there should a lot more affordable. A zillion palm tree.

I am not a hiker so no clue about liking trails in any of these.

Avoid Curaçao, very rocky.