Getting To St Bart

There are a number of ways to wend your way to St. Barths, all of which require traveling through the air, or on the water, or both.

By Boat

If you're nervous about landing at St. Barths' airport you can consider a ferry.

Rapid Explorer, the fastest and most comfortable daily link from Bobby's Marina at Philipsburg (Sint Maarten) and Gustavia (Saint Barthélemy). Three trips a day.

MV Voyager departs from St. Martin at 9:00 AM and at 6:45 PM :

- daily except Wednesday and Sunday from the waterfront in Marigot, to arrive in Gustavia around 75 minutes later.
- Wednesday and Sunday from Oyster Pond, to arrive in Gustavia around 45 minutes later.

(+590) 590 27 54 10 for infos & reservations.

There is also a hight speed ferry named The Edge that comes to Gustavia once a day from Tuesday till Saturday. It leaves from Pelican Marina in Dutch St. Maarten at 9 AM. The passage lasts around 45 minutes
(+599) 544 26 40 for info and reservations.

And you can also charter a high-speed boat to come and pick you up in St Maarten. Contact Marine Service or Master Ski Pilou, who offers a 24/7 St. Maarten water taxi service.

Catamaran Lagoon 47'
Address:
Phone: (590) 590 27-9179

Getting Around

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.

By Taxi
Taxis meet all flights and are not very expensive, mostly because destinations aren't far from one another. Dial tel. 590/27-75-81 for taxi service. Taxi service must be arranged between midnight and 6am -- call ahead.

Virtually every cab driver is aware of the official prices that the island government imposes on tours by taxi. Many travelers simply approach a likely looking taxi driver and ask him to show them around.

By Rental Car Nowhere will you see so many open-sided Mitsubishi Mini-Mokes and Suzuki Samurais as on St. Barts. You'll enjoy driving one, too, as long as you're handy with a stick shift and don't care about your coiffure.

Driving is on the right. Never drive with less than half a tank of gas on St. Barts. There are only two gas stations on the island, and they're closed on Sunday and open only from 7:30am to noon and 2 to 5pm on other days of the week. (Remarkably, though, you can pay at the pump during business hours if you have a Visa card.) One gas station is near the airport; the other is near L'Orient. All valid foreign driver's licenses are honored. Honk your horn furiously while going around the island's blind corners to avoid having your fenders sideswiped.

By Moterbike & Scooter
Denis Dufau operates two affiliates (tel. 590/27-70-59 and 590/27-54-83). A helmet is provided, and renters must either leave an imprint of a valid credit card or pay a deposit. For all but the smallest models, presentation of a valid driver's license is required and you must be 21 or older.

Links & Sources:

• Frommers
• St.Barth.com
• Gustava Map
• St.Barthelemy Road Map