Getting Around

Guadeloupe Pole Caraïbes Airport is 6km (4mi) north of Pointe-à-Pitre. There are car rental agencies and a taxi stand at the airport. An airport bus runs about twice an hour to Pointe-à-Pitre on weekdays.

Guadeloupe has a good public bus system that operates from early morning to early evening with fairly frequent service on main routes. On Sunday service is much lighter and there are no buses on most secondary routes. Taxis are plentiful but expensive. There are taxi stands at the airport in Pointe-à-Pitre and in Basse-Terre. Larger hotels commonly have taxis assigned to them and the drivers wait in the lobby.

Renting a car is a good way to get around Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre. Several agencies have offices at the airport and in major resort areas. Drive on the right; your home driver's license is valid. Renting a motorcycle can be fun on Terre-de-Haut and Marie-Galante since there are few autos on the road. If you want to travel at a slower pace on Marie-Galante or La Désirade try renting a scooter or a bicycle. There are buses on Marie-Galante every day but Sunday.

Getting between Guadeloupe and its associated islands is easiest by ferry. There's service between Pointe-à-Pitre and Les Saintes Saint-François Trois-Rivières and Marie-Galante. There are also ferry routes between Saint-François and Marie-Galante and La Désirade. Flying between the islands is faster but not necessarily more convenient. Air Guadeloupe has daily flights between Pointe-à-Pitre and Marie-Galante La Désirade and Terre-de-Haut.