The aging ladder towers straight up through two stories into a small hole in the roof. The empty, graffiti-laden stone building begins to seem slightly threatening. Only in non-litigious France would such a spot be readily available to tourists! Summoning my courage, I mount the metal rungs one by one, my mind fixed on the promise of a Caribbean view of commanding scope, including a bay said to be the “third most beautiful in the world.”

I have already seen the harbor from sea level. You arrive there when visiting Terre-de-Haut (High Land), the principal island of Les Saintes, a collection of eight small islands (only two are inhabited), just south of the French island of Guadeloupe. (For more about my ongoing love affair with Guadeloupe, see… http://photoandtravel.com/spotlightMay.html  http://photoandtravel.com/spotlightjune.html).

The tiny archipelego was named by Christopher Columbus, who sailed nearby on All Saints’ Day in 1493 but who never visited; similarly, its fort is named for Napoleon, who did not set foot there. Traded back and forth between the British and French, the islands now are part of the Departement de Guadeloupe (part of France the way Hawaii is part of the U.S.). The principal industry is fishing, conducted by individuals whose colorful                                                                       outboard boats dot the beautiful bay.

It is easiest to get to Les Saintes by boat from Guadeloupe. There is also a daily flight to Terre-de-Haut’s miniature landing strip, but it is pricey — E 130 round trip. Last year, I took a ferry from Guadeloupe’s principal city of Pointe-a-Pitre, which involved an uncomfortable hour of tossing on rough seas (E 30). This time, I drove to Trois Rivieres and took the 9 a.m. boat for only 20 turbulent minutes (E 16 if you buy in advance, plus E 2 for parking).

In either case, you arrive early enough to spend the day and catch the 4 p.m. boat back, something I did on the earlier visit. However, I recommend an overnight stay because the main attractions of the islands are activities that take time. The shopping is routine — you see the same T-shirts and jewelry as on the larger islands. The town is very small, and walking can be unpleasant because the streets are filled with scooters that buzz about, threatening pedestrians. Perhaps I should have joined this motorized throng, but I prefer my pleasures quieter and more ecological.

Even on a one-day visit you can do what first drew me to these islands — scuba dive. I have now dived twice with Pisquettes, and have nothing but praise for its careful, mellow leaders. While you see the same unhealthy coral as around most Caribbean islands, the fish are much more plentiful and varied, although generally small. The uninhabited islands nearby provide the dive sites, allowing for a brief boat ride with plenty of sea-level vistas.

And there are many choices for an after-dive drink or snack. Nowhere else in the Caribbean have I seen so many seaside restaurants (“dining with the feet in the water,” as the French picturesquely put it) with such wonderful views of the bay, as well as excellent food. Though you can also get meat, you are foolish if you don’t order the fresh fish. Most dishes come with creatively presented local vegetables and salad. I had a delicious, relatively speedy (for the French) lunch at Restaurant La Case aux Epices. For an after-dive beverage, I chose the juice bar Le Crique, where the drinks are freshly squeezed (be sure to try the banana confection). All this while you gaze at the harbor’s graceful shore.

To stay overnight I managed to secure a room at the coveted Auberge Les Petites Saintes . The hotel is known for its eclectic antiques and knickknacks. In such a compact setting, they can add a crowded feeling (especially, as on this visit, when dominated by a large and noisy group whose conversations rang through all public spaces). Be sure to get a room with a patio. Though it will look out over the busy pool area, it will be better than the darker rooms in the back The table d’hote dinner (by reservation only) was mouth-wateringly delicious.

Perhaps more importantly, the deck offers a wide vista of the harbor. Indeed, for me, one of the primary attractions of Terre-de-Haut is the proximity of these heights to the seaside. A few minutes’ climb affords almost anywhere gorgeous glimpses, different from every height. Numerous walks lead to curving, sandy beaches. If you read French, I recommend Le Guide du Routard, which details many of the archipelego’s attractions; English translations can be found by www.routard.com and clicking “Translate.”

The walk I chose, on my second day in Terre-de-Haut, is dubbed Le Chameau (The Camel), a 1,000-foot peak reached by foot in about an hour and a half from the middle of town. The ascent is paved all the way — I wore boots, but sneakers would be fine — and it is a preserved area, accessible only to hikers. (However, one soon realizes trucks pass along there also, as one of the less delightful sights on the trek is a burning garbage dump, high above the houses.)

In some areas, the climb is relatively steep. You’ll need to bring water and sunblock. But the cool breezes — sometimes amounting to stiff winds at the top — make the walk a pleasant one, rewarded by frequent, tantalizing glimpses of the islands below that hint of even more rewards to come.

The final vista, however, is reached only by the exercise of will required to climb to the top of the stone building crowning the island’s highest point. It’s not terribly dangerous, but narrow and a bit freaky, with a second-story stop where you get green and blue glimpses through narrow gun ports.

When at last you reach the top, you are rewarded with a view of incredible scope: green, mountainous islands, curving beaches, tall-masted yachts tucked into cozy coves, and everywhere the blue of the Caribbean punctuated with gleaming whitecaps. In the distance loom Dominica and Martinique; closer are Guadeloupe, Terre-de-Bas (Low Land, the second inhabited Sainte), and the smaller, empty islets, including the statuesque rocks near yesterday’s dive site.

And that bay! The spectacle indeed increases the higher you get.

Rimmed by restaurants, shops and dwellings, the harbor encloses a panorama of fishing and pleasure boats and the scenic Ilet de Cabrit, in whose lee sailing yachts are moored. Whether it truly is third most beautiful bay in the world, I would leave to others to argue. To consider the competitors, take a look at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Baie d’Along in northern Vietnam. From the top of Le Chameau, you can certainly agree Terre-de-Haute is a contender.

Happy Traveling!

Photos.

1. Sunset at the ferry dock, Trois Rivieres.

2. Small-boat fishing is the main industry.

3. Antiques in your room at Auberge Les Petites Saintes are all for sale.

4. The “Rock of the Virgin” frames a dive site.

5. Terre-de-Haut’s harbor contends for “most beautiful in the world.”