Schoelcher Library

#1 Anse Cafard Slave Memorial High on a hill in southwest Martinique are 20 white stone effigies, silently facing Diamond Beach and the Caribbean Sea. They commemorate an 1830 catastrophe when a slave ship failed ... Read more » MathieuRivrin / Getty Images

#2 Schoelcher Library Schoelcher Library in Fort-de-France should hold a spot on your travel itinerary for its history and ornate design, not for its books. The building was originally designed and built for ... Read more » Jukk_a / Flickr

#3 Les Salines Families can't stay away from Les Salines beach in the village of Ste-Anne for several reasons. One, the clear waters here are calm enough for children to play freely ... Read more » Barbacha/Nicolas BOUTHORS / Wikimedia

#4 Habitation Clement Habitation Clément is part rum distillery, part plantation, part heritage site and museum, meaning it will likely appeal to families and groups of all ages. Travelers can explore the gardens ... Read more » Pack-Shot / Getty Images

#5 Mont Pelee Adventurous travelers like to scale the sides of this active volcano, but there are other, safer (and dare we say smarter?) options for enjoying the area. One of the most ... Read more » SlidePix / iStockphoto.com

#6 Diamond Beach Diamond Beach, located in the town of Le Diamant, is rarely crowded, but always beautiful. Travelers in the know choose this southwestern beach over the touristy sands of Pointe du ... Read more » Spigoo / Flickr

#7 La Savane Park (La Savane des Esclaves) You should brush up on your French before visiting Fort-de-France's beautiful La Savane park (La Savane des Esclaves), then put your vocabulary to use when bargaining with the Martiniquais ... Read more » wade85 / Getty Images

#8 Balata Gardens (Le Jardin de Balata) Visit one of Martinique's most famous sites, the Balata Gardens, to see why this is "the Isle of Flowers." This private botanical garden just outside Fort-de-France is home to ... Read more » Mica / Wikimedia

#9 St. Louis Cathedral St. Louis Cathedral should really be called St. Louis VII, because it's been rebuilt six times on the same spot in Fort-de-France. Its resiliency – or lack thereof – could partially ... Read more » LisaStrachan / Getty Images