St Barthélemy / Special Interests

Besides the general atmosphere, its glitz and star-spotting, the thing that St Barths does better than anywhere else in the whole Caribbean is its food, which is exceptional. The cuisine is basically French, with some concessions to the climate and to travellers’ waistlines, ie lighter. And it is mainly metropolitan French in style.  Just a few places have Creole inspiration, though there are one or two exotic restaurants serving sushi and Asian food.

The watersports are also good, though that is not necessarily what people come for of course. Despite the island’s size there is good Windsurfing and Kitesurfing. Although the reefs are not the most exciting in the region, the scuba diving is well organised and satisfying. For something more leisurely there are good day sails to remote coves and offshore islands. The island is also a very popular destination for sailing, with offshore cays to put into and an excellent harbour around Gustavia.

On land there is horse riding, with treks through the island’s extremely rough northwest, and along the beach, but the terrain is far too rough to have any serious golf. There is a driving range (into a lagoon) but otherwise you will have to go to St Maarten, Nevis or Anguilla. The rough terrain also makes it hard for gardeners. There are no public gardens that can be visited. Nor is there much to see in the way of nature. There are a few birds, but there are no large animals on island.

Instead the island specialises in people-based activities. The music on the island is good, and in some instances unexpected. St Barths actually has a classical music festival. Of course there are all the Caribbean rhythms to be heard too in the excellent bars and clubs. There is a small carnival which is worth attending if you happen to be on island.

St Barths is an extremely romantic and attractive place, which makes it ideal for a honeymoon. Weddings are difficult because of the regulations. There is so much going on that it is fine for solo travellers and while the hotels do not offer much specifically designed for children, the villas are used to having families and the island is generally accepting of them. There are now two serious spas on the island, a Molton Brown spa at the Isle de France and a Clarins spa at the Guanahani Hotel. And while the island is indulgent and excessive in so many aspects, there is a surprising amount of yoga and holistic activities available for those who want to find them.

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