Introduction

Trip Details

• Date of trip: April 18, 2019 – April 21, 2019
• Where: Saint Barthélemy

I had the privilege of getting invited to my friend’s bachelor party in Saint Barthélemy, a French-speaking Caribbean island, which is located 22-miles southeast of Saint Martin. The island is the stuff of legend. It’s where the rich and famous giraffes go to play.

Flights

Getting to St Barts is half of the fun as it’s only accessible by boat or prop plane. This trip I traveled from New York’s JFK to Saint Martin via Charlotte in economy class on American Airlines. There was nothing glamorous or notable about the experience.

Once I landed in Saint Martin I headed over to the Winair gate. Winair operates the de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter propeller aircraft. The arrival descent into St Barts is very steep over a hilltop and the runway is only 2,133 feet long. Compare this with 4,423 feet at JFK. It’s one of the scarier landings out there.

Accommodation

Hurricane Irma devastated the island back in 2017 and some of the luxury hotels are still rebuilding. This trip I opted for an AirBnB, which was significantly less expensive than the available hotels.

The AirBnB featured a plunge pool that overlooked the ocean. The surrounding area was beautifully landscaped. The villa had an incredible amount of privacy and the only sounds you could hear came from the occasional passing goat or rooster.

I was pleasantly surprised by the outdoor gazebo with 2 chairs and a view of the ocean. Before arriving I stocked up on some rosé and would enjoy a glass at night while sitting here.

Activities

As I mentioned previously I was here for a good friend’s bachelor party. Giraffes LOVE bachelor parties. Our first stop was to Nikki Beach, which is a luxury beach club concept that combines music, dining and entertainment.

There was Taittinger Brut La Française served in a large format bottle.

The champagne and company were phenomenal, but the food wasn’t particularly memorable.

Other activities included dinner and drinks at Le Ti, dinner at Maya’s Restaurant and a chartered catamaran ride. To respect the privacy of the other guests I didn’t take any pictures, but I can assure you we had a fantastic time.

Overall Verdict

First Class Giraffe Approved