Basse-Terre Island - Guadeloupe National Park Parc National de la Guadeloupe

One of six French National Parks, Parc National de la Guadeloupe on Basse-Terre Island is a tropical forest preserve 33,500 ha / 82,745 ac in size. It was established in 1971 and now draws an average of over one million visitors per year.

The hiker can sample some of the 300 km of walkable paths. The photographer can capture the peaks of la Soufrière (1,467 m / 4,812 ft) and Col de la Matéliane (1,298 m / 4,257 ft), a wide range of flora and fauna, from 100 species of orchids to 11 species of bats, and much else. The birdwatcher can look for the black woodpecker, the pearly-eyed thrasher, the lesser Antillean pewee, and many others.