Discover the island’s culture, where rum, fruit juice, and ancestral music celebrate Martinique’s distinctive heritage.

First, stop at Bèlè House, a space dedicated to the practice of the traditional bèlè dance. Learn the origin behind the dance and how it’s performed. After testing your own skills, enjoy a local snack of local juice and accras (Caribbean fritters) before heading to St. James Rum Distillery. Taste the delicious rum classified PDO (protected designation of origin), the only one with this appellation in the french overseas west indies before heading back to the port.

Energy Level

Duration

5 Hours

Type

CULTURED

Accessible

Shore Thing Highlights

Reverend Father Lefebure built Saint James in 1765 — and 1885 vintage bottles are still in (rare) circulation
Visit different areas of Saint James Distillery, taking in the history and development of sugar and rum cultivation
Continue towards Lakou A Martinique, a space dedicated to the enhancement of rural bélè culture
Discover bélè traditions through local fruits, instruments, music, and dance with drum rhythms passed down from ancestral African cultures

Need to know

Exclusive to Virgin Voyages
A donation will be made on behalf of your Shore Thing booking to our environmental and social impact charity partners
Please be aware this Shore Thing is not wheelchair accessible
This Shore Thing is considered moderately active and involves physical activity
Sailors should expect long periods of walking and standing
Includes light bites and refreshments
The order of sites visited may vary
The local currency is the Euro €

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Shore Things are fully refundable to the original form of payment. However, please note that Shore Things are only fully refundable if they are canceled within 48 hours prior to the booked Shore Thing taking place, unless stated otherwise in a specific Shore Thing 'Need to Know' section. If you fail to either (a) cancel within 48 hours of the booked Shore Thing (or alternative time period as may be stated in a specific Shore Thing 'Need to Know' section), or (b) show up for a booked Shore Thing, you will be charged for 100% of the Shore Thing price.

If you make a cancellation prior to the first day of your voyage and within 48 hours (unless otherwise stated in the tour details) of your Shore Thing, you will be refunded to the original form of payment after midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the day of cancellation.

If you make another purchase prior to midnight EST, after canceling a booking eligible for a refund, the credit from the canceled booking will be applied to your new booking. Therefore, you’ll only be charged for the price difference between the canceled and new experience. If you have remaining temporary credit left on your account after you’ve made another experience purchase, the remaining credit will be refunded to your original form of payment after midnight EST.

If you cancel a Shore Thing during your voyage and are eligible for a refund, a credit will be applied to your folio and not to your original form of payment.

Shore Things departure times and/or meeting locations are subject to change. We will make every effort to notify Sailors in advance via the Sailor App of any tour departure and/or meeting changes.

Rhythm, Drum, Rum — Martinique Traditions

Discover the island’s culture, where rum, fruit juice, and ancestral music celebrate Martinique’s distinctive heritage.

Shore Thing Highlights

Need to know

Experience shores the Virgin way

Our Shore Things Policies