Petty street crimes, like purse snatching and some pick-pocketing, are the main crimes that befall tourists visiting Guadeloupe. Avoid isolated areas, including beaches, after dark. Do not carry large amounts of cash or jewellery with you.
In November 2021, French authorities dispatched police reinforcements to Guadeloupe after a week of violent protests over coronavirus restrictions. Islanders were angry after Paris announced that health workers across all French territories must have Covid vaccinations. This sparked demonstrations that degenerated into the torching and looting of shops and pharmacies and clashes with police. Island authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Violent Protests: French overseas territories such as Martinique, Guadeloupe and New Caledonia, have often been hit by protests, more so in 2024, due to complaints that living standards are well below those of mainland France. Curfews are becoming more common (9pm to 5am) and restrictions on travel, the sale of fuel etc. Foreign visitors in Guadeloupe should check with local authorities regarding the current security situation.
A territory-wide curfew was extended on Saturday 26 October [from 7PM until 6AM] for public safety reasons, after a strike by workers at the EDF-PEI power plant shut down the island’s electricity supply on Friday 25 October, 2024. See the Guadeloupe Gov. website for the latest update - Accueil - Les services de l'État en Guadeloupe
Dinghy thieves operate throughout the Caribbean. Be sure to lift, chain, and lock your dinghy and outboard when not in use, especially at night. When leaving your dinghy ashore, ensure that your dinghy and outboard are securely locked.
AirTags and other cell based/Bluetooth tracking devices are being used by cruisers to track their dinghys/outboards. Some thieves are aware of this practice and may detect, locate and disable them. Understand the limitations of using tracking devices. (See this May 24 Jost Van Dyke, BVI CSSN report.) The use of GPS trackers (rather than Bluetooth trackers) is recommended. See this Report by David Lyman.
Advice throughout the Caribbean is to remove items from the deck that may be tempting for thieves. When going ashore close all hatches, lock your boat, hide valuables out of sight and secure any loose items, including fuel/jerry cans and jugs. Keep the boat well-lit to deter boarders. It is also advisable to keep your cockpit/salon areas and hatches locked at night when sleeping onboard.
A new method of corruption appearing in Caribbean islands is for a “finders” fee to be demanded when a stolen dinghy is “found”. (See this Nov 23 Tyrell Bay, Carriacou CSSN report and this Apr 24 Clifton Harbour, SVG CSSN report.)
The Caribbean Safety and Security Net (CSSN) collects and shares reliable reports of crimes against yachts in the Caribbean, helping cruisers make informed decisions.
The CSSN website offers current and past incident reports, stats, regional piracy info, and annual summaries. Here are some of the ways to use their site:
Dinghy theft seems particularly on the rise in George Town.
Visit the CSSN Interactive Map to keep up to date with the latest incident reports.
Users can also review Noonsite's related security reports for Guadeloupe.
Last updated: March 2026
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The Magasin Pelican no longer offers clearance in Deshaies. Clearance is now done at the gray building across the bridge. France-Connect is the site that is available on the computer there. The fee is 10€ if you don’t have a printed copy of the clearance. 5€ if you do. The man there is very helpful.
Sailing in Guadeloupe, the French butterfly shaped island, must be the best kept secret in the Caribbean. Interestingly, we did not see many Americans here. – it is a missed opportunity! The French island is an absolute joy to explore. And we only covered half of it. We toured the west side of Guadeloupe with is called Basse Terre and is the more mountainous region. We did not visit the central or south areas or the east side (called Grand Terre) which is much flatter and low ground, or Marie Galant. View blog, pics and video here. https://bluedotvoyages.com/secrets-of-sailing-in-guadeloupe/
The link to
https://www.marinaguadeloupe.com/en/the-marina-bas-du-fort/immigration
(preparation of clearence) is not valid!
