The Complete Guide to Saint Barts (When to Go, What to Do, and Where to Stay)

As one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean, St. Barts is a popular destination, especially for the rich and celebrities. And if you’re planning to go to the island, this complete guide to Saint Barts will answer all your questions and everything you need to know about the island.
The Complete Guide to Saint Barts
Table of Contents

It is ideal for visiting the island from mid-April to mid-December to enjoy its sales at hotel prices. You can shop in designer boutiques, dip on its pristine beaches, visit museums, and eat at high-end restaurants. As a small island in the Atlantic, you can do all of them while staying in Gustavia, the island’s capital.

Why Is St. Barts So Popular?

St. Barts is so popular, especially among the rich and celebrities, because of its tropical climate, pristine beaches, luxurious yachts, high-fashioned boutiques, and world-class restaurants.

What Is St. Barts Known for?

A small island on the Caribbean, St. Barts is known for:

  • Stunning white-sand beaches
  • Luxury yachts
  • Designer boutiques
  • World-class cuisines

Is St. Barts Beautiful?

St. Barts is beautiful. The word beautiful is even an understatement of the beauty of the island. St. Barts is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean. Despite being small, St. Barts has stunning white beaches, world-class restaurants, and high-fashion boutiques. It has a rich and enhanced culture for cuisines and wines because of the French culture. Also, St. Barts is one of the safest places in the entire world for its record of little to no crimes, making your trip more peaceful and worth it.

Does St. Barts Have Nice Beaches?

St. Barts has nice beaches that you can drive around the island. In fact, its lovely beaches are the reason tourists flock to the island! Each beach has its own personality that can fit your taste. They are open to the public all year round. Beaches can be your place to picnic, sunbathe, snorkel, dive, and do more activities.

Where Are St. Barts Beaches?

Stunning beaches surround St. Barts. Here is the list of the beaches you can visit in St. Barts and where you can find them:

  • Colombier Beach in the northwest of the island
  • Corossol Beach in the western part
  • Saline Beach on the southern shore of the island
  • Shell Beach near Gustavia, the island’s capital
  • Gouverneur Beach in the south part
  • Jean Beach in St. Jean
  • Flamands Beach in the northwest
  • Lorient Beach on the north shore of the island
  • Grand cul de Sac beach in the northeast
  • Marigot Beach on the northeast side of the island
  • Petit Cul de Sac beach in the extreme eastern part
  • Toiny Beach on the east side of St. Barts

Is St. Barts Touristy?

St. Barts is definitely touristy. In fact, it is one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean.

How Many Tourists Visit St. Barts?

There are nearly 200,000 tourists who visit St. Barts every year. Its beautiful beaches, delicious restaurants, trendy boutiques, and luxurious yachts drew them resting on the island’s shores.

Do Cruise Ships Go to St. Barts?

Cruise ships go to St. Barts. Some of them are Regent Seven Seas, Oceania Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, Crystal Cruises, and Windstar Cruises.

Where Does Cruise Ships Dock in St. Barts?

Cruise ships dock in Gustavia harbor. Then tenders its passengers in Port de Plaisance, the heart of Gustavia, which is the island’s capital.

When Is the Best Time to Go to St. Barts?

The best time to go to St. Barts is from mid-April to mid-December. This is the off-season in St. Barts. During these months, prices of hotels, villas on the island are on sale or not at their peak. They provide a 20% to 50% discount on the costs for your stay and beaches are less crowded, unlike during the high season.

What Is High Season in St. Barts?

The high season in St. Barts is from mid-December to mid-April. During this season, travelers visit the island to experience the tropical sunshine in St. Barts. There is little to no rain during these months. The Christmas and New Year seasons where your stay, including villas and hotels, can be costly.

If you want to visit St. Barts this season, you can make reservations in advance, maybe a year or more, to have the best experience on the island.

How Is St. Barts in June?

The hurricane season in St. Barts starts in June and ends in late November. Before this season, some hotels were closed for renovations.

What To Do in St. Barts?

