The Jardin de Balata

The Jardin de Balata, set in the cool, misty rainforest hills above the capital Fort-de-France along the scenic Route de la Trace, is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in the Caribbean. Created over decades by a passionate horticulturist around an old Creole house, it is a lush, magnificent Eden of thousands of tropical and exotic plants, towering palms, giant bamboo, vivid heliconias, orchids, water-lily ponds and blazing flowers, alive with hummingbirds and set against the dramatic backdrop of the rainforest and, on clear days, Mount Pelée. A series of suspended treetop rope bridges lets visitors walk through the canopy, adding a thrilling perspective to this tropical paradise.

History

The garden was begun in 1982 by the horticulturist Jean-Philippe Thoze on former farmland with views of the Pitons du Carbet and opened to the public in 1986; it now holds about 3,000 varieties of tropical plants, among them 300 kinds of palm (Wikipedia, Balata Garden).

What you'll find

• The tropical plants - the thousands of palms, flowers and exotics.
• The canopy walkway - the suspended treetop rope bridges.
• The hummingbirds and ponds - the birds and water-lily pools.
• The rainforest setting - the misty hills and mountain backdrop.

When to go

Year-round; the garden is lush and beautiful in any season, though the light and mountain views are best on clear days, and the plants at their most vivid after rain, part of its cool, rainforest-hill character. It combines beautifully with a scenic drive along the Route de la Trace through the island's rainforest interior.

Good to know

It is a cultivated garden and paid attraction rather than wild nature, and the misty hill setting means rain and cloud are common, part of its lush appeal but sometimes obscuring the mountain views; it can be busy with tour groups and cruise excursions. As a magnificent, beautifully designed tropical botanical garden with a thrilling canopy walkway, hummingbirds and a stunning rainforest setting, though, easily combined with the scenic Route de la Trace, the Jardin de Balata is a delightful and worthwhile highlight.

Nearby

Fort-de-France, the Route de la Trace and the rainforest interior are close by.

Key facts