Language

French is the official language, but Creole is also widely spoken by the locals. Those who work in the tourism industry speak English.

Currency

The euro is the official currency of Guadeloupe. Bank notes are available in denominations of €5, 20, 10, 200, 50, 100, and 500, while coins come in 1 and 2 euro and 1, 2, 10, 5, 50, and 20 cents. All towns have ATMs, and major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club, and American Express) are accepted. Travelers’ checks can be used in most places, but to avoid extra charges, make sure they're written in euros. Some establishments also accept Canadian and US dollar checks.

Time

UTC -4.

Electricity

Guadeloupe uses the Type E and Type F Schucko and the Type C Europlug. Some areas have the Indian Type D socket. The voltage is 220 to 240 Volts. Bring a travel adapter and converter if the plugs of your appliances or gadgets do not match the shape of these outlets.

Communications

The country code for Guadeloupe is +590, and all telephone numbers have 10 digits. Landlines start with 0590, while cell numbers start with 0690. Only a few foreign mobile service providers offer international roaming in Guadeloupe so in case yours does not, you can always buy a prepaid SIM card in the island. Orange Caraibe and Bouygues Telecom Caraibe are the two main operators. Internet access is available in most hotels, and there are internet cafés in Sainte Anne, Saint-Francois, Point-a-Pitre, and Mare-Gaillard. Some public buildings and large post offices also have internet access terminals.

Duty-free

You may import 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, or 250 grams of tobacco, and one liter of spirits, two liters of wine, or two liters of alcoholic beverages with 22 percent alcoholic content into Guadeloupe without incurring customs duty, as long as you are over 17 years of age. Vegetables and plants are among the banned items, along with food and animals from Haiti.

Tourist Office

Tourist Board Council of the Guadeloupe Islands, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-82-09-30 or http://www.lesilesdeguadeloupe.com

Consulates in Guadeloupe

US Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-90-22-44
British Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-82-57-57 or +590-82-89-23
German Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-21-28-39
Belgian Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-82-13-87
Denmark Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-32-19-82
Dutch Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-38-75-00 or +590-38-75-01
Haitian Consulate, Pointe-a-Pitre: +590-89-35-80

Emergency

Emergency services: 112
Police: 17 or +590-82-00-59 (Pointe-a-Pitre)
Fire: 18 or +590-89-77-17 (Pointe-a-Pitre)
Special emergency medical service or SAMU: 15