The north of the island is mountainous and lushly forested. It features dramatic pitons and mornes. The most dominating of the island's many beautiful mountains is the infamous volcano Mount Pelée. The volcanic ash has created beautiful grey and black sand beaches in the north, contrasting markedly from the white sands of Les Salines in the south.
The south is more easily traversed, though it still features some impressive geographic features. Because it is easier to travel and because of the many beautiful beaches and food throuout this region, the south receives the bulk of the tourist traffic. The beaches from Pointe de Bout, through Diamant (which features right off the coast the beautiful Roche de Diamant), St. Luce, the town of St. Anne all the way down to Les Salines are very popular.
There are no designated clothing-optional beaches on Martinique, although topless sun tanning and swimming are common at hotel pools and beaches by hotels. All the beaches are public and do not usually have changing cabins or showers. Some hotels charge non-guests for the use of lockers and changing facilities.
There are many different kinds of beach in Martinique. On the west coast, there are many white sand beaches south of Fort-de-France, while in the north, the beaches (such as those at Carbet and St. Pierre) have black volcanic sand. Anse Turin is a long gray-sand beach just south of Saint-Pierre. To the east, the coastline tends to be more rugged and the currents strong, except on the Caravelle Peninsula, at Anse Azerot and at Grande Anse Macabou where the waters are usually calm and inviting.
To the south, the famous Plage des Salines is a short drive from Ste. Anne, with tall coconut palms and a mile of white sands. During the summer holidays and on the weekends it's often crowded but during the week, it is usually quiet. Other lovely beaches in the south include those at Ste. Anne, Ste. Luce, Cap Chevalier, Le Diamant (with the famous Diamond Rock offshore) and Anses d'Arlets. The beaches at Pointe du Bout are man-made and lined with luxury resorts. Pointe Marin stretches north from Ste. Anne and has restaurants, campsites and sanitary facilities for a small charge. Club Med crowns the north end of the beach.
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