Image: St. Barths mural near St. Jean Beach.
Highlights
– Our impression and experience in spending a couple of nights on the beautiful island of St. Barthelemy.
Time of Visit: January 2026
Duration of Visit: Two Nights
Description
St. Barthelemy or St. Barths for short is a French Caribbean island. It is a ritzy place, meaning it has an expensive look and feel. Though the cost of visiting this tiny island may be higher than most, if not the highest, of all the Caribbean islands, you may find yourself longing to come back. It gives that feeling that all other nearby islands are not at the same league when you spend a few days on St. Barths.
This small volcanic island features hilly terrain, 14 pristine white-sand beaches, and a chic, exclusive atmosphere, making it a favorite playground for the rich and famous.
The capital, Gustavia, is a charming harbor town featuring red-roofed buildings and high-end designer boutique stores. On any given day, you will find a few luxury yachts moored at this port.
Visitors can enjoy world-class gourmet dining, vibrant nightlife, and luxurious, intimate accommodations. The island provides a safe environment and uncrowded coastline despite being a top and upscale Caribbean getaway.
Activities
We were only able to experience a few of St. Barths’ beautiful beaches during the two full days we were there. These are Flamands, Gouverneur, Grand Cul-de Sac, Lorient, Nikki, Saline and St. Jean. St. Jean is where we spent most of our time.
Flamands is located at the island’s northwestern tip. The beach is long with very few people but the waves were big. However, the water’s blue color is mesmerizing. We saw a group of umbrellas at the far end belonging, most likely to a resort. There are only a few places where a coconut tree would provide a shade, otherwise, you will be baking under the sun. There is less than a dozen designated street parking for Flamands Beach.
Gouverneur and Saline are located on the island’s south coast and have large waves. We have seen videos when both have calm waters so it must be because it was very windy during our visit. Both beaches have no shade and have large parking areas.
Grand Cul-de Sac is located at the island’s northeast corner. It had calm water but had a lot of anchored boats. The sandy beach area is not expansive either plus finding a parking spot was difficult.
Lorient Beach is both a surfing and swimming beach. It seems that the eastern half of the beach is calmer compared to the western half where surfers catch some waves. We were able to easily find side street parking before 10AM.
Nikki and St. Jean Beaches are separated by the 5-star Eden Rock hotel. Nikki is the smaller beach and east of the hotel while St. Jean stretches from the hotel to the foot of the airport runaway. Nikki has the calmer water so expect to see a few anchored boats. The bars along Nikki Beach become lively in the early evening with loud music and dancing. It is definitely the party beach.
St. Jean’s water is clear and very inviting despite having some waves. It is also a popular place for windsurfing. Finding side street parking can be difficult after 10 AM. There are shaded areas at St. Jean halfway between Eden Rock and the airport runaway. A tall concrete fence provides shade and a lone pine tree. There are umbrellas and lounge chairs along the beach but those are for resort and hotel guests. There is also a reef in St. Jean, perfect for snorkeling to see colorful fishes. If you are lucky, you may even see a sea turtle among the grassy bottom or maybe an eel hiding in the reef.
Nearby St. Jean, there is also a boardwalk through the mangrove forest. It is mostly a shaded path which is perfect if you want to get your steps while avoiding the sun.
Tips
It pays to know a few French phrases as the people who live on the island are French citizens. Some menu items are only in French.
The island’s currency is Euro. The US$ is not accepted. However, credit cards are widely accepted.
Most shopping stores, especially at Gustavia Port, are closed on Sundays. The supermarkets do remain open on Sundays. If you like French wine, you are in luck as there are wide selections at the grocery stores.
How To Get There
There are two ways to reach St. Barts which are by plane and ferry. St. Bart’s airport runaway is short so the only planes that land here are small propeller driven planes.
We took the ferry from St. Martin to St. Barth’s Gustavia Port. There are two ferry companies – Great Bay Express and Voyager. Great Bay Express sails out of Bobby’s Marina in Philipsburg (Dutch side) while Voyager sails out of Marigot (French side).
Keep in mind that St. Barths is a popular day trip destination from St. Martin. These day trippers typically take the first ferry to St. Barths in the morning and the last ferry in the afternoon back to St. Martin. It would be wise to purchase your ticket ahead of time to secure a seat.
A passport is needed to travel to St. Barths from St. Martin. However, we did not pay a departure tax to take the Voyager ferry out of Marigot.
Where To Stay
We stayed in an AirBnB about a 15 minute walk from Lorient Beach. There are many resorts and hotels around the island. Where to stay depends on where you want to hang out. For us, it did not matter as we had a rental car. But if you are not renting a car, be aware that the roads goes through hills including its perimeter road.
How To Get Around
There are taxis on the island but they are expensive.
Renting a car is simple and provides the best use of your precious time. Our US drivers license was sufficient in renting one. The rental company met us at Gustavia Port during pick up and return.
Be aware that the roads are narrow, winding and can be on a steep incline especially through the central part of the island.
Also parking can be a gamble. We do not park on the roadside unless there is a white line delineating the parking space or that we confirmed it with a local. We were at Grand Cul-de Sac and saw a couple of policemen taking photos and issuing tickets on the windshield for cars parked on the roadside where a no parking sign was nowhere to be found.
Expected Expenses
Everything on the island is priced in Euro. The beaches are free to access and roadside parking is free.
Car rental – about 50 Euros (60 USD)/day
Gas – would not amount to much being a small island.
Ferry – Great Bay Express has a lower price point compared to Voyager. Please visit their websites for current pricing.
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Summary
Saint Barthélemy or St. Barths is a premier Caribbean destination renowned for combining high-end luxury with a laid-back, “French Riviera” atmosphere. Despite being a popular destination, its beaches did not feel crowded at all.
As a French territory, it attracts jet-setters, celebrities, and travelers seeking privacy, gourmet dining, pristine beaches, and boutique shopping. The island is characterized by its safe, intimate, and sophisticated, yet unpretentious, island vibe.