Le Marin, Martinique

The yachting capital of Martinique, Le Marin sits at the head of a deep bay and has one of the largest marinas in the Caribbean. At the center of town is one of the area’s few historic sights, the 18th-century stone church of Église Saint-Étienne, whose design suggests an overturned ship’s hull. Businesses in Le Marin are oriented to sailors and yachtsmen, who enjoy the lively ambience in the waterfront bars and clubs. The nearby peninsula of Sainte-Anne is home to the island’s best beaches, the celebrated Grande Anse des Salines among them. Steps from those famous sands, La Savane des Pétrifications is a protected nature area of colorful rocks and desert-like formations on the site of ancient marshes and an even older volcano. This petrified savannah is one of the stops along the Trace des Caps hiking path that follows Martinique’s southern shores. West of Le Marin, Le Morne Gommier offers beautiful panoramic views of the island.