There are lots of things you can do in St. Barts. You can shop in designer boutiques, dip in the island’s stunning beaches, visit museums, try the different cuisines served in the restaurants, and enjoy various outdoor activities.

What to Do in St. Barts for a Day?

For a day, here are the things you can do in St. Barts:

  • In the morning, you can have your coffee in Le Select, Gustavia, and choose from the great bakeries and boulangerie near. After that, you can explore St. Barts underwater through Yellow Submarine, a semi-submersible watercraft.
  • For lunch, you can have it at your desired restaurants which serve mouth-watering cuisines, especially French, while overlooking the beaches. Flamands beach is a spot you can consider.
  • In the afternoon, you can explore the museums on the island. You can visit the Wall House Museum, which is the St. Barts Municipal Museum. Then you can shop in designer boutiques.
  • You can spend it leisurely in the bars and restaurants you decide and enjoy the nightlife in St. Barts in the evening.

What to Do in Gustavia?

As the capital of St. Barts, there are lots of things you can do in Gustavia.

  • You can shop in the designer shops found in the three main shopping streets in Gustavia. You can buy accessories, beachwear, and jewelry in different boutiques and stores.
  • If you want to taste French cuisine, you can eat at restaurants in Gustavia.
  • You can also visit the ruins of Fort Gustave, the Wall House Museum (St. Barts Municipal Museum), and Vieux Clocher (the oldest building in Gustavia).
  • If you want to have a dip on the island’s beach, you can stroll on the nearest beach in Gustavia, Shell Beach.

Aside from that, you can also enjoy the nightlife in the island’s capital.

How Many Days Should I Stay in St. Barts?

You should stay in St. Barts as long as you can and as long as your budget allows you to do so. However, two days would be enough for you to go around St. Barts since it is a small island, and it only takes about 20 minutes to travel around.

What Is the Best Area to Stay in St. Barts?

The best area to stay in St. Barts is in Gustavia, the island’s capital. If you want to shop, Gustavia is the best place! You can find there the three main shopping streets which display different designer shops. It is also near to the islands’ restaurants which serve mouth-watering cuisines. From Gustavia, you can stroll to Shell Beach, which is perfect for a picnic.

How Many Hotels Are There in St. Barts?

There are about 30 hotels in St. Barts with around 600 rooms. Some of the best hotels on the island are Hotel Le Toiny, Le Sereno, Hotel Cristopher, and Hotel Villa Maria Saint Barths.

During the peak season, rates on hotels range from €508 ($600) to €762 ($900) for a night. Meanwhile, during the low season, rates of hotels for a night cost around €372 ($440) to €558 ($660).

Does St. Barts Have All-Inclusive Resorts?

St. Barts has all-inclusive resorts. They offer their guests break-on rates, car rentals, food options, and a wide variety of outdoor activities. Some of the best all-inclusive resorts in St. Barts are Rosewood Le Guanahani and Le Sereno Hotel.

Do Celebrities Go to St. Barts?

Celebrities go to St. Barts. It is one of the popular destinations for them, the royal families and wealthy tycoons. Some celebrities who visited the island are Beyonce, Jon Bo Jovi, Usher, and the Kardashians.

Why Is St. Barts So Popular With Celebrities?

St. Barts is so popular with celebrities because of the island’s level of exclusivity. Seeing celebrities on the island is a normal thing that differs from the star-struck fandom that happens in other places. People treat each other with respect. Also, most celebrities visit the island to escape the always-watching public eye. In St. Barts, they experience an ultra-private stay with comfort and tranquillity.

Where Do Celebrities Stay in St. Barts?

When celebrities visit the island, they stay on Isle De France. It is known as a celebrity hideaway located on one of the beaches of St. Barths, Baie des Flamands, in the island’s northwest. It has 40 spacious rooms and offers intimate accommodations, excellent cuisine, and a popular weekly fashion show on the beautiful beach.

Where Did the Kardashians Stay in St. Barts?

The Kardashians stayed in La Banane when they were in St. Barts. La Banane is a private luxury villa that was then a 1950s vintage chic boutique hotel. It has nine bedrooms, nine bathrooms, and one jacuzzi/pool. La Banane is in the middle of the island on the northern side, past Lorient. It is surrounded by massive walls and giant palm trees that give the place exceptional privacy.

