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Martinique is truly "a little bit of France in the Caribbean Islands." Martinique exudes a distinctly French feeling, in the excellence of its Caribbean cuisine, the beauty of its language, the grace of its streets and gardens. Yet Martinique has a cachet all its own, an endearing West Indian warmth in its personality, a special spice in its Caribbean music and dance, its local dishes, and its way of life. Martinique is an island with style. Islanders wear Paris fashions and eat croissants. Zouk music pouring out of tape players, bars and nightclubs will remind you, however, that Martiniquans have a culture of their own, solidly based on West Indian Creole traditions.

Martinique is warm year-round, with temperatures usually peaking close to 30°C (around 86°F) during the day. The best time to visit Martinique is the slightly cooler, drier season of late winter to early spring (February to May) when temperatures average about 26°C (78°F). Note that this is also the peak tourist season and prices for hotels will be at their highest and attractions and lodgings most crowded.

The island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000 inhabitants. In the South of the island, there are many beautiful beaches with a lot of tourists. In the North, the rain forests and the black sand beaches are worth seeing. The interior of the island is mountainous.