Guadeloupe Travel Guide

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Cuisine

Local food on Guadeloupe is a wonderful mix of French meets Creole with a bit of African and South-East Asian thrown in. It's often hot and spicy, with lots of fish specialties. Dishes include lobster, turtle, red snapper, conch and sea urchin. The more formal restaurants will require appropriate dress.

Things to know: There are no licensing restrictions.

Island specialties:
• Boudin Creole (a spicy blood sausage).
• Goat Colombo (a dish based on an Indian curry).
• Calaloo (soup made with bacon and spinach-like greens).
• La Creole (fish stew similar to the French bouillabaisse).
• Accras (fritters made from cod or vegetables).

Island drinks:
• Rum punch (a brew of rum, lime, bitter and syrup).
• French wines.
• Champagnes.
• Liqueurs.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 15% is often included on the bill.

Nightlife

There are plenty of restaurants, bars and discos, with displays of local dancing and music. The famous dance of the island is called the Biguine, where colorful and ornate Creole costumes are still worn. Guadeloupe's main resort is Le Gosier, on Grande-Terre, which is full of small restaurants that come alive at nightfall to the sound of zouk - a style of music developed in the French Caribbean. There are two casinos on Guadeloupe, in Gosier and St François. Opening hours are 2030-0300. Slots open at 1000.