Where Did the Rhony Stay in St. Barts?

Rhony stayed at Villa Dunes in St. Barts. It is the most exclusive and luxurious beach house in Saline Beach and one of the largest villas on the island, offering 6 bedrooms.

Villa Dunes is a property that features contemporary style in its main villa and Balinese style in its two independent bungalows. A stay in Villa Dunes for a week costs around €50,938 ($60,000).

What Stores Are in St. Barts?

There are about 200 stores and shops in St. Barts to buy international designer labels and luxury items. Here are the stores you can shop when you are in St. Barts:

  • Louis Vuitton
  • Tod’s
  • Bulgari
  • Cartier
  • Chopard
  • Hermes
  • Dior
  • Prada
  • Ralph Lauren
  • Bijoux De La Mer
  • Fabienne Miot
  • Dolce & Gabbana
  • Saint Barth Caravan
  • Les Artisans (jeweler)
  • Ligne St Barth (cosmetics)
  • Bazar boutik
  • Vanita Rosa
  • Marina St Barth
  • Pain de Sucre
  • Terra Mandarine Bijoux
  • Havacoa

Is There a Chanel Store in St. Barts?

Unfortunately, there is no Chanel store in St. Barts. However, you can find a store named Diamond Genesis jewelry on Gustavia, the island’s capital, an exclusive distributor of Chanel watches in St. Barts.

What to Buy in St. Barts?

St. Barts has a variety of stores where you can buy:

  • Vintage wines and liquors
  • French perfumes
  • Designer clothes and bags
  • Watches and jewelry
  • Beachwear
  • Locally produced beauty lotions and oils
  • Handcrafted souvenirs

Is St. Barts Duty-Free?

St. Barts is duty-free, which enhances your shopping experience. It has exclusive brands like Hermes, Cartier, Dior, and some locally owned labels. In St. Barts, you can shop for perfumes, clothing, watches, liquor, and tobacco that cost a fortune in your place but at reasonable prices on the island.

What Food Is St. Barts Known for?

St. Barts is known for its food, a fusion of African, French, Creole, Italian, Indian, Asian, Caribbean, and other cuisines. One of the famous foods in St. Barts is the Accras, a Creole dish that is salt cod fritters served in a spicy sauce. Accras in St. Barts is spicier than anywhere else. You can find this all over the island, but the La Gloriette in Grand Cul de Sac is famous for this dish.

Is Food Expensive in St. Barts?

Food at St. Barts is expensive. The average cost of food on the island is €43 (50 dollars). Nevertheless, it varies on where you will eat. Food during lunch and dinner is more expensive than breakfast.

What Is the Drinking Age in St. Barts?

The legal drinking age in St. Barts is 18 years old. Groceries and restaurants sell wine, beer, and liquor, on the island.

How Much Is a Beer in St. Barts?

Beers cost around €4 ($4.71) to €6 ($7.06). Restaurants and bars throughout town serve both domestic and imported beers.

Does St. Barts Have Casinos?

There are no casinos in St. Barts. You cannot also find high-rise buildings and golf courses on the island.

What Should I Bring to St. Barts?

In visiting the island, bring the following:

  • A bathing suit
  • Waterproof gears
  • Comfortable shoes
  • Sun protection
  • Evening wear
  • Camera
  • Lightweight clothing

What Do You Wear in St. Barts?

During the day, you can wear swimsuits, sun hats, cover-ups, jean shorts, and flat sandals. Meanwhile, at night, you can wear sundresses, short summer dresses, white jeans/jean shorts, cute blouses, flat sandals, and also wedges.

Why Should I Go to St. Barts?

You should go to St. Barts because one, it has stunning white beaches; two, it has the most exclusive yachts; and three, it is a popular destination for celebrities. St. Barts also has the spots for the best French cuisines and designer boutiques. St. Barts is home to wildlife that is yet to be discovered. Last, it has the best beach parties!

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