Martinique surf is for the slab chasers looking for an island that can offer bigger barrels than many other Caribbean locations. There are one or two beginner spots. The winter is the top season – come between November and March to get the best conditions.
An introduction to Martinique surf
There sure is surf in Martinique. Nearly 20 named spots run the shoreline on the eastern and northern sides of the island, which is where you find the main exposure to the Atlantic swell channels that pulse and pump virtually all year round, but especially when there are storms in the north during the winter time. Martinique surf isn’t as famous as the stuff on, say, Barbados, so you’re likely to find emptier line ups and some decent sets to call your own. Breaks come in a variety of styles, but the volcanic topography and rugged cliffs that mark the coast mean that point breaks and rock-reef peelers are the name of the game.
If we had to pick out a downside to surfing here it would have to be the lack of infrastructure. Martinique has only recently come onto the radar – it’s largely a 21st century addition to Caribbean surf trips. That means rentals and ding repair shops are basically nowhere to be seen, and the roads leading to the best spots can be sketchy. The upshot? This is a destination that leans towards the surf-explorer out there, especially those with the cojones to conquer the occasional clearwater overhead slab, which come from time to time.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing the Caribbean
The surf in Martinique at a glance
The good…
The bad…
What’s in this guide to Martinique?
Where is Martinique?
Martinique is out on the eastern edge of the Caribbean. It’s a part of the area known as the Windward Islands, which also include other surf hubs like Barbados and Guadeloupe. Naturally, the main surf coast is on the eastern and northern part of the island, which is most exposed to the open Atlantic Ocean to the east. Getting here is rarely done direct. Instead, surf trips to Martinique usually involve a changeover flight that goes via a nearby island – Puerto Rico and Antigua are the usual options.
Martinique surf spots
On Martinique, look north and look east for the main surf spots. Those are the shores that get the hit of the main NE swells come the winter season and where the trades will offer the best wind swell in the off season…
Le Lorrain
There’s a nice wide reef shelf at Le Lorrain that helps to calm the bigger groundswells in the winter months and temper them into more cruisy waves. It’s usually a foot or two smaller here than at other spots on the island, which makes it a great beginner option – one of the few in all of Martinique.
Anse Charpentier
Wide Anse Charpentier sucks in all the NE swell that comes its way and there’s very little protection from any wind. But you can get great days here so long as you don’t mind uber-shifty peaks, which move all over the outlying reef and give hollowish waves that are darn good fun but also pretty sketchy with lower tides. This beach is one for more experienced riders for sure.
Anse Couleuvre
There’s some serious barrel action happening at Anse Couleuvre when the NE swells pump in the winter months. The bay is a beautiful one, too, with beefy rocks overhanging as the tubes form over very shallow black-rock reefs. We’d put this one down as one of the real stars of Martinique, mainly for the slabbiness (all the rage in 2023, eh?). It requires proper skill to make the main hollow section when it’s at its biggest but is a fun, fast ride. Smaller days lower the pitch of the face a touch and make it a bit more manageable.
Tartane
Tartane is the hub of the amazing Caravelle Peninsula, which pokes out of the eastern side of Martinique. The whole thing is littered with undiscovered breaks that we think hold some serious potential. The two best known are the ones nearest the town: Pelle Tarte and Cocoa. Both are heavy A-frame peaks with better rights than lefts, working on decent NE-N swells. The beauty here is that the shape of the headland can often turn those E Trades offshore.
Anse Bonneville
Anse Bonneville is probably the best-known surf spot on the island. It’s also on the Caravelle Peninsula, but angles more northwards into the Atlantic to hoover up literally anything from 90 degrees to horizontal – that’s NE to direct E. There’s pretty good shelter from trades (dominant from the E) to help with that. The consistency is amazing here during the winter, with the breaks working on anything near 3 foot+. Small days mean left peelers that are great for midlengths. Bigger days are A-frame peaks with heavier drops and some rippable sections.
Where to stay when surfing in Martinique?
Martinique has stacks of hotels, but if you’re not planning on renting a car then it’s wise to choose one either within walking distance or at least a close taxi ride to the main breaks.
Ecolokay
Ecolokay is a fantastic place to base yourself for a surf stay in Martinique. It’s a eco-style boutique hotel overlooking the coastal forests near Anse Bonneville, one of the best all-level spots on the island. It’s nothing fancy but also easy on the wallet. There’s a nice pool, too.
Au Citron Vert Hébergements
Au Citron Vert Hébergements is the deluxe option here. There are two apartments up for rent, one for a larger group and the other suited to couples. They’re each stylishly decorated and have access to a stunning pool and deck space. The spot is right on the surf-rich Caravelle Peninsula.
BLUE PARADISE
BLUE PARADISE could be perefct if you’re coming as a family or small group. There’s extra privacy and a private pool, tucked up on the hills above the surf breaks of the Caravelle Peninsula.
Step-by-step guide to planning your Martinique surf trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the Martinique surf…We use Skyscanner and only Skyscanner for this. The reason? We’ve always found it the best site for comparing deals from basically ALL airlines and somehow seems to offer deals that beat going direct.
Step two: Book your surf lodge. There’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check how close EXACTLY that hotel is to particular breaks. Or Book Surf Camps, which is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages.
Step three: Book surf lessons and other activities For advance booking, you can use GetYourGuide or Viator. To be fair, though, we usually just leave this until we’re there – it’s easy to book in person in most surf destinations.
When to surf in Martinique?
Do yourself a favor and skip the storm season that rips through the Caribbean between June and August. It’s too rough and the E trades blow way too strong to create anything worth chasing. Martinique is a bit of a picky beast in that it loves cleaner NE swells and less wind, which is the combo of winter and winter only. That means the best season to surf here is December to March, which also happens to coincide with the best weather. So, win win.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
