10 things you might not know about Saint Barthelemy

Arati Kulkarni 24 December 2020 1579 views 5 min. read

Once in a while, everyone wants to escape from the city’s hustle and bustle and visit a heavenly place. One such place is Saint Barthelemy. Do you even know where is Saint Barthelemy?  Saint Barthelemy is an island of the Lesser Antilles in the eastern portion of the Caribbean Sea.  More than 200,000 globetrotters like you visit this beautiful paradise. They settle at one of the Saint Barthelemy hotels and spend their lovely time at a Saint Barthelemy beach. This place has a lot to offer to your pretty eyes. You get to witness right from boutiques, restaurants, hotels, villas, beaches to photographic and natural landscapes. 

How to get to Saint Barthelemy? 

If you are coming via Paris, then hop onto Air France and get to Sint Maarten. Sint Maarten lies a few miles north of Saint Barthelemy. From there, you can get into ferries that take hardly 40 minutes to your dreamland or isolated vacation. If you are coming via the USA, then New York and Miami should be on your departure list.  Away from the topic of how to get to Saint Barthelemy, do you want to know a fun fact? Well, nudism is illegal. But at Saline Beach, you will notice some rebels gladly showing off their skins.  Now, let’s get to know the top ten things that you might not know about Saint Barthelemy: 

1. Birth of Saint Barthelemy

saint barthelemy

Your travel to Saint Barthelemy must include getting to know about its birth history. The Island of Saint Barthelemy came into existence by a volcano. Though, you will not find any active volcanos now. There are a few mountains for you to enjoy the Saint Barthelemy weather. When you travel to Saint-Barthelemy, you also come to know about its history. Back in 1000 BC, Ciboney people from Cuba tried to settle there. This Island is not very huge, but it offers a lot to you globetrotters. 

2. The Origin of Gustavia

gustavia sunset

Have you watched the animated movie Frozen? If yes, then Gustavia commemorates the feeling of a town in Frozen. To know more about Gustavia, you must first settle and relax in the best restaurants in Gustavia St. Barts. The people of Sweden bought Saint Barthelemy from the people of France. They named the capital of Saint Barthelemy Gustavia after a Swedish king- Gustav III. They also turned Gustavia into a free port. Too many trades and supplies got exchanged during the colonial wars of the 18th century. At many Saint Barthelemy places to visit, you find street and town names that are Swedish. 

3. Discovery of the Island

lupa

When you plan your travel to Saint-Barthelemy, you would want to know about the discovery of it. Back in the year 1493, it got discovered by Christopher Columbus. He named it after his brother Bartolomeo. In 1648, the French occupied Saint Barthelemy. Then, they sold it to the Swedish people in the year 1784. The capital of Saint Barthelemy was Gustavia. You need to get hold of the best restaurants in Gustavia, St. Barts. So, you get to know more about its discovery. Though even today, the official language of Saint Barthelemy is French, you should not be worry; English is a widely spoken language too.

4. For the Beautiful Saint Barthelemy weather

sunflower

Enough with the history of the capital of Saint Barthelemy. Now you need to sit at Saint Barthelemy beach and enjoy the Beautiful Saint Barthelemy weather. You will find too many Saint Barthelemy places to visit, but it would be great for you to go to the Island from December to April. Your travel to Saint-Barthelemy should not characterize by too many sunshine hours. The climate out there is tropical all-round the year. In simple terms, it is hot and humid out there! If you do visit from May to November, then get hold of the best Saint Barthelemy hotels. So, you can have a splendid time indoors. 

5. Limited Rains, Limited Water 

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This place has more than 300 sunny days in a year of 365 days. The Saint Barthelemy weather will not fail to surprise you. There is a lack of mountains and rivers in there. So, there is not much water collection. Only when it rains, the water gets collected. Else, the water from the sea gets desalinated. The last option is obtaining water from incinerators.  Now, let’s talk about the west coast. It is drier with shrubs and cactus presence. The east coast is greener with tropical vegetation like floral species. Despite the limited version of rains, there is enough vegetation to attract you, folks.

