St. Bart Tourist Important
Informations
SHOPPING
As I mentioned, the shopping
is also excellent, so don’t fear inclement weather. It’s just an excuse
to stroll around Gustavia or St. Jean, window shopping and perusing the
many upscale boutiques that line the harbor. St. Barth’s is a duty-free
tax haven and you’ll find many good deals on jewelry, designer clothing,
and other luxury items;
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however, the current
exchange rate tends to negate those duty-free deals. Definitely buy
a few bottles of Rhum Vanille (vanilla rum) to take home with you; it’s
a specialty of the island which is served gratis after dinner in many of
the restaurants, and it’s sure to bring back happy memories once you’ve
returned home.
ARRIVING
Getting to St. Barth
is a roller coaster ride --- literally. Only small planes can land on the
short runway, so you fly into St. Martin and then take a 12 minute flight
in a puddle jumper. Or you can take a ferry. But most people actually come
to enjoy the dramatic landings over the hill and take-offs over the beach.
The low altitude flight provides great views of the island. Once you arrive,
you pick up your rental car right there at the tiny airport. Whether you
have rented a villa or reserved a hotel, there will be someone there to
meet you and guide you to your lodging. You might want to tell them to
meet you about an hour after your plane lands so that you can pick up your
rental car and go to Match supermarket, which is across the street from
the St. Barth Airport. |
There you will find everything
you need for your stay, from wine and liquors to fresh produce, cheeses,
breads, local specialties, to sun screen, paper towels, and villa provisions.
There are a couple of other supermarkets on the island but this is a very
convenient spot to get your preliminary shopping out of the way before
heading to your villa. (Even if you have a hotel room, most of them feature
a small refrigerator to store wine or beer or bottled water.)
DINING
Okay, so you’ve finally
reached your lodging --- Now what? You may want to stay close to home the
first night, having dinner at your villa or in your hotel’s restaurant.
There aren’t too many roads in St. Barth’s and it’s pretty hard to get
lost, but since you’re probably arriving in late afternoon or early evening
it might be best to wait until daylight to really explore the island. Before
going to your villa you can stop at Maya’s To Go (also across from the
airport, a hundred yards or so down from Match on the same side) or Kiki
et Mo’s (a bit further down in St. Jean) and pick up a full meal, wine,
beer, etc. As the week progresses you will probably eat many dinners in
the 90+ restaurants on the island, but it’s nice to have the option to
hang out by the pool or on the beach or on your patio, listen to some music,
and relax over a low key meal "at home". There is also a service which
will deliver food from several restaurants: Allo Delivery, phone is 0590
51 07 77.
‘Where to eat?’ will be your
most difficult decision every day (your only other decision is what beach
to go to). Many people opt for a picnic-type lunch, getting bread, cheese,
and other take-out items from the places mentioned above, or of course
one of the supermarkets. Add a bottle of wine and a beach and you’re set.
Others opt for a sit-down lunch at one of the many restaurants with a view,
such as Nikki Beach Club, The Sand Bar (at the Eden Rock Hotel), or La
Plage on St. Jean Beach; Le Sereno, or L’Indigo on Grand Cul de Sac; Wall
House, Le Repaire, or one of the many other restos around the harbor in
Gustavia; Do Brasil on Shell Beach near town; or my personal favorite,
Le Case de L’Isle at the Isle de France (IDF) hotel on Flamands Beach.
At the IDF your luncheon reservation buys you a spot (for the whole day)
on one of their cushy lounge chairs on the beautiful beach. You can either
eat lunch in your beach chair or up in the beautiful seaside restaurant
which is open to the ocean breezes.
Meals in St. Barth’s are
usually expensive but worth it, unlike many spots in the Caribbean. There
are some bargains; do some research in advance and you’ll discover Le Select
(of Cheeseburger in Paradise fame), Andy’s Hideaway, Chez Rolande/The Wishing
Well, Le Bouchon, Les Bananiers, and others. The dollar/euro situation
is a big issue for U.S. visitors, so be prepared for everything to be nearly
50% more than it appears (i.e., 100 euros is $147 as of this writing) .
The restaurants run the gamut in terms of theme but are consistently above
average compared to other islands. You can find French cuisine of course
(after all you are in France), lots of seafood, Thai, Chinese, Italian,
pizza, sushi, etc…. pretty much whatever you’re looking for is available
here. Many visitors find that even after a couple (or even a dozen) visits
they still haven’t dined at all the restaurants on the island. But they
sure have fun trying! Here's a website which provides a current list
of all the restaurants on the island, as well as photos of each one:
http://web.mac.com/gnik/Restos/A-Caviar.html
Many questions about St.
