North America
Rainforest volcano, rum estates and beaches with a French accent.
Martinique is a French island with a Creole soul. In the north, Mont Pelée looms over the ruins of Saint-Pierre, destroyed by its eruption in 1902, and rainforest roads lead past the Balata garden. The drier south has the long white sand of Les Salines, the fishing village of Les Anses-d'Arlet and views of Diamond Rock offshore.
Food mixes French technique with Creole flavours: accras, colombo curries and grilled fish, with rhum agricole from estates such as Habitation Clément. Fort-de-France is the hub, but a car makes the island far easier. December to May is the dry season; July to November is wetter and hurricane-prone, with September the riskiest month.
January, February, March, April, December.