Things to do in St. Barts
Most days in St. Barts are built around a beach. Walk the trail down to Colombier, snorkel at Marigot in the nature reserve, and spend an afternoon at Saline. Give one morning to Gustavia on foot.
Nothing on the island is far. The longest drive from Gustavia in the table below is 17 minutes, to Toiny. A day on a boat takes you to the islets, and to Colombier from the water.
Things to do in St. Barts, compared
| What to do | Where | From Gustavia by car | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walk down to Colombier beach | Trailheads at Colombier and Petite Anse | 11 min | No road reaches the beach: trail or boat only |
| Snorkel | Marigot, Petite Anse | 15 min, 11 min | Marigot bay is inside the nature reserve |
| Swim and paddle in the lagoon | Grand Cul-de-Sac | 16 min | Shallow lagoon; boats keep to 5 knots near shore |
| Spend a day at Saline | South coast | 11 min | Reached on foot over the dunes from the road |
| Swim at Gouverneur | South coast | 6 min | A bay framed by green hills, close to town |
| Surf | Anse des Cayes, Lorient, Toiny | 5, 11 and 17 min | Toiny faces the Atlantic, with powerful waves |
| Walk Gustavia | Harbor, Shell Beach | On foot | Swedish-era buildings and a beach in town |
| Visit the fishing village | Corossol | 7 min | Brown sand and traditional dories |
| Take a boat to the islets | Île Fourchue, Petits Saints | By boat from Gustavia | Anchoring is limited, and moorings at Petits Saints are capped at 2.5 hours |
| Plan around a regatta | Gustavia harbor | On foot | The Bucket in March, a regatta around New Year’s Eve |
Road times calculated by Gladori, without traffic. © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Beaches: where to swim, snorkel and surf
The tourism board names Flamands and Saline as the island’s two largest beaches. The water changes a lot from one side of the island to the other, so pick the beach by what you want to do there.
Colombier: the beach with no road
You reach it on foot from the trailheads above Colombier or Petite Anse, or by boat. The bay is part of the nature reserve, and boats may anchor in only part of it. Take water and good shoes for the trail.
Marigot and Petite Anse: snorkeling
Marigot is a small bay inside the nature reserve, with clear water for snorkeling. Petite Anse, near the Colombier trailhead, has shallow, clear water. The environment agency forbids touching sea turtles and suggests a lycra top for sun protection, because sunscreen harms coral.
Grand Cul-de-Sac: the lagoon
Grand Cul-de-Sac is a shallow lagoon on the east side, inside the reserve, and the tourism board calls it an ideal spot for water activities. Boats have to keep to 5 knots within 330 yards (300 m) of the coast and in the reserve’s bays.
Saline and Gouverneur: the south coast pair
Saline is a walk over the dunes, 11 minutes from Gustavia by car. Gouverneur is 6 minutes from town, with green hills around it.
Flamands: long sand on the north side
The island’s largest beach, 9 minutes from Gustavia, with room to spread out for a group.
Anse des Cayes, Lorient and Toiny: surf
Anse des Cayes is 5 minutes from Gustavia and Lorient 11. Toiny, 17 minutes away on the Atlantic side, has powerful waves, so leave it to strong swimmers and surfers.
Gustavia on foot
Gustavia was Sweden’s port from 1784 until the island returned to France in 1878. Several buildings from that time still stand around the harbor, and a morning is enough to see them.
- Shell Beach (Grands Galets): the town beach, known for its shells.
- Wall House: an exhibition hall on the ground floor and the library upstairs.
- Dinzey House (Le Brigantin): built around 1820, it survived the fire of 1852 and keeps the island’s archives and historical objects.
- Fort Gustav III: a rebuilt Swedish battery from 1787.
A day on the water
Some of the island’s best spots are easier to reach by boat. Gustavia is the base for day boats, and the harbor master answers on VHF channel 12.
Île Fourchue
An islet inside the reserve. Anchoring is banned across most of the reserve but allowed in parts of the bays at Fourchue and Colombier.
The Petits Saints marine area
Six white buoys mark this educational marine area, created in 2017. Fishing, anchoring, towed sports and motorized or electric water devices are banned. Snorkeling and diving are allowed, and boats under 49 ft (15 m) with no living quarters can use a mooring for up to 2.5 hours.
Whales and dolphins
The waters around St. Barts are part of the AGOA marine mammal sanctuary. Keep at least 330 yards (300 m) from a whale or dolphin, on, under or above the water. Whale-watching trips aren’t allowed in St. Barts waters, so sightings come from shore or by chance from a boat. The environment agency says humpback whales can be seen from December to April.
Events worth planning around
The tourism observatory’s report on the 2024-2025 season lists these as its main events:
| Month | Event |
|---|---|
| November | Saint Barth Cata Cup, Saint Barth Gourmet Festival |
| December | Christmas in Gustavia, New Year’s Eve regatta |
| January | Festival de Musique de Saint-Barth, with concerts in the churches of Gustavia and Lorient |
| February | Carnival |
| March | St Barths Bucket Regatta |
| April and May | West Indies Regatta, St Barth Film Festival |
| June | Theater festival, Fête de la Musique |
| July | Bastille Day on July 14 |
| August | Fête de la Saint-Barthélemy on August 24 |
Exact dates change every year. For weather and crowds by month, see the best time to visit St. Barts.
Dinner out: book ahead in high season
St. Barts had 53 restaurants in 2025. In the tourism observatory’s survey, they ran about 66% full from November to March, with March the busiest month. In August the rate fell to 27%.
For March and the holidays, book tables early.
Rules that change the plan
| Rule | Where | Source |
|---|---|---|
| No dogs, even on a leash | All beaches | Decree 86-27 of 1986 |
| No open fires, or flame or charcoal grills and stoves, since September 2023 | All beaches | Collectivité, via the environment agency |
| Boats at 5 knots or less | Within 330 yards (300 m) of the coast, in the reserve’s bays and within 110 yards (100 m) of islets | Environment agency |
| Stay 330 yards (300 m) from whales and dolphins | All waters | AGOA sanctuary |
| Stay 65 ft (20 m) from a nesting turtle and 10 ft (3 m) from hatchlings | Beaches | Environment agency |
| Don’t take sand, shells or coral | All beaches | Environment agency |
Plan your days by side of the island
From a villa, it’s easier to group each day by area.
| Day | Base of the day | Drive from Gustavia |
|---|---|---|
| North and west | Flamands, Colombier trail, Petite Anse | 9 to 11 min |
| South | Gouverneur, Saline | 6 to 11 min |
| East | Lorient, Grand Cul-de-Sac, Toiny | 11 to 17 min |
| Town | Gustavia, Shell Beach, Corossol | On foot to 7 min |
| Water | Fourchue, Petits Saints, Colombier by boat | From the harbor |
Road times calculated by Gladori, without traffic. © OpenStreetMap contributors. To arrive, see how to get to St. Barts.