Thankyou for picking up on that old info. All forms are now electronic available at the various outlets listed in the Clearance section. Marina Bas du Fort also has a clearance computer that can be used for completing the forms.
Can anyone recommend reliable rigger and sail repairer in Point-a-Pitre please?
When traveling between the French islands does one have to check in and out of each, or check in at the first and out at the last?
Departments of France (St Martin, St Barths, Guadeloupe and Martinique) all require you to clear out of one, before sailing to another.
Clearance at marina RIVIERE SENS Monday to friday 8 am _5 pm.
Saturday and Sunday 8/9 am and 5/6 pm
Clearance hours at LSM in Îles des Saintes is 14h00 to 16h00 as of Jan. 17, 2023.
Thank you for this update. I wasn’t sure you could clear out in iles des Saintes. We are headed there now. Again thanks
Lovely Island(s) but the main marina Bas-du-Fort has the worst management I know. Despite confirmed reservation they cancelled on brief notice. And that came up by coincidence. Trusting on a written confirmation we booked flights, contractor und much more for a 14 days program. They ignored safety aspects and that they caused us immense issues and financial damage. They offered no support to find an alternative and everything else was too lat. They simply messed it up to inform me on time in order to meet other arrangements. Instead of accepting their fault and behave like gentlemen they lied to told ridiculous stuff “force major” which is 100% excluded. I can only strongly recommend to doubt any written confirmation or even better: avoid this marina completely.
The clearance process in April ran differently than described here.
When I contacted the Coast Guard they told me that the procedure is the same as for Martinique . Everyone has to report in advance via the internet and wait for permission. (See Noonsite: Martinique). Nevertheless, I was allowed to enter the country.
The restrictions for travel into and between French Overseas Departments have now been lifted (Oct 14, 2021). If this article is accurate, all you need is proof of vaccination.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/compelling-reasons-for-travel-lifted-between-french-islands
Received this mail from the Prefecture de Guadeloupe today feb1st:
Dear Captain,
Sailing from and to Saint-Martin, Saint-Barthélemy and disembarking is forbidden unless for imperative reasons (health, business, family).
If necessary because imperative reason :
Provide at least 48 hours before arrival:
• A declaration of honor of the compelling motive;
• Justificative documents ;
• Covid test results (PCR) carried out less than 72 hours before arrival
Regards,
Le 30/01/2021 à 21:22, CROSS AG (Boite Officielle) – DM Martinique/CROSS AG emis par DE QUART Adjchef – DM Martinique/CROSS AG/adj chef de quart a écrit :
Bonsoir,
Veuillez trouver ci dessous quelques interrogations pour un aller retour Guadeloupe-St Martin, Mr Wery les points 1 et 2, Mr Vimbert, le point 3.
Cordialement,
prefecture CROSS
CROSS ANTILLES-GUYANE / FORT DE FRANCE MRCC
16 boulevard de la Marne
BP 621
97261 Fort de France Cedex
telephone : +596 596 70 92 92
whatsapp : +596 696 82 09 97
courriel : antilles@mrccfr.eu
ISAT PHONE : +870 776 300 406
Numéro d’urgence gratuit : 196
——– Message transféré ——–
Sujet : Sailing from Guadeloupe to St. Martin
Date : Sat, 30 Jan 2021 19:37:39 -0400
De : > syticora (par Internet)
Répondre à : syticora
Pour : fortdefrance.mrcc@developpement-durable.gouv.fr
Bon soir,
We are a norwegian sailboat (norway is included in eec, hence as eu), currently in Guadeloupe. We are planning to sail to St. Martin on wednesday but are unsure on the new covid guidelines coming from Guadeloupe.
1 – do we need to have a pcr test before leaving Guadeloupe?
2 – do we get into St Martin without quarantine coming from Guadeloupe?
3 – do we get back to guadeloupe without a pcr test or do we need one arrival? Is quarantine needed on arrival?
Sorry for all the questions and thanks in advance for your help.
