With lush mountain rainforests, fishy reefs and a dollop of French Creole culture, this Caribbean department of France has its own distinctive je ne sais quoi.

1. Diamond Rock
Towering 3 miles off the southern coast, the 574-foot rock is the island’s marquee dive site. Follow a series of steep ledges dropping to a geologic fault at 52 feet, then fin through the rock tunnel leading to jumbled boulders encrusted with anemones, sea fans and hard corals.

2. Pointe Burgos Reef and Wall
The colors and textures of this 40-foot plateau evoke a flourishing fairyland choked with barrel sponges, sea whips and a riot of hard corals. Drop over the ledge to the 180-foot wall and ride the current while eyeballing snapper, stingrays and turtles.

3. Mount Pelée
The “Pompeii of the Caribbean” is known for its 1902 eruption that killed 40,000 island inhabitants, but climbing the 4,583-foot fern- and cloud-smothered caldera has a way of tempering its infamous history. Take the popular 7-mile-round-trip Aileron route to the crater rim and its top-of-the-world 360-degree views.

4. Nahoon Shipwreck
One of the island’s best wreck dives, this three-masted schooner was purpose-sunk in 1993 and lies at 120 feet. The ship’s hold, main deck, forward cabin and well-preserved wheelhouse are accessible to explore, and there’s plenty of action with abundant critters such as kingfish, Java moray eels, barracuda, jacks and rays.

5. Habitation Céron
Created as a 17th-century colonial sugar refinery, the sprawling estate today is a biological reserve in the shadow of Mount Pelée. Explore its rainforest along a shady streamside trail, then enjoy the island’s best organically inspired menu at Habitation’s restaurant.

6. Le Sous-Marin
On the island’s northern coast, divers thread a natural maze of canyons, caves and passages. For a sense of intrigue, check out the remains of a submarine wreck whose anonymity is the subject of local yarns.

7. Caravelle Peninsula
Want to experience an unspoiled slice of the Caribbean? Lace up your hikers and see gorgeous beaches, a unique dry forest, chattering birds, mangroves, 18-million-year-old volcanic geology and stunning views along the hilly trails of this protected 6-mile peninsula.

8. Rum at Rhum J.M
If you’re a rum lover, you can’t miss a spirited visit to Martinique’s most celebrated heritage brand, whose sweet elixir recently won top honors among 10,000 entries in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, the “world championship of wine and spirits.”

9. Saint-Pierre Bay Shipwrecks
When Mount Pelée erupted, the blast sank a number of ships docked in the bay, and today, 14 wrecks at depths up to 180 feet are on the diving circuit. Most divers get plenty of grins dropping in on the Raisinier, a transportation barge that’s profuse with resident marine life.

10. Island Hopping
There’s no better way to spend your last deco day than sailing the jagged Atlantic Coast in Francois Bay on a catamaran, with swim stops at several knee-deep “white shoals,” such as Josephine’s Bath, where the crew provides rum punch to half-submerged guests surrounded by inquisitive tropical fishes.

DIVERS GUIDE

Average water temp: High 70s to low 80s
What to wear: Shorty to 3 mm fullsuit
Average viz: 80 feet
When to go: Year-round
More info: us.martinique.org