St. Barthelemy

St. Barthelemy is perhaps best known for being a vacation spot for the wealthy and famous. As a tourist attraction, it is notable for its pristine beaches and well-respected restaurants. Because St. Barts has no large hotels and only a limited supply of hotel and villa space, the Island has the added attraction of not being particularly crowded.

The island lies 15 miles southeast of St. Maarten and 140 miles north of Guadeloupe. Saba lies some 25 miles to the southwest.

One of St. Barts' principal attractions is its beaches. Of the 20 beaches on the small island, several are considered especially inviting. On the Southern side of the Island, Saline and Gouvernor beaches are pristine beaches with no development upon them. On the Western edge of the Island is Colombier beach, which is only reachable by boat or a hike. St.Jean and Flammands beaches are also popular and attractive beaches which have hotels and other establishments on them. St. Jean beach is notable for also being adjacent to the airstrip so that planes taking off leave right over the beach; it is an excellent spot for plane spotters.