Guadeloupe & Dominica on a Wind Surf cruise
From the archive. Published April 13, 2017. Details may have changed since.
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01 A French couple kayaks in Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe, in the Caribbean. © Special to Cruiseable -
02 Water sports on a spring morning in Îles des Saintes (Isle of Saints), Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
03 A spectacular turquoise lagoon in the French archipelago of Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
04 The 310-passenger Wind Surf in Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
05 The pretty, classic waterfront of Les Saintes Bay, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
06 Hobie Cat watercraft in Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
07 A stunning sunset in Dominica seen during a Wind Surf cruise. © Special to Cruiseable -
08 Colorful houses line the western coastline of Dominica. © Special to Cruiseable -
09 Houses enveloped by a tropical rainforest hug the western coastline of Dominica. © Special to Cruiseable -
10 An early morning mist shrouds the western coastline of Dominica. © Special to Cruiseable -
11 A Mediterranean vibe infuses the French territory of Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
12 Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory, is an island group in the southern Caribbean. © Special to Cruiseable -
13 Our tour guide, Marike, who speaks English, French and two other languages, tells the shore excursion participants about Guadeloupe. © JD Lasica / Special to Cruiseable -
14 Wind Surf passengers go for a spin in a speedboat in Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
15 A closeup of the sleek premium ship Wind Surf in Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable -
16 Odell, a diving instructor who accompanied snorkelers during an excursion in Dominica on the sport fishing boat Sharpshooter. © Special to Cruiseable -
17 Pretty red-tiled houses line the waterfront of Îles des Saintes, Guadeloupe. © Special to Cruiseable
During our weeklong Caribbean cruise on Windstar Cruises' flagship Wind Surf, which ended April 1, two of the remarkable islands on the itinerary were Guadeloupe (first time for me) and Dominica (which I'd been to on a Silversea cruise in December).
I grouped them together here for a Visual List because they have this in common: They are drop-dead gorgeous.
I particularly enjoyed Îles des Saintes (Isle of Saints), or Les Saintes, which had a distinctive French flair as part of Guadeloupe, a longtime overseas territory. We didn't have time for Pain de Sucre Beach, Grand Anse Beach or a visit to the 19th-century Fort Napoléon. But 10 of us did enjoy a morning "Guadeloupe by Catamaran" sightseeing and snorkeling excursion led by a charming French native who moved to Guadeloupe long ago.
The waters were some of the clearest I've ever snorkeled in, and we spied rich beds of coral along with hundreds of brightly colored fish such as triggerfish, butterflyfish, papillon and even a weird-looking squid (of course, the squid probably thought the same of us). At one point, while getting a little too relaxed lazing in the waters, my mask fell off and a French couple dove beneath the turquoise waters to recover it.
Dominica, too, was enchanting. Not for nothing is it called the "Nature Isle of the Caribbean" for its unspoiled natural beauty, due in part to the 300-plus days of rainfall per year. By the way, Americans typically call it do-MIN-i-ca, but it's pronounced do-mi-NEEK-a.
Have you been to either? Let me know in the comments, and enjoy the photos!
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