Point du Vue, Baie du Marin, Martinique
Our hectic and often haphazard style of uncommon travel often leaves little time to stop and smell any roses, be they proverbial or otherwise. We’re seemingly always rushing off to try our hand at something new, investigate some odd rumor picked up along our travels, or tempt fate sampling exotic West Indian food and drink. (Snake and grasshopper bush rum, anyone?) The last time I found myself driving in southern Martinique, though, I just had to stop right here, sit at that picnic table beneath that Flamboyant tree, and do nothing for a good 30–40 minutes. True to its name, Point du Vue, Baie du Marin provides a positively magnificent view of Marin Bay. Just across the way, Club Med Buccaneer’s Creek peeks out from among the hundreds of towering coconut palms that dot the property. To the left, the town of Marin and the famed Marin Yacht Harbour Marina, one of the finest ports in the Eastern Caribbean for provisioning, retrofitting, repairs, and fun. The calm waters of the bay and the marina ensure a steady stream of boat traffic here, the entire intoxicating scene demanding the attention of even the busiest travelers.