St. Barths: Precious Gem in the Caribbean Crown
The Way to Paradise
Hidden Treasure: The Washing Machine

St. Barths: Precious Gem in the Caribbean Crown

Present-day St. Barthélemy is a melting pot of celebrities, mega yachts, chic boutiques and stunning beaches. A day-trip from St. Maarten/St. Martin is just 45 minutes via the high-speed ferry from Pelican Marina. A six-hour visit ensures that you can enjoy much or what St. Barths has to offer—shopping first, touring second, lunch third and beaching to cap a perfect day.

The history of St. Barths traces back to its original occupation by Ciboney natives, followed by Arawaks and Caribs, to the island’s discovery by Columbus, who named it St. Barthélemy after his brother Bartolomeo. It was quite a bit easier to pronounce than Ouanalao, its Amerindian name. There was brief ownership by the Knights of Malta and then the French occupation. Two years under British rule, then the French were back in power. They exchanged it with Sweden for a warehouse. It is the only such island to have been a Swedish colony. This accounts for Swedish names like Gustavia Port and architecture still in existence.

In 1878, the French bought St. Barths back, and she has remained thereafter exotically French. The Wall House Museum preserves fabulous photographs, prints and documents testifying to her history. Many locals are descendants of the early settlers from Brittany and Normandy. Their dialect still reflects traces of the Norman French. Only by strolling the quaint streets of Gustavia, sipping cocktails at Nikki Beach or discovering the breathtaking views along steep, narrow roads around the island, do you truly experience French St. Barths.

St. Barths is a duty-free port, and although it caters to wealthy visitors with nearly 200 boutiques, a visit in June to September reaps unbelievable bargains. Everything is solde, that happy little word “sale.” The island has been named one of the world’s 10 best shopping destinations. Serious boutique shoppers should begin in Gustavia. The bustling port has a road nicknamed Rue du Couturier, a nod to the haute couture boutiques that rival Milan and Paris. Bulgari, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Chopard and Hermès crowd between the designer surf shops and souvenir stores.

Looking for something more homegrown? Pick up a St. Barths map bracelet or pendant. Look for latanier-palm straw baskets, handbags and brimmed hats, woven by the women of Corossol and Colombier. Island-made beauty lotions and oils manufactured from native plants make great unusual gifts. Look for other local designs by Lili Belle and Pati’s clothing and accessories made in St. Barths—fabulous, simple, stylish designs. Many shops close for a long (two or three hours) midday déjeuner, as is customary in France. So shop first!

Upon arrival, whether by air—several small airlines offer daily commutes of just 12 minutes—or by sea, several taxis and car rentals await. This tiny speck of an island reveals so many unexpected bays, coves and beaches that you have to remember it is only nine square miles. Luxurious villas nestle in valleys, and Caribbean cottages perch on cliffs, all surrounded by lush tropical gardens.

Ultimately, all the shopping and touring will remind you that you have to eat. St. Barths’ restaurants are diverse and individually appealing. All visitors find a restaurant to suit their taste: gourmet to beach bar, cheeseburgers in paradise to on the rocks at The Eden Rock. Spoil your culinary senses, but remember: touring and eating second!

Twenty-two pristine white, sandy beaches entice sun worshippers and snorkelers. Saline offers views of St. Kitts and Nevis. St. Jean Beach has a great shopping area, numerous restaurants and the famous and hedonistic Nikki Beach. The island’s short airstrip is at the base of a gentle slope, ending directly on the beach at St. Jean. Shell Beach is just a short stroll from where the ferries dock, and is truly strewn with shells. It is a popular beach for families with kids, as there is no surf. Grand Fond is not a swimming beach, but shows the “wilder” and untamed side of St. Barths. Crashing waves and winds that whip the tall grass slopes extend up to picturesque stone walls. Look for the late Rudolf Nureyev’s house perched on the rocks at Grand Fond. The beach of Grand Cul-de-Sac is the easiest beach in the Caribbean to learn sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing, as it has a reef that closes off the entire bay. The current that passes outside the reef here also carries migrating whales and dolphins.

Exploring beyond the boutiques and beaches, you can avail yourself of St. Barths’ very protected marine life. The Reserve Naturelle protects the fragile environment, thus encouraging expanded populations of colorful reef fish, peaceful turtles, rays and sea sponges. Definitely take your snorkel gear along to any beach for a worthwhile look at the sea life, or join Plongee Caraibes and St. Barths Plongee for some offshore scuba diving. Many sites have structures and some large caves. There are also two wreck sites, but the best diving is considered to be around Pain de Sucre, an islet just off Gustavia harbor, and around Coco Islet off Colombier Bay. There is an extensive range of invertebrates on the dive sites, and anemones, urchins, sea cucumbers and eels are common sightings. The Yellow Submarine offers tours around the Marine Park, and is a great activity in a semisubmersible for families and nonswimmers. Beaching and swimming end a perfect day in St. Barths, with plans being laid for a return visit.

For all its high-end reputation, St. Barths is an exceptional little island that showcases true Caribbean luxury without the ostentation.

The Way to Paradise

One of the best things about beautiful St. Barths has to be its easy accessibility: it's only 15 miles by plane or boat from St. Maarten/St. Martin. By air, Winair's Twin Otter aircrafts make numerous daily flights to the island, and the flight only takes 10 minutes. By sea, The Edge, a high-speed catamaran out of Pelican Marina in Simpson Bay, is also a fast and direct ride to St. Barths.

Hidden Treasure: The Washing Machine

A 20-minute hike around the rugged and majestic shoreline along Grand Fond will bring you to an oceanic playground known as the Washing Machine, named after the turbulent ocean. For a more peaceful swim, continue along the narrow path to a plateau that leads down into a beautiful tide pool. Large boulders block the pounding waves creating a calm and tranquil pool ideal for a playful (and romantic) swim. That said, be sure to bring water and sunscreen on this hike because there's no shade.