From everything that you might have heard about St. Bart’s (short for Saint-Barthélemy), you’d half expect a red velvet rope to be strung up at the airport. The Caribbean’s most elite, most expensive island lives up to its reputation as an adult sandbox, where the rich and famous air-kiss over glasses of rosé. But it still has charms that make it attractive to regular folk, from its uncrowded white-sand beaches to its distinctly Gallic flair. The tidy capital of Gustavia, with its gingerbread-trimmed cases (cottages) and designer shops, surrounds a yacht-filled harbor. On the opposite side of the island, near the airport, St.-Jean is a diminutive strip of colorful boutiques and beach bars that has been compared to St.-Tropez.
Don’t Miss
- Shopping for high-end designer pieces and one-of-a-kind boho finds at Calypso in Gustavia, the famous boutique’s original location.
- Playing with the rich and famous on Baie de St.-John, a beach ringed with the island’s top hotels and clubs.
- Watching the sun set in Lurin from Café Santa Fe, perched atop a high peak with a stunning island panorama.