Guadeloupe is the destination you should tell none of your friends about. It’s hiding in plain sight between St. Maarten and Dominica, a series of islands that offer multiple destinations in one.
Basse Terre and Grande Terre are the two main islands, connected by a bridge and leading you to colonial French architecture, Caribbean spice markets, and Guadaloupe National Park. Les Saintes, La Desirade, and Marie-Galante islands come straight out of the south of France, where you’ll spend hours gazing at the sea, slowly sipping at an open-air cafe.
Just a few hours south of Miami, the islands are somehow ignored by Americans — and the locals here don’t mind ignoring the tourists as well. Brush up on your French, get ready for Paris-level pastries, and expect that special kind of grit that comes with being off the radar.