TRAVEL
TIPS
Time:
GMT - 4.
Electricity:
220 volts AC, 50Hz.
Telephone:
IDD is available. Country code: 590. Good internal network. There
are no area codes. Phonecards (télécartes) are necessary
to make calls from public telephones.
Climate: Warm weather throughout the year with
the main rainy season occurring from June to October. Showers
can, however, occur at any time although they are usually brief.
The humidity can be exceedingly high at times.
Required
clothing: Lightweights with warmer top layers for the
evenings; showerproofs are advisable.
Food
& Drink: Predominantly seafood, cooked in French,
Creole, African or South-East Asian styles. Dishes include lobster,
turtle, red snapper, conch and sea urchin. Island specialities
include stuffed crab, stewed conch, roast wild goat, jugged rabbit
and broiled dove. The spicy flavour of Creole cuisine is unique.
The more formal restaurants will require appropriate dress.
Drinks include a great supply of French wines, champagnes, liqueurs
and local rum. A local speciality, Rum Punch (a brew of rum, lime,
bitter and syrup), is a must. There are no licensing restrictions.
Shopping:
Worthwhile purchases are French imports, including perfume, wine,
liqueurs and Lalique crystal. Local items include fine-flavoured
rum, straw goods, bamboo hats, voodoo dolls, and objects of aromatic
Vetevier root. Travellers cheques give a 20 per cent discount
in some shops. Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1800, Sat 0830-1300.
Currency:
Since 1 January 1999, the Euro, which was introduced in January
2002, has been the official currency for the French Overseas Departments,
French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion. For
further details, exchange rates and currency restrictions, see
France section.
Currency
exchange: All the major French banks are represented
on the island. ATMs are available.
Credit
& debit cards: MasterCard, Diners Club, American
Express and Visa are accepted. Check with your credit or debit
card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services
that may be available.
Travellers
cheques: Accepted in most places. Their use may qualify
visitors for discounts on luxury items. To avoid additional exchange
rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques
in Euros. US and Canadian Dollar cheques are also accepted in
some places.
