General Information
St. Barths
Isle de St. Barthélemy, more commonly known as St. Barths, is located at in the northeastern corner of the Caribbean, 4400 miles from Paris, 1700 miles from New York, 125 miles east of Puerto Rico, and 15 miles southeast from St. Maarten. It is small, a little more than eight square miles with steep hills that divide the island into several valleys, usually open on one side to the sea. Each valley is distinctive, with unique variations of topography, flora, density of settlement, and character of architecture. This creates the illusion of being in a much larger place. There is one town and a dozen villages, distributed more or less evenly over the landscape.
Language:
French is the official language, but the flavor spoken by local folk is a curious Norman dialect. Much of the populace speaks English, however, and there is seldom a language problem at hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.
Immigration
As of 1 July 2005, U.S. and Canadian citizens must present proof of citizenship in the form of a valid passport. Resident aliens of the U.S. and Canada, and visitors from countries other than those of the Common Market (E.E.C.) and Japan, must have a valid passport and visa. A return or onward ticket is also required of all visitors. Citizens of Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Macao, Brazil & Israel exempted from VISA to enter Metropolitan France, are subjected to VISA to enter St Barths, as well as Guadeloupe. No vaccination papers required unless arriving from an endemic area. Arriving pets must have a health certificate dated less than 5 days prior arrival and an anti-rabies vaccination record. Our local vet strongly advises not to leave an animal closed up in a car or attached anywhere else even in the shade, during your stay in St Barths.
Customs Regulations:
Items for personal use (tobacco, cameras, film), if not in excessive quantity, are admitted without formalities or tax. For more controversial items, like firearms, French regulations apply.
Currency and Banking:
On February 18, 2002, the French Franc has ceased to be legal tender, having been replaced by the Euro (€), the currency of the European Union, of which France is a prominent member. The official exchange rate (July 2005) was approximately .82 € for US$1.00. The rate is subject to change, though changes are rarely rapid. Dollars are accepted everywhere, and prices are often quoted in dollars.
Banks include:
Banque Française Commerciale (B.F.C.), rue du Général de Gaulle, Gustavia (Tel: 05.90.27.62.62), and in St. Jean (Tel: 05.90.27.87.75)
BDAF, across from the Post Office in Gustavia
Banque Nationale de Paris (B.N.P.), rue de Bord de Mer, Gustavia (Tel: 05.90.27.63.70).
Bred, La Savane, St-Jean (Tel: 05.90.52.06.00)
Credit Agricole, rue Jeanne d'Arc (Tel: 05.90.27.89.90)
Hours are generally Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 2 to 3:30 PM; banks close on weekends, holidays, and afternoons preceding holidays.
Also, American Express has an office (05 90 52 97 06) on the island, at La Savane Center in St Jean. They offer American Express Cardmembers the usual services, and since local ATMs do not accept American Express Cards, they fill the gap by providing emergency check cashing in Euro or USD.
Electric Current:
Voltage is 220 AC, 60 cycles. American-made appliances often require French plug converters and transformers.
Climate:
The climate is arid tropical maritime, which means that it rarely rains, and that year round temperatures range from 72° to 86° Fahrenheit. Most of the year, puffy white clouds parade through a clear blue sky, and warm balmy breezes gently ruffle hair and sway palm fronds. It's a T-shirt, shorts and sandals kind of weather, interrupted now and then by a brief tropical shower. From July to November, however, this halcyon state of affairs may be interrupted by a revolving tropical storm, which, in its mature form, is known as a hurricane.
Beaches:
There are fourteen beaches on St. Barths, all blessed with gleaming white sand. Few are crowded, even in peak season. Many are protected from ocean swells by a fringing reef; all, by law, are public and free. All are public and free. Nudism is ostensibly prohibited; topless is not unusual.
