Saint Barthélemy—also known as “St. Barths,” “St. Barth,” “Saint Barths,” “St. Barts,” or a number of other variations—is a luxury Caribbean island that blends French sophistication with tropical charm. This small, chic island is a high-end destination for luxury travelers, adventure seekers, and those looking to unwind amidst pristine beaches and turquoise waters. We saw quite a few super yachts when we were there.

Getting to St. Barths

Reaching this Caribbean gem isn’t as straightforward as flying into a major international airport. Most visitors arrive via a connecting flight from St. Maarten (SXM) into the tiny Gustaf III Airport (SBH). You can also take a ferry from St. Maarten.

We sailed there on our boat and anchored here:

As soon as we arrived, we rode in our dinghy to the town dock. Prior to arriving, we had read that only the captain was allowed into the captainerie, so I waited on the dinghy.

It was hot—really hot. As I watched beautiful women in crisp linen dresses and stylish sunglasses parade by clutching their shopping bags, I wiped the sweat from my brow and thanked myself for wearing a wide-brimmed hat that day.

Finally, Roy returned and said, “You could have come in.” Ugh.

Oh well, time to explore this beautiful French island!

---

Here are the things we saw and did while on St. Barths.

1. Lunch at Le Select

We were hungry, so lunch was in order. We ate at Le Select, aka “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” a popular bar smack dab in the center of town. Founded in 1949 by a local named Marius Stakelburough, it’s where Jimmy Buffett flipped burgers in his youth. He later performed free concerts at the bar to celebrate its anniversaries. 

Legend has it, Buffett allowed Stakelburough to use the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” tagline in exchange for a lifelong open tab. Hilarious!

Apparently, this is the unofficial meeting place for Swedes on the island. (More about that history in a bit.) Our cheeseburgers were actually pretty good.

2. A Stroll Around Gustavia

The island’s capital, Gustavia, is a picturesque harbor town filled with high-end boutiques, art galleries, and gourmet restaurants. It’s only a 15-minute walk from one end of Gustavia to the other, so it only took a few hours to fully soak in the sophisticated vibe of this small capital city.

Gustavia’s Promenade

3. The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption

Built in 1829, the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Assumption is the oldest church on St. Barths. The interior was a bit eclectic, but the church and its grounds were lovely.

4. Remnants of St. Barths’ Swedish Past

St. Barths was a Swedish colony from 1784 to 1878 and is the only Caribbean island to have been a Swedish colony for a significant period of time. The island’s coat of arms still includes the Three Crowns, a symbol of the Swedish national arms. 

To this day, the island celebrates “Swedish Month” in November with a marathon called “Gustavialoppet.”

We saw evidence of the island’s Swedish past throughout Gustavia.

5. Shell Beach

This tiny beach is made up entirely of small, smooth shells (no sand). It was a beautiful spot, and we spent some time admiring the sunset there.

6. Shopping

Ooh la la, was the shopping ever great on St. Barths! We weren’t in the market for jewelry, designer clothes, or luxury handbags, but we did spend some time window shopping and then headed into the small Au Rendez-Vous supermarket on Rue de la Republique for some meats, cheeses, and baguettes.

7. City’s Waste Collection Station

From one end of the spectrum to the other…now let’s talk garbage!

We’ve seen recycling bins throughout the Caribbean, but this was by far the largest and most sophisticated sorting station we have experienced. Not surprisingly, the streets were immaculate.

Here are some things on our list we didn’t get to:

Fort Karl

Snorkeling & Diving

Exploring the rest of the island

Old Swedish Jail

Swedish Clock Tower

Gustavia Lighthouse (close-up)

---

Some Things We Learned While Visiting St. Barths

• Bring Euros: While U.S. dollars were widely accepted, the official currency was the Euro.
• Pack Light: The island was casual and very chic, but it was very hot, at least when we were there (April)
• Rent a Car: The best way to explore the island’s hidden gems is by renting a car, preferably a small SUV for navigating the hilly terrain or a Twizy for zipping around town and easier parking. This was the first time we had seen Twizies, and at the time, we thought they were hilarious. You can read about how we later fell in love with them on another island here.

---

Final Thoughts

St. Barths is a destination like no other. With its pristine beaches, luxurious accommodations, exquisite cuisine, and relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere, it’s no wonder travelers from around the world fall in love with this island paradise.

I would probably get restless after a few weeks because it’s so small, but I adored this island.

---

You can see a map of Gustavia here.