• Pointe-à-Pitre, the commercial capital of Guadeloupe, is situated on the island of Grande-Terre. This gracious town has a pleasant square at its core, the Place de la Victoire, which is surrounded by a busy market and, further out, the docks. The Pavillion d’Exposition de Bergevin and the Centre Cultural Rémy Nainsouta are two interesting museums in the town. Also worth visiting is the Schoelcher Museum, dedicated to Victor Schoelcher who is accredited for his work in abolishing slavery. At Fort Fleur d’Épée, there are some fascinating underground caves. The Guadeloupe Aquarium is just off the main highway, and to the north of these is the old sugar town of Sainte-Anne.

• On Grande-Terre, the Porte d'Enfer (Gate of Hell) is a jagged piece of coastline with a stunning view. Further on, La Pointe de la Grande Vigie also overlooks a spectacular scene of white cliffs by the ocean.

• See the Sainte-Marie de Capesterre and the Hindu temple to its south in Basse-Terre, where it may be possible to see religious ceremonies taking place.

• On Basse-Terre, visitors must venture into the National Park of Guadeloupe near St-Claude. This 30,000-hectare (74,000-acre) park is situated at the base of La Soufrière, a dormant volcano. In the rainforests there are some good walking and picnic areas. Sites of interest include the Cascade Ecrévisses, Parc Bras David, a zoo and botanical gardens.

• Explore the town of Basse-Terre itself, a beautiful old French colonial town, situated at the foot of La Soufrière. The St-Charles Fort is of French military architecture, built in 1605, and now restored and converted into a museum. The cathedral and market place are also worth seeing. Three monuments of interest in the town are The Prefecture, the General Council and the Palace of Justice.

• Travel westwards on the island of Basse-Terre and discover the tallest waterfalls in the Caribbean: the three Chutes de Cabet are an impressive 350ft (107m) tall.

• Wander around the Domaine de Valombreuse, near Petit Bourg on Basse-Terre, which offers a 2.4-hectare (6-acre) park of over 100 different species of plants and flowers.

• Go to the beach. For some quietude, head for any of the 14 stunning white sand beaches on the small island of St-Barthélemy, which is formed from steep hills and corresponding steep valleys that are rich in vegetation and flora. The former capital, Le Moule, on Grande-Terre also possesses one of Guadeloupe's most beautiful beaches.

• Marigot is the French capital of the island of St-Martin and is a haven of Creole architecture. Grand Case is another small Creole village by the sea with traditional gourmet and arts and crafts. In Marigot, the Fort Louis was built in 1765 to protect the town from the English but now has a superb lookout point. It has a bustling market selling fruits, vegetables, fishes, spices and arts and crafts.

• Look out from Paradise Peak, the highest point on St-Martin (424m/1,391 ft), situated halfway between Grand Case and Marigot. Leading to the peak is Lottery Farm, which has mountain landscapes and rainforest and is home to thousands of plant species as well as iguanas, humming birds, monkeys and mongoose.

• Not to be missed is the Butterfly Farm at Galion on St-Martin. In the specially built butterfly sphere there are landscaped gardens, waterfalls, ponds, Japanese fish and beautiful music. Early in the morning it may be possible to see butterflies emerging from their chrysalis and taking their first flight.

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