St Barts Honeymoon, Guadeloupe

Experience quiet exclusivity and inimitable French flair on a honeymoon holiday or romantic getaway to St Barts, a Caribbean island famously renowned as a playground for the rich and famous, with pristine world-class beaches, gourmet dining and haute couture designer shopping in abundance.

Things to do and see
Sunbathe on the sugar-white sands of Anse de Grande Saline, go kite surfing in Grand Cul se Sac Bay and people-watch celebrities everywhere.

Experience a chic French Riviera lifestyle in the charming St Tropez-like town of St Jean and along the streets of the picture-perfect capital, Gustavio – arguably the Caribbean’s most exclusive yachting port. Here, sleek multi-million dollar mega-yachts bob alongside tiny fishing boats in a small harbour framed on three sides by green tree-clad hillsides dotted with whitewashed red-roofed houses.

Stroll narrow streets lined with 18th century Swedish and French stone buildings housing gourmet eateries, art galleries and chic boutiques. Learn about the island’s fascinating history at the Musée de St Barthélemy, browse for stylish duty free clothing and fashion accessories then relax at an al fresco café, enjoying cold drinks and gourmet cuisine.

By hire car, explore the island’s verdant and hilly landscape, dotted with brightly coloured ‘gingerbread’ houses and old Swedish cemeteries ringed by white picket fences.

Stop at Lorient, site of the first French settlement and home to a popular surfing beach, a 19th century church and a reconstructed 17th century Norman manor. Then watch local woman weave lantana straw handicrafts in the quaint traditional villages of Corossol and Colombier.

Accommodation
St Barts (21km²) offers unique accommodation options in small, intimate hotels and villas to suit all budgets. Try the elegant and luxurious Hotel St Barth Isle de France, which overlooks the white sands of Framands Beach, or the award-winning Hotel Guanahani and Spa, located on a peninsula facing Grand Cul de Sac Bay and beach.

Best time to visit St Barts?
The best time for a St Barts honeymoon is during the dry season from December to April, with an average temperature of 28°C. July to November is the rainy season. For more climate info: St Barts Weather Guide

Location – St Barts (or St Barths, short for St Barthélemy, so named by Columbus who discovered the island back in 1493) lies 24km southeast of St Martin and 225km north of Guadeloupe.

Getting there – There are no non-stop flights to St Barts from North America or Europe; flights travel instead via St Maarten (a 15-minute flight), St Thomas, Guadeloupe or San Juan, Puerto Rico.

By sea, a regular ferry (1.5 hours) and fast hydrofoil service (45 minutes) link St Barts to either side of St Maarten/St Martin. How to get to St Barts . . .