How did you discover St. Barts?

[NancySC]

Love the "Beachcomber" story !

Our 1st visit was on the Windstar a new sailing ship on one of the first voyages...found a taxi, one of the very few or maybe only one, which took us from town to the original Eden Roc...I always drop that K...for lunch with another couple. Sometime in the early 80's, walking down from the restaurant the field across the street full of goats. Back to the ship...we were hooked on St Barths from then on in till 5 yrs ago. Following years of many vacations spent on Bermuda, Elbow Cay in the Abacos where we rented houses & boats, but lack of restaurants to get to easily, we decided to go back to St Barths close to 20 years of always villa visits, never hotels. Has been wonderful !

 

[acatlin]

Michigan, 2000. While at a hockey game (or boxing match, your choice) we were in a box suite with with a bunch of clients and were making small talk about where to vacation other than Maui. One of my clients, a real estate developer, and his wife just LIT UP and started to recommend St Barts. Said they vacation all over the world, but every year they needed to spend a month in St Barts. Sounded wonderful. 11 trips later, it was the best travel advice I've ever received. Looking into number 12!

 

[Cutiger72]

I was looking for a place to take my wife for her 50th birthday and the travel agent was pushing Jamaica. Fortunately one of my good friends and his wife had just made their first trip to Saint Barts and he highly recommended. We stayed at the Carl gustaf for a week and have managed to make it back to paradise 22 out of the last 24 years. That’s counting this year, looking forward to may! also, our first flight in was very memorable, just the two of us and one other person on the flight from Saint Martin. Thought everything was OK until the plywood in the bottom of the plane shifted and I could see the ocean. Even that didn’t deter us from a return trip.

 

[davesmom]

1986…we were on an award business trip to St. Croix a year earlier and had met a lovely young couple with an adorable baby at the airport in San Juan who said they were heading to St. Barts. Had never heard of St. Barts before. We were very impressed by this young couple. Following year we had another awards trip to Carribean and decided let’s try St. Barts while we are there. Stayed at Manapany their opening year. That was it for us. Been in a villa every year since.

Apparently I was in the wrong profession…

 

[saidrs]

Found an article in 1983 in Conde Nast or like magazine as I recall. At the time, I had two fiy anywhere tickets on Eastern Airlines. Connected with Brook Lacour at Sibarth who ran tiny ads in the travel section of the NY Yimes. Flew into SXM the night before. They turned the lights on at the terminal as we arrived. Stayed the night and the flew over on Windward the next morning. We missed Brook at the airport, which at the time was a fenced in area and hut. Gumbs car rental just gave us a VW to drive around in and said come back around noon she should be back. Stayed in a small villa (LUB) in Lorient. Looked out over Autour du Rocher. After several nights of seeing the commotion there we ventured over and ate at the bar and hung out. Classic. The rest is history.

Still going back after all these years. Dramatic change as we all can attest to but something is just not right if we are not there at least once or twice a year. It tugs at our hearts. Fond memories.

 

[cec1]

Found an article in 1983 in Conde Nast or like magazine as I recall. At the time, I had two fiy anywhere tickets on Eastern Airlines. Connected with Brook Lacour at Sibarth who ran tiny ads in the travel section of the NY Yimes. Flew into SXM the night before. They turned the lights on at the terminal as we arrived. Stayed the night and the flew over on Windward the next morning. We missed Brook at the airport, which at the time was a fenced in area and hut. Gumbs car rental just gave us a VW to drive around in and said come back around noon she should be back. Stayed in a small villa (LUB) in Lorient. Looked out over Autour du Rocher. After several nights of seeing the commotion there we ventured over and ate at the bar and hung out. Classic. The rest is history.

Still going back after all these years. Dramatic change as we all can attest to but something is just not right if we are not there at least once or twice a year. It tugs at our hearts. Fond memories.

You arrived just in time . . . ‘83 was a turning (some would say “tipping”) point in evolution of SBH tourism. You were fortunate, as well, to meet Brook — a gem of a person and one who was vital in guiding a transition of the island in a manner that respected its roots.

. . . with respect to Brook’s absence when you arrived, note her words in the above essay — “. . . Memories of eating freshly made boudin with a glass of red wine at 10:00 in the morning at chez JOE in Gustavia.”

 

[saidrs]

Thanks for sharing!! Maybe thats where she was!? Sure wish I could do that tomorrow morning! Anyway, about 3 months and we will be back with our yougest daughter and her husband. Easter this year. Could not be a finer place to spend the holiday.

 

[cec1]

Thanks for sharing!! Maybe thats where she was!? Sure wish I could do that tomorrow morning! Anyway, about 3 months and we will be back with our yougest daughter and her husband. Easter this year. Could not be a finer place to spend the holiday.

