The intimate & upscale island of St Barts (St Barthelemy or St Barths) is situated in the French Caribbean just minutes from the islands of St Martin and Anguilla. This unspoiled tropical island has only 8,000 residents, with beautiful beaches, panoramic vistas, a quaint capital city with a picturesque harbor and some of the Caribbean’s best restaurants and cafes. There are no casinos, no mega-resorts and no cruise ships to clutter up the view. St Barts climate is ideal with temperatures ranging from 76 to 82 degrees and warm crystal clear Caribbean waters that are perfect for swimming year round.

St Barts Voltage Requirements

When traveling to SBH from the United States, you will need to account for both a different electrical socket and a different voltage level. Electricity on SBH operates at 220 volts. As such, to run U.S. appliances you will need a plug converter and, in most cases, a transformer. If you are planning to operate a lap top, you will need a heavy-duty (at least 100 watts) transformer.

Calling To/From St Barts

To call St. Barths from the United States - dial 011 590 590 + the six digit St. Barths phone number (yes - you need to dial 590 twice). You can expect to pay upwards of $3.00/minute unless you have an international calling plan. When making reservations or inquiring about availability, most places on St. Barths accept faxes and/or have email accounts which greatly cuts down the need to call St. Barths.

To call the United States from St. Barths: dial 001 + the area code and phone number. In most villas, you will have to use a calling card in order to place a long distance call. Most hotels will let you dial directly but will charge quite a bit for the privilege.

Unless you have an internet phone, the cheapest way to call home is to buy a prepaid phone card when you get to the island. The phone cards are available at the Match (across from the Airport) and the gas station which also across from the airport but down the road a bit. Scratch the silver box to reveal your pin code and follow the instructions on the back of the card. A real bargain!

St Barts Internet Access

It is possible to stay connected while on St. Barth. In fact, DSL service is slowly spreading across the island and is available at most of the villas free of charge… If there is not a WIFI connection at your villa and you are bringing your laptop you can have Power Antilles (www.powerantilles.com) set you up with a weekly account for about $20.

There is also an internet "cafe" (there really is nothing "cafe" about it) in Gustavia - Centre Alize - (on the 2nd floor across from Carat) where you pay by the minute (about $20 for 2 hours). Be sure to request an American keyboard if that is what you're used to at home.