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Martinique has two private islands that are open to travelers, with one residence on each: 
La Maison De L'ilet Oscar A charming four-bedroom 19th-century Creole-style house (about $210 per couple per night, including chef; 596-47-75-40). L'Habitation de l'Ilet Thierry A beautiful 1920s five-bedroom house set in a manicured garden (about $140 per person per night, including chef; 596-65-88-54). 

WHERE TO EAT
Kai Nono
Facing the dock of the town of Le François, this family-style restaurant serves Creole specialties like salt cod fritters and barracuda steaks. There's a Creole band in the evenings (596-54-32-76). Chez Tante Arlette Creole home cooking (596-55-75-75). 
La Plantation
A colonial-style building that opens onto a garden. Specialties include gingered crayfish and orange salad, pan-fried John Dory with celery, banana tarte Tatin flavored with anise seeds and shrub, a dried-orange-peel-and-rum liqueur (596-50-16-08). 
La Canne A Sucre
An elegant yet comfortable restaurant that serves Creole-inspired dishes with a particularly heavy French influence, including pan-seared foie gras with sweet-potato puree, beef fillet with morels in an aged rum sauce, flambéed lobster served over potato puree and coconut flan (596-63-33-95). 

WHAT TO SEE
Habitation Clément
Martinique produces some of the best rums in the world—and the only ones made from 100 percent pure sugarcane extract. Habitation Clément distillery dates back to the 18th century, with a tasting room where you can sample young and aged rum as well as cocktails like ti-punch and shrub (596-54-62-07).
L'ilet Chancel
A thickly wooded, devastatingly beautiful uninhabited island that can—and definitely should—be explored by nature lovers (596-54-62-07). 

TOURS
Bernadette Ducteil
An all-knowing, helpful tour operator (596-51-31-87). 

GENERAL INFORMATION
Martinique Promotion Bureau
(800-391-4909). 

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