Barth’s can be answered by perusing two websites: www.st-barths.com and
www.sbhonline.com. The former is an extensive guide to the island and the
latter is a travel blog/forum, with contributors who range from “newbies”
to those on their 25th trip to the island. Both offer a wealth of info
on where to stay, where to go, what to do, and where to eat, along with
other helpful details on life on St. Barth.
In summary, I can only
tell you this: your first trip to St. Barth will definitely not be your
last. I think it’s one of the most romantic spots on earth, and I hope
you get to go there some time in your life.
Villas for rent
Rent a Villa in St Barts:
Take an extraordinary island in the northern Caribbean, add lush tropical
vegetation and golden sands, plus a wide range of luxury villas where you
can play at being Robinson Crusoe without renouncing the finer things in
life.
Radiant under the tropical
sun, with contemporary lines conforming to the landscape, these villas
cling to the hillsides or sprawl on the beautiful beaches on Saint Barth.
For a great vacation with
family or friends, or just a romantic getaway for two, the island’s exceptional
villas are one of the essential elements that make Saint Barth a perfect
little paradise.
Whether they are Caribbean
or contemporary in style, many of the villas have unique interior design
or infinity pools with views that simply take your breath away. Inside,
you will find everything you need to enjoy a comfortable stay, but also
enjoy a magic moment lost in time.
St Barts Nightlife
The night wasn't over
after sweatin' it out at Le Ti St. Barths. We still had another stop to
make----this time at the island hotspot, Le Yacht Club.
After hanging out at Nikki
Beach during the day, we made friends with one of the gals working there
who also happened to work as a hostess at Le Yacht Club. Her name is Nellie
and when I told her we had plans to check out Le Yacht Club, she made sure
we got the best VIP table in the house and gave us the full Red Carpet
treatment upon our arrival.
She advised to "wear white"
at the club. When I asked her why, she said, "You'll light up in the club!
You'll see!"
We arrived at the club
and once you walk through the doors, you truly felt like you were stepping
into the interior of a Bling Bling yacht! Low ceilings.....marine decor.....and
the way the fluorescent lights were set up, all of us *glowed* in our white
attire.
We quickly discovered
that this was the place where the locals who worked the nightshift at the
restaurants would go to party after-hours. We met up with some of our hard-working
waitstaff from Le Ti and even "Mr. DJ" came by for a nightcap !
It was a cool, hip very
European atmosphere and the crowd was friendly and completely into the
music. The dancefloors were packed so getting our own little corner lounge
area was a great experience.
St. Barths Restaurants
The island of St Barts
is known for its sophisticated yet casual restaurant scene. Caribbean Travel
& Life magazine named it the culinary capital of the Caribbean. Whatever
dining experience you want, trust us, you can find it in St Barts. From
four star Relais & Cateau rated dining at Le Gaiac, The Rock, and Victoria's,
to harborside bistros and cafes like Boucanniers, Le Repair and the Wall
House, to feet in the sand casual dining at La Plage and Do Brazil. Did
we mention that St Barts has over 80 restaurants? See featured restaurants
list or "Inexpensive Picks" for dining out.
Do Brazil,
Shell Beach
Gustavia
St. Barths
Tel: 590 590 29 06 66
This three-story open-air
eatery, co-owned by restaurateur Boubou and tennis-star/pop-singer Yannick
Noah, sits on Gustavia's Shell Beach and makes for great people watching
(take your pick of the people inside the restaurant or lounging in the
sand). Boubou is a local personality who is often found sitting down at
his guests' tables, sharing the island gossip. The fresh fruit drinks are
a treat, and the nominally Brazilian cuisine, which includes moquequa,
a fish stew, is decent, if a bit of an afterthought. Come for the sunset
to really catch Do Brazil at its best.
Closed September and
October.
The French Heavies in
St. Barths
For serious dining—and
prices to match—there are three choices (all French, bien sûr): the
chic Le Gaïac, where you can get a taste of the Le Toiny hotel without
breaking the bank (Anse de Toiny; 590-590-27-88-88.
K'fe Massaï
Lorient
St. Barths
Tel: 590 590 29 76 78
Concierge.com's insider
take:
Another of the island's
themed restaurants, this time invoking the deep reds of the African plains
with tribal sculptures, a low-lit safari lodge–style interior, and a small
terrace and garden sufficiently steeped in foliage to mask the fact that
the restaurant is actually in the middle of a car park by the Oasis shopping
center. The old-world feel is only skin-deep: The fixed-price menu, supplemented
by a board of daily specials, is French-international, and the food is
actually rather good. The foie gras special comes highly recommended.Open
daily for dinner.
