St Barths confuses you prior to something else, simply because of the distinct spellings of the very same identify. Have you ever wondered whether or not St Barths, was in reality the identical as St Barts, or for that matter St Barthelemy. Effectively in that situation be reassured that all are one and 1 are all.
St Barthelemy is component of the French West Indies just north of the lesser Antilles near St Martin/St Maarten and St Kitts and Nevis. St Barts is a tiny island getting only eight square miles in size, but like numerous other vacation cruise packages small factors this kind of as treasured stones it is hugely prized and pricey which is why it has grow to be a retreat for the rich and popular., rock stars, pop stars, and even royalty.
This shouldn't prevent you from going simply because it is a stunning tiny island with beautiful white sand beaches, turquoise sea, and pristine coral reefs, and nevertheless is really a lot far more akin to the South of France than the Caribbean.
The reason of program for this is the fact that St Barts and France have been closely linked for centuries and till this day it is even now element of the French overseas region of Guadeloupe. Oddly enough St Barths was when one particular of Sweden's couple of overseas outposts practically three hundred years in the past, but other than the identify of its red roofed capital Gustavia number of reminders stay.
The major point to do on a St Barths Trip is to unwind on the seashore, and despite the minute size of the island there are a lot more than twenty spectacular seashores. These variety from the bustling St Jean and Grand Cul de sac to the much more personal Grand Saline, Gouvernier and Flamands. If what you are looking for is entirely secluded bliss then go to Anse Colombier which can only be reached by boat or a half hour hike. You will find topless sunbathing, after all this is France in the Caribbean, so if it embarrasses you, then steer clear of Shell and Marechal Seashores.
The sturdy French connections also means that guests would do nicely to be able to converse in French, and the currency is not the US dollar but the Euro. Apart from the language the most clear signal of the French influence is in the cuisine, and it is outstanding to discover it has much more than 60 gourmet restaurants. One more shock is that several of the population is white and most residents are French Citizens.
There are significant restrictions now imposed on hotel creating, so no hotels can now be built with more than 12 rooms and so the most significant hotel which is the Guanahani with 76 rooms will not ever be observed once again. There are no big chain hotels on St Barths, and a lot of men and women go for the quite upmarket villas.