The guide to St. Barths is finally here! St. Barths is one of my all time favorite places so I am so excited to share this with you. I absolutely love it there. It’s kind of a hard place to describe because it’s not your standard tropical beach vacation. The only other place I can think of that’s similar to St. Barths is St. Tropez but St. Barths is much more tropical. The two have a lot of the same beach clubs and restaurants too. Everything in St. Barths is so green and lush. Most of the villas have red roofs so it really makes for a beautiful view.
How to get there
The St. Barths airport and runway is really small so you can’t just fly a commercial or any large plane in. You have two options:
- Small plane (Winair, a helicopter, small private plane)
- Boat (available option from St. Martin)
I’ve never done the boat option but usually fly Winair from St. Martin and it’s super easy. The flight is literally 7 minutes and is one of the prettiest views I have ever seen. The landing is quite unique though. Most of you have probably seen me post it but the runway is short and the ocean is at the end of the runway. It’s honestly not as scary as it sounds but still noteworthy. Trust me though – it’s worth it. There’s no better feeling than stepping off of that plane and seeing how gorgeous St. Barths is.
Where to stay
Wimco Villa – Wimco is a villa rental company and they are absolutely amazing. I used them multiple times and they made the experience so much easier. We had a concierge who picked us up at the airport, helped with any reservations, rental cars, etc. He also helped get balloons, cake and a few other items for Michael’s birthday too. They really are the best.
Eden Rock – I haven’t stayed here but our friends that we were traveling did so I was able to see the rooms, etc. The hotel is really pretty and is on a cove right by Nikki Beach. The restaurant there is great too.
Cheval Blanc – We haven’t stayed here since we’ve been doing villas though Wimco but I absolutely love this property. We’ve spent a pretty decent amount of time at the beach here or for lunch that I feel confidently about adding it to this list.
Pearl Beach – We stayed here during our first trip and I really loved the location of the room. It was right on the beach and the back doors opened up to a patio where you could walk right out to the ocean.
Honorable mentions but haven’t stayed/spent enough time for a full recommendation: Le Toiny.
Where to go: Daytime
All of these are beach clubs so think long lunches, music, beach chairs, etc.
Nikki Beach- A favorite for sure! Loved going here during the day for lunch and they normally have a DJ. They also have beach chairs. Nikki Beach is right by Eden Rock (and the other side of Eden Rock is Pearl Beach).
Shellona – Get the lobster pasta. It’s a cool set up and is pretty open air facing the ocean. It has an upstairs for lunch and downstairs also for lunch but it’s more couches, etc than tables. Then right off of the downstairs area they have beach chains. Shellona also has a shop that has pretty cute pieces. Shellona is located in Gustavia on top of the hill so it’s a slightly different location than the others. It’s a really small island though so nothing is far.
Gyp Sea – Another great daytime spot with lunch and beach chairs. Cute ambiance and a larger area than the others. Gyp Sea is a little bit further down from Nikki Beach but you can still see it from the beach there.
Outfit details: Shorts: Dolce and Gabbana // Sunglasses: Chloe photo taken at Gyp Sea
Where to go: Evening
La Guérite – Absolutely love it. Wednesday nights are their popular night and it gets to be a lot of fun. The truffle pasta is a favorite but everything is good.
Bonito– Amazing food and great ambiance. It’s up on a hill in Gustavia so it overlooks the marina and is absolutely gorgeous. The vibe her is more romantic / less let’s turn up but still a scene.
Bagatelle – Always a good time. The food is amazing. I feel like I also got a truffle pasta here and it was great. You can’t go wrong. It’s also right on the water and near La Guérite.
Le Tí– You won’t want to miss out on this one! It’s such a unique experience and one of my favorites for sure. Sit down dinner also consists of a show and then the guests can go to the costume room to change into different costumes and accessories. As the evening goes on the restaurant turns into a full on dance party.
Outfit details: Suit: Missoni // “headband- necklace:” Pucci // Sunglasses: Chloe photo taken at Shellona
FAQ:
Do you need to rent a car? Yes! I think it makes it a lot easier to get around. We love driving around the island in the mornings so a car was a must have. Wimco was able to arrange car services for us when we needed them though. I do think the flexibility of having your own car is nice for exploring the island.
Where to shop? Gustavia is the “town” of St. Barths and is right in the marina. It has a bunch of cute restaurants and shops. I would definitely recommend walking around there one afternoon.
Best place for coffee? It used to be Maya’s which was a St. Barths staple but unfortunately it closed. Edens To Go recently opened up in that same location and I’m a big fan. The coffee is exact the same as Mayas which is amazing because the ice they use in the ice lattes is such a game changer. We also go to La Petite Colombe which is also really good. Pastries are amazing. It’s a really great grab and go breakfast spot.
