Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe uses America/Guadeloupe, currently AST (UTC-04:00). No clock changes are scheduled in the next 12 months.
As the capital of Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre plays a central role in national life, home to around 11,500 people. It keeps the same time year-round, with no daylight saving changes.
The band below is your local scale — accent shows when everyone's business hours overlap. Add or remove a city on the left and this updates too.
Written for people arriving, calling in, or planning a trip around the time difference.
Basse-Terre's small downtown holds markets, government buildings, and historic sites within an easily walkable area near the coast. The island's volcanic, forested interior is best explored from a base with a rental car, and many visitors stay elsewhere on Guadeloupe and visit for the day.
The town's historic streets are pleasant for an unhurried visit, while the nearby volcano and surrounding rainforest trails reward a full day when weather is clear and trails are dry. Waterfalls in the interior are a popular add-on.
Shared vans and local buses connect Basse-Terre with other parts of Guadeloupe, while a rental car offers more flexibility for exploring the volcanic interior. The town center itself is comfortably manageable on foot.
The dry season, known locally as Carême and running roughly January through April, generally brings the most comfortable weather, while the wetter months from June through November also carry a hurricane risk.
Guadeloupe uses the EUR, calling code +590.
As a French overseas region, Guadeloupe uses the euro, and French is the official language, while Guadeloupean Creole is widely spoken in daily conversation. A polite greeting in French is generally appreciated.
