One of the biggest draws for travelers is the food, so be sure to savor the local flavors.
When dining out, the average daily cost for food in Basse-Terre is around $93 (€80) per person, with previous travelers spending from $41 to $178. Generally, breakfast and lunch cost less than dinner, but this will depend on the type of restaurant and what you order.
Typical meal prices in Basse-Terre are as follows:
- Breakfast: $9 to $28
- Lunch: $14 to $37
- Dinner: $28 to $65
- Coffee: $7
- Fast Food or Street Food: $14
Located in the West French Indies, Basse Terre, like the rest of Guadeloupe, has a mix of culinary influences from France, India, and Africa. As a result, the entire archipelago is especially renowned for Creole delicacies, Caribbean staples, and French classics. Fresh seafood provides many of the main ingredients with items like mahi mahi, conch, land crab, and Caribbean lobster. Also popular is a kind of curry, known as Colombo in the French Antilles. This Creole dish is more reminiscent of a stew than a typical curry and is generally concocted with Colombo powder, a mix of cumin, turmeric, coriander and cloves, all tossed with vegetables and meat or seafood. There are also a number of tasty street foods some of which include bokit and accras. Bokit usually consists of two pieces of deep-fried ‘bread' stuffed with meats, cheeses, and a vinegar-based sauce, while accras are a kind of fried fritter typically filled with cod, lobster, or shrimp. Other specialties include coconut sorbet, fresh-squeezed fruit juices, and a rum-based cocktail called Ti' Punch. Plenty of restaurants and other food vendors can be found in the city of Basse Terre.
Many hotels include breakfast in their price, while some add it on as an extra charge. The price and quality can vary depending on the hotel. Knowing ahead of time can help you decide if you need to spend even more money. Maybe it's worth your money for the delicious buffet at the hotel. Or, perhaps you should just go to a nearby bakery or cafe that's much cheaper.
Bring a reusable water bottle instead of purchasing drinks all the time. It's also a great way to help the environment.
If you're planning to take a tour, make sure you know which meals are included beforehand. You might be on the hook to pay for some of the food yourself which can add to your budget.