Ferry from St. Maarten:
If you're nervous about landing at St. Barths' airport, the ferry round trip will cost you from 50 Euros to 75 Euros: * Since May 15, 2004, a new high speed catamaran, the HC KATIA from Rapid Explorer Cie , provides a fast regular service (35 minutes) to St Barths from/to Chesterfield Marina at Pointe Blanche (Dutch St Maarten)- For info and reservations, click here. *MV Voyager departs daily from the waterfront in Marigot, St. Martin, at 9:00 AM and at 6:15 PM to arrive in Gustavia around 75 minutes later. (+590) 590 27 54 10 for info & reservations. *There is also a high speed ferry named The Edge that comes to Gustavia once a day from Tuesday till Saturday. It leaves from Pelican Marina in Dutch St. Maarten at 9 AM. The passage lasts around 45 minutes. (+599) 544 26 40 for info and reservations. * And you can also charter a high-speed boat to come and pick you up in St Maarten. Contact Marine Service or Master Ski Pilou, who offers a 24/7 St. Maarten water taxi service.
By Plane:
The principal gateway to St. Barths (SBH) is through Juliana Airport in nearby Dutch St.Maarten, where flights arrive daily from both the USA and Europe.
* USAIR, Delta, Continental, American Airlines, and United Airlines have direct flight to St Maarten Juliana (SXM) from the USA: Philadelphia, PA; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL; San Juan, PR; New York and Newark.
* Air France, Corsair , Alitalia, and KLM have regular flights to St Maarten and Guadeloupe from Europe.
* From St. Maarten, WINAIR, Air Caraïbes, and St-Barth Commuter, make the ten minute shuttle flights to St. Barths(SBH).
* From Guadeloupe, Air Caraïbes offers a few direct flights to St. Barths (45 minutes) and others via St-Martin departing at times meant to accommodate the arrival of the bigger planes from Europe.
* Air Caarïbes also has several flights a week between San Juan and St. Barths via St. Martin.
* Locally based charter flights, which can ease transfer, especially from San Juan and Antigua, are also available.
The airstrip in St. Barths is small, and pilots are required to have special training to land. For many, the landing, especially on a windy day, is an adventure in itself.
Charter Flights:
Sometimes it's more convenient to charter a plane than to use the scheduled airlines to come and go from St. Barths.
It's always more fun.
Sun Destinations - charter flights reservations.
Wimco - organizes charter flights from San Juan.
WINAIR - More than 40 years serving the eastern Caribbean
Isle de St. Barthélemy, more commonly known as St. Barths, is located at in the northeastern corner of the Caribbean, 4400 miles from Paris, 1700 miles from New York, 125 miles east of Puerto Rico, and 15 miles southeast from St. Maarten. It is small, a little more than eight square miles with steep hills that divide the island into several valleys, usually open on one side to the sea. Each valley is distinctive, with unique variations of topography, flora, density of settlement, and character of architecture. This creates the illusion of being in a much larger place. There is one town and a dozen villages, distributed more or less evenly over the landscape.
Language:
French is the official language, but the flavor spoken by local folk is a curious Norman dialect. Much of the populace speaks English, however, and there is seldom a language problem at hotels, restaurants, shops, etc.
Immigration
As of 1 July 2005, U.S. and Canadian citizens must present proof of citizenship in the form of a valid passport. Resident aliens of the U.S. and Canada, and visitors from countries other than those of the Common Market (E.E.C.) and Japan, must have a valid passport and visa. A return or onward ticket is also required of all visitors. Citizens of Bulgaria, Hong Kong, Macao, Brazil & Israel exempted from VISA to enter Metropolitan France, are subjected to VISA to enter St Barths, as well as Guadeloupe. No vaccination papers required unless arriving from an endemic area. Arriving pets must have a health certificate dated less than 5 days prior arrival and an anti-rabies vaccination record. Our local vet strongly advises not to leave an animal closed up in a car or attached anywhere else even in the shade, during your stay in St Barths.
Customs Regulations:
Items for personal use (tobacco, cameras, film), if not in excessive quantity, are admitted without formalities or tax. For more controversial items, like firearms, French regulations apply.
Currency and Banking:
On February 18, 2002, the French Franc has ceased to be legal tender, having been replaced by the Euro (€), the currency of the European Union, of which France is a prominent member. The official exchange rate (July 2005) was approximately .82 € for US$1.00. The rate is subject to change, though changes are rarely rapid. Dollars are accepted everywhere, and prices are often quoted in dollars.
