I'm sure this has been asked many times before but I'm new to this forum. My husband and I have been wanting to visit St Barts for a long time. We've been to St. Maarten many times but I'm a little afraid of flying in a small plane and can get seasick sometimes. Any advice? Are any of the ferries less rocky than others? Is the flight (or the landing) as bad as I hear? Would appreciate any suggestions. We are planning on making it there this summer for a second honeymoon, just not sure how to get there. Is going from another island any easier? We are from NY so can get flights easily to any island. Thanks in advance.
Best way to get to St Barts from St Maarten or ?
- Thread starter yasuto
- Start date
Dennis, LOL, you're killing me.
Yasuto, the only way is to fly or ferry over, but the flight is so worth it. It's over before you know it. I'm not a fan of flying, but it's my favorite part of going to the island. If it's a sunny day, you'll be delighted over the view of neighboring islands and the sparkling turquoise water....really, DO IT. Don't think you'll be sorry you did.
Oh, and excuse my manners, BIENVENUE, to the forum!
Yasuto, the only way is to fly or ferry over, but the flight is so worth it. It's over before you know it. I'm not a fan of flying, but it's my favorite part of going to the island. If it's a sunny day, you'll be delighted over the view of neighboring islands and the sparkling turquoise water....really, DO IT. Don't think you'll be sorry you did.
Oh, and excuse my manners, BIENVENUE, to the forum!
KevinS
Senior Insider
I'm with everyone else on this - take the 10-minute flight. However, if you really want to go by ferry then look at Voyager ferry. Their Voyager III appears to be the most stable of the ferries. It's much larger (154 passengers) than the ferry that I remember taking to Anguilla years ago. www.voy12.com
Ross&Delaine
SBH Insider
11 years ago my wife and I had a similar discussion. She does not like small planes, since we are sailors, she felt OK taking the ferry..long story short, she got quite seasick and spent much of her first day recovering..they don't lie when they call it the vomit comet..we go every year and we fly..
MIke R
Senior Insider
done both ....the boat is a crap shoot....if its calm its a wonderful ride..if its rough its an hour and a half of hell, which in sea sick time is about ten years...the crossing can be pretty rough...combination of deep water and prevailing wind and waves hitting the boat broadside...not pretty..
the flight is a snap...if you must, take a pill..wash it down with a drink and enjoy the ride....its much less dramatic since they shaved the hill years ago making for a less violent drop to the runway....
the flight is a snap...if you must, take a pill..wash it down with a drink and enjoy the ride....its much less dramatic since they shaved the hill years ago making for a less violent drop to the runway....
andynap
Senior Insider
Wimco is our villa agent of choice.
KevinS
Senior Insider
I suggest picking a villa rental company with an on-island presence, rather than a company remarketing someone else's inventory. WIMCO, the owner of this site, is based out of Newport RI, and has an office across the street from the SBH airport. St Barth Properties, based out of Franklin MA, has an office in Gustavia. Rental companies based on St Barth include Premium Island Vacations, Marla, and Ici et La.
http://www.wimco.com/
http://www.stbarth.com/
http://www.premiumislandvacations.com/
http://www.icietlavillas.com/
http://us.marlavillas.com
http://www.wimco.com/
http://www.stbarth.com/
http://www.premiumislandvacations.com/
http://www.icietlavillas.com/
http://us.marlavillas.com
stbartshopper
Senior Insider
Welcome to the Forum. My wife gets airsick and seasick easily. The 10 minute flight from St. Maarten is no problem for her. The flight from San Juan is 1 hr and First Class!
elgreaux
Senior Insider
I think you'll enjoy your first stay on the island... but what do you consider the difference between a villa and a house? all of the rental houses here seem to be called villas... so just curious what you are looking for or not looking for in a house....
cassidain
Senior Insider
Yes, yasuto, welcome to the forum, and beware of all super moderators. every single one of them is a wiseacre.
btw, yasuto autocorrects as "yeast" on my computer.
That was a mistake. I meant we'd like to book a villa instead of a hotel.
Bart -my real name-
Senior Insider
Good choice! The "worst" part of the plane ride is getting in and out of the little seats, with the little isle and the low ceiling. You'll probably sit longer on the ground before take off than you'll spend in the air. As others have said it's literally 10 minutes from wheels up to wheels down.
jayhawkgirl
SBH Insider
The first time we came to the island, not on a Windstar cruise, we took the ferry, because I too didn't like little planes. Never again, only in an emergency. The flight is indeed only 10 minutes, and your first time, have a couple of Carib beers in the SXM airport, and concentrate on taking pictures out the side window of the plane while landing in St. Barth (as a distraction). I don't usually drink when flying, but it helped the first few times flying to the island. It is definitely better than getting seasick on the ferry over. And it lasts such a small time, flying versus ferry.
FYI, I can now fly to St. Barth without drinking a beer or two prior, and can now look out the front window of the plane upon landing.
FYI, I can now fly to St. Barth without drinking a beer or two prior, and can now look out the front window of the plane upon landing.
