Luxury holidays in St Barths

When to go

Try visiting at the tail end of high season (December–April), when room rates drop and the beaches really empty out.

Getting there

• Planes

  Getting there is a slight mission – just part of the exclusive charm. The nearest international hub is Juliana Airport on St Maarten, 25km away, or you can fly via Antigua or Guadeloupe. Air Caraibes (www.aircaraibesexpress.com; +590 (0)590 87 14 80) and St Barth Commuter (www.stbarthcommuter.com; + 590 (0)590 27 54 54) offer scheduled and charter flights.

• Boats

  For daily services between St Maarten and St Barths, contact Voyager (www.voyager-st-barths.com) or Rapid Explorer (www.rapidexplorer.com).

• Automobiles

  If you hire a car to explore your 21-square-kilometre playground (and just the one road), something diminutive is best. There’s a branch of Avis at the airport, as well as local options.

• Taxis

  Expensive and not usually worth the hassle. Hiring a car for a day or more is your best bet. Most hotels will arrange airport transfers.