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St. Barths
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St. Barths
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St. Barths is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. In French it's called St. Barth and in English both St. Barths or St. Barts work. The island lies about 35 kilometres (22 mi) south-east of the Caribbean island Saint Martin. View Map.
5 Fun Facts

1. French Flair:

St. Barths is an overseas collectivity of France, giving it a unique blend of Caribbean relaxation with a touch of French sophistication. You'll find French cuisine, language, and culture infused into daily life on the island.

2. No Large Cruise Ships:

Unlike many Caribbean islands, St. Barths does not allow large cruise ships to dock. This policy helps preserve the island's exclusivity and natural beauty, making it a favorite among celebrities and luxury travelers.

3. Luxury Shopping:

Despite its small size (just 9 square miles), St. Barths is known for its high-end shopping scene. Gustavia, the capital, boasts boutiques from renowned international designers, offering everything from designer clothing to fine jewelry.

4. Beautiful Beaches:

St. Barths is home to some of the most stunning beaches in the Caribbean, each with its own unique charm. Colombier Beach, accessible only by boat or a hiking trail, is particularly famous for its seclusion and crystal-clear waters.

5. Festival Culture:

The island celebrates several festivals throughout the year, blending traditional Caribbean festivities with French influences. The St. Barths Bucket Regatta, an annual sailing event, draws sailing enthusiasts and spectators from around the world.

Top 10 Attractions Random Order
1. Kitesurf & Windsurf at Cul De Sac 2. Shopping Tour in Gustavia - it's duty free. 3. Surfing at Lorient or Washing Machine4. Visit the Nature Reserve of Saint-Barthelemy 5. Visit Sage Mountain National Park 6.Experience the beaches: Colombier Beach, Grande Saline Beach, Baie de St-Jean, Gouverneur Beach, Flamands Beach, Shell Beach 7. The St. Barts Marine Park 8. Take a Yoga Class on the Beach 9. Scuba Diving & Snorkeling 10. Drive up the hills from Gustavia to the town of Lurin to view sunset
Top Videos Island Life
St. Barth is not only for the rich and famous, but when you visit you certainly feel rich and famous. For some it's better than the south of France. You'll understand why, with a visible French culture and style and the Caribbean sandy beaches and tropical weather. St Barths is also one of the safest Caribbean islands similar to Virgin Gorda. You can leave your keys in your car and your front door open.

St Barth is one of the smalles, neatest and most organised Caribbean islands, but it comes at a price. St. Barth is not really for the budget traveller or everyday beach bum. Hanging around with sloppy clothes, sipping a can of beer is frownded upon. "Yes, we're snobs and we don't like tactless and sloppiness!" say the locals. St. Barth has 22 picturesque, snow white sandy beaches. Gustavia is its capital. Unlike Nice or Paris in France, Gustavia is more of a small fisherman's village than a city. But this village is packed with fashion boutiques, restaurants and galleries of a very high standard. Visit with money!

Enjoy your stay!

Map of St. Barths in the Caribbean Sea
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National Anthem

"Hymn to St. Barthélemy”


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Serious Facts St. Barths
Nationality
The residents of St. Barths are French.
Size
25 km2 (9.7 sq mi)
Population

+/- 9800 residents

Currency & Credit Cards

Euro (€) (EUR)

Government
French Parliament. One senator represents the island in the French Senate. On 1 January 2012 St. Barthélemy became an overseas territory of the European Union, but the island's inhabitants remain French citizens with EU status holding EU passports. France is responsible for the defence of the island and has stationed a security force on the island comprising a few policemen and several gendarmes.
Time Zone
GMT/UTC - 4h (utilizes no Daylight Saving Time) in Atlantic Standard Time.
Drives on the

Right

Calling Code
+590
Capital
Gustavia
Taxation

Sales tax: none.

Animals
Brown pelican, green herons, snowy egrets, kingfishers, hawksbill turtles, green turtle, leatherback sea turtle
Food
Agricultural production on the island is difficult given the dry and rocky terrain
Plants
Cacti, succulent, Sea grapes, mangroves, palm trees, coconut palmas, flamboyant trees, frangipanis, sabal palms, wild trumpet and Manchineel trees.
Lingo

French is the official language, but English is widely spoken. Recognized regional languages are Saint-Barthélemy French and Antillean Creole

National Flower
Lily flower (unofficial national flower)    
National Bird
Brown Booby (unofficial national bird)    
5 St. Barths Must-See/Must-Do Things
  1. J. Anse de Grand Cul de Sac - to do or view great windsurfing or kitesurfing action.
  2. Shopping in Gustavia - St. Barts' red-roofed capital, is a small harbor town and the commercial center for shopping in St. Barts. The streets are lined with chic boutiques, duty free shops, and art galleries.
  3. Visiting St. Jean - the second most popular tourist area outside of Gustavia, with many restaurants, shopping plazas and boutiques. Very scenic with luxury villas on the hillsides and close to the island's only airport. St. Jean Beach is great swimming and has a natural coral reef.
  4. Surf at Lorient and view the 19th-century Catholic church.
  5. Corossol is a tiny two-street fishing village - exudes a quintessential Caribbean feel. For an authentic taste of local life go visit Corossol. It's also called "straw village" named after the straw hats and craft locally made from palm fronds.
Best St. Barths Beaches

There are as many as 22 public beaches. Most beaches are known as "Anse de..." of which 15 are considered suitable for swimming.

Windward Beaches. Protected by hills and reefs. Popular for windsurfing and kitesurfing.

  1. The beach of St Jean. Relatively busy.
  2. The long beach at Lorient. Has shade and is more quiet in comparrison.
  3. Grand-cul-de-sac. A long beach with water sports facilities.
  4. Anse de Flamands. A very wide sandy beach.
  5. Anse Toiny. In a remote location and considered a top surfing spot for the more experienced surfers.

Leeward Beaches. Calm waters protected by the island itself.

  1. Anse du Gouverneur
  2. Anse du Colombier. Only accessible by foot or by boat
  3. Anse de Grand Galet (Shell Beach). Unofficially nudist beach. South west of Gustavia with large number of sea shells
  4. Anse de Grande Saline. Unofficially nudist beach. Close to salt ponds, a habitat for tropical birds.

In French, 'Anse' means "cove" and 'Galet' means "pebble".

Geography

St. Barths' coordinates: Latitude: 17° 54' 50.12" N Longitude: -62° 50' 1.87" W. St. Barths lies approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi) east of Puerto Rico and southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla. St. Barths is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel. It lies northeast of Saba and St. Eustatius, and north of St. Kitts.

Brief History
St. Barths island was allegedly discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus who named it for his brother Bartolomeo. This Caribbean island was first settled by the French in 1648, and in 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who then renamed its largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port. During the18th century colonial St. Barths prospered as a supply and trade center. In 1878 France repurchased St. Barths from Sweden and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe, but the island kept its free port status, some Swedish street and town names and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003 the island seceded from Guadeloupe, and in 2007 St. Barths became a French overseas collectivity.