When we arrived at Le Marin, Martinique, our first port of call in the Caribbean, our first impression was underwhelming; it did not match the idyllic Caribbean scenery we had unconsciously anticipated. Some women may not be stunning at first glance, but the more you get to know them, the more charming and captivating they become. Martinique is one of those.

As newcomers to the Caribbean (beyond the BVI) and the cruising life in general, we didn’t fully appreciate everything that Le Marin had to offer at the time. After spending some time in much of the Caribbean, we often find ourselves missing Le Marin for its well-stocked chandleries, dinghy-accessible supermarkets, and reasonably priced restaurants and boutiques. Le Marin is a technical stop, as some cruisers call it, that offered necessities, conveniences, and a safe harbor for repairs and upgrades.

For Amel boat owners, Le Marin is particularly special, as it serves as Amel’s Caribbean base. La Marina du Marin even features an “Amel” dock, where our boat, Juno, was docked alongside at least ten other Amel boats, making us feel quite special. We spent three weeks in Le Marin provisioning, making multiple upgrades, and carrying out minor repairs on Juno. Robert, the captain, regretted not taking more advantage of the well stocked chandlers, some of which catered much more specifically to the intricacies of our Amel boat, in terms of spare parts!

While in Le Marin, we rented a car for a few days and toured around Martinique. With the mountainous terrain, the island seemed much larger than the map indicated. We visited some sites noted as must-sees, such as Balata Garden, Habitation Clement, and Phare de La Caravelle.

We also visited the less touristy part of Martinique, the east coast of the island, and hiked to Phare de La Caravelle.

After our hike to the lighthouse, we had an excellent lunch at Cocoa Beach Café. This was the best meal we had during our 2025 visit to Martinique.

Just around the corner from Le Marin’s main harbor lies Sainte-Anne, a small but charming town with multiple beaches, restaurants, and an excellent gelato shop called Ti Plezi, which is French-Creole, for the French “Petit Plaisir” or in English, “Small (simple) Pleasure”. The anchorage in front of Sainte-Anne is spacious and well-protected in trade wind conditions, with clear water. Anchoring here was our first experience of being on the hook on board Juno in Caribbean waters. Life was easy, and the sunsets were mesmerizing. To stretch our legs, we hiked along the coast, discovering several picturesque coves and a few beaches where locals, some of whom prefer to be fully naked, party and enjoy the sun.

Le Marin in Martinique was the ideal first port for us in the Caribbean. It provided nearly everything we needed to embrace this new lifestyle.