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France has the best air connection with Guadeloupe - several local and international carriers fly directly between Paris and Point-à-Pitre. Canadian and American travelers can fly directly on Air France or Air Canada; those taking other carriers must connect at San Juan, Puerto Rico. Several carriers fly between Guadeloupe and other Caribbean islands: Air Caraïbes, the national airline, flies to Caribbean islands including Martinique, St Barths, St Lucia and St Martin. Antigua-_base_d LIAT and Air Antilles Express also connect Guadeloupe with other parts of the Caribbean. There's no departure tax. 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.
There are a couple of ways to get to/from Guadeloupe by boat. L'Express des îles runs modern catamarans between Guadeloupe, Martinique, Dominica and St Lucia. Brudey Frères runs a daily catamaran service from Guadeloupe to Martinique and Dominica, plus a weekly service to St Lucia. Cruise ships dock at Pointe-à-Pitre.
Like its eastern Caribbean kin, Guadeloupe experiences quite evenly spread rainfall during the year, with a wetter season between July and November which coincides with hurricane season. In the more mountainous areas, rainfall becomes substantially heavier. Tropical heat is the norm for Guadeloupe, bringing constant highs of around 32°C (89°F) that drop to 20°C (68°F) at night.
At a higher altitude, Basse-Terre is both cooler and rainier than Grande-Terre. Its highest point, La Soufrière, averages 990cm (390in) of rain a year. Trade winds, called alizés, often temper the climate.
Guadeloupe is a lively center of Creole culture, boasting a spirited blend of French and African influences. As well known for its sugar and rum as for its dive sites and resorts, the archipelago offers an interesting mix of modern cities, rural hamlets, rainforests and secluded beaches.
One of the most urbanized of the region's islands, you'll need to scratch beneath the French polish to get a grip on Guadeloupe's Creole core. Away from the tourist hub, the buzz of insects in the banana groves and the whiff of coconut rum will put you firmly back on Caribbean time.
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