Ilet La Biche, Guadeloupe: Uncommon Attraction
You see them all over the Caribbean – crumbling little makeshift shacks sitting atop small, sandy atolls. They’re usually located just offshore fishing villages, and with good reason.
Fishermen erected and have mostly maintained these huts over the generations, using them as veritable clubhouses at sea where they could drink, play dominoes, and enjoy other manly pursuits away from prying eyes.
Such a setting might appear off-limits to non-locals. Not this one.
This is Ilet La Biche, one of 11 tiny islets nestled in Guadeloupe’s Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin. The picturesque bay covers 58 square miles set between the northeastern edge of Basse-Terre and the northwestern shores of Grand-Terre.
Islet-hopping and exploring the bay’s mangroves via kayaks and small boats can make for a full day of fun here. When you need a rest, I’m told the fishermen in the area don’t mind visitors to their little shack on La Biche at all.
A little rhum, a few rounds of dominoes, absolutely pristine surrounds… la sweet joie de vivre at sea.
*Lead photo credit: Flickr user Sandrine Néel.