The first visit of my wife and me (47 years ago) was — not by design — at Easter. Even to this day, it continues to be a serene, relaxing, & introspective time.

 

[Cwater]

The beauty and pull of St. Barth is generational. One generation discovers, the next generation enjoys.

 

[leep75]

Our first trip was 2011. We visited SXM the year before and stayed on the French side. During our trip we did a snorkeling trip around the island and the tour guide pointed out St Barths and she said it was another great place to visit if you like beaches and great food (who doesn't!). So the next year I started researching, found this site asked tons and tons of questions and booked our first trip. Stayed Case Du Roy in Anse de Cayes (found through this site). We went back in 2012-2014, back again in 2016 and 2018 (Anguilla in 2017). Daughter graduated HS in 2019 so we didn't take a summer trip, Covid in 2020 so stayed in the states (Key West). We tried Curacao in 2021 and haven't left the country since. Hopefully will be travelling there again in 2026 to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.

 

[Malandterv]

Was skippering one of 3 Lagoon catamarans and sailed in for the first time - with one working engine since the other had thrown a belt and we couldn't find a replacement along the way. We had departed from the BVIs and sailed down the leeward side of Saba/Statia/St. Kitts and Nevis, and Monterserrat before making landfall in Guadeloupe. Then to Antigua, St. Kitts then up to St. Barts before crossing the Anegada Passage back to Spanish Town. This was the second weekend in December of 2016 and festivities were already heating up for the holidays. We had been all over the Caribbean but didn't know much about St. Barts. Rented an ATV and did a tour of the island, had lunch at Le Select once and next day at the burger place in St. Jean whose name escapes me. Dinner at Eddy's. I knew my wife would like it so returned for her birthday in April and do that again every so often. Bit of a PITA to reach from the PNW so we find ourselves in Hawaii more frequently.

 

[Bullneck]

In 2004 the lovely wife and I were living in Orlando and I planned the trip to see what the hype about SBH was all about. It wasn't easy to get to and it was small (no golf courses!). We discovered our love of the rough sand and the 590 590 dialing and Radio Transat and Suzuki Samaris. Our first hotel was the Manapany. Before the kids arrived we went every year (sort of) though it's been progressively less and less, sadly.

 

[bobrosen]

In 2004 the lovely wife and I were living in Orlando and I planned the trip to see what the hype about SBH was all about. It wasn't easy to get to and it was small (no golf courses!). We discovered our love of the rough sand and the 590 590 dialing and Radio Transat and Suzuki Samaris. Our first hotel was the Manapany. Before the kids arrived we went every year (sort of) though it's been progressively less and less, sadly.

Well, yeah! Exactly! It may be a little less true these days, but forever, my description of SBH went something like, "Well, it's hard to get to, the landing will be an experience, the airport closes at dusk, it's more expensive than the rest of the Caribbean, there's no flat land so there are no golf course, no casinos, no night life..." For some, like my late brother-in-law, that was a description of hell on an island, but for us that was close to a description of paradise!

And, BTW, bring the kids!

 

[cec1]

Our first trip was 2011. We visited SXM the year before and stayed on the French side. During our trip we did a snorkeling trip around the island and the tour guide pointed out St Barths and she said it was another great place to visit if you like beaches and great food (who doesn't!). So the next year I started researching, found this site asked tons and tons of questions and booked our first trip. Stayed Case Du Roy in Anse de Cayes (found through this site). We went back in 2012-2014, back again in 2016 and 2018 (Anguilla in 2017). Daughter graduated HS in 2019 so we didn't take a summer trip, Covid in 2020 so stayed in the states (Key West). We tried Curacao in 2021 and haven't left the country since. Hopefully will be travelling there again in 2026 to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.

. . . sending early anniversary congratulations! The occasion deserves a new trip to St. Barths. Not too early to start planning!

 

[cec1]

Was skippering one of 3 Lagoon catamarans and sailed in for the first time - with one working engine since the other had thrown a belt and we couldn't find a replacement along the way. We had departed from the BVIs and sailed down the leeward side of Saba/Statia/St. Kitts and Nevis, and Monterserrat before making landfall in Guadeloupe. Then to Antigua, St. Kitts then up to St. Barts before crossing the Anegada Passage back to Spanish Town. This was the second weekend in December of 2016 and festivities were already heating up for the holidays. We had been all over the Caribbean but didn't know much about St. Barts. Rented an ATV and did a tour of the island, had lunch at Le Select once and next day at the burger place in St. Jean whose name escapes me. Dinner at Eddy's. I knew my wife would like it so returned for her birthday in April and do that again every so often. Bit of a PITA to reach from the PNW so we find ourselves in Hawaii more frequently.

