Paying by American Express in Guadeloupe?

Planning to use AmEx in Guadeloupe? Go in with your expectations set: it won’t be accepted everywhere. Upscale dining spots and tourist hotels may honor it, but markets, small cafes, and beach bars often don’t. ATMs on Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre, Les Saintes, and Marie-Galante will only dispense euros if you use Visa or Mastercard. My advice: carry a Visa or Mastercard-plus some euros-for smooth payments during your stay.

I tried using AmEx at a cute café near the Pointe-à-Pitre ferry terminal-it worked, which was cool. But when I hit a roadside stand on Basse-Terre, AmEx was a no-go. Visa worked fine everywhere. Also, every island I hopped to-Les Saintes, Montserrat ferry-had ATMs dispensing euros, but only for Visa/Mastercard. I ended up using AmEx when it was accepted, but stuck to Visa or cash for everything else. That mix worked well on-the-ground around Guadeloupe.

During my stay in Guadeloupe, I found AmEx acceptance at some upscale beachside restaurants in Deshaies and resorts near Sainte-Anne. That was a nice bonus! But in local markets and small beach shacks, they definitely preferred cash. ATMs are on all the main islands-Marie-Galante, Basse-Terre, La Désirade-and they happily accept Visa/Mastercard, but I didn’t risk AmEx there. For the smoothest experience, I used my Visa for withdrawals and kept euros for smaller stops-made the trip carefree.

In Guadeloupe-since it’s a French overseas region-the euro is used everywhere, and Visa and Mastercard are almost universally accepted. Hotel chains, larger restaurants along the Grande-Terre coast, and boutiques in Pointe-à-Pitre work great with them. AmEx? It’s accepted in some places, but it’s not reliable. ATMs across the islands-like in Pointe-des-Châteaux, Marie-Galante, or Les Saintes-accept withdrawals in euros using Visa/Mastercard, not usually AmEx. Best plan: bring a Visa or Mastercard and keep some euros on hand for the clear-cut convenience.