Best regards
Jorn Aalefjaer
Sendt fra min iPhone
Biosecurity update:
Les Saintes closed
Marie Galante closed
Deshaies closed
Boulliante closed
Autocertification for going ashore only for galley / pharmacy /medical issues
Some area, Point a Pitre included, from 20:00 to 05:00 curvfew
No sailing
Swim only near the own boat
Batteries:
hello! Our experience with VARTA 165 amp batteries for service was very negative. They have very low lasting and they overheat just after the guaranty expiration. We had 3 on board. One of them exploded releasing toxic gas and acid. Never happened with other brands in our boat. U-SHIP where we bought them could not give us any assistance.
Hi Paul, as your crew are EU you shouldn’t have any problems. They should not need onward tickets. You really don’t see immigration any more, as you do all clearance online in a Chandlery or marina. Normally you just list your crew when you come in and same when you leave.
I am departing Southern Spain bound toward Guadeloupe with a couple of new crew. One is German, the other is Polish. They wish to exit in Guadeloupe and visit the Caribbean islands on their own. I will continue to Canada without them.
Does anyone know if it is possible to leave crew in Guadeloupe and if so what are the requirements? Thank you.
Beware if you anchor at Rocher de Malendure, close to Pigeon Island. Our dinghy with outboard engine was stolen 09-03-2018. It was well tied up to the yacht during the night but the line was cut.
Boat clearance can also be done in the Marina St. Francois for free.
In St. Anne you will find in the village a self-service laundry and there is also a sel-service laundry near Pigeon island, it is situated a little to the south near the diving center Bleu Passion Guadeloupe and reachable by dinghy. Also you will find there a Leader Price.
Diving Pigeon Island – Cousteau Park – Guadeloupe:
Do not try to dive there from your own private boat. We were chased away from a yellow mooring by a commercial operator. Park Rangers confirmed there are not enough moorings for commercials and private – so privates are no longer welcome.
La Desirade, Guadeloupe – from Doyle Guides:
Good news for those who may wish to stay in this tiny harbor. One of the ferries is now gone for good. The remaining ferry docks on the eastern side of the town dock. This means visiting yachts may tie up alongside the southern and western sides of the town dock, space permitting, which is most of the time.
Posted on behalf of Sam Bartlett:
Dinghy Sabotage
Just a warning for people leaving their dinghy tied/locked to the small pontoon at Pigeon Island anchorage, Guadeloupe. We returned from dinner to find our gas tank punctured and further punctures in all three of the flotation tubes – a total of 9 holes.
This from Chris Doyle via the Caribbean Navigator Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/341518759227037/
I was wing and wing in Guadeloupe, passing between the island of Gosier and the town, when I saw ahead of me a string of white buoys that appeared to go all the way across. However boats were anchored on either side of them, so I assumed there was a way through and behind one of the boat there did appear to be a larger gap. So I altered course onto port gybe and headed for it.
When I was about 60 feet away I saw that the gap was an illusion, one buoy was somewhat underwater, and all the buoys were roped together from the island to the mainland as a swimming channel with no passage of boats. I managed to swing into the wind, all sails flogging, and carry up far enough to drop anchor, which held me till I could get the jib furled, the main sheeted in and the engine started. I had not realized that towns could just close of a well-used navigable channel like that without at least some kind of warning. So, since they didn’t let you know I am!
I have been through that gap may times, to be safe I suggest in my guides people go round. It is very well used by local boats, especially the fishing boats and therein lies the problem. Apparently, a swimmer was killed by an outboard motor, so I have sympathy for what they have done, Some kind of warning buoy or notices to places like Compass would be helpful. I don’t think the rope is deployed all the time – it looked fat too new and shiny to have been in the water long. I am just happy I was not under spinnaker!
the river-bridges is closed, so you can’t go through the 2 island
http://www.marinaguadeloupe.com/index.php/en/the-marina/river-bridges