St. Barts or more formally, Saint Barthélemy (French pronunciation) is a very small island in the Caribbean. It is nearby to the Dutch islands of Saint Maarten, and Saint Kitts and Nevis. The official language of St. Barts is French. The island is officially a territory of France.
The island is extremely small. Measuring up at only a little more than 9 square miles, visitors to the island often feel like they have their very own island paradise. There are a lot of luxury accommodations on St. Barts making it a lovely destination for an island getaway. In this article, let’s go over in detail everything you need to know about traveling to St. Barts.
Visiting St. Barts
Most visitors to St. Barts fly into the capital city of Gustavia. Since the island has a lot of yearly visitors, there is a lot of catering to tourists. Once on the island, there are numerous unique experiences that visitors can take advantage of. For instance, in addition to pristine beautiful beaches, St. Barts also has wonderful mountains that travelers can hike and explore.
Where to Stay in St. Barts
There are hotels, resorts, and luxury villas in St. Barts. If you are looking for the ultimate luxury experience when traveling to the island, then you will want to take a look at some of the fantastic St Barts villas that the island has to offer. Staying in a luxury villa will transform your St. Barts experience from good to amazing – check out what the island has to offer before you commit to the location of your vacation villa.
Things to do in St. Barts
The island of St. Barts has a lot to offer for visitors. The small island country is rich in French culture. The capital city of Gustavia has historical significance and thus a lot of cool historical spots that tourists will definitely want to check out. The city also boasts quite a few famous museums and forts.
In addition to the beaches, mountain hiking, and city exploration you can enjoy on the island, St. Barts also hosts a lot of cultural festivals and events. In January of each year, there is the St. Barts Music Festival during the 2nd and 3rd weeks of the month. This is a fun way to immerse yourself in West Indies Culture. If you want to experience something more in sync with the French culture of the island, then you should check out the French/Creole Carnival in February. This is a great way to see the cultural diversity of the island. Also, Bastille Day is a great way to celebrate the traditional French culture deeply rooted in St. Barts.
Beaches in St. Barts
The beaches of St. Barts are some of the nicest in the entire Caribbean and maybe even the world. The island’s small number of permanent residents ensure that the beaches stay clean most of the time. The secluded nature of the beaches are something that tourists often rave about. It can genuinely feel like your own private beach!
St. Barts boasts fourteen beautiful beaches within its small area. Shell Beach is very near to Gustavia and is the site for many of the aforementioned festivals in St. Barts. Toiny Beach is a fantastic destination for surfers or those who are looking for waves. There is an area called Eden Rock which is not a beach, but more of a resort area where you can enjoy beautiful vistas of the ocean views. There are also many amenities such as spas, restaurants and other attractions in this area, so it is definitely worth checking out!
Fine dining in St. Barts
St. Barts offers an intriguing fusion in French Cuisine and West Indies Cuisine. There are also elements of Creole cooking that can be found at many restaurants. Fine dining establishments are plentiful on the island. Adventurous eaters can enjoy a bounty of delicious seafood which is common around the Caribbean but the way it is prepared is completely specific for St. Barts. You can’t find some of the dishes here any other place on Earth!
Ready For a Vacation?
By now you are probably ready to go get your feet wet in the lovely island paradise of St. Barts. Hopefully, this article has provided you a good starting point for traveling to St. Barts.