How to get to Saint-Barth from Grand Cayman?

davesmom

Senior Insider
Bonjour to all! We have been invited to Grand Cayman in January (never have been there) for the Cayman Cookout (Food and Wine event), and we were thinking of hopping over to SBH from there (gigantic anniversary coming around that time)...well, it was a dream, anyway...There do not seem to be any flights that go directly to any islands that we need to get to, such as SXM or SJU, in order to hop a plane to SBH!! We thought we could go directly to San Juan to pick up Tradewind, but that does not look possible unless you first go to Miami:tongue:, costing tons of extra time and $$. Even the little local airlines just seem to go to places such as Jamaica. It does not seem logical that no little airlines go to any SBH-accessible islands. I know you can use Tradewind from a few other islands but can't find a direct flight to any of them. By the time we have to go back to MIA, I might as well go back to San Diego and make another trip down in the Spring when we usually come. Still really disappointed with Le Guanahani not being open in January and the cost at ER seems as though they are trying to pay for all those repairs with the room rates this year! Well, I guess January is HIGH season and I would have to find somewhere to stay instead, which is another consideration.

All suggestions cheerfully and gratefully accepted on our little dilemma! Many thanks, merci beaucoup en avance! Davesmom
 
You are talking about a 1,000+ mile hop between the Caymans and St. Barth’s. Miami or Lauderdale is probably your only option.
 
Not easy, and I suspect that an overnight will be required somewhere along the line. Look at JetBlue between GCM and FLL, continuing on to either SJU or SXM.

If you push to Spring, and that's in the last half of April, you and davesdad know where we'll be, and that there will be plenty of bubbles awaiting your visit.
 
Davesmom, years ago we visited GCM just to see what it was like, reminded me of NJ..flat island, Halloween dinner was at Outback. Did find a wonderful place for lunch, name forgotten, so good went back for dinner that nite. No comparison between GCM & SBH. And not a hop skip & a jump between the 2 unless you have NetJets.
 
Thank you all for your suggestions! Kevin, you know I would rather be there in April anyway..our favorite time! And that is such a beautiful invitation, I might just have to rethink this, given that it seems to be so difficult to get to! (Normally, I would not even go to GC but we are invited by friends-they have a place at the Ritz-Carlton, so we are staying there with them-to come to the Cayman Cookout week long event with some of the world's top chefs, and we have never been there, so it would be a new island to visit.) But my heart is always in SBH, especially in April/May with some fabulous people on "our" island whom we would love to see and to drink rosé with them! Especially since I owe Kevin a rosé party! I do agree, going through MIA seems to be the only way. Nancy, I sure wish I did have a NetJets card..a nice option. Maybe Davesdad would spring for one?? LOL!! But I will check it out. Some local friends have them but I think I could probably buy a houseful of furniture for our son with the same $$$! Thank you all for your suggestions. Further discussions to come...xxoo
 
I'm not sure I would compare GC to New Jersey but three is a fantastic Italian Restaurant called Pappagallo that is great. Have you tried looking at flying through Havana? You might not even need to technically enter the country (in transit)
 
Dear ArtieKaye, Many thanks for your letter. I will ask my friends about Pappagallo! We love Italian food, so there might be a possibility of us going! We have not really considered Cuba..not sure how much they would appreciate all the luggage I bring..!! I'm not sure that the U.S is letting people go there at this time. Merci beaucoup!
 
We have eaten at Pappagallo...it’s very good. Grand Cayman isn’t like St. Barts, but’s it’s beautiful with nice people and soooooooo much easier to get to. The Ritz there is in a great location. Definitely take your snorkeling gear or rent some. It may be intertwined with the cookout, but if not, eat at Blue at the Ritz. Eric Ripert is behind it and it’s one of the best meals we’ve ever had, EVER. Hope you can find a reasonable way over to SBH.
 
