Saint-Barthélemy

Understand

Oddly for a Caribbean island, the population is nearly entirely of European ancestry. The French population, originating from Normandy and Brittany, is one of the oldest in the Caribbean. There was a minimal slave population on the island due to the lack of agricultural opportunities as the island is principally cliffs and hills and has no rivers or springs.

There are no official statistics but the native residents of the island, who are known as "St Barths", make up around 30% of the population and have a distinct culture and manner of speech that distinguishes them from the more recent Metropolitan French arrivals.

The island has changed hands several times over the centuries, belonging to Sweden from the late 18th to late 19th century, after they swapped it for some warehouses with the French. Until 2007, it was part of Guadeloupe, an overseas department of France. As part of the treaty with Sweden, St Barts pays no taxes.

It is very Gallic in flavour now, and English is widely spoken as the island is frequently visited by wealthy people.

American singer Jimmy Buffett was a frequent visitor on the island, and owns a house there. He also owned a hotel, the Autor de Rocher, which burned down in the early 1980s. David Letterman and Steve Martin also own property on the island, as did the French singing star Johnny Hallyday.

Get around

thumb|Steep street in Gustavia St Barts is a small island and everything is within a half-hour drive. Rent a small 4x4 Jeep but be careful! The roads are narrow, steep and windy, however fun they are to drive on! Often a small car or jeep will be included in vacation package. It is so beautiful, take your time and your camera!

There is no public transport Saint-Barthélemy! You will therefore need to rent a scooter or a car to get around. You can also take a taxi.

See

The capital city of Gustavia - It is known for its picturesque harbour, full of sailboats and super-yachts. You will also find high-fashion stores, jewelry stores, bars, and restaurants. This port city was founded more than 200 years ago. You will find beautiful old stone buildings including three forts. There is also a pretty lighthouse on the rocky East coast above the town. Tropical birds around the salt ponds of Anse de Grande Saline. Saint Jean Bay- Located east of Gustavia, facing the airport, you will find the most popular beach on the island. Luxury resorts are available, such as Eden Rock. The bay is a good place for surfing Shell Beach - Not far from Gustavia port, you will find this bay with its crystal-clear waters and views over Saint Kitts and Nevis. Corossol - Small authentic village of fishermen. You will find handcrafted items made from latan leaves such as baskets and hats.

Do

St Barts weddings - To get married on St. Barts, one of the couple has to have been resident on the island for a month. As such the majority of "weddings" held on the island are in fact blessings, carried out either by an Anglican or Catholic priest. Blessings for other faiths and secular celebrations can also be organised at a range of locations.

Shopping - Right in front of the Gustavia port, you will find many jewellery and luxury clothing stores. You will find Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Chopard, Bulgari and Cartier among others. Surf - The island has excellent places to surf such as Toiny, Lorient, Anse des Cayes and Saint-Jean. Shops are available in Saint-Jean and Gustavia to rent your equipment. You can find a guide as well. Snorkelling - One of the most accessible activities, right by the beach. Just grab goggles, a snorkel and fins and experience the incredible underwater scenes! Anse de Marigot is recommended by locals for snorkeling. Dive - One of the most spectacular dive sites - Pain de Sucre - is just 5 minutes (by boat) from the port of Gustavia. Other popular sites include those around Colombier Bay and Groupers - located between St Martin and St Barth, with tunnels and sharks! Climb Morne de Vitet - Climb to the top of Morne de Vitet, rising up to 286 meters. Windsurfing - Saint Jean is the perfect place to go windsurfing. Clubs offer their equipment and training sessions.

Eat

Be prepared to spend; everything except fish is imported and it is reflected in the prices. Meals are wonderful, and some restaurants will let two people out for under US$100 for an essentially basic meal (two entrees, a bottle of wine, and a salad or dessert or two.)

Sleep

thumb|St Jean beach Budget hotel accommodation is available, as are reasonably priced villas and apartments. However the island does specialise in high end tourism, and the island has some of the best hotels in the Caribbean. The island of St Barts is refreshingly undeveloped. An old French communal law mandates that no building can be taller than a palm tree, so you'll find no high rises, and no massive resorts. In fact most of the rooms allocated to tourism on the island are found in private villas, not hotels.

St. Barth has about 25 hotels, most of them with 15 rooms or fewer, and the largest, the Guanahani, has just 70 rooms. Hotels are classified in the traditional French manner: 3-Star, 4-Star and 4-Star Luxe.

Villa vacations are extremely popular and there are hundreds of villas terraced into the hillsides throughout the island as well as many beachfront locations. Villas here can range from one-bedroom bungalows to large luxurious homes.

Villa rentals range from one bedroom to six bedrooms in size. Most are located on hillsides where they can be cooled by the prevailing winds, not on the beaches.

The hotels on the island are all well-rated, small for being in the Caribbean. The largest is the Guanahani Hotel with 58 rooms. Other hotels of note are Eden Rock Hotel, Hotel Le Toiny, The Carl Gustaf, Le Sereno Hotel and the Isle de France. Value-priced hotels include the Sunset Hotel, Salines Garden and the Christopher Hotel.

You can choose villa rental from owners:

Stay safe

thumb|Swedish bell tower in Gustavia St Barths is without a doubt the safest island in the Caribbean, and one of the safest places in the world. There is virtually zero crime, beyond petty theft. You can go anywhere on the island night or day with no fear whatsoever for your personal safety. There are no pickpockets, muggers, dealers or street traders to hassle you. However, do not leave valuables in your car, and use the safe in your villa or hotel.

The roads are narrow and often steep and winding. Small 4x4 rental jeeps are the vehicle of preference and renting scooters is not advised.

Respect

St Barts is very French and very traditional.

As such it is customary to say "Bonjour" on entering a shop or restaurant and "Au revoir" on leaving; similarly on passing a stranger in an uncrowded environment. Men shake hands more frequently than in Anglo-Saxon countries, but only on the first encounter of the day. A handshake will be declined if you have already met the man earlier that day. For men and women, meeting women a kiss on each cheek is customary (La bise), right cheek first. The same once-a-day rule applies. A man shaking a woman's hand only occurs in formal business situations. If meeting a group of people, one is expected to greet each and every individual with either a kiss or a shake of the hand as appropriate. Honking of horns is considered to be highly impolite.