"steph4867's St. Barth " a Caribbean and Central America Travel Page by steph4867

Okay, first I have a problem that the Caribbean is bundled under Central America... and then that there is no listing for St. Barth's.

Now that I've got that off my chest, here is my page on St. Barth's.

St. Barthélemy blends the essence of the Caribbean with the essence of France. This island has a feeling of organized calm and barefoot chic that quickly puts visitors into a state of bliss. A sophisticated but unstudied approach to relaxation and respite prevails: you can spend the day on a deserted beach under a palm tree, enjoy a massage at your hotel or villa, and watch the sun set while nibbling tapas over Gustavia Harbor, then choose from nearly 100 excellent restaurants for an elegant evening meal. When you tire of the sun, you can putter all over the island, explore the fabulous shops, or just admire the lovely views.

A mere 8 square miles (21 sq km), St. Barths has lots of hills and sheltered inlets. Gustavia, the only sizable town - its name recalls the time (1784-1878) when the island belong to Sweden rather than France - wraps itself neatly around a lilliputian harbor lined with sizable yachts and rustic fishing boats. Red-roof bungalows dot the hillsides, and beaches run the gamut from calm to 'surfable' and deserted to packed. The French cuisine here is tops in the Caribbean, part of the French savoir vivre that prevails throughout the island. It's definitely a place for the style conscious - casual but always chic.

Longtime visitors speak wistfully of the old, quiet St. Barths. Development has quickened the pace of life here, but the island hasn't yet been overbuilt - although vacation villas are under construction everywhere. Still, the largest hotel has fewer than 100 rooms, and the remaining accommodations are divided among about 40 small hotels around around the island. The tiny planes that arrive with regularity still land at the lonely airport only during daylight hours. And 'nightlife' usually means a delicious dinner and a stargazing walk on the beach.

The island is a free port and, as a dependency of Guadeloupe, part of an overseas department of France. Arid, hilly, and rocky, St. Barths was unsuited to sugar production and thus never developed an extensive slave base. Most of the 3,000 current residents are descendants of the tough Norman and Breton settlers of three centuries ago. They are feisty, industrious, and friendly - but insular. However, you will find many new, young French arrivals, predominantly from northwestern France and Provence.