St. Barthelemy is a 10 mi² French island southeast of St. Martin. It is an overseas territory with 9,000 inhabitants and its main town is Gustavia. Along with St. Martin, this island is one of the treasures of the Lesser Antilles. It takes around 1 hour by boat or 15 minutes by plane to get there from St. Martin.
The island is a succession of picture-perfect coves and bays. It has become a favorite destination for celebrities and billionaires, the place to be seen. A day trip to St. Barthelemy is a very pleasant experience.
How can you come and spend a day on St. Barthelemy?
This elegant, joyful, and peaceful island can be reached either by sea or air. There are several boats per day to St. Barthelemy from the Marigot ferry terminal. Voyager operates a fast ferry service from one island to the other in one hour, arriving at the Gustavia Port.
This port is ideally located in the town center of St. Barthelemy’s capital, with a cab station close by. Gustavia’s main attractions are all less than a 10-minute walk away: tour of the town, duty-free shopping, bars and restaurants, and the beautiful Shell Beach.
A round trip ticket for a day trip costs around 70 euros (average price) for an adult and 50 euros for a child. The price may vary depending on the date and time.
When you get to Gustavia Port, you will need to rent a car or take a cab if you would like to explore the island and get to some unmissable places.
You can also get to St. Barthelemy by plane. There is a direct flight available to Rémy-de-Haenen regional airport from St. Martin. Guaranteed thrills and a change of scenery in just a fifteen-minute flight! There are several local airlines such as Winair or Saint-Barth Commuter operating daily flights. It is more expensive to travel by plane than by boat. Don’t forget your passport, or even a French visa, issued in your country of origin, depending on your nationality.
You can also visit St. Barthelemy on a recreational boat. You can rent a boat for the day and head out to sea.
The entry and exit formalities must be completed at Gustavia Port. Make sure you respect the moorings made available for recreational boats. The only places you are authorized to drop anchor are Colombier Bay and Fourchue Island. You cannot drop anchor anywhere else, to avoid damaging the coral reef and aquatic plants in the Nature Reserve.
Gustavia
This is the capital of the island of St. Barthelemy. It is on the west coast of the island. The town was built around the port and a natural cove. It serves as the gateway to this very much sought-after luxury island. In Gustavia there are luxury boutiques, bars, chic and trendy restaurants, and some historic monuments such as Fort Karl, the Governor’s house, the lighthouse, the Swedish clock tower, and Maison Daizey.
Shell Beach
Shell Beach is the first accessible beach, just 5 minutes from the capital. It is covered in pearly shells that glisten in the sun. You can enjoy lunch on the beach at a famous restaurant. The Shellona is one of the best places to eat on the island, serving sun-kissed Mediterranean dishes with a touch of Greek influence, thanks to the Chef’s roots.
Saint-Jean Bay
This beach in the north of the island is very popular with tourists and is overlooked by the iconic Eden Rock hotel, a favorite destination with A-listers. The restaurants and stores in Saint-Jean Bay are all very close to the beach. On one side of the bay, you’ll be able to see the small planes arriving from St. Martin and Pointe-à-Pitre. On the other side is St. Barthelemy’s chic and glamorous restaurant Nikki Beach. This is the perfect place to spend the day at the beach and have lunch facing the Caribbean Sea. It is possible to go snorkeling and do other watersports here.
Colombier
Colombier is a quiet place on the far eastern side of St. Barthelemy, right in the heart of the Nature Reserve. You can get there on foot or by boat. We recommend exploring the underwater reef with snorkeling equipment.
Fourchue Island
Fourchue Island is on the northwest side of St. Barthelemy. This deserted island is covered in cacti and is a well-sheltered place for recreational boats to drop anchor. This little island is part of the Nature Reserve, and there are buoys available for mooring your boat. The seabed is absolutely breathtaking here. Fourchue Island is the perfect place to stop to enjoy your lunch in the great outdoors. You can also disembark on the small beach east of the mooring buoys. If you’ve got good shoes, there’s a little footpath that leads to the peak of the island. From there, you’ll have a fantastic view.
