How To Experience St. Barths In Style

St. Barthelemy, fondly referred to as "St. Barths" for short, is a tiny island in the heart of the Caribbean. Located roughly 20 miles southeast of larger St. Martin, the island has an interesting history. Having first been established as a French colony, it was a possession of the Knights Hospitaller, and then a Swedish Colony before finally being sold back to the French in 1878.

Today, St. Barths is widely regarded as one of the most exclusive and luxurious islands in the world.

To get there, public ferries are available daily from St. Martin, and flights are available from various other Caribbean islands. However, if you really want to arrive in style, you need to do so aboard a yacht.

Gustavia Harbour, the main port on the island, is world-renowned for its yachting scene, with the world's rich-and-famous converging on the island aboard multimillion-dollar mega-yachts. If this is out of your price range, you can get there aboard a private 3- or 4-cabin-yacht through charter companies such as The Moorings.

Pick up your yacht, complete with a professional captain and perhaps a chef if you please, in St. Martin for a week-long-charter and a 3-hour sail will take you directly to Gustavia, the capital city of St. Barths. Easily walkable, this quaint town is immaculately clean and features upscale shopping and dining unique among this region of the Caribbean. In the winter months, a celebrity sighting or two is nearly a guarantee.

From Gustavia, grab a taxi the next day to explore the island's many beaches, which are among the most pristine and remote in the world. Anse du Colombier, Anse du Gouverneur, Shell Beach, Lorient Beach, and Flamands Beach all await with an exclusive, tranquil feel not found in more touristy Caribbean destinations.

Once you have explored the island of St. Barths, stop by Ile Fourche on your way back to St. Martin. A quiet uninhabited islet only accessible by boat, it makes one feel as though you are truly at the edge of the world. For the more adventurous, climb the hillside for some of the most dramatic scenery around.

St. Barths beckons travelers from all over the world, and to many it may seem unaffordable or simply out of reach. But for savvy travelers, a yacht charter vacation can unlock destinations and experiences that would otherwise be reserved for only the world's most wealthy travelers. Remember, "A tourist remains an outsider throughout his visit; but a sailor is part of the local scene from the moment he arrives." – Anne Davison.

To learn more about realizing your own unforgettable yacht charter vacation in the world's most exquisite destinations, visit moorings.com.