Banks include:
Banque Française Commerciale (B.F.C.), rue du Général de Gaulle, Gustavia (Tel: 05.90.27.62.62), and in St. Jean (Tel: 05.90.27.87.75)
BDAF, across from the Post Office in Gustavia
Banque Nationale de Paris (B.N.P.), rue de Bord de Mer, Gustavia (Tel: 05.90.27.63.70).
Bred, La Savane, St-Jean (Tel: 05.90.52.06.00)
Credit Agricole, rue Jeanne d'Arc (Tel: 05.90.27.89.90)
Hours are generally Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 2 to 3:30 PM; banks close on weekends, holidays, and afternoons preceding holidays.
Also, American Express has an office (05 90 52 97 06) on the island, at La Savane Center in St Jean. They offer American Express Cardmembers the usual services, and since local ATMs do not accept American Express Cards, they fill the gap by providing emergency check cashing in Euro or USD.
Electric Current:
Voltage is 220 AC, 60 cycles. American-made appliances often require French plug converters and transformers.
Climate:
The climate is arid tropical maritime, which means that it rarely rains, and that year round temperatures range from 72° to 86° Fahrenheit. Most of the year, puffy white clouds parade through a clear blue sky, and warm balmy breezes gently ruffle hair and sway palm fronds. It's a T-shirt, shorts and sandals kind of weather, interrupted now and then by a brief tropical shower. From July to November, however, this halcyon state of affairs may be interrupted by a revolving tropical storm, which, in its mature form, is known as a hurricane.
Beaches:
There are fourteen beaches on St. Barths, all blessed with gleaming white sand. Few are crowded, even in peak season. Many are protected from ocean swells by a fringing reef; all, by law, are public and free. All are public and free. Nudism is ostensibly prohibited; topless is not unusual.
Ferry from St. Maarten:
If you're nervous about landing at St. Barths' airport, the ferry round trip will cost you from 50 Euros to 75 Euros: * Since May 15, 2004, a new high speed catamaran, the HC KATIA from Rapid Explorer Cie , provides a fast regular service (35 minutes) to St Barths from/to Chesterfield Marina at Pointe Blanche (Dutch St Maarten)- For info and reservations, click here. *MV Voyager departs daily from the waterfront in Marigot, St. Martin, at 9:00 AM and at 6:15 PM to arrive in Gustavia around 75 minutes later. (+590) 590 27 54 10 for info & reservations. *There is also a high speed ferry named The Edge that comes to Gustavia once a day from Tuesday till Saturday. It leaves from Pelican Marina in Dutch St. Maarten at 9 AM. The passage lasts around 45 minutes. (+599) 544 26 40 for info and reservations. * And you can also charter a high-speed boat to come and pick you up in St Maarten. Contact Marine Service or Master Ski Pilou, who offers a 24/7 St. Maarten water taxi service.
By Plane:
The principal gateway to St. Barths (SBH) is through Juliana Airport in nearby Dutch St.Maarten, where flights arrive daily from both the USA and Europe.
* USAIR, Delta, Continental, American Airlines, and United Airlines have direct flight to St Maarten Juliana (SXM) from the USA: Philadelphia, PA; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Miami, FL; San Juan, PR; New York and Newark.
* Air France, Corsair , Alitalia, and KLM have regular flights to St Maarten and Guadeloupe from Europe.
* From St. Maarten, WINAIR, Air Caraïbes, and St-Barth Commuter, make the ten minute shuttle flights to St. Barths(SBH).
* From Guadeloupe, Air Caraïbes offers a few direct flights to St. Barths (45 minutes) and others via St-Martin departing at times meant to accommodate the arrival of the bigger planes from Europe.
* Air Caarïbes also has several flights a week between San Juan and St. Barths via St. Martin.
* Locally based charter flights, which can ease transfer, especially from San Juan and Antigua, are also available.
The airstrip in St. Barths is small, and pilots are required to have special training to land. For many, the landing, especially on a windy day, is an adventure in itself.
Charter Flights:
Sometimes it's more convenient to charter a plane than to use the scheduled airlines to come and go from St. Barths.
It's always more fun.
Sun Destinations - charter flights reservations.
Wimco - organizes charter flights from San Juan.
WINAIR - More than 40 years serving the eastern Caribbean
posted by All Island Rentals @ 11:57 AM
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