St. Barthelemy, also known as St. Barths and St. Barts, is located in the Caribbean and sits across from St. Marteen/St. Martin. St. Barts is a seventy-five-minute flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is on New York time during the summer and an hour ahead in the winter. The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus and named after his brother, Bartolomeo.
a diamond in the rough
You might not have heard of it, or heard very little about it, because it has become one of the world's best-kept secrets. When I say little, I mean little . The island is only eight square miles in size. It is very French -- practically everyone speaks how do you say? Ah yes, Français. There aren't any cruise ships that are allowed in the waters around St. Barts, and there is little tourism promotion.You would basically only find out about St. Barths via a recommendation. This made investigating about this treasure a bit difficult, and my conception of what I would find when I got there turned out to be completely different and so much more than I expected!
I arrived on a small Air Guadeloupe prop plane, which sat approximately sixteen passengers. I am not one to be fearful of a plane's size, I actually think it becomes more fun being tossed around a bit and sitting with the pilots. I was forewarned of the harried landing. The runway is short, and of course, before you even take off, the other passengers are swapping missed runway stories. At the end of the runway is St. Jean beach, and planes have landed in the sand, barely missing the "oh so brave" beach-goers and sun worshippers, who obviously enjoy risking their lives.
One story had the plane coming in too fast when at the last minute, it had to pull back up to avoid disaster, only to have skimmed the water and pick up an unwanted passenger who was windsurfing. Needless to say, the windsurfer abandoned ship on impact, but the equipment took flight with the plane! You can imagine my thoughts on this, yet being a bit of a thrill seeker, I couldn't wait for the landing.
perfect timing
It was an uneventful landing -- darn! I deplaned in this beautiful airport that looked like an oversized Hansel and Gretel cottage, painted in mint green with white trim. I grabbed my bags and headed to my rent-a-car. The cars on the island are small and range from Suzuki Sidekicks to Mercedes-made models, which look like little shoes, called Smarts. The roads are windy and narrow, making maneuvering an adventure in itself.I was traveling during the week between Christmas and staying for New Year's. This is one of the most popular times of the season for St. Barths due to its amazing climate and party atmosphere. Every celebrity and Mega Mogul arrives during this time, and of course, Europeans, namely French visitors, converge and sell out the island.
Most of the hotels not only increase their prices, but they increase them tenfold. I learned that the "in" thing to do in St. Barths is rent a villa. There are more than two hundred villas available from agencies such as Sibarth. But book fast and beware that an average two-bedroom villa can rent anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000 per week during this high season time, with a two-week booking minimum.
important tips
I had many tips to learn. The pace in St. Barths is considerably slower than my native Los Angeles. The first was to take things slow. Start heading out to a restaurant about an hour before you think you will be hungry because the French on this island take leisurely lunches. And you must ask for the bill. It is considered rude for your waiter to approach you with it. Tipping is not expected, but appreciated. Always pay with a credit card; you get the best exchange rate and request the charges to be in francs, and your credit card company will do the rest.
Beaches are topless and/or totally nude. It is best to purchase a phone card for the best rates and because most of the phones are card only, not coin. Once you arrive, you can also rent a local cell phone. There is no fresh water on St. Barths; only desalinized, so bottled water is a must.
sailing away
The hotel, which I like to call Holiday Inn on Grand Cul De Sac Beach, was clean, yet nothing fancy. St. Barths Beach Hotel lies on one of the best beaches in St. Barths and is popular for windsurfing. It is surprising to think that only eight miles square, the island has twenty beautiful beaches with something for everyone: yachting, jetskiing, snorkeling and surfing. My favorite beach was Grand Saline, on the south shore or Caribbean side of the island. Its swimming pool's blue waters, rolling waves and beautiful scenery make for quite an amazing and restful day. I looked just off into the distance and there was a yacht lowering jet skis into the water for a day of fun.Did I mention the yachts? Gustavia Harbor is quite a spectacle, with yachts that come in to dock from all over the world. Paul Allen's yacht was there with its helicopter and landing pad on the top back part of the boat. Even Sean Puffy Combs (no, J.Lo was not there) held a New Year's Eve Party on his chartered $80,000-dollar a day yacht. Estee Lauder's family yacht was next to the one that Martha Stewart was on, and the list went on and on. Truly a site for sore eyes and the dreamers.
star struck
There were celebrity sightings everywhere. Julianne Moore, Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Ellen Barkin, and celebrities rumored to be in town (including Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt) were all about, eating and shopping in the boutiques in Gustavia. Gustavia has some of the best shopping in the world. Hermes, Armani, Cartier, La Perla, Prada, and much more. The exchange from the American dollar into French francs when I was there was seven francs to one American dollar, which made shopping that much more fun!St. Barths also boasts some of the most wonderful places to dine and people watch. Right on the beach is the trendy La Plage . The owners throw an annual beach party and lunch, by invitation only. It gets wild and exciting, and the food is wonderful. The same owners of La Plage also own and run LeTi , St. Barths Cantina and Restaurant, which is the place to be at night. Beautiful people, amazing food. The party begins around 2:00 am, and you can usually find someone dancing on a table or two.
food and more food
There are so many restaurants to enjoy, more than 85 at my count. I would need to be there an extra month to try them all. One of my favorites is a lunch place called Le Tamarin . Wonderful Caribbean dishes and fresh catches of the day, such as mouthwatering lobster and local fish, plus a chocolate dessert to die for. Other fabulous restaurants which are a must-do are l'Iguane in the heart of Gustavia for sushi and "the scene;" Le Repaire in Gustavia for their tuna tar-tare; Baie des Anges , for their lobster salad; Le Boubou's, for a romantic dinner where everything on the menu is sumptuous; Le Deck , for an indoor-outdoor bar and nightclub after midnight; and one of the most beautiful restaurants right on the water, L'Orchidee , in the Sofitel Christopher Hotel at Pointe Milou.I was down to my last night, sadly. True to form, St. Barths on New Year's Eve is truly a magnificent night to remember. From a private party at the fabulous restaurant and hotel called Eden Rock , complete with fireworks, to "Yacht Hopping" in Gustavia, the night flew by as I rung in the New Year and wished all my friends everywhere, the best of 2001.
As for St. Barths I can't wait to see you again next year!
Resources:
Caribbean Travel Guide
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