Only 15 kilometers (nine miles) separate Guadeloupe from the Îles des Saintes (or, commonly, Les Saintes), but the two can feel worlds apart. While Guadeloupe is lush and bustling, the small islands in this archipelago are dry and quiet and a certain relaxed joie de vivre is inescapable. In the main town, the village of Terre-de-Haut, meals of grilled fish are paired with cold rosé and views of the pretty harbor. Your activity for the day will likely consist of nothing more strenuous than a walk to the 19th-century Fort Napoléon, on a hill above town, or a stroll to a nearby beach.
