Winter
St Barths
French West Indies
St Barths is the French Riviera transplanted to the Caribbean, small, discreet and impossible to fake. Villas above Gouverneur, lunch that runs into the afternoon at Nikki Beach or Shellona, and a New Year fortnight where the harbour fills with the same names every year. IYKYK holds villas and hotel suites through the high weeks and books the tables that close in October.
Hotels
Eden Rock, St Barths
St Jean, on the rock in the middle of the bay, Oetker Collection
Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France
Flamands, LVMH house, Guerlain spa
Rosewood Le Guanahani
Grand Cul-de-Sac, two beaches, the island's largest grounds
Dining
Bonito St Barths
Gustavia, above the harbour, Latin-French, the long-standing table
L'Isola
Gustavia, Italian, the hardest booking in high season
Tamarin
Saline, garden room under the tamarind tree, lunch into evening
Après
Nikki Beach St Barths
St Jean, the Sunday lunch that defines the week
Shellona Beach
Shell Beach, Greek-Mediterranean, sunset facing Gustavia
Le Ti St Barths
Pointe Milou, the late cabaret dinner, an island institution
Events
New Year in Gustavia
Late December, the harbour's yacht fortnight, booked a year out
St Barths Bucket Regatta
March, superyacht racing around the island
St Barths Music Festival
January, classical and jazz across the island's churches
Les Voiles de St Barths Richard Mille
April, the season's closing regatta week
Travel
Flights
St Barths (SBH) via St Maarten (SXM) or San Juan (SJU), private into SBH
Transfers
Private twin-prop, helicopter, or Voyager ferry from SXM
Private charter
Day boats to Colombier, week yachts through the Leewards