If you really want to get away from the winter chill, think about heading for a cruising or charter vacation in Martinique, the French-Caribbean haven in the Lesser Antilles, about 440 miles south of Puerto Rico. The beaches are beautiful (see Les Salines, above), the cruising is easy, and life on shore is an exotic combination of French flair and laid-back Caribbean vibes.
If cruising down there on your own is too far, there are direct flights from New York, Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Then you can check into The Moorings for a bareboat or crewed charter. Seven nights on a bareboat Moorings 514 PC four-cabin power catamaran costs $10,955, for example, and there are many other sail and power charters available.
Located between St. Lucia and Dominica in the Lesser Antilles, Martinique has lush rainforests, great views from the peaks of Carbet and Mont Pelée, and a handful of hot springs. It has a tropical climate and almost ideal cruising conditions. North-easterly trade winds blow all year, and navigation is line of sight. The shorelines are dazzling, anchorages are not far apart, and there are enough buoys and mooring balls to make cruising easy.
Martinique also has great snorkeling; there’s even a manmade sculpture park at Saint-Pierre. And you can always relax with a tour of Habitation Clement’s antique rum distillery.
Here’s a story from Forbes, called six reasons why you should choose Martinique for a winter break. The first is Les Salines, which “is simply one of the most beautiful beaches in the world,” according to Forbes. “Because it’s still unspoiled, a stretch of soft blond sand fringed by coconut trees where one can lounge, swim or sit in the shade, gnawing on accras (cod fritters) and sipping old rum punch before lunch. The (mostly) tranquil water remains at about 80 degrees.” Read more:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sylviebigar/2018/10/01/six-reasons-why-you-should-choose-martinique-for-your-winter-escape/?utm_campaign=TM%20GL%20-%20Destination-Caribbean&utm_content=80526658&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-247916733160#5a7b9c4a6bdf
