Top 15 beaches in southern Martinique

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Martinique, also known as Flower Island, is a French territorial collectivity in the Caribbean. It’s a picture-postcard landscape, with its turquoise beaches and tropical forests, but it’s also a very rich island with a troubled history.

In this article, I take you on a tour of the most beautiful beaches in the south of Martinique! There’s something for everyone: from wild beaches to the most popular, from black sand to white sand, via gray, from long beaches to intimate coves. You’re bound to find what you’re looking for. I’ve also listed all the snorkeling spots we’ve discovered – real nuggets!

Top 15 beaches in southern Martinique :

1 | Anse Mitan

Anse Mitan is located in the Trois Îles commune, at Pointe du Bout. It’s probably Martinique’s busiest beach.
It’s a white sandy beach lined with coconut palms and numerous houses, hotels and restaurants. The view over the bay of Fort-de-France is magnificent.

2 | Anse Noire

The only black sand beach in the south of the island. You have to climb down a flight of stairs to reach this little paradise.

It’s one of our favorite beaches in Martinique. A real favorite, nestled amid lush tropical vegetation with beautiful coconut palms.
The water is a little murky, but that didn’t stop us from encountering several turtles! Remember, they’re in their natural habitat, so don’t touch them or disturb them when they come to the surface to breathe!

3 | Anse Dufour

It’s a superb cove of golden sand, lined with colorful fishermen’s huts. Don’t forget your mask and snorkel for snorkeling: you can easily spot turtles. What we also loved about this beach was the magical sunset!

To access the two Anses (Dufour and Noire), you’ll need to park along the road, as there’s no parking available.

4 | Grande Anse-d’Arlet

Another superb beach. The small huts covered with corrugated iron shelters snacks and stalls. This is also where the boats leave for excursions (Dauphins Émotions, for example, which we particularly recommend).

A 200m-long underwater trail has been set up by the Conservatoire du Littoral near Cap Salomon for snorkeling enthusiasts. It is possible to park at the end of the path (although the sign indicates that the path is only accessible to locals). Parking is easy. Then, to access the underwater trail, you’ll have to climb down some steps for at least 10 minutes. You’ll come to signs indicating where the underwater trail starts. Enjoy your discovery!

5 | Les Anses-d’Arlet

This small fishing village is very picturesque, with its church and Creole houses facing the sea. The view from the end of the pontoon is superb: the sea, the little church of Saint-Henri, the beach and the mountain in the background – a real postcard landscape! We really enjoyed this beach, even if it is still touristy.

When you’re facing the sea, on the right of the pontoon there are rocks sticking out, and here you have a fabulous snorkeling spot. We spent hours swimming with all kinds of colorful fish. And if you’re lucky (like us!), you might even come across some turtles!

6 | Baie du Diamant

The town of Le Diamant takes its name from the diamond-shaped rock on its shores. With its 3 kilometers of beach, coconut palms and golden sand, Le Diamant looks like a picture-postcard setting in itself. However, there are quite a few waves and strong currents, so swimming is not recommended. We really enjoyed this beach, which is great for strolling along with your feet in the sand. The sunset is superb.

7 | Anse Corps de Garde

We made a quick stop on this beach but didn’t take any photos!

8 | Anse Figuier

This beach is a veritable little paradise in itself. Blue lagoon water, white sand and coconut palms along the shore. Not forgetting the extraordinary view of the Rocher du Diamant. The sea is extremely calm. For snorkeling enthusiasts, the seabed is well worth the detour. A good spot is on the left of the beach, along the rocks. We found this beach to be very lively (a little less intimate than others), with locals coming together for picnics and, it seems, vacation camps staying nearby.

9 | Pointe Borgnèse

Pointe Borgnèse is located in a marine nature reserve, making it a veritable sanctuary for seabed lovers, so don’t forget your masks and snorkels. The charm of this wild spot lies in the fact that there are no vendors, snack bars or roads here. The water is almost transparent, and with the sun, it’s as if you’re swimming in a lagoon.

Access: park in a small roadside parking lot and walk down a stony track for around ten minutes.

10 | Anse Caritan

Just outside the village of Sainte-Anne, you’ll find this magnificent white-sand beach, ideal for lazing around. We walked along the coast towards Grande Anse des Salines to find the famous wooden swing in the middle of the turquoise water. If you want your Instagram photo, this is the place to go!

