St Barts, St Barth, St Barths, or St Barthélemy: whatever you want to call it (avoid the last one - it won't impress anyone), this tiny island in the French West Indies is one of the jewels of the Caribbean. Unfortunately it's no secret, and the island's reputation as a jet-set Shangri-La is well deserved. And while you'll never be short of fine-quality towels - many of the luxury goods houses have a presence here - if you're looking for adventure, activity or culture, go elsewhere; life here revolves around beaches (some of the best in the world) and restaurants. St Barths always has been, a relaxing, even soporific destination. A place to see and be seen, and to eat, sleep and be merry.
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01
Essentials
| 01 |
Reserve your ferry ticket from St Maarten well in advance, to avoid a heated, multilingual fracas at the ticket counter. |
| 02 |
Actually, you might want to fly to and from St Maarten. Have a few drinks beforehand (see 03). |
| 03 |
Drink Carib beer. |
| 04 |
Spend all of your time on the beach. At most, do a trip to the second-closest beach. |
| 05 |
Remember: the power of a Bloody Mary to heal your hangover is entirely cancelled out by the swaying of a yacht. |
| 06 |
Don't go during peak season (which begins the day after Christmas). Late spring or early summer is ideal - the weather is great and hotels are cheaper. Also, the permanent residents of the island are less overwhelmed and more accommodating. |
| 07 |
When you arrive at the airport and your luggage is nowhere to be found, don't be alarmed - it is likely to be on the next flight in. |
| 08 |
Don't eat in: there are more good restaurants than you can fit into your trip. |
| 09 |
The Smart Cabriolet might seem like a good option at the rental counter but resist the temptation and rent a four-wheel-drive. |
| 10 |
St Barts is renowed for its coral reefs, caves and wrecks - spend an afternoon scuba diving or explore on a submarine trip. |
02
Hotels
Independent and easy
Hotel Le Village St-Jean
Colline de St-Jean
+ 590 590 276 139
villagestjeanhotel.com
Dependable chain
Le Guanahani
Grand Cul de Sac
+ 590 590 277 070
leguanahani.com
Premium
Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France
Baie des Flamands
+ 590 590 276 181
isle-de-france.com
03
Dining
Fast breakfast
La Crêperie
Rue du Roi Oscar II, Gustavia
+ 590 590 278 407
Leisurely breakfast
La Case de l'Isle
Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France
+ 590 590 276 181
Mid-morning coffee
La Cantina
Gustavia
+ 590 590 275 566
Lunch with friends
Wall House
La Pointe, Gustavia
+ 590 590 277 183
Leisurely lunch
Le Tamarin
Plage de Saline
+ 590 590 277 212
Lunch on your own
La Gamelle
Rue Thiers, Gustavia
+ 590 590 298 970
Sunset cocktail
Do Brazil
Shell Beach
+ 590 590 290 666
Dinner on your own
The Hideaway
Vaval Center, Baie de St-Jean
+ 590 590 276 362
Dinner with friends
Carl Gustaf
Gustavia
+ 590 590 297 900
hotelcarlgustaf.com
Dinner for two
La Sapotillier
Rue du Centenaire
+ 590 590 276 028
Big dinner with friends
On the Rocks
Eden Rock Hotel, Baie de St-Jean
+ 590 590 297 999
edenrockhotel.com
Drink after dinner
Le Sereno lounge
Grand Cul de Sac
+ 590 590 528 300
lesereno.com
Late drinks
Nikki Beach
Plage de Saint Jean, Baie de St-Jean
+ 590 590 276 464
nikkibeach.com
Late bite
Eddy's
Rue du Général de Gaulle, Gustavia
+ 590 590 275 417
On the tiles
Le Ti St Barth
Pointe Milou
+ 590 590 279 771
04
Reading
Bookshop
Funny Face Bookstore
Les Hauts du Carré d'Or, Gustavia
+ 590 590 296 014
funny-face-books.com
05
Basics
Gustavia Pharmacy
Located at the entrance of the harbour, Gustavia
06
Shopping
Something you can't get anywhere else
Art from Les Artisans
Rue du Roi Oscar II, Gustavia
+ 590 590 275 040
Lost luggage - where to buy shirts, socks and underwear
Take a walk down the Quai de la Republique, Gustavia's equivalent of Madison Avenue.
Something for the kids
Yellow Submarine Tour
Gustavia Pier
+ 590 590 524 051
yellow-submarine.fr
Something for someone you love
Cartier
Le Carré d'Or
+ 590 590 276 743
cartier.com
Something for yourself
Cuban Cigars from Le Comptoir du Cigare
Rue du Général de Gaulle, Gustavia
+ 590 590 275 062
07
Two hour tour
| 01 |
Kitesurfing at Seventh Sky Surf Centre
Grand Cul de Sac
+ 590 690 692 690 |
02 |
Scuba diving
Yacht Club, Gustavia
+ 590 590 277 034 |
08
Limousine/car
Barthloc Rental
+ 590 590 275 281
09
Transport
Motorbikes and Scooters
Denis Durfau
+ 590 590 277 059
10
Fitness
Skip the gym and run on a beach. But if you must stay inside:
Good Gym
Forma Form
Rue Jeanne d'Arc, Gustavia
+ 590 590 275 123
formaform.com
Windsurfing
Wind Wave Power
Grand Cul de Sac
+ 590 590 278 257