With its splendid beaches, unspoilt nature and of course some of Guadeloupe's most remarkable underwater scenery, Les Saintes to the south of Basse-Terre offers a real slice of paradise. Practically speaking, these are two islands situated about an hour's boat trip from Pointe-à-Pitre: Terre-de-Haut is the busier of the two and was originally settled by Breton fishermen; to the west is the quieter Terre-de-Bas, where descendants of its original slave inhabitants enjoy a slower pace of life. It is worth spending a night or two on each island to get a real flavour of them both.