St. Barts Things To Do

St. Barts - officially the Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy - is only eight sq miles but its shoreline includes fourteen beaches, all covered with shiny white sand. Many are protected from ocean swells by a fringing reef and all are public and free.

Great for: pristine beaches
Location: Leeward Islands, part of the French West Indies
Population: 8,500
Size: 8 sq miles
Capital city: Gustavia
Airport: Gustaf III Airport, SBH
Language: French
Currency: Euro (EUR or €) - check exchange rate
Time zone: UTC -4
Area code: 590

Did you know?
Christopher Columbus discovered the island of St. Barthelemy in 1493. He named the island after his older brother, Batholomeo. Today, St. Barts (as part of France), is part of the European Union and its currency is the Euro.

The French began settling the island in the mid 1600's. These original French settlers were eventually killed by raiding Carib Indians, but were replaced by a new settlement of Frenchmen in the 1700's. After becoming part of Sweden for a brief time (as French King Louis XVI gave St. Barts to his friend Swedish King Gustaf III in 1784), St. Barts was declared as a Department of France. Today, citizens of the island carry French passports and they are full status French citizens.

St. Barts is the only island in the Caribbean to have Swedish history. The capital, Gustavia was named after King Gustav III of Sweden and the city was founded after Sweden obtained the island from France in 1785. The city is still small and everything can be discovered on foot. The site of old Fort Gustave has an excellent view of Gustavia.

St. Barts is a shopper's paradise with some of the best brand names in the world just blocks from the pier! Dessert lovers can sample their way through pastry and espresso in any of the bakeries in Gustavia. You can find all kinds of sweets, from the famous pain au chocolat to the most sophisticated French cream puffs.

St. Barts has picture-perfect beaches and breathtaking sunsets. Make sure to visit one of the most famous beaches, such as Gouverneur, Saline or Colombier.

Beaches

Landmarks

The beach is the No. 1 attraction in St. Barts. Some of the most popular beaches are listed below.

St. Barts Beaches:

Grande Saline Beach - Probably the most popular beach of the island. Topless sunbathing is common here.

Colombier Beach - This secluded beach is the perfect place to relax.

Shell Beach - As its name suggests, this beach is littered with shells, which make by the way a perfect vacation memento.

Anse des Flamands - Another picture-perfect tropical beach.

Anse du Gouverneur - A less crowded, beautiful beach.

Landmarks on St. Barts:

Lorient - The site of the first French settlement.

Gustavia - The capital city was founded after Sweden got hold of the island in 1785. The city is still small and everything can be discovered on foot. The site of old Fort Gustave has excellent views.

• All Americans are required to present a passport to enter and re-enter the United States.
• Non-U.S. citizens, please contact the nearest consulate or embassy of the country to which you are traveling to determine your entry/visa requirements.
• Passport, visa and travel advisory information may be found at the U.S. Department of State's French West Indies pages. Although most travel to international destinations is completed without incident, Caribbean-TravelDeals.com urges passengers to review travel prohibitions, warnings, announcements and advisories prior to booking.