Check with Caribbean airlines you might connect in Jamaica to st Maarten to st Bart’s from Cayman Islands. We love cayman island the snorkeling from shore is great and the people is welcoming lots of local Caribbean food
 
We have eaten at Pappagallo...it’s very good. Grand Cayman isn’t like St. Barts, but’s it’s beautiful with nice people and soooooooo much easier to get to. The Ritz there is in a great location. Definitely take your snorkeling gear or rent some. It may be intertwined with the cookout, but if not, eat at Blue at the Ritz. Eric Ripert is behind it and it’s one of the best meals we’ve ever had, EVER. Hope you can find a reasonable way over to SBH.
Hi Tiffany, Thanks so much for your note! We love snorkeling and I finally got confidence after going on a snorkeling trip from Jicky in SBH! (I almost drowned in SXM in the late 70s when my friends just "threw me in" with a snorkel at the new-then Dawn Beach, so I was a little scared for many years.) Having spent time in the Bahamas, I am betting the water is similar and beautiful in GC. Eric Ripert is running the whole cookout, so I am excited to finally meet him with Jose Andreas. (The only reason to "detour" from SBH is to eat!!) That being said, I will definitely try to get to SBH somehow. It is unbelievable how thoughts of SBH can permeate every day of your existence...:D
 
Check with Caribbean airlines you might connect in Jamaica to st Maarten to st Bart’s from Cayman Islands. We love cayman island the snorkeling from shore is great and the people is welcoming lots of local Caribbean food
Thank you so much for this great suggestion! I will look into it immediately! Davesdad will be elated to hear about the snorkeling from the beach and I really do "live" for life in the Caribbean, especially for the food...the food in San Diego can not compare, as much as we love it here.
 
We like Pappagallo also. Make sure you reserve an outside table. We love Joeys Rum Point at the other end of the island in the Cayman Kai area. We know the Ritz there. It is very nice but if you had a choice, have your friends go to SBH with you and skip GC.
 
I'm not sure I would compare GC to New Jersey but three is a fantastic Italian Restaurant called Pappagallo that is great. Have you tried looking at flying through Havana? You might not even need to technically enter the country (in transit)

NJ shore was my summer vacation spot with my beloved grandmother...flat island, kind of funky so 20+ yrs ago our 1 visit to GCM reminded me of NJ...& Pappagallo was the restaurant where we had such a good lunch that we went back for dinner that nite. From website has grown, more sophisticated looking, glad to know still great place to dine.
 
We like Pappagallo also. Make sure you reserve an outside table. We love Joeys Rum Point at the other end of the island in the Cayman Kai area. We know the Ritz there. It is very nice but if you had a choice, have your friends go to SBH with you and skip GC.
Well, we are their guests for this big event, but I think you are correct about inviting them to go to SBH afterwards! :D These might be the only friends I would go with without reserve, after the last ones I took! They would be very appreciative of SBH unlike the previous couple...but then again, I think I would be too selfish about my return to SBH to risk anything!
 
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Bonjour to all! We have been invited to Grand Cayman in January (never have been there) for the Cayman Cookout (Food and Wine event),

All suggestions cheerfully and gratefully accepted on our little dilemma! Many thanks, merci beaucoup en avance! Davesmom

Hi Davesmom, I just wanted to give a quick shout out to the Cayman Cookout! My husband and I have now gone to the event twice and you really are able to get up close and personal with some of North America’s top chefs. We have always been big fans of Anthony Bourdain so were last there in January 2018 before he tragically took his life later that year. But we had a fantastic time getting up close and personal with the likes of Eric Ripert, Jose Andres, Emeril Lagasse, Rick Baylees etc.

if you’ve been invited by friends, I’m sure they know the ins and outs of getting tickets to the events. Don’t miss the barefoot BBQ or the catamaran ride to Rum Point for the event hosted by Eric Ripert. Attached is a fave photo of Eric and me at Rum Point.

All of that to say don’t pass on the opportunity - go to SBH later in the year!

Cheers,

Sheryl
 
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