How Do You Spell Beach? St. Barts

The Caribbean island of St. Barts offers near perfect year-round weather many visitors will spend much of their days on the stunning beaches, either just sunbathing or for the more energetic enjoying the multitude of water sports.

The island boasts more than twenty incredible beaches and stunning coves. Most of the islands towns and villages were established near a beach or at least offer a marina. The beaches are ideal for sports, swimming or just doing nothing more energetic than turning the pages of the latest Steven King novel.

The beaches themselves can offer thick snow white sand, picture perfect palm trees and azure blue calm waters that never dip below body temperature. Some of these stunning stretches of sand can also provide magical coral reefs located just off shore that are suitable for even a snorkeling beginner.

Not to mention the true scuba-diving enthusiast who will surely not be disappointed at the incredible array of undersea sites available along St. Barths incredible coastline. Other beach areas can offer facilities for many water borne attractions such as boating, windsurfing, fishing, board surfing, spear fishing or para gliding.

There are also several beach areas that have not had much attention from developers and do not even have a hotel along the shore. These areas are also popular with people who prefer that there are no lounge chairs, umbrellas or other modern refinements along the beach front.

These unspoilt beaches only require that you bring a blanket, and so sit under the shade of a sea grape tree to enjoy a perfect day. Some of these beaches will require a short walk across the rolling sand dunes; others like Colombier will require a hike to reach its unspoilt beauty. Some of St Barts treasured beaches can only be reached with the use of a small boat; this is true of many of the best scuba diving beach areas of the island.

Continental style topless bathing is a common practice on St. Barts, for those are not used to this practice it may come as slight shock. But also it may come as a surprise to realize that after a couple of days you do not even notice this very French way of enjoying the beach and pool side

All the islands beach areas are fully open to the public, even beaches that front a hotel. Most hotels allow non-guests to participate of their facilities including beach sports, water sports and water sport equipment rental, as well as use of beach loungers and umbrellas. Hotels will also welcome non guests into cafes, tennis courts, swimming pools and all their other attractions. Some charge a fee for the use of facilities; others just require that you buy a drink.

St. Barts is truly a magnificent home for beach lovers, and attracts many visitors every year and some who only wish to enjoy the stunning sands and crystal waters of this first class tropical island.