6. Capital of Saint Barthelemy

fortress

Among the many Saint Barthelemy places to visit, you need to graze your way through the capital of Saint Barthelemy, Gustavia. Your travel to Saint-Barthelemy gets flooded with delicious sandwiches, mouth-watering desserts, and naturally-found salads. The capital of Saint Barthelemy has a line of restaurants, cafes, and markets where food-enthusiasts can have the time of their lives. One of the best restaurants in Gustavia St Barts is Bonito. There are two famous cuisines served there- French and South American. Which one is your favorite? If you are into burgers, then visit Le Select Bar, a hotel Gustavia. 

7. Saint Barthelemy flag

saint barthelemy flag

To know about the flag, you must first know where is Saint Barthelemy. The location of Saint Barthelemy is in overseas France. So, naturally, the Saint Barthelemy flag is like that of France. Laden with tricolor- blue, white, and red. The unofficial Saint Barthelemy flag consists of the Island’s coat of arms centered on a white field. In the coat of arms, there are three horizontal lines.  Ouanalao is what the people call the Island. On top of the unofficial Saint Barthelemy flag’s coat of arms is a mural crown.

8. Saint Barthelemy airport

saint barthelemy airport

This airport will help you to get to Saint Barthelemy. Another name for the Saint Barthelemy airport is Gustaf III Airport. The name of this airport dates back to the history of the Island. The mention of King Gustav III of Sweden comes here again. In 1984, the Saint Barthelemy airport got inaugurated by the Swedish Minister of Communications.  To enjoy your travel to Saint Barthelemy, airlines like Air Antilles, St Barth Commuter, Tradewind Aviation, and Winair will take you to the beautiful Island. There are nearby Saint Barthelemy hotels to let you get over the jetlag if there is any. 

9. A Little More About Gustavia

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Gustavia is the red-roofed capital of Saint Barthelemy. Here, you find one of the best restaurants in Gustavia St Barts that serve sumptuous French cuisine right from crepes to croissants. Not just that, but you also get to taste the best of seafood. Thanks to Gustavia being a harbor town. There are fishing boats with mega yachts for you to enjoy at a Saint Barthelemy beach. Some of the other Saint Barthelemy places to visit here include the Wall House Museum, Vieux Clocher, and St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Episcopal Church. The capital of Saint Barthelemy has a lot to offer to you when it mentions experiencing the happening nightlife.  

10. Celebrity’s Getaway 

saint barthelemy

You need to know how to get to Saint Barthelemy if you are a great Jay-z, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, and Derek Jeter fan. At the Saint Barthelemy beach, you can find them having the time of their lives. Not the time of their lives, but a simple vacation for themselves away from the city’s bustle. Your travel to Saint Barthelemy will get you too many autographs of celebrities and multi-millionaires. Many celebrities love to lay low once in a while, especially at the best restaurants in Gustavia St Barts or a simple hotel Gustavia.

Conclusion 

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Knowing where is Saint Barthelemy, is not enough. Try to acknowledge the lesser-known facts about the place as well. For instance, the standard time of Saint Barthelemy is according to the United States and Canada during winters. Another interesting fact is there is internet access in most of the Saint Barthelemy hotels and resorts. You can keep in touch with your family and friends if you are away from there on a solo-vacation. Most people visit Saint Barthelemy for the food it serves in most of its Gustavia hotels. Forget about your calorie-counting applications, and enjoy the local flavors with gourmet ingredients from Paris. If you are going to Saline beach, then Tamarin should be your food-friend.  We are ending it with a note for you- Have a splendid blast at the world-class and Michelin starred restaurants of Saint Barthelemy.  Not a food lover? Then, you must be a nature lover. How about you spend some time at Fourche to admire turtles doing an aquatic dance?  Well, Saint Barthelemy is full of such wonderful surprises. Go with an empty heart and come out of the magnificent Island with a filled heart. Happy vacationing there!

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