There Are Beautiful And Scenic St Barts Villas To Rent

This tropical island has a dry climate and steep rocky terrain making is unsuitable for agriculture. While other French West Indies islands experienced plantation development early on, this one remained quiet and poor. Things began to change after 1970 when the island began developing into a prime destination for elite tourists and homeowners who appreciate its quiet beauty and the privacy if its St Barts villas.

In 1746 Christopher Columbus named it after his brother Barthelemay. It is of the Leeward Islands in the Northeast Caribbean, approximately 160 mi. East of Puerto Rico. Neighboring islands include St. Kitts, St. Martin and Antigua.

It is a volcanic island of 8 square miles (21 sq km) and is fringed with sandy beaches and coral reefs. The highest elevation is 938 feet (286 M). Temperatures range from 72 to 86 degrees (22 to 30 C) year around. The dry season is December through May, with more humidity experienced from June through November.

The natives colonized the island twice, but could not easily sustain themselves agriculturally. In 1648 it became a colony of France. Initial prosperity arrived when it came into the possession of Sweden in 1784 and was made a duty free port. The Swedes were responsible for much of the development and named the capitol Gustavia. By 1852 the island was devastated by earthquake and again later by a fire. It was sold back to France in 1878.

While the official language is French, English is also spoken most everywhere, especially the hotels and restaurants. The 8,800 inhabitants are mostly European descendants of original settlers and newer settlers from North America.

About 200,000 tourists visit each year, with about 70,000 of those staying in one of the 25 small hotels or 400 rental villas, and the remaining 130,000 being passengers on luxury boats. The natural harbor at Gustavia, and the surrounding waters are a yacht haven. Scuba diving, wind surfing, and surfing are popular activities. Duty free, upscale retail makes shopping a fun and money saving experience.

Some seventy restaurants locate here prepare and serve Creole, West Indian, Italian, and Asian fare. Music of several Caribbean varieties is enjoyed. Poolside massages can be arranged at the rental villas, as well as yoga or private tours. Twenty-two public beaches await with warm coastal waters in a constant 68 to 74 degrees (20-23 C) temperature.

The winter holiday season sees the most tourism. Discounts of up to 50% are available from April 16th to December 14th. There is a 5% tourism tax, so make sure it is included in your bill and won’t be added on later. No need to worry about pollution and traffic gridlock here, there only two gas stations. Crime is pretty much nonexistent. The harbor is not deep enough to attract large cruise ships and their crowds.

You can choose from some 400 St Barts villas of all sizes and styles for your romantic tropical rendezvous or family vacation. Whether you prefer to be right on the beach, or like to enjoy the spectacular views from the hills above, your first visit will have you wanting to return again. You may even want to own a home here.

For exciting holiday choices, a traveler has the option to live at the beautiful Barbados villas. The best vacation hot spots can be enjoyed when you are living luxuriously at the St Martin villas.