What’s so special about this lagoon?
The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin sits between Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre, the two « wings » of Guadeloupe. A 29 km barrier reef, the longest in the Lesser Antilles, keeps the open sea out. The whole area belongs to the National Park.
People tend to rush past the mangrove, which is a shame. It’s a nursery for the reef, really. Little fish grow up among the roots and only move out once they’re big enough. You’ll see herons and egrets picking through the shallows, pelicans diving, frigatebirds circling way up. And the trees act as a sea wall: storms hit them before they hit the coast.
How the morning (or afternoon) goes
We leave from the port of Sainte-Rose with 12 people at most on board. We start with the mangrove. Your captain cuts the engine down to a crawl and points things out as we go: red, black and white mangrove, crabs clinging to the roots, birds up in the branches.
Then we head out into the lagoon. You’ll get in the water 4 times. Two of those are snorkelling stops, on the coral reef and over an old shipwreck: fins, mask, snorkel and a pool noodle, and you just float on the surface watching the fish in crystal-clear water. The other two, at Îlet Caret and Petite Biche, are places where you can stand. Swim, paddle around, or put your face in the water if you feel like it.
On the way, we stop right next to Îlet Blanc and Îlet aux Oiseaux. Nobody lands there: Îlet Blanc is closed to the public until 30 September 2027 so its plants can grow back, and we stopped landing there more than two years ago anyway.
We finish at Petite Biche, knee-deep in the water, with fruit juice and our homemade planteur (a rum punch, made with rum from Sainte-Rose).
Morning trips run from 8:30 to 12:30, afternoon trips from 1:30 to 5:30. Meet us at our hut on the port 20 minutes before: put “Gwadaventure” into Waze or Google Maps, and park for free right opposite.
Before you come
Throw a swimsuit, a towel and a hat in your bag, with sunglasses, reef-safe sun cream and something to drink. Got a waterproof camera? Bring it. Fins, masks and snorkels are on us.
Prices
It’s €60 for adults (€65 in high season) and €40 for children up to 10. Pick a day in the calendar near the top.
Want the boat just for your family or friends? Call us on +590 690 99 69 54 and we’ll sort out a private trip.
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Our rules out there
In the Park’s core zone we moor on the Park’s buoys and never anchor. Outside it, we only anchor on sand, well away from seagrass and coral. Turtles and birds get their space: we watch, we don’t feed. It’s their home, we’re just visiting.
Questions people ask us
Is Gwadaventure allowed in the National Park?
Yes, we’re on the Park’s official list of motorboat operators for the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin.
Can I bring my kids?
Of course. Families come out with us all the time, and there’s a child rate up to age 10.
I’m not a strong swimmer. Is that a problem?
Not at all. When snorkelling you stay on the surface with a pool noodle holding you up. Two of the stops are places where you can stand. Prefer to stay dry? Plenty of people do, and the view from the boat is lovely. The trip is made for everyone: sporty or not, teenagers, little ones and our senior friends.
Will we see turtles?
Quite often, but no promises: they’re wild animals, so we never guarantee them.
Anything else from Sainte-Rose?
Our full-day trip to Les Saintes: breakfast at Pain de Sucre, the village of Terre-de-Haut, Fort Joséphine, a swim at Terre-de-Bas and a sunset on the way back. Have a look.
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Questions? Call or WhatsApp us: +590 690 99 69 54 · booking@gwadaventure.fr
