There is a good variety of yacht charters on the island, including; bareboat yacht charter, crewed luxury yacht charter, skipper yacht charter, monohull and catamaran charter and sailing and motor yacht charter.
The climate of St Barts is tropical, which means that it is hot and sunny throughout the year with very little variation in temperature between the seasons. Expect an average of 30 ° C during the summer, with a drop of only a few degrees for the winter season. The weather gets wetter in the fall, but the rains are generally brief if. The island receives the trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean throughout the year, but especially in winter. Winter sees winds of over 20 knots, making this a great yacht charter. The summer months see winds of 10 to 20 knots.
Summer is the least expensive time to charter and many yacht charter companies offer significant discounts.
France first claimed St Barts in 1648. It was sold to Sweden in 1784, who sold it back to France in 1878. The Swedish period left its mark on the names of many of the streets and Gustavia, the main town, which bears the name King Gustav III of Sweden.
The island has a small airport that is served by small regional commercial planes and charter flights. The short airstrip is at the base of a steep hill that ends directly at the beach. The arrival descent is extremely steep over the roundabout on the hill and the departing planes fly right over the heads of the bathers. The closest large commercial airport is on the neighboring island of San Martín. Ferries running between St Barts and St Martin are the only other real option to get to the island.
French is the official language of St Barts, although English is widely spoken.
The island has a reputation for sophistication and is often referred to as the St Tropez of the Caribbean. Gustavia, on the west coast, will make you feel as if you have entered the province of France. St Barts is a natural marine reserve and is an attractive destination for those who enjoy diving. The oldest settlement on the island is the town of Lorient.
Ile Fourche is a good anchorage for yachts at night. Saline Beach is very popular with those who enjoy the local sport of people watching.
Of the 20 beaches in St Barts, several are considered especially attractive. In the south, the beaches of Saline and Governor are kept in perfect condition without any development on them. On the west coast of St Barts is the beach of Colombier, which is only accessible by boat or a considerable walk. The beaches of St Jean, Flammands and Grand-Cul-de-Sac are also attractive. Grand Cul-de-Sac beach is perhaps the easiest beach in the Caribbean to learn to sail, windsurf or kite surf because it has a reef that closes the entire bay. The current that passes off the reef here also carries migrating whales and dolphins. Shell Beach is popular for families with children, as it has few waves and many tide pools. Toiny is one of the top surfers, while Grand Fond is one of the only beaches on the island where you can’t swim. Scuba diving and snorkeling are a great way to see nurse sharks, lobsters, conches, and green sea turtles that abound in the waters around St Barts.