Vacations in Saint Barthelemy (St. Barts)

Also known as Saint Barth in French, or St. Barts in English, the island has been the playground of rich and famous for many years mostly due to its very beautiful beaches, high-end shopping and excellent dining.

Accommodations

There are about 25 hotels on the island and every single one is small. Additionally you can find plenty of villas, which offer a lot of types of suites. Generally the resorts don’t offer “packages” so the deals are pretty much impossible to find, especially during the high season. However, resorts and hotels do offer some packages during the low or shoulder season and if you look close enough you can find excellent deals.

If you are looking for budget places, you should look for villas or apartments, although the island specializes in luxury tourism. As a result, some of the best hotels in the Caribbean can be found here.

>>more information on Hotels and Resorts in St. Barts

Things to do

There are about 21 beaches on the island and some of them are considered extremely beautiful. Saline , on the southern part of the island, is pristine and has no development whatsoever, which makes it a perfect place for a secluded walk or picnic. Colombier beach is another well hidden and remote island, which can be reaches by boat or by taking a hike.

On the other hand, Grand-Cul-de-Sac beaches are where the hotels and resorts are located so these places are filled with things to do and with tourists. Also you can practice sailing, windsurfing and kitesurfing here.

If you are looking to surf, head to Toiny or Shell Beach (the latter has little surfing though). Scuba and snorkeling are a great way to check out the underwater species, but be careful not to swim in murky waters especially at dawn and dusk (sharks are quite common though not a real threat).

Sailing and yachting are two of the most popular water sports here, especially when the rich bring their jewels to the Caribbean.

If you like to explore the nature you can hike or horseback ride. The most popular walking trail goes from Petite Anse to the bay of Colombier but takes only 15 min. If you want a more challenging hike, you can climb on Mount Vitet. Make sure to ask for a map of the hiking trails.