Where do you like to go in Hawaii . . . and do you have any observations in a comparison of time on SBH vs. in Hawaii?

 

[cec1]

In 2004 the lovely wife and I were living in Orlando and I planned the trip to see what the hype about SBH was all about. It wasn't easy to get to and it was small (no golf courses!). We discovered our love of the rough sand and the 590 590 dialing and Radio Transat and Suzuki Samaris. Our first hotel was the Manapany. Before the kids arrived we went every year (sort of) though it's been progressively less and less, sadly.

Maybe time to bring the kids to SBH?

 

[leep75]

. . . sending early anniversary congratulations! The occasion deserves a new trip to St. Barths. Not too early to start planning!

Thank you Dennis...your lovely villa CEC was a part of our St Barth history in 2012 and we loved every minute of our time there!

 

[Malandterv]

Where do you like to go in Hawaii . . . and do you have any observations in a comparison of time on SBH vs. in Hawaii?

We've been to the Big Island and Maui several times each, Kauai once and Lanai once. Not much interest in Oahu or Molokai at this point. We spend each holiday season in a condo directly on the beach in the Wailea area of Maui, next door to the Fairmont Kea Lani. Weather is fantastic, there is loads to do and it's peak whale watching season so while we can watch whales blow and breach from our lanai, we always take a whale watching tour in a large RIB as the odds are really high for close encounters.

The area is easily walkable along the beach path and sidewalks to restaurants which are mostly in the hotels and the rest of which almost exclusively cater to tourists. Food isn't nearly as good as St. Barts with the exception of Mama's Fish House which requires enough of a drive that we go there for lunch instead of dinner. Prices are surprisingly similar to St. Barts over the holidays with long minimum stays and rates that can be 3-4x the normal high season rates with the difference being that on Maui or you are almost certainly in a condo or hotel for the same money as a private villa on St. Barts. You trade that wonderful privacy and the private pool for immediate beach access and the ability to mostly leave the car parked. Maui is a great place to spend the holidays but nowhere near as festive or lively as SBH. Not going to find a roving brass band in the back of a flat bed or the roads closed off while people dance in the streets. Much more subdued atmosphere.

For us, it's the difference between a 6hr direct flight to Hawaii and a daylong slog through ATL and SXM on the way to SBH, with an overnight in an ATL airport on the return. So a bit of a no brainer for shorter stays. SBH wins hands down for the sailing though, and is still one of my favorite places anywhere to get out on the water. When on island the two of us like to charter a cat with St. Barth Sailor and sail for a day, circumnavigate the island. Restaurants, grocery stores, shopping are far better on SBH and it isn't particularly close. The lack of natural harbors on the Hawaiian islands means no real yachting culture or presence there at all. We tend to just whale watch or sport fish. Totally different vibe, tourists are mostly American or Canadian, lots of families with young children. Less spirited driving conditions. Beaches on Maui are probably a wash if not better than SBH, but nowhere near as good as many other Caribbean beaches. Sea water is significantly cooler. More big sharks and box jellies but no sargassum or dengue.

If we had a direct flight to SXM or even SJU we would probably get to St. Barts more frequently. But I have yet to meet anyone who had a negative opinion of Maui so hardly a terrible alternative.

 

[sjv13]

I was living part time on Anguilla for a project I was doing in the early 1990’s a new air service started to St Barts so I thought I would check it out on a day trip. The plane landed from the ocean side and as we were landing there was a group of several lovely French ladies holding a drink in one hand and waving at the plane with the other on the beach at the end of the runway. I was hooked on SBH before the plane even touched down! It became a regular thing to do and I started coming for as long as I could whenever time allowed. Several years later I was in the Match grocery store near the airport and as I was browsing the cheese section when I saw what is undoubtedly the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I slid along the display case to get a better look and when I got fairly close she looked straight at me and our eyes locked for an instant. I froze like an 8th grader and didn’t dare try to say something in French and embarrass myself. After recovering my composure, slightly, I went looking for her only to see her going out the exit door. I thought about her many times over the next several years and regretted not trying to say something, anything. Five years later I was at a dinner party in Greenwich, CT where I had never met the hostess. I looked across the table at her and instantly recognized her. I asked her if she had ever been to St Barts and she said “Yes, 27 times!” I told her about the chance meeting and then she realized who I was. She said she was looking all over the island for me that week but I was back in Anguilla. We got together 3 month later and have been happily married ever since.

Love this! Amazing how fate works...

 

[amyb]

Love this! Amazing how fate works...

I see a book here and what the hell, also a movie!

Great story