La Case de l'Isle (€€€€)
Hotel St-Barth Isle de
France, Flamands
Telephone: 0590 27 61
81
Breakfast, Lunch, and
Dinner
AMEX, VISA, MC
Traditional French cuisine,
elegant and light, for lunch and dinner. Lunch is served in the restaurant
or while relaxing by the pool.
Langouste (€€€)
Flamands Beach
Telephone: 05 90 27 63
61
The place for fresh lobster
in a casual setting. Restaurant is located on the beach; Annie will make
it an unforgettable night.
Restaurant l'Indigo at
the Hotel Guanahani (€€)
Grand Cul de Sac
Telephone: 0590 27.66.60
Breakfast and Lunch
Amex, Diner's, Visa,
MC
Overlooking both the
swimming pool and the turquoise waters of the sea, Restaurant Indigo provides
the perfect place to enjoy breakfast. Equally, this idyllic setting sets
the scene for fabulous lunches. Fresh fish and lobster every day - just
bring a pareo!
Gloriette (€€€)
Grand Cul de Sac
Telephone: 0590 27.75.66
Dinner €30-€70
Creole dishes, small
and casual but very local.
Le Pecheur at the Hotel
Le Sereno
Grand Cul de Sac
Telephone: 590 590 29
83 00
Lunch and Dinner
Casual beachfront restaurant
serving the freshest seafood and grilled specialties.
Le Gaïac at the Hotel
Le Toiny (€€€€€)
Toiny
Telephone: 27.88.88
Lunch and Dinner, €70-
€200
AMEX, VISA, MC
Whether your preferences
are classical, or you are tempted by the savory spices of the islands,
dining at Le Gaïac is the epitome of refinement and delicacy, a subtle
orchestration of tastes, aromas, textures, and décor. Great Sunday
brunch
Le Sapotillier (€€€€)
Telephone: 05 90 27 60
28
100% French – Gastronomic.
Very good food, a must try. Only open in high season
Carl Gustaf Restaurant
(€€€€)
Gustavia
Telephone: 0590 29 79
47
Lunch 12-2PM, Dinner
7-10PM
Around €70-€200
AMEX, VISA, MC
With its panoramic view
of Gustavia harbor and distant islands, this restaurant is a splendid setting
for a either a light Antillean lunch, or the glories of a full blown French
gourmet dinner.
La Mandala (€€€€)
Gustavia €50 €150
Telephone: 27.96.96
5 to 12 PM
AMEX, VISA, MC
"This is the most exciting
restaurant on St. Barts. It occupies the premises of a house in Gustavia
high above the harbor. The best place to enjoy the sunset. A must."...(Fommer's
Caribbean Guide)
La Route des Boucaniers
(€€€)
On the harbor
Telephone: (590) 27 73
00
Fax: (590) 27 73 05
At the foot of Gustavia
harbor, enjoy the traditional and the new Creole cuisine of Francis Delage,
as well as excellent French dishes, every day, for lunch and dinner. Arrive
by boat, if you like, and don't forget our superb take-away service, offering
a wide variety of dishes, available from 10AM to 10PM.
Maya's Restaurant (€€€€)
Telephone: 27.75.73
Dinner is either 7 or
9
AMEX, VISA, MC
Closed Sundays
On the ocean's edge in
Public, Maya's is chic, elegant, and comfortable. The menu, which includes
fresh fish, grilled meats, Créole dishes, and exotic daily specials,
is intended to appeal to those who prefer straightforward and uncluttered
cooking.
Le Select (€)
€5 - €20
Lunch and Dinner, daily
except Sunday
Cheeseburger in Paradise!!!
Very casual, great to a light snack or a cold drink after the beach. A
must try...
Le Select is celebrating
its 60th anniversary November 6-8, 2009! Book your St Barts villa and come
have some fun Jimmy Buffet style.
More details...
Bête à Z'ailes
(€€€)
Telephone: 05 90 29 74
09
Lunch and Dinner
Mediterranean, seafood
and sushi. Right on the water.
Wall House (€€)
At the Pointe on port
of Gustavia
Lunch and Dinner daily
- €160 - €60
VISA, MC & AMEX
Popular new spot on the
harbor. Serving Sea Scallops Carpaccio, Lobster salad Bruschetta, Lobster
Bouillabaisse, Roasted Monkfish and several choices of spit roasted fare
- duck, lamb and seafood
Eddy's Restaurant (€€€)
Telephone: 05 90 27 54
17
Dinner only, no reservation
accepted
Creole – Exotic. Great
atmosphere, wonderful food and good value. Not to be missed.
Santa Fe (€€€)
Telephone: 0590 27 61
04
Good Old Santa Fe, where
it was great to stop and have a burger with the kids, with country music,
pool, pin-ball and huge TVs, is gone. It is still called Santa Fe, but
it is now a French restaurant specializing in BBQed fish and meat.
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