11 | Grande Anse des Salines

The magnificent Grande Anse des Salines is the island’s most famous beach! A large beach of white sand, lined with coconut palms and turquoise water. We went there at the end of the day to watch the sunset as everyone else deserted the beach, and we weren’t disappointed! Unfortunately, this beach is a victim of its own success, and on weekends it’s very busy. I’ve heard that parking and finding a shady spot to put your towel down can be difficult.

12 | Anse Trabaud

To reach Anse Trabaud on foot, you need to hike the Savane des Pétrifications. Make sure you get there early, as the hike is in direct sunlight! So don’t forget your sun cream and take plenty of water! The desert scenery is fabulous! This 4km hike (2h walking time) starts from Anse à Prunes, an almost deserted and wild beach. At the start, you’ll have to cross a pontoon bridge, which can be tricky (you’ll have to walk on slippery rocks) depending on the tide. The path is not difficult to follow. On the outward journey we followed the coast to Anse Trabaud, and on the return journey we passed through the plain. Anse Trabaud is not very touristy. We didn’t go swimming, as there was unfortunately a lot of sargasso (seaweed)…

Parking : Quand vous arriverez à la plage de Grande Anse des Salines, prendre à gauche en longeant la mer en direction de Grande Terre des Salines. Garez vous au bout du parking, au niveau de la barrière. Le sentier commence dans le sous-bois.

13 | Îlet Chevalier

Our favorite of the trip!A little gem accessible by boat via Taxi-Cap (€4/adult and €2/child under 12).You disembark on this little island paradise via the pontoon, where the sand is white and the water turquoise.We spent the day on the island, picnic included.Don’t forget your sneakers for the 1-hour walk around the island – it’s well worth it, and the hike presents no difficulties apart from the fact that it’s partly in direct sunlight (so bring water too)!

14 | Anse Michel

One of our favorite beaches on this side of the island.The coral reef protects the seabed, the water is transparent and forms a lagoon with a breathtaking gradation of blue, where bathing is a breeze.It’s easy to get into the shade of the coconut palms.This beach is quite magical.However, you should be aware that, depending on sea currents, sargassum (seaweed) can spoil the picture-postcard view.

15 | Îlets et Fonds-Blancs

I recommend a boat trip to discover the islands and Fonds-Blancs!We rented a small boat that allowed us to discover the Baignoire de Joséphine, the îlet Madame… It was just superb, the landscapes are heavenly.Unfortunately, at weekends and in high season, this area is a victim of its own success.

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Where to sleep on the island of Martinique?

• “Villa Cocon Bleu, plage à pied Sainte Luce” which you can find on Booking (Sainte Luce – 8 people): charming, well-equipped villa. Featuring a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, it has pleasant rooms with air conditioning. The living room is spacious. The house is ideally located for visiting the south of the island. It is true to the photos, open to the outside.

• “Villa Patio Azur Les Trois îlets” which you can find on Booking (Les Trois-Îlets – 6 people): charming duplex house located in the peaceful Anse à l’Âne. It features an indoor patio with a large dining table, a living room and a private 4-seater Jacuzzi, providing the ideal setting for relaxation and conviviality.

• “Appartement pleine mer, face à la plage Saint Luce” which you can find on Booking (Sainte Luce – sleeps 4): Located on the top floor (only one floor to climb), this spacious apartment offers a breathtaking view of the Caribbean Sea. Enjoy direct access to a sandy beach! The residence, with its secure parking lot, also features a carbet and a communal green space.

• “Logement Pierre & Vacances Sainte Luce” which you can find on Booking (Saint-Anne): a lot of travel blogs recommend staying at the Pierre & Vacances village in Saint-Anne. It’s true that the location is superb, but the nights are quite expensive. It’s a budget to plan for.

• Little Joy House (Diamant – 2 people): I can wholeheartedly recommend this rental in Le Diamant, which is managed by Clarisse. The apartment is top-notch, very well equipped and laid out, clean and well located. You have access to a swimming pool which is part of the communal areas. Our favorite feature is the very pleasant terrace. In short, we really liked this apartment. Clarisse is a lovely host who welcomed us very well and was very accommodating. Many thanks again to her. (booking link) !

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Thanks for reading!

Mylène

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