Trying the different beaches and restaurants are part of the St Barths experience, so wherever you stay on the island you will need a car. Though St Barths is quite small. From anywhere on the island, you can get to any other part in less than 20 minute drive. Any valid driver's license will do, and for those used to smooth, wide and level roads, the business of driving on St. Barths can be an aventure in itself.
There are two gas stations on the island, both closed on Sunday. The one near the airport is open Monday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to noon and 2 to 5 p.m. The one in Lorient is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on Thursday and Saturday afternoons. There is an all-night automatic credit card gas pump at the airport station.
One of the best things about St. Barts is the quality and variety of the food. This is true not only in numerous local restaurants, but in many local homes and villas as well, due to the unusually wide range of foodstuffs available at local grocery stores, and due to the quality of local catering services. Shopping for food in St. Barts can be a delightful social pastime in itself.
There are fourteen beaches on St. Barths, all blessed with gleaming white sand. Few are crowded, even in peak season. All are public and free. Nudism is ostensibly prohibited; topless is not unusual. For beaches with hotels, restaurants, and water sports, Grand Cul de Sac fits the bill, as does St. Jean, which is actually two beaches divided by the Eden Rock promontory. You can also see St.Jean Beach from our panoramic movie page There is a smattering of hotels and restaurants at Flamands, a huge stretch of white sand fringed with lantier palms. The village of Corossol verges on a lovely beach that serves the practical purpose of a fishing port. The beaches at Marigot and Lorient are secluded and quiet, favored on Sundays by island families. Petite Cul de Sac is secluded, and usually very quiet; Toiny is wild and beautiful, not for the faint hearted. Gouverneur is serene; Saline is well worth the hike over the sand dune. Shell Beach can be reached on foot from Gustavia; Public, pronounced "poobleek", near the commercial pier, is fine for a quick dip. Hardest to get to is Colombier, reachable by boat from Gustavia or by a half- hour hike down a scenic path.
Tourist information about another destination in Guadeloupe