About this leg:
-March 15 to 27, 2025
-13 days
-On tall ship Twister
-Over the Caribbean Sea from Martinique to Saint Martin
-Accommodation on board the ship
-Island hopping, in consultation with the passengers and crew
-Price: from € 2.900,-
-All meals on board, port dues, etc. included
We start our journey on Martinique, an Overseas department of France. French is the official language here and baguettes and croissants are paid in Euros. Martinique is called 'the Island of Flowers' and rightly so; the flora is abundant. Most areas are hilly and covered in jungle complete with liana vines and there is even a real cloud forest. Nightlife on Martinique is also impressive, there are many bars and restaurants to be found.
We can’t stay long though, we still have a lot of exploring ahead of us. We raise our sails and set course for Dominica, an island paradise and a well-known eco-tourism destination. The volcanoes on Dominica are so steep and mountainous that much of the rain forest has been spared deforestation for wood and to make way for plantations. Streams undulate and fall over the rocks. Multicoloured birds sing amid metres high ferns, liana vines and forest giants. If you make the effort of climbing and sliding through the forest, you will encounter a surrealistic phenomenon: wisps of steam rise up from cracks and holes in the volcanic mountains and the air is redolent of rotten eggs. Volcanic sources feed the streams with warm water. And on top of the mountain a crate lake bubbles away. The island is home to around a thousand plant species, among which many flowers, and 195 bird species. Mammals are virtually non-existent; only bats and sea mammals such as the sperm whale, Caribbean manatee and humpback whale make their appearance.
We sail northwards. Guadeloupe is not one island, but rather a group of larger and smaller, inhabited and uninhabited islands, among which Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, La Désirade, Marie-Galante and Les Saintes and the Petite Terre Islands. The latter can only be reached by boat. These islands are famous for their sandy white palm beaches. Human habitation is absent, but they are home to well over 10.000 iguanas. It is one of the more exceptional destinations on our possible itinerary. Possible, because on this journey, we choose our destinations together. There are so many highlights here, we simply cannot visit them all. Passengers are encouraged to pass on their preferences and wishes, so we can plan accordingly. The ship and crew are at your service and will do their utmost to make this journey a dream come true for everyone!
After weighing anchor at Guadeloupe, it’s time for some serious sailing. On the longer hauls, we can decide to sail through the night. Nights at sea are magical. When it gets dark, we turn on our navigation lights to enhance our visibility for other ships. Those ships are also lit up with merry white, green and red lights, which makes navigating ever so much easier. Sunrises at sea beat every comparison.
This area abounds in beautiful islands we can explore, such as Antigua and Barbuda, both a bit more luxurious, with beautiful reefs and tropical fish. Saint Kitts and Nevis are still quite pristine. The railway tracks that were used to transport sugar from the plantations in the past, can now be traversed to explore the island.
Saint Eustace, or as it’s locally called, Statia, is home to a huge underwater nature reserve featuring pristine coral reefs and 18th century ship wrecks. Sea horses, stingrays, sharks and sea turtles abound. The island lies along a Humpback whale migration route, which means chances are we meet with a pod or two. If you want to learn about the (Dutch) colonial history, head to one of Saint Eustace’s museums.
Saint Barthélemy is a jet set island, which can be easily deducted from the many megayachts that dot the coastline. Moviestars, photomodels and other celebrities grace the beaches. The island is popular for good reason; the surroundings are stunning, it boasts every aspect of the Caribbean imaginable and as a bonus, it offers entertainent such as high-end restaurants and classy bars.
We end our leg where the Netherlands meets France: Saint Martin.
